The Press.
London, England, 1854-05-06 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

was renewed by the light of gasburners cleverly
arranged for the purpose of illumination.
At the banquet Sir Charles Eastlake, president of
the Academy, occupied the chair. When the cloth
was drawn, the first speech of any interest was that
of Lord HARDWICKE, who responded to the toast of
" The Army and Navy," discanted indeed upon art,
but it was the art of war :

" There were certain great principles which he wished
the public to understand, and which, if they were duly re-
cognised, were calculated to alleviate their anxiety. In the
first place, ships were intended to fight with ships, and,
being wood and iron, were not intended to fight stone walls.
(Hear.) He advised the public to think of the double
danger to which we were exposed from every other species
of naval warfare except that of ship meeting ship in fair
contest. If this principle were adhered to, he had no fear
that our naval supremacy would be endangered ; and he
did not think it was about to be departed from, because, if
it were, we should no doubt have a large reserve force at
home. But if our ships were to engage stone walls, then
the public mind ought to be directed to meet disaster and
risk, because, although no one would have any apprehension
for the result if ships met ships, yet there was a risk of
disaster if anything else were tried, which no power but
that of the Almighty could prevent. It might no doubt be
said that there were two great instances on record—
Copenhagen and Algiers—which proved that ships might
engage stone walls with success. But he thought an oppo-
site lesson ought to be drawn frum these instances. In
both cases it was what was called ' touch and go,' and we
were on both occasions as nearly beaten as our ships ever
were. With regard to the bombardment of Algiers, he
believed that, if the guns had been in the hands of any but
the Algerines, very few of our ships would have returned. By
negotiation and management that engagementwas brought
to a successful termination; but, as instances of the success
with which ships were able to engage stone walls, he had
always felt that great risks were run on both occasions, and
that the attempt hadnearly lostus our fleets. He wished the
public to apply the lesson to the Baltic and the Black Sea ;
and, as we had no reserve force at home, he did not believe
that any such risks would now be incurred. Unless, there-
fore, the Russian force came out of port, the present cam-
paign would probably pass without any serious act of
warfare. He had every confidence in the judicious conduct
of our commanders, in the zeal and gallantry of our officers,
and in the existence of the same honest and determined
fighting material on the part of our seamen. (Cheers.)
Such great operations as those to which he had adverted
were not likely to be undertaken without the orders and
commands of the Government at home ; and great actions
of this kind, differing from fair naval warfare, would, he
hoped, be avoided by commanders entrusted, not only with
the safety of their ships and crews, but with the safety and
independence of this happy land."

Responding to the health of the Foreign Ministers,
Lord CLARENDON rejoiced to find the entente cordiale
proclaimed from the walls of the Academy, which
exhibited the portrait of the French Emperor by an
English artist, and a portrait of an English noble-
man by a French artist. His lordship added, as
from his own krowledge :—"The original of that
picture of the Emperor is fond of British artists,
and looks forward with infinite satisfaction to 'the
competition by English artists in the Exhibition
which is to be opened next year in Paris."

The toast of "The Noblemen and Gentlemen who
had honoured the Banquet with their presence " was
accompanied by Sir C. EASTLAKE with some signifi-
cant hints respecting the proper modes of encouraging
and promoting art in the country. One mode, he
said, was to import from abroad the master works of
antiquity as models of excellence ; another, to foster
rising genius at home.
In replying, the LORD CHANCELLOR, whose name
was coupled with the toast, observed, condescendingly,
that although the Academy might not boast of any
works to compare in quality with those of Raphael,
Titian, or Guido, yet in quantity they were able to
exhibit an amount of paintings which neither those
artists nor their contemporaries could have contrived
to produce in any single year. Referring to the
extensive portrait element in the exhibition, he
said :

" God forbid that the taste for portraits should cease
amongst us, for it showed the strength of our domestic
affections, and that we loved to look upon the features of
those who were dear to us. The use of portraits was well
described by one whom he might call a savage. The
Prince Le 800, when his portrait was taken, was asked
whether he understood the object of it. He replied,
' Oh, yes ; me understand it well. This Le 800 die ; that
Le 800 live I ' (Hear, hear.) This was a commentary
upon portrait•painting the most appropriate that could be
made."

The Lord Chancellor concluded by proposing the
health of the president and members of the Academy,
to which Sir C. EASTLAKE responded, and offered
some 'general remarks upon the state of art in Eng-
land, as displayed by the works then lining the walls
around him. He remarked especially upon the di-
versity of styles which they manifested, and which
he thought a " salutary indication," being "directly
opposed to a justly stigmatised routine, while suffi-
ciently free from carelessness and undue caprice ":
" The general tendency of art (ho continued) now ap-
pears to be towards the real, the individual, and the
definite—a tendency which, as regards its higher capabili-
ties, if less fitted to kindle the imagination, may edify and

SATURDAY,

instruct, and may touch the chords of the purest feeling;
while, in its practical results, it is sure to enrich its
domain with new wealth gathered from inexhaustible
nature."

The word wealth appeared to have suggested the
health of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which he
immediately afterwards proposed, with a significant
hint that " the claims of the art of peace will not be
forgotten during the vigorous prosecution of a just
war."

Mr. GL,u)sroNE answered the challenge, assuming
that it was not directed to himself personally, but as the
" symbol of the pecuniary resources of the country."
He ventured, however, only to hold out a faint
hope
" that, while this great nation braces itself up for great
sacrifices for the purposes of carrying on the war upon
which it has entered, it will not condescend to the narrow
economy of stopping up all the channels through which
such fertilising influences have been dispensed, and by
means of which have flourished education and the fine
arts. (Cheers. )"
The names of Lord J. Russell and Mr. Disraeli
were then joined in one toast by the president, who
remarked that last year the latter gentleman had
invited the noble lord to cooperate with him in any
judicious scheme that might be devised for promoting
the fine arts in this country, and trusted that the
change in their mutual positions had induced no
change in the sentiments they then expressed on the
subject. Last year, he added, a very striking portrait
of Mr. Disraeli adorned these walls, and this year
they presented a very fine likeness of Lord John
Russell.

This toast elicited speeches from both of the dis-
tinguished complimentees, the noble lord of course
coming first. He said
" Permit me to say, that though no change has taken
place in the sentiments that I professed towards the right
hon. gentleman whose name has been coupled with my
own, and although political opposition has never produced
between us the slightest personal ill-will, while, on the
contrary, I shall always be glad to see eminent talent like
his receive that meed of approbation and support which i
ought to receive in a free country like our own, yet you
will permit me to observe that, as far as politica are con-
cerned, you, sir, certainly have produced a somewhat
violent contrast. (Laughter.) I miss entirely those tender
tints which are so remarkably characteristic of your presi-
dent—( continued laughter)—in his pictures which reflect
so well the delicacy and feeling and refinement of mind
that belong to him. (Hear, hear.) But he has departed
very far from his own style of colouring on this occasion,
and has produced the most violent contrasts--(laughter)—
somewhat in the style of the pictures exhibited in the
early years of the Royal Academy, when it was not unfre-
quent for distinguished artists on the last days before the
opening of the exhibition to throw in some violent reds or
tawdry yellows in order to make their pictures seen and
remarked by the crowd. You must, therefore, excuse me
if, while I pay, as I am bound to pay, every sort of respect
to the gentleman whose name is coupled with my own, I
must still say that with regard to our political opinions
that harmony which ought to distinguish your president as
a painter has hardly been maintained. (Laughter.) In one
respect, however, there has been a point of agreement be-
tween myself and the right hon. gentleman. Both of us have
had the honour of having our resemblance painted by a
distinguished artist, and we have become the illustrations
of anecdote mentioned by the Lord Chancellor. Instead of
the Lee 800 that dies, we shall leave behind us the Lee 800
that will never die. We have both of us had the good for-
tune to have our resemblances painted with very great
success by a man whose talent I honour, and whose friend-
ship I have the happiness to enjoy. I am glad to avail
myself of this opportunity to pay this eminent artist the
tribute of my regard and gratitude for the honour that has
been done to me, and in that sentiment I sympathise, and
certainly agree with the right honourable gentleman.
(Cheers)."
Mr. DISRAELI followed :

" I have on several occasions had the opportunity of en-
tering these chambers on this anniversary, and have alway s
been struck with the triumphs of art and the triumphs of
design and colouring, but I was not aware that rhetoric
would achieve in those rooms triumphs as singular; be•
cause your president has achieved a wonderful feat of
oratory in the toast that he has proposed for your accept-
ance and approbation. I hope it will not be considered an
affectation if I assure you that I feel honoured in having
my name associated with a celebrated artist and a famous
statesman. it must have been the inspiration of a genial
moment when the president hazarded such a union. (A
laugh.) But lam not entitled to such a distinction, and
I am reminded of the Persian fable that when a piece of
clay was asked how it happened he had so fragrant a per-
fume, he replied he had had the good fortune of living in
the vicinity of roses. (A laugh.) The president has con-
nected my career with the noble lord's and the distinguished
artist who has sent him down to posterity, and has made
me remembered for a short time. I am obliged to the
noble lord for the complimentary terms in which he has
referred to me this evening. It has been my fortune for
many years to sit opposite, as I do this evening, to the noble
lord, and I may say with truth that I have never seen him
look better than he does this evening in the Royal Academy
—[ibia allusion to the noble lord's portrait was received
with much laughter and cheering]—and I think I may be
entitled to be considered a judge of the noble lord's coun-
tenance, for I have had the opportunity of watching him
for seventeen years under various circumstances. (Laugh•
ter.) I have seen him in the elation of triumph, and Ido
not think that I have ever seen him of a better figure and