Grand Lodge.

GRAND LODGE .

ZOSDON , SATURDAY , APRIL 27 , 1801 .

The annual installation—or , perhaps , ive should rather say , re-inchictioii—of the Earl of Zetland as Grand Master , with the appointment of the new Grand Officers for the year , took place on "Wednesday last , and was of more than usual interest , in consequence of the retirement of the Earl of Dalhousie from the office of D .

Grand Master , and the appointment of Earl de Grey and Eipon as his successor . Shortly after Lord Panmure entered upon office , it became oiu duty to endeavour to "break a lanee with him on some questions of Colonial policy ; and though

our suggestions were not at the time so fully attended to as we could have wished , we have the satisfaction of knowing that they were afterwards substantially carried into effect . In these contests ive are hound to admit that we were always met with the greatest courtesy hy

the noble Earl who now retires from office ; and we deeply share the regret , which we are sure is deeply felt throughout the Craft , that the cause of his lordship's retirement should be failing health ; though on other grounds we rejoice at it , believing with his lordship that

the occasional introduction of young blood into the higher offices of Masonry , must tend to the benefit of the Craft—sentiments which ive haye often expressed , without , however , finding so high , an authority to endorse them .

The noble Earl is succeeded by a young nobleman who is probably the most rising statesman of the day , and who , when Lord Goderich , made a favourable impression on the Craft as S . G . W . The two noble

earls appeared to vie with each other as to which should be the most graceful—the retirement from , or the assumption of , office ; and it would be hard to say which bore away the palm , so well were they both received at the banquet by the brethren ; and Ave doubt not that in Lord de Grey we shall find a brother not only able , but

anxious , to exert himself for the good ofthe Order . In the retirement of the Earl of Dalhouse we are gratified to find that we are not altogether to lose his services , but that he has consented to continue in the Council of the Grand Master , and has promised

to , as often as possible , attend the communications of Grand Lodge , and take part in its deliberations . " We are the more gratified at this because we have always lu-ged that tlie attendance of Past Officers of experience and position would not only add to the dignity of Grand

Lodge , but would tend to curb any little excitability of temper , should it at any time unfortunately show itself . "We commend the speeches of the two noble earls to the close attention of the brethren ; and must here be allowed to exjiress our regret that the M . W . G . Master

was unable to be present , through the serious illness of a relative—a circumstance Avhich could not fail in some measure to cast a gloom on the proceedings of an otherwise happy evening , i

Of the new Grand Officers we shall , as yet , say but little , intending to devote a column or two to them hereafter ; but this we may say , that the Deacons and the Assistant Director of Ceremonies have the advantage over the Wardens of being known as taking an active

part , not only in ihe general affairs of Masonry , but iu the interests of her Charities . The announcement of the name of Bro . Lorcl Eichard Grosvenor as S . G . W . was very far from favourably received in consequence of its being stated that pressing business kept him in the

country—the brethren , no doubt , remembering that this is the third year a similar apology has been made for the absence of a Grand Warden on the night of installation—and that the J . W . of 1859 , and the S . W . of 1860 , are , to this day , as utter strangers to the

members of Grand Lodge as they were on the day of iheir appointments . We trust that at the end of the year we shall not have to make a similar report with regard to Lord Sichard Grosvenor—for brethren , however exalted , have no right to take office if they cannot sometimes attend to their duties ; and we are the more

inclined to be dissatisfied when they do not do so , when we recollect the examples which have been set them by the -Earl of Dalhousie , the Sari of Yarborough , Earl de Grey , Lord de Tabley , Lord Leigh , and others . Of the Junior Warden we , as yet , know nothingexcepting that he is the W . M . of No . 6 ; and

, every brother we have spoken to upon the subject , , appears to be in the same happy state of ignorance . Whether he will ever achieve a commanding position amongst Masons it is yet difficult to say , but certainly the little Ave saw of him on Wednesday evening does not

lead us to believe that he will bring any great amount in aid ofthe deliberations of Grand Lodge . Bro . Gregory , the new J . G . D . was also absent , being professionally engaged in Sicily , but he has taken too active a part in the deliberations of Grand Lodge to

warrant any fear that he will long be absent . Bro . Mclntyre is well known as a ready and practised debater , and will be found of great use on the dais , where the whole brunt of the business has far too long devolved only on one or two brethren , one of whom has borne the lion ' s share .

Bro . Symonds has fairly won his spurs by the part the part he has taken in promoting the interests of the various Charities of the order , alike by his purse , his time , and his talents , and we trust that as "he has won them so may he Avear them . Of the other officers we need as yet say nothing ,

though we hope that at the end of their year of office they may fully justify the -confidence of the Grand Master . As we have stated elseivhere , the whole of the arrangements Avere tolerably complete ; but it is high time that

the musical entertainment in the glee room should be wholly dispensed with , if it cannot be earned out without the presence of policemen to overawe the brethren .