George Washington was initiated a mason in Fredericksburg, Virginia, Lodge No. 4, on the 4th of November, 1752, was passed a fellow craft on the 3rd of March, 1753, and raised to the sublime degree of a master mason on the 4th day of August, 1753. The hundredth anniversary of this distinguished mason's initiation is to be celebrated in America throughout the length and breadth of the land.
_Hippopotamus, Behemoth._--The young animal which has drawn so much attention hitherto, will increase in attractiveness as he acquires his voice, for which the zoologist may now _arectis auribus_ await the development. It has appeared singular to many who knew the Greek name of this animal to signify _river-horse_, that he should be so unlike a horse. Nevertheless, the Greeks who knew him only at a distance, as we did formerly, named him from his voice and ears after an animal which he so little resembles in other respects. The Egyptian words from which the Behemoth of Job (chap. xl. v. 10.) are derived, more fitly designate him as _water-ox_, _B-ehe-moūt_ = literatim, _the aquatic ox_.
_Curious Inscription_ (Vol. iv., pp. 88. 182.).--My ecclesiological note-book supplies two additional examples of the curious kind of inscription communicated by your correspondents J. O. B. and MR. E. S. TAYLOR (by the way, the one mentioned by J. O. B. was found also at St. Olave's, Hart Street; see Weever, _Fun. Mon._). These both occur at Winchester Cathedral: the first near a door in the north aisle, at the south-west angle:--
CESSIT COMMVNI PROPRIVM JAM PERGITE QVA FAS. 1632.
[-->] ACR S ILL CH S A IT A ORO ERV F IST F [<--]
[This curious inscription, with a translation, is given by Milner, in his _History of Winchester_, vol. ii. p. 90.]
_Coins of Edward III. struck at Antwerp in 1337._--Ruding, in his _Annals of the Coinage of Great Britain_ (3rd ed. p. 212.), describing the coins of Edward III. (who often resided on the Continent, and whose sister Eleanor was married to Raimond III., Duke of Guelder), says:
"In November A.D. 1337, according to Grafton, the king was made vicar-general and lieutenant to the emperor, _with power to coin money of gold and silver_. He kept his winter at the castle of Louvain, and caused great sums of money, both of gold and silver, to be coined at Antwerp."