Royal Arch.

At refreshment , the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given ancl responded to ; that of the three Grand Principals by Comp . C J . Banister , G . D . C , who , in conclusion , proposed the health of the M . E . Z . in suitable terms , which brought forth a truly Masonic ancl fraternal speech from Comp . John Pepper . Comp . T . AA ylie ' s health was proposed from the chair , as was also that of Comp . J . Hamer—each responding , and giving the companions good advice . The newly exalted companions , in their reply to the toast , proved that they appreciated the degree they had just taken . A delightful evening was spent , and the companions left at nine o ' clock .

Knights Templar.

KNIGHTS TEMPLAR .

DEA'ONSHIRE . PLYMOUTH . —Loyal TBrunswklc Encampment . —The regular quarterly convocation of the above encampment was held in the Freemasons' Chapter-room , St . George ' s Hall , on Thursday , 24 th September , at which twenty-eight members ancl two visitors were present . Tbe encampment was opened in form at three o'clock , p . m ., under the command of the E . C Sir Knt . Rodd , G . St . B . of England ; assisted bSir Knts . DawseP . E . C . ancl

y , P . G . H . ; Clare , Prelate ; Mills , 1 st Capt . ; Harfoot , 2 nd Capt . of Grand Conclave ; Rodda , Expert ; Mathews , Capt . of Lines , mid the other officers of the encampment . The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed . The ballot was then taken for the following Eoyal Arch Companions , viz ., Harvey , Chergivin , Jenkins , ancl Tweedy , of Chapter 331 , late 415 , and J . Sadlerof Chapter 189 late 224 ; the same proving unanimous

, , , they were introduced in ancient form and duly installed Sir Knights of the Royal , Exalted , Religious , and Military Order of Masonic Knights Templar of St . John of Jerusalem , Malta , Palestine ancl Rhodes . On the ceremony being concluded , four Royal Arch Companions were duly proposed for installation to the Order atthe next regular meeting ; other business having been disposed ofthe encanpment was closed in solemn form with

, prayer , at half-past six o'clock , on which the Sir Knights retired to a banquet , served up in an adjoining room of the hall , and there spent a short time in true social enjoyment . The progress which this encampment has made since its resuscitation , in 1857 , cannot but be gratifying to all lovers of Christian Ereemasonry .

Notes On Music And The Drama.

NOTES ON MUSIC AND THE DRAMA .

A new romantic opera is being prepared in the Grand Opera ut Paris , entitled , " Roland of Ronceval , " text ancl music by Mermet . French rjapers contain the following story respecting the origin of " Masaniello : "— " The celebrated Bigottini , ' the Marie Taglioni of the first Empire , ' made her supposed last

appearance for some charitable purpose at the Grand Opera in 1826 . The general enthusiasm was enormous , and , of all spectators , Scribe was the most ardent admirer . Ho then bethought himself whether he could not write something for her in which her wonderful mimic powers might appear in a still more brilliant light ; and thus came to make the heroine of a new

libretto entirely dumb , so that all her sentiments and enactions must be expressed solely by her face and movements . Auber surpassed himself in the music . " It is now positively asserted , says the Header , that "Les Troyens , " the long promised opera of M . Hector Berlioz , will "be produced at the Theatre Lyrique in November . The work

is so enormously long that it has been found necessary to cut out the first two acts . M . Meyerbeer , it is hoped , will also speedily bring out his still more anxiously expected " Afrieaine , " now that he has found his heroine . The maestro was present at the last of Mdlle . Titiens' performances in Paris , and , it is said , is very much pleased with her .

The Illustrated Ifews speaks of Mr . Charles Mathews as "tho most accomplished and versatile of English comedians—the Luca fapresto , who speaks French and Italian as fluently and correctly as though he were to the manner born ; who fences

Notes On Music And The Drama.

like Grisier , aud dances like the camargo ; who can warble barcaroles in the Neapolitan patois , accompanying himself on the guitar ; who is a facile draughtsman ancl a tasteful painter in water-colours ; who has twice been across the A tlantic , twice married , and once a district surveyor (!); and who , finally , although past 60 years of age , is as agile and vivacious as a

young man of 25 . " The band of the Corps of Commissionaires have made arrangements for holding a series of military promenade concerts in the Agricultural Hall , which has been floored and fitted up by the directors in a most comfortable and suitable manner . This band consists of 50 men , who have all completed their service in her

Majesty's regimental bands , ancl amongst them are many wearing three ancl four medals , with bars , denoting the services they r have rendered to their country . During the summer months ( by kind permission of his Royal Highness the Commander in Chief , under whose patronage the corps has been formed ) , they have performed daily in St . James ' s Park , and have attracted

large ancl fashionable audiences . Mr . George Tedder , Mdme . Gordon , and other vocalists are engaged to add to the attractions . AA e ( Athenceum ) are instructed by the secretary of the meeting of the three choirs that all rumours of influence having been employed at AVorcester to bring about the performance of Herr Schachner ' s oratorio are erroneous , ancl that the choice of

the work was a case of deliberate , unbiassed selection on the part of tlle committee . There is to be a grand demonstration in York Minster on the

13 th inst ., on which occasion 1000 choristers will take part in a musical festival . Morning ancl evening services will be performed in the nave , where a new organ , erected by Messrs . Hill , of London , will be used for the first time . The whole of the nave will ho reserved , but the transepts will be free to the public . The Bishop of Oxford is expected to preach the

sermons . Tho Te DeumanH JuTbilate will be sung to Dr . Wesley's recitative service in F , and " God is gone up , " by Croft , will be the morning anthem . In the evening the Magnificat and Ifunc TDimitlis will be sung to Gibbon ' s arrangement in F ; the anthem will be by Purcell , " 0 God , Thou art my God ; " ancl the festival will conclude with Handel's " Hallelujah . " Mr . R . S .

Burton , organist of the Leeds parish church , will he the conductor ; and Dr . Monk , of York , will preside at the organ . The Universal Musical Gazette of Leipsic contains a curious anecdote , viz ., that after the first performances of Beethoven ' s Fidelia at the theatre of Dresden , on the 29 th of April , 1823 , the director of the Eoyal chapel and theatre , Baron Konneritz ,

wrote him the following letter : — " To M . Beethoven , chapel master at Alenna , —Your opera of Fidelia has just been performed with complete success . I am happy to be able to inform you of it , ancl I enclose 40 ducats , the amount due to you for copyright , with the expression of my thanks . Be so kind as to return me the enclosed receipt with your signature for the

treasury of the theatre . " "Forty ducats ! " exclaims the musical critic— "There was no buying a villa with the price of a copyright in those days ! " Poor Beethoven ! poor genius !

Public Amusements.

PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS .

VICTORIA THEATRE . A great change has come over this theatre since it passed under the management of Bros . Frampton and Fenton . The transformation is not confined to the audience portion of the house , though as regards both appearance ancl comfort that has been altered greatly for the better . But still more valuable improvements have been made behind the curtain . Down to a very recent period a Victoria drama was beyond the pale of