Obituary.

Obituary .

DEATH OF BRO . THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY .

We regret to announce the death of Bro . the Marquess of Salisbury , K . G ., which took place shortly after six o ' clock on Sunday evening , the 12 th inst ., at Hatfield House , the ancient family seat , in Hertfordshire . The late Bro . James Brownlow William Gascoyne-Cecil , Marquess and Earl of Salisbury , Viscount Cranborne ,

county Dorset , and Baron Cecil , of Essendine , county Rutland , in the peerage of Great Britain , was the only son of James , first Marquess of Salisbury , by his wife , Lady Mary Emily Hill , second daughter of Wills , first Marquess of Downshire . He was born on the 17 th of April , 1791 , consequently , had he lived a few days longer

he would have attained his seventy-seventh year-He succeeded to the family honours at the death of his father on the 13 th of Juno , 1823 . The deceased brother was twice married- —first on the 22 nd of February , 1821 , to Francis Mary , only daughter and heiress of Mr . Bamber Gascoyne , who died on the 15 th of October ,

1839 ; and , secondly , on the 28 th of April , 1841 , to Lady Mary Catherine Sackville-West , second daughter of the Earl De la Warr . By his first marriage he leaves , surviving issue , Lady Mildred , married to Mr : Alexander J . Beresford Hope , M . P- ; Lady Blanche , widow of Mr . James Balfour , of Whittiugham , Viscount Cranborne , M . P . for Stamford , and Lord E . Cecil , M . P . for South

Essex . By his second marriage his lordship leaves issue , three sons , viz ., Lord Sackville , Lord Arthur , and Lord Lionel Cecil , and Ladies Mary Arabella and Margaret Elizabeth Cecil . The Marquess of Salisbury was appointed Lord Lieutenant of the county of Middlesex , on the resignation of

the late Duke of Portland , was made D . O . TJ . at Oxford , in 1834 ; and was created a Knight of the Garter in 1842 . He had been colonel of the Herts Militia since 1851 , and was major of the South Herts Yeomanry Cavalry from 1847 to 1854 . He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Argyleshire in 1859 , and on the

resignation of the late Lord Dacre , was unanimously elected chairman of the Herts Quarter Sessions . The late Bro . Marquess of Salisbury accepted office in the Earl of Derby ' s first administration in 1852 , as Lord Privy Seal ; and again in Lord Derby ' s Government , from February , 1858 , to June , 1859 , as Lord President of the Council .

Our late brother was initiated in the Hertford Loclge ( No . 403—then 848 ) , ou 6 th October , 1829 , and continued a member up to September , 1837 . On the 28 th April , 1830 , he was appointed S . G . W ., and D . G . Master , 2 nd September , 1840 , which office he held to 6 th March , 1844 . He was Prov . G . Master for Hertfordshire up to the

same period . His lordship was also , for a short time , a member of the Salisbury Lodge ( No . 435 ) , when hold at Enfield .

The Salisbury Lodge , although bearing his name , has not held the same position iu tho Craft which it formerly did ; and upon a recent occasion , when a reference was made to his lordship with regard to this lodge , ho did not recollect the fact of his having been a member of it .

Obituary.

It may be in the recollection of many of our readers that Lord Salisbury suddenly ceased to take any prominent part in Masonic proceedings shortly after the election of our present M-W . G-M-, as it was stated at the time that Lord Salisbury felt himself slighted in being passed over when a successor to the office of the previous

M . W . G . M . was necessary . From personal reference to and communication with the lato Noble Bro ., we feel authorised in stating that no ill-feeling or asperity arose from that event , but as ho explained that from his extensive properties requiring cultivation , and the personal attention which lie felt was necessary , lie could not

conscientiously devote tbe time from his own affairs which it would havo necessitated had he continued to hold so important an office , and that he was only too glad that the Craft had selected so able , worthy , and zealous a Mason to fill an office for which he was so admirably fitted , and that the Right Hon . the Earl of Zetland had no warmer friend and Freemasonry no greater admirer than himself . But he felt a considerable relief from anxious duties

and he added— -I am as much a man as ever I was , and if I had been asked to do more I would have done it , but you know how many claims such an one has upon his time , his attention , and his purse , and I am really glad to find by the FUEEJIASONS' MAGAZINE from time to time what a great progress Freemasonry is making . The

charities and their progress do great honour to the Craft , of which I am never ashamed when properly challenged , to acknowledge myself as a member , though a humble and comparatively inefficient one . Lord Salisbury was one of the mostextensive proprietors of this country . The metropolitan estates are princely ,

and Cranborne-alley and the adjoining property , extending through St . Martin ' s-court to the place from whence we write , is in itself , in money value , equal to many a principality . We regret that we are unable to say that the present Marqness of Salisbury is a member of our Order , but

Lord Eustace Cecil we know is , and there are other members of the family who are on the roll . If our recollection serves us aright the late Marquess presented the whole of his Masonic clothing , jewels , & c , to some brother , a member of the Watford or B ' erkhampstead Lodges , several years ago .

It is only now eight days ago since the writer of this notice had occasion to see our late brother when he was in good health and spirits , ancl spoke of current political events with his wonted feeling and ardour . The funeral takes place on Monday next at three o'clock , at Hatfield , ancl will be conducted in tho most unostentatious manner .

To Correspondents .

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

*»* All communications to be addressed to 19 , Salisbury-street " Strand , London , W . C . M . M . —The Book Markers you mention can bo obtained only from Bro . Dr . H . Hopkins ; any orders through this office will be attended to at once . We need hardly inform you -that the whole of the proceeds of the sale of these Masonic Book Shirkers are and have for some years been given to the different Masonic Charities by our very worthy and widely esteemed brother .