The Express.
London, England, 1855-04-03 00:00:00

DINNER.

ITHE ROYAL THEATRICAL FUND ANNUAL

The tenth anniversary festival of this useful and inte-
resting ehuity was held yesterday evening at the London
Tavern, and went off with unusual eclat. The room was
crowded, and amongst the company might be noticed wet
of the leading celebrities connected with the metropolitan
drama. The choir was taken by Mr. BOCISTONI, of the
Haymarket; and right and left of him we observed Mr.
Blasco, Mr. Lemon, Mr. Smith, Theatre It oval, Drury-
lane, Mr. Stirling Coyne, Captain Baddeley, Mr. Neale,
ttdinTnheerri. were
thneoret lasusovathl anef th2legelonthti,e.
Lordea rE,
eB
ar Bruce, t
The CHAIRMAN proceeded to give the usual initiatory
tout, "The Health of her Majesty the Queen," "'marking
that, independently of the duty of every loyal subject, there
were many special reasons to induce himself and the mem-
ben of the theatrical profession to drink her Majesty's
health with more than common fervour. In the first place.
her Mitjesty bad this year repeated her magnificent annual
donation of 100 guineas; and, in the second, there was no
one who had a higher relish for good comic acting than her
Majesty. (Laughter.) He (Mr. Buckstone) having had
the honour of playing before her Majesty at Windsor Castle
and the Haymarket, could vouch for it that her Majesty
could laugh as heartily at comedy—when it was properly
played—(i laugh)—as any man or woman in her dominions.
(Cheers.) He had himself a third reuse for considering
the day happy.when her Majesty ascended the throne, as
on that day he was bleeped with a son, so that as an actor,
a father, and a friend of the theatrical fund, he had special
reasons for praposiug the Queen's health with all the
honours. (Loud cheers.)
The neat toast was "Prince Albert and the Royal
Family," after which the Chairman gave The Army and
Navy," observing that as it was considered very silly to
paint the lily, be should net attempt to enhance by any
eulogist= of his the public estimation of the gallant deeds of
the army and navy. (Lose cheering.) They had amongst
them a gallant officer who had shared is the perils of Alma
and lokermann, and who would respond to the tout.
(Great churiag.)
Captain BADDILIT (who, en rising, was received with
renewed cheering) said that to be called on to return thanks
for the army and navy was to him quite an =teem:tut
honour ; so much so that he felt his hurt flutter more than
ever it bad done in the trenches, (Loud cheery.) The com-
' pany might depend upon it that the kind sympathy of the
people of England was not thrown away cn their country-
men in the Crimea, who were as ready to give as good an
account of the Russians as ever, and to give as good an
account of them as at Alma or Inkermann. Lord Raglan, he
believed, to be a brave and gallant officer, who having led the
army triumphantly through previous engagements, would
do so again with equal messes. Let the army in
I the Crimea be only fairly reinforced and properly taken
are of---(hear, hear)—and they might depend upon it
• Lord Raglan would again lead them to victory. Even
I should that not be the ease, of one thing they might be sore,
and that was that so long as a single moldier remained there
• was not atingle soldier who would turn his back upon the
, %teams. (Land cheers.)
• The " Houses of Parliament" was the next tout, for
• which Lord Easier Sauce returned thanks.

Mr. CHAULES DICKENS, In proposing the next tout, said
that it was proleabl witbin the theatrical experience or most
of the company that on some occasion when they had been
at the play, everything bad at first progressed in a satisfac-
tory manner. Toe principal actor was a decided favourite,
and no gentleman amongst the company was so tinfortunsto
as to meet with the accident known in theatrical parlance es
" miming hie tip," when suddenly the act drop fell and
there appeared at the right hand aide a gentleman in plain
clothes, his hat violently clasped in both hands, and his
boots act without some appearance of the streets—a man of
a pale aspect, which was partly referable to the action cf
acute feeling, and partly to the neglect of the haresfoot
which so often lent a bloom to theatrical countenances, sad
who came to make the usual appeal to the well•known
generosity of a British public—in a word, to apologise.
(Loud laughter.) He (Kr. Dickens) was that particular
gentleman on the present occasion. He bad been
opt laisioaed by the maaagement to inform the
aui isag t that Mr. Buckoone—owing to circuits:Amu s
over which he had no control (loud laughter)
—had been " put up " for two parts in this piece, and
found himself absolutely usable to appear in both at the same
time. (Cheers.) He was in point of fact at that moment
making up for the arduous character of " The Treasurer,"
a part in which he bed been most successful since the com-
mencement of the present establishment—(" hear, hear,"
and sheen)—and therefore found himself unable to fill any
longer his other character of chairman, or to deliver that
spirit-stirriag address from which no doubt so much was
expected. (Hear, hear.) lye therefore appealed to the
failing indulgence and consideration of a British
audience, to allow him (Mr. Dickens) to walk through the
part, and to say what Mr. Buckstone would have said, had
he not made special arrangements to say something else.
(Cheers and laughter.) Mr. Buckston• then, on receiving
from Mr. Toole the cue of "Pray, silence, chair,"
in giving " the toast of the evening," would have congra-
tulated the members of the Theatrical Fund on the brilliant
assemblage he saw around hiss, and have proceeded
to testify to the innumerable merits of the hotitution. lie
would have communicated the reassuring fact that, in the
midst of war and tumult, the humanising arts bed
not quite been forgotten, and, least of all, that
art which, through the means of one little play,
bad made the battles of Poictiere and Agincourt more
renowned than had been done by all the historians and
chroniclers of that or any later period—(cheers)—an art
which had done more to stir up manly blood in a great
cone than any parliamentary speeches that had ever
been delivered in all the debates that bad ever made
night hideous. (" Hear," and chute.) Surely they were
not inappropriately asked to remember that art in time of
war, which painted with the greatest truth the joys of mili-
tary triumph, or the constancy of brave hearts under the
misfortunes which were inseparable from war. (Loud
cheers.) They must remember that art, and encourage a
society which comprehended every grade of the actor's pro-
fusion—which was unfettered la its bounty by any bard
restriction or impossible condition—offering to every thea-
trical professor who should subscribe a support which was
their right and which, therefore, they never need blush to
accept. (dear) This was the sum and substance of Mr.
Buekstone's case; but as he now saw that gentleman at the
wing, evidently well up in his part of treasurer, and
armed with the "property" documents, and as he was most
eager to "come on," he (Mr. Dickens) would, with the
permission of the audience, leave the stage to him, with
this observation, that he had a most malicious tr aaa u a et's
twinkle in hie eye, and that it behoved the audience to
" mind their pockets." (Laughter.) It was a well. known
theatrical mazim that an actor should always have some-
thing good to " get off " with—he had something which he
was sure would "bring down the house ;" it was not the
wounded soldier, nor the sailor who fought the pirates, nor
the" woman in danger"—but simply, "Prosperity Is the
Theatrical Fund." (Loud cheers.)
Mr. Becxgrotex rose amidst loud cheering, and said—
Gentlemen, as this is the first time that the toast of the
evening, " Fluectu to the General Theatrical Fund," has
been acknowledged by the chair, I know you will excuse
me if I state one of the peculiar disadvantages under which
I labour by having moved from next door—that is to say,
from a seat or two to the right hand. In reply to this
tout, there were always two subject, which carried me
more than half way through my duty. The first consisted
in complimeatingthe chairman of the evening—in dwelling
on his kindness in attending hers, in alluding to his talent
in art, seisms', or literature, and which had rendered his
name lemons, and made him a fit person to preside at such
a festival as this. Now, gentlemen, it is very clear that, as
I cannot compliment myself, my subject matter becomes
shorn of its fair proportions, and in consequence, my address
to-night may not be so lengthy as usual, a fact on which
you will, no doubt, immediately congratulate yourselves.
Still, gentlemen, when I remember the distinguished per-
sons who have presided on this oceasiou—when I recollect
such names as Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, Mr. Macready,
our friend and trustee Mr. Charles Dickens, who hes been
twice Lord Mayor of the London Tavern at this banquet,
and write we hope, will fill that office more than thrice—
+ben „I remember that Mr. Charles Keay, Mr. Henry
Berkeley, Mr. Benj. Webster, and Mr. Milne*, have occu-
pied this chair, I cannot but feel Battered at being requested
to endeavour to emulate their seal in our an and acknow-
ledge the great importance of the position. And now, gentle-
see, as I have confessed to being deprived of one of my
chief, and one of my most pleasant, topic" in my annual
address, I think you will allow that, in making the confes-
sion, I have already filled up the epees, and supplied the
deficiency with tolerable dexterity. The second subject,
gentleman, is one that still remains to me, and that is, to
state the condition and objects of our fund. This is ex-
pected; and though its intentions are fully understood by
all present, yet our friends and well-wishers must be anxious
to know hew we progress, the amount of our success, and
what we are doing with our canital. The General Theatrical
Fund, gentlemen, was established for the purpose of
granting seaside@ to all ontsben of the dramatic pro-
fession, whether is town or country, who might possess the
prudence to subscribe to it, and who, after puectuilly
paying their subscriptions for seven years, would become
enitled to its benefits should they be prevented following
their pursuit by accident, age, or infirmity. Of course,
gentlemen, we have found that members of the fond
have sometimes deigned their privileges with great alscrit!,
when it has been the duty of the directors to nuke strict
inquiry into their claims; and If by some such inquiry may
have been considered too searching, it must be remembered
the directors are bound by their rule., and by the duties
which they owe to the satiety, to sae they are not imposed
upon, or the benefits of tee fend applied unwortei y ; and
la all cases where such inquiries have ended satisfactorily,
the relief or the annuity has been cheerfully &welded. And
to show you, gentlemen, the greet liberality of this fund,
where saddest or infirmity may suddenly arrest the career
of en actor, I have only to allude to tease which ea_ me_
the directors within the last
former had just subscribed a.
daring that term be had paid a..
furt, something less. Immediately
these Devon years be met with a ...-
lowing his profession, which
the Melte. After a cautious r
ties dale claim fee as atm—
mum gentlemen, is eoasideratlon
the ima I aam ea—seael
SISOIL (Hasa) I think
pahlis aloe he granting ,
saleseiben each advantages.
MOM le yea the probability
lean their upttal to the
NOM le my the ustetlations,

kit few weeks. A preriaeial per.
'bed the required eaves y , •
d paid to the fund only ... -,, ,
temediately ea the ft 1-: ~. •
severs
with a rs amid , 1ii,..,-2' fie, )
Isiah compelled bin •!' 11.- ,z •
iii end Rot mut •
41
tenuity, it was alio •, . •• • • • :
deration et hie beii AC, • • '''F' , ..-
- ... .-.. ,
, 161.-ts sow in mai j
~..
...., • , -
IA yes will sallow' ~,.. ~, - ‘::.
au life assulties eau AI. • ,
..;•,. 7,
ugee. LA year, dd,1,,,,,,,,-
_-„,
wet two treetecial i 714 .„, A
Ile Glewel Theatrical Fe -. .
Me. mid* wen have beet

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