Provincial.

and hope , if the spectacle of her pure life and domestic happiness fixed her most deeply in the affections of all , ten thousand times dearer was she in her hour of darkness ancl sorrow . He called upon the brethren to satisfy their sympathy with fche Royal Widow ancl Orphans by drinking in solemn silence to "The Queen , and God Bless Her . " This toast was most cordially and impressively responded to , in the manner prescribed by the AV . M . The AVOBSHirrtfL MASTEB then rose to

propose the health of " The M . AV . the Grand Master of England , the Earl of Zetland . " He congratulated the brethren on being ruled over by so distinguished a brother ancl so eminent a Mason . It was true the Grand Master of England was not famous in the politifcal world , but he was a genuine English nobleman ; though he did not not hold a Marshal's baton , he was elected by the free votes of Freemasons . ( Loud cheers ) . He commended himself to all by his nobility of mind and Masonic

virtues , and was not thrust on their univilling suffrages by the impervious decree of one too powerful despot , to rule them in a manner befitting a hero Avithout a victory , and a general Avithout an army . The toast Avas received by the brethren with the most hearty applause . —The S . AV ., Bro . HIGGS , proposed the toas ; of " The Deputy Grand Master of England , which was duly honoured . —Bro . LEA * ANDEE , proposed " The health of the M . W . Prov . G . M . of HampshireSir Lucius CurtisBart" whom

, , , he described as a most indefatigable Mason of many years standing , during twenty of which he hacl been the head of that province , ancl none exceeded him in his zeal for the Craft . He would join with the same toast "Bro . Deacon , and the other Provincial Officers , past and present . " Drank with enthusiasm , and responded to hy Bro . Durant . —The AV . M . said , under a pressure of circumstances , he would take upon himself thus early to propose " The health of an esteemed non-resident brother and

member of the lodge , and who , he understood , was compelled to depart early to attend another engagement elsewhere ; and he kneAV the brethren ivould be" happy to hear him make a few observations before he left . He proposed " The health of Bro . Beach , " knowing it would be received with the same pleasure that he gave it . The toast having been drunk with full honours—Bro . BEACH begged to return the brethren his most sincere thanks for the kind and marked manner in which the

compliment had been passed . In visiting the lodge that day , he had not anticipated as a private member that his health ivould have been so prominently proposed . It was with very great pleasure he hacl attended , ancl he much regretted that he was obliged fco depart early or lose the train , yet there was no reason the festivities of the evening should be shortened merely because he was compelled to leave them so soon . He had always felt the greatest interest in the prosperity of their lodge , and he

had now been a member of it for a great many years . Ifc was not always in his poiver to attend the meetings , but when he could come he did so , ancl he was glad and pleased to hear of and witness their progress in the study of the principles of the ancient Craft . Amongst the many avocations with which he was connected , he had many of a Masonic kind , but he did nofc regard the latter as a part of the common business of life , but rather in the light of a pleasing relaxation from his more

general public duties , and if any one thing gave pleasure to him more than another it was his experience in connection with his Masonic duties , and of the kind , cordial , and thorough Masonic feeling he met with on every side . He found this universally the case with the fraternity , for his visits were nofc confined to lodges in the province of Hampshire , but extended to many others . He had travelled in a distant land , and hacl seen the working of Masonry throughout the States of America ancl

Canada . There it was universally the same , great anxiety ancl zeal were evinced to welcome a brother amongst them , ancl if he came . from a far distant land he was not the less but perhaps the more enthusiastically received . The hon . brother enlarged upon the peculiar traits of Masonry all over the world , ancl the remarkable advantages it conferred upon the members of the Craft under all or any circumstances , if at home or abroad ; and then alluded to the successful working of the science in this

immediate district . He said fche Masonic Province so Hampshire was second to feiv in the country ; it waf under the presidency of a Grand Master whose acknows lodged excellence was of very long standing , ancl who wafer his goodheartand exemplary . style of government , thoroughlyrespected and beloved by all the brethren who came under the same , and under whose reign they had seen Masonry making real progress . He hacl in late years seen a new lodge rise in Hampshire , not far from his own residence ( at Basingstoke ) ,

and he was exceedingly glad to be able to bear testimony to the kindly feelings exhibited towards it by the members of the Lodge of Economy , and he was hound to acknowledge the frequent assistance rendered by the latter whenever it was required of them in conducting the ceremonies . He hoped the good feeling between them ivould long continue , and that Masonry would increase in the county , so that the benefits might be further extended , which emanated from the practice

of those high principles upon which their ancient Order wasfounded . —Bro . HASXEHAM , P . M ., then proposed the health of the newly-installed AA . M . of the lodge , saying he rose with extreme pleasure to give the toast . He rejoiced to know that the Master , who noAv filled the chair , was a most able , expert , ancl painstaking Mason ; and he would be sure to make an excellent Master for the ensuing year , which he hoped would be found generally a successful and prosperous one . He ivould not , then ,

venture to dilate upon the good qualities of their Master , but ivould be content to apply the common saying , that they had " the right man in the right place . " He called upon the brethren to drink the health of the AV . M . with hearty welcome . The toast was received and honoured with warm manifestations of respect and esteem . —Bro . SMITH , W . M ., said after the very flattering manner in ivhich his predecessor in office had introduced the toast , and the great cordiality with which the

assembled brethren had received it , there was nothing left but for him , in the fewest possible terms , to return thanks and show his gratitude . Seizing , as a drowning man ivould catch at a straw , one observation fchat had fallen from the immediate Past

Master , he hastened to express his ardent hope that he truly might be found " the right man in the right place , " and ifc ivould not be for want of a wish to please if he failed to give satisfaction . It had been to him a matter of some regret that not more of the brethren hacl been present at the lodge that day He was particularly indebted , however , to those P . M . ' s whocame to support him ( Bro . Levander most especially ) , who had . come to perform the ceremony of installation . Thafc was not

only the installation day of their lodge , but the meeting formed the 101 st anniversary of the Lodge of Economy ' s foundation . If ifc was only that he had been appointed the l'Olsfc Master of the lodge in succession , he had much reasen to feel proud of that honour , for he stood as the inheritor of a great deal of merit and fame for a store of good works . Notwithstanding : the great age of the lodge , it could not boast of very plentiful fundsyet this was no subject for blame or regretbecause they

, , could not possibly acquire wealth and plenty ivhilsfc they continued to devote all their surplus funds to acts of beneficence and charity , especially as they had of late years ; and these ivere , after all , the only works they cared to pride themselves in . Masonry was , afc times , much joked about and sneered at ; . but it had always been tbe case , that many good arguments were ruined in effect by ridicule , ancl many a good cause injured by jest . In the face of ridicule and free joking of societ

y , many a man ivould , as it were , feel glad to shrink away from notice ancl take his contemplated good with him into retirement . This Masonry , however , must be granted to have been a specific most useful in removing and counteracting the injuriouscauses to which he had alluded . The deeds ifc had done in

secret had brought blessings to thousands , and its highly moral principles , its Christian benevolence , ancl its silent but effectual working , made it beloved by all good men who came within its influence . From the pulpit , and from the bench , how often had there been advocated , ancl the want regretted ^ of some social machinery for bringing all classes together in love and harmony . Coulcl not any experienced Mason look up and truthfully say , here is Masonry ready at hand for the

purpose ? They felt Masonry to be good , ancl found themselves benefitted by it , and at the same time thought it a duty to extend the blessing to others ; ancl though they were not expected to clo this by solicitation , yet they could set forth in themselves the advantages realised , and others would be influenced by a disposition to partake of the same boon . The outward world accused the Masonic fraternity of looking with too much fondness upon festivity ; of worshiing a dead

forpp mula ; and of being inclined to superstition in their ceremonies ; but how different was that ivhich real experience ¦ demonstrated to the brethren , and ivhat else but pity could move them when hearing of these charges so equally false and absurd ? So far as his experience of Masonry went , he found from a diligent observation of its ritual and formula that it was always sure and safe , and his study of these gave him a very good introduction to the practical working of the science . To bring about the