Our Weekly Budget.

The Grand Lodge of Benevolence was held on Wednesday , the 20 th inst ., at Freemasons' Hall , Great Queenstreet , Lincoln-inn-fields . Bro . Joshua Nunn P . G . S . B . in the chair , Bro . James Brett P . G . P . S . W ., E . P . Albert Asst . G . P . J . W . Grants to the amount of £ 135 , voted at tho

previous meeting , Avere confirmed . Twenty-four neAV cases were relieved , to the amount of £ 555 . There Avere present —Bros . S . Rawson D . G . M . China , J . Savage P . G . D ., S . May P . G . S ., W . Smith P . G . S ., T . Sabine P . G . S . B . Middlesex , C . A . Cottcbrane P . G . P ., F . Binckes P . G . S ., Secretary

Boys' School , H . Garrod , W . Stephens , W . Mann , W . C . Parsons , C . Moody , C . E . Lacey , Keys , Reed , Bingemann , Hunt , Marsh , H . Dicketts P . G . S ., Head P . G . S .,

Moore , Dilley , Bald \ vin , Lewin , G . Brown , Thurkle , Fry , W . Sttnvard , Tomkins , Wood , Cobham , Austin , Voikins , Keays , Thompson , Vyse , H . M . Levy , J . Hervey G . S ., H . G . Buss , Pendlebury , & e .

A special meeting of the Provincial Grand Chapter of Hertfordshire will be held at Freemasons' Hall , Watford , on Thursday , 28 th October , at half-past three o ' clock , for the installation of the Most Excellent Companion , Thomas Frederick Halsey , M . P ., P . Z . 404 , as Provincial Grand Superintendent , and for the transaction of the general business of the Province .

The contest betAveen Bro . Sir John Bennett and Mr . George Swan Nottage for the Aldermanic gOAvn of Cordwainers' Ward , vacant by the death of Bro . Alderman Paterson , has resulted in the defeat of the former by a

majority of 31 votes . The poll opened at ten o ' clock and closed at 4 p . m ., the Lord Mayor , attended by his assessor , Mi-. Orton , presiding during the Avhole of the six hours . The numbers were declared to be for Mr . Nottage 162 , for Sir John Bennett 131 .

Monday is fixed for the presentation to Bro . H . R . H . Prince Leopold of the Freedom of the City . A special Court of Council will be held for the purpose , and Avhen the ceremony is over , His Royal Highness will be entertained at a dejeuner .

The folloAving is the present constitution of the Grand Orient of Peru : —Grand Master , Bro . Dr . D . Bias Jose Alzamora , Lieutenant Grand Commander of the Supreme Council , Judge of the Supreme Court ; Deputy Grand

Master , Bro . J . Sanchez Sylva ; First Grand Master , adjoint , Bro . Manuel Vargas Guimel ; Second Ditto , Bro . Elizondo ; Grand Secretary , Bro . Arthur M . Wholey ; Treasurer , Bro . John Hern . —From le Monde Maconnume .

On Tuesday , 2 nd November , the 15 sections Avill be worked in the Faith Lodge of Instruction , No . 2 Westminster-chambers , Victoria-street , Westminster , by the members of the Salisbury Lodge of Instruction . Bro . Mander W . M . 1201 will preside on that occasion .

With deep regret Ave have to announce the death of Bro . David D . Beck . He Avas initiated in the Industry Lodge , No . 180 . On the 25 th February 1874 he was elected M . E . Z . of the Industry Chapter , and on Tuesday , the l'Jfch inst ., he was to have been installed . He Avas one of the founders

of the St . John of Wapping Lodge , No . 130 G , and Avas W . M . in 1872 . He installed his successor , and Avas presented with a very valuable gold Avatch , and a gold P . M . ' s jeAvel of the value of £ 10 10 s . He died on the loth , and Avas buried

on the 19 th inst ., at Nunheacl Cemetery , followed by a numerous circle of friends and brother Masonn , by Avhom he Avas greatly respected and deeply regretted . He Avas 48 years of age , and leaves a . ' . meowing Avidow and 5 children , the eldest being 15 years oi ; . _ u .

Miss Emily Mott , a daughter of Bro . James Mott , Avho made a successful debut some time since , announces her annual concert , which Avill take place at St . James ' s Hall , Piccadilly , on 1 st November . Madame Lemmens Sherrington , Miss Blanche Cole , Mr . Sims Reeves and Mr . LeAvis Thomas Avill sing on that occasion .

The fifteen Sections Avould be Avorked in the Dalhousie Lodge of Instruction , No . 860 , on Tuesday , 26 th inst ., Bro Marx Gross in the chair . This Lodge meets at Bro . Allen ' s "Royal Edward , " Triangle , Hackney .

The Drama.

THE DRAMA .

" Proof Positive" at the Opera Comique— " All For Her " at the Mirror . { C T KNOW the face , but I can't put a name to it , " is the keynote JL to Mr . Bnrnand ' s play , at THE OPEBA . COMIQUE , of Avhich theatre he has recently undertaken the charge . Hardly a sufficient foundation for a three act comedy , even though the defect of memory is carried to such an extent as to alloAV a man to mistake a strange

lady for his wife , yet , out of this slender thread of an idea Mr . Burnand has , in some way or other , managed to construct a play . It is needless to say that a story of this kind , the whole point of which rests really on the self-conceit of » forgetful man , can excite no humour , interest , or sympathy . This fault is apparent in every Avork of Mr . Burnanrl ' s ; he hits off the foibles of mankind with admirable

cynicism ; he has a very keen eye for the failings and frailties of his fellows , but there is a total want of sympathy between him and his public . One laughs always at , never with , Mr . Bnrnand ' s characters ; they excite one's derision , never one ' s pity . Ifc is impossible to get up any interest in the doings of a man who is so utterly idiotic as to mistake a strange lady for the Avife from whom he has been divorced ,

and to imagine that , having been divorced in France , he has , under English law , committed bigamy in marrying again . The idea is one for burlesque , not for comedy . Ifc is not only in conception , but also in execution , that Mr . Bnrnand has failed . What dramatic author , worthy of the name , would so constrncfc his three act comedy as to bring its interest to a climnx at the end of the second act ? And yet

this is precisely Avhat Mr . Burnand has done , for , at the . end of tho second act , it becomes evident to everybody not a born idiot that the Mrs . Wellesley , whom Mr . Beckford mistakes for his first wife , cannot be anything of tho kind , and the third act is occupied Avith the retangling of an unravelled skein . Of such AA'orkmanship as this it is impossible to speak in terms too strong . Mr .

Burnand is , no doubt , very clever ; at all events , one man thinks so , but he is not ; a dramatist . Tho piece serves to bring forward some old favourites , first and foremost of Avhom we welcome Miss Oliver , Avho plays Mrs . Wellesley Avith all her old brightness of style ; and ifc also introduces to ns two new friends , in the persons of Mr . George Clark , an American actor , whose

distinguishing characteristic is self-confidence , and Miss Ada Lester , whose quiet aud intelligent acting makes her an acquisition to a stage sadly deficient in actresses . To echo a suggestion from one of cmcon temporaries , could not the name of this theatre be changed ? Even if Mr . Bnrnand Avere to call it " The Happy Thought , " the name would be preferable to the ugly and inconvenient one which it at

present hears . It is no ordinary work that comes from the pen of Mr . Herman Merivale , Avho , in conjunction with Mr . J . Palgrave Simpson , has written the new play for THK MIUKOR . In scholarship , in poetic sentiment , in dramatic foelin < r , his Avorks stand out in Avelcome relief from the flashy comedies and the ridiculous sensation dramas , all real fire

and real Avater , Avith which so many of our theatres are occupied . We have held , and shall always hold , that the mission of the stage is not to amuse only , bnfc to ennoble the people , and Ave recognise with pleasure in Mr . Merivale a gentleman who both preaches and practises that doctrine . In seeing a play of Mr . Merivale' B it is not only an intellectual treat that is afforded ; he places us " in the

company of Avise and good men , to make us Aviser and better than ourselves . " The noblest thing on earth is self-sacrifice : " greater love hath ho man than this , that he lay clown his life for his friend . " This is the lesson which Mr . Merivale teaches us in Alljtv Mir ; and although self-sacrifice is not fashionable now-a-days , the Bight of it never fails to rouse admiration in the hearts of Englishmen . Hugh Trevor , a

dissolute rake , ihe supposed bastard son of Lord Edardale , is in love Avith Lady Marsden , the affianced Avife of his brother , the legitimate son . For her sake he destroys a certificate of marriage Avhich would legitimise him and disinherit his brother ; for her sake he submits to undeserved insults , to unmerited contempt ; for her sake he makes the crowning sacrifice , and to save the man Avhom she loves

takes his place on the scaffold . This is Mr . Merivale ' s simple and noble story ; the thanks of all thinking play-goers are duo to him for a play which is Avell constructed , Avell Avritten , and possesses a powerful and healthy interest . Mr . Clayton can hardly be called a young actor ; he has been long on the stage , and has , in his time , played many parts , but he has never had such an

opportunity of displaying his ability as is afforded to him in the pnrt of Hugh Trevor , and we are glad to be able to add that he makes the very utmost of his chances . The degraded spendthrift , ennobled by love , hearing in his face the signs of his true nobility , carrying on his body the rags of his disreputable life , receives ample justice at his hands . " Some day , " Hugh . Trevor says to Lady Marsden , " you shall know part of Avhafc the love of a fallen man

can rise to ; you Avill never knoAv all . " This is the kind of character which enlists in the highest degree tho sympathies of an audience ; a fallen man , raised to heights of heroism by the poAver of love . Mr . Clayton ' s performance of Hugh Trevor is by far the best tiling which he has yet done . Miss Bose Coghlan merits high praise for her rendering of Lady Marsden . Nothing can give us greater pleasure than to record the success of such a play , thoroughly well written , well put on the stage , and admirably acted .

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