Leicestershire.

356 ; The Apollo Lodge , Alcestev , 37 S ; The Guy's Lodge , Leamington , 556 ; The Abbey Lodge , Nuneaton , 625 ; Lodge of Light , Birmingham , GS 9 ; Faithful , Birmingham , 696 ; Lodge of Rectitude , Rugby , 739 ; Tbe Unity Lodge , Warwick , 828 ; The Howe Lodge , Birmingham , 857 ; The Stoneleigh Lodge , Kenilworth , 1027 ; The Temperance Lodge , Birmingham , 1041 ; Bard of Avon Lodge , Stratford , 1080 ; The Warden Lodge , Sutton Colefield , 1096 ; The Leigh Lodge of Rifle Volunteers

Birmingham , 1189 ; The Bedford Lodge , Birmingham , 1227 ; St . Paul ' s Chapter , Birmingham , 51 ; the Howe R . A . Chapter , Birmingham , 857 . The total number of signatures was between four and five hundred . We may state that the book was got up by Bro . B . Hall , Bro . A . W . Woods ( Lancaster Serald ) , G . D . C ., kindly supplying tho arms , & e . "Wednesday being fixed by Lord Leigh for the presentation , a deputation consisting of representatives of each of the lod

ges preceded to Stoneleigh to make it . The brethren connected with the Birmingham lodges left the New-street station by the 12 . 15 p . m . train , and were joined at Coventry by the brethren at that city , and at Stoneleigh they were met by brethren from Warwick , Leamington , and other surrounding towns . Altogether between eighty and a hundred of the Masonic fraternity were introduced to Lord Leigh , in the large hall at Stoneleigh .

Amongst those present were Bros . C . W . Elkington , D . Prov . G . M . Dr . Bell Fletcher , P . D . Prov . G . M . ; E . Lingard , Prov . J . G . W ., W . B . Briggs , Prov . J . G . W . ; C . Ratcliff , Rev . W . K . R . Bedford Grand Chaplain of England ; J . Collins , Dawes , Sir J . Ratcliff Turner , Hutton , B . W . Goode , J . Goode , Greenway , Weiss , J . C Cohen , J . B . Hebbert , Rev . Kittoe , Mole , Beaumont , F . Dee , G . Jones , Thompson , Chandler , Beresford , Best , Muggeridge Randall , Roberts , Rev . J . Ray , Foster , L . Cohen , Johnson ,

Pursall , Vaughan , Dr . Warden , Macbin , Rev . Dickens , Rev . Kittoe Rev . Widdrington , Isaacs , Bliss , Overell , Read , T . Clark , Over bury , Wymer , Captain Meacham , Flynn , Dr . Fayrer , Redforn Tyler , Jason , Hobbs , Durchinson , & c . After being introduced to his lordship the company were conducted through the Stoneleigh Library and Museum , and then entertained at a cold collation , provided in one of the corridors . At three o ' clock they were conducted to the Grand reception room , where they were received by Lady Leigh , who was accompanied by the Hon . Miss

Leigh . The presentation was then made . Bro . CHARLES W . ELRINCTON said : Lady Leigh , I have tbe pleasure to introduce to you a deputation from the Freemasons of Warwickshire , consisting of the present and past officers of the Provincial Grand Lodge , the masters and other brethren from the various lodges . By your permission , we are here to-day to perforin a most agreeable and pleasant duty : to show our esteem and affection to your noble husband . It is

ten j-ears since that estimable nobleman and Mason , Lord Howe , retired from the office of Provincial Grand Master , and on that occasion he wrote a letter , an extract of which I shall venture to read . In giving up the office he said -. — " The regret I feel in taking this step is greatly reduced from tbe circumstance of having provided a successor in the person of Lord Leigh , who has accepted the appointment , and who will , T have no doubt , fulfil the various duties of the office with dignity and honour

to the Craft . " We little thought at that time that be would prove so true prophet , but I need scarcely say that Lord Leigh has carried out that prophecy to tbe fullest extent , and has ruled over us " with dignity and honour to the Craft . " ( Hear ) . He has carried out in his every day life tbe three great principles of our Order—brotherly love , relief and truth . AVe have had many and frequent opportunities of meeting Lord Leigh , in lodge

and out of lodge ; we have always seen the same urbanity of manners , the same kindness of heart , the same nobleness of disposition , the same courtesy to every Mason . He has , in fact , ruled over us with a brother's love . ( Hear , hear ) . With respect to belief , I need only mention among many , two circumstances , one connected and the other unconnected with Freemasonry . The great and hihlsuccessful effort

gy made by Lord Leigh , assisted by ladies . and gentlemen of this county , and by your ladyship in particular , to raise a fund for the relief of the distressed weavers of Coventry and its neighbourhood will soon be a living testimonial of what Lord Leigh , a 3 Lord-Lieutenant of Warwickshire , did for his country . ( Applause . ) With resjject to Freemasonry , I have only to mention that for three consecutive years Lord Leigh consented to

preside at the festivals for our Masonic charities . The brethren , led on by their Prov . G . M ., were glad to avail themselves of the privilege to subscribe to these noble institutions . Nearly £ 1500 was raised in aid of the aged Masons , the widows , the children ,

and orphans of our brother Masons . ( Applause . ) But , Lady Leigh , the brethren were not content with showing their attachment and appreciation of these charities , but they also wished to testify their attachment to their Prov . G . M ., and during the three years 150 of the brethren travelled to London to support Lord Leigh in tho chair . ( Hear , hear . ) They fully appreciated the high position in which Lord Leigh had placed them in the history of Freemasonry . ( Applause . ) It was in connection with

this last , and , to us , most gratifying , circumstance , we wished to have a memento of our success in aiding our Masonic charities , and to testify our esteem to our Prov . G . M . Bro . Edward Lingard suggested that we should ask Lord Leigh to permit us to have his portrait painted , and that portrait presented to Lady Leigh . We felt that no place was so fitting for such a record to be placed in as within the walls of this beautiful abbey . ( Applause . ) We felt that Lord Leih would more appreciate

g any testimonial , and attach a higher value to it , if your ladyship were closely associated with it . We also felt that you would value such a testimonial more than any other object—in fact , that you would value , next to the original itself , a life-like portrait of your noble husband . ( Applause . ) With that portrait we have to present an address , which , with your ladyship ' s permission , I will now read : — ,.

" To the Rigid Son . Lady Leigh . "Madam , —The Freemasons of Warwickshire , with the strongest feelings of gratification derived from the' interest which your ladyship has been pleased to show in the progress of Masonry in the province , an interest not evidenced by words alone , but by many and various substantial acts of kindness and encouragement to the Craft , request your ladyship ' s acceptance of a portrait of Lord Leigh , from the pencil of Sir John

Watson Gordon , and beg that you will regard it as a testimony of the high esteem iu which they hold your noble husband , their Prov . G . M . During the exemplary rule of the present illustrious head of the Craft in this province , the advance of the principles of the Order has been signalised , not merely by the formation or consecration of six new lodges , and the great increase of candidates of high social position and moral worth , but chieflbthe unparalleled contributions of nearly £ 1500

y y , raised in Warwickshire in three consecutive years for the three great Masonic charities , each year under the presidency of Lord Leigh . By such kind and zealous course of action our Prov . G . M . gives tbe best evidence of his devotion to those high principles on which Freemasonry is founded , and warrants us in the request that our record of esteem for our leader in the path of brotherllovereliefand truthshould be crowned by the

y , , , favour of your Ladyship's acceptance . That the God of Mercy and Truth may ever bless you and yours , that the prayers of the widow and the orphan may be heard on your behalf , and that the portrait now presented may descend to a long line of posterity , heirs to those virtues which so eminently distinguish the present owner of the illustrious name of Leigh , is tbe

fervent and sincere prayer of the Freemasons of Warwickshire . ( Applause . ) I have now the pleasure , in the name of the Freemasons of Warwickshire , to ask your Ladyship's acceptance of that portrait . I know I need not assure you that the task which now devolves upon me as D . Prov . G . M . is one I highly honour , it is the most gratifying task in my long career of Freemasonry , that in the name of such a body of Masons I have to ask j'onr Ladyshi ' s tance of this portrait . Each word

paccep in that address is fully appreciated by every brother who is here to-day , and not only so , but by every brother in the province of Warwickshire . Our prayer is that you may long live to possess the original of the portrait , and may have the opportunity of comparing the portrait with the original , and the original with the portrait , for many many years to come . " ( Alause . )

pp Bro . EHCINGTON then formally made the presentation . Lord LEIGH said , in reply : Deputy Provincial Grand Master and brethren , I am desired by Lady Leigh to read you the following observations which she wishes to make , and having done so , 1 desire to say one word my own self . His Lordship then read the following reply : — " Gentlemen—It is impossible for me to express to you as

, fully as I could wish , my sense of the kindness which has prompted you to offer me a valuable present , or for the kindly appreciation of my feelings which suggested to you that a portrait of Lord Leigh would be the most accep table form in which such a gift could be presented . You are pleased to refer in terms of personal congratulation to the collections made among your body under Lord Leigh ' s presidency for the various