Honor Oak Lodge, No. 1986.

those of individual members . '* Hearty good wishes , " that good old form of expressing the courtesy of guests toward their hosts , and of cementing Masonio friendships and the bond of nnion between onr several Lodges , having been exchanged , the Lodgo was closed in due form . Shortly afterwards

tho brethren assembled for dinner , and on the clearance of the cloth the usual Loyal and Masonic toasts wore briefly given from the chair . The health of the W . M ., proposed by Brother C H . Phillips I . P . M ., was drank with great cordiality , and the toast was ably responded to by Brother Williams , who modestly transferred a

portion of the landatory remarks of the proposer to his Ofheer . i for their combined exertions in perfecting the ceremonial and other work of the Lodcre during his term of office , and so enabling him to vacate the chair of TC . S . with credit to himself and satisfaction to all the members . The Initiate was also well received , and after tho E . A .

song in his honour , sung by Brother James Stevens , had been heartily " chornssed , " Brother Cuo expressed hia great satisfaction with the introduction into Freemasonry ho had that evening received , and the hopo thafc tho solemnity of tho ceremony might continue , to influence his future career as a member of the Order . Tho Masonic

Charities , a toast which is far too frequently placed too low down in the list to receive that attention which its importance demand .- ' , was next given by the W . M ., who referred to his intention fco act as one of the Stewards at . tho approaching Festival of tho Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , and solicited support . lie knew tho present

need of thafc Institntion for generous assistance this year to maintain its power to help those of our Order who had borno tho " heat and burden of the day , " and who now , in their old age , required tha careful and substantial sympathy of their former associates . He was very pleased to see Brother John Mason , tho esteemed Collector for the

Institution , present as a guest , and wonld couple his name with the toast . Bro . Mason in response acknowledged fche service about to be rendered by the Worshipful Master , and in a very forcible speech emphatically pressed the undoubted necessity for a strong effort to maintain the efficiency of the particular Charity with whioh he is

connected . The falling off in number of Stewards this year , aa compared with the last ( no less than 60 or 70 ) , the late increase of liability , and the present increase in tho number of candidates for election , were subjects of great anxiety to his Committee , their Secretary , Brother Terry , and himself , and he trusted thafc whilst

time afforded the opportunity , for there was yet an interval of six weeks before the Festival , the laudable example of the W . M . and members of the Honor Oak Lodge would be emulated by many other Lodereg . For the extremely cordial welcome given by the W . M . to the Visitors individual responses were made by those present , one

and all expressing the pleasure the proceedings of the evening had afforded them . The remaining toasts — tho Past Masters , the Officers , and tho Tyler's—were duly proposed and acknowledged , and the brethren then separated . The musical arrangements were

under the direction of Brother W . H . Simons , the Organist of the Lodge , who sang two or three , of his best songs , in fine style , and was assisted by Brother Sy dney Hill Organist 1216 , and by the vocal efforts of Bros . Darch , James Stevens , and others .

The coBsecration of the Drury Lane Lodge , No . 2127 will talce place on Monday next , 25 th inst ., afc Freemasons ' Hall , Great Qaeen-steeefc , at 2 . 45 p . m . Bro . Lord

Lonclesborough P . Gr . S . W . of England is the W . M . designate , Bro . Augustus Harris the S . W ., and Bro . Sir John TSklon Gorst , Q . C , MP ., Solicitor-General , the J . W . The Grand Secretary will perform the ceremony of consecration .

The installation meeting of the Sincerity Lodge , No . 174 , was held on Wednesday , 20 th instant , afc fche Gnildball Tavern , Gresham-street , when Bro . Frederick Joseph Dellow was installed as Worshipful Master . We shall give a report of . the proceedings in our nexfc issue .

Afc yesterday's meeting of fche House Committee of fche lioyal Masonic Institutions for Boys , ifc was arranged that fche new buildings for the Preparatory School be formally opened for the reception of the candidates elected in

October last . An inspection of the new buildings was fco take place at three o ' clock ; the reception of elected boys , in fche New Assembly Hall afc four ; while refreshments were to be served iu the dining hall of the new buildings afc five . Wc hope to give further details nexfc week .

A dispensation has been granted for the brethren of the Craft and Mark degrees to wear their Masonic clothing afc the Ball in connection wifch the Chiswick Lodge , No . 2012 , which takes place on Friday , 29 fch instant , at the Star and Garter Hotel , Kew Bridge .

The following Festivals were held afc tho Freemasons ' Tavern dnring the week ending Saturday , 23 rd January 1886 : —

Monday—Grand Master ' s Ledge , lioyal Albert Lodge , Mr . Amber ' s Dinner . Tuesday—Cado ^ an Lodge , Salisbury Lodge . Wednesday —Novoraagians , Grand Stewards' Lodge , Oak Lodge , Metropolitan Dairymen ' s Ball . Thursday—Universal Lodge , Great Northern

Lodge , Sfc . Mary ' s Lodge , Globe Lodge . Friday—Jerusalem Lod ge , London , Ross and Cromarty Ball , Emulation Lodge , Peace and Harinony Lodge , Urban Lodge . Saturday—St . James ' s Soiree . Bachelor ' s Uuadrille Party .

Honor Oak Lodge, No. 1986.

The Millaia Exhibition . —In the G . ( lienor Galleries wo have a very typical , though not complete , collection of Sir John Millais ' works , which allows tho younger generation another ehanc * - of seeing tho pictures which first raised such a storm thirty-five years ago .

p rom tho earlier pictures we miss tho " Vale ot li ^ sfc , ami Irora the latest " Cinderella , " and " Cherry B / p- * -, " but wo get a very good notion of tho scop- * of tho work , and of fche rie-ht to be cdled a great artist which is claimed by his admirers for tho exhibitor . The work of arranging tho pictures his not been particularly well performed , as

the different periods appear to bo mixed somriwh it at random , and thnnsrh this sometimes makes an effective contract , as when we find the " Carpenter ' s Shop " and the " Portrait of Henry Irving " visible : > t a glance , it is unsatisfactory , in that wo cannot se * . fcho development , or rather the various phages , of the artist ' s labours . And why

does Mr . Stephens trouble ns with extracts from all tho past inanities of criticism , landatory as well as vituperative , unless ifc bo to excite derision ? Who is interested , for instance , in tho opinion of " a critic of the time , " that "the Rescue" is ono of those subjects whioh illustrate our ideal of the proper functions of art ? Mr . Stephens himself

ia sometimes comic . Concerning tho '** Huguenot-, " we are told " profound emotions disturb her countenance , and absorb onr a Imiration ; but , if -we conceive fche features undisturbed by anxiety or terror their loveliness becomes apparent . , and the painter ' s arfc is rightly estimated . " Thafc is to sav , if we avoid looking at the picture we

beo-in to appreciate it . Concerning tho " Black Brnnswicker , Mr . Stephens says , " ifc was the intention of tho painter to render , in the expression and air of the " Black Brnnswicker , that soldier ' s sense of the renewed loss to his country afc Ligny . " This is interpretation with a vengeance . Ifc must be conceded thafc aa a mere taker of

likenesses Sir John Miliars excels . Ho has to an almost marvellous extent that faculty , moro dramatic than artistic , of throwing himself into the character of his subject ; of subordinating * his own individuality to that of his sitter , a quality whioh is much appreciated in a portrait painter . Bub this lack of individuality also touches the

vital distinction of tho artist . Now he is Rossetti , now an early Italian , now Gainsborough , now Titian , now Reynolds , and within the last few years ho has very nearly been respectable dull Frank Hollbut he is never himself . The large canvas , "Hearts are trumps , " in which the heads of tho three ladies are really admirably painted , is

simply spoilt as a picture by tho way iu which he has crammed into ono canvas what really belongs to half-a-dozen . It looks as if the inlaid card tables in the foreground were put there merely to show some foolish people that John Millais can paint card tables so as to look exactly like real ones . The flowers on the left are nofc in it

they havo no business there whatever . The grey drosses are merely fidgetting and distracting , instead of being of a piece with fche heads ; and so throughout tho picture , which is really one of his best . Thoro is not ranch to choose in all his varions " manners , " but iu mere quality ho has distinctly deteriorated with prosper ' . by . Note fcho delicacy , the

reverence , the simplicity , almost to childishness , of the quality of painting in the Isabella , and then compare it with that of his later and popular works , such as the North-west Passage . But there is really no occasion to mourn over Millais , as some critics are doing over "The Lost Leader . " He never was a leader , —only a follower . All that can

be said is , that if Millais had come under tho influence of a true artist , he might have beeu a better workman . Aa it is , Millais is a master of the brush and palette , a consummate imitative genius , a great interpreter of character , a man of much natural refinement , bufc a great artist—never .

JMovelty . —

particular locale . They havo now settled down iu London , afc the Novelty , where thoy uro drawing full houses , and are sending the audiences away night after nighfc with sides aching from the laughter thoy provoke . The principal parts aro still sustained by Bros .

Lionel Brongh and Willie Edonin , with Miss Alice Atberton , while these artistes aro supported by a strong company . As *'* ' The Babes " will have to mako room ore long for a now burlesque , by Mr . George Dance , we advise our readers to take au early opportunity of payiug them a visit , at the Novelty .

The Fifteen Sections

THE FIFTEEN SECTIONS

WICI . JIE WOUKEfJ By brethren of the King ' s Cross Lodge of Instruction , No . l '/ S ^ , at the Fidelity Lod . eo of Instruction . No . '¦) , held afc the Alfred Hotel , Roman Road , Barnsburv , N ., on Wednesday , the 27 th inslaufc . Bros . J . Hemming J . D . 1287 W . M .. D . T . DaviesYi S . W ., J . Thorn

057 J . W . First Lecture —Bros . Hoscgcod , kaufhnan , Nickolls , Barling , Paul , Mulvey , Hemming . Second Lecture—Bros . Parsons , Burgess , Procter , Davies , Whiting . Third Lecture—Bro * . Bathard , Greenway , Thorn . Bros . W . J . Ferguson P . M . 177 P . Z . 1050 1507 is the Preceptor , F . Silvester S . W . 193 Treasurer , G . Treadwell 1076 Secretary . Lodge will be opened at 7 . 30 p . m .

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