Eminent Masons At Home.

Grand Lodge has regularly and faithfully returned His Royal Highness as its Master . At Sandringham , the Prince and Princess of Wales lead the quiet , well-ordered , tranquil , yet bus ) 'life of an English gentleman and his wife , surrounded , nevertheless , by some of the state which

is inseparable from their high position . There is at the gate a blue-coated , helmcted personage , familiar with the discip line of Scotland-yard , but the penalty which greatness pays for security in this instance is not very heavy . For communication with the outer world there is a telegraph and post-office within the walls of

the house On Sunday the Prince and Princess , with their family , attend the service in the Park Church of St . Mary Magdalene . When the service is over the Prince generally takes a walk round by the artificial lakes and rockeries , pointing out the improvements to his guests , and listening to the suggestions which the

more intrepid amateurs are sure to offer . The Prince gets over the ground at an extraordinary rate , and woe betide the man who is not in good walking condition .

There is one great trait in the character of His Royal Highness , which is noticeable as strongly in his private life as elsewhere , and that is his universal courtesy to all sorts and conditions of men with whom he comes in contact . The civility and attention he pays to the comforts of his own

servants is very marked , and a smile or a shake of the hand is ready for any man , be he never so lowly , who can deserve such an honour . The social duties of his high position , the numerous public offices he fills , and his firm determination to do everything he touches truly and well , make

the Prince perhaps the most hard - worked man in the empire No wonder that he looks forward to those happy holidays when he casts off the cares of State and hides himself in the bosom of his family and friends in his country home . If he has the cares of his high position , he has also its blessings , the

greatest gem of which is the noble and good lady who shares his honours . Men speak of his Consort as the good Princess , they are united in admiration of her lovable nature , and mention not her name but with the reverence which it deserves .

The Poet.

THE POET .

UNDER the trees in the autumn time , Under the trees that are golden yellow , Fill'd with his fancy and phrase sublime , Deeming Parnassus an easy climb , — Isn ' t the Poet a happy fellow ?

Puffing a weed , as he lies at ease , Puffing a weed that is mild and mellow ; Kiss'd by the amorous autumn breeze , Singing a lullaby ' mid the trees , — Isn ' t the Poet a happy fellow ? * # * * *

Under a lamp in the winter time , Under a lamp that burns dim and yellow ; Racking his brains to extract a rhyme , Wasting the pith of his manhood ' s prime , — Ah ! is the Poet a happy fellow ?

Puffing in vain at an empty bowl , Puffing in vain till his cheeks grow sallow ; Where is the fame that enwrapp'd his soul ? Where is Parnassus , that easy goal ? Ah ! is the Poet a happy fellow ? J . P . OGILVIE MITCHELL

Mark Grand Lodge.

MARK GRAND LODGE .

THE Half-yearly Communication of Grand Lodge of Mark Masons ot England and Wales tool * place at the Holborn Restaurant , on Tuesday evening , the 4 th ult ., R . W . the Deputy Grand Master the Marquis of Hereford presiding . The official chairs were occupied by R . W . lire . W . Kelly , Prov . G . M . of Leicestershire , as Deputy Grand Master , R . W . the Earl of Euston as Junior Grand Warden , and Bro . Olan de Tatton Egerton , M . P ., as

Junior Grand Warden . A numerous company of distinguished brethren were present , including Col . Sir Francis Burdett , Hart ., Baron de Fen Seres , Col . Marmaduke Ramsay ( P . G . M . of the Mediterranean ) , Col . Shadwell , H . Gierke , Henry Lovegrove , Rev . J . Lloyd ( Grand Chaplain ) , Frank Richardson , V . P . Cama , Lieut .-Col . G . | . Haldane , Col . Addison Potter , C . I ! ., Col . H . S . Burncy

Thomas Cubitl , Major Cook , and Frederick Binckes , the Grand Secretary . The Grand Lodge having been formally opened , and the Acting Grand Master saluted in ancient form , the minutes of last Grand Mark Lodge of Dec . 6 , iSSS , and the Special Grand Lodge of Feb . 25 of the present year , were read and confirmed . The report of the General Board was received , and ordered to be entered in the minutes on the motion of Bro . F .

Richardson , Grand Registrar , seconded by Bro . R . Berridge , G . D . C . The report contained a notification of the death of the President of the Order , the M . W . Bro . the Rev , Canon Portal , Past Grand Master , the sad intelligence of which was formally communicated to the Board at a special meeting on April 12 last , and it was unanimously resolved that a letter of condolence should be forwarded to Mrs . Portal . To this communication ,

which was signed on behalf of the General Board by " Frank Richardson Vice-President Euston , Chairman of the day , and I- \ Binckes , Grand Secretary , " the widow of the deceased President replied , tendering her 1 hanks to the Grand Mark Lodge for their expressions of sympathy . The report further recorded that : —

By command of his Royal Highness the M . W . G . M . all brethren of the Mark Degree under this jurisdiction were enjoined to wear Masonic mourning for thicc months in accordance with instructions contained in a circular letter . During the six months ending March 31 last , there have been issued : Mark certificates , 702 ; total number registered , 25 , 339 . Warrants for new lodges , seven , viz . : — No . 395 CombermcrcAlbanyN . S . W .

. , , „ 396 , De Tabley , Frodsham , Cheshire . „ 397 , Cumberland County , Paramatta , N . S . W . „ 398 , Danum , Doncaster . ii 399 , Euston , London . ,, 400 , Egerton of Tatton , London . „ 401 , Swindon Ke 3 'stonc , Swindon .

Royal Ark Mariners certificates , 96 ; total number registered , 2 , 733 . Two warrants for new Ark Mariner lodges , viz . : — Hcnniker , attached to the Albert Victor Lodge , No . 70 , Ipswich . Ararat , attached to the Eothan Lodge , No . 264 , Hong Kong . The following re-appointments as Provincial Grand Masters have been made for a further term of three years : Col . G . Singleton Tudor , Staffordshire ; Rev . Canon Tristram , Northumberland and Durham ; Capt . S . G . Horn fray ,

Monmouthshire ; the Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom , Lancashire ; and Rev . W . Mortimer Heath , Dorset . The Board recommend that in the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown the title of " Provincial Grand Lodge" should be changed to "District Grand Lodge , " and that powers be given to such District Grand Lodges to regulate the fees payable to their own funds , subject to the approval of the Board .

The Adelaide Lodge , No . 41 , Adelaide , South Australia , have informed the Board that the MAV . Bro . Chief justice Way , the Grand Master of Free and Accepted Masons of South Australia , has become a member of the lodge , and the Board recommended that , as a compliment to this distinguished brother , the rank of Past Master should be conferred on him , and that the Adelaide Lodge should be authorised to take the necessary steps to carry this resolution into effect .

The Board have been informed of the death of Bro . John Watson , R . W . Prov . G . M . Notts , and desire to express their sorrow and regret . A Special Grand Lodge was held at the Holborn Restaurant , on the 55 I 1 of March last , for the purpose of authorising - a lease of Bacon ' s Hotel , Great Queen-street , for a term of 49 years being taken up , and making such alterations as might be necessary to adapt the premises for the purposes of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons . The resolutions were unanimously

carried , and at the Quarterly Communication of the United Grand Lodge of England , held on March 6 , the lease was authorised to be granted , and a peppercorn rent for six months was conceded . The plans for the alterations have been prepared by Bros . Berridge and Driver , and approved and signed by M . W . Pro G . M . Bro . Lord Egerton of Tatton , on behalf of this Giand Lodge , and by W . Bro . Robert W . Edis ( G . Supt . of Works ) , on behalf of the United Grand Lodge of England . The work of alteration is now in progress , and the Board confidently hope that the December Meeting of Grand Lodge will be held in the permanent home of the Mark Degree .

Bro . George Clarke , jun ., F . C . A ., has been appointed the Auditor of Grand Lodge , in succession to Bro . C . E . Soppel , to whom the thanks of Grand Lodge are due for his gratuitous services . The invested capital of the General Fund is , £ 2 , 600 . FU . N'I-I OF .. K . VKVOl . J'NCE . The twenty-first Anniversary Festival of the Mark Benevolent Fund will

be held at the Freemasons' Tavern , Great Queen-street , on July 24 , 1 S 89 , and Bro . Sir Lionel E . Darell , Bart ., has most kindly consented to preside . It is confidently hoped that the untiring exertions of the Boaid of Stewards , and the generous liberality of the members of the Mark Degree , will enable the General