The Return Of The Prince Of Wales.

THE RETURN OF THE PRINCE OF WALES .

THE Prince is home again with his wife and children , after an absence of close on seven months . To say he was affectionately greeted by them , by the Queen , and the other members of the Royal Family , were almost an insult—as though they were strangers to those feelings which Dame Nature has implanted in all of us . The

Princess of Wales put out to meet him , and together they entered Portsmouth Harbour on board the Serapis , amid thundering salutes from all the ships of war and forts , and the deep hearty cheering of English sailors , and of the crowds assembled on every coigne of vantage to witness the

imposing sight . It is not our intention to inflict upon our readers a long description of what they have already had told them in all the daily papers . Let it be sufficient if we say that on his first approach to Portsmouth , on landing , on his progress to the railway station , and again from

Victoria Station to Buckingham Palace , and thence to his own residence , the thousands who were present—whether officiallyorof their own choice—cheered himtothe echo . Indeed , as regards the heartiness exhibited , it almost equalled the display of thirteen years since , when , on a somewhat

cheerless day , His Royal Highness led his betrothed , then Princess Alexandra of Denmark , from the east to the western limits of our huge metropolis . On the present occasion , as the route was shorter , there were only somo thousands congregated by the way , but the heartiness of their greeting

gave one the idea what the scene would have been had the Prince traversed London from end to end . But to specify the chief features of the journey . At Portsmouth the day was observed as a holiday . Of the two routes from the dockyard to the railway the longer and wider was selected ,

and this afforded the inhabitants a magnificent opportunity for displaying their loyalty . The military and naval authorities were also enabled to give greater eclat , by placing military aud marines along the whole line . At the landing stage were congregated the Dukes of Connaught and

Cambridge , the Lords of the Admiralty and the chief naval and military officers , and certain of these went on board the Serapis the moment it came alongside the landing stage . After a brief delay , for the purpose of taking some part of the luggage ashore , the Prince and Princess landed , and

the Corporation of Portsmouth were presented , and tendered the inevitable address . A song of v / elcome having then been sung , the procession was formed ,

and moved along the prescribed direction amid the heartiest cheers imaginable , towards the Landport Railway Station . Here , on the platform , among others , was a deputation of brethren from the Province of Hants and the

Isle of Wight , headed by R . W . Bro . W . W . Beach , M . P ., P . G . M ., their object being the presentation of an address , which was graciously received . The Royal party , which also included the Prince ' s children and the Duke of Edinburgh , then entered the train , and the journey to London

commenced . At Victoria Station most extensive preparations were made , and the station , ordinarily so unattractive , had quite a gala appearance . The Royal train was timed to arrive at five o ' clock , but it was nearly seven when it glided noiselessly in . Among those assembled to greet him

on his arrival , were the Princess Louise and the Duchess of Teck . On descending to the platform , a deputation of the Burgesses of Westminster , headed by his Grace the Duke of Buccleugh , High Steward of the ancient City , presented an address . As to his reception , little need be said of that .

The Return Of The Prince Of Wales.

Tho cheering was loud and uninterrupted , and in a short time His Royal Highness , with the Princess , and two of their children drove out of the Station , attended by an escort of Life Guards , the foot Guards lining the route . On the cortege appearing in sight of the multitude assembled ,

the sound of cheering was again and again renewed , or rather it began and continued along the whole way to Buckingham Palace , where Her Majesty awaited his coming . After a stay of about half-an-honr at the Palace , the Prince and Princess re-entered their carriage , and drove to

Marlborough House , amid the same enthusiastic demonstration In the evening they paid a visit to the Royal Italian Opera , and there , it is needless to say , the House was far more intent on greeting them than on the performance of the Opera .

And thus ends a journey not the least eventful among those undertaken by royal personages . The Queen ' s eldest son and heir , and representing her Majesty , visited the chief cities of one of the grandest empires the world ever saw . Pirst at Bombay , then at Madras , then at

Calcutta , at Delhi , at Lucknow , and m other cities whose names are only a little less familiar , he was received most heartily and respectfully . No doubt his visit has done much to increase the loyalty of our fellow-subjects in India . No doubt the British empire will henceforth be more firmly

united , for the visit of the Prince , attended as he was on all occasions by so much state , and the honoured guest of all the most important princes of India , cannot but have favour , ably impressed the native mind , not only with a sense of our irresistible power , but likewise with a certain feeling of

loyalty and attachment to our rule . It is , indeed , impossible to doubt that the Prince ' s journey has been productive of an immense amount of good . But probably this view of his Indian journey never entered the minds of any of those who were gathered to witness his return home .

Affectionate loyalty to the Queen , and a love for the Prince himself , were at the bottom of Thursday ' s enthusiasm . Right gloriously indeed was he greeted of all , and with equal heartiness and fraternal respect we tender him our congratulations .

Masonic Portraits (No. 27.) The Artist.

MASONIC PORTRAITS ( No . 27 . ) THE ARTIST .

" Tho painter plays the spider , and hath woven A golden mesh to entrap tho hearts of men Faster than gnats in cobwebs . " WE know not how far from nature we may have wandered in our laborious task of Masonic portraiture ,

but we have no doubt committed many sins against the unwritten laws of art . Here and there a touch perhaps has been too coarse , or too feeble . This feature has been sacrificed at the shrine of that . We have made tbe background of this sketch too prominent , or we have forgotten

to g ive the proper breadth and vigour to the foreground . We have used just such colours as pleased our artistic fancy , and we have declined to daub with some of the gaudv tints which catch the uninstructed eye . After all

a word-picture , if it be truly artistic , does not differ materially from the work of the painter . The literary artist works with a different vehicle , that is all , but it' ho possess the true instinct for art , his painting will live and charm when tho hand that traced the lines is fororotten . There