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tho struggle to the bitter end , and before peace is restored several thousand more lives will be sacrificed . The distress among the unfortunate Mussulmans is very great , and fugitives who have lost their all are continually

arriving at Adrianople . Everything is being done to alleviate their distress , and the Central Relief Fund , under the direction of Mrs . Layard , the wife of our Ambassador at Constantinople , is rendering valuable assistance .

A Special Court of the Boys' School , held on Monday , at Freemasons' Hall , approved of the report of the Home Committee , as recommended for adoption by the General Committee , for the enlargement of the Institution . The cost of the additional buildings will be £ 3 , 000 , and the

increase in the number of pupils will be thirty-two . The architect , Bro . S . Barton Wilson , is already engaged in preparing the plans , and it is hoped , that the works will be commenced about the middle of next month . This , if all goes well , will enable the additional pupils to be received into the establishment at the April election .

Bro . Hyde Pullen consecrated the Orpheus Lodge , No . 1706 , on Saturday last , at Freemasons' Hall , and was assisted in that important duty by Bros . John Hervey , H . G . Buss , Captain N . G . Philips , and the Rev . Ambrose Hall . Bro . W . A . Barrett was afterwards installed as the

first W . M ., and having appointed and invested his officers proposed a vote of thanks , with the additional compliment of honorary membership , to Bro . Pullen and the brethren who so kindly assisted him . Before the Lodge was closed , twenty-eight propositions for initiation and joining were

submitted , among the former being included the names of M . Faure , the celebrated baritone singer , so well-known in operatic circles , and M . Rousseaud , husband of Madame Christine Nillson . The Lodge is rightly named " Orpheus , " for in addition to the two we have just named , many other

members of the musical profession are candidates for admission . Moreover , the first meeting of the Lodge was marked by some admirable glee singing , and among those ¦ who contributed to the enjoyment of the evening was Bro . Maybrick , a baritone of some eminence .

At the meeting of the Frederick of Unity Lodge , No . 452 , held on Tnesday , at the Greyhound Hotel , Croydon , a motion , proposed by Bro . Ohren P . M . and Secretary , was agreed to unanimously , to the effect that a Steward be appointed to

each of the three Masonic Festivals in 1878 , and that a sum of five guineas be contributed to the several Institutions—the Royal Benevolent , the Boys ' , and the Girls ' . Bro . Fred . A . Manning , I . G . of the Lodge , will undertake the office of Steward for the Boy ' s Festival .

The Masonic Advocate continues its history of the Indiana Lodges , the subject of the sketch in the current number of this excellent periodical being Washington Lodge , which stands No . 13 on the roll of the Grand Lodge in this State .

We learn from the columns of the Australian Freemason that a new Lodge , rejoicing in the style and title of the Tenterfield Lodge , was consecrated at Tenterfield , New Zealand , on the 29 th May last . To W . Bro . P . M . Downer was entrusted the important duty of consecrating officer ,

Bros . Samuel Ashton acting as S . W . and J . T . Trench as J . W , the Rev . Bro . Davies being Chaplain for the occasion . The ceremony having been impressively rendered , Bro . E . R . Whereat J . P ., and late Major of Tenterfield , was presented to Bro . Downer as W . M . designate , and

\ w Lodge was held ; and after passing one brother and

installed in the chair of K . S . Bro . Whereat then appointed and invested Rev . Bro . Davies as his Senioi Warden , Bro . William Laird as Junior Warden , and Bro . John Ellis as Treasurer , the appointment of the other officers being reserved for a future occasion , Bro . Laird

tendering his services in the meantime as Secretary . A brief adjournment for refreshment having taken place , the Lodge was resumed and the bye-laws were passed . The brethren adjourned to banquet at the Commercial Hotel .

The new W . M . presided and gave the usual toasts from the chair . The brethren separated at the hour of 11 p . m . The day following the brethren were entertained by Bro . Whereat at his residence , after which a meeting ol

Our Weekly Budget.

raising another , votes of thanks were passed and ordered to be recorded on the minutes to the consecrating officer and his assistants for the admirable manner in which he

had fullfilled his duties . Bro . Downer acknowledged the compliment , and in doing so expressed a hope that the new Lodge would enjoy a long course of prosperity . Several candidates were then proposed and the Lodge was closed .

We gather from the same source that a Masonic Ball was held at Brisbane on the 24 th of the same month , under tho auspices of tho Silver Cross Lodge , No . 504 S . C . The Town Hall , which was the scene of the festive gathering , was very tastefully decorated , and among those present

was his Worship the Mayor , who is acting Provincial Grand Master . Bros . W . Williams Deputy Master of the Lodge , acted as M . C ., and dancing was kept up till a late hour with great spirit . From New Zealand we hear that the third anniversary of the Forest Lodge , No . 1481 , E . G .,

Waterfield , was held on St . George s Day . A number of brethren from the parent Lodge , Southern Star , No . 735 , C . E . Nelson went by special train to assist on the occasion . Bro . Peter Carter Gowland was installed as W . M .,

and appointed and invested Bros . R . M . Smith , and R . Chullooh as senior and junior Wardens respectively . The usual banquet followed . Bro . Chulloch the I . P . M . had already had presented to him a P . M . ' s jewel in testimony of his services as the second Master of the Lodge .

From the Masonio Eevieio we learn that in October 1803 a petition from certain brethren resident in County Trumbull was presented to the Grand Lodge of Connecticut , then sitting at the Assembly Room , City of New Haven , there

being at the time no Grand Lodge in Ohio . A charter was accordingly granted for a Lodge to be held at Worthington , by the name of " New England , No . 48 , " and this ranks now as No . 4 , Ohio .

Reviews.

REVIEWS .

All Books intended for Eeview should lie addressed to the Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , 67 Barbican , E . C . The Humorous Works of the late Gifted Hopkins . From manuscripts found in his desk after his decease , with eight page Illustrations , drawn by Phiz . London : James Blackwood and Co ., Lovell ' scourt , Paternoster-row .

"WHETHER the " Gifted Hopkins " is a creature of tho Editor ' s fancy or not , is a matter of no great moment ; but it is only possible to describe his works as " hnmorons" on the well-known principle which explains lucus as so-called a non lucendo . As hnmorons in its primal signification implies some person or thing which possesses tho property of hnmonr or moisture , we may , perhaps , by what Artemus Ward would

have described as a " circootious route , " consider these " humorous works of the Gifted Hopkins , " as calculated to produce moisture in the eyes of those who read them . This , as the learned commentators would remark , may be somewhat of a far-fetched explanation . Nevertheless , it will be evident to every one who tries tbe experi . ment of reading a few pages of this volume that they are far likelier

to provoke tears of sorrow than roars of laughter ; for people of sense must always feel a pang of regret when persons are so silly as to pass themselves off for what they are not . Whatever the character of the gifts which distinguished this gifted personage , we have no option but to declare that humour is not included among them . One or two short extracts will serve to bear out our statement . We take the following from " My Diary for 1869 , " but we must leave our

readers to discover the humour for themselves , as we feel ourselves utterly incompetent to point it out for them : — " Friday , 15 th . —Have been reading Wordsworth lately . What a strange mistake he has mado , to be sure ; He says , ' The child is father to the man . ' ' The man is father to the child , ' it should be , of course . In future editions of his works , I hope this singular error will be rectified . "

Again , under date of September 15 th , Monday , we read : " Made some more conundrums . When is a door not a door ?—When it's to . Why are used postage-stamps like silver spoons ?—Because they are ( 11 ; all marked . Shan ' t repeat them to any of my friends . They unly pretend not to see the point of the jokes j and it makes one feel so uncomfortable . " Wo sincerely wish the " Gifted Hopkins "

had included the public among his friends , and carried out his resolution not to repeat these insipid attempts at being funny . There is this , moreover , to be said . The public could not " pretend not to see the point" of them ; for there is none to seo . We candidly confess our patience was utterly exhausted when we had skimmed the diary and a few of the tales , such as " Freedom's Fetters ; or , Married out

of it , " Ambrose Judd ; or , Wanted a Wife , " and " Beware of Pie Juice . " The next time we feel that an attack of humour is supervening , we may take counsel with one of the Hoods , with Barham , or some ono of like calibre , whose claims to distinction have long aince been recognised , bub the " humorous works of the late Gifted Hopkins , " we shall avoid with as much care as a certain personage « s »}(| to avoid holy water .