Metropolitan.

he had a pound to spare , ifc > vas at the service of the Craft or the Robert Burns Lodge . —Bro . AVATSON had for twenty years that day installed every AA . M . in the chair in that loclge , and he still saw around him many of them as P . M . 's , and the reason why they were still to be found there was , that they gave their attention to their private duties , which enabled them to remain members , for if they neglected those for the purpose of Masonry , they would soon have no business to attend to , and the

lodge would have but very few P . M . ' s . The Robert Burns Lodge was highly favoured in members , although , at times , they might be absent . The P . M . 's ought to congratulate themselves for the very happy choice they had made in their AA . M . ; and , although Freemasonry was not to be summed up as a perfection of good Avorking only , yet a good worker was sure to have the seeds of much that was good sown in his memory . Masonry was a society embracing all sects and religions strictl

y preserved as inherited from their predecessors , therefore initiates should look upon it with serious and proper consideration , considering themselves as being part of a numerous liand whose chief aim was "to clo as they would be done by . " The P . M . 's ought to watcli new members carefully , and see thafc they trod in the steps of their predecessors , ancl he . hoped such would ever be the tenets of the P . M . ' s of the Robert Burns Lodge , who

gratefully returned their thanks for the honours of the toast . — "Tho Healths of the Officers" followed , and the evening ivas spent with much cordiality , much enhanced by some good singing hy Bros . T . G . Carter , AV . Carter , Exall , Herring , ancl Newall .

CITY OE LONDON LODGE ( NO . 1203 ) . —Phis new lodge , held at the City of London Freemasons' Club , Bell-alley , Moovgatesfcreet , was consecrated on Thursday , the 30 th January . Bro . Stephen Barton AVilson , P . G . D ., performed the ceremony , and also that of installation . The W . M . is Bro . Charles Southall , ivho , on completion of the usual forms , invested his officers : — Bros . E . Sisson , S . W . ; T . G . Collier , J . AV . ; E . Farthing , Treas . ;

AV . Southall , Sec . ; S . Osmond , S . D . ; AV . AVeedon , J . D . ; C . Smithers , I . G . ; S . Couchman , Tyler . Mr . AV . A . Higgs was then initiated , ancl the loclge closed in due form . There were present as visitors Bros . Banister , Prov . G . Dir . Cers . AA ' est Lancashire ; J . Kindred , P . M . ; H . Hasleham , P . M . ; G . Gabsley , P . M . ; J . H . AVynne , P . M ., and a great number of influential brethren . The members of the loclge ancl some of the visitors reassembled at the Ship and Turtle , Leadenhall-street , where a very handsome banquet was served up by Bro . Painter , and a very pleasant evening was spent , enlivened hy some excellent inusic by Bros . Stuart , Tait , and Saqui .

Provincial.

PROVINCIAL .

CHESHIRE . CIIESTE' -. —Lodge of Independence ( No . 1023 ) . —Tlie installation meeting was held on Tuesday , Jan . 24-th , at their rooms , the Pied Bull Inn . The brethren assembled at five o ' clock p . m . The lodge was soon after opened with the usual forms ancl ceremonies by the respected W . M ., Bro . Burghall , ivhen the solemn rite of installing the new Master for tho ensuing year

took place , and Avas ably performed by Bro . P . M . Lyon . The lodge being closed and opened in the first degree , the new Master Bio . Brown P . M . ( who we are informed was W . M . of the Lodge of Independance ( No . 482 ) , held at this inn forty-seven ago ) was pleased to appoint the following brethren his officers for the present year—Bros . AA-atts , S . AV ., late of No . 158 , London ; Dodd , J . W . ; Burghall , P . M . and Treas . ; Lyon , P . M . and Sec ; EllisS . D . ; BainbridgeJ . D . ; StreetI . G . ; Duke

, , , , Tyler . The brethren being called from labour , formed in procession to partake of the banquet , which was sumptuously supplied by the worthy host , Bro . H . Thomas . Upwards of thirty of the brethren sat clown , the chair being occupied by the new Master , Bro . Brown , supported on his right by Bros . Lord Richard Grosvenor , M . P ., ancl S . G . AV . of England ; the Right Worshipful the Mayor of Chester , Bro . Trevor ; Thomas

F . Maddock , P . M . ; J . D . Weaver , No . 615 , P . M ., Prov . G . S . D . Cheshire ; Thomas Truss , P . M . No . 615 , and Prov . G . Supt . of Works Cheshire ; Joseph New , S . AV . No . 701 ; S . Bidders , S . D . 206 ; and on the left by Bros . AV . Butler , P . M . and AV . M . of the Cestrian ( No . 615 ); H . Piatt , J . W . 615 ; Robert Meacock , AV . M . Mersev Lodge ( No . 701 ); Thomas Burghall , P . M . ancl Treas . 1023 ; ' J . A . Lyon , P . M ., Installing W . M . and Sec ; and the following brethren of 1023—Bros . Gerrard , P . M . ; Henry Thomas , P . M . ; A . F . Watts , S . W . j J . Dodd , J . AV . ; W . Ellis , S . D . ; W . R . Bainbridge , J . D . ; A . Street , I . G . ; David Gwynn

Edward Tasker , A . C . Lockwood , J . Harrison , T . G . Gittins , & c . On the removal of the cloth , the Benediction was pronounced , and the following loyal and Masonic toasts were given from the throne— "Our most Gracious Queen , " delivered with much feeling , in which every brother deeply sympathised , drunk in solemn silence . The National Anthem was effectively sung by Bro . Gerrard . The next toast was " Albert Edward , Prince of AValestlie Earl of Chesterancl the rest of the lioyal Famil "

, , y , the W . M . remarking that before the end of the year his Royal Highness ( he had been informed ) was to be initiated into the Craft . " The Army and Navy , and the Volunteers , " coupling with the toast Lord Richard Grosvenor , who is a yeomanry officer , came next . Drunk with three times three . Bro . Lord Richard Grosvenor returned thanks at some length , and concluded by saying he firmly believed that the Army and Navy of

Great Britain were in that state of discipline that England might hid defiance to the world . During the delivery of the toast , the W . M . gave a humourous description of the march of the Chester Volunteers to Stockport in 1810 to quell the insurrection in the Northern parts of Cheshire , observing that he was at that time a Rifleman , and one of those who composed the corps ; ancl should needs be he should have no objection to shoulder his rifle aga ' n . ( Alause ) . " The most AV . Grand

pp Master of England , " responded to by the S . G . W . The AV . M . then gave " The Right AA'orshipful Prov . G . Master of Cheshire , Field Marshal A ' iscount Comberbere , " and " The R . AV . D . Prov . G . Master , Bro . Col . Cotton . "—The W . M . rose with great pleasure , and gave " The Right AA ' orshipful the ? Jayor of this ancient city , " and paid a well-merited compliment to Bro . Trevor for the services he had rendered to Chester , by his indefatigable

energies and unwearied exertions to benefit their Institutions , particularly the Infirmary , and instigator of the new Market Hall ; ancl he saicl , when men possessed such sterling abilities as those of Bro . Trevor , ifc was no surprise that he should be called by his fellow-citizens to fill the civic chair a second time . Lord Richard Grosvenor , in an eulogistic speech , proposed "The Health of the AV . M ., " ancl wittily alluded to the humorous description the AV . M . hacl given them of the inarch to Stockport , observing , that it gave him great pleasure foj the first time to visit a Chester Loclge , and for the very ivarm and

cordial manner iu which he had been received by the AV . M . and brethren of 1023 ; stating that he should be happy to become an honorary member . The AV . M . saicl he felt deeply the high compliment paid him by the noble brother , Lord Grosvenor , ancl the numerous and influential brethren who had honoured him with their presence that day , and the brethren who had so heartily responded to the toast . The AV . M . said that he was made a Mason in that room 49 years ago , and two

years afterwards was installed AV . M . of the Loclge . At that time the number was 482 , but since then the number of lodges under the warrant of tlie Grand Lodge of England , had increased to upwards of 1 , 100 , which hacl given the Grand Lodge ample means to enlarge their charitable Institutions , four of which were well provided for ancl maintained , viz ., the Royal Institution for aged Freemasons ancl their AVidows , the Benevolent Institution for aged ancl infirm Freemasons , theFreemasons

School for Girls , ancl one for Boys , with beautiful buildings erected for each Institution . ( Applause ) . It was with pleasure that he informed them that , a few years ago , the AV . M . and brethren of the Cestrian Lodge , succecled in getting into the Girl's School a native orphan , ivhose father had been Master of a lodge in Chester ; ancl the Cestrian , to ensure success , subscribed 10 guineas , which made the VV . M . of that loclge a governor for a certain period . These excellent Institutions were well

supported by nearly all the lodges under the Grand Lodge . The W . M . said he should not detain them longer , except to assure them that , if health permitted , he hoped , as the father of No . 615 , and father and godfather of 1023 , to see Masonry prosper extensively in his native city . Before resuming his seat , he begged to propose " The Lady Patroness of Masonry of this province , the Viscountess Combermere , " who contributed largely

to the Masonic Charities in the county . "The AV . M . and Brethren of No . 915 . " Bro . Butler , in a lengthened and truly Masonic speech , returned thanks . "W . M . Bro . Burghall , the late AV . M ., and Officers of 1023 . " Masonic honours . Acknowledged in a neat speech by Bro . Burghall , AV . M . Bro . Meacock thanked the brethren in a speech of some length , with hearty good wishes . Lord Richard Grosveimr , the Mayor , and several Provincial Officers then retired , after ivhich other Masonictoasts and songs were given ; when the lodge was finally closed and adjourned , with the usual form and ceremonies