Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

study . Fanny Oberdoerffer was very successful , and delivered with excellent accent Delavigno ' s " La JMort de Jeanne d'Arc . " "Curfew shall not toll to-night , " was effectively rendered by Alice W . Cecil ; while the selection from Shakspcare ' s Henry IV ., Second Part , was in orood hands when entrusted to Ada R . Tanare and Alice

W . Cecil . Should wo , however , have another opportunity of bearing these young ladies in this same selection , we would recommend they transpose parts . The deep intonation of the fair representative of the youthful prince

would be more suited to the character of tho King . We say this in no spirit of invidious comparison , but merely throw it out as a suggestion . Both did well , and each was deservedly applauded . At the conclusion of the Entertainment the Baroness Burdett-Coutts delivered the following

address : — A request has been made to me- to say a few words on tho present occasion . It is a request with which 1 Feel bound to comply , anil which in one sense is a simple pleasure , inasmuch as it enables me to testify the gratification of myself , and the friends who have accompanied me , at all we have seen and heard in this Institution . But tho

day is wearing on , and I feel I ought to be brief . It is very difficult to compress into a few words all I shonld like to say , together with the thoughts passing through my mind even as I speak . Yet one point is paramount , and that is congratulation ; and I will there , fore first offer those congratulations to myself , on being present to . day . It was with pleasure I accepted the proposal kindly conveyed to me

to distribute your prizes , but it is with enhanced pleasure that I now thank the managers of this School for the privilege of taking part in its annual examination . It is always a delight to be associated in the remembrance of the young with those bright days which , liko that of to-day , will become to them cherished memories ; but besides this , it is a gratification to me to be connected in ever so slight

a degree with those who , as managers and teachers , carryon the work of this great School—a work of education wisely conceived and brilliantly carried out—in every detail perfect ; but this , while it is a source of satisfaction , is scarcely a subject for surprise in the work of a Masonic School . I would , secondly , warmly congratulate tho scholars on their success , both

individually and collectively ; and abovo and beyond this , on then position as scholars and children of this Institution . Tenderly yet judiciously trained for their own welfare in life , they are also trained for the welfare of others , in whatever station of life they may here , after occupy , possibly to remain as teachers ( just as I understand is the case now ) under the roof which sheltered them ; or , as carrying

about the seed of good sound work to whiten the harvest of humanity They willnever forget that to them , through theireducation , is entrusted the power to implant on the minds and hearts of those with whom in after life fcbey may become connected , those precepts and those habits which , inculcating virtue , renders life nnder every variety of condition noble , useful and therefore happy . And now , thirdly , I have my

heartfelt congratnlations to offer to all those engaged in the direction and guidance of this School—to its managers , and to its teachers in every department—not only my'own personal congratulations , bnt as all are more or less concerned in tho question of educational work , and deeply interested and anxiously observant of its action npon national character—I venture to congratulate you on behalf of an

ontside public , for 1 may fairly claim to bo its representativo to-daybeing myself only linked to your body through your courtesy for a few moments . We therefore congratulate and thank you for the blessings you are conferring on the conntry through the girls you are here training . They inherit no ignoble heritage , and you are preparing them to carry on in the future tho noble lino of English

women of whom the country has so much reason to be proud , for though we have inherited a great deal from our forefathers—men useful and good—whose great names are handed down to us from generation to generation ; men who carried out , wherever they went , the fervent desire to make this conntry honoured and respected ; but

side by side with these throughout our English history have been its women . If we feel pride in our forefathers , if they have been true and good , so have our foremothers ( if I may thus coin the term ) . They have given to us , they have trained the sons , the husbands of the past , and their grandmothers were those who with their grandfathers watched over the honour of the nation in its domestic life . From

generation to generation the women of England have carried out in the fullest manner all that gives dignity and comfort to life . The names of many are household words , and will never be forgotten . Lady Jane Grey , Rachael Lady Rnssell , Mrs . Fry , the devoted wife who effected her husband's escape from prison nnder the eyes of his jailors , and many more will doubtless suggest themselves , as I speak .

and be remembered as types of our mothers and grandmothers ; but in the past as in our present the names of quiet heroines remain nnknown till that clay when the name of each will be written on the "White Stone " of Scripture . Then , as now , and as—let ns ferventl y , hope they will do in the future—these earnest , quiet heroines carried to their graves the great work of life , and left a precious

inheritance to their children , the example of a pure , honest , truthful , loving nature . If the Higher Education which is at present rather the cantword for female education gives to those who come after us women equal to those of tho past it will do all any one can wish to see effected , In reference to the discussion npon education , which constantly presses itself on public attention ,

much difference of opinion must exist , and to all really thoughtful it must cause anxiety ; but there seems to be one unquestionable dut y for all ; some may approve , some may disapprove the tendencies of modern education , but every one should strive , as is done in this Institution , to direct it beneficially , collecting ( as the bee docs from even poisonous flowers ) all that is useful for the needs of tho present ,

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

I cultivating the disposition as well as the intellect , and preserving t 0 our girlhood and womanhood ,

" A heart within whose sacred cell The ponceful virtues love to dwell , Affection warm , and faith sincere . And soft humanity wore there . " A cordial vote of thanks to her Ladyship was proposed by

Bro . Col . Cvcaton . The company then partook of refreshments ; the usual calisthenic exercises were most successfully carried out , and tho evening was brought to a conclusion after the disciples of Terpsichore had disported themselves to tho honour of that festive goddess .

We will now refer to the proceedings of Wednesday , and at the outset tender our hearty congratulations to the Chairman of the day , the Right Honourable the Lord Brooke , M . P . ; to the brethren of his Province , and indeed to the Craft at large , on the very satisfactory result of

their exertions . Amongst those who supported his Lordship were : —Bros . R . J . Fennimoro D . G . M . Natal , Rev . R . J . Simpson P . G . Chaplain , Horace Brooks Marshall Grand Treasurer , Colonel J . Creaton Past Grand Treas ., F . A . Philbrick Grand Registrar , D . G . M . Essex , President

of the Board of Stewards , Col . Shadwell H . Gierke Grand Secretary , B . Letehworth G . D ., Dr . Jabez Hogg , J . A . Rucker , Robert Grey , Peter de Lande Long , Frank Richardson Past Grand Deacons , Griffiths Smith G . A . D . C ., John Messent P . G . S . B ., Col . Peters P . G . S . B ., Jas . H . Mat .

thews G . Std . Br ., EdgarBowyerP . G . Std . Br ., W . Burdett-Coutts W . M . 2030 Treasurer Board of Stewards , C . Hammerton Chairman Board of Stewards , T . J . Railing Prov . G . Sec . Essex , Alderman Savory , Herbert Dicketts , J . Faulkner , Fredk . Binckes Secretary R . M . I . Boys , Jas . Terry

Sec . R . M . Benevolent Institution , F . R . W . Hedges Sec . Girls' School , Rev . Dr . Morris LL . D ., Henry Smith Prov . G . Sec . West Yorkshire , A . Lucking , Richard Clowes W . M . 650 , Provincial G . S . W . Essex , R . Vassar Vassar-Smith P . G . J . W . Gloucestershire , Henry C . Caseley

114 P . P . G . W . Suffolk , Rev . F . B . Sheppard P . M . 1543 P . P . G . W . Essex , W . H . B . Tomlinson , ' J . P ., P . M . 154 P . P . G . W . W . Yorks , Rev . J . Marsden P . P . G . Chap . S . Wales ( W . Div . ) , D . P . Cama P . P . G . S . B . Middlesex , A . McDowall I . P . M . 1962 P . P . G . D . C . Berks and

Bucks , Clement Tudway P . M . 592 P . P . G . D . C . Gloucestershire , W . F . Smithson P . M . 1001 P . P . G . D . C . West Yorkshire , Robert Berridge , F . R . G . S ., P . G . Steward , James R . Cassell P . M . 46 P . G . Steward , W .

Gunningham Glen 197 P . G . Steward , F . Sumner Knyvett P . M . 1494 P . G . Steward , John Mason P . P . G . D . Middlesex , E . C . Mather , E . G . Harwood Mayor of Bolton , Samuel Bland High Sheriff of Gloucester , & c .

The banquet was capitally served by Messrs . Spiers and Pond , lessees of the Freemasons' Tavern , under the superintendence of Bro , Edward Dawkins , and hearty congratulations were offered to the several Stewards through whose exertions so satisfactory a result , had been achieved .

j Lord Brooke , m proposing the health of Her Majesty tho Queen , the Most Gracious Patroness of the Institution , said it was useless for him to dilate on the toast . In no place had Her Majesty a more affectionate reception than in the hearts of Freemasons . The Queen had made herself beloved during a long and prosperous reign by

those personal qualities , both private and public , which should endear her to the nation . When they had to regret the loss of one of the best beloved of their Order ( the Duke of Albany ) the heart of every Freemason in the country went forth in the deepest sympathy with Her Majesty the Queen . In speaking to the toast of H . R . H . the

Prince of Wales , the Princess of Wales , and the other Members of the Royal Family , the Chairman alluded to His Royal Hi ghness ' s admirable discharge of his Masonic duties . With the rest of the Masonic body , he had sustained a great loss in the death of the late lamented Duke of Albany . It was naturally a

painful subject to allude to , and particularly so to himself ( Lord Brooke ) , for his earliest recollections of Freemasonry were connected with the Duke of Albany , in whose presence he had the honour of being initiated , in an Oxford Lodge . He also had the honour of being installed as Provincial Grand Master of Essex by

His Royal Highness . It was a great pleasure to the Duke of Albany to go down amongst the brethren of Essex , and he ( Lord Brooke ) had been requested on many occasions to assure the brethren of that Province of Prince Leopold ' s great p leasure at the cordial reception extended to him by them . With

regard to the Princess of Wales , she had made herself beloved throughout the kingdom by her charming manner and every attribute which became a high-born lady . From the moment she set her foot

on English ground she found a warm corner in the heart of every Freemason . Bro . the Rev . 11 . J . Simpson , Past Grand Chaplain , in replying for the Earl of Carnarvon , the Earl of Lathom , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Paat , said if any of the brethren