The Express.
London, England, 1863-05-04 00:00:00

[TWOPENCE

and art, the promoters of education, and the upholders of
tintalsonoured institution'. I have the honour to
"The health of Viscount Pahreerstos.* (Loud o=rs.
The taut was received with enthusiasm.
Visioned PALICLUIRON, who on risi=loselli ia:tddizered.
President, your Royal H' my and
Ge▪
otlemea,—l mod not, I am certain, same yen that no-
thing ma he mom gratifying to Um festhpl assay man than
to receive that compliment which you have We pleased to
propose, and which this distinguished assembly has been
kind enough so favourably to entertain, in the toad of his
health. It is natural that any man who in engaged in
labile life should feel thogreatest interestio the promotion ,
of the fine arts. In fact, without at great cultivation of art
no nation has ever arrived at soy point of easinence. We
have seen great waxlike exploits pedalled by manor in
• date, I woe:nifty of comparative barbarism, bat wanting
comparative civilisation; we have new mations amass-
ing great wealth, but yet not deeding • thereby
high in the estimation of the reel of the world ;
bat when great warlike achievements, great national
prosperity, and high cultivation of the arts are all combined
together, the nation in which thole conditions are found
may pride itself on holding that eminent position asses the
nations of the world which I am proud to say below to this
country. (Loud cheers.) It is gratifying to have the howler
of being invited to these periodical meetings, where we find
amembled within these rooms a grater amount of cultivatios
of mind, of natural Mill', of everything; which constitutes
the development of human intellect than perhaps ever is
merubled within the woo space elsewhere. (Cheers.)
And we have, betides, the gratification of seeing that in
addition to those living examples of national genius, the walls
are eovend with that that national pains is capable
of Om awl astir* asell airidepteent. (Cheers.)
Upon the primal occasion, Mr. President, every visitor
must have N.. with the greatest delight that by the aide
of the wake of those whose aamee are familiar to all, there
rife works of peat ability brought hither by men who are
atilt rising to fame ; end therefore we have the satisfaction
of fooling that this country will never be wanting in men
dlatinguisleed in the pranks of the fins sits. (Cheers.)
One peat wit of this eahlkeitiou is, that whatever may
be the tune of • man's mind, whatever lie position in life,
he may at least during the peeled he is within these walls
teddy" the most pleasing illusions applicable to the wants
hit soled at that time may feel. A man who comes here
shivering in sea of those days which meek the severity
of an English summer--(a laegid—may imagine that be
is basking in an African sun, and be may feel imagi-
nary warmth from the representation of • tropical
climate. (Laughter.) If, ou the Mbar heal, he is ,
suffering under those exceptional minder Wei Cas
of the few hot days of an English imam is apt to -
create, he may immense himself lobelia& the fresh keens
of the made ; be may suppose himself reclining tinder the
cooling shade of the asset luxuriant foliage ; he meg fee •
time, in fancy, feel all the delights which the streets and
pavements of London deny in reality—(cheers and laughter)
—and if he happens to be a young man, upon what is con-
ventionally said to be his preferment, that es to say, look-
ing out for • partner for his life—(a laugb)—he may
here study all kinds and descriptions of female beauty
(brighter and cheese) —he may satisfy his miad
whether light hair or dark—(laughter)—blue eyes or black—
(continued laughter)—the tender or the serious, the py or
the sentimental, are most likely to contribute to the
happiness of his future life. (Chesil.) And, without ex-
poeiog himself to any of those embarrassing questions as to
his intentiova—(a laugh)—which tometimes too inquisitive •
scrutiny may bethg—(much laughtor)—without asatisgdin
appointment, or breaking any bear* or being referred to
any paternal authority which he may not desire to consult
—(laughter)—he may go sad apply to practical selections
those principles of choice which will remelt from the study
within these wells. (Loud cheers sad laughter.) Then,
those of a more mead turn of mind, who direct
their thoughts to state offal's, and who with to know
what that august smoothly, the House of Commons,
is composed of, may here (pointing to Phillips's picture
behind the chair,) without the trouble of taking an order
for the gallery—(a laugh)—wifhont waiting in Westminster. .
hail till asset be vacant, without pasting hours in a hot
gallery, Radioing perhaps to dull discourse in as
unentresting debate—they may hem see what kied irt
of thing the House of Commons is, and go back edified
by the sight, without being bored by dull speeches.
(Cheers and laughter). Now don't, gentlemen, imagine"
that I am romancing when lattribute this virtue to coulee
demonstration —don't imagine that that which enters rheas
eye does not sometimes penetrate to the mind and to the
feelings. I will give you an instance to the contrary. I'd*
within these walls seeing two gentlemen, wits- 1'
from their remarks were very good judges of
heresy oking with the test admiration upon the well- '
keowe picture of Lasdeses, the Florseshomeg at the
Iffackmith's," and after they had looked at it for some— . ,
time one wee approaching seam. when the other is
an agony of esthmiatm said, " For Heaven's mks,
(tool go too near, be will kick you." (Loud One
and laughter.) Well, gentlemen, I said that a public mac
must take great interest in art ; but I feel that the pressed
government has en apology to make to one department '
of art, and that is to the sculptors ; for there is an old
maxim denoting one of the high functions of art, which is
Ars ear afore arrow. Now, there was a cellar —(much
laughter)—in which the art of the most distinguished sculp-
tors was concealed to the utmost extent of the application
of that saying. (A laugh.) We have brought them compa-
ratively into light—(cheers)—and if the sculptors will ex-
cuse us for baring departed from that sage and ancient
maxim, I am sure the public will thank us for having given
them an opportunity of seeing those beautiful works of men
of whom it may be said—

'•

" - vivos ducunt de roarmore ennui."
(Cheers.) I trust, therefore, the sculptors will exams ns
for having done, not, perhaps, the best they might have
wished, but, at least, for having relieved them a little from
the darkness of that Cymmerian cellar in which their
works were hid. (Cheers.) I beg again to thank you, gen.
tlerneo, for the honour you have dune me in drinking my
health. (Load cheers.)
The next toast was, "The Interests of Literature," in
mummies with which the president, after complimentary
remarks, proposed the health of ]lr. Thackeray, which was
duly acknowledged by that gentletpan.
The PRIBLIIISIT next pee "The Royal Society, and the
Health of its excellent President, General Sabine," which
having been duly honoured,
Sir R. lionnasos returned thanks.
Some Mille usual toasts having been omitted, to esalit•
his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to fulbi other en-
gagements, his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, sc.
*mermaid by his Royal highness the Duke of Cambridge
and Lis Royal ifighoma Prince Louis of Henn, then re.
tired, being conducted by Sir Charles Eastlake to the
Middle-room, where an elegant service of tea sad oak.
was provided. The Prins remained some time inspecting
the pictures and convening with many of the distinguished
gmexte.
The company broke up at ten o'clock.

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY or GREAT jißarrsue.
—The third annual meeting of this moiety was held at
Willie's Rooms last Weduesday afternoon. The Viscount
Gage presided. From the annual report it appeared that
the affairs of the society are in a ttouriehreg condition. ' It
has 44 life members and 1:23 annual subscribers, besides 38
patrons. From the belancecheet read by the treasurer, it
appeared that the society has a balance at Its banker's of
4Sel. 18e. 6d., against one of 4221. 14a. 4d. last year, be-
side., sum of 1501., sent out to Australia for the purchase
of birds and animals, and an unascertained balance in the
hands of Messrs. Matheson and Co., for Chinese sheep.
The working expense. of the society for the past
year (exclusive of office rent, but including the
salary of a clerk) bad very little exceeded 1001. The re.
pmt then west ou to allude to the various tramsations
during the year ; to the success of the flock of Chinese
sheep, sod the award of medals for the exhibition of these
sheep at the Bettersempark show of the Royal Aviculturist
Society ; also to the recognition of the labours of the
society by the French Societe d'Aecilinuitatiom whose cont.
mitten have awarded silver and Maces vandals to J. Bush,
Esq. (Demurer of the British Society), and Viscount
l'owerscourt. The report alluded to the lose which the
society had sustained by the death of the Marquis of
Breadalhane, its honoured president, at the same time
stating that his grace the Duke of Newcastle bad abnegated
to accept the vacant post. A great Twisty of matters were
then alluded to—such as the breeding of the Chinese sheep
I (both pure messed hybrids), experiment, in cross iag the eland
and the ordinary cow,the rearing of Honduras turkeys,hybrid
breeds of ducks, prairie grouse, gnats, dusky ducks, dm.,
theiotroductioo of the Lucia' errs, sod the artificial breeding
of salmon. The Duke of Newcastle was elected president
of the society. The council soil officers of the society were
then re-elected. After a vote of thauks to the chairman,
the members examined with great interest specimens of the
Chinese sheep, tubers of the Diomorea Bastes, and eggs
of the Honduras turkey, dusky ducks, end other birds, and
also specimens of the Fasten —(1), or bench grass of the
rooky mountains, exhibited by Higforrl Burr, Esq. During
the tionvenation which ensued the desirability of holding a
divest this year was mooted, and universally agreed to
INFANT ASYLUM OF FHB: SISTRILII OF CHAREFY.—
A bazaars to be held to-morrow and Wednesday at the
Kelghtebridge Barracks, in aid of the House and Infant
Asylum of the Sisters of. Chat ity. These gond women, in
some cases for nothing, and always fora weekly payment of
shout halt the amount for which an infant mu ordinarily be
put out to nurse. remivecbikhen and bestow upon them the
kiosks* care. This payment is within the means of a
widowed mother obliged to go Vitamins, or of a working
man deprived of his wife by death. It is needless to point
out that such an asylum as this hits often saved so unhappy
mother from despair sad crime. by enabling her to place her
child in safety while she earus its support and her own.
The bazaar is ender the must distinguished catholic and
protestant pstrooses.
CRYSTAL PALACE. —Li ALP-A-CROWN DIT.--
--SATURDAY, MAY 2.—Adnuasions on payment, 1,069;
ditto by saws tickets, ; DAM, 3,445.