Bro. John Lane's "Masonic Records."*

Old Lodges were constituted , about the time of the Foundation . There can be no question as to that , and the only feeling of disappointment we have yet encountered in Bro . Lane ' s " Records " arises from the fact that he gives _______ ___— . ¦

no information whatever of this old Lodge , meeting in Arundel Street , which some Masonic writers ignore altogether . There is every reason to believe that the members of the Horn Lodge were men of prominent position at that time , and would not allow a Lodge

such as the Cheshire Cheese to take precedence oi them unless under some very exceptional circumstances . In all probability there was some friction which led to the extinction of the former , which Bro . Lane sets down as " blank , " and Bro . Gould as " out , " in their respective lists for 1723 . Anyhow , we have no details respecting that incident ; and it is probably not asking too much of the author of the volume now under consideration to supply

us with a suggestion as to why , in his opinion , the old Cheshire Cheese Lodge so suddenly dropped out of the Masonic firmament . Reasons are given in the pages of the " Records " for the discontinuance of other Lodges ; and why not for this ? It is merely a query we put in the most fraternal spirit of inquiry , and no doubt Bro . Lane will be able to afford the brethren some information which will supply a " missing link" in the otherwise complete category .

© pace at our command precludes us irom entering further into even a brief outline of a work which has so many features to commend it to the perusal of our readers ; but , as we have already indicated , it is our intention to return to the subject at no very distant date . Meanwhile ,

we congratulate Bro . Lane upon the completion of his ponderous task , which is compiled with every evidence of patient skill and intelligent sequence ; and the volume , which is printed in the very best style of the typographic art , and embellished with a handsome cover , is an ornament to any Masonic library shelf or drawing-room table .

Masonic Presentation In Leeds.

MASONIC PRESENTATION IN LEEDS .

A PRESENTATION took place on Monday night , the 31 afc ult ., in the Masonio Hall , Great George-street , Leeds , of a pnrse and address to Bro . Charles Lowry P . M ., the respected Honorary Secretary of the Leeds Educational and Benevolent Association . The

President of the Institution Bro . Major Moore P . M . occupied tbe chair , and there was a large gathering of Leeds Masons . Bro . W . Warren , 1211 , read the address , whioh was beautifully illuminated , to the following effect : —

LEEDS EDUCATIONAL AND BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION . This address and purse of gold were presented to Bro . Lowry , on the 31 st January 1887 , as an acknowledgment of , but not an adequate return for , services rendered by him as Secretary to the Institution

from its commencement in the year 1876 to the present time . Then followed the names of the President , Vice President , Trustees , Permanent and Elective Committees , Treasurer , and Auditors who had contributed towards the presentation .

Bro . Major Moore , in making the presentation of this address and a purse amounting to £ 56 , referred to the nature of the Institution , and the work it had done since its inauguration in 1876 . It was now in a most prosperous condition , this in no small measure due to the assiduous attention paid by Bro . Lowry to its interests . He

trusted that the recipient ' s life might long be spared to assist in the active work on behalf of the best interests of Freemasonry in Leeds , and of the Institution in particular . Other brethren having eulogised the part played by Bro . Lowry in the history of the Institution , and

his uniform courtesy and assiduity , the recipient suitably and feelingly acknowledged this spontaneous tribute , whioh he felt himself unable to respond to in adequate terms . A most enjoyable evening was afterwards spent by all who had the good fortune to be present .

Bro . Jacob Norton sends us the following cutting : — A Rev . Mr . Stoddard is exhibiting around Niagara the stone which the Masons tied to Morgan to make his drowning a sure job . The evidence that the stone was used is a trifle weak , but it is at least possible that some Mason wanted to use it that way , and it is a substantial thing , and would have done the business if it had been used .

Bro . James Stevens P . M . P . Z . for the delivery of his lecture on " The Ritual and Ceremonial of the Symbolic Degrees in Freemasonry , 1813-1886 , " in that Lodge , on Thursday , the 24 th inst ., when a large gathering of brethren of the Province of Hants is anticipated .

Bro . Alfred Greenham P . M ., who was installed on the 27 th ult ., in the Chine Lodge , No . 1884 , at Shanklin , Isle of Wight , as W . M . for a second year , has arranged with

The Theatres, &C.

THE THEATRES , & c .

Court . —The third successive piece written by Mr . A . W . Pinero for the Coart company is as promising as the two preceding ones . " Dandy Dick " is a three act farcical comedy , written in Mr . Pinero ' s well known humorous vein . Throughout it ia full of wit , humour , and pleasant satire ; in short , it keeps the audience in the brightest

spirits from beginning to end . Mr . Pinero undoubtedly has an advantage in knowing for whom he is writing , and this he has not failed to take advantage of ; the characters , with one or two exceptions , are so well fitted that nothing further oould be desired , The author's leading idea ia a good one , while any improbabilities

arising out of the extremely funny action will be readily overlooked . The piece opens at St . Marvell ' s Deanery , where the Very Rev . Augustus Jedd , D . D ., and hia two daughters are residing . The Dean is a man of the strictest propriety , but his daughters are somewhat volatile ; they long for gaiety . To this end they agree to go to a

fancy dress ball , to be held in the neighbourhood ; unknown to their father , they order two fancy dresses from London , for whioh they have not money to pay . Now , when they ask their father for an advance he refuses , he having promised to subscribe £ 1000 to tbe restoration of a church spire . However , the Dean ' s widowed sister ,

Georgiana Tidman , pays the Dean a visit . This lady , the widow of a horse trainer , is accustomed to attend race meetings under the cognomen of " George Tid . " The horsy slang of this lady thoroughly upsets the Dean , especially so when she is discovered to be part owner of a race-horse named " Dandy Dick , " which horse is entered

for a race about to take place in the village where the Dean resides . When Georgiana Tidman hears of the girls want of money , she strongly urges them to " pat" every thing they possess on " Dandy Dick . " It so happens that Sir Tristram Mardon , the joint owner , has put np at a neighbouring inn , with the horse .

A fire breaks out at the inn , but the horse is got away without sustaining injury ; two pails of water , however , have been thrown over him . Mrs . Tidman insists on the horse being taken to the Dean ' s stable . The Dean meanwhile is persuaded to put on £ 50 , and after all the others have retired to rest , he mixes a

bolus for the horse , but his butler manages to put some strychnine in unobserved . In attempting to administer the bolus , the Dean is discovered by the groom , who , suspecting foul play , is watching the stables . The unfortunate Dean is taken to the lock-up . Here he is recognised by his old cook , who has married the village constable ;

she gives him a luncheon , intended for her husband . In the end , however , the Dean is rescued by some welshers , incited to the act by " George Tid , " on the plea that he has been arrested for performing the three card trick . The butler now confesses , and all is brought to a astisfactory conclusion , Dandy Dick

winning his race in a canter . Mr . Pinero s skill has enabled him to write a whimsical piece , every situation being most amusing . Mr . John Clayton , as the Dean , had a part which he knows well how to deal with , and when he gets along a little faster will work it into a success . Mrs . John Wood has quite

a new character in Georgiana Tidman , but her well-known humour suits the part . Mr . Arthur Cecil has been cast for a minor character , the Dean ' s butler , but is moat effective . Other small parts fall to the lot of well-known artistes , foremost of whom is Miss Norreys , as the Dean ' s daughter Sheba . Some of the best lines fall to this

young lady , who makes the most of them ; her earnestness being of the proper kind . Mr . F . Kerr and Mr . H . Eversfield overdid the two military officers , but Miss Lanra Linden and Mr . W . H . Denny were comical in the prison scene . Miss Linden's facial expression aud Mr . Denny's quiet humour were decidely good . Mr . Edmund

Maurice gave the necessary colour to the character of Sir Tristram Mardon , and Miss Marie Lewes was pleasing as Salome , the Dean ' s elder daughter . Altogether " Dandy Dick" is briskly written , capitally acted , and well staged . We therefore predict for it as long a run as either " The Magistrate " or " The Schoolmistress . "

Opera Comique . —At a matinee given here on Tuesday , Miss Carrie Hope for the first time produced in London a new comedy drama by the late Mr . Conway Edwardes , entitled " Long Odds . " This is of slight construction , but containing some well-written lines , while at times it is thoroughly interesting . But on Tuesday a great

tendency to drag was prevalent . Still the representation served its purpose , it brought out the abilities of Miss Hope to the fullest extent . The play is based on somewhat familiar lines , and the following is an outline of the plot . Florence Brabazon is engaged to a poor consin , Captain Eric Forester ; the match , however , is not

favoured by her mother , Lady Brabazon , and she contrives , with the help of Mr . Ferrars , formerly travelling tutor to the Earl of Clayshire , to break off the engagement . This is brought about with tho assistance of an old acquaintance of Forester ' s—Mrs . Gordon Perceval . Forester goes on a cruise , and Florence is

persuaded by her mother to wed the Earl of Clayahire . After two years of unhappy married life wo find the principals at Palazzo , where Florence is shamefully ill-treated by the Earl , who is afterwards shot by the husband of a woman he was making love to , Forester returning to see the end of this quarrel ; he has been

promoted during his cruise , consequently we are left to hopo he at last secures Florence . This play , which is in three acts , exhibits nothing out of the common until the quarrel between husband and wife ; but this scene was admirably played by Miss Hope and Mr . Bassett Roe . Miss Hope exhibits some good qualities , and when she has had a little

more experience will be very effective . She knows how to portray emotion , while her lighter scenes are well conceive ! Mr . Bassett Roe , as the Earl of Clayshire , had little to do until tho last act , bat

here he came out well . Taking a thorough grasp of the situation this gentleman sets about his task spiritedly ; he never overdoes it , but keeps well within bounds . His was certainly a good portrayal of selfishness , deceit , and , when opposed , hate . Mr . A . M . Denison