Masonic Notes And Odds.

benefice in Essex , besides appointing him . Chaplain to the Prince of Wales .. Li 1734 , Desaguliers published his " Course of experimental Philosophy" iu two qu rto volumes—the best book of the kind that had . until then appeared in England , alt Avoidd appear from this work that the doctor also designed and superintended the erection of steam-engines . Eeferring to an improvement he bad made on Savery ' s engine , he says : " According . to ¦ this improvement ,.. I haA ' e caused seven of these

fireengines to be erected since tbe year 1717 or 1718 . The first was for tbe late Czar , Peter the Great , for his garden at Petersburg , AA'here it Avas set up . Dr . Desagubers died in 1749 , leaA'ing behind . him three sons , one of ivbom , the eldest , published a translation of the "Mathematical Elements of natural Philosophy , " by Gravesende , who had been a pupil of his father ; the second ivas a beneficed clergyman in Norfolk ; and the third was a Colonel of Artillery and Lieutenant-General in the armyas well

, as equerry to Geoi'ge III . " A foot-note at page 231 of tbe same work is as 1 ' OIIOAA ' : — "The statement is made in the ' House . and Farin accounts of the Shuttle \ yorths of Gawthorpe Hall , ' Chatham ' s Society ' s Papers , 1856-8 , respecting Dr . Desagulier ' s escape by being ' concealed ii a barrel . '" . _ ¦ .- . »¦' .

Another celebrated Mason during . the last century ,.. and . early in tbe present , was H . B . H . the Duke of Kent , to Avbom , and'bis Eoyal Brother , tbe Duke of Sussex , the union of the two rival Grand Lodges is due in December , 1813 . Any particulars therefore of either Avill be gladly read by the Craft , and so Ave submit the folloAving from tbe memoirs of tbe good and Eev . Thomas Guthrie , D . D .: — " There lived in Orkney a minister Avho had two . sons ; and to procure a church

for one of them was tbe utmost he could do . The other thought of entering the army , but then he had not one friend in the Avorld to procure him a commission . The case was desperate and it forced him to a desperate remedy . He formed the bold ancl original resolution of addressing himself to the Duke of Kent . He penned a letter to the Duke , which must , from tbe happy result of it , have been ably Avritten . It Avas posted silently ancl secretly ; and in a short time the postman brought a letter to

him Avritten by the Duke ' s Secretary , saying that be Avas commanded by the Duke to desire him immediately to come up to him . " In doing so , he lost no time ; and at last found himself in tbe room AA'here tbe Duke ' s Secretary Avas sitting , He had sent in his card to the Duke ; and Avhen commanded to appear before him , he passed the . Secretary , Avho said to him , ' If tbe Duke asks you what regiment you would prefer , say that you Avoidd prefer his OAA ' . '

" The Young Arcadian at last stood in the presence of Kent , who took him by tbe hand ancl received him in that land , frank , protecting manner \ vhich he says be Avill never forget . The Duke then asked him in what regiment he would like to be . Like a canny Scotchman , be took care to profit by the bint of the Secretary ; and in a few days received an appointment to the Duke ' s own . " The Eev . Dr . Guthrie in bis journal observes as to this : ' " Peace , peace to the

manes of Kent ! au act like this of secret , private feeling , and honourable generosity , does more honour to bis memory than though the names of a thousand victorious fields Avere inscribed upon his tomb . " The Eev . James Anderson , D . D ., before alluded to , ivas a Presbyterian minister in London , ancl Avas the author mainly of the premier Book of Constitutions published in 1723 . Of one section of the Presbyterians in Ireland we have latel y been favoured with tbe folloAA'ing : —

" ToAvards the winter of ; 1797 , Ireland ivas in a A'ery disturbed state , many of the northern Presbyterians , becoming 'United men , ' as the society was called , which was most obnoxious to the English Government , who decided to suppress it with a stern and firm hand . A Highland Eegiment Avas quartered in Omagb , and there being no police in those days the military was called upon to arrest offenders . A sergeant and party was sent to the house of a Mr . Archibald Buchanan ; of Strathroy , to arrest Ms sen George upon sworn information of his belonging to the treasonable society m question . }