Provincial.

remarks illustrative of its antiquity or excellence . You will allow me , however again to point your attention to the striking resemblance which exists between its institutions and those celebrated schools of secret knowledge which existed in every part of the Gentile world under the denomination of mysteries ; but I must not now enlarge , and will therefore confine myself to a very brief retrospect of its history and progress in this country , having on previous occasions given a concise account of its supposed origin and progress , always guarding myself by

the fact that it began in the remotest ages of the world—time immemorial . Up to about the beginning of the last century but little was known of the institution in this kingdom , but by the isolated efforts of individuals ; nothing comparatively by a combination of many in one body to elevate it as a science . The first society at all analagous thereto , I think , bears date about 1721 , the first on the [ Register of the Grand Lodge after those recorded " time immemorial , " the dates being involved in obscurity . It appears , however , to have commenced A . D . 287 , when St . Alban is said to have formed the first in this kingdom ; yet it was not so well

attended to till after the initiation of King William III ., called the greatest sovereign this country has had to boast of ; it went on progressing from that period till 1723 , when the Book of Constitutions was published . Prov . G . Ms , were first appointed in 1726 , from which time till 1751 nothing of moment seems to have occurred ; in this year it reached the far west , and the Lodge of Love and Honour was constituted at Falmouth . In 1776 Freemasons' Hall was dedicated , and the Lodge of Love and Honour contributed £ 25 towards its erection . The first Prov . G . M . of Cornwall was William Tye , Esq ., mayor of Falmouth , 1752 ;

Sir John St . Aubyn , Bart ., of Clowance and St . Michael ' s Mount , was installed Prov . G . M . in 1786 , and continued till his decease , being fifty-three years . Sir Charles Lemon , Bart ., M . P ., the present much-beloved , venerated , and highlyvalued Prov . G . M ., was installed in 1844 . In 1799 the Act respecting secret assemblies was passed , and the society of Freemasons exempted from its restrictions , —the only body so privileged ; about this time the Prince of Wales ( George IV . ) , the Dukes of York , Clarence , Kent , Cumberland , and Sussex were initiated . The Female Charity was established in 1788 , the Boys' School in 1798 ,

and the Benevolent Charity and Widows' Fund , & c . & c , since . The Dukes of Kent and Sussex united the Ancient and Modern Masons in 1813 . It may be interesting to show the value of Masonic charities from the Grand Lodge since the union ; to Girls' Schools , Boys' School , Benevolent Fund , Masonic Asylum , and Annuity Fund , Widows' Fund , have been contributed about c-6100 , 000 . It stands foremost in the history of charities—and do not you suppose that the members of the Fraternity make many a hearth happy , and renovate the energies of , not only many subjects of the Queen , but of every land ? We have a unity

of which we may be proud ; and amidst the many aspects of human life that must present themselves to the antiquarian , the philanthropist , and others , we find ourselves linked with every grade . Masonry not only knocks at the turreted palaces of kings , but equally at dwellings of the middle and less fortunate classes of society . One might stop to ask how has this society so long preserved its existence , in an age like the present , distinguished for the application of science to social life , and the advance of the fine arts ; that is a subject worthy of study , but I must not so far digress from the immediate business before us . The Prince of Wales became Boyal Grand Patron , and the Duke of Sussex G . M ., between 1813

and 1830 . King William IV . declared himself Royal 0 rand Patron of the Order ; in 1843 , H . P . H . the Duke of Sussex died , universally lamented by the Craft and the nation ; in 1814 , the Earl of Zetland was elected G . M . The advance of the institution in this country may be judged of from the circumstance , that since the great revival in 1721 , when only about twenty Lodges bear that date , to the present period , nearly 1 , 000 appear on the register of the Grand Lodges of England ; Ireland and Scotland having separate records . Many circumstances of a peculiarly interesting nature might be mentioned in connection with the history of the Order some of which it is desirable should be mentioned

did time allow , whilst those persons who have attempted to detract from the high character of the institution , have , in eveiy instance that has been brought under notice , been met by men of the loftiest intellect ami undoubted talent