Round And About.

Lennox ) , who did not participate in the wealth , with a considerable settlement previous to her marriage . * * * Euston Lodge , where the meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Essex was held , belongs to Lady Brooke . She has lived

here all her life , and is the friend of every villager in the place . Her lovely face , backed up by a disposition that expresses her careful training , has a smile for man , woman , and child , no matter whom they be . I do not know whether Lord and Lady Brooke have ever claimed the Dunmow flitch of bacon , but I should think

they might , for his Lordship said : — " Speaking of my dear wife , I daresay she thinks she knows all the secrets of Masonry , but she is a Mason at heart , and that is the noblest compliment I can pay her . " * * * Our worthy Grand Secretary has been recruiting his health in the south of France , and has returned with renewed vigor for the work of the coming session .

* * * In another column will be found the announcement of the sad death and burial of Bro . Spence Bate , F . R . S ., who was a descendant of an old Plymouth family . His father for many years carried on a successful practice as a dentist at the Octagon—at that time

one of the suburbs of Plymouth . He died some thirty years ago , and Bro . Spence Bate succeeded to his practice—having inherited even more than his father ' s skill . As a dentist Bro . Spence Bate was almost unrivalled—both as an operator , and , in his later years , as a dental mechanician . It was not only in dentistry he became

celebrated . He devoted a large amount of time to the investigation of the habits of shellfish , and , in conjunction with Mr . Westwood , was the author of a work in three volumes , which soon became a standard authority on British Sessile-eyed Crustacea . The value of this work was fully recognised by the scientific world , and chiefly on the strength of its authorship , Mr . Bate was made a Fellow of the Royal Society , and thus was brought into companionship with some

of the leading scientific men of the age . Other works by him on the same subject were a catalogue of Amphipodmis Crustacea , and for several years he was engaged in compiling for the Government a Report on the Crustacea Macroma — collected in H . M . S . Challenger during the celebrated scientific cruise of that vessel round the world . The work was only completed a year ago ,

and leaves Mr . Bate the greatest authority on this branch of Natural History . He was also author of many works on Dentistry . Some of these were published separately , others in the Lancet , the British Journal of Dental Science , and the Medical Gazette , and in the " Transactions of the Odontological Society , " to the presidency of

which he was elected in 1885 . Two years previously he had been President of the British Dental Association . In 1881 he was Vice-President of a section of the Medical Congress ; and on more than one occasion President of a Department of the British Association . He was honorary surgeon to the Plymouth Dental Dispensary and the Devon and Cornwall Orphan Asylum .

* * * Mr . Spence Bate was keenly interested in all scientific matters tOnnected with his native county . As a President during one year , and as a Member of the Council for many years , of the Devonshire Association , he distinguished himself by contributions to the

transactions of that body . A keen lover of Dartmoor and its wilds , he frequently wrote and spoke concerning its antiquarian remains . He was also greatly interested in art . For many years he was a working member of the Plymouth Fine Art Society , and although not eminent as a painter the products of his pencil were frequently

exhibited , not only in countction with that body , but also in the art exhibitions of Messrs . Harris's fine art gallery . Three months ago he presided at the annual meeting of the Plymouth School of Art , when the Earl of Morley distributed the prizes to the successful students . Mr . Bate took a very active interest in the Art ,

Science , and Technical School about to be erected as a Jubilee memorial in Plymouth . He was Chairman of the Committee , and only two or three days before being seized with his last illness he presided at a meeting of that body . Less than a week ago he showed his continued interest by a letter concerning the arrangements for the new building . Mr , Bate also formerly took an active

part in the debates of the Plymouth Institution , and for one year was its President . It is needless to say that the loss of a gentleman of such varied and brilliant abilities will be widely felt .

* * * A very excellent brother , who has forbidden me to mention his name , has just sent twenty poor little urchins into the country for a couple of weeks , entirely at his own expense . The children and their welfare will be looked after by his two daughters ,

who insisted upon relinquishing a portion of their own holiday so that they might spend it with them . I went to see the happy little company off from Paddington , and I could not tell which were the more pleased , the children or their elder friends , but , as the pretty little mites waved their farewells to those left upon the platform , I felt more might be done in this quiet unostentatious manner .

* # * Some few years ago it fell to my lot to pay a long series of visits to some of the slums—not by any means the worst—in Whitechapel . I made many friends among the women and children , some of whom I have , fortunately , become enabled to assist .

It is impossible for pen or pencil to describe the misery with which these poor wretches drag their weary lives along , and yet it is curious to notice the smiling faces and demeanor of the women , and the happy-go-lucky way in which the youngsters herd together . In one filthy den—a very fair specimen of hundreds of others I

went into—I found stretched , full length , upon a loathsome heap of stinking rags and filth , a well-grown girl , perfectly naked , her body being as black as a nigger ' s . By her side were , apparently , a brother and sister , younger , but , if possible , in worse condition , and the three were eagerly searching for horrible vermin among the furry coat of a dead cat .

* * In another house , upon asking permission to go upstairs ( there was but one room upstairs ) , I found the dead body of " Muver " upon the only bedstead the family possessed . The room was 9 ft . square , and for three nights the father , two daughters , and three

sons had slept in the room with the corpse . * * * If any of my friends want reliable information whereby they may give some relief , through the medium of green fields and fresh air , to children who deserve their compassion , I shall be happy to place

such information at their disposal . The direct good I do myself is , of necessity , small ; but I have for the past three seasons sent a quantity of wholesome fruit to several families , and I find they appreciate it . I will undertake the proper distribution of any baskets of garden produce if previous notice be given me .

* * * Messrs . Lever have forwarded me their cheque for one guinea , as I suggested to them last month , but instead of sending it to one of the charities , as I promised I would , I have requested permission from the mistress of the Girls' School to present it to that pupil who

has the hig hest reputation for neatness in her personal attire . If possible , I will publish the young lady ' s portrait . * * * Apropos of Sir Charles Russell ' s connection with the Maybrick case , and the revolting nonsense in certain evening prints about his

" personal interest" and " terrible emotion" whilst delivering his final speech for the prisoner , I am told , on unimpeachable authority , that ( like a wise man ) he positively refused to open his brief before his retainer was forthcoming . His fees for defending Mrs . Maybrick amounted to twelve hundred guineas .