things, relative to men exclusively, which forbids the idea of subjecting - female tenderness to the preparatory dispositions for initiation, and to the labours required to secure advancement. Besides, the implements of the craft are not adapted to the delicacy of the female hand.

The plan of Deity has designed the fair for a diffent, and no less enchanting sphere in the wide range of intelligent existence. The advancement of female happiness, the protection of widows and of orphans, the defence of" injured innocence," and "suffering virtue," seem peculiarly allotted to the hardier sex, and among none, more than among Masons, have these laudable objects been cherished with more devoted zeal, from time immemorial.

All that is lovely, all that is virtuous, all that is dignifying to the most charming, and amiable part of creation, is held by us in sacred reverence. Eden was a wilderness, its fragrance was wasted in the "sad solitude" of man's companionless hour, "till woman smiled." She is "the glory of the man."

The mantle which surrounds the female character, is made of so delicate a texture, that even the breath of surmise will sully its purity; and that secrecy, which gives value to our indispensable labours, would render it, in the eyes of a sensorious world, obnoxious to the blasts of suspicion. Man is formed of coarser materials, and in a rougher mould: he is doomed to encounter dangers and difficulties: he is apt to become morose, vindictive, and inexorable he needs all the influence of Masonic discipline to soften the ruggedness of his nature; to quiet his angry passions, and to render him mild, tolerant, and humane. But how different the attributes of the last, and more perfect part of creation! Who that has seen the seraph form of beauty, bending with fond anxiety over the cradle of sleeping innocence, and guarding with a mother's care its infant slumbers; who that has beheld

the tender wife, soothing the sorrows, encouraging the hopes, and whispering comfort to the bosom of an afflicted husband; or the affectionate daughter supporting the tottering steps of declining age, and smoothing the pillow of sickness; who that has seen woman, ever susceptible openerous emotions, dispensing blessings with "a hand, open as day to melting charity;" who that has known her as the ministering angel in health, and in sickness, in weal, and in woe; who that has seen, and known, and felt all this, would willingly subject her to vocations, appointed by Providence exclusively for masculine exertions? Among the foremost ranks of her guardians and protectors, will Masons ever be found; they cannot be accessary to a violation of the laws of nature.

It would ill comport with the situation or duty of any reflecting craftsman, to attempt to cull the meretricious decorations of fancy, or to scatter the flowers of persuasion among those who are not Masons, for the purpose of procuring an accession to the numbers of the fraternity. Masonry needs no resort to such means, to give it either strength or durability. We expect, nay we wish, no one to approach our mystical altar, who comes not spontaneously, to undergo the severe difficulties and dangers which beset and embarrass, the most courageous candidate at every gradation. That there are difficulties and dangers, and those of the most unexpected and trying nature, a regard for truth will not allow us to deny. We who have surmounted some of them unhurt, may well exclaim, cold must be that bosom which has not been warmed by the electrifying ordeal! and obdurate indeed must be that heart, which has not been softened by those trials and tribulations.

Brethren, it is time that my present work were finished. Let me earnestly entreat you to cherish with devotional affection, the cardinal principles of friendship, morality, brotherly love,

Whose firmness of heart, fair treasure of

arts

To the eyes of the vulgar unknown, Whose lustre can beam new dignity and fame

On the pulpit, the bar, and the th Indissoluble bands our hearts and out hands

In social benevolence bind,
For, true to his cause, by immutable laws,
A Mason's a friend to mankind.

Let joy flow around, and peace, olive-bound
Preside at our mystical rites,
Whose candour maintains our auspicious
domains,

And freedom with order unites.

Nor let the dear maid our mysteries dread,
Nor think them repugnant to love;
To beauty we bend, and her empire de..
fend,

Her empire deriv'd from above.
Then let's all unite, sincere and upright,
On the LEVEL of virtue to stand;
No mortals can be more happy than we,
With a brother and friend in each hand..
S". W*.

ROYAL MASTER'S ODE. By Hiram's arts, the aspiring dome, In stately column's shall arise; All climates were his native home;

His learned actions reach the skies, Heroes and kings revere his nagie, While Poets sing his lasting fame.

Heroes and kings, &c.!

Great, noble, generous, good and brave ;
Are titles he most justly chims;
His deeds shall live beyond the grave,

Which those unborn, shall loud proclaim;
Time, shall his glorious acts unroll,
While love and friendship harm the souk
Time shall, &c.
089B

THE MASON'S DAUGHTER. As altered and revised, for Parmele's Key to the Masonic Mirror.

A Mason's daughter, fair and young,
Thide of all the virgin throng,
us to her lover said;

The gh Damon! I your flame approve ;
Your actions praise, your person love,

I still must live a maid.

No youth shall loose my virgin zone, But one to whom the secret's known

Of ancient Masonry;

In which the great and good combine,
To raise, with generous design,
Man to felicity.

I hate the fop, the churl, the fool,
The plodding knave, the party tool,
The libertine and slave;

I love the man that's good and true,
Who learns his passions to subdue ;
Is generous and brave.

I love the frank and faithful breast,
On which the aching head may rest,
And quite forget its pain;
Where charity prefers her prayer,
And finds a ready helper there,
Nor needs to ask again.

This said, he bow'd and went away-
Apply'd-was made without delay;

Then to his charmer came,
She sweetly granted his request;
And clasping Damon to his breast,
Confess'd a kindred flame.

hand, though under a perpendicular sun, till they have satisfied each other as to the welfare of their wives, children, relatives, acquaintances, cattle, domestic animals, and so on: there is then a good deal of ceremony in settling the important qeustion who shall first put his cap on again. They are very muscular, and are capable of undergoing incredible fatigue.

A more desirable spot for the asthmatic or consumptive, uniting such numerous advantages, cannot be found; the town of Funchal being situated in a valley open only to the south, while it is completely defended by the mountains rising behind, from those northern blasts, which in other situations too often prove fatal in cases of decline; and the temperature of the atmosphere is very little subject to change, the thermometer being seldom higher than from 75 to 78 in summer, and rarely below 65 in winter: indeed the climate is so favourable for invalids, that were it resorted to before the disease becomes too long confirmed it would seldom fail in restoring their health: but it is to be regretted that this resource is often deferred till it is too late for any hopes of recovery, and when the patient has scarcely strength to undergo the fatigues of the voyage.

When the island was first colonized, prince Henry had the sugar cane tansplanted hither from Sicily; and, at one time, there were forty sugar mills on the island, that article then forming the staple commodity; now there is only one mill remaining, at which little sugar is made, but that little is excellent, and has a scent like

the violet.

Instead of the cane, vine is now cultivated, the produce of which is well known and esteemed all over the world: the vines run on trellises of cane work, about three feet from the ground, and the grape is usually fit for making into wine at the beginning of September, when they are obliged to tie up all the dogs, to prevent their getting at the

grapes, of which they are very fond. Great quantities are destroyed by rats, lizards, and wasps.

The wine-press is a wooden trough about six feet square, and two feet deep; over which is a large clumsy lever. When the trough is nearly filled, about half a dozen peasants, bare legged, get in, and with their feet press out the precious juice; after which the husks and stalks are collected in a head, and pressed with the lever, this last pressing produces the strongest and choicest wine. The best wine is produced on the south side of the island, and when first made, is as deep coloured as port; ferments for about six weeks after it is made. It is computed that about twenty thousand pipes are made annually, of which about two thirds are exported, principally to Great Britain and British colonies, and the remainder is consumed on the island.

There are many different descriptions of grapes, the largest size, and which is merely a table grape, and is not made into wine, is about the size of a muscle plumb, and the bunches are so large as sometimes to weigh twenty pounds.

The wines shipped from Madeira, are classed Tinta, or Madeira, Burgundy, Malmsey, Sersial, and simple plain Madeira; the three first are thirty pounds per pipe dearer than the latter, which is 60l. per pipe of 110 gallons free on board. This high price is occasioned by the want of unanimity among the English merchants, or indeed a want of good faith towards each other, for they appear occasionally to rouse from their lethargy, meet at their consul's, and agree to give only certain prices for the wines at the press, but, immediately after, each outbids the other, and the wine jobber laughs in his sleeve, and profits by their folly. Were a dozen of the principal wine shippers to be unanimous, they might, with ease reduce the wines at the press one third of the present exorbitant prices, and could, of course, make a similar reduction in

the shipping prices, when they would consequently have larger orders; but what can scarcely be credited is, that when they had what they term a faetorial meeting, to affix the shipping prices for 1819, all but two of the sapient assembly were for raising the price £8 per pipe; and when these two proved to a demonstration that such conduct would only induce the wine-jobbers to make a similar rise, and inerely add to their coffers, already overflowing with the effect of the merchants' past follies; the meeting still deemed it necessary to adjourn for a few days, before they would allow themselves to be convinced.

No foreign wine is allowed to be imported, not even a few dozens of Port for private use, although it is the produce of the mother country; this is being very strict indeed, yet it is justifiable, as a very few years since a discovery was made of a smuggle into the island of a number of pipes of wine from the island of Fayal and Teneriffe; and had not the most rigid methods been adopted the wine of Madeira would have lost its reputation, as no one who imported wine from thence could have been certain of having it genuine consequently the wines were seized, and the heads of the casks were knocked out in public market-place, which overflowed with the contents: the boats that landed it were confiscated, and the smugglers condemned to transportation, or to pay to the crown, in addition to losing the wine, twice its

amount.

The island is well supplied with good beef, mutton, poultry, and some wild pigeons, quails, partridges, snipes, woodcocks, wild rabbits, &c. The Atlantic furnishes the island with abundance of excellent jew-fish, johndory, pike, mullet, hake, makerel, pilchards, turtle, crayfish, crab, limpets, shrimps, &c. They have a breed of small but handsome and serviceable horses.

Most of the commercial characters