other associated bodies, with flaunting banners and beating drums, were anticipated with pleasurable expectation and thought over kindly for many a day after.
THE FIRST MASONIC TESTIMONIAL.
From Mr. T. B. Alexander, Frankfurt House, Abbotsford, I am in receipt of the following interesting communication:—" I think Captain George Brunswick Smyth was the first to initiate the formation of a Masonic Lodge in Port Phillip, as I have on m y side-board a silver salver embossed with the usual Masonic emblems, and bearing the incription—' Presented to Brother George Brunswick Smyth, from the members of the Lodge of Australia Felix, as a mark of fraternal regard. St. John's Day, 27th December, 1840.' I always take great interest in your C H R O N I C L E S O F E A R L Y M E L B O U R N E , and send you the information, although it m a y be worthless." Though personally unacquainted with m y correspondent, I recognize in him a respected old colonist gazetted in Kerr's 1842 Directory as a settler at Mount Macedon. Captain Smyth was one of the earliest Territorial Magistrates in Port Phillip, one of the founders of the Melbourne Cricket Club, a m e m b e r of Committee of thefirstPort Phillip Jockey Club, and during his brief stay in the province a prominent co-operator in every movement, public and private, projected for the benefit of the then infant community. The following statement of the position of Freemasonry in Victoria was semi-officially m a d e in 1883:—"It is forty-two years since the first Masonic Lodge was opened in Victoria, viz., the Australia Felix, N o . 474, meeting in Melbourne, and chartered by H.R.H. the late D u k e of Sussex, 2nd April, 1841, under the Grand Lodge of England. T h e Lodges in Victoria owing allegiance to the Grand Lodge of England n o w number seventy. T h efirstLodge under the Scotch Constitution is the Australia Kilwinning, N o . 337, Melbourne. T h e warrant is dated 6th February, 1843, and is signed by the late Earl of Fitz-Clarence. There are ten Scotch Lodges in Victoria. T h e oldest Irish Lodge is the Hiram, No. 349, Melbourne, its charter bearing date 30th April, 1847, ar>d granted by the late D u k e of Leinster. T h e number of Lodges in Victoria under the Irish Constitution is fifteen. T h e two sister Constitutions of Scotland and Ireland, therefore, number twenty-five Lodges, as against seventy under the Grand Lodge of England." O n the inauguration of the Victorian Constitution of Freemasons in the same year, the then numerical strength of Masonic membership in the Colony was estimated at 5000, and the probable annual increase at 500. THE ONLY LADY MASON.
Though not regularly coming within the scope of this notice, there is one curious incident narrated in connection with Freemasonry, and as many persons m a y be unacquainted with it a brief reference cannot be considered altogether out of place here. Masonic membership is supposed to be confined exclusively to the male sex. Like most other kindred Societies it is believed to possess a secret impenetrable to all but the initiated. Daughters of Eve are supposed to be incapable of secret-keeping—a fact (if it be true) sufficient in itself to justify their exclusion. There was formerly an Irish Peer known as Lord Doneraile, high up in the mysterious Craft, and Lodge meetings used to be held at his house. His daughter (the H o n . Miss Eliza St. Leger), with the proverbial inquisitiveness of young ladies, after resorting unsuccessfully to every persuasive device of which she was capable, to " worm out" the Masonic secret from her gentlemen familiars, resolved upon a desperate attempt to dodge the sword of the Tyler, clandestinely penetrate the Arcana, and, no matter at what risk, if not to see, certainly to hear and judge for herself. There was an empty clock-case in the meeting-room, and in this Miss St. Leger ensconced herself before the hour of assembling, and patiently bided her time. T h e Lodge soon after was opened with all due formality, and the solemn rites of the Conclave were proceeded with; but after small progress had been made a titter, a sneeze, or a cough (which, is not known) sounded the alarm that a stranger was concealed somewhere
