Bro. Le Gendre N. Starkie,

our superiors in Church ancl State , and with unlimited goodwill to all mankind , we here appear clothed as Masons , and publicly express our submission to order and good government , and our wish to promote the general interests of mankind . Invested Avith the badge of innocence , we humbly bow to the universal Parent , implore His blessing on all our zealous endeavours to extend peace and goodwill , ancl earnestly pray for His grace to enable us to persevere in the principles of piety and virtue .

The Great Creator having been pleased , out of His mercy , to remove our worthy brother from the cares ancl troubles of this transitory life to a state of eternal duration , ancl thereby to Aveaken the chains by which ive are united man to man , may Ave who survive him , anticipating our approaching fate , be more strongly cemented in the ties of union and friendship ; ancl during the short space ivhich is allotted to our present existence , wisely and usefully employ our time in the reciprocal

intercourse of kind ancl friendly acts , and mutually promote the welfare and happiness of each other . Unto tho grave we have resigned the body of our deceased friend , there fco remain until the general resurrection , in favourable expectation that his immortal soul ivill then partake of the joys ivhich have been prepared for the righteous from the beginning of the world ; and may Almighty God , of his infinite goodness , at the grand tribunal of unbiassed justiceextend his towards him

, mercy ancl all of us , ancl crown our hope with everlasting bliss , in the expanded realms of a boundless eternity . This we beg , for the honour of His Name , to whom be glory , now and for ever . Amen . Bro . Oulton , ' W . M ., concluded by breaking the late Provincial Grand Master ' s Avand of office and throwing the pieces into tho grave .

Mrs . Stai'kie Avas then led sobbing from the grave to her carriage [ by her eldest son , and tho brethren having cast their immortelles into tho grave , returned to Hunfcroyd and closed the lodge . They then partook of luncheon , and afterwards returned to their respectiA'e homes . The late Bro . Starkie Avas in his GGth year . He filled the office of Provincial Grand Master for tho "Western

Division of Lancashire for upivards of thirty years . Tho deceased brother v ? as a largo landowner in East Lancashire , and a few years since bo acquired , by purchase , the fine Ashton Hall estate , near Lancaster , long the property of tho Dukes of Hamilton , and previously of the Lords Gerard of Bromley . Ashton Hall is the residence of the deceased gentleman ' s j'ounger son , John

Piers Chamberlain Starkie , Esq ., and is now , Ave believe , his property . The Huntroyd and other largo and valuable patrimonial estates aro inherited by his elder son , Le Gendre 2 < Ticholas Starkie , Esq ., Captain in the Duke of Lancaster ' s Second Militia Rifles , and whoAvas M . P . for Clithcroe from 1853 to 1857 . Bro . Starkie AAas the head of tho ancienfc family of Starkie

, Avhich Avas seated for many generations at Barnton , in Cheshire , aucl which acquired , in 1464 » , the estates of Huntroyd and Symondstono , in this county , by the marriage Avith the daughter and heiress of John Symondstono , and thenceforth they made Huntroyd their principal seat , and there discharged the duties devolving upon them as country gentlemen . Lawrence Starkie , of

this family , Avas high sheriff iu 1524 ; John Starkie served the same office in 1056 ; Le Gendre Piers Starkie , in 1800 ; and his son , Le Gendre Starkie , elder brother of the deceased gentleman , in 1815 . 'Nicholas Starkie , of Huntroyd , ivho was a captain in the parliamentary army of 1 ( 343 , lost his life in a mysterious explosion at Hoghton Tower . He Avas despatched from Preston ,

after its surrender , to take Hoghton Tower , the seat of Sir Gilbert Hoghton . Having dischai-ged a shot against the toAver , a parley was obtained , Avhich terminated in the surrender of the garrison . Captain Starkie and his company then marched into the tower , where there AA'as a large supply of ammunition , but while they were congratulating themselves upon their easy conquest the tower

blew up , Avhether from accident or design was never known , and the captain and the majority of his company were killed . His grandson , Edmund Starkie , ivas representative of Preston iu three parliaments , from 175 = i »

Bro. Le Gendre N. Starkie,

to 1768 ( Baines aud Burke say ten , but that is an error ) , and he was also recorder of Preston from 1767 to 1771 . The late squire of Huntroyd was great grandson of Edmund , the recorder and member for Preston . Frenchwood , near this toivn , Avas the property and long the residence of a junior branch of this family , ancl it is still OAvned by its representatives , viz ., Henry Bence Bcnee ,

Esq ., of Thoringfcon Hall , Suffolk , son of one of the daughters , and co-heiress of Nicholas Starkie , Esq ., of Frenchwood ancl Captain AVilliam Travis Forbes Jackson , R . S " ., and Mrs . Katharine Thomas , the children of the other daughter and co-heiress . Tho late Bro . Starkie , of Huntroyd , Avas in early life intended for the church ; but the death of tivo elder brothers ( his eldest brother

and predecessor in the estates dying , Avithout issue , in 1822 ) placed him in possession of the large landed property of the family , and he then determined to devote himself to the duties of a country gentleman . He Avas a magistrate for Lancashire and for the "West Riding of Yorkshire .

Public Amusements.

PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS .

ST . JAMES'S . A new drama , in four acts , entitled " Eleanor ' s Victory , " adapted and dramatised by Mr . John Oxenford , from Miss M . A . Braddon ' s popular novel bearing the same name , obtained a decided success here on Monday night . Miss Herbert , who represented with so much effect the heroine of "Lady Andloy ' s Secret , " in the

dramatic version Avhich was rendered for these boards a few seasons since , has again a part peculiarly adapted to display her power of expressing intense emotion , and hor fascinating grace of style is once more exhibited in a chai'acter which has tho fullest command of tho emotions , if not the entire sway of the sympathies of tho spectators . The stoiy itself is too popular to need

reproduction here , and therefore Ave shall content ourselves by omitting all reference to the action of tho drama itself . It would be too much to aver that the story , as depicted on the stage , is Avholly intelligible to those who have not read the novel , ¦ bufc the excellent acting of Miss Herbert carries the piece triumphantly through , and leaves the spectators delighted ivith the effect produced . The agony

of suspense exhibited in the first act , Avhere the girlish , fondness for her father is so truthfully portrayed , and the expression of deep grief on the discovery of his untimel y end , could not be more vividly depicted . The second act enables her to sternly display her invincible antipathy

to Darrell , and the third and fourth afford marked proofs of hor vigorous poiver of expressing bywords , gestures , and facial by-play , the master-passion of her young life . In all tho phases of the part , Miss Herbert Avas victoriously successful , and calls between the acts and au absolute ovation at the end bore witness to the strong impression loft on tho audience . The other characters

are but slight . Mr . and Mrs . Frank Mattheivs have very little to do Avith the plot as the good-natured Major Lennard ancl the simple-hearted but foolish Avoman who is his Avife , yet the excellence of their performance elevated both these parts into importance . Mr . Arthur Stir-ling embodied in a lively manner the faithful friend Dich Thorntonbut the part is not quite in the actor ' s

, line . Mr . J . Johnstone , ivho disappears in the first act , gave due gravity to the father Vandeleur Vane , the broken-doAvn extravagant gentleman of tho old school . Mr . Frederic Robinson Avas an emphatic representation of the card-sharper Bourdon , and Mr . H . J . Montague , a rising young actor , thoroughly realised the character of Launcelot Darrellgiving a coAved expression to his face

, aud figure , Avhich was a touch of true art . Mr . Gaston Murray played the grave Mr . Monldon very carefully , and Miss Weber Avas a lively Lauri Mason . The successful extravaganza of " Ulysses , " Avith Mr , F . Robson , junior , as the hero , terminated the performances .