Notices Of Meetings

Musto Preceptor . Thero were also present Bros . Power , Andrews ( W . M elect 1227 ) , Butler , Pavitt . White , Sadler , Dixon , Ellis , Ac . Tho Lodge opened in duo form with prayer , when tho minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed . The ceremony of initiation was rehearsed , Bro . Butler acting as candidate . Bro . Smith worked the first section of the lecturo , Andrew's the second , Barker the third , and

Worsley tho fourth , assisted by tho brethren . Bro . Smith was unanimously elected W . M . for tho ensuing week . . Arrangements will bo marlo for tho summer outing of tho members of this Lodge of Distraction on next Tuesday ovening , when names of the brethren who desiro to attend will bo taken . Tho promoters will be glad if ; the brethren will make it convenient to meet them for that purpose .

Alexandra Palace Lodge , No . 1541 . —This youthful , but exceedingly prosperous Lodgo hold its usual monthly meeting on Saturday last , tho W . M . Bro . John Lee , and tho whole of his Officers being present at tho opening of tho Lodge . Tho W . M ., after tho preliminaries of the Lodgo had been disposed of , initiated Mr . Emanuel into the mysteries of Freemasonry , in a most masterly manner .

Bro . Lee afterwards passed Bro . Ormond to tho second degree , but the climax of good working was attained in tho raising of Bros . A . Clark and McCulfoch , when the W . M . surpassed , if possible , his usual eloquent and impressive working , and in this good work ho was well supported by his S . W . Bro . Daniel , and J . W . Bro . Larchin ; Bros . Stacoy as S . D ., Denison J . D ., and Gush I . G .. while a painstaking P . M .

was found in Bro . Haigh . Tho excellent working of this Lodgo was much extolled by many P . M . ' s , of various Lodges , who honoured the Master by their attendance . The W . M ., in his deep anxiety to enhance not only the good work of Masonry , but to plea 30 the brethren , had invited the ladies of tho members to banquet after the bnsiness of the Lodge had boon gono through , and for the pleasures

of tho ovening Bros . Bertram and lioberts had provided a most recherche banquet , which was in every way fully acknowledged . The W . M ., amongst his many toasts , paid a tribute to tho ladies for thoir honouring tho banquet by thoir presence , which was felicitously responded to on behalf of tho fair sex by Bros . Rubonstein and Brookman . Many songs wero sung , with much expression and taste .

and pieces performed on tho pianoforte , by Misses Daniel , Stacoy , Bennett , McCulloch , Ward , Stead and Stacoy , as also by Bros . Ward and Stead . The musical arrangements were carefully carried out by Bro . Ward . The W . M ., in replying to tho good wishes exexpressed on his behalf , said that so gratified was ho with tho success of the clay's proceedings that he shonld note it in his

memory as ono of the reddest of red letter days , and as ho had been so ably assisted by his Officers in carrying on the Lodge work , as well ns in his endeavours to carry out tho progratname of the evening , he most heartily thanked them . This was eloquently acknowledged by Bros . Daniel S . W ., Dyto P . M . Treasurer , and j . E . Stacoy P . M . Secretary .

Portsmouth Freemasons' Hall And Club.

PORTSMOUTH FREEMASONS' HALL AND CLUB .

A LAEGE mnster of the shareholders in " Tho Borough of Portsmouth Freemasons' Hall and Club Company , " as well as of other members of the Masonic Craft , is anticipated on Saturday , when tho foundation stone of tho club building in the Commercial-road , Landport ( near tho offices of the Portsea Island Gas Company ) , is to be laid by the Mayor ( W . D . King , Esq . ) , Chairman of tbe Company .

The ceremony , which takes place at a quarter-past one , is to bo preceded by an extraordinary meeting of tho shareholders , at which the directors will present tho following report : — " Gentlemen , —The directors congratulate you on tho satisfactory disposal of the ( 500 shares forming tho nominal capital of this company , thus proving that tho confidence entertained by tho promoters at its commencement is

fully shared by a very largo number of registered Freemasons in tho borough of Portsmouth and its vicinity . Ou the 5 th of last March the first meeting of gentlemen desiring to promoto tho interests of Freemasonry in Portsmonth , by establishing a commercial company to carry out the objects set forth in tho memorandum of association , was held at the Sussex Hotel , Sonthsea , and on tho 10 th of March tho

schools and building in Commercial-road were purchased b y Messrs . S . B . Ellis and E . S . Main , joint Secretaries , by tho authority of the promoters , on behalf of tho proposed company . On tho 21 st March a specially convened meeting of the promoters elected the following gentlemen as the directors of the company : —His Worship the Mayor ( Mr . Alderman William David King , J . P . ) , Mr . George Thomas

Cuuninghnm , T . C ., Mr . Thomas Good , T . C ., Mr . George Wilkins , T . C ., Mr . George Mason , Mr . Joseph Thomas Craven , Mr . Henry Cawte , Mr . Samuell'ichard Ellis , and Mr . Cornelius Georgo Adames , O . K . Since this timo the directors have strenuously endeavoured to promote its best interests , and have appointed the Capital and Counties Bank , Landport Branch , to be the bankers ; Mesars . Besant , Porter , and

Wills to be the solicitors ; Mr . Emanuel John Smith to ho the architect ; and Mr . E . S . Main to be the Secretary of the said company . The memorandum and the articles of association have been prepared by the directors , and the company was legally incorporated on tho 17 t . li of April , without having recourse to any paid professional assistance . The agreement entered into to purchase tho schools and

i ' . ) Commercial-road , by tho joint Secretaries to the promoters , from Mr . E . J . Pratt , tho vendor , was legally stamped , and a sum of £ 50 paid on deposit . The property was to have been conveyed , and the balance of tho purchase money . CI , 1100 , paid on the 10 th of Juno ; but as some delay has occurred in the couvevance bv the solicitors , tho

vendor ( Mr . E . J . Pratt ) formally handed the company full possession of tho property on that date ; the directors undertaking to pay the vendor five per ccut . interest per annum on the balance of the purchase money unpaid ; the company to receive £ f > 0 per annum rent from the Eoman Catholic schools , in which the directors trust Lodges v > ill meet in April next . This course was necessary as the directors

Portsmouth Freemasons' Hall And Club.

were anxious to avail themselves of tho summer months to proceed with tho bnilding in tho Commercial-road , so as to form the club at an early dato . Tho directors have confidence that this eqnitablo arrangement will bo endorsed by tho shareholders , and they trust that the deeds will shortly bo completed , signed , and tho balance of tho purchase money paid to tho vendor .

" Tenders were called for by advertisement for tho erection of tho building in the Commercial-road , on plans supplied by the Company ' s architect , assisted by Mr . George Rake and tho Borough Engineor . Theso tenders varied from £ 1 , 510 to £ 1 , 979 , and the directors accepted the lowest tendor , that of Mr . David William Lewis , for the sum of £ 1 , 510 , ho providing responsible sureties for the due performance of

tho contract , which is to be completed in four months from July tlio 8 th . The directors congratulate the shareholders on the possession of a very valuablo property , situated in the centre of tho borough of Portsmonth , which must necessarily increase in valuo , and although it would bo premature at tho present timo to discuss the probablo income and expenditure of tho company , the directors are sanguine

that tho property will bocomo a first-class commercial invostmenfc . Tho club about to be formed will bo conducted in an economical aud efficient manner by the directors , thus relieving individual members ^ rom any financial responsibility beyond their annual subscription . Every attention will bo paid to the comfort of tho members , and the directors trust that every shareholder will not onl y forward his namo for enrolment as a member , but will induce all brethren of the Craft

to do likewiso , thus bringing together at tho social table Freemasons belonging to all Lodges who wish to still further cement the cosmopolitan and fraternal union which is characteristic of the Masonic Brotherhood . In conseqnonce of tho great success attending the sale of the shares and tho popularity of the company amongst the shareholders , tho directors feel that it will be most economical to call up the unpaid capital on the shares , by making tho first call in September the second iu October , and the third and final call in December of this

year . " Signed on behalf of tho directors , " William David King , Chairman . " George T . Cunningham , Vice-chairman "E . S . Mains , Secretary . "

Tho E . W . Prov . G . M . ( W . W . Beach , Esq . M . P . ) , with his officers , will be present at tho laying of tho foundation stono , prior to consecrating tho Connaught Lodgo , at Cavvte ' s Hotel , Southsea Common , at 2 . 30 p . m . A dinner in celebration of the double event—tho layin " of tho foundation stono of the Masonio Hall and Club and the consecration of the New Lodge—will take place at Cawte ' s Hotel at 4 p . m . —Portsmouth Times- and Naval Gazette .

FORTUNES LOST AND WON OVER WOKKS or ART . — Considerabl y less than a century has elapsed since Horace Walpole said that Sir Joshua Eoynolds in his old age had become avaricious , because he asked 1 , 000 guineas for the picture of the three Ladies Waldograve ! Formerly his prices had been lower—only 200 guineas for a wholelength portrait , 100 for a half-length , and seventy for a "kit-cat . "

It is needtess to say that no ono would part with the portraits for such a figure now . In 1774 , for instance , Lord Carysforfc gavo Sir Joshua fifty guineas for tho " Strawberry Girl , " which Lord Hertford paid £ 2 , 205 for at Samuel Eoger ' s salo in 1856 . The great name of Gainsborough reminds us of a still more conspicuous instance of the same kind . The celebrated "Duchess of Devonshire "

( we need not for our presont purpose enter into the controversy as to whether it was really his ) was bought by Wynn Ellis for £ 65 and was re-sold , as every ono knows , to Messrs . Agnew for 10 , 000 guineas . After this extraordinary illustration of the fortune found in a work of art , which was worth nearly as many pounds as it was originally sold for pennies , others less startling seem to lose

something of their point . Yet it ought not to go uumentioncd here that Grcnzo ' s famous " Broken Pitcher , " which must now be worth several thousands of pounds , was painted by tho artist ( who , by tho way , died in poverty ) for something like £ 150—the sum it realised at tho Maquis do Verri ' s salo iu 1785 ; and tbat the " Chess Players , " which Muller sold for seventy-fivo guineas in 1813 ( and did

not think his labour of only two days ill-requited ) , fetched , thirty years later , £ 1 , 153 . Over tho water-colour drawings of David Cox , even those , perhaps , which were rejected from tlio Academy , comparative fortunes havo been lightly won . When Mr . Vokins gave him £ 50 for "Tho Hayfield , " in 1850 , the great artist was so pleased with what he thought a liberal price that ho insisted on presenting

a second drawing to the purchaser , little dreaming that , at Mr . Quilter ' s sale in 1 S 75 , there would be a spirited contest as to who should take it — as Mr . Agnew did in the ovent — for £ 2 , 950 . Tho profit was not iu this case , nor is it many others , made by tho first purchaser ; for Mr . Vokins sold "The Hay field" with two other sketches by David Cox for 110 guineas to Mr . Cnmming , who re-sold them to Mr . Quiltor for 1 , 250

guineas , and the total sum realised by the three at his sale was no less than £ 0 , 017 10 s . Of Turner ' s water-colours the same story could be told ; and should tho " Vesuvius Calm " and tho " Vesuvius Angry , " for each of which Turner got fifteen guineas , and which Mr . Eiiskin secured somo time ago for 550 guineas , ever come into the market , it will bo curious to note how enormously their value has been increased . —From "The Magazine of Art " for August .

IIOLLOWAT ' S I ' ms . —CotrwsED A . VD C ICKBR . Many impurities enter tlio human body during tbe summer from the decomposition of animal and vegetable matter , which often taints llie air and renders the water noxious . The grand quality displayed by these excellent fills , of searching out and expelling all pernicious particles from the system , constitutes them the best medicine , for averting indigestion , bilious attacks , diarrhoea , aud English Cholera . Of ail t he various affections of the iiliHieutavy canal constantly recurring in a variable ( . lunate irollowsiy's Pills are the best , cheapest , and safest remedies , since they c an never act wrongly , or bo taken without benefit , if the accompanying direct ions receive only moderate attention , ami the diet be restricted to plaitifivholesome , and digestible food .