The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-05-21 00:00:00

ROYAL LITERARY FUND.

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The 720 d anniversary of this institution was
celebrated on tVedneday night by a dinner in the
Freeinasons"ravern.
The company was more numerous than that sit any
recent festival, there being nearly 300 Penn," Plesent.
Ills Royal Highness the Duke D'Autuale presided,
and was aupported on hie right by the Marquis of
elanricarde, Mr. Disraeli, M.P., the Earl of Shrewabury,
Mr. italiburton, M.P., and on his left by the Belgian
Minister, Lord Stratford de Redc ion! HiVellb-
worth, Lord harry Vane, M.P., Sir. J. Pakington,
Lord J. Mennen, 14. P.,

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After grace,
His Royal Highness the Duke D'Aumale, who on
rising was received with enthusiastic cheers, said
Gentlemen, I propose the health of her Majesty the
Queen. (('beers.) These are the first word% which I
have addressed to you, awl the first which I have
uttered in public for many years. (Cheers.) Nothing
can be more gratifyiug to ino than to break in this way
a leng silence, for I have not to fulfil a mere formal
duty of etiquette, but to express feelings which are
deeply heated in my heart. (timers.) I have no right
to speak the language which is used on these oocamione
by loyal Englishmen, but I may venture to say that no
one professes more respect than nivself for her Slajesty,
or more sincere devotion to her royal person. (Cheers.)
I see in your Queen the personi cation of your noble
and free institutions—the Sovereign of a country which
is, and I hope wilt renisin, the ally sod friendl of my
own notivs 14,1.1 (obee s)-- of a com.try which gi
shelter to ell withont e•king them to MO ~,, IL to
any st., con. 'it ion, le xt tlap
laws tinder alone protedim they live. ((leeks.) I
also admire in her Mejesty the moat accomplished of
[edits' furl have lied iuore than 01.51 personal occasion
to obeerve nay , to feel —that extreme delicacy and
tendernees of heart which is lilltCOUlllloll among persons
born ill so high a etation, and of which she has given
so teuelling a ',roof on a recent and most melancholy
occasion. I sin sure that my words correspond to your
feelings when I ask you to drink the health 0, the
model of constitutional sovereigns, the most devoted of
daughters, the best of mothers, the best of wives, the
the safest awl most affectionate of friends, and, finally,
the most august and munificent patroness of this
institution— your good Queen Victoria. (Loud cheers.)
"Got save the Queen" was then sung by • company
of vocalists.
The Chairman then gave "The Health of his Royal
Highness the Prince Consort, Albert Prince of Wales,
and all the other Members of the Royal Family."
(Loud cheers.)
Lord Stratford de Radcliffe, in eulogistic terms,
pee. "The Army, Navy, and Volunteers. '
The lion. Edward Cost replied for the army ; Sir
John Pakington, M. P., for the Navy ; and the Earl of
Shrewsbury responded on behalf of the volunteers.
His Royel Highness the Duke D'Auoiale then
proposed " Prosoenty to the Royal Literary Fund, and
its president, the Marquis of Lansdowne," in • speech of
great power and ability commending it. claims to the
iucreased liberality of the public.
The toast was most enthusiastically drunk.
Mr. U. Godwin then read a list of subscriptions,
which included the usual donation from her Majesty,
of 2100 ;:elllofr. from' the Duke d'Aumale, 10 guineas
from the Count de Paris, amid 10 guineas from Mr.
Disraeli. The total was nearly iStat
Mr. Diemeli, on rising to propose "The Health of the
Chairman," was received with much cheering.—He said,
Gentlemeu, the list of those who have now for more
than two-thirds of a eentury presided over anniversary
festivals of the Royal Literary Fund is no mean roll.
In it may be found the names of many men eminent in
letters and public life—the names of illustrious princes,
and especially the name of one prince near the throne,
whose sympathy with all that teuds to the development
of the human iutellect has gained fsr him the respect
of enlightened nation,. Bet gentlemen, I doubt
whether our chair liu ever been filled under Mecum-
stances more interesting than thole which it attach toil
this day. (Cheers.) It is filled by the sou of an
ancient house that has been connected for centuries
with the development of the most brilliant and most
refined of modem nations, himself the lineal descendant
of • great monarch wham name is iudissolubly con-
necW with the most nisplendant period of modern
literature. (Cheers.) The claims of our chairman to-
day to our sympathy and confidence do not depend on
the past, or on the deeds of thou who have preceded
him. Those claims are present, and they are personal.
(Cheers.) If it be true that the most elude order of
literary composition is that where the writer in whom
the qualities of action and contemplation blend is
enabled to give to us the results of his own experience,
to describe the scenes he has himself witnessed, and to
record the events which lie has perhaps, in some
degree himself occasioned, tl.en I say our chairman can
urge no undistinguished claim to eminence in that de-
partment. We are indebted to his pen for that
picture, and with which no doubt you are familiar, of
the origin and character of that new arm in modern
warfare which seems to combine the discipline of
Europe with the fire of the desert. When we read
this picturesque and precise portraiture we cannot
forget that the writer observed them in the tented
field, which lie shared, and that he also led them to war
and to victory. My lords and gentlemen, the same pen
has analysed in ancient Gaul one of the most remark.
able campaigns of Cesar • and I think I may say
in language which literary critics would not,
impugn, that lie has treated • subject of
great interest and difficulty in • spirit and in a style
not altogether unworthy of that matchless character
whose exploit& and whose narrative of them be has
analysed with admiring but severe scrutiny. I have
always believed that the time would come when we
should be indebted to him for the prudes:tem of seem
work which would live in the language of that country
which be quitted with sorrow, but left with honour.
(Cheers.) We live in an age of strange vicissitudes.
The course of revolution is as rapid as it is startling,
and empiresdiuolve and die, and dynasties are scattered.
Happy the prince who, from no fault of his own
banished from the court and camp, can find consolation
in the library and generous occupation in the rich
galleries of learning and art. Happy is the prince who
in • foreign land, mixing with his fellow men on equal
terms, is still marked out hy the pre-eminence of his
nature—happy the prince who, under such circum-
stances, penetratiug the realms of literature, may yet
perhaps establish a throne which may defy the fate of
dynasties. (Cheers.) It is witlithedie feelings that I
propose "The Health of our illustrious Chairman, his
Royal Highness the Duke d'Aumale." (Loud
cheers.)
The toast was drunk with applause.
The Chairman briefly returned thanks.
Mr. H. Milnu, 11.1 S, proposed "The Ambassadors,"
which was acknowledged by his Excellency M. Van
de Weyer, who gave "The Literature of Great
Britain."
Mr. Trollope having responded,
Mr. 'l'hackeray, in appropriate terms, gave "The
Literature of France," and in doing so acknowledged
the obligations he was himself under to that literature,
which lie hoped would enjoy the same freedom and
prosperity which happily belonged to the literature of
this country.
The remaining toasts were, "The Scientific Tra-
vellers," proposed by Sir R. Murchison and acknow-
ledged by M. du Cheillu ; and "The Ladies."
The festivities of the evening were kept up until an
advanced hour.