Provincial.

to Masons , for they had to regard her in affliction , and every Mason knew what sympathy for the widow in her bereavement ought to he . ( Hear , hear . ) Her Majesty could not , of course , belong to their Craft , but it was usual among Masons to couple the Craft with her health . Her . Majesty was the blood relation of distinguished Past Masons ; and he gave them with all loyalty "The Queen and the Craft . " ( Loud applause . ) Drunk standing , and with three cheers .

The CHAIRMAN said the next toast was not a Mason ' s toast , but , as loyal citizens , they would respond with the equal cordiality when he asked them to drink "The Health of His Royal Highness the Prince of AA ' ales , and the rest of the Royal family . " ( Applause . ) At their meetings they could not enter into politics ; but they could not forget that at the present moment unhappy differences prevailed between sovereigns nearly connected with members of the Royal family , which they

all wished to see removed . ( Hear , hear . ) Might brotherly love , so dearly prized by Masons , soon restore harmony and dissipate . ill ill-feeling . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) This toast was similarly honoured . The CHAIRMAN said he had now to propose a health dear to all Masons . All who had read the last quarterly communication , had had the gratification of seeing that for the 20 th time the present Most AVorshiful the Grand Master of England had

p been elected to preside over the Craft of this country . ( Cheers . ) He need say nothing to recommend the toast , for they all knew how ably Earl Zetland had filled his presidential office , and how he had endeared himself to all with whom he had been brought into contact , by the urbanity of his manner and his upright decisions . ( Hear , hear . ) He called upon them to drink , with all enthusiasm and loyal devotion , "The Health of the Most

Worshipful the Grant ! Master of England . " The toast , like the rest , was drunk standing , and with three cheers . The CHAIRMAN remarked that , excellent as their Grand Master was , he would be ill able to discharge his duties unless he were supported by an able and zealous Grand Lodge . Such a body of men their Grand Master had around him , and he was glad to see members of the lodge present in that room , ivho would respond to the toast he now submitted , viz ., " The Right

Worshipful the Deputy Grand Master , and the Officers of the Grand Ledge of England , past and present . " ( Loud applause . ) Bro . SPIERS , D . Prov . G . M ., of Oxford , expressed his regret that the toast could not he responded to by one higher in office than himself . When it was considered that the attractions of London were just at this time so powerful , that the Prime Minister would that very evening declare , in his place in Parliament , that the House at its rising must not assemble till the

Isthmian games were over ( laughter ) , there might be some excuse for the absence of members of the Grand Lodge in that room . ( Hear , hear . ) He regretted that they were not present , for a more successful meeting and a happier meeting than theirs of that day it would be impossible for a grand officer to attend . He stood in a peculiar position towards their newly-installed Provincial Grand Master , for ho believed he was the only person there present who attended at the Masonic birth of their

president . He saw their Provincial Grand Master nursed and reared as a Mason , and heard his first address in the Provincial Grand Lodge . After twelve years of Masonic life—not a very long one , but used to good purpose—he was rejoiced to see their president raised to so high a position . He ( Bro . Spiers ) could hardlv imagine a more agreeable province than that of Somerset , in which the brotherhood possessed so large a number of influential brethren who would not only support their Provincial

Grand Master , in the performance of his duties , hut would make his Masonic career as happy a one as it ought to he . ( Hear , hear . ) Bio . Spiers concluded by intimating the pleasure it would give the Provincial Grand Master of Oxford and himself to welcome Masons of the province of Somerset at their festive and Alasonic meetings . The CHAIRMAN said it would no doubt be a pleasing duty to

them all to drink the ensuing toast , but it was particularly so to him . He begged to propose to them the Right AVorshipful the Installing Provincial Grand Master . ( Loud cheers . ) Had the subject of the toast been merely a recent acquaintance , of course he ( Major Adair ) must have felt strongly the honour he had received . at his hands , in the name of the Grand Master ; but when instead of being an acquaintance of recent date , he was one of his nearest relations , one whom he looked to ( having now no father of his own ) with as much reverence as to a parent , one whose counsel he sought in everything he

undertook ( hear , hear ) , he assured them that nothing could more deeply touch the heart of a man than the situation in which he had that day been placed , in receiving the honourable office he now held in this province , at the hands of his very dear relative and right worshipful brother , Colonel Shafto Adair . ( Applause . ) They who had seen but little of him had shown by their demeanour how highly they appreciated him , and they could , therefore , imagine what a life ' s intimacy must have effected

upon his ( the speaker's ) mind . ( Hear , hear . ) He asked them to drink , with the utmost cordiality , " The Health of the Right AVorshipful Provincial Grand Master of Suffolk , Colonel Adair . " ( Hearty cheering . ) Bro . Col . ADAIR was greeted with rounds of applause on rising to reply . He remarked that , among the many excellencies which distinguished the Masonic body , deference to those in authority was not the least . He should have felt it a high

honour to have been commissioned , under the name and high authority of the Grand Master of England , to introduce and place in the chair of trust , any brother iu any province of the land—still more did he estimate the kindness and generosity of the Grand Master , when he confirmed the application that was made for him ( Colonel Adair ) to perform the , duty he had performed that day . ( Hear , hear . ) AVith regard to the ties which united him to their Worshiful Provincial Grand Masterthat

p , brother had expressed himself strongly , and strictly in accordance with the feelings that were reciprocal . He had seen their AVorshipful Provincial Grand Master rise from one point to another—had seen him go forth to do his duty to his Queen and fight the battles of his country—had welcomed him when he had returned from fields of peril , and when all Englishmen , to quote an old

song" Love to join the village feast , Upon their native plain , And love to share the village dance 'Mongst village friends again . " ( Applause . ) The fact that his relative had shown that he could do his duty elsewhere was , no doubt , one reason , amongst others , why he had received so much kindness from them , and why his election had been so unanimously approved . They probably thought that the man who had done his duty well in

one position cou . d do his duty well in presiding over that province . ( Applause . ) As the representative of the Grand Master , he ( Col . Adair ) knew that he should be sure of a good reception from the Masons of Somerset , and he knew also that he should be ably supported in carrying out his honourable task . He was proud to have performed that task , and he hoped he might conclude , from the cordiality with which his name had been received , that he had acquitted himself to their satisfaction . ( Cheers . )

AA'hen he came to their lodge that morning he knew very few of them—lie hoped he had since made many lasting acquaintanceships , and should be glad to welcome any of them to his province . He had known Somerset as a county long , and trusted to know it better still . ( Applause . ) Bro . AA ESTR 0 PP , D . Prov . G . M ., of North Munster , proposed " The Health of the Right AVorshifulthe Provincial Grand

p , Master of Somerset , Bro . AVilliam Alexander Adair , " and in doing so stated that he was unprepared for the pleasing duty , and had known their newly installed Grand Blaster only a short time , but he was persuaded that their president ' s virtues were numerous . He was sure that Bro . Adair , would maintain the province in the highly prosperous and efficient state in which he found it , and of the fact of its prosperity and efficiency he

had good information , having been told by a chief officer that of late years it had increased in numbers , in zeal , ancl in charitable contributions . There were circumstances which prevented Masonry being carried on without restraint in Ireland ; but the Irish Masons were not excelled by any in the kingdom in zeal for the Craft , and in kindness towards the brethren from all parts of the world . ( Hear , hear . ) As a proof of the cordial union between English and Irish Masonshe might refer to

, the fact that some members of their Dublin Lodge were officers of the Grand Lodge of England . If it should he his lot to meet in Ireland any brethren he had met that day , on their mentioning to him the fact that they were at the Bath gathering on the 23 rd of May , 1864 , he would bo happy to extend to them that kindness and warmth of reception that had been accorded him . ( Hear , hear . ) Bro . AVestropp closed his remarks

by cordially commending the toast to their notice , and declaring that they had a worthy Grand Master of a worthy province . — Three cheers and one cheer more followed , given with most hearty vehemence .