The Express.
London, England, 1851-05-29 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRICAL FUND.

Yesterday evening the thirty-fourth anniversary
festival iu aid of the funds of this institution was celebrated
in the Freemasons'-hall, Great Queen-street. Mr. B. if.
C.IIIIIELL, M.P., was in the chair. The company was nu-
merous, and included many theatrical celebrities. The gal-
lery nud the lower part of the hall were crowileil with
ladies. lu acknowledgment of the toast of the evening, Mr.
Harley, as treasurer to the fund, said—This bving the :Milli-
.Tereary of the Drury-lane Theatrical Fund, I hove main
to solicit your indulgence fur the few observations it heeornes
my duty to make in its behalf. Your courtesy has hitherto
been pleased to tolerate me once a year in a serious part;
for levity would ill become the character in which I now
have the honour to appear before you; and let me therefore
seriously return you Tor.• heartfelt thanks for your past fa-
vours, and appeal to your sympathy fur their coatieuanee.
This most excellent iustitution, founded by David Garrick,
sets the seal of immortality upon his mune, independent of
those distinguished tale ets that were the wonder and delight
of the age iu whirls he lived, and which still continue to be
the theme of on admiring posterity.... Opulent beyond
the possibility of a reverse of fortune, that great master of
the human pallabiol4l devoted the iufbience of his l.igh pasi-
tion, and most liberally the ample resources of his purse, to
the endowment of this fund. lie fore,aw that his own bril-
liant career could fall to the lot of but very, very few, and
without being tutored in the school of adver,ity, lie learned
and practised its noblest lesson. This institution has re-
lieved age of half its infirmities, and poverty of half its *or-
rows. It has taught the actor to provide for unfore-een re-
verses, it has sheltered his widow ; reared and educated his
childreni and imparted a moral feeling to the stage, by
drawiug together its menders in bonds of unity,
by stimulating exertions, combining interests, clieridliug
tint han:st pride of independence, and opening the bound- I
less sourt:es of compastuun and benevolence 1 dona-
tion of 101. has been transmitted by her Majesty;
it has been so frequently my gratifying task to
announce these gracious gifts, and to express how
largely. we are indebted to the royal family of Eng.l
laud ior their munificent patronage, that I can only
repeat the oft-told tale ufdutiful respect and lasti.ig grati-
tude. Since our last anniversary, a visitation which all
hearts deplore kiss deprived this institution of a truly
royal and literal patron. the late Duke of Cambridge
Deeply as all lament the loss of is prince, endeared to them
by his public sod private virtues, my poorer brethren have
especial cause to mourn ; forto them he was nut only an
eloquent advocate, but u munificent benefactor. . . .

Or:teful for the Past, we are 1.10:1117 so fur the present,
which opens to us a prospet of continued success, under
the novices of the august personage who has he en
graciously pleased to signify his intention of taking( this in-
stitution under his special protection—l mean the present
Duke of Cambridge. Permit me, sir, to expre, the obli-
gations okay brethren and myself for your pr,si.lency
this day in our behalf.
. .

This'speeeh was received with the cordiality which ac-
companies all the public efforts of Mr. Harley. Mr. James
Airuer,on responded to the toast of the vice-presidents.
The donations announced during the evening amounted to
between 3001. and 4001. There WWI a plentiful wpply of
musical entertainments : the names or Mi'aes Dalby, I'.
Horton, and Eliza Birch, and
,of Messrs. Donald King,
Borrani, U. faylor, and Ilottesini being found in the list
of arti.tat whose services had been secured. Signor Bot-
tevini excited great approbation by his performance on the
contrabasso.