Mark Masonry.

pro tern . ; D . Osmont , M . O . ; R . Goodear , S . O . ; J . Ledger , J . O . ; Hislop , S . D . ; C . Oxley , J . D . ; Burtles , Dir . of Cers . ; Lendrin , I . G . ; E . S . Bruce , Kappey , Donald , & e . The lodge was opened in due form with solemn prayer . The minutes of the preceding meetings having been read , Bros . Capt . Cassidy , 31 st Regiment , and Capt . Adams , 2 nd Battalion 20 th Regiment , were ballotted for as joining members and unanimously elected . Bro . Fisher ,

of tlie 31 st Regiment , Bro . Dr . Seabrook , and Bro . Maine , Royal Engineers , were ballotted for as candidates , and being unanimously elected , were advanced to the honourable degree of Mark Master . Proposed by Bro . Irwin , W . M ., and seconded by Bro . Fraser , J . W ., " That Bro . Shuttleworth be an honorary member of this lodge . " Carried unanimously . Proposed by the W . M ., and seconded by Bro . Fraser , J . W ., that a vote of thanks

be entered on the minutes of the lodge to Bro . W . Fraseiv P . S . W . No . 54 , in consideration of his valuable services in the formation of this lodge . Carried unanimously . It was also linaiiimonsly resolved to take in the FUEEMASONB MAGAZINE . Several notices of motion were then given for decision at the next regular meeting , and there being no further business , the lodge was closed according to ancient custom .

Public Amusements.

PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS .

HER MAJESTY'S THEATEE . This beautiful theatre opened on Monday last , for two weeks only , with Italian opera . It has long been assumed that Italian opera is a tender exotic , which cannot flourish on Englisb soil save with tbe aid of the artificial warmth and the fostering care which the fashionable

season can alone supply . So any attempt to acclimatise to tbe rigours of our winter this graceful importation from tbe " sweet south" has hitherto been looked upon as a chimerical speculation . Tho crowded state of Her Majesty ' s on tho opening night seemed to denote that the present venture was at least not ill-timed ; and it is

jiossible that these spasmodic re-appearances of an efficient troupe may some day result in the establishment of a permanent Italian opera , that shall remain open from January to December . In tbe shortest series o ? perfoz-raanees " Faust" noir always heads the list of works to be given , and M .

Gounod's most popular work was naturally selected for that night ' s representation . Of the performance itself there is literally nothing to be said , seeing that all

engaged , with one exception , bave repeated played tbe roles which are now assigned to them . How often Mdlle . Tifciens has played Margaritha she herself could probably not say ; and how well she sings it wo need not tell our readers . Making due allowance for the slight hoarseness , probably the effect of tbe dense fog which

penetrated into the theatre , and even obscured the . view of the stage , we may safely affirm tbat she has never exerted herself to better effect . "When we explain that Mademoiselle Grossi was the Siebel , none will be surprised to hear tbat " Le parlate d ' amor" was encored , nor will any appreciative opera-goer deny that Mr . Santley ' s

impersonation of Valentin is hy very much tbe finest which has ever yet been seen . His death-scene , indeed , was the most perfect feature of tbe admirable performance . Signor Gardoni was the Faust , and he sang the delicious music allotted to the pleasure-seeking philosopher with all his habitual elegance , and with more

than his usual feeling . Actuated by every possible consideration for a painstaking singer , we cannot refrain from remarking that Signor Bossi ' s grotesque acting and

untutored singing as Mephistopheles are unworthy of the company in which he is placed . That the chorus is remarkably good was evidenced in the " old men ' s strophe , " which of course was encored , and to still greater advantage in the brief prayer , sung pianissimo , as Valentin's soul is winging its flight to heaven . The orchestra was admirable , and tbe whole performance was most ably conducted by Signor Arditi .

HAYMAEKET . " On the Sly , " produced here on Monday evening after the play of " Mademoiselle de Belle Isle , " is an adaptation , by Mr . Maddison Morton , of one of the Palais Eoyal farces brought out about two years ago , under the title of " J'invite le Colonel . " A Government clerk , Mr . John

DMits , having gone to the Derby " on the sly , " in company with some of his fellow-assistants in the Stamps and Taxes Department , has been discovered in awkward proximity to an hysterical female , who turns out to be his wife ' s dressmaker . Mrs . Dibbits , informed of theoccurrence by her servant , has since subjected the

presumed delinquent to the strictest matrimonial curb , taking the disbursement of the household expenditure entirely under her own control , and only allowing her spouse the privilege of retaining fifteen shillings and sixpence for weekly pocket-money , of which he has to regularly render up au exact account . When the husband

rebels , he is silenced by the ominous threat from the lady , " I'll invite the Major , " a sentence which derives its significance from the belief that a certain Major Growler is sending pink envelopes , stamped with Cupids and concealed in bouquets , as a token of his admiration for the buxom mistress of the establishment . Mrs . __>_&

-bits has merely made use of the name as a means of keeping her husband in subjection , and tho notes and bouquets are her own penning and purchase ; but when Major Growler really arrives , and offers to take the second floor of the clerk ' s house in Pimlico , her own embarrassment is as great as her husband ' s jealousj \

The Major , however , proving by his preparations . to marry that he has no sinister intention of disturbing the sanctity of the domestic hearth , is spared tbe threatened infliction of having his brains blown out by the infuriated Dibbits with a- pair of bellows , and readily admitted as a lodger . Bro . Buckstone , as the unhappy

victim of matrimonial tyranny , contrived out of very slight materials , to divert the audience by a display of tbat humour which has been so often enjoyed in this theatre . Mr . Eogers as the bluff Major , Mr . Walter Gordon as a friendly instigator of marital insurrection ,. Miss Snowdon as the comely Mrs . Dibbits , and Mrs . E .

FitzwiUiam as a smart and saucy servant , agreeably assisted the progress of the farce ; and at the end Bro . Buckstone announced it for repetition with the general sanction of the audience .

ADELPHI . A popular topic is always sure to be quickly pounced upon by Messrs . W . Brough and Halliday as a fitting theme for farcical illustrations and under the title of " Doing Banting" the Adelphi audience received on