The Mauritius.

nnderstand your advice now , I will be good ! " Brethren , you can picture this touching scene—the Royal child looking into the eyes of her governess and saying , I will be good ; and , brethren , was it not like a revelation ? For , what has been the life of onr Qneen but one series of good and noble deeds ? When William IV . died , onr Qneen was eighteen years of age , and to a Kins :, who had

sided with the opposition , and often obtained with difficulty the reluctant homage of England ' s children , succeeded a Queen , in all the freshness of youth , whose graceful modesty and propriety raised among all a new sense of loyalty , mingled with feelings of chivalry . For , brethren , England ever loved a Queen ! No doubt some of you have seen , and you have heard , of the picture in the corridor of

Windsor Castle which is called Her Majesty's first Council . Tbe g irl Queen sits with grave simplicity among the veterans of England ' s statesmen . She has a pensive and straightforward look ever present in her face , and history tells ns that she presided over that first Council with natural ease ; but , at the same time , with that calm dignity and firmness which ever after characterised all her

net ions . This , brethren , was the first act of that long reign of prosperity of which we English are so justly proud . lioyal domestic life in the past generation had been far from edifying ; but what could be more touching than the Royal romance of our Queen , terminating in a happy marriage which the whole nation fully approved of ? Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle

became the abode of love and harmony ; the young pair were artistic ; they had mutual tastes ; and their Royal house , full of stately gaiety and sober pomp , offered to all the brightest example of a happy English Home . Our Queen and Prince Albert gave to all the exampie of purity and virtue ; she ever cheerful in her exterior , and he ever tender , and watchful to please her ; both encouraging every , thing that was good , and showing that the higher the station in life ,

the greater its duties and responsibilities . Children came , and the Royal Palaces echoed their innocent mirth ; and when the Welsh nurse , answering a great ambassadress said , that at the Castle the living for the children was poor ; only a bit of roast meat , and perhaps a plain pudding , and added that our Queen was as fit to be a pooT man ' s wife as well as a great Queen , little did she know what great compliment she was paying the best of women , and the highest lady in the land .

If the private life of her Majesty was sympathetic , her political career offers the example of good and able work transacted day by day , with unceasing diligence and love of her people , keeping in view that the great parties in England , Whigs and Tories in the beginning , and Liberals and Conservatives now , have always had at heart the prosperity and happiness of the nation , our Queen has always

accepted loyally the choice of tbe people , whatever may have been her private feelings . And such was her influence over all those who approached her that the several political leaders who in turn have been at the head of affairs have all become her staunch friends . Exempted by right from all taxes , our Queen came forward , and , as an English woman , claimed to contribute her share to the

revenue of the nation . In happy coutrast with tbe careless habits of a past generation of Kings shone the economy of our Queen . When King Louis Philippe and tho Czar visited England , Sir Robert Peel , then Minister , was enabled to state to Parliament that these roceptions , though worthy of England and of onr Queen , would not cause any increase of expenditure . The student of Historv follows

with admiration and respect the action of our Queen during the effervescence caused by tho Corn Laws , the Irish Famine and the Chartist Demonstration . Then came the first Great Exhibition , giving a now impetus to trade and art in their several branches , and due to ( he uutiring energy of Prince Albert , who displayed great powers of mind and a true love of England ' s greatness . Then camei tho

Crimean war , where the tricolour floated b y the side of our national ensign } and may the two great pioneers of civilisation ever remain mends . Then came the terrible Indian mutiny of which we English cannot speak without a shudder , and both of which ended , as usual , m our complete victory . Then the American War : and during all these important eventshistorv tolls ns wW . nmrmnf . nt h **^**

, ,, ; the Koyal worker transacted , with unswerving devotion to the best interests of England ; and , brethren , we have seen with what happv results for our country . Then came a terrible blow . Prince Albert died , and a shadow passed over the life of our Queen ; and though the country has often grud her

ged mourning so long , yet we have all been proud , justly proud , of her faithful sorrow . And yet , during those long years of FIA u gnef ' & tieT > tion to state affairs and business never tailed her , and the stamp of her hand is visible on every act of tho ministry . The happiness of her children , and the sprin ging up of a new generation of children about her , restoring hope and cheerfulness tne

«* Koyal Castles of England , England saw with joy and gratiucie our Queen once more taking her wonted place in all state ceremonials . Such is the pure spotless life which for the fonrth time the hand ot an assassin has attempted , but an all seeing Providence has each imo preserved our Queen , and thus secured the happiness of Eng land .

Brethren , tho most remarkable feature about these dastardl y ' ^ tempts is , that political ideas had nothing to do with thorn . ^"' ty ° . a morbid desire for notoriety alone prompted the mean •u starving creatures who had raisod thoir hands tn nnr heWnrl on

Die lS ^ Tnrone 8 the Continent havo tottered and crumbled to 8 hPH ' 7 Louis Phili PP left Paris and died in exile under tho ami r u Brit ' hospitality . Nicholas of Russia died of failure cralhv brokon heart 5 aud the man who had helped to ruin and sn mm , Napoleon the third , came back to that England where he

to l » , £ receired wifch all the honours due to a mighty potentate , cruplf bltnself down at " 3 die . The late Czar of Russia has been lutioni v cowardl - murdeied by the hand of the Nihilist . Revothe mVi ? - * over the Continent ; but our Institution stands firm in siou is aIL 0 nr Girl Qneen ' if X mil 7 allowed the expres-> 8 now one of the most experienced Statesmen of Europe , and

the greatest protection of her Throne is that great love whioh we all bear Her Majesty . The Queen has kept the word of the Royal Child— "I will be good . " England is at the head of nations * . Our Queen gives the world the example of a loyal constitutional Sovereign , and her private and public life are the pride of all Englishmen . I have no doubt that you will with joy sign the Address , which has

just been read to you , and that yon will say with me , one and all , and from the bottom of your hearts , —May Her name be blessed , and her days be long for the greatest happiness of England . The usual collection was then made , and on the proposition of Bro , Bewsher , was handed to Lady Barker for distribution as she

might think fit . The Lodge was then closed , and the brethren proceeded to sign the address . A dinner followed , whereat 150 Masons took their respective places , and did ample justice to the repast prepared for them .

The Old Folks At Home.

THE OLD FOLKS AT HOME .

ON Wednesday afternoon , tlio Summer Entertainment , which is now annually given to onr dear old frienda at Croydon came off . The Clerk of the weather waa sufficiently considerate , the Railway Company ( L . and S . E . Company ) laid themselves open to accommodate visitors to the best of their ability , and Bro . Lieut . Cole ,

with his wonderful ventriloquial powers , kept the Old People and their friends in a perpetual state of excitement—perhaps it would be better to state , in the condition iti which , at the close of the marriage service , the newly-wedded couple find themselves — namely , " in

amazement . Bro . Cole ' s engagements , however , did not admit of his staying the whole evening , and when his part of the entertainment had been brought to a conclusion , amid enthusiastic applause , the Misses Terry and Strong—names intimately familiar to all lovers of the

Benevolent—took his place , and . played . and sang , in a ' style which proved them to be excellent musicians , several choice selections of music . Miss Berrie Stephens , likewise , who has a good soprano voice , met with hearty and well-deserved applause for her vocal contributions to the

evening ' s enjoyment , her duet , "No , Sir ! " with Bro . H . Prenton , being not only vocally , but dramatically , a great success . Onr " musical inmate , " Mrs . Bonorandi , by her tasteful performance on the pianoforte , is equally deserving of thanks for the part she played in entertaining her coinmates and their friends . Nor must we overlook the

claims upon our regard of Bro . Harry Sullivan , who is ever ready and equally capable of entertaining any gathering of folk , be they Masonic or non-Masonic ladies or brethren , or of Miss Owen , whose services were greatly appreciated . As a matter of course , the Festival ,

if we may term it such , was not allowed to pass without the drinking of sundry toasts , and equally certain is it that that of Bro . Terry ' s health was the most conspicuous amongst them . Of course , Bro . Terry was happiness itself in his acknowledgments , and he pointed out how ,

formerly , the inmates of the Institution at Croydon hardly knew anything of each other , and even went the length of occasionally indulging in those jars from which even old and experienced Masons and their widows are not exempt . He further explained how this had all been changed , and

how , out of a friendly " tea fight , " the now regular halfyearly entertainments had sprung into actual existence . Bro . Raynham Stewart P . CD ., who takes a leading part in all that relates to tbe Benevolent Institution , spoke in bis

usually complimentary terms of everything and everybody , while the venerable Warden , Bro . Norris , and his respected daughters , were most cordially thanked for the persistent attention they had paid to their " ancient charges . " We trust it may never be our fortune to spend a less enjoyable evening .

Wc understand that His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales M . W . G . M . will , at an early date , be installed W . M . of the Royal Alpha Lodge , No . 16 , and that the ceremony will l > e performed by H . R . H . Prince Leopold , Duke of Albany , P . G . Warden England and Prov . Grand Master Oxon . It will be in the recollection of our readers

that some time back H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught was installed Worshipful Master of this Lodge by the Deputy Gaand Master of England , the Earl of Lathom .

Ar01102

DEATH . BERRY . —On the 13 th iust ., at Arbour-sijuaro , Conimorcia' -roiui , B ., Miss JXARI A > -x B ERRY , the 'beloved sister oF Bio . J . i . Berry P . M . 554 , & c „ after a long and painful illness .