Masonic Curiosities.

I . Pray vafc be dis vine show we gaze on ? O 'tis the Flower of all the Nation , Do Cavalcade of de Free Mason . II .

And who bo dose who stride Jack Ass-a , Aud blow do Cow-horns as dey pass-a ? Dat secret I no guess—alas-a .

III . Who be doso who next ' em come-a , With Batter-Tubs for Kettle Drum . a ? 0 dat ' s a Mystery too , Sirs—mum-a . IV .

Who ' s he with Cap and Sword BO stern-a ? Modest Montgomery of Hibern-a , Who guard de Lodge , and do Key who turn-a . V . Vat ' s he Avith Truncheon lends the Vau-a ? By Gar one portly proper Mau-a . Dat ' s Jones who marshals all do Train-a .

VI . Who dose dat ride in Carts and Six-a , With such brave Nicknacks round der Necks-a ? Dey be de Stewards de Feast Avho fix-a . VII .

But who be doso who next approach-a ? Lord vafc fine Horses draw der Coach . a ! 0 ! de Grand Masters I dare vouch-a . VIII .

Now C—r—y , Wh-t-h-ad , me intend-a For , Thanks dis sage Advice to lend-a ! Ne ' er break your Jest to loose your Friend-a . It is vain for us , at this distance of time , Avithout more

search into contemporary documents than we are able to make at present , to speculate as to the identity of the Brethren indicated in the last verse ; which might afford some clue to the authorship of the lampoon ; Ave leave ita moot point for more industrious investigators .

These and similar curiosities Avould find an appropriate resting-place in the Library of our Grand Lodge . Should their fate be destined to the archives of some sister corporation abroad : haply our successors may , in time to come ,

cavil at our lack of discernment . Whilst we can point , however , to the noble annual increase visible in our Charitable endeavours , we need not be very uneasy as to the opinion of posterity on minor points .

We must not omit to mention that the central portion of the large caricature of 1742 , representing the old facade of Somerset House Avith part of the procession , has been reprinted on a small scale and may be had of Messrs . Spencer and Co . for 3 s fid .

The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

FpHE Anniversary Festival of the above Institution was hold at - * - Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen Street , on Wednesday evening . K . W . Provincial Grand Master for Staffordshire the Eight Hon .

The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot presided , and no fewer than 334 brethren from the various metropolitan and provincial Lodges were present to do honour to the occasion . The banquet Avas exceedingly Avell served , under the superintendence of Bro . Francatelli , and gave unlimited satisfaction to the guests . Dinner

over and the cloth removed , the Chairman gave the toast of " Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen , " referring , in tho course of his observations , to the very natural anxiety she must bo now experiencing ?» i respect of the health of her youngest sou , Bro . Prince Leopold . That this toast was received with tho utmost

enthusiasm by tho company—qa va sans dire . In proposing tho health of " H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , Patron and President of tho Institution , of H . R . H . the Princess of Wales , and the other members of the Royal Family , " the noble Chairman referred to the Prince ' s high rank in the Order , his eagerness to respond to any call which

might bo made upon him , and tho readiness with which ho undertook the duties of Grand Master on tho retirement of tho Marquis of Ripon , who , he hoped , might even yet be induced to reappear among his Masonic brethren , and take , onco more , an active part in the duties of Masonry . In the toast " The Right Hon . the Earl

of Carnarvon M . W . Pro . G . M ., Avith which was associated that of "The Right Hon . Lord Skeluiersdalo , Deputy Grand Master , and the present and past Grand Officers , " the Chairman referred , in feeling terms , to the severe bereavement of his noble Bro . of Carnarvon , and expressed the deep regret he felt that his Lordship was , thereby ,

prevented honouring the occasion with his presence . He further remarked , in allusion to Lord Skelmersdale , and his position as Captain of tho Yeomen of the Guard , that he hoped the time was not far distant when Freemasonry would be fully recognised at Court . After the usual response , there followed

the toast of tho evening , " Success to tho Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons . " In commending this to the notice of those present , and , indeed , to the whole of the Craft , his lordship dwelt at some length on the undoubted merits of the Institution , audits claim for the

active sympathy and support of every individual Freemason . He pointed out that at the present moment there were not less than 33 candidates for men and only nine vacancies , while as regards the widows the case Avas even worse , there being 35 candidates for only three vacancies . This , his lordship remarked , Avas hardly to bo

considered satisfactory , considering the extent and ramifications of the Order , and that tho first and cbiefest duty of Masons was Charity , adding , very forcibly aud pointedly , " Brother Masons , what are you about ? " to acquiesce hi such a state of things . He then concluded his remarks Avith a very forcible ajjpeal on behalf of the cause ho

was pleading , aud offered sundry valuable suggestions as to how , by tho practice of o little self-denial , each Mason might help to advance the prosperity of tho Institution . Tho toast , Avhich was coupled with the name of the Treasurer , Brother Tomkins , Grand Treasurer , Avas drunk with enthusiastic cheering .

After a brief reply from Brother Tomkins , the Chairman called upon Secretary Brother Terry " for his song , " but on the hint that singing was not in Br . Terry ' s "line , " a recitation was suggested , whereupon Br . Terry rose , and with admirable fervour read his list of subscriptions , which amounted in the aggregate to £ 6 , 630 13 s 6 d ,

there being , moreover , eleven lists still outstanding . Then fo'loAved the health of " the Chairman , " which was most cordially responded to , and briefly acknoAvledged ; "Success to the other Masonic Institutions "—The Girls' School , responded to Br . Little , and tho

Boys' School by Br . Binckes j "The Ladies" and "The Stewards , " the latter being appropriately acknowledged by H . W . Br . S . Rawson , P . Dist . G . M . China . Tho company then rose , and , joining tho ladies , a most agreeable evening ensued .

The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

We subjoiu , for the information of onr readers , the several Steward ' s Lists , together with the numbers of the several Lodges and Chapters contributing , and the amount contributed by each , to the above Institution t—

£ a d The Eight' Hon . theEarl of Shrewsbury and Talbot , Chairman ... 100 0 0 Prov . of Wilts—Bro . Kobert Stokes 69 14 0 „ „ Saml . Rawson 10 0 0 Prov . of Cheshire—Bro . Capfc . Rd .

Cope 100 0 0 Lodge 1 Bro . Wm . H . Trego ... 35 0 0 2 „ F . A . Philbrick ... 58 13 0 3 „ Chas . Terry 40 0 0 4 „ Alfred Meadows ... 16 0 0

5 „ Fredk . Newton ... 25 2 0 7 „ Chas . Warr 28 0 6 8 „ Riohd . J . Hayhow ... 6 13 0 10 „ Rev . J . N . Palmer ... 34 8 0 12 „ J . B . Lemaitve ... 85 10 0 14 „ Edmund Nash ... 10 10 0

18 „ Jas . 0 . Chaplin ... 52 9 6 21 „ Robt . P . Spice ... 6 6 0 22 „ T . R . Eamea 22 13 0 33 „ Wm . Huokvale 25 0 0

; Lodge £ s d ! 20 Bro . Humphrey Wood ... 25 0 0 25 „ Jos . Lindner 23 1 6 27 „ Chas . Atkins 121 11 0 28 „ David Crombie ... 49 0 0 i 29 „ Arthur J . R . Trendell 18 0 0 i

33 „ George Eedes Eachus 03 11 0 34 „ Wm . Body Date ... 66 0 0 37 „ Jas . Newton 10 0 0 46 „ Wm . Kingsbury ... 26 5 0 52 „ H . G . Banvell 10 5 0

54 „ C . M . Jones 25 0 0 55 „ Walter T . Farthing ... 64 10 0 60 „ W . L . Wheeler ... 15 0 0 65 „ Chas . Daniel 44 0 0 68 „ William Richards ... 53 0 0 72 „ J . C . Ring 33 0 0

77 „ Wm . Hioks 40 5 0 87 „ Chas Hull 51 0 0 96 „ Chas . W . C . Button ... 82 11 0 101 „ W . G . Clarke 49 0 0 102 u Col . Jamea Duff , „ S 3 0 0

Lodge £ s d 101 Bro . Wm . Goodacro ... 10 0 0 10 i „ Wm . II . Wakefield ... 10 0 0 130 „ J . E . Lo Feuvre ... 45 0 0 110 „ Chas . Jardiue 41 0 0 141 „ John Kenuett 37 3 0

144 „ William Kew 67 5 0 145 „ Thos . Bull 43 13 0 Chap . 145 Jos . Last 20 0 0 Lodge 156 Henry Dubosc sen . ... 15 0 0 Province of Lincola : — „ Bro . Wm . Pigott

„ „ John Sntcliffe j „ „ Rev . Danl . Ace D . D . > 573 0 0 „ „ Geo . Nelson \ „ „ John Hadlield ^ 164 Bro . Wm . Hine Haycock ... 5 5 0 169 „ Geo . Bolton 107 5 O .

174 „ G . J . Hilliard 5110 0 177 „ Fredk . Kent 21 0 0 179 „ Walter Hopekirk ... 56 0 0 Wi „ Chas , Barley 40 13 0