" Masonic Records " And Brother Jacob Norton Once More

No . 79 , in the 1735 Pocket Companion ; but there is not ' The Pocket Companion of 1735 is so rare that I had it not when venturing to reply to Bro . Norton's first article , but

having since obtained a copy I will quote from it another fact in opposition to Bro . Norton ' s unreliable allegation , so that "the general reader " may judge which is correct .

The following is a literal extract from the Book itself : — " 77 . Black Lion , Jockey-Fields , 1 st and 3 d Monday , Jan . 11 , 1731 . 78 . Fountain in Bury St . Edmonds , 2 d and 4 th Tuesday , 1731 .

79 . 80 . Angel in Macclesfield , Cheshire . 81 . Fleece in Bury St . Edmonds , 1 st and 3 d Thursday , Nov . 1 , 1731 . " From the foregoing " the general reader " will see there

is no date whatever to No . 79 , and may safely conclude that a statement which asserts that the line " began with 79 and ended ivith 1730 " is grossly inaccurate . From the theories he has propounded , one can but conjecture as to

Bro . Norton's motive in saying that " 1730 was put after the number of a Lodge which is in the midst of others that were all of the year 1731 , but whatever that motive

may have been we are bound to believe that when Bro . Norton wrote his article , published on the 12 th February , he either did , or did not , know there was no date whatever in that List on the same line as the number 79 . If he did

not know it , he certainly ought to have known , and that being the case it will probably convince the " general reader" that Bro . Norton is a very unsafe and untrustworthy guide , that his many inaccuracies make ifc extremely

difficult for the ordinary student to know when he is writing facts or otherwise , and that his criticisms as well as his general assertions have to be taken cum grano salts .

I leave Bro . Norton to extricate himself , if he can , from the dilemma in which he has placed himself , and recommend him to become more fully acquainted with well-known facts and reliable information before venturing to write so dogmatically on the subject of Masonic History .

The Theatres, &C.

THE THEATRES , & c .

Opera Comique . —Mr . John A . Stevens' four-act play , " A Secret Foe , " produced at this house last Saturday , cannot claim to be a work that will do credit to its author . The piece is nothing more nor less than the old story of two mon wanting to gain tho affections of the same lady , with tho result that the disappointed

one does all in his power to cause a separation between the now happy man and wife . Mr . Stevens has secured one or two good situations , but then there is too much that is absurd and impossible in the piece to make it in its entirety acceptable . Again , tho sympathy of the audience , we suppose , ought to be with the

husband , but certainly he behaves badly towards his young wife , to say nothing of his being a conspirator . Tbe third act , where he tells his wife that he is connected with the Nihilists , is the strongest ; whilst the second would be better for a little toning . Tho story , laid in So . Petersburg , may briefly be told . Olga Markoff , while out

driving , meets with an accident , and is rescued by two Russian noblemen—Count Ivan DemidofFand Count Fedor Petrovick . Olga falls desperately in love with the former , and when , six weeks later , the two noblemen call on her , the latter to make dishonourable proposals , he ia instantly dismissed , whilst Count Demidoff is the

accepted lover . This enrages Count Petrovick , and he vows vengeance . In the second act we seo the principals at a ball ; Demidoff is intoxicated , and has lost heavily at cards . Later on Petrovick , who is still friendly with Olga , tells her of a meeting of the members of the "Old Guard Club , " to take place after the ball ,

and amongst those concerned is her husband and some very doubtful " ladies . " Olga determines to be present , and this Petrovick manages to contrive . Olga there hears her husband make her the subject of a wager , after which she takes off the veil she wears much to the discomfiture of her spouse . The following moraine ,

when husband and wife meet , he makes a lame excuse , and requests her to give him her jewels to help somo Nihilists to get away from the police , who are in possession of some condemnatory papers . Olga refuses ; she meanwhile having given them to Petrovick , who has told her her husband is indebted to him a largo sum of

money . After this Petrovick manages to get Olga to his castle , where she refuses to dishonour her marriage vow , aud attornots to kill him . Demidoff arrives at tho nick of time , and puts an end to the struggle . Demidoff at first rcfusea to listen to his wife , but when she tells him she has attempted to kill her would-be betrayer , he believes

her . Demidoff next sets about killing Petrovick in a duel , this he manages to do , and tlie curtain falls , leaving us to believe Demidofi thus gets over his difficulties and lives happy ever after with his wife . From this outline it will readily bo seen that there is nothing new in the play , and but for the finished acting on the first rn ' c-ht ivo

are afraid the verdict would not have been favourable . Mr . John A . Stevens made a mistake when he consented to perform in his own piece . His accent , coupled with a somewhat peculiar mannerism , did not suit tho character of Count Ivan Demidoff . Nevertheless , Mr . Stovons worked hard , if not successfully . Mr . JR , S . Boleyn was

The Theatres, &C.

quiet as Count Petrovick . He hardly rose to the situation , whilst liis barefaced deceit was not difficult to see through . Mr . A . Alexander was natural ns a doctor , while Mr . C . W . Somerset was quaint as a decrepit old beau . Mr . Julian Cross and Miss Emily Lytton tried hard to relieve the serious business , but after a while their efforts

fell flat . As Olga , Miss Dorothy Dene was pretty and effective . This lady at times came well to the fore , at others she showed that further study would prove beneficial . Her first scene was given in a happy vein , but afterward the task seemed too weighty for her . Miss Carlotta Leclercq was provided with a small part , but it waa well conceived . The others engaged call for no special mention .

Olympic . —Miss Agnes Hewitt , the lessee and manageress of this newly-decorated theatre , opened her season on Monday with a new and original drama , in a prologue and three acts , entitled " The Pointsman . " This drama , by Messrs . E . C . Carton and Cecil Baleigh , can undoubtedly claim to be , in many instances , original ,

while tbe interest is fairly sustained to the end . The authors present us with a villain who stops at nothing to attain his ends , but they have altogether omitted to provide the piece with a heroine . That a heroine is missed we cannot say ; there are two female parts , and both call for our sympathy . If the interest flags

at any stage ifc is hardly perceptible , and then only to give more force to a good situation . The dialogue is considerably above the ordinary melodrama type , and skill has been shown in bringing about the different situations . The authors do not rely much upon what are known as " curtains , " and , perhaps , this is a fault . For instance ,

after the railway collision , in the second act , which takes place " off , " a change of scenery shows us the wreck and the removal of the injured . Here was a good " curtain , " but , not content , the authors go in for cursings from the husband , who thinks his wife false . The piece is necessarily of a complicated character ,

and to describe it at full would take up more space than is at our disposal , but the following may be taken as the principal line of action . Dick Dugdale , landlord of the Blue Anchor Tavern , Gravesend , has had a hard day at the races , and is at his wits end to know what to do for money . His landlord threatens to

put the brokers in if the rent is not paid on the morrow . After learning this from Lizzie , a woman who has been living with him , Dick casts her adrift . At this time two strangers , just arrived from the Diamond Fields at the Cape , are brought in , they being in search of a night ' s lodging . They have landed at this part of the river , owing

to one of them being stricken with fever , and his companion wanted to get him ashore with the idea that a sleep would do him good . Dick hearing that the travellers possess diamonds asks the younger to lend him a fow just to help him over his difficulties . As a matter of course the traveller refuses , and Dick murders hirnj the companion ,

by name Tom Lidstoue , being too unwell to load his friend assistance . After the murder Tom is taken to a place near Chisleharst , and placed on the roadside . Here ho is found by Esther Hathernut , who persuades her father to take him indoors and attend to his wants . On Tom recovering ho has bufc a dim recollection of what has taken

place , but he knows tall well that his friend has been murdered , — but by whom , or where , he has not the slightest idea , —the diamonds stolen , aud that he is poorer than when he left England . Tom is now engaged as pointsman on tho railway , and is married to Esther . After being thrown over by Dick , Lizzie returns to her father's house ,

and is being courted by one Black George , who is ignorant of her past history . Dick meanwhile , in some unexplained manner , has become connected with the firm of Fordyce and Co ., diamond merchants . He tries to win the hand of Miss Fordyce , but he meets Lizzie , and complications again arise . She is wearing a ring the

murdered man gave her , and Dick , frightened it might one day be identified , tries to secure it . This ring Lizzie refuses to part with , and after she has married Black George—who turns out a drunken scoundrel—Dick still follows her . One evening , lending a too ready ear to him , she drugs the brandy her husband is

drinking—he having loft tho signal box when tho traffic is disarranged by the snow . Tom Lidstono finding George drunk , takes the brandy aud goes to work the signals himself . At his lonely post , during the cold evening , he drinks the brandy , with the result that he is in too dazed a state to work the

points when the express passes . In the express is Tom ' s wife , who is going to London to endeavour to rescue Lizzie from the clutches of Dick . The express dashes into some trucks on the line , and , as a result , Esther is dragged from the debris very much injured . Tom suspects his wife is false to him , but the hounds of

justice are on tho track of Dick ; he is hunted down to the Blue Anchor , where , having played his accomplice , Collins , false , he is duly shot by that worthy , just as the police come to arrest Dick . Needless to say , Mr . E . S . Willard makes of Dick Dugdule o _ io of tho worst villain , that could be conceived . His murder scene thoroughly

held the andieuce , while his every action was watched with the keenest interest . His facial expression was something marvellous to witness , aud he never lost an opportunity to add colour to tho part . Mr . J . G . Grahanie sustained the character of Tom Lidstoue in a free and easy style that thoroughly satisfied the audience , while

Mr . F . Motley Wood well depicted fche cowardice of Dngdale's accomplice . Mr . J . P . Burnett made a good " character " part of an ex-detective , and Mr . Frank Wright was efficient as the brutal Black George . Mr . Bernard Gould , as tho murdered man , and Mr . F . G . Darbishir ., as Charles Franklin ( of the firm of Fordyce and Co . ) ,

fairly acquitted themselves . MUs Maud Milton showed considerable feeling and pathos as Lizzie , while Miss Agnes Hewitt was a charming Esther . Tho other p . irts were in good hands . With a little suppression , "The Pointsman" can bo made into a really good drama , one that should repay Miss Hewitt for the trouble and expanse she has been pat to to make hor patrons comfortable .

The popular musical comedy , " Fun on the Bristol , " will be revived at tho Gaiety on Monday next , when Mr . John Sheridan will once more appear as the Widow O'Brien . Daring the second act the three St . Felix Sisters will appear in a grand musical bouquet .