Wednefday his Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales honoured the Grand Lodge, at their annual feftival in Queenftreet, for the firft time, with his prefence, as a brother mafon, and it was one of the fulleft meetings that has been known for many years. His Royal Highnefs the Duke of Cumberland fat as Grand Mafter : and there were no lefs than four hundred mafons in the hall, Tickets had been delivered out at half a guinea each ; but fuch was the liberal fpirit of the Stewards on this occafion, that the dinner confifted of two courfes, and a defert of all that was high in perfection at this time of the year. No expense was fpared, and the company were entitled to as much Burgundy, Champaigne, Claret, Madeira, and other wines, as they thought proper to confume. Thefe were of the beft in their kind, and fo highly approved by the company, that the Stewards not only received the perfonal thanks of the Prince, individually to each for the excellence of the wines, and the magnificence of the entertainment, but the general vote of the company pronounced it to be one of the beft and moft compleat dinners ever given in London to fo large a company, and that the mafter of the tavern deferved their united thanks for the goodnefs of his provifions, for the manner in which the dinner was dreffed, and for the very fuperior quality of his French and Portugal wines. The affability of his Royal Highnefs to every perfon, the joy that appeared in the countenances of the whole company, and their repeated marks of veneration, love, and attachment, formed a fcene that muft be highly flattering to the Heir Apparent of the Houfe of Hanover. They drank his health with a kind of generous fervour that glowed with loyalty, and when it is confidered that the Grand Lodge at its feftival includes all political defcriptions of people, the fenfe of the public in their attachment to this amiable Prince is pretty clear. His Grace of Manchefter, with a confiderable number of Nobility attended ; and feveral Mafons fongs, and Mr. Kean, with his imitations, added to the pleafure of the entertainment.

forwarded by WBro R Spiller

Ed45, p15