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Article NOTES ON LITERATURE, SCIENCE AND ART. ← Page 2 of 2 Article NOTES ON LITERATURE, SCIENCE AND ART. Page 2 of 2 Article CORRESPONDENCE. Page 1 of 1
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Notes On Literature, Science And Art.
It is stated that Mr . Alfred Tennyson has just received from her Royal Highness the Princess Alice a most beautiful and touching autograph letter , written by command , of her Majesty , expressive of the intense pleasure ancl consolation which the Queen has derived from the verses prefixed by the Poet Laureate to the new edition of Idylls of the Kings—a work which Avas
an especial favourite ivith the late Prince Consort . The Parthenon Club , which has been in existence for nearly a quarter of a century , and was originally founded by some of the most celebrated savans and Uteratews of the day , is entirely broken up and dissolved ; and hy order of the committee , the library and the whole of the effects of the club house in
Regentstreet are to be brought to the hammer . Messrs . J . and C . Watkins have published a drawing of Mr . Charles Dickens from one of their own photographs . The likeness is very good ; free from the comicalities and sentimentalities which disfigure so many portraits of the novelist . In Early Italian Painters we are told that Giotto was the first
painter ivho "held as 'twere , the mirror up to nature . " Cimabue ' s strongest claim to the gratitude of succeeding ages is , that he bequeathed such a man to his native country and to the world . About the year 1289 , when Cimabue was already old and at the height of his fame , as he Avas riding in the valley of Vespignano , about fourteen miles from Florence , his attention was attracted by a boy Avho Avas herding sheep , and
¦ , while his nocks were feeding around , seemed intently drawing on a smooth fragment of slate Avith a bit of pointed stone , tbe figure of one of his sheep as it was quietly grazing before him . Cimabue rode up to him , and looking with astonishr ment at the performance of the untutored boy , asked him if lie would go with him and learn , to which the boy replied that he was right willing , if his father were content . The father , a
herdsman of the valley , by name Bondone , being consulted , gladly consented to the wish of the noble stranger , and Giotto henceforth became the intimate and pupil of Cimabue . The old mansion , in the beautiful demesne of Tempo , in the county of Fermanagh , which Avas the scene of that remarkable Irish story Castle MacJcrent , by Miss Edgeworth , has disappeared
—having recently been taken clown by Sir J . Emerson Tennent , who is rebuilding it . It ivas the castle of the Maguires , an ancient race , ennobled by James the Second , from whom the estates passed into the family of the present proprietor . The house which he has just removed contained the apartments in whicli Miss Edgeworth placed the long imprisonment of Lady
Cathcart by her husband , Colonel Maguire ( who is the Sir Kit cf the tale ) , and the window out of Avhich the forlorn lady , to preserve her diamonds from her husband , threw them doAvn to a beggar woman , Avho faithfully conveyed them to the person to whom Lady Cathcart wished them confided , and from whom , many-years after , she received them in safety , on her escape from confinement .
The Council of the British Association for the Advancement of Science have prepared an index to the volumes of reports and sectional proceedings , from 1831 to 1860 inclusive . The Avork is ready to be printed in one volume . Mr . Sutherland EdAvards in his History ofthe Opera , from , its Origin in Italy to the present time , offers the following
observations , and Ave think Avith some justice , upon the absurd and arbitrary distinction laid down with reference to what is termed " evening dress " : — " I do not know whether it is chiefly a disgrace to the English public or to the English system of operatic management ; but it certainly is disgraceful , that a check-taker at a theatre should he allowed to exercise any supervision , or make the slightest remark concerning the costume of a gentleman choosing to attend the theatre , and conforming generally
Notes On Literature, Science And Art.
_ n . his conduct and hy his appearance to the usages of decent society . It is not found necessary to enforce any regulations as to dress at other opera houses , not even in St . Petersburg ]! and Moscow , Avhere , as the theatres are directed hy the Imperial Government , one might expect to find a more despotic code of laivs in force than in a country like England . When an Englishman goes to a morning or evening concert , he does not present himself in the attire of a scavenger , and there is no reason for
supposing that he would appear in any unbecoming garb , if liberty of dress ivere permitted to him at the Opera . The absurdity of the present system is that , whereas , a gentleman Avho has come to London only for a day or two , and does not happen to have a dress-coat in his portmanteau ; Avho happens even to be dressed in exact accordance with the notions of the operatic check-takers , except as to his cravat , which we will suppose , through the eccentricitof the wearerto he black ivith the
y , smallest sprig , or spray , or spot of some colour in it ; while Such an one would he regarded as unworthy to enter the pit of the Opera , a Avaiter from an oyster-shop , in his inevitable black and white , reeking Avith the drippings of shell-fish , and the fumes of bad tobacco ; or a drunken undertaker , fresh from a funeral , coming with the required number of shillings mhis dirthandscould not he refused admission . If the check-takers
y , are empowerrd to inspect and decide as to the propriety of the cut ancl colour of clothes , Avhy should they not also be allowed to examine the texture ? On the same principle , too , the cleanliness of opera-goers ought to be enquired into . No one , whose hair is not properly brushed , should be permitted to enter the stalls , and " visitors to the pit should be compelled to show their nails . "
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . FEEEMASONRY AND ITS DETEACTOES . TO TIIE EDITOR OS THE SHEEMASOIts' MAGAZIJTE Alf-D MASOUIC MIBKOE . DEAE , SIB AND BKOTHEB . —On looking over some oi the back numbers of the FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE , my eye
fell on the article headed " The Saturday Review and The Daily Telegraph , " Avhich forcibly reminded me of the equally ridiculous , not to say unjust allusions to Freemasons in Carter ' s Life of Bishop Armstrong , where all sorts of nonsense is recorded of Freemasons . One would have thought that an enlightened Anglian Bishop and a Puseyite parson miht have employed time to greater
g advantage than by uncharitably abusing their neighbours , particularly since we know what good men there were who filled the high offices of Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of Worcester , a few years ago , men who would have disdained to speak or write a word on a subject of Avhich they kueAV nothing . The dear old Bishop of Worcester , Dr . Can-, used to say in his lodge " he never
felt out of Christian harness whilst obeying the principles and laAvs of Masonry . " It is a great pity when men of pretensions to learning step out of their course and aim blows calculated to injure good institutions and mislead well-intentioned individuals . As much as I differ from the rector of Cleves in matters of Romish form and useless ceremonies , and meaningless decorations or
sanctified pretensions , I should be sorry even to think , much more to write a word against the intention of the man who made them of importance in the holy courts of God's temple , or of the society or sect which sanctioned them . Charity is so clear , transparent , and loving a grace as to forbid the slig htest movement calculated to malign , or misrepresent , or to think the slightest wrong ;
so beautifuly described in the life of a very old Mason and a pious divine . " Believe not every idle tale , As some vain people do—But still believe that story false Which ought not to be true . " Yours faithfully , A PAST G . S .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Notes On Literature, Science And Art.
It is stated that Mr . Alfred Tennyson has just received from her Royal Highness the Princess Alice a most beautiful and touching autograph letter , written by command , of her Majesty , expressive of the intense pleasure ancl consolation which the Queen has derived from the verses prefixed by the Poet Laureate to the new edition of Idylls of the Kings—a work which Avas
an especial favourite ivith the late Prince Consort . The Parthenon Club , which has been in existence for nearly a quarter of a century , and was originally founded by some of the most celebrated savans and Uteratews of the day , is entirely broken up and dissolved ; and hy order of the committee , the library and the whole of the effects of the club house in
Regentstreet are to be brought to the hammer . Messrs . J . and C . Watkins have published a drawing of Mr . Charles Dickens from one of their own photographs . The likeness is very good ; free from the comicalities and sentimentalities which disfigure so many portraits of the novelist . In Early Italian Painters we are told that Giotto was the first
painter ivho "held as 'twere , the mirror up to nature . " Cimabue ' s strongest claim to the gratitude of succeeding ages is , that he bequeathed such a man to his native country and to the world . About the year 1289 , when Cimabue was already old and at the height of his fame , as he Avas riding in the valley of Vespignano , about fourteen miles from Florence , his attention was attracted by a boy Avho Avas herding sheep , and
¦ , while his nocks were feeding around , seemed intently drawing on a smooth fragment of slate Avith a bit of pointed stone , tbe figure of one of his sheep as it was quietly grazing before him . Cimabue rode up to him , and looking with astonishr ment at the performance of the untutored boy , asked him if lie would go with him and learn , to which the boy replied that he was right willing , if his father were content . The father , a
herdsman of the valley , by name Bondone , being consulted , gladly consented to the wish of the noble stranger , and Giotto henceforth became the intimate and pupil of Cimabue . The old mansion , in the beautiful demesne of Tempo , in the county of Fermanagh , which Avas the scene of that remarkable Irish story Castle MacJcrent , by Miss Edgeworth , has disappeared
—having recently been taken clown by Sir J . Emerson Tennent , who is rebuilding it . It ivas the castle of the Maguires , an ancient race , ennobled by James the Second , from whom the estates passed into the family of the present proprietor . The house which he has just removed contained the apartments in whicli Miss Edgeworth placed the long imprisonment of Lady
Cathcart by her husband , Colonel Maguire ( who is the Sir Kit cf the tale ) , and the window out of Avhich the forlorn lady , to preserve her diamonds from her husband , threw them doAvn to a beggar woman , Avho faithfully conveyed them to the person to whom Lady Cathcart wished them confided , and from whom , many-years after , she received them in safety , on her escape from confinement .
The Council of the British Association for the Advancement of Science have prepared an index to the volumes of reports and sectional proceedings , from 1831 to 1860 inclusive . The Avork is ready to be printed in one volume . Mr . Sutherland EdAvards in his History ofthe Opera , from , its Origin in Italy to the present time , offers the following
observations , and Ave think Avith some justice , upon the absurd and arbitrary distinction laid down with reference to what is termed " evening dress " : — " I do not know whether it is chiefly a disgrace to the English public or to the English system of operatic management ; but it certainly is disgraceful , that a check-taker at a theatre should he allowed to exercise any supervision , or make the slightest remark concerning the costume of a gentleman choosing to attend the theatre , and conforming generally
Notes On Literature, Science And Art.
_ n . his conduct and hy his appearance to the usages of decent society . It is not found necessary to enforce any regulations as to dress at other opera houses , not even in St . Petersburg ]! and Moscow , Avhere , as the theatres are directed hy the Imperial Government , one might expect to find a more despotic code of laivs in force than in a country like England . When an Englishman goes to a morning or evening concert , he does not present himself in the attire of a scavenger , and there is no reason for
supposing that he would appear in any unbecoming garb , if liberty of dress ivere permitted to him at the Opera . The absurdity of the present system is that , whereas , a gentleman Avho has come to London only for a day or two , and does not happen to have a dress-coat in his portmanteau ; Avho happens even to be dressed in exact accordance with the notions of the operatic check-takers , except as to his cravat , which we will suppose , through the eccentricitof the wearerto he black ivith the
y , smallest sprig , or spray , or spot of some colour in it ; while Such an one would he regarded as unworthy to enter the pit of the Opera , a Avaiter from an oyster-shop , in his inevitable black and white , reeking Avith the drippings of shell-fish , and the fumes of bad tobacco ; or a drunken undertaker , fresh from a funeral , coming with the required number of shillings mhis dirthandscould not he refused admission . If the check-takers
y , are empowerrd to inspect and decide as to the propriety of the cut ancl colour of clothes , Avhy should they not also be allowed to examine the texture ? On the same principle , too , the cleanliness of opera-goers ought to be enquired into . No one , whose hair is not properly brushed , should be permitted to enter the stalls , and " visitors to the pit should be compelled to show their nails . "
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . FEEEMASONRY AND ITS DETEACTOES . TO TIIE EDITOR OS THE SHEEMASOIts' MAGAZIJTE Alf-D MASOUIC MIBKOE . DEAE , SIB AND BKOTHEB . —On looking over some oi the back numbers of the FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE , my eye
fell on the article headed " The Saturday Review and The Daily Telegraph , " Avhich forcibly reminded me of the equally ridiculous , not to say unjust allusions to Freemasons in Carter ' s Life of Bishop Armstrong , where all sorts of nonsense is recorded of Freemasons . One would have thought that an enlightened Anglian Bishop and a Puseyite parson miht have employed time to greater
g advantage than by uncharitably abusing their neighbours , particularly since we know what good men there were who filled the high offices of Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of Worcester , a few years ago , men who would have disdained to speak or write a word on a subject of Avhich they kueAV nothing . The dear old Bishop of Worcester , Dr . Can-, used to say in his lodge " he never
felt out of Christian harness whilst obeying the principles and laAvs of Masonry . " It is a great pity when men of pretensions to learning step out of their course and aim blows calculated to injure good institutions and mislead well-intentioned individuals . As much as I differ from the rector of Cleves in matters of Romish form and useless ceremonies , and meaningless decorations or
sanctified pretensions , I should be sorry even to think , much more to write a word against the intention of the man who made them of importance in the holy courts of God's temple , or of the society or sect which sanctioned them . Charity is so clear , transparent , and loving a grace as to forbid the slig htest movement calculated to malign , or misrepresent , or to think the slightest wrong ;
so beautifuly described in the life of a very old Mason and a pious divine . " Believe not every idle tale , As some vain people do—But still believe that story false Which ought not to be true . " Yours faithfully , A PAST G . S .