Masonic Poetry Of America.

And while the mystic throe-While Faith , Hope , Charity Shall Masons' motto bo , We fear no foes . Eight with the arms of lovo ,

Press for the Lodge above , Never despair ; Our work is just begun , Toil till your task is done , Speed to the goal is won , The prize is there .

When orphans shed no tears , When widows have no fears , When Want ' s unknown ,

When foemen foemen greot , When lambs and lions meet , Our mission is complete , Onr task is done .

Who is there that will not admire the truth and beauty of these lines . There is music in them without any accompaniment—they sing themselves . And then there are Bro . Barker ' s playful lines concerning " Courting a Mason's Daughter , " and his " Last Request , " in which he said :

Let no stranger s hand entomb me Underneath the tufted sod , None except a Brother Mason

Shonld consign my dust to God . His poems entitled " The Templars " and " To Kossuth " are also full of pathos . We cannot forbear quoting three stanzas from his " Lip-ht" :

Brother , are you faint and weary , Is your pathway dark and dreary , Doubt , nor fear , nor falter never , Let this be your watchword ever , Light !

Light to stamp ouch sin with terror , Light to hunt and banish error , Lig ht to kill or weaken sorrow , Light to gild a better morrow , Light !

While one intellect is clouded , While one soul in sin is shrouded , While a world for light is d ying Brother never cease your crving—Light !

Bro . Barker's poems have just been published in a tasteful red-line illustrated edition , for the benefit of his widow and children , and no Craftsman who possesses it will fail to admire the rhythm of its lines and the truth and beauty of its sentiments . To Brothers Morris and Barker

the whole Masonio world is under fraternal obligation , and right proud are we that both were born on American soil , were made Mnsons in American Lodges , and thus demonstrate that while we cannot vie with our mother Grand Lodge of England in antiquity , we may point with

pardonable pride to our aptness in learning the Masonic lessons she taught us , and to tlie fact that , we number among us two brethren who , by the consent of the Masonic world , were born poets , and have writtten their best poetry for the Craft . —Keystone .

The Theatres, &C.

THE THEATRES , & c .

Gaiety . —The brief interval that has elapsed since Mr . Dixey left tho Gaiety , has been well utilized , aud an agreeable surprise awaited " First Nighters " on Saturday , tho evening set apart for the production of "Dorothy . " The interior of the theatre has been mngnifieently decorated , the auditorium has been re-modelled , the orchestra

enlarged , and a new act , drop has been painted , by Mr . W . Beverlev . A paWt system of ventilation his been introduced , insuring a pure atmosphere throughout tho building . For thsit portion of tho audience which indnlgfa in a cigarette during the nets , a sumptuous foyer and smoking room has been erected . The electric light has been turned

on all over the building , tin- ! Mr . E . ' uvnHi-s may be congratulated o > the wav in which ho Las had all these a't ^ r . itioas carried out . Turnine- , however , to f' 0 hifi'te .- 'S that : called ns to the Gaiety hist Saturday , wo may soy that . " Dor . thy " is a piece well suited to thi ,-lionse . . Mr . B . C . Stephenson is responsible for the book , and Mr .

Alfred Collier for the rnufie . "Dorothv" is described as an original comedy opera in three net ; - ' , and is of the more refined and delicate type , Mr . Stephenson might , perhaps , have supplied a stronocr book , but this is mado up for by the charming and catching music . Mr . Collier has poured forth number after number frill of attractive

melody , and most tit -questionably the success achieved is due to hirn . Some of the ideas connected with . Mr . Stephenson ' s portion of the work are traceable to snch piece- ! as " She Stoops to Conquer , " " Ermiiiie , " and "The Rivals , " but he hns woven his material so well thut ti > e similarity will not bo noticed hy the majority of plavgoers .

The opera , has received elaborate treatment in tho shape of dresses teenoty , & c ; the hop warden , as tepreserted in tho fi-sfc act , beiny sp . 'eiilly admire . 1 . The orchesciu , is under tho diredi > n of that popular conductor , Heir Meyer Lntz ; while the chorus is composed of » ingev 3 of tb . ohighfc-.-l oide :-. The uluy may be briefl y summarized .

The Theatres, &C.

Dorothy is a young lady , tho daughter of Squire Bantam . This gentlemau desires to marry her to Geoffrey Wilder , a cousin she has not met for years . This naturally she objects to , and carries her anti-wedlock ideas to such an extreme as to profess surprise at any girl thinking even of marriage . Dorothy and her cousin , Lydia Haw . thorne , adopt humble attire , aud go together to the hop field . While

here they meet Geoffrey Wilder and his friend Harry Sherwood . These gentleman thus make the acquaintance of Dorothy and her cousin , and as a result another meeting i 3 arranged for . The ladies give Geoffrey and Harry each a ring , to be shown them on the morrow in token of their constancy . Wilder , however , is pursued b y

a Sheriff ' s officer named Lurcher , from whose attention he hopes to be rid on reaching Chanticleer Hall , his uncle ' s residence . Wilder ' s di . lemma with the sheriff ' s officer is temporarily made straight by his pro . mise to pay the debt , and by his saving Lurcher from being ducked in a horse-pond by a crowd of peasants , who are indignant that a writ has

just been served on an old woman . Wilder masquerades as a duke , and , now accompanied by Sherwood , and with Lurcher as his secretary , arrives at Squire Bantam ' s hall ; here he declares his oarriage has broken down , and craves shelter for the night . Wilder and Sherwood next meet Dorothy and Lydia , whom they fail to

recognise as their village lovers . The two girls , who immediatel y recognise Wilder and Sherwood , contrive to get their rings back again , and resolvo they will p lay a trick upon their fickle admirers . Wilder , to obtain tho money necessary to pay the Sheriff's officer , gives out that he has been robbed during their stay in the house ,

in the expectation tho Squire will insist npon making the sum good . This plan succeeds , and by this means Wilder is able to free himself from Lurcher . The excitemeut occasioned in the household by the reported robbery , and the appearance , at break of day , of a crowd of huntsmen , with the hounds , to take the Squire for a run , brings the

second act to a lively conclusion . Now comes the amusing portion of the opera . Dorothy and Lydia , disguised a 3 rustio lads , challenge Wilder and Sherwood to a duel , for personal indignities to the sqnire ' s relatives , and a hostile meeting is arranged for in the adjacent wood . To test the courage of their lovers , the two girls go to

the spot , armed with pistols , which they havo taken care shall be chargeless . However , being the challenged , Wilder and Sherwood insist upon the duel taking place with their pistols , whereupon the girls' courage oozes in double quick time . Explanations naturally follow , with result long foreseen . Tho opera has been well rehearsed

undo :. ' the direction of Mr . 0 . Harris , aud praise is due to all con . corned for the perfect manner in whioh it was presented on the first night . Mis Marion Hood worked with a will as Dorothy ; she sang with her wonted brightness , but we should like her better if she moderated her style somewhat ; this had more of a tendency towards

burlesque acting thin to ns appeared noco 3 sary . This lady receives valuable » S 3 istanco from Miss Florence Dysart , as Lydia ; her rich contralto voice tells to ev . od effect in tho concerted pieces . In the part of Wilder , Mr . Redfern Hollies did not show to such advantage us was expected , but Mr . flaydon Coffin ( Sherwood ) was simply

perfection . The Phyllis of Miss Florence Lambeth , the Mrs . Priveto of Miss Harriet Coveney , the Squire Bantam of Mr . Furneaux Cook , the John Tnppitt of Mr . El ward Griffin , and the Torn Strutt of Mr . John Le Hay , received tho applause of thoso preseut , aud each effectively aided tho principal artists . The part of Lurcher is a

small one . and could very well bo written up , bnt the little that was required from Mr . Arthur Williams , who played the part , was made the most of . In tho absence of Mr . Collier , Mr . Stephenson acknowledged tho enthusiastic call for tho author , while Mr . George Edwardcs came forward to receive congratulations from his friends upou the success of his first production .

Haymarket . — After an interval of some months , the popular Society Romance , "Jim the Penman , " was again produced at the Haymarket Theatre , on Saturday last . The further success awaiting this piece was evidenced by tho plaudits of a large and appreciative audiene . The most

importanfc chauge in the cast since its original production has been that of James Balston ( Jim the Penman ) . This character is now entrusted to Mr . E . S . Willard . This gentleman ' s facial expression , splendid acting , and well-trained voice , gained for hirn well merited applause . Lady Monckton , as Mrs . Ralston , has greatly improved

npon her original presentation . In the third act , where she compares her husband ' s handwriting with a forged letter , she was loudly applauded . Mr . Bcerbohm-Tree , as Baron llartfeld , added vigour to the play . His German accent was excellently sustained . . Mr . F . If . Macklin was at home as Louis Percival ; but Mr . C . W . Garthortto

did not grasp the part of Caotain IWlwnod , a character made tho most of by his pr dec'ss-u ' , Mr . Charles Sit : den . Mr . E . Maurice was cool and collected as Lord Drelinconrt . MHS . Helen Ley ton played the part of A -J n es ft-ilston in true "irHsh style . Miss Henm-tca Lindley enacted Lady Dunscornbe with her usual ability .

Prince Of Wales S . —Mr . Edgar Bruce has jnsfc obtained special pei mission fr . an M . K . II . the Print ; . ) of Wales t > rename his pretty hotiK' in Coventry .. vroet , Piccadilly , the Prince of Wales ' s Theatre . Thi * was tho title oria-inidly intended to he used ; but tho licensing

authorities he'd tint it was but fair to tho landlords of tho famous old bnildine- in Toi toulnrn Stce- ' -t —which WHS condemned by the Hoard of Works in 18 S 2 as unsafe—that a certain timo should he ai ! ow .-d th <» m to i-eoudd before their title could bo transferred

elsewhere . This difficulty b"in < r no-. v removed , tho Prince ' s Theatre will in future be kriawr . as tho Prince of Wales ' :- ! Theatre . " FJU Uornuise , " :-o-. v comic rp-ira , in thiv-e acts , from tho French of JIM . L r .-i-roi' and Vanl o , writ ( . on by Alfred Murray , composed hy

Andre Messa ^ cr , wid be produced at the Prince of Wales ' s Theatre , Coventry Street , Piccadilly , on Monday evening next , under the stage dire .-riun of M . Marin-- . Miss Florence St . ' Jnha , Miss Marie

Teinpc-t . Mr . J . J . Ddlas , Mr . (! . if . Suazelie , Mr . E . J . L-mnen , and full company , with a . chorus of fifty , arc engaged . Musical Director , Mr . Walter * la > ie ; ht-T . New costum-a by M . aud Mme . Alia 3 , from designs by M . L . Besche . Armour b y Marty . Wigs by Fox .