Royal Arch.

that their esteemed Companion Hiscox P . Z . had been appointed Grand Registrar for Cambridgeshire , and he felt sure that the Chapter wonld congratulate him upon that appointment ; he accordingly moved , "That the William Preston Chapter congratulates Comp . Hiscox upon his appointment as Grand Registrar of

Cambridgeshire . The motion was carried nnanimously , and Companion Hiscox , who was present , returned thanks . The report of the Audit Committee was presented , showing that the finances of the Chapter were in a very satisfactory condition . The Chapter was then closed , and the Companions adjourned to the banqueting

room , where a bounteous repast was provided ; it embraced some of the choicest viands of the season . On the withdrawal of the cloth , grace was snng by the professional singers . The M . E . Z . •aid the first toast on his list was that of the Queen , the Patroness of Royal Arch Masonry . As the mother of the

Most Worshipfnl the Grand Master , she was entitled to the highest honours . Drank with cordiality , followed by tbe National Anthem , the solo parts being sung by Mdme . Worrell . The M . E . Z . said that the next toast he had to propose was the health of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales the G . Z . Whilst under his

superintendence the ruling was most effectual , and he felt sure that all would go well . The toast was enthusiastically responded to , followed by a song , " Sing , sweet bird , " by Miss Maud Cameron . The next toast was the Earl of Carnarvon , and the rest of the Grand Officers Present and Past . Song— "Angus Macdonald , " by Madame

Lansdell Sims , sung in a style whioh elicited hearty applause . Comp . Radford P . Z . called upon the Companions to drink the health of Comp . Wilkinson M . E . Z . of the William Preston Chapter , whom it had given him great pleasure that night to see installed into the chair of First Principal . He had known him for many years , he

had followed him in the different offices in the Lodge , and had now done so in the Chapter , and would in a short time be equal to any service which might be required of him . He asked the Companions to join with him in drinking his health . The request wan most cordially responded to . Madame Worrell sang "Sweet

spirit , hear my prayer , " from " Lnrline , " and her execution of this beantiful air received the most enthusiastic applause ; a rapturous encore followed , which Madame Worrell complied with . The M . E . Z ., in returning thanks for the proposition of his health said , I thank you very much for the cordial way

in which yon have drunk the health of the First Principal in the chair , and I can assure you that I will endeavour in every way in my power , and to the best of my ability dnring my year of office , to discharge the duties in such a way as not to leave room for you to find fault with me . Afterwards I will do everything that I can to

promote the interests of the Chapter . The M . E . Z . said the next toast he had to propose was that of the Visitors , who always received a hearty welcome at every meeting of their Chapter ; he was sorry there were not more present that evening . He then enumerated thorn ; their names will be seen above . The toast was well received .

Comp . H . Thompson , upon being called upon to repl y , said he had come there that night -as the representative of a well-known and esteemed Companion ( Comp . W . W . Morgan ) . Not having visited the Chapter before , he almost expected to find himself amongst a body of strangers , if indeed he conld ever find himself a stranger

amongst Freemasons ; at the same time , he was little prepared to meet such old associates , as during his youth in the Order he met in the person of their esteemed Treasurer Comp . Garrod , their installing Principal of that evening , who was a Past Master of the Lodge in which he was initiated , nearly thirty years ago . The way

in which he had performed the ceremony of installing the three Principals had given him the greatest pleasure , ancl as proficiency in conferring those rites was only acquired by a few he thought the Companions of the William Preston Chapter had reason to be proud of being associated with him . As to th-ir worthy S . E ., Comp . Worrell ,

they were many years ago almost " boys together " in Freemasonry , as frequenters of Lodges of Instruction ; no doubt it . was there that Comp . Worrell gained the instrnction which formed the foundation of bis fnture career , and fitted him for those important duties in which he was destined afterwards to take part . He ( Comp .

Thompson ) was glad to find that the labours of Comp . Garrod had been recognised by the Grand Lodge for tbe exemplary way in which he had acted for a number of years , ancl that the Grand Master had conferred npon him honours he so well deserved . Other visitors briefly acknowledged the toast . The M . E . Z ., in giving the health of

the Installing Principal and Treasnrer , said that the way in which he had gone through the ceremonies of installation that evening was second to none , while as their Treasurer he always took good care of their funds . The toast was most cordially responded to . Comp . Garrod , in reply , said he returned thanks to their M . E . Z . for

the manner in which ho had proposed his health , ancl for the cordial and hearty response tho Companions had given it . It was a pleasing duty to instal their M . E . Z . into the chair , ancl he had endeavoured to discharge it to the best of his ability . As to the financial state of the Chapter , it was in a flourishing condition , for they had a much

larger balance than last year , and they would be enabled at no very distant period to make themselves Life Governors of all the Charities ; np to the present they had done little for them . Ho was glad to see Comp . Thompson , whom he had met in Freemasonry thirty years a £° " , he was a worthy Companion , and so he thought all would say .

Some other toasts were given , ancl the entire evening was spent in the trne spirit of Freemasonry . Tho pleasures of the meeting were enhanced by the vocal talents of Madame Worrell , Miss Maud Cameron , Madame Lansdell Sims , and Comp . Thomas Nettleship ; Rro . James Burn presided at the pianoforte .

The weekly meetings of the Royal Savoy Mark Lodge of Instruction ( Fridays , at the Moorgate ) have been adjonrned until the middle of September next .

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

* u . WILTSHIRE KEYSTONE LODGE , No . 178 . THE regular quarterly meeting of this Lodge was held at the Masonio Hall , Devizes , on Wednesday , the 25 th nltimo . The W . M . M . Bro . F . S . Hancock occupied the chair , and there were present as Visitors—Bros . C . F . Matier P . G . W ., R . B . Bryant Prov . Grand Standard Bearer , and G . Allen S . W . 139 . The routine

having been gone through , and three candidates balloted for and approved , the W . M . reported that the Wiltshire Anchor Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners in connection with this Lodge had been duly consecrated thafc afternoon , and that in consequence they had the pleasnre of welcoming among them some distinguished visitors

who had come to Devizes for the purpose of such Consecration . He then asked Bro . Matier if he would favour him by taking the chair to perform the ceremony of advancement . Bro . Matier having assented , Bros , the Rev . Walter Humphreys , Fred . Sloper and W . F . Gaby ( fche candidate previously balloted for ) , were most

ably advanced by him to the degree of M . M . M . Bro . Hancock W . M . having resumed the chair , proposed a vote of thanks to Bro . Matier . Bro . Nott P . M . seconded , and it was carried by acclamation . The Lodge having been closed , the brethren adjonrned to supper , at the Bear Hotel .

Royal Ark Mariners.

ROYAL ARK MARINERS .

— : o : — CONSECRATION OP WILTSHIRE ANCHOR LODGE , 178 . ON Wednesday , 25 th ultimo , this new Lodge was consecrated , at the Masonic Hull , Devizes , the ceremony being performed in the most impressive manner by Bro . 0 . F . Matier P . G . W . Mark , assisted by Bros . R . B . Bryant P . G . Mark Standard Bearer and Allen P . W . C . N . The Officers named in the warrant were Bros . W . Nott P . M . M . 178 and P . G . Steward as N ., John Chandler P . M . M .

178 as J ., and Bro . Henry I . Ward P . M . 178 as S . Thirteen candidates were duly elevated to the degree by Bro . Bryant . Bro . Nott was subsequently installed in the chair of N . by Bro . Matier , and he afterwards appointed and invested the following Officers of the Lodge : —Bros . John Chandler J ., H . I . Ward S ., H . Howes S . D .,

J . A . Randall J . D ., F . S . Hancock D . C , T . 0 . Hopkins Organist , H . J . Johnson G ., James Pocock Std ., C . R Barnes W . The W . C . N , proposed and the S . W . seconded a vote of thanks to Bros . Matier aud Bryant for coming amongst them that dav , and for the excellent

manner in which the whole of the ceremonies had been performed by them . This was carried by acclamation , and duly acknowledged by those brethren . After a similar vote of thanks to Bro . Allen , the Lodge was closed .

The Theatres, &C.

THE THEATRES , & c .

— : o : — Lyceum . — The greatest men and actors must havo their limitations , ancl though certain henchmen and partizans are prepared to swear their londest that everything dono by their chief is " wisest , discreetest , best , " the enthusiasm has sometimes the mechanical sonority of a claque . If Mr . Irving announced be was

about to play Falstt \ ff or Marc Antony , there are those wbo wonld gush with anticipated rapture . However , we can easil y imagine how Mr . Irving would smile sardonically at the sham enthusiasm . In the parts in which ho is excellent Mr . Irving may be said to be supremely so ; with him there is no mediocrity . His mind either

grasps and at once absorbs the character he would represent , or , despite his will , resents an impossible task , and we have a failure , the more frank from tho very honesty and earnestness of the actor . Delightful ifc was on Saturday to welcome back to the Lyceum stage the Louis XL Mr . Irving conjures for us from the pages of Sir

Walter Scott . If something of the historical king is forgotten , the statesman underlying the tyrant , masked by the resentless foe of aristocratic privileges , it may be urged we do not go to the play to study history , and it would perhaps be hypercritical to ask why so many years be added to the age of the king , seeing that Louis died

at 65 . At fche Lyceum ho might be a nonagenarian . His portrayal of the feebleness of age has wonderful reality ; but is it net apt to weaken our contempt for the king ' s character , this pity for the pathos of old age ? Formerly Mr . Irving showed little indication of this in his earlier scenes , nnd a certain sense of incongruity was the result

when , with the fifth act , so great a change of aspect ancl bearing was exhibited by the stricken king , who seemed to have grown old suddenly . We cannot but believe the elaboration of the death is a mistake , though in art it is wonderfully realistic ; indeed wo may call it a physiological dtudy , agonising to witness even by those who

have recently stood by an actual death scene . The paralysis of the lips , struggling to utter the words that can never be spoken , has an awful pathos . The house trembled iu silence afc the dread realisation of the death scene . As regards the other characters Mr . Alexander makes a spirited and handsome Nemours , while Miss Emery was once more a tender ancl graceful Marie . Mr . Wenraan

rather suggests a veterinary surgeon ot the period than the scholarl y physician Coitier . Mr Harbury ' s Philip de Commioes is innocent of the wicked villainies the original was given to . One does not wonder tho king ' s temper suffers in such society . A word of praise is due to Messrs . Harvey , Tyars , Mead , Archer , aud Mrs . Chippendale fdr the ability displayed iu tbeir respective parts .