LONDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 18G2. the Girls' School, when the chair will be taken by the E.W. Prov. G.M. for Lincolnshire, His Grace the Duke of St. Albans, who will, upon THE CHARITIES. this occasion, make his debut before the brethren We cannot better close our volume than by in the graceful character of Champion of the reminding- the brethren that the Festivals of our oldest of our Charities, ancl one which has ahvays various Charitable Institutions are rapidly ap- been popular amongst the brethren, as nothing- proaching^ and once more the brethren are- called can commend itself more to the sympathies of upon to reflect upon the brighest teachings of our any body of men than orphans of the weaker sex Order—the necessity of protecting the Aged and —Ai'ho, as they are exposed to greater tempta- the Orphan. ' tions, and have the less opportunities of ob- On the 28tli of -January the Festival of the taining a liiTng than their brothers, require the Eoyal Benevolent Institution for Aged Free- more careful guidance in their younger years,—-a masons and their Widows will take nlace under guidance AA'hich they are sure to receive at our the presidency of the R.W. Brother -John Havers, School, AA'hich now calls for liberal aid, in order J.G.W., and if the subscription lists be at all that the Committee may be enabled to increase equal to the fervid eloquence with which Ave knoiv the number of children to be taken under its he Avill plead the claims of the Institution to the fostering care. support of the brethren the result will prove a The three Festivals last year produced between bumper ; but the brethren may rest assured of £7000 and £8000 : next year, we hope that the one thing—that hoivever liberal theii subscrip- amount- may exceed £10,000. Brethren, this is a tions though they may do much to alleviate the result easily obtained : it is only about £15 a distress of those claiming relief at their hands, lodge throughout England and Wales, or 10s. for though a few more annuitants may become par- each member. takers of their bounty at the election in Hay next, But Ave must not forget that there are also there will still be left many candidates—a list other Charitable Institutions connected with oar always growing as age creeps on man and woman Order, though not so general in their scope. —as incentii-es to exertion in the future ; and it West Lancashire has an Educational Institution ; should be oar pride to endeavour so to increase Cheshire is folloAving in the wake ; ancl. as each the funds of this Institution as to enable ns to has its oiA'ii sphere of usefulness, these, too, we boast that no distressed Freemason—no helpless commend to the support of the brethren. widow, ever pleaded to us twice in vain. The R.W. Deputy Piwincial Grand Master, the MAS0MC 1'TOTSS AND QUERIES- Earl De Grey and Ripon, will take the chair at the Festival in aid of the funds of the Boys' BOGEE. BACON TIIE ALCHEMIST. School on Wednesday, March 11th, when his Is there any foundation for the assertion I once heard Lordship will be supported by a numerous body made that Roger Bacon, the Alchemist, was a Mason.— N" of stewards, many of whom come from West IS. .—[AVe are not aware of any but it is not unlikely that the following passage, of the late Bro. Godfrey Yorkshire, where every exertion is being made to Higgins, may have given rise to such a report. In one give him a full list, his Lordship being the Grand of his footnotes to the Anacalypsis he says:—"'Soger Bacon believed ia the possible transmutation of the Master of the Pro'vince. But it is not from West baser metals into gold, and his reasoning amounted to Yorkshire alone that Ave look for good returns, this—Since carriages have been moved ivithout the aid of animals—since boats have been impelled through the Bro. Binckes has ivorked arduously throughout water without oars or sails—since men havo been trans- the provinces, and Ave anticipate a response to his ported through tho air—since very distant and very minute objects may be made perfectly clear to vision by exertions by such a subscription as has never yet means of glasses—and since the effects of thunder have been witnessed at any of our Masonic Festivals. been produced by a few grains of powder—how cau it be contended that the transmutation of metals is im- The School yet wants much improvement to possible ? From this most extraordinary exhibition of make it equal to what we wish to see it, and what the words of this most celebrated natural philosopher or it will become if the irations of Bro. Binckes alchemist, or magician, or judicial astrologer, I feel very asp little doubt that among the ancient priests, or astrologers, be realised. all these secrets were known ; and that from his books Later in the season—viz.; on the loth of May of tho occult sciencies ho came by the information, that these important secrets were formerly known, though, —the Annual Appeal will be made on behalf of perhaps, only known to a very few of the heads of a secret order, guarded as Masonic secrets, and conse- which candidates are admitted are, that their relatives quently in later times lost."] cannot withdraw the orphan before the ago of eighteen, FRENCH 3IASOXIC CHARIT1' POIl ORPHANS . but, should the general body consent to any application [We have beeu repeatedly asked to point out in other of the kind, the relatives must defray the expenses in- countries tho existence of similar institutions to our own curred for the orphan from its admission to the time of for tho benefit of the children of Freemasons, and some withdrawal, at tho rate of three hundred francs per annum, every quarter being little light may be thrown on the method adopted in considered accruing on its commencement.] France, by condensing the latest information on the subject into a note for our readers. The adminstration of the Orp lieMiia-t Manonnicpie is under four committees. One for finance, another for enquiry, a third for admis- NOTES OIT LITEEATUSE , SCIENCE , A2TD AET. sion, and the remaining one for management and instruc- tion. The first is composed of the first Vice-President, The Societe des Gens de Lettres of Paris has elected into its the two Treasurers and four members of the Council of body Mr. AA'illiam L. Hughes, the translator of Poe ancl other Administration. The second of the two Secretarys English writers into French. Mr. Hughes is the first English- and man who has been made a member of that society. five members. The third of the second Vice-President Mr. Edmund Routledge wishes us fAthencauni) to state that and four members. The fourth of the President of the the description of a cheap diet given in his book "Hodge Council of Administration and seven of its members. Podge," cinder the head of " Living upon Small Means," is not The business of each committee is defined thus,— copied from " Nicholas Nickleby." AVe take the opportunity Finance.—-They are to verify Treasurers accounts and of this reference to say that our copy of " Every Boy's Annual," report to the general body quarterly, and produce a edited by the same gentleman, has passed iuto the hands of two balance-sheet of expenditure and income half-yearly. grave critics of 11 and 14, who report compendiously and re- To propose the different modes there may be for invest- spectively tbat it is " .iolly " and " stunning." ing the funds at the disposal of the charity, and all A few items of literary gossip, says the Queen, have reached subscriptions due are collected iu the name of the finance us, which seem worth recording. The author and publisher committee. Its advice is also taken upon the expenses have sold to the proprietors of the London Journal , for a con- proposed by the committe number four, the general body siderable sum, the right to run " Lady Audley's Secret" through deciding. Gommittee of. Inquiry.—Their ' duty is to In accordance with a resolution passed at the annual general meeting at the Adelphi Theatre, on the 29th of A receive all the information respecting the rights of the pril last, children proposed to be admitted, recommending the appointment of a committee to consider the and they are the ex- best means to be adopted for the recognition of the valuable aminers of all claims on which they have to determine services of the honorary secretaries of the Art Union of and make a London report to the Committee of Admission. since the commencement of the society, it has heen proposed They are also the channel through which the whole of to raise by subscription among the members of the society ancl the correspondence is conducted. Gommittee of Admis- their friends a sum of money to be expended in the production sion.—It is their duty, after the Committee of Inquiry of two pieces of plate to be presented respectively to Mr. havo reported to them, and after they havo examined the Godwin and Mr. Pocock. applications, to determine the rights of the children that periodical. The sale of this novel already exceeds that of being candidates for admission, and send the petitions to " The Woman in AA'hite," hitherto one of the most popular the President endorsed with the reasons for proposing or " sensation" novels of the clay, and it is still selling largely.