Festival Of The United Grand Lodge Of England.

England was , and in England there was no body of men more distin . gnished for their charity than the Freemasons . Our reverend brother then referred to some of the past doings in connection with the Charity Festivals , and urged that even more general support was deserved by the Institutions . Bro . Hedges acknowledged the toast .

The Charities owed a deep debt of gratitude to the Craft . The Benevolent Institution had celebrated , at the beginning of the year , a Festival second to none in its annals , and now the Girls' and Boys' Schools stood before the brethren , hat in hand , waiting for their verdiot . The Girls would hold their Ninety-seventh

Anniversary Festival that day fortnight , when the Provinoial Grand Master of Sussex would preside ; he ( Rro . Hedges ) hoped he should then have to announce a result secoud to none in the annals of the Institution he had the honour to represent . The toast of the Grand Stewards was duly honoured , and was

acknowledged by Bro . Alderman Sir Reginald Hanson . The Grand Stewards followed in the wake of many great men in the Craft who had had the honour of serving the offioe in the past , and he hoped tbey would vie successfully with those who had preceded them . The toast list having been brought to a conclusion the company

again repaired to the Temple where a concert was given , under the direotion of the Grand Organist , Bro . Edwin M . Lott . The Temple with its approaches presents a most elegant

appearance , but as so many of our readers have opportunities of personally inspecting it we do not , in our present uotice , deem it necessary to fnrnish a detailed description of the improvements and decorations , we give , however , the

following—LIST OF PICTURES IN THE TEMPLE .

RIGHT SIDE ( facing Dais)—1 . H . R . H . Prince of Wales , G . M . 1874 . —By Bro . Chevalier Desanges . 2 . 9 th Lord Petre , G . M . 1772-77 . —By Bro . Sydney Hodges .

3 . 4 th Duke of Manchester , G . M . 1777-82 . —By Bro . Chevalier Desanges . 4 . Marquis of Hastings , Aoting G . M . 1790-1813 . —By Bro . Stephen Pearoe .

5 . 4 th Duke of Athole , G . M . 1775-81 and 1791-1813 . —Restored . LETT SIDE .

1 . H . R . H . the Prinoe of Wales ( afterwards George IT . ) , G . M . 1790 to 1813 . —By Bro . B . S . Marks . 2 . H . R . H . Henry 1 st Duke of Cumberland , G . M . 1782-90 . —By Bro . Stephen Pearce . 3 . H . R . H . Edward Duke of Kent , G . M . 1813 . —By Bro . W Hay .

4 . H . R . H . Augustus Duke of Sussex , G . M . 1813-43 . —By Bro . B . S . Marks . 5 . 2 nd Earl of Zetland , G . M . 1843-70 . —By Bro . Chevalier Desanges . LEFT OF ENTRANCE ( facing Dais )—Anthony Sayer , G . M . 1717 . —By Bro . T . R . Beaufort . RIGHT OF ENTRANCE ( facing Dais )—Dr . Desaguliers , G . M . 1719 . —By Bro . T . R . Beaufort .

The Theatres.

THE THEATRES .

Drury Lane . —All lovers of music—as an art , not as a fashion ¦ —will heartily rejoice in the triumph achieved by our young English oomposer Mr . Goring Thomas . Delighted and overflowing houses greet Nadeshda with growing enthusiasm . Mr . Thomas belongs essentially to the newer school of musicians , though , unlike his predecessors Balfe and Wallace , he declines to make the musical drama a medium for the introduction of detached songs , often

episodical in purpose , yet never , in his exquisitely classical instru . mentation , is their absence felt as a want of effective interest ; and never does he sacrifice , after the manner of the great Master of the modern school , the emotional interest of the language he speaks to

the temptation of scientific display or the vanity of fantastio orchestration . He has had the good fortune to secure an interesting story , ably versified by Mr . Sturgis , whilst scarcely on the operatic stage could he have found a lady more fitted for the part of the hi gh-souled Nadeshda than Madame Valeria . Not only does she

smg exquisitely , but the soul of tenderness and self sacrifice vibrates in the tones of her voice . It is Nadeshda ' s passion , despair ^ i 0 7 , that pervades her , not the triumph of the prima donna . Nadeshda's song , " Oh river , dear river , " will doubtless become a favourite , and perhaps still more so the exquisite ballad , " As when the

snow drifts . " The ballet of the Second Act is delightful iu its treshness . Mile . Luna , as premiere danaeuse , achieves well merited hon ours , so sparkling and full of colour is her assumption of the Russian village maiden . Mr . McGuckin has gained much in dramatic power since last season , and as the generous Voldemar sings

with great taste and feeling . His "Now is tho Hour" scored a marked success . Mr . Crotty , a thorough artist , ha-J excellent opportunit y as tbe wicked brother Ivan . " Our sires were stout aud crave" sung by him with splendid effect . Miss Yorke , who as snmes the part of the Princess , possesses the valuable gift of clear terance . Mr . Bnrgonin the small part of Ostapproved himself a ^ f ^ . . . „ .. ^ ......... *

, , , . _ -- . ... .,, ,. „ „ . v ^™^ , r .-.. - ne artiafc . Tbechorus is admirably drilled , while the orchestra , under r - Randegger , has the true perception of musical perspective , avmg the foreground to the voices . Yery picturesque scenery ° ''Dis the setting of this charming work ; especially beautiful is " The * e Forest" of Act III ., with a red sunset through the lowering

Ha ymarket . —As Mr . and Mrs . Bancroft ' s last season foreshortens and the end approaches , wo look jealously to oach change in

The Theatres.

their programme , and with anxious hope that one of our especial favourites may once more be associated with the Bancroft name . " Ours" has been given ns , but notwithstanding a certain fictitious interest duo to the present Russian complications , and the old charm of the acting of Mr . and Mrs . Bancroft , the plav seemed to lack vitality .

The crude improbability of the plot would assert itself , and the humour of making jam puddings amid the tragic suroundings of a Crimean hut in that awful harvest of death had something irritatingly unnatural in it . Miss M . A . Victor , a clever actress in eccentrio comedy , is but ill suited with the part of Lady Shendryn , and Mr . Kemble ,

though he plays with commendable earnestness and freedom from exaggeration , is certainly too meek and reasonable a " common Christian" for the preposterous deception the author imposes on him . Mr . Barrymora , one of our best emotional " heroes , " seemed ill at ease on the first night as MacAlister , but we give praise to Mr .

Brookfield for his well drawn and well thought out picture of the high-handed Russian . The audience gave the play but a lukewarm reception . Mr . and Mrs . Bancroft's friends are hoping they may yet enjoy the delightful little drama "Sweethearts , " decidedly one of Gilbert's best . " Money , " too , with the inimitable Lady Franklyn of the Manageress .

Toole S . —Those who love John Toole—and surely he must be " full of treasons , stratagems and spoils , " who loves him not—have rejoiced to welcome back their old friend Paul Pry , and take a lesson in French before breakfast in King William-street . " Old Harry , " we confess , we find somewhat disappointing , though the company

with their chief do their best with it . It is in fact a fossil melodrama , and is at best interesting historically . A new play by Byron is shortly to be produced , and we trust may bring no less good fortune to Toole's than that kindly author ' s " Open House " has secured for the Vaudeville .

Surrey . — Till Death do us Part" has been delighting large audiences over the water . It is a melodrama of the " old crusted" sort—daggers and revolvers ; a wrongful heir of the intensest demoniacal pattern ; a rightful heir with all the trials and virtues that belong to his kind . The clever company give vitality to

the author's rather second-hand personages . Mr . Conquest jun ., as a disreputable swindling Rev . H . Spriggins , trading on the secrets ha possesses , might be a Fleet parson out of Hogarth . That accomplished villain Mr . Nye , first cousin to the " Spider , " thrills hia audience with the graceful audacity of his impersonation . Mr .

Cruickshank gives a life-like pre 8 eutment of a kindly old Preston mill hand . Miss Amy MacNeil plays with all her winsom » ness the much persecuted heroine . We think , however , she somewhat misses her opportunity when she exhibits so little terror on finding herself a

prisoner in " The Southwark den . " We look forward with no little interest to her appearance next week inMdlle . Beatrice's great part , " A Woman of the People . " She will be supported by Mr . George Conquest , who may be termed our modern Robson .

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