The Express.
London, England, 1859-06-23 00:00:00

ROYAL LIThRABY FUND.

The seventieth anniversary of this institution was
celebrated last amain by the usual festival at Freemasons'
Hall. The CNA/MELLOR of the EXCHeausa ; and
amongst the caeopeey were Prime Frederick ofHolstin. the
Earl of Itipoe, Urd Headley, Vice•Chaneellor Sir John
Stuart, Mr. Janice Halikerton, Mr. Puller, LP., Mr. Ma-
caulayM.P„ Professor Owen, Right Hen. Jame Wilson,
M.P., 'Rev. J. W. Slakeeley, Rev. Came Robertson, Rev.
S. W. Kis& Rev. J. Y. Jephson, Rev. J. H. Gurney, Rev.
Ernest Hawkins Mr. Thukmay, Rev. Frederick Farrar,
Rev. W. Omaha:a, Mr. William Helps, Mr. Movie Tapper,
Mr. J.
,W Hoye lb.
SiW. R. Oreg, Dr. Copeland, Mr.
Murray Mr. Oruitsieen, r John Forbes, Sir James Prior,
Mr. TMmas Wright, Dr. Beget, Dr. Copland, Mr.
Croikehank, Mr. J. Delaware Lewis, Mr. Pratt Barlow,
Mr.
H. 0. Bob.. Mr. Robert Cooke, Rev. W. Rills, Mr. Herrin
Creed, Mr. Clover, Mr. Edward Wilberforce, Mr. Edward
em.

The CRAIILWAN, la proposing the health of the Queen,
par a grateful seknowledgroint of the support which the
society and literature in amend had received from
her Marty lore her aconaion to the throne.
Is proposing the toast of the evening, the right hon. gentle-
roan chid—'The toast I have now to propose is, "Prosperity
to the Royal Literary Fund ;" and although': I regret to
spook dipped?, yet I cannot Introduce the toast without an
apogy. It is indeed • toast that ought not to be submitted
to you without remarks which would embrace and include
the results of careful thought and preparation, because they
me no ordinary topics that are suggested by an occasion
like the saidwarry of this very peculiar histitatioa. But I
need kindly tall you thanks circumstances la which I stand
in the peewit aressit are not favourable to those tranquil
marladons which would amble me to discharge my duty on
Ira a point I. a becoming meaner, but I hops unerr-
ing so to diseharp it as to show that I am not insensible
to the honour you have dons ma in requesting me to preside
at your &river/my. .Aooession to a laborious office in the
government of this country is invariably followed by •
==:f distraction and conforon which is only
the primeval name of chaos. (A laugh.) The
semeras and Millions of a oontested election pressing at the
WM time equally merit a similar dawription, and it is my
peculiar felicity to unite in my own pen= both these runes
of distraction. Under these circumstances I perhaps should
have consulted your intoner if I requested our friend
the secretary to dispense with my rendre* in considera-
tion of the poverty of my lIICRUCON and had sought the
obscurity for which alone lam really qualified. But it is
not in the English character to run away, and I could not
prevail upon myself to forego a. occasion on which, if I could
not submit to you anything worthy of your notice, at least I
might become so far useful as to attain the main purpose I
had in view when I consented to oocupy this orb, and that
was to have the opportunity of bearing —as a
mm of the world unworthy to be associated with
the honours of literature —an emphatic testimony
to the me-eaduent and surpassing value of this institution.
I desire to pay homage to the Literary Fund, as that which
meets the neonaity of men of letters. I desire likewise, es
one who is Involved in the most active sphere of the active
world, to pay homsge in your presence to Wan themselves,
and to that great and powerful Iramsnleing Agency to which
we owe so much of what sweets:mud sethellidies life, and
of what adores and dignifies it. (Hear, hr.) And now,
as respects this institution, you have beard from sere
tongues, and from minds mom richly furnished, what it has
done on former earlier. Thosewho have preceded me in this
chair have exhausted again and again almost all that can
be said in commending this institution to your warm sup-
port. You are yourselves thoroughly conversant with its
character, and the few words that I shall add will not, I
am sure, do more than testify to the interest which I feel In
its prosperity and progress. Of coarse it is not for me to re-
fer to arguments and controverdei that have prevailed, and
such as from time to time must necessarily peeved in a
country of free discuseion, with respect to the details of the
management of an institution like this. But I rejoice to see
that even those arguments and controversies, though they
may have retarded the progress, have not sufficed to reverse
it, or I rosy venture to say not sensibly to retard it. This
institution, like other things great and good was been. sad
maintained in adversity; but it has steaffily advanced, and to
Its edema, It has been favoured by the combined efforts of
these who were possessed of the most abundant means and
the highest station, es well se of those who have trilled
their geed will from dada Torreon. It is an hunts-
den which I believe I am justified la saying has
athenmd from year to year--almost foam day to day. It
says* he air to cover the whole Bald that is open to its
bansedent saterprise, bat it is able to cover • large portion,
sad a entiasally-htereadair portion, of that field ; and meet-
ings nor as they le wriewsr criticism they may he open,
will, I bops, et inn her re effect of warming our hearts
towards or another, and la the objects allies Literary Fond,
and inciting r to the mignon of what le undoubtedly a
work of true hussaity, of tress philosophy, and of, I
the truest wisdom flitting as you do to the prelsteediev
at lent one highly-distinguished foreigner, you will permit
on to say that I dwell with great malefaction upon what I
may nil the world-embracing character of this institution.
There is something in the character of letters which,
although it don not refuse the impress of nationality, affords
one of the beet, the moat intercatiog, the most effecting, and
the most innocent channels for the conveyance of national feel-
ing, yet declines to admit nationality as a fetter
and a bond. (Cheers.) It le • brotherhood which includes
the citizens of the republic of letters—and that brotherhood
Is as firm as our common fish and blood—and it is a distinc-
tion as sound in principle as it is remarkable and sound in
moire, that the Literary Fund extends to the citizens of
letters in foreign countries that relief which our fellow-
countrymen claim at our hands in virtue of the double cha-
racter of literary merit and Innocent want and necessity.
((lost, hear) By this institution ws acknowledge in some
degree the debt that we owe to reign countriee—the debt
that we owe to Italy, the mother of the modern literature of
Etwer—thesr, hear)—the debt that we owe to the lucid
milsof Franco—dm debt that we owe to the pedaled and
laborious students of Germany. You cannot by pecuniary
grants to neosertous men morn yourselves of that debt, for
every that addresses itself to the mind of
men irlirt6he very nature of things incapable of
being paid off in money. Bat, although you can-
toot discharge that debt you can acknowledge it, and
the acknowledgment or such debts to all the tribute that jos-
tios either requires or can receive. With respect to the operettas'
at this fund, I lock upon it from without, but I rejoin to
think how well it is adaptel to the rimer of oar tras—
hes, peoultar are the rata of the clue you have attempted
to realer, and how well adjusted is your mschinery to men
the exigencies of the MO. Cast your eyes where you will
ever the world, and everywhere you are mat by the evidence
of that law of inequality in the state of man which provokes
sea into murmuring and (rottener, and which affords to
others a school of Christian discipline and of pious
resignation. But that law of inequality, ordained
as It has been by Providence for tin purpose of
training mankind for the ultimate state of ita per-
fection, Ia nevertheless • law, which it Is the briars of
redly and love to countered and to limit in its working. I
mast couple with the professors of literature those who
belong to the sister calling of the fine arte—for there Is little
that can be said of the one in regard to the essential on
&true of their pursuit which is not applicable to the other.
At any rate this is applicable to both—that the followers of
these elevated purer.% became they follow them, ant ts
proportion as they follow them with that enthusiastic devo-
tion which alone is the parent and source of things ray
great, become in many cans less capable then they would
otherwise be of bringing down their minds to the orrery
cares of life, so that it may constantly happen that one be-
longing to this brotbechood will toms innocently Into die-
tress when an ordinary man not engaged in those peculiar
pursuits would not be likely to become dependant upon the
benevolence of others. But together with that defect
rendering them less treble of the ordzary details of human
affairs, there is, as we have all sees, a peculiar susceptibility
of organzation which raiders the mind more sensible to the
power of pain and one upon him, and that pain and taro
when once they have assumed influence over him fall direct
upon what, to use the language of political economy, we must
ell hie productive power, so that the whole combrallon of
those circumstanced together with the liabilities attiring to his
profession, and writ attach to it in proportion as his probe-
' don is devotedly followed, at once constitutes a prculter,oses of
necessity end • peculiar right to your anai.tance. (Hear,
hear.) There is yet another view in which It appears to me
that the institution of a fund like this is of the tumor impor-
t ms. The law of demand and supply works admirably well
with regard to material commodities, but it does not work
with the same perfection in reference to the productions of
the mind. Those works of the human mind which are
destined toendure are not always thoeowhtch at the first mo-
ment attract popular approbation. There are portions of the
domain et literature In which the efficient labourer is sure of
an immediate and adequate retina. But there are other por-
tion', of the same field amt lee* importaat, in which,
irrespective of any blame to him, end irreopective
of any blame to the public, it is la certain whether he will
obtain his return, above all it is totally uncertain whether be
will obtain the return at the prec!se time when the cornea
necessities of our nature most require it. It would be vain
to gore from literary history terraces of works which have
obtained to world wide fame In after years, but which hive
never been the means of blessing their authors with prosperity,
or even with comfort. I know not how far it may be tl e
case in the present day, but undoubtedly in the last gran
tion there were distinguished and splendid instances in the
walk of poets (where, as a general rule, you might look fur
a fairer apportionment of immediate lame); there were
splendid brawn of meat who with a single-minded devotion,
following the purpose of their own hearts, but not able to
most the calls of the market, produced that which an inner'
induct told them was worthy to live, end would live, but
which would not, at ell evens foretime, and the mess of
life to those who had produced it. (Crete.) With
respect to literature, like nausio—if it be rosily
music—we most have a due propaVon I. its several
parts. Even as the voices most be cowbird accord-
ing to tune, and se it is not ears& to prodare geed iamb
that you have good rises mid many of diem, hai yea at
taste the mug dimes of voices sageedated tease gillifart la