Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

THE ACACIA . Alphonse Karr ' s Voyage autoiir de mon Jardin is the work to which allusion was made by me in the conversation with a brother at the banquet of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Kent , Margate , July , 1859 . There are two pages on the subject , The first passage is all that I can venture to copy : — " Dans le Catechisme secret des Francmacjons , il est fort parle de rAcacia . "—GIIA . IR . LES PURTON COOPF . R . _

LAURIE ' " HISTORY OP FREEMASONRY , 1801 ' . In the sale of the library of the late Dr . David Irving , Librarian to the . Faculty of Advocates , Edinburgh , there was a copy of this work , which sold for £ 1 , on Saturday , March 28 th , 1862 . In this copy there was a very singular and curious notice in the handwriting of Dr . Irving , relative to its authorship . As it is one of those literary

curiosities worthy of being recorded in " Notes and Queries , " I subjoin a copy of it for preservation . Dr . Irving remarks that : — " The history of this book is somewhat curious , and , perhaps , there are only two individuals now living by whom it could be divulged . Tho late Alexander Laurie , ' Grand Stationer' wished to recommend himself to tho

, fraternity , by the publication of such a work . Through Dr . Anderson , he requested me to undertake its compilation , aud offered a suitable remuneration . As I did not relish the task , he matle a similar offer to my old acquaintance David Brewster , by whom it was readily ¦ undertaken , and I can say , was executed to the entire

satisfaction of his employers . The title-page does not exhibit the name of the author , but the dedication bears the signature of Alexander Laurie , and the volume is commonly described as Laurie ' s History of Freemasonry . "' Alexander Laurie , originally bred a stocking-weaver , became a bookseller and stationer in the Parliamentsquare , Edinburgh , and thereafter printer of the

Edinburgh Gazette , the patent for which had been granted by the government of the day to Dngald Stewart , the celebrated Professor of Moral Philosophy , Edinburgh . Dr . Anderson was the author of the Life of Smollett , and editor of various works , including that of the British Poets , whose daughter was married to Dr . Irving . David Brewster is now ' Sir David , ' and Principal of the

University of Edinburgh . ' "—S . G . T ., Edinburgh , in Notes and Queries . Can the above be true ? Will Bro . Laurie , Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , set this matter at rest throu gh these pages . The statement is being copied far and wide , and should either be authenticated or denied . Is Sir David Brewster a brother Mason ?—M . C .

COMPASSES OR COMPASS . What is proper , the compasses or compass . —A DISCIPLE or LINDLEY MURRAY . —[ We are not going to decide . Perhaps some of our readers will help the brother who asks to their ideas on the matter . "We may ourselves mention that Preston used the word compass , and not compasses . See his first edition ( 1772 ) . page 223 , viz .: " The warrant

is thus delivered over to tho new Master , after which the hiram , the Holy Bible , the square and compass , the movable jewels , and all the insignia of the different officers are separately presented to him , and the necessary charges suitable to each properly delivered . THE ss . JOHN . Several queries having appeared about the SSJohn

. as the patrons of Masonry , the subsequent note may cast a ray of light on the subject . —Ex . Ex . " The lodge is dedicated to Saint John , not Saints John . It is true that it is said that "Masons professing Christianity dedicate them to St . John the Baptist and St . John the Evangelist , " yet when we examine the dedication of Masonic Halls

we find this passage : * In the name of the holy Saint John I do solemnly dedicate this hall to virtue . ' And in the ceremony of consecrating a lodge : ' To the memory ' of Holy Saint John we dedicate this lodge . May every brother revere his character and imitate his virtues . ' " The same idea is conveyed in the first edition of Preston ( page 4-2 ) , where a toast is offered : ' To the memory of the holy Lodge of Saint John . '"

MASONIC FUNERALS . When a dispensation for a Masonic funeral has been obtained it must be borne in mind that no brother under the rank of Master Mason is entitled to Masonic burial , or to be present as a Mason during the exercises . The lodge is always opened for funeral purposes on the third degree . The procession contains none under the rank of Master Mason , and all the symbolisms contained in the ceremonies ofthe grave , or deprived from or directed by , pertain to the Master ' s degree . —[ REMUS .

THE TRADE IN SPURIOUS TITLES AND DECORATIONUS . Your correspondent " Scrutator" quotes some amusing extracts relative to the gang of swindlers who were tried by the Tribunal of Correctional Police in Paris for selling rjretended orders of knighthood ( 3 rd S . iii . 254 ) . Amongst the spurious patents which were found by the police , " Scrutator" enumerates some of the Golden

Spur , or Gilded Militia . For many years there existed at Eome an order called that of tho Golden Spur , which I believe conferred also the title of "' Count of tho Lateram . " Formerly this Order was much esteemed , but latterly it was considered , as I have been informed , a greater distinction to be without it than to have it . In Italian , Gran Slivcde , or Slivalone , which means a jack

boot , such as the Horse Guards wear , has also the signification of " a fool , " or " an ass , " used , of course , jocosely ; hence the sayiug that when a man received the Golden Spur , or Speron d' Oro , it was a sure proof of his being a Gran Stivale , and therefore a suitable decoration for him ! In 181-1 , Pope Gregory XVI . entirely suppressed tbe Order of the Speron d'Oro , or Golden Spur , and founded that of Sylvester , which , has quite a different cross , bearing St . Sylvester on a medallion in the centre . The right of conferring this Order was reserved by tho

founder to himself and his successors . I believe the Sfoeza family claimed , in some way or other , the right of conferring the Golden Spur , but how they obtained this right , and whether they ever exercised it , I know not . I observe in the Synoptical SJcetch that two members of the " English Langue , " who are amongst the Great Officers , are styled Knights of the Golden Spur , and

Counts of the Lateran ; ancl I also find on the list of " Great Crosses , " the name of Duke Louis cle Siarin Sforza , who is further described as being " Bailli Mandatory in Italy . " Did the Duke claim the right which his family is said to have possessed , and dub these two members Knights of the Golden Spur ? And what has an Italian to do with the " Langue of England" ? And

what arc the duties of a " Bailli Mandatory " ? I cannot find mention of any such official either in the statutes , or any other authentic work on the Order . I presume , therefore , ithat it is an institution peculiar to the "English Langue . " In the roll of the members of the " English Langue , " I also . find that of an individual who , as I am informed , inserted in one or more of the London papers in November , 1857 , the following advertisement .-

—A person who has held a high appointment under one of the European royal families , and who possesses considerable influence at several foreign Courts , is willing to use that influence with a view to obtain the title of Marquis , Count , or Baron , for a Catholic gentleman . The title would bo of great service to a family desiring high ^ position , or about to visit Rome or the Continent . Address , ' P . B . R „ & c . etc . " But I never heard whether the advertisement proved remunerative . The name of the advertiser is well known Hin official quarters . ISTOKICUS .