Masonic Notes And Queries.

tions , opinions , habits , and manners of . the profession , more than any other single agency . In consultations two or three might meet—in societies medical men might meet by hundreds—but in the press alone could they all , as it were , stand face to face , and enjoy the privilege of an exchange of thought . It alone could deal with the thousands of the profession as with one man . Some

might deplore that ephemeral writings tended to displace the solid tomes which were produced when the periodical press did not exist , but they must accept ihe age as they found it , aud in the universal diffusion ofthe products of thought , the incessant collision of thousands of minds busied with the same subjects , more truth and progress was elicited than was ever produced hy solitary thinkers . "

The first , second , and third years' examinations of Associates of the Institute of Actuaries will take place at the rooms of the Institute in London , on Saturday , the 15 th of December . M . Louis Blanc has been lecturing at various places in the north of England with considerable success ,- but , like too many other clever and earnest men , the late member of the French Provisional

Government seems to have made himself ridiculous by attempting to enlighten the world on a subject on which he has not himself seen the light , as the following extract from the Middlehro' Times of last Saturday will show : — " On Friday night last this celebrated exile , whose literary and political productions have secured for him a world-wide fame , delivered his lecture upon the Mysterious

Personages and Agencies in France towards the end of the Eighteenth Century . Though the hall was by no means so crowded as might have been expected , the attendance was large and respectable , and included nearly all the leading men of the town . As the hour announced for the chair being taken approached , considerable uneasiness was evinced by the audience , who seemed anxious to behold

one of whom they hacl heard and read so much ; hut , great as was their anxiety , greater was their astonishment at beholding instead , as some hacl supposed him to be , a stalwart man , a quiet , unobtrusive little personage , whose closely shaven chin and miniature stature , gave him quite a boyish appearance , that contrasted strangely with the appearance of our worthy town clerk , who , together with the Mayor and Councillors Daikin and Buckney , accompanied the lecturer to the platform . But , however commonplace and unattractive the orator ' s external appearance , he gave

such striking evidence of his mental attainments , as clearly demonstrated that though he might , in the estimation of some , be considered dwarfish in body , he was a giant in mind . The able manner in ivhich he grappled with the more difficult portions of his lecture , and the historical facts with which he illustrated his subject , displayed wonderful research and logical acuteness , and

reminded one fairly of the saying of Watts , that ' the mind is the standard of the man . ' We fear his exposition of the origin of Freemasonry and the object for which it was first instituted would be anything but satisfactory to the brethren of the " mystic tie , " as it was anything but nattering to the institution , ivhich he asserted had its origin in these dark ages that gave birth also to

the Jesuits' Society , and ninny other kindred institutions , ancl to counteract the dangerous tendencies for which Freemasonry was instituted . Indeed , when listening to his statements regarding the first lodge of Freemasonry iu France having been instituted b y Charles "Edward ( the Protender ) , many of the uninitiated and sceptical were no doubt inclined to think that the title of the

founder was rather significant . He that as it may , no doubt Freemasonry was instituted , as ihe lecturer stated , for the propagation of a great social reform , which could only have been in those days carried out by such means as those made use of b y the Freemasons . That they were sometimes unfortunate in the choice of their instruments , as clearly proved hy the case of Cagliostro , is undeniable , and only proves that the severe tests of initiation to which they subjected candidates v .-ore Justified by the circumstances of the times . We have no hesitation in pronouncing the lecture , ivhich

occupied upwards of an hour and a half in delivering , a treat in its way , although we are not prepared to endorse tho lecturer ' s views regarding the causes ivhich led to the prevalence of mysticism in France towards the close of the last century , and which wc believe to be very different to those adduced by the lecturer , who traced them to extreme ' rationalism / but which , in reality , was not the

cause . A Treatise on the Ironstone of the Cleveland District , hy Mr . Joseph Bewick , of Grosmont , has just been published , with Geological maps . A new edition of Hogarth ' s works , engraved on steel , with descriptive letter-press by the Rev . J . Trussler , and E . F . Roberts , Esq ., and an essay on Hogarth as a satirist , by J . Hannay , Esq ., is

to appear next month . A Strong Will and a Pair Tide is the title of a new novel by Miss Sterne , who is said . to be a grand-niece of the celebrated author of Tristram Shandy and of The Sentimental Journey . A new sea tale , entitled The Cruise of the Daring , by Mr . C . F . Armstrong , is in the press . A new novel , by Mrs . Augusta Peel , is preparing for publication , under the title of Retribution . Miss Julia Corner has a new work of fiction in the press , entitled

Culverley Pise . Sir John Richardson , C . B ., F . R . S ., & c ., has a book on The Polar Regions in the press . A beautiful edition of Shakspere's fine comedy , The Tempest , has been published , with illustrations by Birkefc Foster , Gustave Dore , Frederick Skill , Alfred Shuler , an . Gustave Janet .

An English translation , by Mary Hewitt , of Frederika Bremer's Tico Years in Switzerland and Italy , is just ready for publication . The African traveller , Captain Burton , whose health , we are . glad to learn , is much improved , has reached the Salt Lake City , the Mormon capital , and is passing through the American prairiesand about to cross the Rocky Mountains , " as a mere amusement

and relaxation !" The Council of the Royal Society have awarded medals as follows : —To Professor Robert Wilhelm Bunson , of Heidelberg , for his researches on Cacodyl , Gaseous Analysis , the Voltaic Phenomena of Iceland , kc—the Copley Medal . To Mr . AVilliam Fab-bum , F . E . S ., for his Experimental Inquiries on the Properties of the

Materials employed in Mechanical Construction , contained hi the Philosophical Transactions , and in the publications of other scientific societies—a Royal Medal . To Dr . Augustus Waller , F . R . S ., for his investigations into the Anatomy and Physiology of the Nervous System , & c ., and for the introduction of a valuable method of conducting such investigations—a Royal Medal . To

Professor James Clerk . Maxwell , for his researches on the composition of Colours , and other optical papers—the Eiur . ford Modal . The Rev . H . 0 . Coxe , for many years mitler-librar ' -sui of the Bodleian Library , Oxford , has been appointed successor io Dr . Bnclinel in the librarianshw .

Mr . George Schcirf , -who for lorty-iour years has been an industrious labourer in connection with the lino avis iu this country , died on Sunday , the 11 th inst ., after a lingering illness , at the residence of his son , in Westminster . Mr . Scliarf was a Bavarian hy birth , having been born at Maiu . or . ry , near Munich , in too year 17 SS , and studied for some years in the Bavarian capita ! . He afterwards travelled through France and Flanders , visiting . Paris

when Napoleon had , there collected under one roof tho spoils oi Italy . Mr . Scliarf served for a short time in the British army , and came to England in 1 S 1 G . He was , we believe , the first to introduce lithography into this country , and was not altogether unknown as a painter . The Rev . Jolm Barlow has resigned tho honorary secretaryship of

the Royal Institution , which ho has held for eighteen ye . u--=. The valuable discovery of the art- of rendering platinum i-aullcble , which , has hitherto been generally attributed to Wollastou , as made bv him in 130-1 , IVAS been claimed , at ; -. recent meeting of the Societe