The Express.
London, England, 1861-03-26 00:00:00

(TWOPENCE._

We have 172 subscribing members, while, in addition to the
13 aunwtantm I have named, we shall shortly have two
more to be added to that number, and as we now possess a
royal charter, we are enabled to rewire legacies, and you
Al be pleased to hear that our find has recently been
benefited by two bequests, one of 210/. by the late gifted
Lady Morgan, and lutg. liv the near regretted Albert '
Smith, who has often been. present at these festivals, and .
helped to enliven the evening by one of his admirable
songs. We acknowledge these bequests with every feeling
of gratitude, and trust that it may set an example to
others. (Hear, hear.) I often glance over the state,
meet of " Wills and Bequests, published weekly in
the Illustrated Loy.thm Ewa, in the hope of meeting
with some kind and generous spirit—(laughter)—who,
remembering the many pleasant hours the actor's
art may have given him or her, he not forgotten
the poor player, when "Age with his stealing
steps bath caught him in his clutch." and when failing to
discover such intelligent)e in behalf of our fend, I have .
dreamily, and I hope Pot unreasonably, as • constant
labourer for many years iu the vineyard of instruction and
amusement—(bear, hear)—glanced again, to see if any of
the rich departed from amongst the thousands of audiences
I have appeared before, and for more years thee I shall
mention, have kindly and gratefully remembered me. I
neednot tell you I have never yet met with any such re.
merubrance, still we are told not to despair, as none of us
knows what may happen. (Applause.) Gentlemen, it is
so old but very false end ignorant notion amongst many
persons, that the actors are a reckless and improvident
race ; taken se a 'body there is not a more prudent and
careful class. Witness the four dramatic institutions now
is existence—the Drury-Lane Feed, the Covent-Garden
Fund, the Dramatic Sick Feud, this the General Fund; and
then to CfOMll all these meaments of prudence, look at the
Boval Dramatic College—(hear)—the house of which are •
narly corupleted, and shortly to be occupied. No, gentle-
men, lam proud and happy to my we are prudent, de. •
taeatic, social, charitable, and very respectable. There is
I scarcely an actor in the Haymarket company, that besides
his lodging in London, M order to be near his duties, but
owns his littlebox in the country, while some of the: new •
freeholders, and With a stake in thestate. Is cart-lhit re. •
spectability Aod also, as • body, we can boast that we
an unstained with crime, although at Sheffield the other
day the sprit moved a eartain quaker to attack the
and the theatres, and which 'attack I read in that ex=
dramatic paper the Era. To be sure his arguments were
totally demolished in that journal by aa totalligeot per-
former in the Sheffield company ; yet ft would be Curbing to
know bow this Quaker obtained his mauler notices of • -
theere—whether he reduced the brim of his kat, fastened • .
collar co his coat, and paid to the gallery—or, whether he
bad never entered • theatre at all; taut derived -his eleduir •
ties from the intolerant and pig-headed Wee of theme. ';.,
tarians. But be this as it may, we can truly and
honestly tell Broadbrim, that no member of the dramatic '
art *as ever hung at Nourgate—(laughter)—and which is ..*
more than the Society of Friends ma say of thaird=
body. Another erroneous notion appears to be mite
by • bigoted portion of the public, that behind the soma
of a theatre, nest be • sort of Pandemonium. (Hew
bear.). KM often have I beheld the awkward astoniehmant
of • visitor who has never been there before, to gad it quitil '
• scene of decorum, with the actors aad actreses only
anxious about their duties, and ere looking upon the
stranger as an intruder. See him introduced to the green-
room, where, if he has not done so on entering it. he is
politely told he must take al his bat, that. being an •
ancient Mee of etiquette, and which is observed to this ,
day in all respectable and legitimate establisbnienta. '
I once introduced a clergyman behind the wear—Men of •
laughteri—he had evidently made up his mind that hie ,
sense of propriety was to be very much shocked ; still he
wanted just to have • peep, for once, only for once ; but he '
found everything so quiet, so orderly, se ell that was bush
nesalike and correct, that he told me when be weqt away
he was so mistaken in the opinion he bad formed of what he •
should lee, that really he did not care! to -Cowie *gab.
(Laughter.) I have advanced thee refutations of igrimaat
ideas reopening is to prove to you if possible that whim
you are disposed to be generous towards the actor,
I know you well be toescht (applause) that your
generosity wilt be bestowed upon worthy object' •
upon those who have been industrious and careful
is youth ; upon those who, should they in old age
require their annuities, will only have to. thank their 01.9.
prudence for their iodependeuce combined with • grateful
feeling towards you who have helped them to it. (Applause.
I have now, gentlemen, to inform you that our belowe
queen has sent us her annual donation of one hundred .
guineas—(cheers)—while I am sure, not only from the
encouragement she so °optionally bestows upon our art,
but hem the ancient loyalty of the player, there is no class •
of her subjects who more deeply sympathise with her
in her recent domestic affliction that the English actors.
(Hear.) Now, /melee') I hope you will he liberal
toeigle, if only to emulate our gaseous and enterprising
chairman. Some of you, like him, have, I dare say, many
irons In the fire ; let me ask you to draw one out. ref-hot,
to warm us up this evening. And while again referring to
our chairman, I certainly coulees tohave been one amongst
others who opposed his obtaining a music and dancing
license for the Alhambra, because we considered the rights
and privileges of tba theatres were being encroached upon,
and by establishments under no control. But that has
nothing to do with the canes far which we me alier° to-night.
I—(as Mr. Box says to Mr. Cox) may say to him—" I
have no animosity against you"--(latighter) ; —While he
as Mr. Cox may reply, And I have no rooted antipathy
to you." "Very well." (Laughter.) It was Mrs. Bouncer's
fault that we came into collision, Mrs. Bouncer meaning au
embodiment of the Middlesex magistrates. Gentlemen, I
conclude with leaving cur cause in your hands, and calling
upon the stewards to act to-night with double diligence, to
leave no purse unopened, no cheque unfilled, when I have
•o doubt the donations of this evening will equal, if not ex.
mad those on any other occasion. Mr. Buckstone resumed
bin seat amid iced and enthusiastic applause.
Mr. A FICIDDCKNE in a few appropriate words gave "The
'Drama."

Mr. Wgierren said that having been called ur;nreuddenly
toreturn thanks for the drama, be had to RIX, u for not
being sufficiently prepared to do justketo so important a
subsct. He La an ardent lore for the drama. In truth,
the drama had been the labour of his life, and he hoped to
aim with him to the grave the honourable recollection of
having been one of its sous. In this toast he was associated
with two porticos of the world—America and France. He
was proud to say that in America the dear poet of this
great land was honoured almost more than he
was in his mother country. (Cheering.) He had
heard reppeamtedly from friends that in America a volume
of Shakspears was to be found along with the
Bible on almost every table. It was a maxim among medi.
cal men that while there was life there was hope, and surely
there must be life in the drama so long as Shakspeare and
kindred spirits never died. Americans had become foram;
se exponents of Shakspeare—Mr. Forrest amt many others;
but the most extraordinary fact in the history of the Eng.
nth drama was, that a gentleman connected with the
French stage, but who, he w..s proud to say, was " to the
Englieh manner born"—(cheers)—had been enabled to give
them an admirable proof of his art by his distin-
guished representation of the character of Hamlet. (Cheers t
h
That showed in what high estimation our drama was ,
by other maims • how Shakspeare stood out pre-eminent y
above all other 'dramatists, and that though France bad
her hfoliae, and (lernany her Goethe, still lihaltspears
teemed above them, and was the glory, he ought say, of
the whole civilised world. (Cheers.)
. . _

;.IliciTlOTtiracknowledged the toast on the part of
Americo, and bore testimony from his own personal ex-
perience to the thorough appreciation which the people of
that country showed of the works of the immortal bard.
Mr. Fcctiraa also rose to reply, but after stating that hat
was quite unprepared to make a speech, suddenly stopped,.
and seemed to be overcome by his feelings, or to be unable
to give expression to them. He then exclaimed. "Oh
Lord, have mercy," sod after another pause said, " I wiLl
answer from Shakspeare, and take the first lines I recollect—
" I am even poor in thanks, but I thank you."
He thee rammed his seat amidst cheers.
Mr. &demi Bourse= gave " The Chairman."
The CHAIRMAN returned thanks, awl in doing so said
that his love for theatricals and the drama commenced
with his earliest youth, for his father was the friend of
Dibdin, of Elliston, and the Barrymoree. In reference to
the allusion of Mr. Buckstone to his having so many irons
is the Bre, be said that if he bad not known his friend
Buckstone so well be should have supposed from his allu-
sion that he was an old washerwoman. (Cries of "oh,
oh.") There were many sorts of irons, hut he (the chair-
maa) had away' avoided dat.irous, although he must coo-
ler that the Italian boom he had hail occasion to usc had
bees rather hot to his Boger", and he had been a little
scoreked by them. (Laughter.)
Mr. Httoorse proposed "The Bar," which was responded
to by Dr. likitros.
Mr. CULLISFORD then read the list of donatioes. Amongst
then were the Queen, 106/. ; L.' T. Smith, Sol., 10i. 108. ;
Baron Rothschild, 10/. 10s. ; Mr. Tito, 31.?., 10/. 101. ;
4Mo:tide.
mParuski.der, &gum.,
filth.... 10:
wTheree wunhodleera.mthoeunt‘directiod to ab:ructi
thp3frotir.leeilaiiewiailes
ACuoconattedat,haix.hldEpEge.wthmenewrocidadliont:siom.wpiihreoz,ter.oßans.dmisered
ford, 'Mr. Lawler, Mr. Genie, and Mr. Donald King.
"The Health of the Ladies" sod various other toasts
were given and drunk before the proceedsap cum to •
dose, which they did shortly after 11 o'cloek.

DY YORD. MARCH 25.—Dgoagg Daya.---Congre-
pawls will be holden for the purpose of granting graces
and conferring degrees on the follotemg days is the ennang
term weduesday, April 10; Thursday, May 2; Friday,
May 10 ; &dusky, MaylB. Candidates for degrees are
required to ester their names in a book kept for that pur-
pose at the Vice-Cheseellor's house on or before the day
preceding the dey of congregation.
eIIYRTAL PAL/101. —ONI SHILLING DAY. •••-•
MONDki, MARCH S.—Admissions on pRYIR.RIt, 839 ;
ditto by won tieltels, 797 ; total Talton, 1,636.