Provincial.

right and left by the Rev . John Huyshe , D . Prov . G . M ., and hy Bro . Denis Moore , Prov . G . S ., who both attended as guests of the lodge . There were present also some of the leading Masons of the several lodges in the three towns , and among the visitors were Mons . Horace Poussard , and Mons . Rene Douay , who are temporarily detained at Plymouth in consequence of the recent accident which occurred to the Queen- Victoria steamship . At the particular request of the AA . M ., these brethren ,

during the banquet , sent for their instruments , and , after the cloth was removed , astonished and delighted the brethren with their exquisite performance of several duets and solos on the violin and violoncello , in respect of which instruments they are both firstclass prizemen of the Conservatoire of Paris . Amongst other pieces was a duet on the subject of the National Anthem , which they treated with perfect English appreciation—it was indeed a most remarkable performance . The exceeding delicacy of touchpurit

, y of tone , and brilliancy of execution attained by these brethren are qualities ivhich place them in the ioremost rank of musical art , and to these qualities are added a graceful deportment and good taste which cannot but enlist the most cordial approval and kindly feeling . The talents of another brother were also most successfully exerted for the entertainment of the party—the Cornish stories of Brother Rodda were rendered with a naivete and originality rarely witnessedAVith

. such accessories it was impossible but that a most delightful evening must result , and these were heightened by several admirable Masonic addresses delivered hy the D . Prov . G . M . and others of the brethren present .

HAMPSHIRE . LODGE OE ( ECOXOUY ( NO . 90 ) , AVix CHESTER—CENTEKAHY FESTIVAL . Tuesday , the 29 th January , 1861 , proved a most interesting day for the Freemasons of the Province of Hampshire , and the celebration of the centenary of its senior lodge will long be looked back upon as an event in their lives of most memorable character

. This important gathering was the result of a decision on the part of the brethren of the Lodge of ( Economy to observe an occasion so rare in the annals of Masonry , and so generally interesting to the Craft , in a manner worthy of the high standing of the province , and thereby to mark the first occurrence of such a gratifying and honourable event within its district . To the members of the Lodge of ( Economy themselves , the fact of their

being enabled to carry out the celebration of their centenary , with the full sanction and approval of the Grand Master of England , was a matter of great gratification , inasmuch as it was at one time feared that obstructions would arise fatal to their wishes , the irregularity of official records in the olden times rendering it extremely difficult now to trace the exact date of events without considerable labour and application . However , the lodge—thanks most particularly to the close inand

quiries active exertions respectively made on their behalf by the R . AV . Prov . G . M ., Admiral Sir Lucius Curtis , Bart ., C . B . ; anil by Bro . J . R . Stebbing , the well-known and highly-distinguished Mason , of Southampton—at last received full justice at the hands of Grand Lod ge in the shape of a complete acknowledgment of their claims . Ancl now , in addition to the holding of the Centenary Festival , the lodge intends to have a medal struck in commemoration of the event . The following conclusive communication was received by the Prov . G . M . on the 18 tli nit . : —

( Copy . ) "Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C . " Jan . 17 , 1861 . "DEAB SIB AND R , W . BBOTHEU , —I have the honour to inform you that your letter of the 9 th inst ., having reference to the precise date when the present Lodge of ( Economy , No . 90 , was established , was laid before tbe Board cf General Purposes on Tuesday , the 15 th instant . "Bro . J . R . Stebbing having produced a of the AA arrant

copy under which the lodge meets , and the same having been inspected hy the members of the board , it was resolved— ' That the Board considers that the evidence produced by Bro . Stebbing satisfactorily proves that the Lodge No . 90 , Winchester , is the same lodge that was constituted in the year 1761 . ' " I have the honour to he , your faithful Servant and Brother , " AV . GRAY CLARKE , G . S . Admiral Sir Lucius CurtisBart

" , ., P . G . Master of Hampshire . " The installation of the AV . M . elect was post poned till Jan . 29 , instead of being performed at the -usual meeting on St . John's Day , and it might justly be observed that the manner in which this ceremony was carried out b y Bro . Biggs , of Lodges No . 90 , 961 , and P . M . 247 , and Prov . G . Reg . of Wilts , assisted by Bro . Everitt , P . M ., obtained for those gentlemen the admiration and respectful

thanks of the whole assembly , and was especially approved by the R . AV . Prov . G . M . In one of the worthy Admiral ' s speeches at the banquet . There was a numerous and influential attendance of the brethren from the principal lodges within the provinces of Hants , AVilts , and Berks , and amongst others during the day we observed Admiral Sir Lucius Curtis , Bart ., C . B ., R . AV . Prov . G . M . ; Bros . Thomas Willis Fleming , Prov . G . M . of Isle of AVight ; W . AV . B . Beach , TMT . P

AV . M . of 995 , Basingstoke , and P . Prov . G . S . AV . ; C . E . Deacon , D . I'rov . G . M . ; J . R . Stebbing , P . M . 152 , P . Prov . G . Sec . of Hants ; Rev . C . R . Pettat , P . M . 10 and 995 ; Rev . G . Bradshaw , AV . M . 401 , Prov . G . Chaplain ; Capt . Macdonald , Capt . AVatson , Lieut . Hook , and — AVatson , of the AVinchester Garrison ; Capt . Nicol ( Hants Militia ) , G . L . of Ireland ; J . Hayward , P . M . 401 , Prov . G . S . AV . ; G . P . Perkins , Prov . J . G . D . ; A . Heather , Prov . G . Treas . ; AA . HickmanProv . G . Sec . ; AV . W . PreeceProv . G . D . C . ; R . S .

, , Hulbert , 995 , Asst . Prov . D . C . ; Bros . W . Seymour , W . Challis , R . Nichols , J . May , W . J . Ford , and L . How , all of 995 _ Bros . W . Howard , AV . M . ; W . Rowley , R . J . AVood , J . Downer , and C . Storey , of 1025 , Panmure Lodge , Aldershot ; G . Emery , G . M . 28 ; H . M . Emmanuel , 428 , P . Prov . G . J . AV . ; T . Bachelor , 717 , Prov . G . Sup . W . ; E . Bannister , 717 ; J . Newall , AA ' . M . 536 , Uxbridge ; J . Collis , 152 ; Commander C . Hill , 65 ; AA . A . Grimes , 915 , Trowbridge . Of the AVinchester brethren present we noticed the following : —Bros . J .

L . Hasleham , W . M . [ elect ; P . La Croix , P . M . ; Geo . Durant , P . M . P . Prov . S . G . D . ; C . Sherry , P . M . ; 3 . Naish , P . M . Prov . J . G . AV ; J . Carter , P . M . ; G . P . Jacob , P . M . ; S . R . Everitt , P . M P . Prov . G . S . B . ; H . C . Levander , P . M . and AV . M . 915 ; AV . Bigg ? , P . M . and Prov . G . Reg , of AVilts ; A . Smith , H . Huggins , S . Adam - son , T . Ruff , H . Newman , AV . Cowen , P . M . and Sec . ; J . A . Higgs J . Conduit , J . AVaterman , AV . Coles , T . A . Mundy , and E . Carter ,

and others . Bro . AA yndham S . Portal ( P . G . W . of England ) , was unavoidably prevented from attending at the last moment by a pressure of business at home . The lodge was opened in due form at three o'clock , the ex-W . M . presiding , with the other chairs filled by experienced brethren . The Prov . G . M . ancl his officers , and the Prov . G . M . of the Isle of AVight , were received by the lodge with the accustomed honours ; and immediately afterwards the ceremony of the installation was

commenced and gone through in a manner conferring great credit upon the officiating brethren . Bros . Levander and Sherry most ably carried out their duties as Dirs . of Cers . It was observed that there were no less than twenty-four P . Ms ., present at the most important part of the installation ceremony . The whole was gone through with an impressiveness that must have left a deep and lasting effect upon the minds of all present ; have alread

and , as we y inferred , the installing brethren , Messrs . Biggs and Everitt , displayed an amount of experience in Masoniclore most creditable to themselves , and satisfactory to the lodge with which they are particularly connected . AVe must not forget to state , also , that Bro . Alfred Smith , a comparatively young but most energetic and hopeful member of the Craft , lent his valuable aid by playing at suitable intervals some appropriate selections on

the harmonium . At the conclusion of the installation ceremony , the lodge resumed in the first degree , and then the AVorshipful Master proceeded to invest his officers for the current year . Bros . A . Smith and Hi Huggins were entrusted with the jewels and collars of the S . W .. and J . AA ., and duly . inducted into their respective chairs . The remaining officers were invested in the following order : —Bros . Everitt , Treas . ; Cowen , Sec . ; Adamson , S . D . ; Ruff , J . D . ; Sheppard , I . G ., and the old , faithful , and valued Tyler ( Bro . Harry Grant ) received his appointment for the fortieth year in successiveorder .

The lodge being about to close , the usual questions were put , when a motion was introduced by Bro . Biggs , seconded by Bro . Everitt , conveying votes of thanks to the R . W . Prov . G . M . and to the Prov . G . M . for the Isle of AVight , for their kindness in honouring the meeting with their presence . The motion was carried with acclamation . Bro . Admiral Sir Lucius CUBTIS then rose and addressed thc lodge . He said , after thanking the brethren for the compliment

paid him , that he highly congratulated the members of the Lodge of ( Economy on the fact of its having kept in existence and prospered for so great a number of years . Their centenary was a gratifying event . He felt a most particular interest in the object of their meeting that day , because he was aware that some opposition had been in existence as to the acknowledgment of the data of their original warrant , through some little irregularity for which the lodge was not answerable . It had been his anxietand wish

y that the matter should be cleared up , so that no difficulty might arise hereafter ; and he now rejoiced that it had been cleared up , and that the lodge were borne out in taking their original date of constitution . The difficulty in the matter had arisen , no doubt , from a want in olden days of that regularity in Grand Lodge