Provincial.

pray short and to the point , " a practice he intended to carry out ; and therefore lie proposed "The Health of the D . G . M ., ancl the rest of the Grand Oflicers . " —A brother , whose name ive could not catch , said it appeared to him thafc their course thafc evening ivas to be summed up as "brevity being the soul of wit , " and as he felt himself in a somewhat false position , being a Grand Officer of a sister Grand Lodge , he could nofc properly return thanks for the Grand Officers of England , but hoped to see a Prov . Grand Loelge

for Middlesex shortly , ancl then he should be in a different position . —The AA ' . JL saicl it was ivifch more than ordinary gratification that he proposed "The Healths of the Initiates . " They ivould find that they were never likely to regret the step they had taken , and by acting strictly up to the dictates of the Order , must be both wiser -and better men . —Bro . LYNE was anxious to express his thanks for the manner their health had been proposed . He should make ifc his business to attend to their wants and provide for their comfort .

—The AA ' . AI . said lie hael a series of pleasures that clay . He had around him a very large number of visitors , and he received them ivith the most hearty welcome . Such a concentration of Masonic talent Avas a high honour to any AA ' . AI ., and the full board of JIasters AA'I IO had attended made him feel it as a mark of respect which lie had tried to deserve . He shoulel couple with the toast the names of Bro . Hewlett , AAIIO was an intimate friend , and also Bro . Bennettof the Robert Burns Lodgewho had initiatedpassed

, , , , and raised him . —Bro . HEWLETT intended to lie witty by being brief . It gave him great pleasure to see Bro . Neivall installed as a W . M . He was held in very high estimation by all AA'I IO knew him , and it would have been a serious loss to him ( Bro . Hewlett ) to have missed the opportunity of paying him thafc respect AA'hich he so richly merited . ( Hear , hoar . )—Bro . BENNETT believed it was understood they were not to make long speeches . It Avas gratifying to them all to hear the kind expressions which fell from the AV . AL , and

likewise the good opinion entertained of hiin by the visitors . Tho W . M . was a man for Avhom he ( Bro . Bennett ) entertained as much Tespect as it was possible for one man to do for another . His work , as evidenced by the day ' s initiations , was of no mean ability , anel he believed he might , in the name of the visitors , congratulate the members on having- such a AA ' . M ., who bade fair to render the lodge a model of propriety and success . For his own p-. ivfc , he had spent such an agreeable evening , that he did not care IIOAV soon he repeated it . ( Hear , hear . ) in the name of the A-isitors , lie hoped the W . M . ancl the lodge ivould be good enough to accept their best

thanks . —Bro . PBATT , immediate P . JI ., said thafc anything he coulcl say in praise of their AA ' . JL would only darken the remarks already made . He had great feeling for the W . M ., and kneiv him to be a most worthy , true , and trusty brother . He had begun well . Great praise was justly his due , ancl might he long be blessed with health and prosperity to continue his career , so well inaugurated . ( Loud cheers . )—The AA' . M . returned thanks for the handsome way he had been spoken of , and for the P . JI . Pratt's terse manner . No

one was less afraid of hard ivork than himself ; and he should try not to be wanting . He had risen rapidly to his present position , only having been two years and five months a Jlason . Ho was taught that honours were bestOAved according to merit and ability ; and if he could not lay claim to either of those qualifications , lie hael Avon his by labour ancl perseverance , and hoped that the brethren would haveno cause to regret , at the closcof the year , placing him in that position . —The AV . JL next proposed " The Health of

the P . Jls . " The JIaster of a lodge's duties ivere onerous , but unless supported by his P . Jls ., he might almost as Avell not be in the chair . None were better entitled to respect than the P . Jls . of the Royal Union Lodge , Bros . Pratt , Eden , and AA ' eeden , to each of wliom the AA' . Jf . paid a distinct and marked compliment . —Bro . PRATT rose to say , their study ivas to promote the interests of the lodge , and he hail himself clone his best to raise it , as it hael

been on the decline for some time past ; but now a new' era of prosperity had set in , anel it might fairly said to be on the highway to success . He felt sorry whenever he heard of an old lodge going to decay , but had clone his best to avert ifc . Bro . Pratt tlienincidentally alluded to an event ivhich had befallen himself many years before on the field of battle . He saw a soldier defended anel saved from death by giving a sign—that sign was well known to him noiv , but was not then . This it was thafc determined him to become a

Mason , and give to Masonry his heartiest support , such support as the P . Jls . would a / lbrd their new AV . AL in his efforts to maintain the Royal Union Lodge . —The AA ' . JL knew- tho next toast would meet ivith their approbation . It w-as "The Officers of the Lodge . " Supported by such officers , he was sure tho loilge must prosper , and ivith Bro . \ V . Smith as S . AV . must work ivell . —Bro . AV . S . Ali't'ii begged to be allowed to tender the thanks of the officers for the toast . It afforded him a great pleasure to see their AA' . AI .

surrounded by such a number of i-isifcors drawn together by his eminence in the Craft . He , on behalf of the oflicers , thanked them very sincerely , and trusted they would not be behind any other lodge iu efficiency . —The AA' . JL next proposed " Health and

Prosperity to the Carnarvon and Crescent Lodges , " who had joined tho Royal Union as petitioners to the JI . AV . G . JI ., to constitute them into the province of Middlesex . —The AV . JI . saicl they must not omit one health , that of " The Installing JIaster , Bro . AA ' . AVatson . " It was personally very gratifying to him to have such a brother to perform that duty , and his readiness ancl zeal must endear him to all . —Bro . AA ' ATSOX begged leave to accept the toast in its full measure of kindness . It was always one of the most pleasing duties

to place a zealous working Jlason in the chair ; and he was highly gratified to have fulfilled that duty fcoivards one so widely respected as their AA ' . AI . —The AA' . JL said one more toast he must crave , " The Jlasonic Press . " He had hoped to have seen Bro . Henry G . AA'arren present that evening , for he considered him . to bo no bad exponent ofthe Craft , as set forth in the . pages of THE FREEMASONS MAGAZIKE . In the absence of Bro . AVarren he , the AA ' . JLwould couple the toast with the name of Bro .

, Jtattheiv Cooke . — Bro . JL COOKE , in reply , said his principal , Bro . Henry G . AA ' arren , would have been present , but was unavoidably detained in toivn . For the kind mention of the FREEMASONS MAS-AZINE , he begged to return thanks , and on behalf of the Editor , Bro . AA'arren , he would say , that so : long as the Craffc set any store by his labours , so long he was ready to labour for the Craft . —The Tler's toast then brought the meeting to a

y close , and the brethren returned to toiA'n under the same thoughtful management that had planned their visit , Bro . Neivall proving himself not only one ofthe best respected members of the Craft , but to have an aptitude for business , ancl an attention to the little conveniences of life , thafc go far to make up the great sum of human happiness .

SOMERSETSHIRE . BATH . —ltoyal Cumberland Lodge ( No . 18 ) . —This lodge assembled , by adjournment , at the Corridor Rooms , on Thursday , the 24 .-th January , for the purpose of installing Bro . T . B . Moutrie , AV . JL for the ensuing year . The ceremony was performed by Bro . T . AA'ilton , the retiring JIaster . AVe are reluctantly obliged to express our regret that the installation Avas not entrusted to one

better acquainted with our Jlasonic constitutions , and able to perform the ceremony—orally . The AV . JL appointed the following brethren : —Wilkinson , S . AV . ; Hillier , J . AA ' . ; Beckefc , S . D . ; AA ' ooel , J . D . ; Turner , I . G . ; Jlay and Payne , Stewards . The brethren , to the number of forty , afterwards adjourned to Bro . Amery's Hotel , when a most splendid banquet awaited them ; and amongst those present ive noticed the newly-appointed D . Prov . G . M . Bridges , and G . S . B ; ScottW . M . 886 ; BellAV . M . 108 ; MarshallAV . JL 420

, , , , , , , and Prov . S . G . D . of Wilts ; Commans , AV . JL , Gl , Prov . J . G . D . for AVilts ; Bartrum , AV . JL , 528 ; Oliver , P . Prov . G . S . AV . ; Mercer , P . Prov . S . G . W ., Bristol ; AA'hiting , P . Prov . S . G . AV , ; Biggs , Prov . G . lleg . ' of AA'ilts ; Thompson , & c . On the removal of the cloth , after the usual loyal and Jlasonic toasts had been drunk , the AA' . JL proposed the health of their neivly-appointed D . Prov . G . JL , ancl thanking him for his kindness in paying them his first official visit . —Bro . BiiiDG . ES , D . Prov . G . M ., thanked them for the

very flattering reception given him that day . He could assure them it would bo his most anxious care to clo what ho could for the good and prosperity of the province , and expressed his determination to visit , as soon as he possibly could , every lodge that w-as

situated withm ifc . —The AV . JL then gave " xhe Past Grand Officers and Bvo . Oliver , P . Prov . S . G . AA ' . "— -l . ro . OLIVER , had hoped that this toast , like the one to the memory of their late Provincial Grand JIaster , would have been passed over in silence ; he coulcl not forgot that grey-headed old man—he could not forget the pleasure he experienced in meeting him , nor the regret they felt ivhen parting from him . He could not forget the happiness they had all felt when under the presidency of so able a chief ; neither could he forgot their

highly-esteemed D . Prov . G . JI . Randolph ; and lie must say he deeply regretted to see him now placed amongst the Past Grand Officers ; sfcill he hoped the rising sun might shine as brightly as the one so recently set . —Bro . MERCER , P . Prov . G . S . AV ., then proposed "The Health of their newly-elected JIaster , Bro . Jfoutrie , " the announcement of which Avas received with great applause , 1 s .- 'ing that all minor differences might cease in the lodge , and that each brother ivould strive not for his own individual advancementbut for the

, general good of the Graft . Since 1829 he hud seen many unpleasant matters transpire ; but he AVUS proud to say their Order ivas placed on too solid a foundation to bo disturbed b y them ; for there ivas always a spirit amongst the bretliren , by a long pull , a strong pull , and a pull altogether , to overcome any differences " ; he , therefore , hoped that Bro . Jfoutrie Avould hai-e as pleasant a year of oflice as he could wish himself . —The AVAL thanked them

all for their kindness shoivn him , and hoped , at the termination of his year of office , that they should be again ail united under one banner ; thafc all differences would have then subsided ; and as he hoped to be supported by the brethren in his endeavours to promote