The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-17 00:00:00

mE SON, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JULY 17, 1866.

•41
Cara • .0 et tut
12M4.7.--- Tat

HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, July 16.
The Queen went went out in the grounds this
morning with Princess Louise.
Prince Leopold and Princess Beatrice went out
also.

Mr. I'. C. Hope, of the Bombay Civil. Service,
had the honour of presenting to her Majesty to-
day, from the Committee of the Society of Archi-
tectural Antiquities of 'Western India, and its two
patrons, Messieurs Premchund Raichund and Kur-
sondas Madhowdas, a copy of its works recently
published under the editorship and superintendence
of Mr. Hope, who explained to her Majesty the
different styles of architecture illustrated in the
volumes comprising the work.

" The rank is but the guinea stamp,
Tho man's the gowti for a' that ;"
:cheers)—and what I most rejoice at is the thought
hat in this free country of ours any man may hope
,0 rise to tho highest rank it is in the power 01 his

Sir-E, B. Lytton, now Lord Lytton.

(From the Ilerts Guardian of this day.)
On Wednesday evening the members of the
" Widows' Hope" Lodge of Odd Fellows celebrated
their anniversary at Stevenage ; and the Right
Hon. Sir E. B. Lytton having kindly consented to
occupy the chair on the occasion, it was determined
that the festivities should consist--instead of the
usual dinner—of a soiree, at which the wives and
families of the members and other visitors could at-
tend. The Rev. Canon Blomfield kindly lent the
use of the National School-room, which was deco-
rated with much skill, and in a very nice and taste-
stmanner. The top of the room was ornamented
with evergreens and cut flowers ; also the joists and
rafters. Along the sides were, in large letters,
" Welcome to Sir Edward—Health and Long Life,"
" Welcome to the Rector of Stevenage," " God
Save the Queen," " Success to the Widows' Hope
Lodge," and several other appropriate mottoes and
devices. Two series of tables each occupied the
entire length of the room ; on these were placed
bouquets of flowers and tea equipages.
A 7 o'clock Sir E. B. Lytton entered and was
received with a burst of applause. lle took the
president's place, fixed near the western entrance ;
near him were the Rev. Canon Blomfield, Rev. C. B.
Pearson, and Mr. Pearson, jun., Rev. J. 0. Seager,
Mrs. and the Miss Seagers, the Rev. Mr. Paul, Mrs.
Amos, A. B. Denton, Esq., and Miss Denton, Mr.
Webb, Mr. Smith (Stevenagebury), and other
ladies and gentlemen.
After a welcome and refreshing supply of tea and
coffee (we trust to be excused for not quoting " The
cup that cheers but not," &c., &c.) the business of
the evening began.
First, the balance sheet was produced : the Lodge
has 73 members, and has £9o7'7s. 2d. monies in
the bank, on mortgage, and in the hand of Messrs.
Simpson, brewers, of Baldock, being about £l2 10s.
for each member. The receipts for the year are
£134 17s. 11d., the payments £BO 3s. 2d., and £6O
has been invested.
Next, a choir of ladies and gentlemen sung a very
elaborate glee, " The Sisters of the Sea," in very
good style and to some effect. Wine, the claret
cup, and fruits were handed round, and all was
hushed as the President rose to address the assembly.
Sir E. B. LYTTON said—Ladies and gentlemen,
will you allow me thus early to express the great
pleasure I feel on finding myself once more amongst
you. (Cheers.) For, independently of other attrac-
tions, it is above 25 years since I first became one
of the brotherhood of Odd Fellows, and I am glad
to see around me so numerous and flourishing a
family. (Cheers and laughter.) Gentlemen, the
institution of Odd Fellows closely combines two
great social duties in life : the one is prudent fore-
sight, the other a mutual benevolence. There is no-
thing which more strengthens and dignifies the whole
character of man than to form early in life a steady
determination to provide against the chances of the
future. The work of to-day becomes more light and
pleasant to him who knows that he has taken care of the
morrow—and should be struck down by sudden
illness, he has earned through his own self-sacrifice
in thrift or economy a right to the aid of his fellow-
man. He who does this has a better chance of a
happy and contented home ; for surely he will be
more beloved by his wife and children if they know
he has taken care for them in case accident or dis-
ease should disable the arm on which they lean for
support. It is an additional pleasure for an Odd
Fellow to know, that while he is providing for him-
self, he is at the same time, through the great prin-
ciple of co-operation, obtaining the power to benefit
others in their time of affliction. Thus, as I have
said, Odd Fellowship combines two social duties—
prudence and benevolence. And thus the Society
of Odd Fellows fulfil a great social duty. This
may be said of all other provident societies ; but,
in addition, the Odd Fellows secure opportuni-
ties for pleasant meetings like the present, which
serve to bring us familiarly together, and
make us feel that we are indeed brothers, not only
in acts of charity, but in mutual affection and good
will. (Cheers.) In small towns and rural districts
such as this we have but few opportunities of meet-
ing together, and a cheerful holiday like that we now
enjoy sends us all back to our homes thinking still
more kindly of each other. (Cheers.) Now, gen-
men, I must congratulate you upon one great im-
provement on our former meeting. You have secured
the attendance of the ladies ; and lam sure you all
acknowledge that the sight of so many fair faces is
better than our flower show. (Cheers.) I venture
to express a hope that the good custom now begun
will not fail to be continued, though I fear it will be
attended with a serious loss, not only to some Odd
Fellows, but also to their friendly guests. For if
there be young bachelors present, I am certain some
of them must have already lost their hearts; and it
there be any young lady present who has happened
to find one of these hearts, I, as chairman for the day,
give her full leave and license to keep it for life.
provided only, as is fair, that she gives another
heart in exchange. (Cheers and laughter.) Now,
ladies and gentlemen, I am not here to make a
speech, but to be amongst you ; and it only remains
for me to thank you, first, most cordially for the
kindness with which you have received me as a
friend and neighbour ; and next, for the pleasure
you have afforded me by the development of the
musical talent which has charmed us all. In return-
ing thanks to the musicians, permit me not to for-
get to thank the fair Sisters of the Sea. (Loud
cheers.)
Glee—" Awake 2Eolian Lyre."
'The Rev. Canon BLOMFIELD said he rose to
perform a duty due from the court of Odd Fellows,
to record their sense of the honour done them by
the presence of Sir E. B. Lytton on this occasion.
(Cheers.) He was sure that all present, whether
inhabitants of Stevenage or of other places, would
feel that a high honour was done to Stevenage,
and especially the Odd Fellows, by the presence of
Sir Edward Lytton. (Loud cheers.) They had
the pleasure of hearing words, few in number, but
worthy of long remembrance ; they were spoken by
one to whom perhaps the best cultivated assembly
in Europe—the House of Commons—listened with
rapt attention whenever he rose to address them

And although the presence of Sir Edward Lytton a'
. __ _

an anniversary of Odd Fellows would be an honour

at any time, it was doubly so at the present. The

party of whom the right hon. baronet was so dis-
tinguished a member had come into power ; and
though he had not consented to accept office under

Government, still it was evident that he must con

tinne to be a leading member of that party, and so

would be looked up to with much and increasing in-
terest. Next, he would speak of the high honour
her Majesty was about to confer on the right hon.

baronet. That was a great satisfaction to all here.
They did not suppose that a peerage vould add

honour to the name of Bulwer Lytton, because the
name was already more widely known and more
highly honoured than a peerage could make it ; but
it was a matter for pride to them all, that their dis-
tinguished neighbour and friend had received that
distinction, which was so well his due. He was the
founder of a title which would go down to the latest

posterity, and its holders wouldieel it had descended

to them by the high honours fairly earned by Sir
Bulwer Lytton. His family had been connected

with the locality for very many years ; and he could
trace his ancestry back to an almost pre-historic
time. Ile (Mr. B.) was sure that none of the right
hon. baronet's friends could more heartily rejoice at
his approaching and well-deserved elevation, and
more heartily wish him every good wish, than those
_ _

he now asked to join him in wishing " health and
long life to Lord Lytton of Knebworth." (Loud
cheers.)

Sir E. B LYrrox said—Ladies and gentlemen, I
cannot adequately express the sincere gratitude I
feel to my friend Mr. Blomfield, for the much too
flattering manner in which he has been kind enough
to speak of me ; and I thank you also for the kind-
ness with which you listened to his remarks. With
regard to the honour her Majesty is pleased to be-
stow upon me, I can only say in the language of the
poet—