The Old Melrose Lodge And The Grand Lodge Of Scotland.

THE OLD MELROSE LODGE AND THE GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND .

It is a very wise maxim for all of us , never to meddle with other people ' s affairs , and some perhaps in Scotland may opine , that we had better " cool our ain porridge . "

But as the great institution of " Amicus Curias " still happily exists , we venture to put in an appearance , and make a " deliverance " in that amiable and interesting character to-day .

It seems to be a great pity that some " mezzo termiu" of agreement and unity cannot be found or invented between these two antagonistic corporations . The position of the Melrose

Lodge , which so far repudiates apparently the authority of the Grand Lodge of Scotland resembles , in some points , the position of our famous Antiquity Lodge , in respect of our

English Grand Lodge towards the close of the last century . But by a little mutual forbearance and allowance on both sides , in those days , conflicting

claims were harmonized and opposing jurisdictions were adjusted , and what took place then , may we think , can and should , take place now , without any surrender of principles or privileges , without any lowering of old prestige or long

prescription . The Antiquity Lodge was recognised by the Grand Lodge as having existed from "time immemorial , " and became No . 2 permanently on

the calendar of the Grand Lodge . Why should not some similar process take place in Scotland " anent " the Old Melrose Lodge .

Surely that would be a far more Masonic way of settling all outstanding difficulties than unseemly bickerings and un-Masonic personalities ? We cannot help thinking that if a

delegation from each body could but fraternally meet together , terms agreeable and honourable to both might be speedily settled ' , and thus an end would come to those untoward and unseeml y

differences which appear apparently to exist . We doubt very much , the right Masonically of the Old Melrose Lodge , to affiliate other lodges to itself , now that there is a Grand

Lodge for all Scotland , whatever may have been the practice in " auld lang syne . " May our words be well taken by all the disputants , and may the war-cry of party be speedily

exchanged for the olive branch of Masonic peace and unity . We are also interested in this question , from an archaeological point of view , as we shall like to

know what old documents ( if any ) , the lodge at Melrose possesses , though we have reason toi > elieve , that , our indefatigable Bro . W . J . Hughan

is alread y endeavouring to make some researches there , and we shall trust to hear before long a good account of the " diggings . "

Weekly Summary.

WEEKLY SUMMARY .

Her Majesty has been in London , but has returned to Windsor Castle . The Prince and Princess of Wales are at Marlborough House , the Duke and Duchess of Edinburg h at Windsor Castle on a visit to the Queen . The Court goes to Osborne next week for Easter .

On Tuesday another member of the Royal ¦ Famil y , Prince Arthur , was added to the ranks of the Freemasons , received his initiatory degree at the hands of the Prince of Wales . Shortly

Weekly Summary.

after six o ' clock the Princes proceeded from Marlborough House to Willis ' s Rooms , where the ceremony was to be held . They were received by the officers of the Prince of Wales ' s Lodge , together with the Marquis of Ripon , Grand Master ; the Earl of Carnarvon , Deputy Grand

Master ; John Hervey , Grand Secretary ; Bros . Fenn , P . A . D . C . ; J . C . Parkinson , Deputy Provincial Grand Master for Middlesex , and several others . The lodge having been opened in due form , Prince Arthur was admitted to the ancient rites of Freemasonry , the Prince of Wales

performing the usual ceremony . Bro . Radford was the Tyler of the Lodge , and Bro . Speight , from the Grand Lodge , assisted in the duties . The lodge having been closed , the Prince of Wales , Prince Arthur , the Grand Master , and others , sat down to dinner in the banqueting-room .

H . R . H . the Duke of Cambridge , the Field Marshal Commander-in-Chief has reviewed the 23 rd Welsh Fusiliers at ShornclifTe , and the 42 nd at Portsmouth , and welcomed them back to England , with a few impressive words of approval and admiration .

There has been a great gathering at Chislehurst , to greet the only son of the late Emperor Napoleon III . on his 18 th birthday . The young Prince , who has already attained high distinction at Woolwich , seems to have inherited the ability of his father , and the gentleness of his mother .

Those who still believe in the Napoleonic star , and there are very many , will rejoice in the speech he made with so much clearness and tact , and will have departed deeply gratified with the high promise of " the Chef de la Famille !" Parliament has opened , and the labours of the

session have begun . So far the only important business transacted , besides the Queen ' s speech , lias been the Introduction of a loan of £ 10 , 000 , 000 for India , and several votes of supply . Nothing very interesting will probably occur until after Easter , the Budget being

introduced on the 16 th April . Mr . Hall , a supporter of the Government , has been returned , by a considerably majority , over his opponent , Mr . Lewis , for the city of Oxford . Sir Garnet Wolseley , with ,, a large staff , has reached Portsmouth in the Manitoban , and has

had an interview with the Secretary of War , and her Majesty the Queen . King Coffee Calcali ' s state umbrella is now at Windsor Castle . The 23 rd Fusiliers have been enthusiasticall y welcomed at Portsmouth , where they have also welcomed the 42 nd , and are expecting the Rifle Brigade .

lhe Vice-Chancellor Malins has dismissed Dr . Hayman ' s bill of complaint , on demurrer , so that , though admittedly being illused , he appears to have no legal remedy . Probably no case for some time before our law courts , has exci ted a deeper interest in all classes , as it has an

incalculable importance in its bearing on the future management of our great public schools . Dr . Hayman ' s treatment seems to have been from the very first unparalleled , alike in harshness and unfairness , and nothing can justify the unwholesome interference of the Bishop of Exeter , or

the intemperate partizanship of Dr . Bradley . The mutinous proceedings of the under masters deserve the severest condemnation , and many will regret now , that hasty legislation , which so unwisely interferes with the

legitimate authority of the masters of our greatest educational establishments . The Relief Fund at the Mansion House is now close upon £ 60 , 000 , though we fear a good deal more will be needed .

Beyond this we have little home news to record , except that Col . Wilson Patten , M . P ., has been created Baron Wymarleigh , and Lord Ravensworth Earl Ravensworth , his son the Hon . H . Liddell becoming Lord Eslington . Abroad the news is very limited . The Emperor of Germany ' s birthday has been warmly and

loyally kept , and the King of Ital y has received congratulations on the a 5 th anniversary of his reign . Prince Bismarck continues suffering from acute neuralgia , and is still unable to transact public business . In Spain Marshal Serrano has done nothing , and General Nouvilas is to be tried by Court-martial . The bombardment of Bilboa

continues . We have to announce the deaths of the Dowager Lady Radnor , of Baroness Brunnow ,

Weekly Summary.

of the Hon . and Ri ght Rev . Amyand Harris , sometime Bishop of Gibraltar , of Sir Keith Ball , of Mr . Henry Roberts , one of the Commis sioners of Inland Revenue , of the Hon . J . P Mostyn , of Mr . John Williams , M . R . C . S ., and of Lieutenant-Colonel George J . Carruthers , K . M ., late of H . M . ' s nth Regiment M . N . I .. and of George Lewis Coates , Commander R . N .

ITEMS OV LONDON NEWS . A marriage is arranged to take place between the Hon . Francis Leveson Bertie , second son of the Earl of Abingdon , and Lady Feodore Wellesley , eldest daughter of the Earl and Countess Cowley .

The Duchess-Dowager of Richmond died on the 13 th , at her house in Portland-place . Her Grace was the eldest daughter of the first Marquis of Anglesey , by his first wife , Lady Caroline Elizabeth Villiers , third daughter of the fourth Earl of Jersey . She was married to the fifth

Duke of Richmond in 1817 . She leaves surviving issue the present Duke of Richmond , Lord Henry , Lord Alexander , and Lord George Gordon Lennox ; Caroline , Countess of Bessborough ; Augusta , Princess Edward of Saxe-Weimar ; and Cecilia , wife of Lord Bingham .

Lord Coleridge has consented to preside at the annual dinner of the Literary Fund , on the 6 th of May . At the annual meeting on Wednesday , it was announced that a sum of £ 2 , 195 had been distributed among fifty-three authors , who were applicants for grants , and that the

total amount of grants actuall y applied by the corporation from its institution in 1790 to the present time was 76 , 367 . Earl Stanhope was re-elected president . The Marquis of Salisbury , in repl ying to a deputation from the Manchester Chamber of

Commerce on Saturday to ' urge upon the Government the importance of a certain proportion of the Indian Council being composed of the mercantile element , said he heartily agreed with the principle ot the proposal , but there would be some difficulty in carrying it into effect ; for a mercantile member of the council must not be

connected with the Indian trade . We had to deal with an empire of gome 3 "Jo millions of people , who were in the habit of looking for Indirect motives on the part of their governors , and would be glad if any pretext were given to them for imputing motives of such indirect character to those over them .

The Birmingham Post has information that Sir Robert Peel has been offered by Lord Derb y an ambassadorship to one of the great European Powers , and it is said the ri ght hon . baronet has intimated his willingness to accept the offer . The Queen had fixed Friday , the 27 th of March , for a review of the troops who have

returned from the Gold Coast , as Her Majestywould have preferred not holding the review during Passion Week ; but as the Himalaya , which brings the Rifle Brigade , is not expected to arrive before Thursday , and may be later , the Queen has been obliged to name Monday , the 30 th of March , for the review , in the Home Park at Windsor .

A very successful meeting of the Society of Engineers has taken place , under the presidency of T . U . Harrison . Very good speeches were made by H . R . H . Prince Christian , Mr . Hunt , Lord Carnarvon , and Lord Granville .

The Times of Friday , March i 8 th , publishes some pretty Latin lines on the entry of the Duchess of Edinburgh . The Rev . M . G . Watkyns has made a translation : — "Nympha , nives Iinquens patrias et inhospita brumse

Littora , ad Angliacam nympha rogata domum Cur tibi nos flores ferimus , curfusa per urbem Signa , tonat densis cur tuba heta viis ? Vincit adulatrix melior , telluris imago

Nota tuns , et repetens arva relicta gelu . Ipse tibi obsequitur sollertior annus , et ipse Surgithyperboreus , te veniente , dies . " ' Forget thy country ' s snow-heaped waste and

come , Long-looked for , Princess , seek thine English home ! Why smiles with flags and flowers the crowded street ? Why blares the sounding brass thy steps to greet ? ,