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t noble-hearted gentleman Clarisse ' s husband . Great interest was felt in Mr . Charles Wyndham ' s appearance in " Delicate Gronnd , " and warm was tbe welcome given to our modern Charles Matthews The quiet , benevolent cynicism of the much-tried Citizen was given with the delicate touch of a master , whilst the earnestness and

genuine feeling underlying the raillery made us feel how nearly the highest humour touches on pathos . Miss Rorke played gracefully as the volatile wife , but surely that very clever artist , Mr . Giddens , should have invested her ci-devant admirer with some aristocratic

gifts or graces—snob an ignoble Alphouse could scarcely have realised the ideal of a waiting-maid , and must have been a subject for ridicule to a high-bred lady . The several other items which make up a long programme were thoroughly appreciated .

THE Avenue Theatre has passed through some depressing vicissitudes ; failure following swiftly on each new venture . However Miss Violet Melnotte , with the courage of youth , attacks the unsolved problem , and seems determined to deserve success . " Tact , " by Messrs . Bellamy and Romer , has plenty of excellent situations , not more new than we may hope for in these days , but they are

AVENUE .

effectively worked out by a company which , though recruited in haste , evidently works together with thoroughness and spirit . We have a stage Irishman , played " with a difference" by Mr . J . B . Ashley . He it is who is supposed to embody the " Tact " of the title , but the more genial gift of " blarney " would better characterise

his aptitude in Bhnffling the human pack of cards to bring the right suits together . Miss Sophie Larkin finds excellent opportunity for her " specialite" in spinsters . Miss Melnotte , very graceful , with fine stage presence , does all required ; she displays archness and spirit . It is to be regretted that Mr . Odell , with his excellent gifts ,

should indulge in caricature which throws the personage he desires to portray quite out of place in tbe picture . The play is carefully staged , while the scenery is especially good ; indeed , the " glade in the Park " is among the most beautiful effects of the kind we have seen . For those who enjoy a hearty laugh , we prescribe a visit to the Avenue .

OLYMPIC .

THE adventurous Matineer should be largely endowed with the virtues , especially that of Charity . A very liberal supply would not have been superfluous at the Olympic last Thursday morning , when Miss A . Montague introduced "In Life or Death" to the London stage . The story is taken from Mr . Gibbon's novel , " For the King . " It is concerned with the trials of a fair lady whose

husband is an officer of King George II ., while her father is an adherent of the Pretender . Mr . Elton is answerable for the present dramatization ; but to our mind it was an evil moment for him when he determined to abandon tbe traditions of burlesque and produce this romantic play . He undertakes the rdle of the Jacobite father ,

whose appearance involves his son-in-law in a charge of treason . Miss Bella Pateman , as the devoted wife , struggled hard to infuse life and interest to the play , but the endless stream of talk , cut up for the most part into duologues , proved a heavy labour . Mr . A . Wood

as a benevolent doctor , was a boon to the audience ; he displayed a quiet , unctuous humour , and avoided those accentuated outlines to which he is somewhat prone . We understand that "Iu Life or Death " is to be taken ou tour . We trust it may prove acceptable to the more robust appetites maintained on country air .

CRITERION .

WE are delighted in having to congratulate the Hon . Member for Easthampton on bis centenary , which was celebrated last Thursday . Our brilliant friend , as time goes on , loses no jot of his popularity , and will probably retain his seat through Sessions yet to come . Assuredly it is long ere his constituents would suggest that he apply for the Chiltern Hundreds .

ST . JAMES'S HALL .

WE recorded a short time ago the marvels worked by Mons . Verbeck , and now in the pretty drawing-room at St . James ' s Hall a rival wonder worker invites us , by his wondrous power , to disbelieve the evidence of our senses . Mr . Bertram's " palming " is certainly of the neatest we have ever been puzzled by . The

inexhaustible hat , placed within a few feet of the audience , gives out its hundreds of yards of ribbon and paper . A singing canary in its cage is held up by Mr . Bertram , and whilst the audience watches it , it is gone . Cards grow large or small whilst the operator holds them in his hand , and he will play " nap " with any member of the audience

with cards that come as though the supposed father of the " paste board " supplied the winning numbers . A very pleasant hour can be spent with Mr . Bertram , while the ferns and flowers of his pleasant 'At Home" are alone worthy of inspection . The artist has the benefit of some graceful pianoforte playing by Miss Ruff .

EGYPTIAN HALL .

^ PRAGEDIES and comedies come and go , but Bros . Maskelyne ¦*• and Cooke ' s mysteries defy the instability of earthly things . The crowded audience last Satnrday afternoon evidently found no loss of charm in the bewilderments into which they plunge on enter . 1 T ) g these magicians' charmed circle . A very pleasant interlude is provided by Mr . Verne ' s musical sketch , " Our Amateur Concert , " which was given with excellent dramatic characterisation .

STEINWAY HALL .

HPHOSE popular entertainers of the olden time , the trouveres and - * - Minnesingers , for a long time havo been literally buried and forgotten . Except on the stage of a theatre we could not hope to hear the words of the poefc endowed with the life and passion thoy can only receive in fullest intent from the voice trained to

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mould thought into emotion . Of late , however , the charming art of the reciter has taken its proper place among the recognised forms of intellectual recreation . Mr . Clifford Harrison is delighting crowded audiences at his Saturday afternoon Recitals . He has the advantage of an agreeable face and figure , and the ease of a man of the world .

Mr . Harrison accompanies his recitations with shadowy , quaint musio ; he touches the piano as tho poem proceeds , so that vague chords and cadences form a background to echo tho spoken words . This was especially effective in the poem of the " Pied Piper ; " the vengeance of the rat charmer , and how he wiled away the little

children from tho nagratoful town was rendered with force and pathos . Especially fine too were the delicately rendered touches of Thackeray ' s " Death of the old Squire , " the underlying current of tenderness which marks the great humorist ' s writing being

accentuated with artistic touch . We recommend all who would enjoy " poetry" in its perfection , but have neither time nor inclination for the chill satisfaction of home study , to spend a Saturday afternoon at Steinway Hall . Mr . Harrison recites or plays without apparent effort , and sends his audience away delighted .

SATURDAY POPULAR CONCERTS .

THE present season closes to-day ( the 28 th instant ) ; it has proved a most successful one . Last Saturday ' s programme was among the most interesting . The second part consisted of compositions by Bach , admirably interpreted by Mons . Joachim , L . Riess , Strauss , Hausmann , and Mdlle . Clotilde Kleeberg . Miss C . Elliott greatly moved her audience by her exquisite interpretation of Bach ' s songs , " Thine heart ; oh give me , dearest ! " and " My heart ever faithful . "

An Ethiopian entertainment was given by the Carolina ( original ) Minstrels at the Royal Masonic Girls' School , at Battersea , last Saturday evening , at which many sapporters of the Institution were present . The first part of the entertainment consisted of an overture and

wellselected programme of choruses , songs , & c . The following gentlemen were enthusiastically encored : —Mr . C . Luke , " Mary is mine ; " Mr . T . E . Davis , " Susan will be there ;" and Mr . T . H . " Davis , " George , tell me if you love me ?"

The second part commenced with a selection by the band , in which the solos by Mr . F . E . Clark , " Irish Melodies ;" Mr . T . Stevens , " Midge , " by Gounod ( violin ) were excellently rendered , after which a quartette , " The two

Roses , " sung by Messrs . Penman , Mitchell , T . E . Davis and Sutcliffe , was well received . This was followed by an Ethiopian absurdity , " Photographers' Difficulties , " the parts being well sustained by Messrs . H . Kippax , E . Luke ,

and T . Hopper . The National Anthem , by the company , concluded the entertainment . The pupils evidently enjoyed the performance ; their bright , happy , intelligent faces , and the order and gentle bearing showed that Miss Davis ' s

kindness is thoroughly appreciated . The children , after having partaken of refreshment , reassembled in the handsome hall in the Alexandra wing , and hearty thanks were tendered to the " Carolinas" for their entertainment .

Mr . R . Jones responded , wishing prosperity and success to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , and expressing how pleased he and his companions were in having been instrumental in addine- to the amusement . The Institution

is open at all reasonable times for the inspection of visitors , and we trust the Stewards' lists at the forthcoming Festival will benefit by many such visits having been made .

The Evening News has more than once pointed out the value of obtaining all the material that can be got together for the acquisition of a correct history of Freemasonry , and several indications have recently come to hand that for some time past numerous brethren have been exerting themselves in this direction . The following extract

from the Newcastle Journal of Tuesday will show tbe latest contribution to the increasing store of knowledge . Tho event occurred at the installation of Mr . Adamson Wragg , on Monday , as Master of tbe Industry Lodge , No . 48 , Gateshead . " Bro . R . B . Reed P . M . presented to the Lodge a box , containing , in restored binding ( 1 ) the old

minute-book of tho Lodge of Industry of 1723 ; ( 2 ) a History of Freemasons , 1764 ; ( 3 ) Masonic Constitutions , 1708 ; ( 4 ) tho Indontnro of Joseph Reed , 1773 , who was an operative apprentice in the Lodge of Industry , and grandfather of Bro . R . B . Heed P . M . The box containing the books was made from a portion of an oak tree

which was found in the River Tyne near Newcastle , which must have lain in the position in which it was discovered for considerably over a thousand years . The Iudustry Lodge is tho oldest in the province of Durham , in which , too , it is the only Lodge with its minute-books

dating back so far . The Industry Lo . ige joined the Grand Lodge of England in 1735 , 130 years ago on Monday . The books Bro . Reed mentioned had been restored and bound in the best possible manner by Bro . Andrew Reid . "

The Kevised Book of Constitutions ; Critically Considered and Compared -with , the Old Edition . London : Simpkin , Marshall & Co ., 4 Stationers' Hall Court , E . C . Sent on receipt of stamps , One Shilling , by W . W . Morgan , Freemason ' s Chronicle Office , Belvidere Works , Hermes Hill , Pentonville .