Masonic Notes And Queries.

OCCULT BRETHREN . A small society , composed of a few literary men , was formed in London some years ago , and they employed themselves in examining and testing Freemasonry , Rosicrueianism , alchemy , astrology , & c . Among- other operations was to cast the horoscope of Louis Napoleon . This was published about 1861 , and predicted his loss of empire in 1 S 70 . —J . M .

THE STORY OF NIOBE . An explanation of the story of Niobe is given in a contemporary , which , even if not the true one , merits repetition . The legend , as our readers will remember , is that Apollo by his dart slays the children of Niobe for insulting Latonaand Niobe is turned into a stone .

, This myth , ifc is said , describes the overflow of the Nile . Niobe means the " sojourn of the enemy . " that is the overflow of the river , and her fourteen children are the fourteen cubits that mark the increase of the river . Latona literally signifies "the amphibious lizard . " She is insulted by the E tiansbeiug

gyp , compelled to seek high ground . Apollo slays the children by drying up the river . The petrification of Niobe is explained by the Play on the words Shelar aud Shelaw . The sojour of the enemy becomes the salvation of the country , Shelar—and this word slightly altered is Shelaw , a stone . The people did

not understand what the change of the mother of fourteen children into salvation meant , so they altered it to a " stone . " Tantalus , fche father of Niobe , signifies " high ground . " He was always thirsty , though up to his chin in water . This exactly describes the Ethiopian plateaux from which the Nile pours down into Egypt . The explanation is certainly ingenious .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed b-j Correspondent THE LODGE OF FIXSBUEY . 10 THE union or THIS I-NEEJIASOXS' MAGAZINE AND JIASOS-IC jmtnon . Dear Sir and Brother , —Feeling satisfied that you

are a lover of fair play , and that your columns are always open for a true and faithful statement of the proceedings of the Craft , may I beg your insertion of tlie following explanation of the treatment received by myself at the Lodge of Finsbury , No . 861 . Tlie installation of the W . Mof the lodge took lace

, p on Friday , May 26 th , when such alteration took place as warrant me in offering some explanation . A feeling of discord crept into the lodge which has arisen from a display of dominant tyranny on the part of some who should have shewn an example more congenial with the ancient landmarks of Masonry , and any

dissentient from their views met with most rancourous opposition , and unfortunately I have been made a victim . The bone of contention has been the removal of the lodge to a more convenient place than the present , and I very much doubt if the Grand Lodge knew the particulars it would allow the meetings to be held there . The true account is that a brother proposed

that the lodge should be removed , and requested the vote to be taken ^ by ballot ; this the W . M . refused and ordered it to be taken by show of hands , when the brother who proposed it recommended his supporters not to vote . It was put to the show of hands , and there were sixteen against tho removal out of a

meeting of thirty-seven there ; no hands were shown on the contrary . Trusting you will publish this letter in justice to myself , aud to show how Freemasonry is understood and turned out in the Lodge of Finsbury . Yours respectfully ,

E . Bi'y . TAAIIN , late J . W . of the Lodge . THE HIDDEN MYSTEEIES OF NATFEE AND SCIENCE . TO TIIK EDITOR OF THE rilEKlCASOS'S MAGAZINE _ . _ Ta jrASOlflC srriiEOK .

Dear Sir aud Brother , —During the last few years great changes have taken place in regard to Freemasonry , not , indeed , as to its princip les and objects , but as to the extent and manner iu which they are carried out . Our numbers have vastl y increased ; our past history has been , and still continues to be ,

investigated ; our charitable institutions have been enlarged and rendered more efficient ; Masonic Temples have arisen for the practice of our rites apart from houses of entertainment ; and something , though not very much , has been done , by mean *! of lectures in . lodgesaud writings in Masonic journalstowards

, , carrying out the purposes of the second degree , namely search into the " hidden mysteries of nature and science . " Under the latter head may he included every thing which has reference to distinguished promoters of such studies , and this being the case , I beg

to ormg to your notice , and that of your readers , two works bv an excellent and esteemed brother , Captain Thomas ' Lidstone , P . M ., T . Z ., P . Prov . G . S . W . for Devon , who resides at Dartmouth , and is much interested in archaeological pursuits , for the cultivation of which the frequent changes in so old a town afford much scope . The first workentitled" Some Account

, , of the Inventor of the Steam Engine , " ( price 3 s . ) , was published by Longmans and Co ., in 18 ( 59 . Of the other , issued only one month ago , by J . C . Hot-ten , 75 Piccadilly , London , entitled , " Notes and Queries about Newcomen , and Something about his Kettle , his Monument , & c" ( price 8 d . ) I send you a }' b

, , cop , y request of the author , in full confidence that your reviewer will do ample justice to its contents , and in the hope that some of your readers , who may be led to purchase and perusal , will be able to furnish afc least a portion of the information required . Yours faithfully and fraternally ,

H . H . Totnes , June Gth , 1871 . THE TEEATY AND THE OEDEE OF CONSTANTINE .

TO inn EDiToit or TIIE imEEiiAsoirs' MAGAZINE AND JIASOJTIC MIEBOR . Dear Sir and Brother , —I mentioned in my letter to you on Grand Conclave the fact that a Sir Kni ght had distinctly challenged the statement made by the D . G . M ., Sir Knight Huyshe , thafc the Duke of Sussex