Royal Arch.

Soloman as P . S . ; after which , two brethren were exalted to the sublime degree . The proceedings in connection with the chapter being over , the companions adjourned to a sumptuous banquet , provided for the occasion , Comp . M . T . King presiding . Among the toasts drunk during the evening was the health of Sir C . J . Brand , D . G . M ., H ., the Chairman remarking that during the many years they had been deprived of the services of a P . G . M ., Sir C . Brand had taken a lively interest

in their proceedings , and has rendered them much valuable assistance . Comp . O . J . Kings , iu returning thanks on behalf of Sir C . Brand , said it was very gratifying to him as the representative of the Lodge de Goede Hoop to hear their P . G . M . so highly spoken of , ancl assured the Comps . that he was held in high esteem among themselves . The usual Masonic toasts being disposed of , the companions retired , after spending a very pleasant evening .

Knights Templar.

KNIGHTS TEMPLAR .

NORFOLK . NORWICH . —Cabbell Encampment . —The regular quarterly convocation of this encampment was held at the Masonic Hall , St . Stephen ' s , on Thursday , November 27 th . The Hon . F . Walpole , E . G ., ou the throne . Present , Sir Knights George E . Simpson , Prelate ; David Penrice , First Captain ; H . P . L'Estrange , Second Captain ; A . F . Morgan , Expert ; H . . 1 Mason ; Captain of Lines ; George AV . fMinnsFirst Herald ;

, , G . F . Deacon ancl T . Stanley , Standard Bearers ; J . Darken , Organist ; J . Barwell , T . Thompson , and other Sir Knights . The encampment was opened in due form at 8 o ' clock , p . m . The minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed , the ballot was taken for Comp . Phillip Back , of Cabbell Chapter , as a candidate for installation . Sir Knight Barwell in a neat ancl appropriate speech stated the time was come to

propose the E . C . for the ensuing year . He had great pleasure in proposing that E . C . should hold the throne for another year . The encampment was greatly indebted to the E . C , Sir Knight Walpole , for the great exertions he had made in founding the Cabbell Encampment , of which he was appointed the first E . C . There had not been an encampment held in Norwich for upwards of thirty years , under the legal Constitution . They ( tho Sir Knights ) thanked the E . C . for the attention paid to them

, and the proposition was seconded by Sir Knight Penrice and received with enthusiasm by the Sir Knights present . The E . C . having thanked the brethren for the high honour conferred on him , promised to use his best endeavours to conduct our ancient rites and ceremonies to the best of his ability . He then proceeded with a school of instruction as to the installation , and gave the lectures in full ; after which the encampment was closed in due form and solemn prayer .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BROTHER JAMES SHERIDAN KNOAVLES , THE DRAMATIST . Another of that bright galaxy of literary men who have selected the stage for . their arena has passed away from us in the person of our brother James Sheridan Knowles . Bro . James Sheridan Knowles was born May 13 , 1784 , and was the son of Mr . James Knowlesa teacher of elocution and in

, grammar , Cork , and author of A Dictionary ofthe English Language , by the widow of a Mr . Daunt . Young Knowles ( his father havinnremoved to London in 1792 ) was distinguished at 12 years of age as a youthful actor ancl author of a play ; soon afterwards he composed the libretto of an opera founded on the history of the Chevalier de Grillon ; and in 1798 wrote the ballad of the Welsh Harper . About this time he was recommended to Haxlitt and Lamb

, and at the house of the former he was introduced to Coleridge . At 20 he wrote The Spanish Story , at 25 , Hersilia . In 1808 , Brother Knowes left London for Dublin , and gained some little reputation for his rendering of Irish melodies . Soon , in spite of the dissuasions of his kinsman , the Rev . P . Lefanu , he adopted the stage as a profession . He was not only , however , an actor himself , but he improved others ( not professionals ) in acting ; notably , Richard Lalor Shiel , whose modelled speeches were , as is tolerably well understood ,

submitted to the criticism of Bro . Knowles . In 1809 and 1810 he acted in tragedy , comedy , and opera , AA aterford being the locus in quo . He was successful in Leo the Gipsy , in which Edmund Kean played the principal part . After having been about two years with Mr . Cherry's company at Waterford and Swansea , the inhabitants of the former place subscribed towards a volume of "fugitive pieces" which he published . Bro . Knowles now took up his abode in Belfast ; and it may he interesting to

know that the late distinguished Lord Chancelloi of Ireland , Mr . Joseph Napier , was his pupil in elocution . " No man , " once wrote Mr . Napier " ever gave so great an impulse to education in Ireland . " But his innate love of the drama made him soon , relinquish the functions of a teacher . He published now Brian Boroihm and Caius Gracchus , which was first performed Feb . 13 , 1815 , and in ivhich the characters of Gracchus ( Mr . Macready ) and Cornelia ( Mis . Bnnn ) were drawn with a bold

and masterly hand , and the language chaste , virtuous , and nervous . Virginias was written at Edmund Kean ' s request . It was brought out at Glasgow , and afterwards produced at Drury Lane during Mr . Maeready ' s management . Then followed in succession William Tell , The Beggar of Bethnal Green ; Alfred the Great , & c . In 1832 Bro . Knowles composed the Hunchback on the seashore near Newhaven ; it was playedas all the world knows

, , with success , at Covent-Garden , the author playing Master AA alter , his one successful character—Miss F . Kemble being Julia and Mr . C . Kemble Sir T . Clifford . The Wife was produced about the same time at the Olympic . The author visited Cork in 1834 , ancl played there . He was received by his warm-hearted countrymen with unbounded enthusiasm ; and it is much to his credit that he sought out his old nurse and his old master on his arrivaland made the former live with him during

, his stay , placing her daily at the head of his dinner-table , while on the latter he conferred substantial marks of his favour : The Love Chase was performed first at the Haymarket , and had a run of 100 nights . Bro . Knowles himself played AA'ild Rake , with Mrs . Glover as the AAldow Green , and Miss A andenhoff as Lydia , while Mrs . Nisbet's performance of Constance , dressed in a red riding-habit , her description of a hunt , and her ringing natural laugh will long live in the memory of playgoers . The

next plays Bvo . Knowles produced were—The Maid of Mariendorpt ( 1838 ) , Love ( not very successful , although very strongly cast—Miss Ellen Tree , Miss Helen Faucit , and Mr . Macready played . in it ) , The Rose of Aragon ( 1840 ) , The Secretary , which was a failure ( 1843 ) . In The Maid of Mariendorpt , produced at the Haymarket , Mr . AValter Lacy was Stickland , Bro . AVebster as the Jew Joseph , Bro . Buckstone as Hans , and Bro . Knowles as Muhldedau . In John of Proccida , Bro .

Knowles played Isoline , at Covent-Garden . Two other productions of Bro . Knowles' are The Bridal , from Beaumont and Fletcher's Maid ' s Tragedy , and a masque , in one act , on the death of Sir Walter Scott . About this time his health was impaired , and , besides , he was not in prosperous circumstances . The Dramatic Authors ' Society wrote to Sir R . Peel , and Jen-old , Searle , Blanche , and Lover urged the claims of the veteran dramatist on the Minister .

Sir R . Peel offered him £ 100 a year , which was declined ; bu £ the merchants of Glasgow made Sir R . Peel double that small sum . Knowles became now a lecturer on oratory , Shakspere ancl the Greek drama , wrote a tale culled The Lovers , and contributed to tbe Sunday Times . He was appointed curator of Shakspere ' s house at Stratford . Of late years Bro . Knowles has played a new and singular part—one not at all agreeable to his old theatrical friends .

He became a Baptist , ancl went- about the country denouncing the Church of Rome and stage , though he continued to draw his pension with exemplary regularity . He preached everywhere with scanty success ; and so far was he from proselytising among his near friends , that his only son , Mr . P ^ . B . Kn owles , long connected with London journalism , went to the opposite poles of religious opinion , ancl became a Romanist . Of Bro . Knowles' works , The Idol Demolished hy its own Priest , The

Booh of Rome . & c ., the less said tha better . Bro . Knowles was the most successful playwright of his day , and he had written three or times as many five act pieces as any other author . It was said of him that " ho combined the greatest literary merit with the most unequivocal success on the stage ; " that , " as Bro . Burns was the king of uneducated poets , so Bro . Knowles was the king of uneducated dramatists . " In his dialogues only he is worthy to be compared with the Elizabethan dramatists . In "A irginius , " "Gracchus , " and