The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution Election.

polled ; the other from London , formerly a member of St . James ' s Union Lodge , and latterly of the Westbourne , this candidate has polled 441 . Of third application cases all three have been left out in the cold . The first has been a member of two London Lodges , for altogether 22 f years —the St . Michael ' s and Royal Union—yet has

only polled 241 . Tbe second of these candidates hails from Scarborcugb . and has only subscribed 5 £ years , yet being permanently paralysed , which affliction , together with blindness , or other visitation , brings him nnder the exception to the rule , requiring a candidate to be 15 years a MM ., and a subscribing member for 10 . It is to be

hoped North and East Yorkshire will put forth its strength and add a sufficient number of votes to this applicant ' s present 8 . The last oase comes from Worcester , and by the number polled this time 485 and brought forward , 15 , making a total of 500 , 1 presume the members of this Province mean to return their applicant next year . This

brother is likewise afflicted with paralysis , and has only subscribed 7 years . The claims of the second and first application cases I shall not attempt to analyse , but will merely remark that out of the 24 snccessful applicants one came up for the sixth time , one for the second , and the remaining 22 for the first . Now , as to the num .

ber of votes used , unrecorded , or spoilt , and those carried forward . Males—Total polled , including 1047 brought forward , 37 , 175 ; spoilt or not recorded 10 , 047 ; carried forward 2065 . Widows —Total polled , including 13 , 386 brought forward , 57 , 538 ; spoilt or

not recorded 5 , 876 ; carried forward 13 , 000 . Average number of votes required to succeed : for males 1506 & ; for widows 1674 . The following Table shows how London and the Provinces aro severally represented in the Eoyal Masonic Benevolent Institution . Yours fraternally , P . M . 1607 .

MALES 5 - * ¦» r ° a t -S 8 ^ ¦ © < D a J 2 o an s H o o London . . . 53 - 9 = 44 + 9 = 53 or 2120 Berks and Bucks . . — — — — — — Bristol . . . 1-0 = 1 + 0 = 1 40 ztv

unesuire . . . eI — 1 = 5 + 1 = 0 Cornwall . . . 3-0 = 3 + 2 = 5 200 Cumberland and Westmoreland — — — — — — Derbyshire . . . 1-0 = 1 + 0 = 1 40 Devonshire . . . 9-1 = 8 + 1 = 9 360 Dorsetshire . . . 6-1 = 5 + 0 = 5 200 Durham . . , 1-0 = 1 + 1 = 2 80 Essex . . . 5 - 1 = 4 + 0 = 4 160 Gloucester . . . — — — — — — Hants and Isle of Wight . 4-0 = 4 + 1 = 5 200 Hereford . . . — — — — — — Herts . . . . — — — — — — Kent . . . 9 - 1 = 8 + 2 = 10 400

. Lancashire E . . . . 10 - 1 = 9 + 1 = 10 400 Lancashire W . . . 5-0 = 5 + 0 = 5 200 Leicestershire . . . — — — — — — Lincolnshire . . . 4 — 0 = 4 + 0 = 4 160 Middlesex . . . 0-0 = 0 + 1 = 1 40 Monmouthshire . . 1 — 0 = 1 + 0 = 1 40 Norfolk . . . 2-0 = 2 + 0 = 2 80 Norths and Hunts . . 4 — 0 = 4 + 0 = 4 160 Northumberland . . 4-0 = 4 + 0 = 4 160 Nottinghamshire . . — — — — — Oxfordshire . . , — — — — — Somersetshire . . . 1 — 0 = 1 + 1 = 2 80 Staffordshire . . . — — — — — Suffolk . . . 4-0 = 4 + 0 = 4 160 Surrey . . . 1-0 = 1 + 1 = 2 80

Sussex . . . 2 — 0 = 2 + 1 = 3 120 Wales North and Shropshire . — — — — — Wales South ( Eastern Division ) — — — — — — Wales South ( Western Division ) 1 — 0 = 1 + 0 = 1 40 Warwickshire . . . 1 — 0 = 1 + 1 = 2 80 Wiltshire . . . _ _ _ _ _ — Worcestershire . . — —

Yorkshire N . and E . . . 8 — 2 = 6 + 0 = 6 210 Yorkshire W . . . . 19 - 3 = 16 + 1 = 17 680 Channel Islands . . 3 — 0 = 3 + 0 = 3 120 Colonies . . . 4-1 = 3 + 0 = 3 120 172 - 21 = 151 + 24 = 175 7000

The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution Election.

FEMALES I 3 "S 1 5 " 1—1 -S 3 O — §*& % *¦& -s -g £ fl En H O o E-Tj £ £

66 - 3 = 63 + 9 = 72 or 2304 » 4424 — _ = o + l = l 32 = 72 4-0 = 4 + 1 = 5 160 = 400 5-0 = 5 + 0 = 5 160 = 360 2-0 = 2 + 0 = 2 64 = 64 in n in . n in oon eon

± \ J — V = iu -r vr = J . V % > i . \> = uuu 2-1 = 1 + 1 = 2 64 = 264 1-0 = 1 + 1 = 2 64 = 144 3-0 = 3 + ^ 0 = 3 96 = 256 2-0 = 2 + 1 = 3 96 = 96 6-0 = 6 + 1 = 7 224 = 424 0-0 = 0 + 1 = 1 32 = 32 1-0 = 1 + 0 = 1 32 = 32 7-1 = 6 + 0 = 6 192 = 592 10 - 1 = 9 + 1 = 10 320 = 720 4-0 = 4 + 0 = 4 128 = 328

4-1 = 3 + 0 = 3 96 = 256 1-0 = 1 + 0 = 1 32 = 72 4-0 = 4 + 0 = 4 128 = 308 2-2 = 0 + 0 = 0 0 = 160 1 _ 1 = 0 + 0 = 0 0 = 160 1-0 = 1 + 0 = 1 32 = 32 2-0 = 2 + 1 = 3 96 = 96 1-0 = 1 + 0 = 1 32 = 112 2-0 = 2 + 0 = 2 64 = 64 7-0 = 7 + 2 = 9 288 = 448 5-0 = 5 + 0 = 5 160 = 280

1 — U = l + U = i 33 = 6 Z 2-0 = 2 + 0 = 2 64 = 144 3-0 = 3 + 1 = 4 128 = 128 2-0 = 2 + 0 = 2 64 = 64 18 - 0 = 18 + 2 = 20 640 Z 1320 2 - 0 = 2 + 2 = 4 128 _ 248 6-0 = 6 + 1 = 7 224 _ 334 187 - 10 = 177 + 26 = 203 6496 = 13496

The Theatres.

THE THEATRES .

Lyceum . —Deep was the interest created in artistic circles , and great tbe misgivings , when the manager of the Lyceum announced his intention to appear as Dr . Primrose in " Olivia . " The very gifts , tbe cynic scorn , the bitter irony , the mighty depths of passion

which paint for us in a touch a Richard the Third or a Shylock would threaten wreck to so tender and gentle a crfatnre as the v icar ; so pathetic in his foibles , so noble in his very weaknesses . A honso crammed in every corner , a reprosentativo pit , for the

fore-JJi"st seats of which only two or three ladies had withstood the ' Sturm und Drang" of the long hours ontside ; familar faces wc are wont to seo at every great dramatic even , ' , awaited the rising of the curtain . The Vicarage garden is tbe wene of tho festivities in honour of the Vicar ' s silver wedding . A lovely laudseape in golden

sunlight fills the distance , while the Vicarage , with its bright cbmbing roses , glittering casements , and quaint gables , is the very realisation of a lovely English rustic home . A crowd of merry children ^ rush in , and , climbing the tempting ladder , threaten destruction to the king pippins hanging ripe and red on the big

apple tree shading the lawn ; the villagers come to wish joy to their beloved parson , and a pretty vision of the days when George III . w » s King is made by these groups . Sophia , pretty and sensible ; loses , the discreet young scholar ; Farmer Flamborongh , an admirabl y bluff and sturdy ancient Briton ; Mr . Burchell , very , ions m h * superior virtue ; the young Squire , looking , J nperbl y handsome ; comely Mrs . Primrose , the quintessence

matronly discretion ; Olivia , the very type and realization of appy innocent girlhood . But now , claiming attention , the subject loud and universal cheers , here is the Vicar . Surely Mr . Irving , ut as surely bearing no trace of all those weird creations he has *> ven life to on the stage . Like every worker in art Mr . Irving

The Theatres.

has his limitations , and perhaps the vividness of his imagination tends to conceal these limits from his judgment , and we have regretfully witnessed failure for want of the physical means to realize intention . In the fivst gesture , however , the first words uttered by Dr . Primrose , all the house felt that not only Mr . Will ' s ,

but Oliver Goldsmith ' s Vicar was before them . When farmer Flamborough indignantly reproaches the parson's wife for her fine lady airs , the smile of gentle superiority in which the doctor excuses " those foibles of the weaker sex" was a comedy in itself . When the snnny morning clouds over , news comes of the ruined fortunes of the

family . Here Mr . Irving s treatment is singularly fine . He accepts the blow , not as the result of human wickednws , bnt as a divine decree . He is crushed at the thonght of the sufferings that threaten his loved oues , but . he and they are in the hands of God . No more pathetic or noble picture has been seen on the stage than where the

Vicar sits in patient despair , his wife behind him gazing into space in a condition of dazed misery . Sophia pitiful and bewildered , an 1 his beloved Olivia weeping at his feet . The various members of the ' amily are to be scattered abroad , while a place as a companion is found for Olivia at York by Mr . Burchell . Beautiful and poignantly

pathetic is ber leave-taking , for she has promised to fly with the " false squire . " Tears were falling all through the house , and ia Olivia ' s eyes were real tears as she bade good-bye to her old fath « r , in an agony of remorseful love . We next find her , after three months , at the Dragon Inn . She is full of the happiness of her wedded love ;

no misgiving of the squire's intention has reached her ; she is longing with all her soul to again see and comfort her aged father , and tell him all is well with her . The squire has , however , grown weary of his fancy , though he realizes the infamy of his conduct ;

he forces himself to tell her they must part ; the marriage was a false one . Olivia stands bewildered ; for some minutes she cannot grasp the tneaniug of his words ; she id stunned with the horro' -of his wickeluess and her misery ; and wh n he would offer excuse she «• hrua s him back from her , aci the house was eleotrified by tho realism of