Monthly Masonic Summary.

in Austria ; but , as now , the objections of the government have become lessened to its assemblies , wo may hope that Freemasonry there , acting upon its great and true principles , like as with us , has a future of peaceful success in the great Austrian empire .

Is Portugal , according to the Bolciim Official of the " Grand Orient Lusitanian United Supreme Council" of Portuguese Freemasonry , there are now eighty-one lodges under the Grand Lodge , and two Masonic journals are published , one at

Coimbra , the other at Lisbon . Portuguese Freemasonry is apparently divided into seven degrees , and includes what wo term the "high grades . "

THE Spanish Grand Lodge seems slowly increasing amidst the sad extensive commotion of its sulleriiig country , and appears now to direct and control ninety-three lodges , of which twenty-six are at Madrid , and the rest in tire three provinces of Andalusia , Valencia , and Catalonia .

TUB Grand Lodge of Alpina , Switzerland , is apparently remodelling its constitution , and proposes to base . henceforth its membership and actual recognition of Freemasonry like ourselves on the three Craft degrees .

IN the United States of America Freemasonry seems to be flourishing and extending itself iu wonderful measure , and we hope before very long to give our readers a statistical account of American Fromasonry , which will bo deeply

interesting to us in England . V o propose , in the next Magazine , if possible , to give an account of the opening of the JNew Masonic Hall in Philadelphia , which is in itself a striking proof of the advance and importance of Freemasonry in America ,

IN Brazil the Eoman Catholic Clergy , and especially the . Bishop of Pernambuco , have placed the lodges under almost an Interdict . The Council of State under the Emperor ' s direction , has desired that

Monthly Masonic Summary.

prelate to withdraw his decree of excommunication , and has further publicl y declared , that , the society of Freemasons is legally tolerated by the Brazilian Government , and is no respects hostile either to religion or law , or subject to Episcopal jurisdiction . THE EDITOR .

Masonic Archaeology, No. 2.

MASONIC ARCHAEOLOGY , No . 2 .

The progress of Masonic investigation and archaeological enquiry is , like the same movement in other branches , whether of scientific or physical study , necessarily slow , and often somewhat unsatisfactory . There are difficulties attendant on all critical consideration

of evidence , and the sifting of ancient documents , just as there are in all severe studies or grave researches , be they what they may . There is no royal road to learning in any sense or any shape , neither is there any to a warrantable deduction or a reasonable conclusion .

as obtained from antecedent proof or the special facts of the case . All has , so to say , to be worked out by patient investigation , by careful analogy and calm ve . rilicfi . lion . And in Masonic

investigation there seem to be some peculiar difficulties and hindrances to the student , which deserve notice here , . freemasonry rests so much on oral tradition , is so much bound up necessarily with the "legends of the guilds , " as they are termed , that the task of the critic and the Masonic archaeologist is both arduous and delicate . To reduce

the lengthened records of Freemasonry , whether traditional or manuscript , as handed down through many generations , to the simpler and shorter annals of authentic history , to separate what is presumptive only from what is purely

proveable directly or indirectly , to preserve the wheat and yet shake out the chaff j to be both critical and careful , destructive and co iservative , to be zealous for the truth , . and not too hastily sceptical as to fact , such is the serious responsibility cast unavoidably on every honest and painstaking Masonic in ves-