Metropolitan.

Bro . SLOMAST here sung one of his extemporaneous songs , which elicited loud applause . The W . HASTES thanked the brethren for the favour coniCTi-ed upon him by the toast which had been proposed and so unanimously responded to . They might have selected a more talented W . M ., but they could not have chosen one Avho had a greater desire to do his duty , and if there were any shortcomings on his partthey would bo the fault of the head and

, not of the heart . He again thanked them for the honour iKicferred upon him . The AV . MASIEE said the next toasfc he had to propose Avas * 'Tlie P . M . 's ofthe Lodge , " Avho Avere always ready to do any ilnty required of them . Bro . OSBOEKE , I . P . M ., returned thanks . Bro . THOMPSONP . M . s-. id he would havo been content to

, , let their Bro . Osborne return thanks for the P . M . ' s , only he -wished fco take that opportunity of congratulating the AV . M . on ihe two talented gentlemen he had initiated that evening . He 5 ha . il listened to Bro . Smith Avith the greatest pleasure , for during 'liis Masonic career , as lie had already expressed to the two brethren sitting right and left of him , he had never heard a uewly initiated brother return thanks in such appropriate terms

-as he had heard that evening from Bro . Smith . He seemed to 'be duly impressed with the nature and importance of Freeluasonry . His Avords had sunk deep into his ears , and he had Iieard them with the greatest pleasure , and he hoped to derive ¦ team , them some instruction . To the AV . M . it Avas an especial ¦ p leasure to initiate such gentlemen into the Order , and Avith ¦ such , members of the Domatic Lod they miht look forward

ge , g 'fco a great and brilliant future . The next toast Avas " The Officers of the Lodge , " for Avhich Bro . Smith returned thanks . "The Tyler's" toast Avas given , and a very harmonious -meeting was brought to a close . Bros . Margenson , Sloman , Chaplain , and other brethren entertained the members during the evening Avith some excellent

recitations , songs , & c , and the proceedings were brought to a close about eleven o ' clock . YABBOBOUGHI LODGE ( NO . 554 ) . —The installation of the W . Master , ! Bro . AValter Greenwood Clarke , Avas celebrated

on tne 4 th inst ., at the lodge room , at Bro . AValtevs ' , The Green Dragon , Stepney , there being a very numerous attendance of the officers and members of the lodge and of visiting fcethren , including a formidable array of Installed Masters and ¦ fchose who had passed- the chair , amongst whom Avere—Bros . Sedgwick , P . M . 429 and Prov . G . S . B . Kent ; C . Harris , AV . M . 831 ; Daniel Scurr , AV . M . 933 ; Mobbs , P . M . 183 ; T . Scotcher , 0 ? . M . G 5 ; D . ShiiboeP . M . 544 and 185 ; S . WithW . M . 781 ; H .

, , XJWynne , P . M . and Treas . 544 and 101 ; Middleton , P . M . 554 ; ¦ Can-, P . M . 554 ; Hainpton , P . M . 554 ; AV . Hamilton , P . M . 554 and J 754 ; S . Vasey , P . M . and Sec . 554 ; Kindred , P . M . 554 ; Walters , T . M . 73 ; and Speight , Grand Tyler for Surrey , P . M . ; Newton , S . W . and AV . M . elect 174 ; and Bros . AVainwright and Bowron , " 333 ; Stevenson , 840 , & c , numbering altogether upwards of sixty members of the Craffc . The lodge was opened afc

four o'clock , p . m ., in due form and Avith solemn prayer . The chair of K . S . Avas occupied by Bro . AV . Hamilton , P . M ., in the unavoidable temporary absence of the respected VT . M ., Bro . Joseph Hudson . Tho minutes of the previous io & ge meeting having been read and confirmed , the Auditors gave in their report , which proved highly satisfactory , there 'being an increase of over £ 100 in the hands of the Treasurer during Bro . Hudson's year of officeindependently of sums

, voted away by the lodge to applicants for relief , as recorded from time to time in the FEEEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MraitOE . There Avas one passing and two raisings , the candidates being respectively Bro . Pitcher , and Bros . AA alton and Horris , fche two ceremonies being most impressively performed l > y the acting AV . M . The ceremony of installing Bro . Clarke ivas most ably and impressively performed by thafc zealous

Mason Bro . Hamilton , P . M ., AVIIO received most efficient assistance , support , and cordial congratulations from the P . M . 's jiiesevitat tbe excellent manner in which this" important ceremonial had been conducted . The neAvly installed AV . M . then proceeded to appoint his officers as follou's : —Bros . Moseley , S . AV . ; Stevens , J . AV . ; H . J . AVynne , P . M ., Treas . ; A aughan , Chap . ; Josiah Green , Sec ; BroAvn , S . D . ; Preeee , J . D . ; Roberts , I . G . ; Barnes , AA . S . ; Pratter , Dir . of Cers . ; Speight , Tyler . Before the lodge Avas closed Bro . Hamilton made a few very appropriate remarks with reference to a scheme svJiicli he proposed for the combination of the East-end lodges ,

Metropolitan.

so as to enable one of each of the lodges of the combination to return a candidate for either of the Charities upon the first application . This scheme is both a novel and a meritorious one ^ for what is more painfully mortifying than to Avitness eandidafces being disappointed year after year , and often until furthe ? trial becomes hopeless . Bro . Hamilton AA-as a believer in the great Masonic value of No . 7 , and he believed thafc such a combination as he proposed , if carried out , Avould further

demonstrate the truth of his belief and the benefits to be derived therefrom . Bro . Hudson , the retiring AV . M ., having entered the lodge , received the congratulations of the brethren , as , though still suffering from the effects of his recent accident , he hacl made a point of coming among them this evening , more especially jto support and encourage his successor in the chair . All business being concluded , the brethren adjourned to refreshmentand partook of a sumptuous banquetprovided by

, , Bro . AValters in his usual liberal style . The customary loyal and Masonic toasts Avere given ancl cordially responded to ; as these are almost stereotyped amongst us , it ivill be needless here to recapitulate them further than to add that Ave have seldom heard a newly installed AV . M . express himself more feelingly and encouragingly for the lodge over Avhich he had been called upon to preside , and Avhich augurs Avell for another

happy and prosperous year for "flourishing 554 . " Bro . Joseph Hudson , the retiring W . M ., in a feAV pithy words , expressed the pleasure it afforded him to speak for the first time as a P . M ., and to address his late S . W . as W . M , He continued to address the W . M . in ivords Avhich must have fallen most gratefully and hopefully upon the ear of his successor , whom he assured that he could rely upon the entire support not only

of his brother officers but of the members of the lodge in general ; and ivith this perfect entente eordiale existing , he therefore concluded by congratulating the members upon the selection fchey had made , and his successor upon his being called upon to rule such a distinguished lodge . The success of the representative journal of English Freemasonry , the FEEEHASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIEEOE , having been drank ,

was acknowledged in suitable terms by Bro . Sfcevenson ; the Tyler's toasfc brought the proceedings of this happy evening—Avliich Avere agreeably enhanced by the admirable vocal and recitative powers of voluntary brethren—to a timely close .

Provincial.

PROVINCIAL .

CORNWALL . TEUEO . —Lodge of Fortitude ( No . 131 ) . —( Original Avarrant granted 1764 , transferred from a military to a civil lodge in 1827 ) . —The annual meeting of this , the largest lodge in the county of Cormvall , Avas held on Tuesday , the 9 fch insfc ., afc the newly-decorated , commodious , ancl handsome lodge rooms , situate in Quay-street , Truro . Tlie lodge Avas close tyled at one p . m . A \ -hcn a large number of the brethren ivere assembled ,

, including Bros . James LaidlaAV , I . P . M . ; W . J , Johns , P . M ., P . Prov . G . S . B ., as Sec ; and J . Holloway , W . M . elect . Several visitors Avere also present , amongst Avhom Ave noticed Bros , the Rev . H . B . Bullocke , Rector of Sfc . Mary ' s ; and AVilliam James Hughan , editor of the Devon and Cornwall " Masonic Calendar . " Bro . Thomas Chirgwin , P . M ., P . Prov . G . Reg ., P . Prov . J . G . AA ., occupied the chair , and , after the usual opening

ceremony , proceeded to raise three brethren to the sublime degree of a M . M . most efficiently , and subsequently " gave the tools , " and delivered the lecture on the tracing board . Those under the degree of Installed Master then retired , and Bro . S . Holloway was duly presented , entrusted , and installed into the chair , according to the custom of Freemasons for generations . All the brethren entitled having re-entered , the charge of the lodge Avas formall laced in the hands of the ueAA'ly-elecfced

y p W . JI ., AVIIO Avas proclaimed as the laws require ; The AV . M afterwards appointed his officers , as follows , interspersing such a pleasing duty ivith appropriate remarks : —Bros . J . C . Oke , S . AV . ; AVilliam Lake , J . AV . ; T . P . Hicks , Chap . ; T . Chirgwin , P . M ., Treas . ; R . S . Hitching , Sec ; E . Edwards , S . D . ; N . Olive , J . D . ; AV . Eglinton , Dir . of Cers . ; J . Johns , Org . ; W . Boase , I . G . ; Allen and RouseStewards ; and John LangdonTyler .

, , The chair AV : IS then reoccupied by the acting AV . M ., Avho initiated two gentlemen into the mysteries of Freemasonry , and also presented to Bro . James Laidlaw , I . P . M . 131 , wifch an elegant Past Master ' s jewel . On the reverse of the jewel the following Ai-as engraved : — " Presented to Bro . James Laidlaw ,