in unity." Those who know the estimable preacher as we do, will not be surprised that his efforts were crowned with success, both by the inspiration by which he was himself sustained, as by the result of the collection. The pulpit should be more frequently appealed to as one of the most instructive as well as most conducive agent of charity.

On the Study of Masonic Antiquities. By Thomas Pryer, W. M., Oak Lodge.

As these admirably written papers have appeared in our columns, a notice by us may appear to be superogatory; but finding that they have been collected and published in a separate form, we cannot refrain from expressing our satisfaction. Society at large will benefit by their promulgation; and the gentle Craft, of which the learned brother is a member, must take an honest pride in witnessing the laurels that are awarded him by popular approbation.

The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine. Boston.

We received some short time since the numbers ranging from August last to January inclusive, and we sat down to a rich banquet, yet rising with an appetite. Our Bro. Moore-God bless him!--has abundance at hand, and it was our intention to have culled for our readers many a beautiful posey; but it was not to be. The mildew of disappointment came over us in the defeat of the widow, and the sinful disregard of our own Grand Lodge in consenting to abandon a masonic bulwark, that we must candidly plead indisposition to labour, the mind being overtasked. The sunny hour may, however, succeed to the dark shadow, and in such case we hope to greet our Bro. Moore with renewed energy. Our own present number, we fear, is too much the mirror of regrets.

Claim of the Church of Rome considered, with a view to Unity. By the Author of " Proposals for Christian Union." Darling.

The author has an evident purpose of benevolence in view, and is careful to exclude what Roman Catholic priests too often introduce into their pamphlets, a leaning towards intolerance. The duty of the popedom is, in his opinion, a pure spirit of conciliation and cement; he observes" Had the popes always kept within their bounds, I think I may venture to say, that there never would have been any schism at all, but this they did not." An admission like this, is a proof that the author may be consulted with advantage.

A few Words on Jewish Disabilities, addressed to Sir Robert Harry Inglis, Bart., M. P. By Henry Faudel. Ridgway.

In these few words are comprised so much of considerate argument and good sense, that we award to the author the palm of precedence over the many pamphlets that have appeared on the subject. Bro. Faudel carefully avoids all meretricious writing; he is plain, straightforward, and, consequently, convincing. His brochure is a careful compilation of facts and reasoning; we regret we cannot give it to our readers entire ; they should, however, judge for themselves.

A series of Lectures delivered on the Metropolitan Grave-yards. By George Alfred Walker, Esq., Surgeon. Longman & Co.

Of such vital importance to the living, do we consider Mr. Walker's investigation of the tenements of the dead, that we had intended to leave

some space to the subject he so wondrously handled; but circumstances have for the time prevented us. We shall hope to enter thereon in our next, meantime we shall give the following extract.

"Overcrowding of the Metropolitan Grave-yards.—Accurate returns have been made of the superficial extent of the parochial and some other burial-grounds of the Metropolis, and of the numbers of bodies annually interred in each. The annual average number of burials per acre, for the seven descriptions of burial-places comprised in the intra-mural grounds, is stated by these official returns to be 2,271. Now, if we divide this by 7, we have the average for each, which gives 324 burials annually to the acre. From the total, we may fairly abstract the burialplaces of the Jews, and those of the Society of Friends, which are well conducted. This will give us five species of grounds, with an annual average of 2,130 burials to the acre, or an average of 426 for each. The proper number, you will remember, is 136 to the acre; in Germany, the average is only 110 burials per acre per annum. Thus, at the first glance, it is evident that our parish grave-yards are made to receive every year three times as many bodies as they ought, and four times as many as are permitted by the laws of well-regulated Continental states. The inevitable crowding of our grave-yards may be illustrated in another way. The annual mortality of the Metropolis, at a low computation, is 50,000. Now, supposing the burials to be renewed every ten years (and this is the shortest period that should be allowed for the decomposition of the human body,) 444 acres would be required, whereas we have only 209. But this is not all. There are 182 parochial grave-yards in London. Of these, only 48 are confined within the proper limit of 136 burials to the acre; the rest exhibit various degrees of saturation, from 230 up to 3,000 per acre annually. This is scarcely credible, but official returns confirm the truth of what I assert. In very many the annual average per acre exceeds 1,000.”

A Treatise on Diet and Regimen. By W. H. Robertson, M. D. The fifth part of this serial fully equals the former. The subjects are, climate, water, clothing-the skin, its sympathy with the internal organs -female discipline, in particular as to tight lacing-general bathing, and the use and abuse of that great element of nature, water. Although we but thus briefly notice this serial, we look to the next number with much interest.

An Essay on the Diseases of the Jaws, and their Treatment. By Leonard Koecker, Surgeon-dentist. New edition, with copious Notes and an Appendix, &c., by J. B. Mitchell, M. D., Surgeon-dentist. London: John Churchill.

Dr. Mitchell has the honour to be the pioneer to several master minds, among them the late Mr. Liston, who, in taking up this very delicate and important section, have thereby placed the original philanthropist, Leonard Koecker, in an enviable position. Dr. Mitchell pays his partner Koecker deserved respect, and in his prefatory observations adduces much sound reasoning on the connexion of dentistry, as a branch of surgical science, with the great parent stem of surgery itself. The catalogue of cases, with the analytical table, is statistically curious.

The Emigrants of Ahadarra. By W. Carleton, Sims and M'Intyre. The amiable author has given another original work, and invested it with that peculiar interest that may be said to be created by "Ireland's

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own novelist." William Carleton may fairly as such take rank with the late illustrious Wizard of the North. As a tale of fiction, "the Emigrants of Ahadarra" is unrivalled; as a delineation of Irish habits, it creates around an English heart a sensation of disgust, that indifference or misgovernment, or both, should have permitted meanness and hypocrisy to usurp the higher attributes of nature. Can it be that so lovely a country, and such descendants of the parent Adam, should continue to be contented with a serfdom to priestly intolerance, aided by the vilest panders to idleness and dissipation? William Carleton! thou canst do poetical justice in thy tale, let thy next effort take even a bolder flight, and implant on thy poorer Irish fellow-subjects the necessity of looking upwards to God through a more rational medium, and thus they will win back from time itself the blessings of happier feelings, in the voluntary abandonment of prejudice and ill-will.

Ventilation Illustrated; a Tract for the Schools of Rich and Poor. Churchill.

This little brochure should be in the hands of all who assume to comprehend the necessity of sanatory measures to protect the public; it is concise, yet explanatory; it is a condensation of leading facts and a great moral direction to effect important objects.

POSTCRIPT.

PROPOSED ALTERATION IN THE CONSTITUTION OF THE

BOARD OF GRAND STEWARDS.

[The following important Circular having been omitted in its proper place, we now subjoin it. The question it involves will come on for discussion at an Especial Grand Lodge, to be held a few days before the Grand Festival].

SIR AND BROTHER,-I take leave to forward to you copy of certain Resolutions (the substance of which has been notified to the General Committee) which resolutions I hope to have an opportunity of bringing before the Grand Lodge at its Quarterly Communication, on Wednesday, the 1st of March next.

As the subject is of much importance to the Craft generally, I trust you will lay this communication before your lodge at its next meeting, (which you are empowered to do by the 4th Section of the Constitutions, page 80), in order to induce those brethren who are qualified to attend Grand Lodge, to be present and judge for themselves on the occasion. I am, Sir and Brother, very fraternally yours,

4, Adelaide Place, London Bridge.

JOHN BIGG, P. M. No. 109.

NOTICE OF MOTION FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF GRAND LODGE, On the 1st of March, 1848.

First. That instead of the privilege of electing Grand Stewards being (as at present) confined to the Eighteen Lodges, the whole of the London Warranted Lodges shall have the right of returning the Board of Grand Stewards annually, in manner following, that is to say:The first annual return of Grand Stewards shall be made by the first eighteen Lodges, beginning with No. 1, and the next yearly

return by the succeeding eighteen Lodges in numerical order, and so on by all the remaining Lodges-that the yearly elections may be on the principle of rotation.

Second.-If any Lodge shall in its turn neglect or omit to make a return of a Grand Steward, the Grand Master shall appoint a Master Mason to supply the vacancy thus created.

Third.-That all Past Grand Stewards shall be recognized as such, who together with all future Past Grand Stewards shall be entitled to wear (in addition to the present distinguishing Aprons) a red Collar embroidered with the Palm and Cassia, and the Jewel of Past Grand Steward pendant.

Fourth. That the Board of Grand Stewards to be annually appointed under the proposed altered system, shall be privileged to wear the same distinguishing Clothing and Jewel as now appertains to that honour; and all other rules and regulations relating to the Board of Grand Stewards as are not inconsistent with these alterations, shall remain in force and unaltered.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

WE are requested to state that Dr. Crucefix has altogether retired from London. His address is Grove, Gravesend, Kent; where all communications should be addressed that are intended for his personal observation-indeed, letters for the Editor, under cover to him, will more immediately reach their destination.

It is most earnestly entreated that, wherever possible, all communications may be written only on one side of the paper; also that all German and other foreign words may be most legibly written.

We are requested by Dr. Crucefix, who is preparing for the Press an account of popular events in English Freemasonry, to be favoured by any Masonic papers; more especially as relating to York and Athol Masonry-the trials of Preston, Whitney, Bonner, and others. His own escapade is complete. Furthermore-Dr. Crucefix desires us respectfully to intimate, that as in a great many instances he has not kept copies of his own correspondence with numerous esteemed Brethren, he will consider it a lasting obligation if Brethren, possessing any letters written by him on important subjects, will grant him the loan of such letters, which will serve to refresh his memory; such letters of course to be returned, if requested.

A LONDON MASTER.-The letter reached us too late, even for an abbreviation of its contents. We gather from it that passive obedience to the "sic volo sic jubeo" orders is preferable to the doubtful result of opposition thereto, which scarcely harmonizes with the following passage-"Great changes are about to be made in the laws of the fraternity as being possibly necessary and expedient; but we hope the Grand Master will be inspired with wisdom to give such a direction to these changes that they may not prove injurious to the Order." What is all this but sheer nonsense.

tively applied to him, may be found in the article referred to, and upon which the vote of confidence in his Lordship was carried at the recent Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge. Clearly and distinctly, we wish it to be understood, that our regret is, at least, equal to the occasion.

And, actuated by the same love of justice, whether the mandate be for or against us, we feel that we are as imperatively called upon to assert, that neither the vote of Grand Lodge, nor the admissions and apology made by us, can possibly affect the real question, out of which the more recent circumstances have arisen. That vote was not taken or passed upon the abstract merits of the Grand Master, but upon our own demerits. And, having now amply atoned for those demerits— for faults of attributive expression, and not of masonic principle-we once more stand on the same level with all parties, with every member of the fraternity, from the last certified Mason up to the Grand Master himself.

It is a remarkable feature of the proceedings at the last meeting of the Grand Lodge, and one that strictly carries out the distinction we have drawn, between the truthfulness of our general exception to the conduct of the Grand Master, and the inappropriate nature of certain words and phrases which occurred here and there, in the article brought under the consideration of the assembly, that the reading of that article, entire, from end to end, was studiously avoided by the brother who brought the subject before the Grand Lodge, and by all who followed him! His course was to pick out isolated words, or parts of a sentence; but, beyond that which was indispensable to the support of "his case,” the context was invariably omitted. Hence we now deliberately say, our retractation, ample as it is, does not cover the context; nor can be supposed, even, to apply to the more wholesale omissions. Neither the special pleading of our opponents, nor the vote of Grand Lodge, can take from us the conviction that the Grand Master does not rule the Craft with discriminative sympathy-that he utterly misconceives the charitable disposition of the fraternity, when he stands between their declared wishes and their fruition-that it was his influence, whether self-created or prompted, that caused a further delay in the allocation of benevolence to the Mason's widow-and that it is high time that the brethren should look about them, and see if there be not in the ranks of the nobility some worthy Mason, of higher attainments, more personal generosity, greater grasp of mind, better qualified, by perspicacity and judgment, to fill an office so honourable and important. Surely the warmest eulogist of the present Grand Master is not prepared to say that Freemasonry was instituted for him! That his coronet is to be the received symbol of the Ruler of the Craft,