The Express.
London, England, 1856-05-08 00:00:00

THB ROY AL LITERARY FUND.

1 Yesterday evening, the anniversary dinner of the
Royal Literary Fond was held at the Freemasons' Tavern,
His Royal Highness the Duke of CAMBRIDOI in the chair,
who woo oliPPorted by Lord HarryVasni,Lord Ravensworth,
the Lord Bishop of Ostord, Lord Dynevor, Lord Teign
'south ; K. Van de Weyer, the Banns Minister • Hon.
George M. Dallas, the American Minister; Right' Hoe.
Joseph Napier, General Sir John Burgoyne, Bart., G.C.8.,
General 81, Charles Feeley, G.C.11 , General Calor. R.A.,
Giessen Benson, Sir William Fraser. Bert., Sir Francis
Railings Doyle, Bart, Sir Goons Nicholls, 11,C,8., Sit
John Awdry, Sir Henry Bills, Sir John Forbes, Sir John
Login LIE. Delepierre. the Secretary of the Belgian Lem
tics ; Hr. La President of the Colltge of Surgeons ;
Mr. Honda% M.P., 'lldr. Peabody; Mr. Gilbert Henderson,
Recorder of Liverpool; Mr. James Avignon Tobin, of
Liverpool; Major Clifton, Captain Riehsrd F. Bar-
ton, Dr. Saadwith, Mr. Murray, Mr. Nicholls, Mr.
Charles Baldwin, Mr. Robin Bell, Mr. Henry eve,
kir. Herman Marlys* Charles Mrrivale, Mr.
D. T. Coultas, Mr. J. VI Key., Dr. Geist, Pro-
fessor Owen, Mr. Planiske, Mi.ll,otrobe, Mr. W. R. Greg;
ral Mr. Oavry, secretary of of Antiquaries; Dr.
Patrick Colqubouu, lidelf oek, Mr. Theodore
Martin, Mr. Lowe, Mr. Thawing , Mr. John Dickin-
son, F.R.S., Mr. W. H. Harris= . Robert Cooke Mr.
44. H. Fors, Mr. George Godeain, F. Mr. Tos,ke, FALB.,
Mr. Byre, Mr. Reedy, •iii• X/. Owen Tudor,,
Mr. Cronin, Mr. Beene% Mr. urn, Mr. Blacken, Mr.
Frederiek Salmon, Mr. Hartley, Rev. G. Pottieary, Mr.
H Matthews, Mr. ernias, C 8., Mr. Dillon Croke, Mr
Blackmon, Mr. Cressieghate, Dr. Altana, Mr. Croelsed,
Mr. Henry Stevens, Mr. Lovell Reeve, Mr. G. Bentley.
The health' of her Majesty and the Royal Family having
bees duly honoured,
The Cs/amass proposed the "Corp Diplomatique,
and M. Van de Weyer, t • Belgian Minister."
M. Vast an Warn.. in return's thanks, spoke of the
appropriateness of his Royal Highness taking the "heir on
the anniversary of a society connected with literature, being
founded oa the neeessary associations between historians'
and poets end those whose deeds they had to mord. His
Royal Highness, however, alter going through the dangers
of the heights of the Crimea, had now to enemata the
dangers and difficulties of the belittle of Parnassus, which
those who tried to Nand them often failed to surmount,
not from want of genius or of labour, but from want
of support. It was for the illustrious prince to minister to
the sufferings of the wouaded, the sing, and the broken
down in the lower ranks of literature, and to assist the
veterans of literature, as he had done In the can of the
wounded and the retinae of these who had been his fellow-
soldier" is war.

The.7drnei and Navy " followed, which was acknow-
ledged by Lieutenant-General Sir J. Burgoyne.
The Calm/nut then prrporred " Prosperty to the Lite-
rary Fend." Bet re sitting down he mentioned
the receipt of a most important donation The lets Sir
Robert Peel left his paper. In the hands of two literary
executors, Earl Stanhope and Mr. Cardwell. The latter
right honourable gentleman had been expected there that
evening, but had bun prevented by a domestic aMiction;
bet he had sent a donation of 1001. from the proceeds of the
first portion of the work founded oa the papen of Sir R Peel
which was shoat to appear. This mendience would be the
mon honoured as bong a legacy of one of the most Wes-
trios' statesmen of the age. (Hear, hear.) He bogged to
propose " Prosperity to the Literary Fund."
The tout was received with great applause.

Mr. GODWIN, one of the tornt =MCC, then read SOM. 11111-
trao.s from the annul report, by which it armed that the
balsam in hand on Ist Jan., 1855, was 17 . 8,. 2cl. • the
rents of the Newton Estate, 2031.; dividends on stock-
via., One yem's dividend on 21,3001.. Osceola, 8391.; one
you's dividend on 11.1891. 16s. 101. Reduced, 2461. Os. Bd. ;
subseriptions, 3191. 106. ; donations, 8641. 14r.; anniversary
receipts-Diann tithes, 1121. 75._; ton stewards' fees,
311. 10s.: total, 2,6831. 4s. 10d. Daring the year there
bad been 63 greats for relief, being the largest yet given, of
which 31 were to persons relieved for the first time, at •
out of 1.8861. The permanent fund consists at present of
21,301 E. Consols., producing an annual dividend of 8391.
The stook of the Newton property consists of 8,1874 lbs. 104.
Ia the Three per Cents. Reduced, producing an anneal di-
vidend '12431. Os. itd. The Newton estate at Whitethatul
has produced in rents during the put year the sum of 2031
A long list of donations was read, huluding, moo, others
the Queen, 1061. ,• the Duke of Cambridge, 201. • a helium;
of Mr. George RIITOW. 45014 Lerd Eardiegi, 101, 195.;
the Earl of Elleaborough, 101 101 ; the Eel or Ellesmere,
101. ; Lord Dynevor, 211 ; Henry Pollen, Esq.. 101.; the
Stationers' Compute. 201. ; Longman and Co" 61. 60. Earl
Sposeer, 211.; M. Iran do Weyer, 101. 104 ; Right Roe.
T. B. Macaulay, 101.; Mr. Ruskin, 101. • ord Ravens-
worth, 101., &a.. vita Ms total amount subscribed on this
masks was 123511.
_ . -

" The Health of the Chairman" was proposed by Lord
RAVINSWORTH, sad daily acknowledged.
Them followed—

"74 Tiellistorians and eke Rev. Charles Midvale," pro-
posed by. Lord BANAT VANN ; The Writers of Perio-
dical Literature and Mr. Henry bee,.," proposed by Mr.
Ronan, "The Viet-President," proposed by Sir
WILLIAM! Fauns, sad briefly but meet eloquently re-
sponded to by the Bishop of Cuomo, who eagle in at a late
hour for a shawl time for this purpose, and then retired.
The CHLIZIELN then gave .4 The Literature end Soignee
of the United States and his Excelleacy the Americas Mi-
nister," dwelling with mush fere. on the union that
ought to and moot exist between the two nations, and a:-
preadult his belief that nothing was so calculated to promote
the sympathy and friendship of the two countries se a
common literature in the time language. The West wee
received with repeated cheerios.
Mr. Matas, the American Minister, then me, end wee
resolved with most emphatic and long-continued applause.
He said—After thanking, as now I do, his Royal Highness
fa recioribing by this tout the literature and science of
my aosatry, and after thankieg this company for having
received the toast with impressive cordiality, it would, per
haps, be most prudent for me to resume my seat and to
avoid the risks necessarily incident to the handling of a sub-
join whisk I cannot pretend to be master of—

A little learn*, lea dangerous thing,
Intakes's) or taste not the Pieria• spring.
There its, however, a few rooolleotions which stimu-
late me to do somewhat more. Let me nmind you
of a historical feet ptrticularly laterestiog to me at
this manners; that over a small and hesitating meet-
ing in 1773, which constituted the germ of this now
deeriehing and brilliant iastitutien there presided
a ceenatrynies of mine. (" Hear, hear." and cheer)
And if it be true, as doubtless It is, that the severs and prac-
tical character of his naiad refused to entertain the stage's'
►opes of its subsequent founder, still Benjamin Franklin,
the American sags, philosopher, and statesman, lent from
the chair his grave sanction to the purposes which, having
bees subsequently most sealosely persevered is, have
obteined the triumphs which I now wittiest. Ncr
am I altogether insensible to the feet that •
radios of my own was the great grandson of
your first chemise. (" Hear, hear," sad *keen )
Marked by the intellectual characteriatica of his
ancestor, he is acting now in official occupation in the
United States,and amid the loftiest spheres erosional he lam
di.played powers at least equal. (" Hear, hear," sad
°been.) Perhaps, too, lam individually, as his representa-
tive in this coustry, bound to co-operate in the expression of
all homier to, and to give my adhesion to, a corp.:ratios
whose generoas sad 'twitting hand is unetraltened by in-
vidioeslnaits. It was my lot, shoot 10 years ago, to sot sa
the presiding chancellor of an institution for promoting the
ingress" sad diffasioa of knowledge among men—among all
men, without distinction arch's, or party, or faith, or coun-
try. I acted In that sapasity in an histitution founded
on sad subsisting by the 'meaty of a wile and benevolent
Is aompting the munificent bequest of
Smithson to foaled an institution bearing his name, sod now
being in ncesedel operation in the city of Wastitmton, in
the United States, and giving it • ditectloa analogous to
your own, the got, raiment of the Uoi•ed States itself paid
• just homage to the principle. and practice of this moiety.
( He►r, hear," and aeon.) It will 'fiord me greet plea-
sere, and perhaps it might eater to my satiate' pride, it I
ase almitted to belong to an intellectual band by which the
literature of the United States has been advanced and idea•
tratediTsey owes heavy debtanyabk in the este of the brlia,
to the sepias of this island. Bat let me say, that they
labour ledefattgably to rents* that debt, sad already they
mass to regard se a homilies achievement the payment of
the debt In full. (Hear, hear.) Bins* my arrival, cad
defies tae lost seven weeks that I have bees in your great
'spits', I have been delighted to listen to eulogies on Ame-
rican leridisial science wades from the lips of those who
are the most exalted and leaned la Westmiaster H dl. I
have ►esa delighted to hear intermingled the names of
Alison, Baneroft, Mao ealay, Prescott, Orate, mid Irving.
have bees delighted to remark that no essiesioa from
the almost anginal presiams of "Waver's'," end " Vaaity
Fair," sad "Illy Novel" is harshly proaminsed against the
Ladies ramenese and the sea stories of Cooper, or against
the Here with Seven Gabble, or the Scarlet Letter.
(Hear, boar.) And I. Sae I have been delighted to perceive
as neapg grown obsolete sad permanently banished the
sermon "Adonis I used to bear a my youth—" who reads
an American book." (Hear, hear, and cheer...) It is from
this harmony of inutile and literary espressos between
the twe emetries that we draw the beet hope of hammy
in the general bagmen, betimes them. (Loud sheen.)
The Inflames of 'ashen over communities ware
aeithar to be double" nor exaggerated. Let as
teen man that the espies., strong, sad polished
leasing" w►isk is seanna to angla..d sod America, may
erase to be the medium of *trite—(luad ebesn)—bet en the
centray became the ',strewed of mutual iee•vectiat, of
coamliatioa, sad of pease. (Load and marlased cheering.)
Tim Ober toasts Mask it may be remarked wen an