Eminent Masons At Home.

of centuries . In the grounds is hid an old bath-house , on the headstone of the entrance of which is this curious inscription : — CD i ! 0 tt fljiit 6-itTjc tit rottrtlcji SIf _>< > , CDr tonic tit fortune's gftttrgc Sjiljerc , lOon not too rasfljlc » Heme < HHJIS . SC

cD £ ijfm luljo IjjtoriJ roiifrntcir Ijcrc . The door leading to the ancient dressing-room has been taken from the farm-house at Oxford , the remains of an old Monastery , The door is fitted with a beautiful pair of wrought-iron hinges and escutcheons , much spoiled with paint and distemper , but it forms

a fitting entrance to the dungeon-like bath-room , through which the water rushes with a curious sound ; whilst from a solitary crevice in the walls struggles through a branch of ivy , bringing with it a gleam of light , which makes the place more awful than it otherwise would be . In the adjoining room is an interesting specimen of

an old man-trap , found some years ago in the park . By the banks of the Kennet Sir Francis will give you some charming information on the art of trout-fishing . He possesses six miles of the river , and often lands a couple of brace of this splendid fish , for whicli the Kennet is famed . Lower down the stream , under a beautiful oak that grows up out of the bank , floats the flat

bottom skiff and Canadian canoe , the special property of the daughters of the house . A mile and a half across the park to the eastward you first catch g limpses of the main road skirting the domain of the manor . This road in one part mounted a terribly steep hill , which has been a source of great danger and trouble

to the country folk for centuries ; but Sir Francis has altered all this , and almost entirely at his own expense has dug away the crown of the hill to a depth of 40 ft ., and rendered an inestimable service to the county .

It is time now to saunter back to the house , and bid your host good-bye , for Sir Francis , with his son and daughter , are to ride this afternoon . The last you hear from him is a wish that you should look at a couple of beeches near the gates ; and , as you turn your head from Ramsbury Manor , you see its owner spring to the back of his favorite horse with the agility

of a man forty years his junior , and canter off , attended on either side by a gay young lad and his pretty sister . At the lodge you stop to ask of the beeches the master wishes you to see . " Ah ! and they be fine ' uns , too , sir , " says the veteran pensioner , who doffs his cap , and you drive away .

The Committee of Management of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution held their regular meeting at Freemasons ' Hall last month . Bro . C . J . Perceval , Vice-President , was in the chair , and there were present Bros . W . A . Scurrah , A . H . Tattershall , Hugh Cotter . C . H . Webb , S . C . Haslip , Charles Kempton , W . B . Daniell , Charles Daniel , J . J . Berry , W . H .

Hulbert , S . Brooks , David D . Mercer , A . Mullard , Jabez Hogg , P . G . D . ; R . Berridge , P . G . D . C . ; H . Driver , P . G . S . of W . ; C . H . Bevir , J . S . Cumberland , Hugh M . Hobbs , and John Mason ( Acting Secretary ) . The Acting Secretary reported the death of an accepted widow candidate . A letter was read from Bro . the

Earl of Euston , P . G . M . Norths and Hunts , who presided at the last Anniversary Festival in February , in which his lordship expressed his very cordial acknowledgments for the illuminated address of thanks presented to him in recognition of his services as Chairman . The Warden ' s Report for the past month was read , and a vote of

thanks passed to the Supreme Council , Ancient and Accepted Rite , for the renewal of their gifts to the inmates of the Institution at Croydon . The applications from two widows to be allowed the half of their late husband ' s annuities were acceded to , and two petitions ( one Brother and one widow ) were examined and accepted , and the names ordered to be entered on the lists of candidates for the election in May , 1890 .

Masonic Mems.

Masonic Mems .

The efforts to form a new Lodge for the convenience of the craftsmen resident at Horwich have for a time been suspended , pending the settlement of the debatable point as to whether Horwich is in the Masonic division of East Lancashire or that of West Lancashire . The matter is , however , now set at rest , and

West Lancashii-e will have the honor of including the Horwich Lodge on its register roll . The Brethren who have given in their adhesion to the scheme will be called together forthwith , and all preliminaries speedily settled .

* * * Bro . H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught has forwarded a cheque for fifty guineas to the Lord Mayor ' s fund for the further equipment of the Volunteers , with a sincere wish that the whole of the required sum may be speedily collected .

* * * In reply to the loyal and congratulatory address to the Prince and Princess of Wales , adopted at the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Suffolk , held at Beccles , the Right Hon . Lord Henniker , Provincial Grand Master , has received the

following : — Marlborough House , Pall Mall , S . W ., July 30 th , 1889 . MY LORD , —I am directed by the Prince of Wales to acknowledge the receipt of the loyal and fraternal address from the Freemasons of the " Province of Suffolk , " and in reply to convey to the Brethren His Royal Highness ' s best thanks for the kind and generous congratulations contained therein upon the marriage of the Princess Louise , Duchess of Fife . — I am , & c , DIGHTON PROBYN , General Comptroller and Treasurer .

* * * The Lodge Journeyman ( 8 ) made its annual visitation on the 8 th ult ., according to ancient custom , to the tombs of the deceased Masters andJDther Officers of the Lodge , in West Church , Grange , Calton , and Restalrig burying-grounds . The Right Worshipful

Master George Coutts Douglas was accompanied by Bros . David Blake , Junior Warden ; William B . Lyons , Senior Deacon ; and other members of the Lodge . * # * The result of the recent examination of students of the

R . M . I , for Girls in science and art at the Science and Art Department , South Kensington , was that out of thirty girls submitted for examination , nine passed in the first class and twenty in the second .

* * * The Secretary of Lodge 68 3 , Anahilt True Blues , Hillsborough , has received from Bro . W . Tennent Henry , C . E ., J . P ., the sum of ^ 16 . 16 s . 3 d ., being the amount of a collection in the Hillsborough Presbyterian Church on the occasion of a Masonic festival , and

subscriptions before and since received , towards founding two officia . governorships for the Lodge in connection with the Masonic Orphan Schools in Dublin . * * * Bro . William A . Davis , secretary of the bazaar being organised

in aid of the Annuity Fund of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , has issued a circular to Lodges holding under the Scottish Constitution , in which he states that he is directed by the Most Worshipful Grand Master , Colonel Sir Archibald C . Campbell , of Blythswood , Bart ., M . P ., to make the following communication to them : —You will

recollect that it has been decided to hold a grand bazaar for the purpose of raising a sum of about ^ 10 , 000 to aid the Annuity Fund of the extended scheme of Scottish Masonic benevolence for the benefit of indigent Scottish Masons , their widows , or children . Arrangements have now been practically completed to hold the

bazaar at the end of 1890 in Edinburgh , as being the headquarters of Scottish Masonry ; and the Most Worshipful Grand Master earnestly asks all the Provincial and District Grand Lodges and