Contents.

CONTENTS .

LEADERS : 209 "Royal Masonic Institution for Girls 210 Roval Masonic Institution for Boys 210 Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution 211 Prov . Grand Lodge of West Yorkshire 211 Masonic History anil Historians 212

Visit of the Grand Master , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , to Portsmouth 212 CORRESPONDENCEExchange of Votes 215 Karly Templarism 215 Reviews 21 ; Masonic Notes and Oneries 210

Consecration of a New Masonic Hall at Gibraltar 216 De Grey anil Ripon Lodge , No . 1356 2 lfi Coming Events Cast their Shadows Before 216 Ireland 216 REI' -IRTS OF MASONIC M EETINGSCraft Masonry 2111

Instruction -.... 21 S Royal Arch 219 Mark Masonry 219 The Theatres .. * 220 Music 220 Science and Art 220 Masonic and General Tidings 221 l . odge Meetings for Next Week 222

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THE Craft feels great interest always in H . R . H . the Duke of ALBANY , and all its members have deeply regretted to read the account of his accident at Mcntone . The following extract from the Lancet will , therefore , be read by them all with much pleasure and satisfaction : — " The following authentic

particulars of the illness of the Duke of ALBANY have been furnished to us with His Royal Highness ' s permission . When on a visit to the Prince of WELDECK , in February , the Duke accidentally kicked against a root of a tree while out walking , and strained the ligaments oF the right knee-joint

( which joint had often given trouble previously ) . This occasioned a great deal of pain and swelling , symptoms which lasted nearly three weeks . Upon His Royal Highness's arrival at Mcntone , the joint was still weak and bandaged , and only four days after his arrival at Men tone , when walking in the

street , the Duke trod on a piece of orange-peel , fell backwards , and twisted the injured knee , which then became very painful and more swollen than on the former occasion , ( he joint being terribly distended with effusion and

intensely painful . Relief was only obtained by the hypodermic use of morphia and cold locally applied . His Royal Highness is now convalescent . His general health leaves nothing to be desired . * * * .

THE Quarterly Court of the Girls' School and the half-yearly election took place on Saturday last , in the Great Hall at Freemasons' Tavern , when all the candidates on the list were elected , on the proposal of Bro . Lieut .-Col . CREATON , G . T ., amid marked . applause . Bro . CUMBERLAND ' S motion

to alter the days of meeting of the Girls' ancl Boys' School , so as to save the Sunday . in town for the provincial brethren . , was referred to a joint Committee of the two Schools to report upon at the October meeting—five from

each School . The meeting was somewhat thinly attended , owing to the fact that no actual election was anticipated , and , therefore , brethren did not think it worth their while to attend .

THE Quarterly Court of the Boys' School was held on Monday , at the same time and place , amid a much larger gathering of brethren , though not so large as we have often seen . Easter Monday had probably something to do with it . The voting was very heavy , inasmuch as the highest

candidate received 3002 votes , and the lowest 2050 , —remarkable figures indeed . The other candidates received as follows : 2427 , 2344 , 22 S 5 , 2279 , 2277 , 2250 , 2238 , 2225 , 2119 , 2115 , 2068 , and 2050 votes , making the voting for the successful candidates 31 , 866 , including ( he votes carried on . Five of the

successful candidates were first applications . On the last occasion 19 jo votes brought in the last candidate ; on this occasion 2050 votes were required by the fifteenth and last , successful applicant , pointing to a progressive increase in the voting power necessary for success . We may remark that Bro .

WEBSTER announced 150 spoilt votes . These figures seem unmistakeably to point to the fact that unless a great change occurs in the normal number of candidates , or the success of the junior school , and the returns of the festival enable the authorities to take in an extra number of boys , the prospect

of a very severe election in October is before us . Indeed , we think that it must be obvious to all who watch the progress of these Institutions and the facts of these elections , that each half-yearly election , as regards the Boys '

School in particular , increases in severity . Why should we not make a combined effort to enable the authorities of the Boys' School fill its junior school in October next ?

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WE have received several complaints as to holding the elections in Passion Week and on Easter Monday , and in their justice and propriety we heartily concur . Such an arrangement virtually disfranchises many brethren , anj acts hardly and trying on all . Some persons are so happily constituted that all times and seasons are alike to them— " it ' s al ) aneto Dandie" —but some of

us poor vulgar mortals , whether living in Boetia or denizens of our Athens , find it excessively inconvenient and harassing , to say nothing more , to attend to the now serious claims of our Masonic election at this especial season of the * year . We believe that we are expressing the all but unanimous feelings and wishes of the subscribers of the two Schools when we sav , that we hope

arrangements may be made by the authorities to postpone the elections a week , when Easter again chimes in with the Quarterly Courts . We understand that this conjuncture will again take place in two years from now , and we trust that some public-spirited brother will give the needed notice of motion to alter what is felt by many to be a grave inconvenience . It will

only require a clause authorizing the Secretary , in case the Quarterly Court falls on the Saturday in Easter week , to call it for a week later . One of the objections to Bro . CUMBERLAND ' S motion is , lhat unless such provision be made or care taken , one of the elections may fall two years hence on Good Friday . This would be a fact greatly to be deplored .

WE are inclined to think lhat our excellent Bro . CUMBERLAND ' S little grievance is more sentimental th- " . n real . We are of opinion that very little practical hardship is involved by the intervening Sunday stay in our little village ; and that , on the contrary , the change is agreeable to some and good

for more . Of course the question of expense is one which has to be carefully considered , and which we cannot profess to deal with , and it is one for the provincial brethren alone to decide . But we apprehend that a clear majority of the provincial representatives wish to leave things as they are . At the

same time , having said this , as the matter is to go before a Committee , we do not wish or seek to prejudice their opinion , as it is one on which many brethren will differ , both from the objective and the subjective side of the question . x

IT seems to us that some words of warning are necessary to many of our good friends . The subsidiary arrangements for voting which relate to the exchange of votes , for instance , in favour of this or that candidate , are purely unofficial and unauthorized , and simply rest on the good feeling and

honourable understanding current among English Freemasons . The authorities , qua authorities , know nothing , can know nothing , of such little convenient formalities , and they are carried on confessedly " sub rosa , " for the mutual convenience of all concerned , and for the aid and support of candidates who might not have sufficient strength of their own to carry an

election . Whether any such exchanges arc right or befitting- is a matter on which confessedly a grave divergence of opinion exists , but we are inclined to think that despite much that may be alleged , fairly enough perhaps , against t he abstract principle , that they will continue in vogue , because so much for the mutual convenience and assistance of the candidates and their friends .

In the recent Girls' School election it was quite clear to any unprejudiced looker-on , that the happiness , comfort , and welfare of the poor orphans must be paramount to all other considerations , and overpassed necessarily all

questions affecting the interests of those engaged in the elections . And hence a great debt of gratitude is owing to our distinguished and highly respected G . TREASURER , who , amid his own affliction , did not forget to think of the permanent welfare and comfort of some poor orphan daughters of Freemasons . ...

LORD ROSEBERY unveiled a statue to ROBERT BURNS on Thursday last , at Dumfries . As many of our readers know , the poet was a member of our Order , and some of his Masonic songs are most popular and effective . Lord ROSEBERY , on unveiling the statue before a large and appreciative assembly , thus spoke : " There is the image of the man that once stood

shunned on your streets , and stands for ever as the glory of your burgh . ( Cheers . ) The respectabilities who shunned him have disappeared . His troubles , his sorrows , his faults , his failings have vanished . The troubles of

his life are no more ; the clouds that surrounded his death-bed have disappeared ; but his memory , his triumph , and his tomb abide with you for ever . ' - ' ( Cheers . ) The statue , which is the work of Mrs . D . O . HILL , is much commended ,