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assurance that a home is secured for her fatherless ones . I have spoken more at large than I intended on behalf of our Girls' School , and although this meeting is peculiarly set apart for it , I do not think it amiss to solicit

the kind support of the Order on beliall oldie Masonic Boys' . School — not to withdraw one fraction from the subscriptions to the Girls' School , bul , by calling attention to the admirable working and success of the older

institution , to invite those who have subscribed to it to double their work of charity and subscribe also to the Boys' School , in order to establish it on an equally linn basis . ( Loud applause . ) Bro . Lord Powcrscourt requested that I would

apologise for his absence , which I regret to say is caused by the serious illness of a very near relative . We also received an apology irom Bro . Maxwell Close who was to have addressed tlie meeting . Bro . Lord Athhimney , at a moment ' s nonce , has kindly consented to

take nis place . ( Applause . ) One of the pupils , Lizzie Williams , then played a pianoforte solo- " Carnaval Espagnol " ( Delioux)—in a style displaying an amount of proficiency that created much surprise , and gained for iier tiie warmest plaudits of the immense audience .

Lord Claud J ohn Hamilton , M . I ' ., who was received with loud cheering , again and again renewed , proposed the first resolution , which was as follows : —

" i hat the thanks of this meeting arc due to the members of the several committees of the institution , and also to the honorary oflicers ot the School for the zealous and efficient manner in which they have discharged the duties

devolving upon them . " When silence had been restored his lordship said : —M y Lord Duke , Ladies and Gentlemen , — --Amongst the many public duties which men are called upon lo perform there is none more

pleasing than to be the medium of conveying to those who undertake positions of trust and responsibility the thanks of large bodies of their fellow creatures for the manner in which they have performed the trust confided to their

charge . 1 feel it lo be an especial pleasure tonight , upon this , the first opportunity upon which 1 have ever been able to attend one oi your grand . Annua ! Masonic Meetings , to be , myself , the means of conveying to those who

have given their time and labour gratuitously to the welfare of our Masonic Orphan School , the resolution which has been placed in my hands as follows : — "That the thanks of this meeting are due to the members of the several

committees of the institution , and also to the honorary officers of the School , for the zealous and efficient manner in which they have discharged the duties devolving upon them . " I believe that resolution woultl be passed unanimously by you here nresent this evening without

any uirtlier words of recommendation irom myself , but perhaps you will allow me , in consideration of the few opportunities whicli 1 have of meeting the citizens of Dublin , amongst whom for three years I found my home , and from whom Las well as ether members of mv

: amt ) y , always received a generous hospitality , ii 1 trespass upon your attention for a tew moments for a lew words in support of this resolution . Amongst the many institutions connected with the mighty Order to which it is our

pleasure to belong , I believe there is not one that fills a position of greater utility than does our Dublin Alasonic Orphan School . No doubt , it is hardly capable of meeting all tbe requirements ofthe present day , of the vastly increasing

wants of the Masonic Order in Ireland ; but so far as its capabilities go I believe it is conducted upon principles of tlie hi ghest efficiency , and in as perfect a manner as possible . Its expenses arc also administered in the most economical

manner and at a very small outlay . And how is this great result effected ? I believe it is mainly due to those gratuitous services which are received from the honorary committees in

connection with the institution , and to whom i am now standing here to move a vote of thanks on your behalf . We have in the first instance the education committee whose care it is to decide what

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instruction these tender children beneath , me should receive , each according to her station and her wants . We have then the astute committee of gentlemen who receive the subscriptions to our funds , and who decide how those funds had best be controlled and administered . We

then come to a committee to which I for one say our deep respect and our homage is due . Where vvould the Masonic Orphan School be were it not for the Ladies' Committee ? ( Applause . ) To their energy , to their judgment , to their punctual attendance , to the

assiduity with which they perform the onerous duties of the committee in their charge , is I believe , to a great extent , the cause of the present efficiency of our school . To their care and kindness , to the tender solicitude which they show to everyone of these little children

who hardly feel the want of wiiat we who have been more favoured , perhaps , by Providence can feel and appreciate to its full extent—the want of a mother ' s love . —( applause)—that want these ladies fulfil to the best of their power . Little do these poor children know what they

miss m the early training in those first great principles of morality which generally are inculcated to us in our early youth by the tender care of a mother . This want indeed is , I believe , supplied to a great extent by this ladies' committee .- I believe T shall not be accused of flattery even , if I , in the presence ,

of this assemblage of ladies , who shed a brilliant lustre to this meeting by the grace of their presence , if 1 quote those — and as a bachelor I may quote an ) ' lines without labouring under the imputation of dedicating these lines to any one lady in particular —( laughter)—lines of the well known

song— \\ hero e ' er there ' s llie smile of a ¦ . voiv . ne , As bright as I lie beam from above , There ' s a rose looking in at the window .

Aii'l filling that dwelling with love . ( Applaused To the ladies , therefore , of that committee I tender my homage , and I am sure every gentleman here ' present , in this great assemblage , will agree with me in according to them our earnest und our heartfelt thanks for

their services rendered during - the past year . But , ladies and gentlemen , I said just now that the funds of our institution are hardly equal to the increasing demands upon us- -the great increase of the Masonic Institution in Ireland . And surely when there is such need of

extending the Masonic . School , an appeal in this age of riches and luxury , when the material wealth of this country is increasing week after week , and year after year , an appeal for an increase of the subscriptions to our school ought not to be made to you and the . Masonic Order in Ireland in vain . We are , indeed , doing the most that

our funds enable us . but there is still a great work to be performed , and 1 appeal to you present this evening , and also to the Masonic body in Ireland , to meet with a hearty response the appeal which will be made to you to-ni ght to increase your subscriptions to the Masonic School . 1 have now merely to express in the terms of the resolution which 1 moved , that to

those four committees our thanks are due tonight , for latving during tlie short time at their disposal been the additional means of im-reasing the scope of the work , and the utility of their operations , and of expressing a hope that they

may soon be , under the blessing of Providence , instrumental in securing to tis additional advantages conferred on the Masonic bod y by this Dublin Masonic Orphan School . ( Loud applause . )

Lord Athhimney , Senior Grand Warden , in seconding the resolution said that after the eloquent address they had just heard , he had very little to say . There was nothing that he would not do within his means , and within his power to help forward the interests of so deserving a charity as the Masonic Female Orphan

School . Nothing could be more painfully interesting than the particulars of the applications which were periodicall y laid before the board for admission to fill up the vacancies which occurred in the school . They would be sufficient to melt the heart of any Christian . They talked of destitution , of misery , and

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wretchedness , but these were general terms , and it was not until the misery , wretchedness , and destitution were brought , so to speak , into the focus of their own eyes , that they knew what destitution , misery , and wretchedness really

meant . Having spoken of the charity , he must say a word for those who gave them their time and labour for the institution . Money would not be sufficient , unless kind and charitable individuals were found who would devote their

time and labour to the furtherance of the institution ; and to these kind people their warmest thanks w-ere due . How could those who had leisure and opportunity better display their thankfulness than in using them in the furtherance of such a charity as this ( applause ) .

1 he resolution having been passed by acclamation , a solo was played on the pianoforte by another pupil of -the school in an equally creditable manner compared with the previous performance , and well deserving of the abundant applause it received .

lhe R . W . Judge lownsend said he had to propose a resolution which he was sure everyone of the Masonic Order , and everyone who knew anything of the Order would think , ought to pass by acclamation . It was an expression

of their gratitude to their noble Grand Master , for his presence that evening ( loud and prolonged applause ) , and for his long continued kindness in supporting the institution . His

Grace , perhaps , as he himself and many present would well remember , when the assemblies of the institution were very different indeed , in material and in aspect from that which he had now the honour to address . It was not more

than twelve or thirteen years ago when they found some trouble in persuading a few friends to look on at the distribution of the prizes after the annual examination , while now the difficulty

was to exclude everybody . Having been for many years in constant communication with the Grand Master he felt many ought surely to know how deep an interest the Noble Duke had taken in the welfare of an institution of

which he had been for more than half-a-century a munilicient supporter ( hear , hear , and applause ) . Now , it had plenty of friends ; but at the time he alluded to there were many members of the Masonic Order , even in Dublin , to whom the existence of the Orphan School was actually unknown . He was sure it would

be an lgnomy and disgrace to any Mason who should be ignorant of its existence—aye , or not contributing tu ils support directly or indirectly . As a consequence , instead of the institution maintaining only loor 12 children and affording

an education that would fit the pupils for comparatively humble positions , there were now in it treble the number who received a very high education . They had now a flourishing school , and it would be more so still ; for why should

they not have means when he considered what the Order was over which the Duke of Leinster so long presided , and he firmly trusted would long continue to preside . Flow did they want influence ? They had been opposed here and

there ; but as far as he could judge from appearance , the opposition had not been very successful ( hear , hear , and cheers ' ) . He felt assured that the tesohiiioii , v . hich proposed voting honour to one w . ' iti was so dear to the heart of every 1 lishman . and who recommended himself to

them not more by his high station and long services than by his brotherly kindness and affection -- would be carried by acclamation ( applause ) . It only remained for him to read the resolution : — -

" That the thanks of the Governors of the Freemasons' Female Orphan School are due , and hereby tendered , to His Grace the Duke of Lienster for his kindness in attending this present meeting , and for his long-continued support ofthe institution . "

The Hon . David R . Plunket , Q . C , M . P .,- ~ Right Worshipful Sir , Ladies , and Brethren all , mine is a very easy task , only to second what has been so ably proposed to you—that the thanks

of this meeting be given to the Duke of Leinster , our Most Worshipful Grand Master . ( Hear , hear . ) I shall have little difficulty in urging that upon you . But , before I say a