The Nemesis : A Tale Of The Days Of Trajan.

appear to us . Could death but clear up these doubts , and bring me that knowledge Avhich AVOUIC ! satisfy my longing , I Avonld let this life flow out as readily upon a sword as Avafcers spilt upon a plain . But then the thought , the blasting thought

that if it , like Avater , should be gathered up and drunk in by the sand , and death be but a hand drawn over a written scroll obliterating the characters ? This chains me to the earth , for earth must give , shall give me yet an answer . " ( To he continued . )

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

MASONIC LAUREATES . The first Masonic laureate in Scotland Avas Eobert Burns , who was installed as such in the Lodge Cauongate Kilwinning , No . 2 , Edinburgh . After a long space of time his place was filled by James Hogg , the Ettriek Shepherd . Upon his death AVilliam Pringle succeeded . I succeeded Bro . Pringle ( see

Songs ancl Ballads , published on the occasion ) . The office is for life . I do not think many lodges have laureates . The Rev . Henry Scott liiddell is the laureate of a border lodge . I do not think even in Scotland that this office became common till within the last fifteen or twenty years . I never heard of an English lodge having one . —ANTHONV OSTEAL HATE .

CICERO ' S PHILOSOPHICAL AVRITINGS AND EBEEMASONBY . After my initiation ( British Lodge , No . S , 21 st of May , 1 S 21 ) , it was my custom for some Aveeks to take with me into the court of the Vice Chancellor , Sir John Leach , a volume of Cicero ' s philosophical

writings , aud in the intervals of pleading to commit to memory the passages illustrative of the principles of Freemasonry . This task accomplished , I thought no more of the matter ; and after my installation as Provincial Grand Master for Kent ( 20 th June , 1 S 53 ) , the endeavour to bring to recollection the passages

in question was Avithout success , a few Avoids of two of them excepted , which upon search I found in the " De Einibus . " These must be the passages quoted by me iu conversation with an esteemed brother at Denton Court , in the summer of 1 S 59 . ¦ One of such passages my biother will find in my

communication " Passage of Cicero — Principles of Freemasonry , " FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE , vol . x ,, p . 1-13 . There are tAvo errors of the press , which I will take this opportunity of pointing out : —line 11 , for civilale read carilate , and line 12 , for longos read longius . 'The other passage I UOAV subjoin : — " Omni

autem honesto de quo loquimur , nihil est tarn illustre , nee quod latins pateafc , quam conjunctio inter homines hominum , et quasi qiuedam societas et communicatio utilitatuii ) , et ipsa caritas generis humani ; qua ; nata a primo satu quo a procreatoribus nati diliguntur , et tola domus conjugio ct stirpe cohjungiturserpit

, sensim foras coguationibus primum , turn aflinitatibus , cleinde amicitiis , post vicinitatibus ; turn civibus , et iis qui publice socii atque amici sunt ; deindc totius complexu generis humani , " — CHAELES PUEXON COOPER . "

THE ACETEICPSYCHOSIS . In answer to a brother ' s inquiry , the philosopher , our contemporary , by Avhom the ancient doctrine of the Metempsychosis has been revived , is Monsieur Pierre Leroux . His work is entitled " Do 1 'Humanite de sou principe , et de son avenir , ou se trouve

exposee la vraie definition de la religion . "—CHARLES PcRTON COOPER . THE STRUGGLE . The struggle in the countries Avhich a brother mentions is between the Christian and the Mystic Pantheist . The Christian has the true Freemason for his ally . The Mystic Pantheist , notwithstanding his antipathy to Atheism , has the Atheist for his ally . CHAELES PTJRTON COOEEE .

THE CHINESE . A Manchester brother iu au amusing letter announces that official duties compel him to take up his residence iu one of the treaty cities of the Celestial Empire . Then after observing , what none will be disposed to dispute , that a conversion to Christianity

of the 360 millions of Chinese is not very likely to be brought about at present , he goes on to relate that three consecutive nights in a dream he saAV unconverted Chinese in lodge ; and he ends by making inquiry respectiug . the existence of any impediment of a reliious kind to the realisation of his said dream .

g In answer to this inquiry , there is , in my opinion , an impediment of a religious kind , which it will not be easy to remove . The Chinese have adopted—some the system of Laou-tsze , others the system of Confucius , and others , again , the system of Buddha . These different systems have not of late years

engaged my attention ; but if reliance can be placed in my recollection of a good deal of desultory reading of the sort in times past , then a ^ Chinese who has adopted the system of Laou-tsze , or the system of Confucius , or the system of Buddha , will not , I think , as yet be found inclined to recognise our Great Architect of the "Universe . — CHAELES PURTON COOPEE .

HINDOOS ADMITTED INTO ENGLISH FEEEMASONEY . In answer to a correspondent making inquiry upon this subject , I say that the Hindoos who have been admitted into English Freemasonry , had previously recognised the Great Architect of the Universe . This is tantamount to an abjuration of their

Pantheism . The number of Hindoos iu the Bengal lodge is , I believe , as yet extremely small . — CHARLES Puii'roN COOPEE . UNION OP FREEMASONRY AND CHRISTIANITY . A brother from whom I have just received a letter sadly misapprehends some of communications to

my the FEEEILASONS' MAGAZINE . It is true that I advocate the union of Freemasonry and Christianity . But by Christianity I mean a religion totally different from that which my brother ' s elaborate letter describes . His Christiatity is that of Popes Clement XII ., Benedict XIV ., and Pius IX . My Christianity

is , as I believe , the Christianity of the divine Jesus . His Christianity tolerates no religion , Soman Catholicism excepted . My Christianity tolerates all religions in which are acknoAvledged the great truths that human reason Avithout supernatural assistance t discovers . — CHARLES PCRTON COOPEE , ;