under his guidance merely by the Warden, while the "Installed Master" sits in the chair or the seat of the P. M.? In Lodge 35, Liverpool, the Lodge has been opened, ex cathedra, in the three degrees, the first and second degree given, and a candidate for the third degree examined by the S. W., a P. M. being present, with the other members; and the third degree has been given by a P. J. W., who has descended to the rank of a private member, the W. M. sitting in the chair, and the Orator standing by the pedestal. Is this legal?

Yours, fraternally,

A TYRO.

[If the Wardens were not previously P. Masters, the case is one for the Board of General Purposes--being one of mala-praxis—and consequently illegal. With what face can such Masons as are here alluded to, decry spurious Freemasons, themselves committing such unmasonic acts.-ED.]

ADVENTURES OF A MASONIC HAT.

MR. EDITOR.-It is long since I last addressed you; indeed I have nearly sighed out my sorrow :-napless, moth-eaten, and care-worn,—I even fancy my only friend the Grand Tiler begins to lose his sympathy for me: however I must hasten to my tale. You must know that my friend Quinton, who is a kind of sub-deputy-sub-assistant to Grand Lodge, has been looked on as not over-cannie, but what I am going to state will actually put him on a par with some of the most renowned Brethren of the day, and that comparisons may even be drawn between the natural shrewdness of my friend and the wondrous lucubrations of that astonishing and modest Freemason who so rules the roast as even publicly to direct the Grand Master in the line of duty, and even emulates him who has made a happy Lodge the object of much needless notoriety. Thus, then, some three months since, the Lodge of Benevolence having terminated its sitting, one of the Past-Masters was minus -not his head, but-his hat! Quinton was asked for it, but to ask was not to have; a look, a withering look, almost annihilated Quinton, and the hat-less Past-Master wended his way homeward. A sleepless night did Quinton pass, and the fear of losing his future rest led him to think -to think was to act; he fixed on his culprit, and the next day saw him threading the maze of London in search thereof, nor was he long in his search; accosting one of those foreigners who had been relieved at the previous Lodge of Benevolence, he asked him to share a tankard, to which no objection was made-and, that finished, Quinton said he wished a further walk, observing that company was agreeable, and that afterwards they would have another tankard. In time they reached Bow Street, and, passing by the barracks, our hero asked his friend to step in while he asked a question. "No," said the foreigner, “I don't like to go inside." While the conversation was going on a police officer came up, and enquired what was the matter; Quinton hinted that his friend would not enter the barracks, but that he had good reasons that he should do so. "Enough," said the officer, "so enter both and quickly." Quinton told his simple tale; that he suspected the man had

stolen a hat, which, however, was difficult to prove: but it struck our hero on the sudden that some scout might be on the look-out, so he ran out of the office-the police officer after him,-and sure enough there was a man on the look-out, who, seeing Quinton and the officer, took to his heels, but was soon over-matched in speed, and on his head was the identical hat, which Quinton remembered full well. The owner was sent for, and proved the case-the hat was his. The thief was the interpreter to the other, and his dexterity was complimented by a month's employment on the treadmill. Who after this will say that Quinton is un-cannie? I beg to recommend him as one of much promise. The tidings of a hat come home to my feelings; who knows but that some day or other I may be abstracted from my dormitory, and want the energy and tact of a Quinton to restore me to my place of security? Your ever attached friend,

THE GRAND COCKED HAT.

POETRY.

SONNET.

Oн, what is Masonry-but gushing streams
Of human kindness flowing forth in love!
Bright flashing-on whose crystal bosom beams
The light of truth, reflected from above.
Teaching sweet lessons, waking kindly thought;
Such as from time to time have warmed the hearts
Of earth's best children. Men by heaven taught,
That man is likest God when he imparts

To others happiness. Such is the light

Which will burn brightly in a Mason's breast;
If he have learned his glorious task aright,
And with the lesson duly be impressed.

Yes, such is Masonry! and blessed are they,
Whose noble hearts reflect its feeblest ray.

W. SNEWING.

MONODY

ON THE DEATH OF WM. FERGUSSON, ESQ., LATE GOVERNOR OF

SIERRA LEONE, AFRICA.

IN ev'ry eye hath Sorrow placed a tear,
Prepared by Love, to drop on Virtue's bier ;

In ev'ry manly bosom Grief conceals

A sigh, which Worth, when lost to sight, reveals.
'Tis o'er the tomb, when in its narrow vault
We, shrouded, sleep, that Envy finds no fault;
There Malice, save with dæmon-hatred arm'd,
Lets fall her shaft, half hid, by Pity charm'd;
There, as we ponder o'er the unseen dead,
We cease to hate, as our own lot we read;

Learn to admire the virtues of the man,
And follies, less than our own vices, scan!
Oh, Fergusson! 'twas thy blest art, in life,
To win affection, and to conquer strife ;
By death to purchase an undying name,
Superior to the wreaths of noisy Fame!
Thy sepulchre no blood-bought trophies grace,
But deeds, which time itself shall ne'er efface.
Far through the bushy wilds of Afric's shore,
Thy mournful fate her tribes shall long deplore!
For, not the blaze of Pow'r assay'd to raise
Thy merit to its lofty height of praise,
Nor hallows now thy memory in the past,
With that pure light, which will, unclouded, last.
True Wisdom, tutor'd in the hardy school
Of stern Experience, spurns the pride of rule.
Fools only prize the pageantry of State,-
The pomp of office,-irksome to the great;
Exalted Virtue knows, she's brightest, when
Her sway's engrafted in the hearts of men!

Where pining Merit rais'd, in vain, its eye
To Hope's bright fields, and Joy's cerulean sky;
Or restless Pain, and madd'ning Fever strove
O'er the rack'd form their mastery to prove:
Where wild Delirium, with her phantom train
Of dreaded sights and fancies fired the brain;
Or listless Langour in the wand'ring eye
Of sinking Nature, spoke her destiny:
Thy simple manners† never fail'd to lend
A sweetness to the duties of the Friend.
If ready skill and cautious judgment fail'd-
The well-timed voice of faithful truth prevail'd;
Nor less thy prudence to prepare the heart
For that, which Love oft trembles to impart ! +

Just, as the flame of old Attachment burn'd
Anew-and by-gone bliss afresh return'd;

Mr. Fergusson's merits and services, as a medical officer in her Majesty's service, as well as governor of Sierra Leone, are too well known and appreciated to require here any leng thened detail, or panegyric. In both these important and responsible situations he proved himself the common friend and benefactor of every one. No hut was too humble for him to enter; no disease too frightful to keep back his footsteps from the bed of poverty and suffering; nor were the philanthropy of the Christian, nor the abilities of the surgeon, in the least affected by his exaltation to the executive. Perhaps, indeed, it will be rather heightening the merits of the man, as a chief magistrate, to say, that it was in the two former characters he shone more pre-eminently, and more beautifully displayed the fine qualities of a liberal mind and an amiable heart.

His simplicity of manners and unaffected humility, will be pleasingly illustrated by the following little anecdote:-A few days after my arrival in the colony, I had to call upon him on official business, when, as a matter of duty and respect, I addressed him by his proper title. "Mr. Poole," said he, "I have a word to say to you. You will do me a kindness not to call me Your Excellency; I am too old a resident to need this formality. Call me Mr. FERGUSSON."

During the attack of severe, malignant, yellow fever, with which I was seized soon after my arrival in Sierra Leone, his Excellency personally attended and prescribed for me; and never shall I forget the delicate and judicious, yet Christian manner and spirit, in which he had disclosed to me the fatal character of my fever, and improbability of my recovery.

As Hope with bold, yet trembling pen, portray'd
Home's sweetest charms, by absence sweeter made-
The glowing hearth-the smile-the hallow'd kiss-
In all the strength of past, domestic bliss-
Unfeeling Death, to his stern office true,
Dispell'd the vision thy fond fancy drew;
As when some unseen cloud conceals in night,
Sudden, some long'd-for object from the sight!

We bow, submissive; for 'tis Heaven's decree,
To what thy bodings* only would foresee;
We cease to hope-but still survive to weep,
And oft with tearful eye explore the Deep,
Thy burial-place, oh, Fergusson! and bed
Of slumber, 'till the Sea give up its Dead!

No formal monument its head uprears
To tell, in sculptur'd flattery, thy years!
No proud sarcophagus is here to grace
Thy cold remains, nor eye allow'd to trace
Th' embodied offspring of the mind and heart-
Thy praise the chisel can so well impart.
"Tis mem'ry only, now, that sees in Thee
The well-prov'd friend of Worth and Liberty!
Yet, WORDLESS as her Epitaph, she cries
With eloquence that's heard beyond the skies:
"Thy boastless piety, oh! man, shall live,
When earthly tributes shall no more survive;
And e'en thy smallest work of Christian love
Shall meet its final, rich reward, above;
And pure Affection's feelings be renew'd,
To die no more-with Heavenly Life imbued!"

BRO. THOMAS EYRE POOLE, D. D., Colonial and Garrison Chaplain, Sierra Leone, Africa.

February, 1846.

It appears that he had strong forebodings of his own approaching dissolution, on taking public leave of his friends and people, when he was much affected. He took his son with him, as it was conjectured, to be with him in case of any serious attack; and it was well for him that he did so; for, as I learn, he was released from worldly sorrow and bodily pain when somewhere off Madeira. I cannot conclude these few remarks without adding another characteristic of his unpretending piety: A clergyman, one of the Church Missionaries, informed me, that, having been called upon by his Excellency one day, as he was at Government house, to explain a certain portion of the scripture to him, he discovered that it was the governor's invariable practice to sleep with his bible under his pillow, a part of which holy book he always read before retiring to rest.

Mr. Fergusson was an African; an honourable man, an intelligent officer, a good Christian, and a MASON.

MASONIC INTELLIGENCE.

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER OF ROYAL ARCH MASONS OF ENGLAND.

(Circular.)

"A proposition, on the suggestion and recommendation of the Committee for General Purposes, will be made, to the following effect, viz., That the sum of 100l. per annum, in lieu of 251., to be paid to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Annuity Fund, on condition that the first Principal of each Chapter shall be entitled to THREE Votes at every election of an Annuitant, provided the Chapter shall have made its returns (and payments, if any due thereon,) to the Grand Chapter for the preceding year.

Freemasons' Hall, Oct. 28, 1846.

By command of the M. E. Z.,

W. H. WHITE, E.

QUARTERLY CONVOCATION, NOVEMBER 4, 1846.

Present-E. Comps. A. Dobie, James Savage, and C. Baumer, as Z. H. J.; several Present and Past Grand Officers, and about a dozen Present and Past Grand Principals.

The Grand Chapter having been opened in form, the Minutes of the last Convocation were read and confirmed.

The Report of the Committee of General Purposes was read; it stated that the funded property of the Grand Chapter amounted to 1000%, with an efficient balance in the hands of the Grand Treasurer; and that the Committee had unanimously resolved to recommend to the Grand Chapter the proposition contained in the circular; and that the increasing prosperity of the Royal Arch was, in their opinion, mainly attributable to the establishment of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Annuity Fund. It was ordered that the Report be received.

Comp. DOBIE, as President of the Committee, entered at some length into the case, observing that it would be necessary to have the sanction of Grand Lodge, as was the case with the former vote for 251., and moved that the recommendation of the Committee be adopted, which was seconded by Comp. McMullen.

After a considerable pause, for there appeared to be no one desirous of addressing the Grand Chapter,

Comp. CRUCEFIX rose, and stated that it was his intention to move as an amendment, that the proposition be altogether postponed for six months. He was induced to take this course from having, on a former occasion, found that the Masonic provinces had taken umbrage at resolutions having been passed without sufficient notice having been given; and it could hardly be said that a notice dated 28th October, purporting to come on for discussion on the 4th November, was sufficient for London Chapters-nay, he knew full well that scarcely in three Chapters had the notice been read,-witness the then scanty attendance. Deduct the