Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

THE DE LEV ANTE FUND .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I should be glad if you would allow me , through the medium of your columns , on behalf of my mother , to thank sincerely those kind , sympathising friends who have so generously given their support to the above fund by performing , and assisting in other ways , at the benefit matinee , giving donations ,

and purchasing t- ' ckets . The trustees , Mr . E . J . Acworth , Mr . G . Coop , Mr . J . M . Uiiamberlin , and Mr . E . M . Lander ( representing the West Middlesex , Queen ' s Westminster , Asaph , and Carnarvon Lodges respectively ) who spared neither timo nor expense in arranging the many details , have purchased a business for my mother at 37 Uxbridge Road , Shepherd's Bush , whioh has every

prospect of proving successful . It is important to mention that this fund originated , and was chiefly supported by Freemasons , of whioh Order my father was a respected member for many years , and it has been a great consolation to ns , hiB family , to know how highly ho must have been regarded to havo occasioned such sympathy and kindly interest , at whioh we are all truly gratified . 21 Edgware Road , W . Yours , & o . 26 th March . E . P . DELEVANTE .

Dr . Donations as follows : — £ a d Asaph Lodge ... ... ... ... 25 0 0 Queen ' s Westminster Lodge ... ... ... 10 10 0 West Middlesex Lodge ... ... ... ... 10 10 0 Benevolent Fund ( United Grand Lodge ) ... ... 30 0 0 Mr . and Mrs . Edward Clark ... ... ... 50 0 0

R . Rowbotham , Esq . ... ... ... ... 5 0 0 W . Deloitte , Esq 3 3 0 Miss Hilda Wilson ... ... ... ... 2 2 0 Miss Chambers ... ... ... ... ... 2 2 0 MissGlenny ... ... ... ... ... 2 2 0

Edward Lloyd , Esq . ... ... ... ... 2 2 0 Messrs . Collard and Collard ... ... ... 220 John Broadwood , Esq . ... ... ... ... 110 Rev . 0 . G . D . Perrott ... ... ... ... 110 A . Austin , Esq . ... ... ... ... ... 110 W . B . Hieatt , Esq . ... ... ... ... 110

F . Soarsbrook , Esq . . . ... ... ... 110 R . Boleyn , Esq . ... ... ... ... ... 110 E . Livett , Esq 110 E . Terry , Esq . ... ... ... ... ... 110 S . Trego , Esq . ... ... ... ... ... 110

U . Manchester , JJisq . ... ... ... ... i i u J . Shuter , Esq . ... ... ... ... ... 10 0 Henry Irving , Esq . ... ... ... ... 10 0 F . Whittlesea , Esq . ... ... ... ... 0 10 6 G . Davis , Esq . ... ... ... ... ... 0 10 6 W . Wadham . Esq 0 10 G

S . Adkins , Esq 0 10 6 J . L . Toole , Esq . ... ... ... ... ... 0 10 0 C . Jones , Esq 0 10 0 Aud others , amounting to ... ... ... ... 1 16 0

162 1 0 Proceeds of Matinee ... ... ... ... 155 3 6 Total £ 317 4 6

Or . £ s d £ a d Matinee Expenses ... ... ... 37 7 3 Cheque to Mrs . Delevante ... ... 24 11 3 Gl 18 6 Balance in Bank ... ... ... ... ... 255 6 0

£ 317 4 6 E . J . ACWORTH , Troasurer " ) Si LAN DE R ° tary *«** ™ " »* *»* J . M . CHAMBERLIN ) lUch March 1890 .

The Theatres, &C.

THE THEATRES , & c .

Terry ' s . —The 50 th performance of " New Lamps for Old " was marked by the production of a now lever de rideau which , however , caunot bo pronounced altogether satisfactory . Tho subject of this dramatic episode , as it is called , is a disagreeable one , and requires very skilful treatment on tho part of tho playwright to provent its becoming nauseating . This being so , it is unfortunate that its author , the late Sir Charles Young , left an unfinished and incomplete aketoh—and we do not think Miss Cissy Grahauie was well advised

The Theatres, &C.

in producing it . A mere enumeration of the characters in " For Her Child ' s Sake " will justify our oritioism . A deserted wife , a daughter in love with the son of the woman betrayed by her father , that son in love with the daughter of the man who not only betrayed his mother but caused the death of his father ; a husband , who had aoted thus ,

re-appearing after an absence of eighteen years , and using hia influence against his wife's natural repugnance to the union ; and a cheery , breezy , grandfather happily thrown iu to relieve the gloom of the whole episode—these are the characters . Miss Helen Leyfcon was excellent as the daughter , aud hers was a perfect piece

of acting for a part whioh did not give much scope . Mr . A . Ellis made a capital grandfather in every way . Tho rest of the caste was not so satisfactory ; there was a lack of spontaneity about the aoting of Miss M . A . Gifford and Messrs . Oscar Adye and J . Nelson , though in justice to the former gentleman it must be admitted he wa 3

suffering from a bad cold , while the latter would be well advised in letting his face assume a less ruddy hue . If tho first piece was gloomy and disappointing , it only served to bring out more clearly the brightness and sparkle of Mr . Jerome ' s " New Lamps for Old , " which went well from start to finish , and seem 3 likely to do so for some time to come .

The following artists will appear iu " Diok Venables , which ia due at the Shaftesbury to-night ( Saturday ) : —Messrs . Willard , Alfred Bishop , Elwood , E . W . Garden , H . Caue , Esmond , Roystou Keith , E . W . Thomas , Hartingj Mrs . Canninge , Miss Annie Rose , and Miss 01

On Monday next , 7 th inst ., and following afternoons ( except Saturdays ) , a new play entitled " Nixie , " by Mrs . Hodgson Burnett and Stephen Townsend , will be given at Terry ' s . Mesdames Helen Forsyth , Ruth Rutland , Caroline Ewell , Charlotte Morland , Luoy Webling , Messrs . Lewis Waller , Julian Cross , Walter Russell , Wm . Herbert are in the caste .

The following are the prospective arrangements for the Lyceum : — " The Dead Hoart" will terminate on 9 th May , its 184 th reprosentation . " The Bells " will be given on seven conseontive nights , commencing 10 th May , and also on Whit Monday evening , 28 th May . " Louis XI . " will be played for five nights—19 th to 23 rd May—and

at two matinees , 3 rd and 24 th May . " Olivia " will be played for five nights , viz ., from 27 th to 31 st May ( the last night of the season ) . During the month of June Mr . Irving and Miss Ellen Terry willl give Ten Readings of the Tragedy of Macbeth , with selections by full orchestra from Sir Arthur Sullivan's music to " Macbeth , "

expressly composed for the Lyceum production . The follow , ing cities will be visited : —Liverpool , 3 rd June ; Manchester , 5 th June ; Hanley , 6 th June ; Bradford , 9 th June ; Birmingham , 11 th June ; Sheffield , 13 th June ; Glasgow , 17 th June ; Dundee , 19 th June : Edinburgh , 21 st June ; London , St . James ' s Hall ,

Wednesday , 25 th Juno , and Wednesday , 16 th July . Mr . Irving and tho Lyceum Company will play 12 nights at tho Grand Theatre , commencing 30 th Jane . Mr . Augnstin Daly will occupy the Lyceum Theatro for the months of June , July , and August ; and in September Mr . Irving will re-open the theatre with a new play by Mr . Herman Merivale .

Northern Counties Lodge of Instruction . —On the 25 th ult ., the members and other brethren met at thc Froemasons ' Hall , Maple Street , Newcastle , in order to mark thoir appreciation of the excellent manner in which Bros . Duncan MacDonald and Thomas Dinning , P . M . ' s , had discharged tbo ardnons duties of thoir

offices of Treasurer and Secretary respectively , by making a substantial recognitiou of their servicos . Bro . W . Brown W . M . 48 presided . Amongst the large number of brethren present wero Bros . Faraday Speuce P . G . S . W ., W . F . Carmon P . G . Siandavd Bearer , John McKay P . G . Standard Bearer ; and * amongst tho

committee of management were Bros . Juo . Patterson W . M . 1342 , Edward Turnbnll I . P . M . 481 , R . Harris J . W . 406 , T . R . Short J . W . 424 , T . R . Jobson J . W . 1664 , and W . J . Jobson S . D . 48 . Bro . G . R . Harbottlo W . M . made tho presentation , whioh consisted of a gold watch and seal to Bro . Dinning , and a time-piece and marble ornaments to Bro . MacDonald .

Covent Garden Lodge of Instruction , No . 1614 . — Tho usual meeting was held at the Criterion , Piccadilly , S . W ., on the 27 th ult . This being Officers' night , the following brethren officiated : — Bros . W . Brindley ( Preceptor ) W . M ., C . 0 . Burgess S . W ., J . D . Graham J . W ., R . E . Cursons S . D ., E . Bromley J . D ., Joseph

Greenway Deputy Preceptor , F . M . Noakos Assistant Secretary , John S . Carter I . G ., T . 0 . Weeks Tyler ; G . H . Foan , J . Gluckstein , J . B . Grieve , A . Cogliati , F . W . Buxton , W . J . Thurswoll , G . A . Bergholtz , E . Jessarum , Dr . It . Millican and W . Hoggins , Lodgt * was opened in duo form , aud the minutes of last meeting read and confirmed . The Deputy Preceptor worked tho fourth section of the first lecture .

Bro . Dr . R . Millican offered himself as a candidate for initiation , and the W . M . rehearsed the ceremony . Bro . Dr . Millicau and Bro . W . Hoggins answered tho questions leading to the second degree , in a satisfactory manner . Lodge was opened in the second , and the W . M . rehearsed the ceremony . Bro . Dr . R . Millican 1604 was elected a member . Brother Cursons will preside at tho next meeting , when the ceremony of raising will be rehearsed .

Bro . William Liddle , the Dunbar eentarian , was entertained to a banqnet on Tuesday , the 18 th ult ., by the brethren of Dnnbar Castle Lodge . Masons were present from various parts of Scotland and England . Bro . Liddle bocame a Freemason ou thc 13 th . March 1822 .