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Sedgwick and Francis , by both of whom several toasts were given and responded to by the visitors present . By permission of Bro . Francis , Bro . Hyde Pullen , Prov . G . S . W . for the Isle of Wight , proposed " Success to the Press , " coupling with that toast the

Freemasons Magazine and its Editor . The respected speaker made some highly forcible remarks upon the improvement visible in the recent articles of the Magazine , and the duty of the Craft to support it . After complimenting Bro . O . F . Owen , the P . G . C . for Surrey , under whose conduct the periodical had achieved' such success , the toast was welcomed by all the Brethren with the greatest enthusiasm . When the applause was

over—Bro . Owen , in a speech which drew repeated cheers , made the following observations : —He was glad that the " Press " had been remembered that evening—not on his own account , but as attesting the honourable estimate entertained b } that company for the fourth and most influential estate of thye realm . Whatever detriment to society might arise from the pernicious agency of a lawless press was effectually prevented when the Pen was united with the Compass , and Masonic principle corroborated intellect . The ribald writer who would sacrifice

his country ' s interest and sap her holiest foundations for a meal ' s meat , and , like a snail , defile what he could not devour , was not the representative of a Fraternity where justice and truth drew their sustenance from the sense of individual responsibility . For his own part , he took no credit for the advancement of the Freemasons ' Magazine ; his efforts must be powerless if not sustained by Masonic and general co-operation ; and gratefully did he record the active exhibition of the latter , ever since he took the periodical in hand . It was his intention to render it second to none in London for intellectual information and universal interest .

But though he formed a giant , only the public could animate the literary Frankenstein . The periodical was conducted upon a hearty welcome given to every writer , known or unknown , who furnished contributions to its pages , if such papers contained true merit . They were all read , and not sent back as disapproved when all their vigour had been purloined . There was no spoliation of poor authors behind the literary screen of a sheet of paper . How painful was it to think of men in the metropolis starving with genius , in a garret who had written hundreds of papers , yet could not get them read by editors , whilst stupid half-educated

" readers ( as they were called ) to publishers , rejected writers as unworthy , and filching their bright thoughts , raised their own dulness to wealth before a beguiled public ! England was shorn of her intellectual children ' s strength by this surreptitious practice ; young ambition was blighted , wholesome mental progress checked , and the very publishers who employed these pseudo-critics made to stultify themselves , and keep back , to their own loss , valuable works from the

world . He must add also , that from his position in connection with the Freemasons ' Magazine , and from the channels of communication he had laid down extensively , he was made the recipient of confidential matters from the Brethren to a vast amount ; and his rule was always to endeavour to bring the Grand Lodge and the Craft into mutual good understanding , by instituting personal but quiet agency in the remedying of ills ; nor did he seek to make the journal rise from diffusing the embers of un-Masonic discord . But let the lowest Brother in the Craft rest

assured that the Freemasons' Magazine knew no compromise with wrong : it would support the very lowest , if right , without regard of party or high station . In a word , every Mason might be assured that justice would be vindicated , and right upheld , with unquailing vigour , but with temper and discretion . All energy would be used to sustain the upward progress the Magazine had recently taken ; it was rising" fast , and was finding its way into circles who perceive now that its

columns were adopted to the general as to the Masonic reader ; and succeed it must , if contemporaneous intelligence went hand-in-hand with that continental and domestic information upon Masonry which Brethren from all parts of the globe provided ; whose efforts in aid of the editor evinced that Masons had not degenerated from their glorious founders , who had occupied the vanguard of science and intellect in the history of the whole world . The selection of music—which was under the conduct of Bro . Donald King , aided by Bro . Lawler and three other vocalists—was excellent , and contributed