Provinoial Grand Lodge Of Wiltshire.

delivered the deed of conveyance of the site to the Prov . G . M ., and asked him to lay the foundation stone , which he did with the usual forms and ceremonies , being afterwards presented by Bro . H . J . Gibbs with a silver trowel and an ivory mallet as souvenirs of the occasion . The architect then delivered the plans of the building to the Prov . G . M ., who returned them to him after examination , and desired him to proceed to the completion of

the work . The proceedings terminated with a prayer and the Blessing , pronounced by the Prov . G . Chaplain ( Canon Wyld ) . A banquet was subsequently held in the banqueting hall of the Council House , which was handsomely decorated by Mr . Simmonds . A large company sat down under the presidency of the Prov . G . M ., and the following toasts were duly honoured : " The King and the Craft , " " The Duke of

Connaug ht and Strathearn , K . G ., M . W . G . M ., " "The M . W . the Pro G . Master , the R . W . the Deputy G . Master , and the Grand Officers of the Grand Lodge of England , " "The R . W . the Prov . G . Master , the Ri ght Hon the Earl of Radnor , " ' * The R . W . the Installing Master , the Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom , " "The Visitors , " and "The W . M , Officers , and Brethren of the Elias de Derham Lodge . "

The arrangements for the gathering , which were excellently carried out , were made by the local officers , who are to be congratulated on the great success of their efforts .

The Freemasons Of Bengal.

THE FREEMASONS OF BENGAL .

The District Grand Lodge of Freemasons in Bengal have had for some time in contemp lation the erection of a Masonic Temple to replace the present building in Bentinck-street . An excellent site was acquired four years ago in Park-street at a cost of over Rs . 74 , 000 . There have been difficulties , chiefly financial , in the way of proceeding , and little progress had been made until recently . A scheme has however , been placed before the District Grand Lodge by Bro . Bradsbaw which has commended itself to the members , and there is now every probability

of building operations being commenced without any unnecessary delay . Messrs . Martin and Co . have agreed to build a suitable Masonic Hall at an estimated cost of Rs . 88 , 000 ; the drainage connection , water supply , and electric installation will probably cost another Rs . 12 , 000 , bringing up the total required to a lakh of rupees . To facilitate matters Messrs . Martin and Co . have also agreed to lend the District G . Lodge the money they may require at six per cent , on a mortgage of the building and premises , the interest to com . nence when the

building is ready for occupation . A Committee has been appointed to consider and settle details , and the matter will be brought up for further consideration at the meeting of the District Grand Lodge next month . The Temple has been designed by Mr . Edward Thornton , A . R . I . B . A . The exterior will be in red brick with stone dressings , and panels of rough-cast plaster , the roof of the main hall will be of Mangalore tiles . The design of the building is an adaptation of the round arched style found in Southern Europe , while an Oriental touch will be introduced in many of the details . The interior , particularly the staircase and

vestibule , will be treated with special reference to Masonic traditions . The accommodation on the ground floor provides for a dining hall 61 ) by 30 feet , with spacious vestibule , guests' waiting-room , Secretary's and clerks' ollice s , and ample cloak-room accommodation . On the upper floor will be a Grand Lodge Hall with Tylers and preparation rooms adjoining , Grand Master ' s room , and four rooms for working in the higher Degrees . Electric light and punkahs , and a complete system ot drainage and water service , will also be carried out by Messrs . Martin and Co . —Madras Mail .

The July Magazines.

The July Magazines .

The Gentleman ' s Magazine for this month opens with a complete story entitled " L'Ecole des Prevenus , " and there is also a complete tale entitled " Mr . Wyatt . " " A Sussex Pepys " is the title of a paper in which the personality aDd diary of a worthy Sussex resident of the middle of the 18 th century are described . Those acquainted with this lovely Southern county now would hardly recognise it from the diary . There are scholarly , but none the less interesting , papers on " The

Politics of Bolingbroke , " " Some Vulgar Errors , " "The Anticipated Scarcity of Timber , " "Catherine the Second and the Comte de Segur , " and "The Coleridge Country . " Jurists will find p lenty to interest them in the article on " Sources of West Pyrenean Law . " An article of personal as well as scientific interest is that by the Rev . J . M . Bacon , M . A ., " Where London Lights the Sky . " The number concludes with some excellent verses by Dora Cave and Sylvanus Urban ' s chatty Table Talk .

The Lady's Magazine opens with an illustrated paper on the art of Miss Lucy Kemp-Welch . There are several excellent complete tales and storyettes , and a further instalment of the serial by Mrs . Cooper , entitled " The Cat ' s Paw . " Madame Melba contributes an interesting autobiographical sketch , entitled "Singing Round the World , " and there is an illustrated paper on the art of swimming . Fashion notes , verses , and a paper by a barrister giving some interesting facts about the law affecting domestic servants , combine in the production of an excellent number .

The Pall Mall Magazine has for its principal attraction " Nearest the Pole , " by Commander Cagni , who relates the story of the sledge expedition from 'he " Stella Polare , " and concludes the narrative commenced last month by the Duke of the Abruzzi . Professor Gcikie , F . R . S ., discusses the problem How long will our coal last . " Kathleen Schlesinger discusses opera in Germany and England , of course very much in favour of the former country , forgetful of the fact that tastes differ in different

countries , and that comparisons are sometimes more odious than instiuctive . A descriptive article on Glasgow is ably illustrated by D . Y . Cameron . Mr . Archer's " Real Conversation " this month is of unusual interest . It is with Mr . George Moore and the subject ; the Erse and English languages . There is an illustrated descriptive article of Stowe the seat of the former Dukes of Buckingham ; a biographical sketch of James Stephens , the- Fenian head centre , and stories , articles , and poems by W . L . Courtney , H . B . M . Watson , A . 1 . Quilltr-Couch , C . M . Mew , A . Kinnear , W . Emanuel , & c .

_ The Smart Set for July fully maintains the reputation this magazine so quickly established in England . The piece de resistance this month is the complete tale entitled " Papa Bouchard , " a laughable narrative of gay life in Paris . Ulhcr complete tales that may be mentioned are "In Loco Parentis , " "The yueen s Love , " " In a London Season , " " According to Gibson , " " Mrs . Maitland s Correspondent , " " A Deuce Game , " " The Error of her Ways , " and " Patquita the Dancer . " Mis . Sherwood contributes an interesting paper on " Some £ nglish Princesses , " and there is a clever paper on "The Gospel of Gold" by ri f ? u ¦ f' 0 f the vfcrse > " Dighton is Engaged " and " At the Sign of the v-iett Heart are the cleverest contributions .

The July Magazines.

The Strand Magazine opeis with a beautifully illustrated article on " Pictures preferred by their Painters . " Mr . H . G . Wells continues his serial "The First Men in the Moon , " and "At Sunwich Port" is also continued , the serials being supplemented by the usual complete tales . Of the subjects discussed in the articles ,. " His Majesty ' s Patent Office , " " Lord Rosebery's Turf Successes , " and "The How of Rocks , " are the most interesting . The last-named article contains the proof of the theory of the flow of rocks as discovered by Professor Dawson Adams , of Montreal .

The Sunday Strand contains the continuation of the serial " Tregarthen , " and several complete tales . The second part of Moses' story is given in "Voices of the Past , " and there are capital illustrated articles on " Lady Henry Somerset at Duxhurst" and mission work among sailors . The series of articles on great religious painters of the world deals this time with

Sir Edward Burne-Jones . " Legends of the Apostles , " and is devoted in this instance to the story of Miriam , the flute-girl , an incident in the life of St . Thomas . " Aldine ' s Adventures in the Doll's World , " the children ' s serial story , is continued , and with the articles on " Religious Postage Stamps" arid " Four Famous Hymns , " makes , with the verse and beautiful illustrations , an excellent number .

Temple Bar . — " Of making many books there is no end , " said King Solomon , and the editor of " Temple Bar" must agree with him , as month after month , aided by his staff of contributors , he issues a fresh book which he modestly calls a magazine . We , however , hasten to assure our readers that they will find the study of this book anything but " a weariness to the flesh . " The present number , besides further instalments of S . R . Crockett ' s " The Firebrand " and the

Castles' serial " The Secret Orchard , " , contains several excellent complete tales , of which " A By-way of the Boer War , " evidently a true tale , by the way , may ba specially mentioned . Further instalments of the last-named may be looked for in future numbers . " The Supernatural in India , " by S . Eardly-Wilmot , is well worth reading , and a new and promising serial , by John AyscQugh , is commenced entitled " An Alpine Prelude , " fresh with local colour and replete with sparkling dialogue .

The Wide World Magazine . —The current chapters of Conan Doyle ' s " Great Boer War " deal with Talana Hill , Elandslaagte , and Rietfontein . The pathetic " Story of the Brothers Degrave " is continued , and there are , as usual , stories and incidents of travel and adventure from all parts of the world . Special mention may be made of "An Antarctic Adventure , " byLouis' Bemarchi , F . R . G . S ., and " The Explorers of Elden Hole , " the recital of cave adventures in the Peak district by E . A . Baker , M . A ., of Derby .

The Art Galleries.

The Art Galleries .

The Dord Gallery is rarely without some new and special attraction for its patrons . There are on view at present , though for a short season only , upwards of 100 pictures by the following eminent artists of the Secessionist School of , Vienna ( members of the Hagenbund ) : G . Bamberger , Josef Beyer , Raimund Germela , Alexander Goltz , Eduard Kasparides , Lefler and Urban , Ernst Peyer , Hans Ranzoni , Robert Schiff , Max Suppantschitsch , Franz Thiele , and Hans Wilt .

The struggle of the Seceders from the ranks of the first ' School of Impressionists ( hence the name Secession adopted by this sect ) against the public taste has been a very hard one , but through their persistence , devotion , and technical skill , whereby they have constantly improved their ideas in the execution of their aims , their art to-day stands beloved and admired of the Continental public . The managers of the Dore Gallery do not wish these works of art , now exhibited

to the British public for the first time , to be judged- as an academical ideal oE beauty , but as a medium by which the artist depicts from Nature what seems to him to be the personification of truth . The artists of this school do nearly all their work out of doors , and most of them look for new objects to reproduce from Nature . Studio work , by which a landscape

is depicted from the memory of the painter , aided by sketches or photos , is replaced by work done entirely in the open , and to those who note the effects of rippling waters , rustling leaves , and effects of light and shade , such as are to be found in no other medern pictures , it would , indeed , appear that Nature has revealed some of her choice secrets to her ardent worshippers of this school .

Coming down to details , we may recommend our readers' more particular attention to the lollowing pictures denoted by their numbers in the catalogue : a , 6 , 11 , is , 19 . 24 > 25 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 44 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 6 o , 80 , 81 , 83 , 84 , 86 , 90 , 92 , 95 , , 101 .

The best picture of all , however , is No . 16 , "A Peasant Madonna , " by Alexander Goltz . This picture is illustrative of the German peasants' festival of the Madonna . In the centre is the young woman whom the peasants have selected to represent the Madonna . She is gorgeously , in fact royally , apparelled in marked contrast to the humble , sometimes ragged garb , of the peasants , who do her homage .

At the Holland Fine Art Gallery in Grafton-street , the original drawing ! are on view of the artists engaged for the work of illustrating the new illustrated Bible . This great folio embodies the finest work of the greatest European artists of the 19 th Century , and has occupied six years of laborious preparation . No pains have been spared to render it at on-re the most beautiful and valuable pictorial edition of the Holy Scriprures that has , as yet , been achieved . Upon the

drawings , and for the special ornamentation of the whole work , the Illustrated Bible Society have expended a sum of . £ 18 , 000 . The Illustrated Bible is printed in great folio , the letterpress being executed with the greatest care , a new type having been specially designed and founded for this undertaking . All the first pages of the different books are printed in black and gold , and each page of the 000

of which the Bible is made up has its own special ornamentation , the entire work of which has devolved on Mr . Walter Crane , the eminent English artist , who besides illustrations has contributed many hundred drawings of titles , initials , headings , divisions of columns , endings , & c . The price of the work is the exceedingly moderate one of , £ 15 15 s . per copy . A specimen copy is on view at the Gallery .

The drawings are by the following artists , those of Benjamin Constant , Jacques Tissot , and Walter Crane being of special merit : E . A . Abbey , Sir L . Alma-Tadema , V . de Brozilc , Sir E . Burne-Jones , Frank Dicksee , Albert Edelfelt , J . L . Gerume , Josef Israiils , A . Kampf , J . P . Laurens , Max Liebermann , Domenico Morelli , F . P . Michetti , P . P . de Chavannes , Briton Riviere , G , Rochegrosse , Ilja Ropin , S : Schneider , G . Segantini , J . M . Swan , Fritz von Uh . de , Jose VilU-gas , and Juliaan de Vriendt . Visitors to the Gallery are presented with a handsome souvenir in the shape of a book containing portraits and biographical sketches of the artists .

HER MAJESTY" THE QUEEN has graciously intimited her intention of presenting certificates to the eighth and ninth thousand nurses who hive joined the Royal National Pension Fund for Nurses at Marlborough House on Friiiy , the 19 th inst ,