Analysis Of The Returns.

turn of the Benevolent Institution , while the preceding year , the Benevolent and Girls' School received the attentions of the Province , there being , however , a small contribution in aid of our Boys . In fact , Wiltshire never allows a year to pass without rendering a substantial help to one ot the three Institutions , and sometimes it goes even beyond that .

There is a round dozen of lodges in WORCESTERSHIRE , and vve imagine there cannot be far from a round dozen of active and energetic brethren , who , like Bros . A . F . Godson , P . G . M ., and Consterdine Chadwick , are always ready to give their share in the work of helping our Charities . The lodges , too , support their brethren well , the total of the five

lists at the Girls' School Festival last month being £ 212 5 s ., while in February Bro . Godson contributed £ 31 10 s ., and on Tuesday , the same brother , vvith Bro . Consterdine Chadwick , made up £ 36 15 s ., raising the year's contributions to a total of £ 280 ios . Last year , the general total was still higher , amounting to £ 413 8 s . ; in 1885 it reached £ 39 6 18 s ., and in 1884 , £ 426 ns ., so that the last four years have produced £ 1517 7 * 3 *

NORTH AND EAST YORKSHIRE , with its array of 29 lodges , has done extremely well during the present year . In February , three of its lodges made up a sum of £ 93 7 s ., and in May , Bro . Ansdell , for Lodge No . 1605 , made up a total oi £ 91 7 s . On Tuesday there were five Stewards whose combined efforts resulted in a subscription of £ 295 19 s . all told , Bro . Whiteside ' s contribution t eing included in Bro . Holders' list , vvhich amounted to the excellent sum of £ 113 13 s .,

while Bro . Corris , as Steward for the Humber Lodge , No . 57 , raised £ 107 15 s . All these Returns taken together amount for the year to £ 480 13 s ., which is considerably in excess of the £ 165 14 s . 6 d ., vvhich it distributed among the three Institutions in 1886 , but below the totals of the previous three years , vvhich were £ 535 in 1885 ; £ 559 in 1884 ; and in 1883 £ 920 , making the total for the five years about £ 2660 . As might have been expected .

WEST Y ORKSHIRE , Being the Chairman's own Province , heads the provincial section of the Returns vvith what , under all the circumstances , must be regarded as a handsome contribution of £ 600 . It will perhaps be suggested that we are guilty of exaggeration in describing this as " handsome " for a Province with 69 lodges on its roll . But those who incline to offer this kind of the last momentand when

criticism should bear in mind that it vvas only at , all Bro . Binckes'sefforts tosecureachairmanhad failed that Bro . Tevv , P . G . M ., so generously came forward and undertook the responsible office . When he did so , West Yorkshire had already contributed £ 1100 at the two previous Festivals , namely , £ 750 at that of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institutionand £ 350 at that of the Girls' School . Moreover , it vvas and is

, engaged in raising 2000 guineas ( £ 2100 ) in order to purchase two perpetual presentations to the Widows' Annuity Fund as a memorial of the Queen ' s Jubilee . Thus the Province was already committed to an expenditure of £ 3200 , and as it is the last straw vvhich is said to break the camel ' s back , so in the dispensation of these annual subventions , though £ 600 may not be . an out-of-the-way contribution for such a Province as this , the effort to

procure it in addition to previous contributions amounting to £ 1100 and the raising of an exceptional , 62100 , still in progress , is one that must severely try the resources even of so wealthy and willing a body as the West Yorkshire Masons . However , the task has been accomplished , a gallant effort has been made , and , thanks to the influence of Bro . Tew and the

exertions of Bros . Smith , D . P . G . M ., and Smithson , the Charity Secretary of the Province , the Boys' School vvill receive £ 600 for the current year , and when the whole of the proposed task has been completed , West Yorkshire will have given £ 3 800 to our three Institutions in the Jubilee year . After this , there is hardly a Craftsman in England who will not wish he were "West Yorkshire too . " We cordially congratulate the Province on its achievement , and our sole regret is that the Returns from elsewhere were not

on a larger scale . FOREIGN STATIONS . The contributions under this head , amounting to £ 29 8 s . 3 d ., though small , are welcome , as showing—what , indeed , has never been in question—that

English brethren connected vvith our lodges and Districts abroad are in full sympathy vvith our Institutions , and while they have in most instances Charitable Associations of their own , which properly have the prior claim on their resources , they are always ready to forward contributions where possible . CONCLUDING R EMARKS .

Our remarks have been so exhaustive that little remains ro be added . We could have wished the Returns had been heavier for the sake of the Chairman , his Board of Stewards , and Bro . Secretary Binckes . But , after all , £ 11 , 000 is a good roundsum of itself , while if we venture upon a comparison vvith some past Festivals of the School during the Prince of Wales's Grand Mastership , we shall find that it is nearly £ 1000 more

than vvas announced in 1878 , when the Duke of Connaught presided , and between £ 500 and £ 600 in excess of the product in 18 79 , when Bro . the Earl of Rosslyn , Past Grand Master of Scotland , vvas in the chair . Let those who are inclined to be downcast because Tuesday ' s result is not what vve had wished , take heart of grace from this fact . At all events , let us hold by the homely advice to hope for better luck next time .

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Leicester Shire And Rutland.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF LEICESTER SHIRE AND RUTLAND .

The annual convocation of the Provincial Grand Chapter of Leicestershire and Rutland was held at the Bull ' s Head Hotel , Loughborough , on Tuesday , the 24 th ult ., by the invitation of the Charnwood Chapter , 1007 , M . E . Comp . Wm . Kelly , Prov . Grand Superintendent , presided , and vvas supported by—Comps . George Toller , Prov . G . H . ; Wm . Vial , as Prov . G . J . j S . S . Partridge , Prov . G . S . E . ; I . Young , Prov . G . S . N . ; J . Tuckfield , Prov . G . Treas . ; T . Halliday ,

Prov . GPS . ; Edgar I avlor , Prov . G . Std . Br . ; M . J . Walker , Prov . G . D . C ; VV , S . Allen P . P ! G . N . J Rev . C . Henton VVood , P . P . G . R . ; R . Dalgliesh , P . P . G . P . S . ; A . P . Wood , P . P . G . A . S . ; T . Coltman , P . P . G . Treas . ; C . J . Wilkinson , P . P . A . G , D . C ; R . L . Gibson , P . Z . 1007 ; C Oliver , J . 1007 ; J . H . Marshall , E . 1007 . ; C , Lowenstein , P . S . 1007 ; T . Corcoran , A . S . 1007 ; G . C . Oliver , A . S . 1007 ; W . H , Goodwin , 1130 ; and others . Amongst Ihe visitors were Comps . T . E . Yeoman , Z . 731 , and li . Home , 1 . 731 . P . P . G . Org . Derbyshire .

The Charnwood Chapter having been previously opened , the Prov . G . Superintendent and his officers entered the chapter room , and were received vvith the customary honours . The Prov . Grand Chapter vvas then opened in due form , and the roll of chapters and Prov . Grand Officers were called and duly answered , after which the minutes of the previous annual convocation were submitted and confirmed .

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Leicester Shire And Rutland.

Pursuant to By-law VI . of Prov . Grand Chapter , Comp . W . J . Freer was installed as Third Principal of the De Mowbrav Chapter , 1130 . The report of the Audit Committee upon the Prov . Grand Treasurer ' s account , vvhich showed a balance in hand of £ 21 4 s . 6 d ., was read , and , upon motion duly made , the Treasurer ' s account was passed , and a vote of thanks accorded to him for his services .

The Provincial Grand Registrar ' s Report was read showing a slight falling off in the number of the subscribing members in the province . E . Comp . J . Tuckfield was re-elected Provincial Grand Treasurer . The Grand Superintendent then appointed and invested his Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year as follows : —

Comp . S . S . Partridge , P . Z . 279 ... .,, Prov . G . H . „ W . S . Allen , P . Z . 779 ... ... ... Prov . G . J . „ Rev . C . Harton Wood , P . Z . 279 ... ... Prov . G . S . E . „ W . Vial , Z . 1007 ... .., ... Prov . G . S . N .

„ J . luckfield , J . 779 .,, .,, ,,. Prov . G . Treas . „ W . A . Musson , Z . 779 ... ... ,,. Prov . G . Reg . „ C . J . Wilkinson , P . Z . 100 7 ... ... Prov . G . P . S . „ W . J . Freer , J . 1130 ... .., ,,, Prov . G . ist A . S .

,, C . Oliver , J . 1007 ... ... ,., Prov . G . 2 nd A . S . „ Major J . G . F . Richardson , J . 1560 ... Prov . G . Swd . Br . „ J . D . Harris , H . 279 .,, ... ,,, Prov . G . Std . Br . „ M . J . Walker , Z . 1130 ... ,,. ... Prov . G . D . C . „ J . H . Thompson , J . 279 ... ... ,.. Prov . A . G . D . C . „ J . Herbert Marshall , E . 1007 ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ T . Dunn , 279 * > „ J . Tanser , 279 j * " •¦¦ - Prov . G . Janitors .

Comp . Partridge having given notice of motion to revise the Provincial Grand Chapter By-laws , and some other formal business having been disposed of , the Provincial Grand Chapter vvas duly closed . An excellent banquet vvas afterwards served , at which the GrandSuperintendent presided , and the proceedings passed off vvith the utmost harmony .

Sale Of Pythagoras Lodge Library.

SALE OF PYTHAGORAS LODGE LIBRARY .

[ SPECIALLY REPORTED . ] The sale of the first portion of this remarkable collection of Masonic works is over , and , though some minds are easy in consequence , others are doubtless wishing now that they had bid more . The sale began on Wednesday , May 18 th , at 3 p . m ., at the sale rooms of the " Masonic Publishing Company , " Bleecker-street , New York . There

was no lack of interest in the proceedings , several of the lots being of great rarity and value , as vvas pointed out in these columns a few weeks since . There were 4 . 80 lots , but , of course , many more books than those figures indicate , one lot alone including 144 to 249 of the lodge catalogue . The bidding was often most spirited , especially between the brethren from Boston

( Massachusetts ) . Well-known collectors from England and Germany were either present or represented , and from the States , as may be expected , there were many buyers who " meant business , " and were not to be frightened with high prices or sharp competition . Bro . Herman G . Carter looked after the interests of the library of Grand Lodge of New York .

Bro . T . H . Emmons purchased for M . W . Bro . S . C . Lawrence the most of the foreign Books of Constitutions , obtaining the German reprint of 1723 Constitutions for £ 2 4 s . He also secured the English edition of 1738 for the sum of £ 6 4 s ., which , vvith a frontispiece , is exceedingly valuable , and well nigh impossible to obtain clean and perfect , as one likes to see , but rarely can see .

Bro . C . Sackreuter found the competition too keen for the German brethren he so kindly represented , obtaining but a few of those he wanted . Bro . J . Haigh vvas most successful vvith respect to the works on the" Ancient and Accepted Rite , " having secured the major portion , and had actually knocked down to him a copy of " Multa Paucis , " 1763 , for £ 2 3 s . If the condition is fair , that was an exceptionally cheap lot , and a mystery how it

was allowed to pass away at such a low figure—a " fluke " possibly .. Bro . Hughan , of Torquay , sent a large number of bids , for himself and friends in England , but only got hold of four lots , much to his sorrow and disappointment . At the rate many of the curiosities fetched , it vvould pay Bro . Kenning to send his grand collection of Masonic works to New Yoik for sale !

Bro . Hughan vvas fortunate enough to secure the gem of the "Pythagoras " Library , for Bro . George Taylor , of Kidderminster , no less than the rare 1764 engraved list , a unique copy of an edition long lost sig ht of , and so valuable , that Bro . Hughan , through the kind services ot Bro .

Sackreuter , had a facsimile made of it for presentation to the Grand Lodge and other libraries . He was declared the purchaser at twenty-one and-a-half dollars , being even then several dollars under his maximum , price . Bro . Taylor is to congratulated and he is , therefore , congratulated (? envied ) accordingly .

Bro . Hughan was also able to complete Bro . W . Watson's set of "Ahiman Rezons , " by securing the edition of 1801 for five-and-a-half dollars , so that our good friend , the collector of Leeds , is ail the richer by the sale . It is singular there was an editon for 1800 and another for 1801 of that famous work .

The small catalogues of old sales of Masonic works went at absurdly hi g h prices apparently , and indeed , as a rule , the sale vvas most cheering in character for those who possess a good selection of rare works on the Craft , but therefore not encouraging to new collectors . The four editions of Bode ' s Almanacks , 1776-9 made eig ht-and-a-half dollars the set , This was cheap , as the quartette cannot be met vvith

usually , at any price . Grand Master Lawrence vvas the lucky brother , through . Bro . Emmons ' s good offices . He was also successful as to other Calendars of the same period , at much lower prices than was anticipated There was all the extraordinary " ups and downs" peculiar to such times . The Dublin "Constitutions" of 1730 made nine-and-a-half dollars , going to Bro . G . S . Paterson of New York , a good purchase indeed . This work

is almost as scarce as " white elephants , " and certainly of more value Masonically . Trewman ' s "Principles" of 1777 , fetched 13 s ., and if it has the plate of the Lodge "Union" jewel , Bro . Haigh has no cause to complain . But one must forbear ! The sale is over ! The next portion is to be sold in November ; and it is not likely the interest or the prices will be less than now , as many of the lots are of considerable value .

Bro . Barker of Bleecker-street , New York , will doubtless remember us again with a Catalogue , and the readers of the Freemason shall know in good time of the treasures that will then be offered ,