by the Princess Potowska, in 1769, which had the excellent rule, that the noble actions of any of its members should be inscribed in a book called the Golden Book, so as to encourage and spur on the different members to the performance of good deeds. In Denmark, the Society of the Chain had the same philanthropic object in view, and founded and maintained the splendid hospital for the blind at Copenhagen. So, also, the Order of the Companions of Penelope, or the Palladium of Women, the statutes of which have been erroneously supposed to have been compiled by Fénelon. The different ceremonies, and the trials which the neophyte had to undergo, all tended to impress on the sisters that work was the true palladium of women. Another association, L'Ordre des Dames Ecossaises de l'Hospice du Mont Thabor, was founded at Paris in 1810, and, in imitation of the Order of the Illuminati, was divided into the lesser and the greater mysteries. The instruction given in this society to the male as well as the female members urged them to pursue steadfastly their respective duties and avocations in life, and warned them against the evil consequences of idleness and dissipation. This association did much good, and had a much longer existence than any of the other societies. It gave work and food to those who were in want, and, after eighteen years of continued charity, was dissolved in 1828. There was, however, really no necessity for secret initiations, ceremonies, and signs, in these societies; their objects might have been carried out quite as effectually without the aid of a secret association. We might just as reasonably expect to have at the present day, a secret and mysterious society for the relief of unemployed ballet-girls, or for the support of distressed needle-women. It may be that the idea of being banded together for a holy object, and of being bound by a solemn oath, gave an additional impulse to their charity. In French writers on Freemasonry, there are numerous accounts of the festivals given by the Lodges of Adoption, founded in imitation of the regular lodges of the craft; and where, in the midst of splendid banquets and brilliant fêtes, charitable works were never forgotten.

Among the most remarkable of the festivals given by these societies was that of the lodge of La Candeur, in 1777, of which the Duchesse de Bourbon was president, and the Duchesse de Chartres and the Princesse de Lamballe were among the initiated. At another meeting under the same presidency, a large subscription was raised for a poor family in the country

which had sent by post a letter, begging for assistance, addressed simply To Messieurs the Freemasons of Paris, which shows that the reputation of the masons for charity had spread far and wide. The lodge of the Neuf Sœurs, presided over by Madame Helvetius, and the lodge of the Contrât Social, of which the Princesse de Lamballe was president, also gave fêtes, which were the rendezvous of all the rank and fashion in Paris. Under the Empire, the Lodges of Adoption held meetings, not inferior in splendour and magnificence to those of their predecessors; at the lodge of the Francs Chevaliers, the Empress Josephine herself was present. These assemblies continued to be the fashion under the Restoration. Ragon, in his Maçonnerie d'Adoption, describes a meeting of the Lodge Belle et Bonne, held on the 9th of February, 1819, in the Hôtel de Villette, Rue de Vaugirard, which deserves to be mentioned. It was under the presidency of the Count de Lacépède and the Marquise de Villette, niece of Voltaire, who had received from her uncle the affectionate nickname of Belle et Bonne. In 1778, when Voltaire was initiated into Freemasonry, Lalande having presented to him the pair of gloves which the new brother is to give to the lady whom he most esteems, Voltaire said, "As these gloves are to be presented to a lady for whom I am supposed to feel a real and deserved attachment, I must beg you to give them to Belle et Bonne." The Lodge of Adoption over which the Marquise de Villette presided, took this name as a compliment to her, and in remembrance of Voltaire's regard for her.

The secret societies, which were originally formed in imitation of Freemasonry, and which were acknowledged and protected by the regular members of the craft, soon served merely as an excuse for brilliant festivals and banquets. There is this to be said in their favour, that charity in an extended sense always served as their motto, and possibly more gracefully than in the numerous and unwelcome fancy bazaars of the present day. But there were no secrets which could not have been openly and safely revealed, and there was no necessity for secret initiations, which could only serve to entertain and amuse the members, and perhaps to strike the uninitiated with a vague sense of awe and respect. The height of absurdity had been reached in the Egyptian Freemasonry of the notorious Cagliostro, into which female adepts were admitted, and which affords an excellent illustration of the extraordinary attraction which the bare name of mystery possesses for some even of the most learned of mankind.

THE MISSING CROWN.

WHEN

THEN the dream of Hungarian independence was rudely dissolved by the simultaneous advance of the Austrian and Russian armies on Pesth, Görgey with his patriot army-still 40,000 strong-seeing the game was up, and wishing to save his country as much as possible from the retaliatory vengeance of Austria, capitulated, at Villagorz, to the Russian general on honourable terms. But Marshal Haynau, the Austrian commander, acting under instructions from Vienna, declined to be bound by the Russian treaty ; and, when he entered Pesth as a conqueror, it was well known he brought in his travellingcase a bundle of warrants for the apprehension and punishment of the prominent organizers of that which was termed by one side a rebellion, by the other, a patriotic struggle against despotism.

Before this crisis had arrived, the Dictator, Kossuth, found it expedient to remove the seat of government from Pesth, and to take up temporary quarters at Szegedin, from whence flight into the Turkish territory would be comparatively easy. Forecasting possible eventualities, the Dictator took the precaution to get possession of the Hungarian crown and regalia; calling his staff into consultation as to the best way of securing the precious casket. It was finally agreed in solemn conclave that the casket should be buried in one of the small untenanted islands which dot the Theiss; that an accurate plan of the place should be taken, and deposited in safe-keeping, so as to be available for the easy recovery of the treasure when more auspicious times presented themselves. An island was accordingly selected; the spot where the casket was buried was clearly and correctly indicated; the plan was placed in the hands of the Dictator, and, for the present, all anxiety in this direction was set at rest. It is only necessary to add that Kossuth made his escape, visited America, and finally took up his abode in England.

When the Austrian Emperor was enabled once more to establish the semblance of peace in his Hungarian dominions, it was thought expedient, that at a fitting period his coronation as King of Hungary, with all its timehonoured ceremonies, should be celebrated. But where was the Hungarian crown? It was sought for, but could nowhere be found; and no one could give an account of its disappearance. No coronation would be held to be complete or valid by the Hungarians

unless the old Hungarian crown encircled the brow of the sovereign. The same superstitious veneration attached to this crown as to the crowns of Lombardy and Germany. It must be found at any cost. Large rewards were offered. Every kind of immunity was promised to those who were parties to its abstraction and concealment; but the coveted information was not forthcoming. Matters remained in this condition for years.

Here the scene of our narrative must be changed, and the reader taken to London. In that refuge of all nations-Soho-might be seen, just after the Revolutions of 1848 had run their course, a small house, the lower part of which presented an abortive imitation of the exterior of a continental Café. Soho, at that period, was filled with refugees from various European states. Poland was represented, so was Spain, so was France, so was Hungary. Russia, Austria, France had their spies thickly studded over the locality, in various disguises. Some were restaurant-keepers, others tenanted cigar-shops, a few were proprietors of Cafés, more were in the capacity of waiters.

The Café in Lisle Street, kept by P—, a foreigner, was the head-quarters of the expatriated Hungarian patriots. No one could say precisely from what part of the Austrian dominions the owner of the Café came-no one knew anything of his antecedents, when he made his appearance at Pesth and joined the army of liberation under General Bem. Following the fortunes of the Dictator Kossuth when the Austrians marched into Pesth, he marched out, and contrived to make his way to England. Tall, military-looking, and of truculent aspect, he yet inspired sufficient confidence in the Hungarian refugees to induce them to make his Café their house of call, and as his language indicated that he was ardently devoted to their cause, while his purse was continually at the service of the necessitous, it may be easily imagined that the Café was not overlooked by the ubiquitous secret foreign police. On Sundays there was a private table d'hôte, at which the principal refugees assembled. As a matter of course, Austrian politics were discussed, and amongst other matters the anxiety of the Austrian Emperor to find the missing crown of Hungary, and the liberal reward to be paid for its recovery.

One evening three persons might be seen sitting in the private bar of the Café, conversing earnestly about the affairs of Hungary, and particularly about the secreted crown, all present appearing to be well-acquainted with its place of concealment. The result of the

deliberations of this trio was, that steps should be immediately taken to remove the crown from its hiding-place, to bring it to England, and to place it for greater security in the custody of the ex-Dictator. But who was to undertake this dangerous task? The movements of the Hungarian patriots in London were too well watched, their persons too well known, to admit of the hope, even if they penetrated into the Austrian dominions undetected, that they would leave them safely. One of the party suggested that P-, the proprietor of the Café, should be called in and sounded. He was not a Hungarian-at least by birth-he might, therefore, have a chance of escaping the searching eyes of the Austrian police. He was summoned, and the proposition laid before him. When told that he had been selected to undertake the business, his eyes sparkled for a moment, but he hesitated at giving his consent. Eventually his scruples were overcome, he agreed to fetch the crownnay, more, he undertook to find all the funds, and only to accept a reward on the successful completion of his dangerous mission. A sheet of paper was handed to him which, on being folded in a particular form, disclosed the exact spot where the casket was buried, but which, should he be discovered, would indicate nothing that could in the least compromise him. He settled to commence his journey in three weeks' time, alleging that he must wait for the arrival of a German courier resembling him somewhat in person, whose passport would carry him to Pesth without suspicion.

On the day fixed upon, P- set out for Prague. The journey was completed thus far in safety-there was nothing to excite suspicion-his fellow-travellers left him at various stations, only two, a Polish pedlar and an Armenian Jew, came on with him as far as the frontier of Bohemia, and there they also quitted him.

On arriving at Prague, P- made his way to the Kaizer Hof, and ordered a substantial dinner. He had just sat down to his meal when the Chief of the Police paid him a visit, and requested to see his passport. Having looked at the paper, he politely intimated that he had received instructions from the Minister of the Interior to see him safely to Vienna. P— manifested no discomposure at this; he finished his dinner leisurely, and, on finding that the travelling carriage was at the door, coolly stepped into it, not prepared, however, for the politeness of the Chief of the Police, who entered the carriage and placed himself beside him. The carriage moved on, and P-'s

[Aug. 8, 1868.

equanimity was further disturbed at noticing that the carriage was escorted by a guard of Uhlans. He put a question or two to the Chief, but the taciturn official declined to enter into conversation, and the journey was performed in silence. On arriving at Vienna, the carriage drove to the Burg, the Emperor's palace, and drew up at a private door. P-was requested to alight and follow the Chief.

In Vienna, as in most of the cities where the aspirations of young Germany were known to prevail, there sat what was known as the Black Commission. The Commissioners were appointed by the Emperor, and their special business was to ferret out suspected persons, to interrogate them, and to hand their depositions over to the Imperial cabinet for their consideration. The Commission was held at the Burg-it was sitting when the carriage stopped, and P― was ushered into the chamber forthwith. His papers were examined and pronounced all right. So far so well. The Præses questioned him as to his business in Vienna.

"He had come to Vienna to seek for the place of courier."

"From whence had he come?"

"Direct from England, where he had gone, as his papers would show, with an English family, who having no further use for his services, had paid, dismissed, and given him the usual certificate."

At this point of the inquiry two persons were introduced, whom P- immediately recognised as the Polish pedlar and the Armenian Jew his fellow-travellers.