Our Weekly Budget.

States the great news , of course , relates to the opening , on Wednesday , of the Centennial Exhibition . Everything passed off admirably . The central figure among those present was President Grant , who , after an appropriate ceremonial , which included the performance of a Grand

March in honour of the occasion , a prayer by Bishop Simpson , and a hymn by J . G . Whittier , formally declared the building open . Dom Pedro II ., Emperor of Brazil , and the Empress , Sir E . Thornton , the British Minister , the members of the Cabinet , the Judges of the Supreme

Court , the officers of the army and navy , with the governors of the States and the leading officials of the Exhibition were present , while the number of visitors is said , by the special correspondent of the Standard , to have been estimated at 230 , 000 , Renter's telegram stating that 100 , 000 were present at the ceremonial .

The regular . meeting of the Committee of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution was held on Wednesday , the 10 th May , at Freemasons' Hall , Bro . Col . Creaton V . P . P . G . D . in thechair . The Secretary , Bro . Jas . Terry , read the minutes of the former meeting , which were confirmed . The

death of one annuitant was announced . The report of the committee was adopted . It showed the success that had attended the late Festival , where the amount collected was £ 9 , 380 . Bro . R . W . Stewart P . G . D . gave a notice of motion that Miss Nora ' s should be appointed to attend to

the wants of the widows , and that she receive the sum of £ 30 per annum . The Secretary read the number of attendances . A letter was read from Bro . Cutbush , thanking the brethren for the kind resolution that had been passed at the last meeting . Bro . Terry announced that it

was with deep regret he had to inform them that , two days afterwards , Bro . Cutbush had ceased to exist . Bro . J . Constable proposed that a vote of condolence be forwarded to the widow . There were present Bros . S . Rawson D . P . G . M . China , B . Head P . G . D ., J . Hogg P . G . D ., Hyde Fallen

P . G . S . B ., R . AV . Stewart P . G . S . D ., C . A . Cottebrune | P . G . S ., J . Brett P . G . P ., J . Bellerby , C . Hogard , L . Stean , J . Newton , J . Constable , H . Massey , G . Bolton , W . Hale , Warren , T . W . White P . G . S ., Griffiths Smith P . G . S ., Capt . Wordsworth , Dr . Erasmus Wilson P . G . S ,, Dr . Strong , H . M . Levy , & c .

The consecration of the Lodge of Loyalty , No . 1607 , will take place on Thursday , the 18 th , at the Alexandra Palace , Muswell Hill , at 3 o ' clock- Bro . J . Newto i P . M . 174 is the W . M . designate , F . Brown 174 is the S . W . designate , C . W . AVebb I . G . 174 is the J . W . designate , J . G . Glover

Secretary pro tem . Bro . James Terry P . G . D . C . Herts , P . M . 228 , 1278 , 1366 , P . Z . 174 , 795 , Secretary to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , is the Consecrating Officer appointed by the M . W . Grand Master H . R . H . the Prince of Wales .

The Provincial Grand Lodge of Berks and Bucks will assemble on Tuesday next , under the presidency of the Right AVorshipful Provincial G . M . Bro . Sir Daniel Gooch , Bart ., M . P ., at the Albert Hall , Reading , for the general

business of the Province . Prov . Grand Lodge will be opened at 1 p . m ., and the banquet will take place at the Queen ' s Hotel at 3 . Special advantages are offered by the Great Western Railway Co . from several of their principal stations .

Ave are moved to congratulate the Craft in general , and the province of Lincolnshire iu particular , upon the deliverance out of a most serious illness of our Reverend Brother Daniel Ace , D . D ., AV . M . of No . 1232 . The Great Architect has been pleased to spare to us for a longer term

His faithful Craftsman , but the state of his health did not allow him to be present at the Festival of the Girls ' School , for which he was a steward , nor to deliver a learned lecture promised on Tuesday last to the brethren assembled

in Chapter of the 30 ° , at Golden-square . AA e hope shortly to hear of his convalescence , and cannot now err in conveying to him the sympathy of a large number of brethren .

CMB HOUSB PIATWO CARDS . —Mogul Quality , picked Is 3 d per pack . Its per dozen packs . Do . seconds Is per pack , lis per dozen packs . If by cost , lid per pack extra , Cards for Piquet , Bdziijue , Ecartd , & c , Mogul Quality lOd pei pack , 9 s per dozen packs . —London i W . W . Morgan , 87 Barbican , E . C ,

The Drama.

THE DRAMA .

Signer Boss ! . —The Charing Cross . THE letter from Signer Rossi , which appeared in several of our morning contemporaries , on Monday last , may be described as at once the letter of a gentleman , a scholar , and an artiste . The two impersonations which Signor Rossi had so far presented , those of Hamlet and Lear , bad been somewhat harshly , and , as be considered , unfairly criticised by the London Press . With regard to his Hamlet ,

indeed , the verdict of many of the critics was that he had failed altogether even to comprehend the character . They assert that his impersonation was that of a man mad from the commencement of tho play , and they not unreasonably objected to such an interpretation . Signor Rossi , however , denies that snch was his conception of the character at all , and in other respects challenges the verdict of the

critics as inaccurate . We cannot help thinking that there is some reason in Signor Rossi ' s complaint . When hia countryman , Salvini , appeared for the first time before an English audience , the critics were lost in admiration of his great and singular genins , and sang his praises industriously in every possible key . But when Rossi comes , although , in the opinion of most qualified judges , an equally

intelligent , if not an equally robust , actor as Salvini , the critics seem to have determined to greet him after a different fashion . Ristori they knew , Salvini they knew , but they would not know nor appreciate Rossi . Like the celebrated " hanging jury , " they thought it was time to introduce a little variety into their verdicts ; and Signor Rossi suffered accordingly . Whether our surmise is or is not correct ,

we think that most intelligent playgoers who are " fortunate enough not to be critics , " will , on witnessing for themselves ono of Signor Rossi ' s impersonations , come to the conclusion that ho has been hardly treated . In onr opinion , his Hamlet is , throughout , an intelligent and striking performance , whilst his Lear is grandly effective and artistic throughout . That both impersonations are open to objection

in some points , we freely admit , bnt so were the impersonations of Signor Salvini , and notably his Othello . Our advice to our readers , therefore , is , that they should go and judge for themselves . A series of humorous and satirical pieces are being produced and performed at the CHAKINO CROSS . Twenty Pottnds a year and Young Rip Van Winkle having been withdrawn , the performance now com .

prises an apropos sketch entitled , The Micawber Back Garden Skating Rink , and a kind of burlesque npon Miss Gwilt , which bears the title of The Gwilty Governess one ? the Downy Doctor . Both these pieces are likely to be tolerably successful , and are excessively mirth-provoking . Miss Fairer , Mr . Sontar , and Mr . Royce are the principal contributors to the amusement .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor ' respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name an * address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

— : o : — THE BOYS' SCHOOL . To tho Editor of THE FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , 6 Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen-street , W . C . 8 th May 1876 . Dear Sir and Brother , —So many exaggerated statements with

reference to " extravagance" and "recklessness" in connection with the expenditure of thin Institution have been circulated dnring the past year that I think it only due to the committees and executive to publish , for the information of all who continue to take a kindly interest in our welfare , the details of cost for the year 1875 : — Establishment charges 5 , 817 5 4 per boy 34 8 5 Office expenditure ... 1 , 024 16 5 „ 6 1 3 J

£ 6 , 842 19 £ 40 9 8 J The average number of boys in tbe establishment in 1875 was 169 ' as compared with 156 in 1874 , in which year the establishment charges were 5 , 880 18 10 per boy 37 13 Hi Office expenditure ... 959 10 10 „ 6 3 0

£ 6 , 840 9 8 £ 43 16 life This result proves tho maintenance , Ac . of thirteen additional boys , at an additional cost of £ 112 s ld only , aud a redaction in the cost per boy per annum of £ 3 7 s 3 d .

The same basis of calculation has been adopted as in former years , it being open to any one to make such additions as in his opinion ought to be included . Trusting that the governors and subscribers may consider this statement as reassuring and satisfactory ,

I am , dear Sir and brother , Yours faithfully and fraternally , FREDERICK BINCKES , Secretary .

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