The New Generation.

their level here , " and most true it is , that time , which carries everything away , heals most of the wounds and softens most of the changes it inflicts , and leaves us at last pretty much the same . It always has been the position of the passing generation to condemn the new one jostling it ,

and thrusting it on one side . The " post-nati , as good old Counsellor Pleydell said , have the advantage in a great measure of us old boys , and so we old boys get angry , and like angry people , some times inconsistent , are not very particular or uniform in the complaints we

make , or the charges we bring forward . The " sensational " writer of to-day goes in for the " entire animal , " and roundly asserts that there never was such a reckless , such a dissolute , such an ignorant , such a hypocritical lot , as those who are to succeed us . Well , we think

the view is a morbid one , and the complaint exaggerated , and the position unreal . For curiously we ourselves remember almost the very same words when we ourselves were young . Then we were told , in sonorous emphasis , that we were headstrong and unmanageable ,

regardless of authority , and disobedient to rule . Then we were assured that our fathers behaved better than we did , and yet here we are repeating the same good old song to the ears , it may be , of laughing and chaffing youth . We , therefore , do not believe in the especial heinousness of the habits of this generation , as if beyond all preceding

generations , in folly and perversity , though we do manfully avow our opinion—that there is much room for improvement . We are inclined to think that the " cram " system has a good deal to do with the alleged ignorance , the superficial acquirements of many of our young men . " Students' Humes" and other , students '

manuals are our utter abomination . Many of our boys , fine lads themselves , crammed like little quails in the poulterer ' s shops , for a special examination , know nothing correctly , and have mastered nothing thoroughly . As long as they can satisfy the examiners , as long as they are

not " spun , '' that h is all they seem to care for . They do not study for knowledge , or learning , or mental improvement , but for the " competitive examination , " or the " qualifying examination , " and when that object is gained they dismiss—as scarcely worth a thought , the crammed-up

information of months . Hence our young men , as a fact , are behind onr young ladies in everything , and once again in our history , if society is to be leavened with a purer spirit , and raised from its " slough of despond , " our women must come to the rescue . There is no

doubt that young men talk in society , of a good many things we kept to ourselves and there seems , therefore , generally to bo a greater , " watershed" of evil in society . But as everything finds its level here , as we before observed , this very vicious freedom of speech has a

counterpoise in the reaction sure to arise in all pure and gentle and ingenuous minds . We do not then , despite much that has been said , believe that our young men are essentially worso than our older generation , though they are fonder than they were of talking of themselves , and " trying to

astonish the Browns . " That there aro many foolish young men in society , we do not attempt to dispute , who lead very dissolute lives , and say many silly words , and do many deplorable deeds . But so it has always been , and much as we regret it , much as we condemn it , it is not a new

evil , but one which each age has successively witnessed . We do not think that " Young Masonry " is as yet , happily much to be blamed ; it may be a little hasty in in opinion , and fidgetty under restraint , but such are always attributes of youth . We do not believe , however , that much good

comes either from jeremiades or denunciations . Our experience of life tells us that man is not only a " gregarious , " but a " combative animal . " and wc do not " fancy " that he is ever much improved , either by "tall talk" or " high falutin . " We especially deprecate the illogical generalization of many writers just now on this topic , the

" post hoc , proper hoc , " in which so many like to indulge , as though it may be very fine writing , it is to our minds extremely inconsequential and hopelessly unsound . We deprecate all uncharitable judgments and morbid anticipations , the nervous irritability of third rate intellects . The eminent physician was quite right who said to a mooning and agitated patient " put your feet in

The New Generation.

water , drink a glass of warm brandy and water before you go to bed , don ' t excite yourself , don ' t worry yourself with trifles , and please go to sleep . "

Our Royal Grand Master.

OUR ROYAL GRAND MASTER .

Anything which concerns our illustrious Grand Master must be a subject of deep interest to us , his loyal brother craftsmen . The announcement of the Times that our Royal Brother intends to visit India in the autumn is a matter of the deepest gratification to our Order . It is very

characteristic of our Royal Family that they are ever to be found visiting and warmly sympathizing with all the different dependencies of our great empire and the visit of the Prince of Wales to Hindustan is in itself a very striking event . In that far , yet fascinating land , dear to Englishmen , from the lives and valour of our "

whitefaced children , which , someone has said , " has been won by English valour and is now preserved by English pluck , " there is hardly a palm grove or a jungle , hardly a hill or a vale , or a winding , river which is not endeared to us by the graves and deeds of our own flesh and blood . Indeed British India

constitutes in itself almost a romance . From the time of the first merchant adventurers until Clive with a handful of men won Plassy , and established our dominion , through the laurels of the great Duke , the victories of Lord Gough and Lord Napier , the quelling of the cruel mutiny ,

Anglo-India life is but a recapitulation of all that is devoted , and daring , and true in English history . We have had amid nearly 180 millions of people , a little phalanx of " heroic women " and stout hearts , whom nothing has hindered and nothing has daunted . When tho Prince of

Wales lands in India he will see a mighty Empire , won by tho stalwart prowess of his race , and he will meet with countless millions speaka strange language , worshipping other gods , yet bowing down before the peaceful sovereignty of Victoria . The meeting ofthe Indian Princes , with

the Heir Apparent to tho English throne will he a groat , important , and an affecting one . He may bo said to go in the name of the Sovereign , to confirm to those masses of people , all the very sincere declarations of the English Government of wise laws , civilizing arrangements , and

equal lights , and just rule . In that strange and still mysterious land be will be able to point to a wise administration , and a contented people , and in the assurance of his sympathy with the princes and the people of Hindustan , ho will no doubt greatly advance , there , by his royal presence , the progress of improvement and

tho prospects of peace . India has a great future before it , and under the directing and controlling influence of the Anglo-Saxon will , and truth , and high courage , and noble aims , wo trust that many years of tranquil happiness and expanding civilization will be the lot of thatnumero us portion of the human race .

Candidates For The Boys' School.

CANDIDATES FOR THE BOYS' SCHOOL .

We have at length received the official list of the candidates for the Boys' School , that is , within the last few days , though vie believe a list was published we presume on some official authority , some time back . Not however being favoured with such information , we can only deal with it ,

when it reaches us , officially . There are 4 8 candidates and 8 vacancies ; fourteen candidates were elected last October . Of the present candidates , fourteen come from London , four from Hants , two from Cumberland , Kent , Devonshire , East Indies , Durham , East Lancashire ,

Dorsetshire , each ; and one from each of the following provinces or districts : St . Helena , Gloucestershire , South Wales , Northamptonshire , Foreign Stations , Staffordshire , Gibraltar , Constantinople , Cheshire , Middlesex , West Yorkshire , Cambridgeshire and Warwickshire . This

enumeration will suffice to show how cosmopolitan are alike the claimants for , and the operation of the benefits of the Boys' School . Indeed , it is an institution whose needs the Craft last year most surely testifies of . We

regret to note that only eight candidates out of forty-eight applicants can be elected this yeareight admitted , forty left out in the cold . Could not something be done to make a supplemental election in honour of the installation of

Candidates For The Boys' School.

our Royal Grand Master by special exertions , or an emergency fund ? We believe that at a small outlay , many more boys can be admitted , and would it not be worthy of our great Order in honour o ? this auspicious event in the annals of English Freemasonry to try and reduce this sad margin of disappointed hopes and expectations ?

We observe that in the Times it is stated sixteen of the boys have passed the Cambridge Middle Class Local Examination , and we hope that the statement is correct . We wish all prosperity to the Boys'School , and we trust that Bro . Binckes may bave a good field day on the 30 th June . We congratulate the Province of West Yorkshire on having already a Steward ' s list of over sS ± oo .

American Masonic Literature.

AMERICAN MASONIC LITERATURE .

We alluded , a fortnight ago , to the memorial volume of the " Dedication Memorial of the new Masonic Temple at Philadelphia . " We have since received the volume , and nothing but the very crowded state of our columns prevented our reviewing it last week . We had prepared a review

of it for next week ' s Freemason , but we prefer to refer our readers to the remarks of our able and respected Bro . W . J . Hughan . It is really a most remarkable book in every way , most admirably edited , and reflecting every credit on its compilers , and the great cause it represents . It

will possess the deepest interest for future generations of Freemasons . The following worthy and distinguished brethren were entrusted by unanimous vote of the Grand Lodge of Pensylvania with the editorial duties , and right well have they fulfilled their task : Bros . Charles G .

Meyer , Mark Richard Muckle , Robert H . Pattison , W . A . Burkhardt , Charles H . Ide , John L . Young , and Phineas Garrett . Of these tha worthy and valued Rev . R . H . Pattison has gone to his rest before the completion of their noble labours . It is a work American Freemasonry may be proud of .

The Arrangements For The Installation.

THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE INSTALLATION .

The Times of Thursday has the following paragraph with reference to the installation of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales as M . W . Grand Master : — " Yesterday was the last day on which returns could be received by Grand Lodge of the members of English lodges who desire to be present at the installation of the

Prince of Wales in Albert Hall , and so great is the demand of the brethren that Grand Secretary John Hervey has sent a notification to foreign lodges to the effect that as the building selected for the ceremony will not more than suffice for the English brethren who desire admittance , places cannot be given to deputations of foreign lodges , and thc applications from these were exceedingly numerous .

As it is , the admissions to Albert Hall on the occasion will be very restricted , and a Steward from each London lodge , in most instances the Worshipful Master , and two from each Provincial Grand Lodge , will regulate the actual admission of the brethren , and three additional safeguards will be taken that those admitted are personally known , that they have with them their certificates signed by

themselves and countersigned by thc Secretaries , as well as tickets of admission , which they can only obtain through the Masters of their lodges . The Worshipful Masters of Lodges , Wardens , and Past Masters , the constituent members of Grand Lodge , will themselves only gain admission on this occasion by having sent in their names through their Worshipful Master or the Secretary of their lodge ,

and of the brethren of the lodges . As only a certain number of tickets can be allotted , ballots will be held for these , but none under the rank of a Master Mason is eligible even to take part in the ballot . Under no circumstance can any but subscribing Masons to a lodge be admitted . Among thc host of applications for admission beyond those of the brethren entitled and beyond those of the Master

Masons who will share m thc ballot have been large numbers for thc Press—so large a number , indeed , that a great amount of space would be taken up if they were granted . Thc Grand Lodge will , however , recognise none but those members of Grand Lodge who have been authorised to supply Press reports , the right of reporting the

proceedings in all lodges being strictly reserved , and the Craft is not disposed to extend the limits of this privilege in the performance of a ceremony which will contain forms guarded not only from " cowans and intruders , " but from the eyes of young , incautious , and indiscreet brethren . Sir Albert Woods , the Garter King at Arms , thc Grand Director of Ceremonies , will direct the proceedings .

The anniversary festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls will take place at Freemasons' Tavern , on Tuesday , the 1 ith of May . Bro . Sir Henry Edwards , Bart ., has accepted the Provincial Grand Mastership of West Riding , Yorks , at the invitation of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales ,

M . W . G . M . Bro . H . A . Dubois has been appointed Secretary to the Surrey Masonic Hall Company , in place of Bro . Edwin Sillifant , deceased ,