Masonic Festivities.

the sail up the lake the band of the fifth battalion discoursed excellent and sweet music , whilst the pipers played those inspiring tunes which have so often led the Highland soldiers to victory or to death . When every other instrument has been hushed by tho confusion and carnage of the scene , the bagpipe has been borne into the thick of battle , and far in the advance its bleeding but devoted bearer has sounded at once encouragement to bis countrymen ancl his own coronach . All

being marshalled , the band ancl bagpipe cheered the brethren on their two mile walk to the excellent inn of Mr . McNab , of Invernan . Here all was happiness , mirth , and enjoymentraces , putting the stone , throwing the hammer , bowl playing , hill climbing , rod fishing , & c , soon wiled away tho seven hours allowed for enjoyment . At four o ' clck , as many brethren as the large hall of the hotel could accommodate sat down to an excellent dinnerBro . Donald Campbell in the chairwhile Bro .

, , Ex-Councillor Taylor , T . McCampbell , and Hugh Rankine acted as croupiers . The cloth having been withdrawn , the usual loyal toasts were given , prefaced in few words , appropriately garnished with Highland sentiments , peculiar to the country where they wore given . The toast of the day , " Success to the trip , " was drunk with enthusiasm , and with full Highland honours , all the brethren rising with their left leg on the table

and their right on the chair . After a few other toasts the meeting separated , ancl the word having been given "fall into place , " the band struck up , and all left that kind and hospitable landlord . The scene home was of the happiest description . Dancing to their hearts' content keeping all on boaril the steamer in the best of trim . Bten o ' clock all were safellanded at Glasgow

y y , eac . li ancl all thoroughly satisfied with the day ' s amusement . The kindly feeling displayed by Captain Reid towards his passengers has prompted the excursionists to perpetuate the reminisences of the trip by presenting him with an address highly emblazoned on parchment .

The Week.

THE WEEK .

THE COUET . —The Queen and younger branches of the Royal Family are at Osborne . Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales is iu temporary seclusion , in consequence of the death of her uncle , but she takes daily out-door exercise . The Prince of Wales visited the Crystal Palace on Friday week , to witness some of the trials of the steam fire-engines . These trials were

resumed in his presence , ancl continued throughout the day after his Royal Highness had left the Palace . On Monday he was present at the opening of the National Rifle Association meeting at Wimbledon . The 5 th of next month has been fixed for the opening of the new Town Hall at Halifax , by the Prince and Princess of Wales .

IMPERIAL P ARMAMENT . —In the HOUSE or LOEDS on Thursday , July 2 nd , the Duke of Newcastle , inmoving to the second reading of tho bill fixing the boundaries of British Columbia , gave an encouraging account of the progress of that colony . The population was still , however , very fluctuating , and on that account it was deemed advisable to postpone the important step of granting

the colony representative institutions . At the same time , British Columbia would possess the advantages of a legislative council , similar to that existing in Ceylon . The noble Duke made the important announcement that measures were being taken for constructing a road—along which telegraphic wires would be carried—through British America to British Columbia .

He referred to the transfer of the property and interests of the Hudson's Bay Company to another association , and gave a favourable opinion of the new undertaking . The Volunteer Bill was read a third time ancl passed . Several other measures were advanced a stage , and their lordships adjourned . On Friday Lord Brougham , in presenting a petition on the subject ,

expressed a strong opinion in favour of allowing a prisoner , who on his trial voluntarily tendered his evidence , to be examined and cross-examined . —Lord Granville , noticing some remarks

made by Lord Lyttleton , who preseuted a petition in favour o favour of dividing the diocese of Winchester , said no fund existed which could bo emplo _* ed in founding now bishoprics . — Lord Russell presented a petition from 106 Heads of Colleges , Professors , Fellows , and Tutors , of the "University of Oxford , praying for the removal of the present subscription required of persons admitted to academical degrees . The noble Earl

expressed his strong sympathy with the views of the petitioners , ancl hoped that next session a bill would be introduced ou the subject . Lord Derby said the petion had been got up surreptitiously , and did not fairly represent the views of the University . He should very much regret to see the subscription , abolished , as , in his opinion , it would be but the first step towards an

interference with the declaration of faith which the clergy are required to make . Lord Granville denied that the petition was a hole-and-corner affair , while Lord Harrowby stoutly opposed any relaxation of the existing yoke . The Bishop of Loudon , true to his Liberal principles pronounced distinctly in favour of relaxation , and expressed his regret that any shred or tatter of

the old exclusive system at the Universities should still be retained . The Bishop of Oxford thought , of course , that no grievance existed , and the legislation on the subject was uncalled for . —Several bills were advanced a stage . On Monday , Lord Grar ville agreed to a motion for the printing of the Oxford petition recently presented by Lord Russell praying

for the abolition of the subscription at present required of persons who take academical degrees . We shall thus have an opportunity of testing the real weight and value of a protest of which Lord Derby and other upholders of the existing system have spoken in most disparaging terms . —In reply to some remarks from Lord Portman , Lord De Grey stated that land had been purchased for the erection of forts intended to .

command the Bristol Channel . —Several measures were advanced a stage , including the Passengers Act Amendment Bill , which was read a second time . On Tuesday , the Lord Chancellor ' s bill for clearing the statute book of the embarrassing number of obsolete enuctm . nts found in its pages , was read a second' time . This measure enjoys the rare fortune of having received the

warm suaport of Lords Brougham , Cranworth , Chelmsford , and St . Leonards—that is , of all tbe ex-Chancellors with the exception of Lord Lyndhurst , who does not appear to have been in his place either that night , or on the night when the bill was introduced . The Public Works bill , which received the support of Lord Derby , was also read a second

time . —Several other measures were advanced a stage . In the HOUSE OP CO-SIMONS , on Thursday , July 2 , Mr . Layard stated , in reply to a question from Mr . Horsman , that no reply had yet been received to the notes addressed to Russia on the Polish question by England , France , and Austria . Mr . Hennessy postponed his motion on this subject ; while Mr . Horsman

intimated that , unless he was forestalled by the member for King ' s county , he should move a resolution to the effect that as the arrangements made with regard to Poland under tbe treaty of Vienna had failed to secure good government iu that country , any further attempt to place Poland under that treatywould be calamitous to the Polish people and embarrassing to

Europe . —In answer to a question from Mr . Bagwell , Sir Robert Peel said that his information relative to the distress iu Ireland , was not such as to lead him to believe that there was anything like a general famine in tbe country . —Mr . Layard repeated , with rather more distinctness , the denial given by the Home Secretary on Tuesday night to the statements made by the

member for Sheffield—on the authority , as the hon . gentleman alleged , of the Emperor Napoleon—that Baron Gros had been instructed once more to propose a joint mediation , in . America ,