The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-05-05 00:00:00

LIT EIIARY FUND.

Yesterday the anniversary festival of this value.
hie Instmition was held at Freemasons Hall. the
Earl of BuidwroN is. the Chair. supported by
the Earl of Pomfret. Lord Bolton. mud as number
of twher distingoislwd characters.
The following observe ((((( • 188 the Report of the
Society forcibly advert to the object of Inc Literary
Fund :

_
" Orphans, therefore, and widows, the lame, the
the demob, and all objects ritobviosso misery, produce ut•a.
kat and splendid eharsisrs—while authors, who have formed
our undentasulines, taillight as the art of reasoning, and
directed us in the beat modes of profiting by our bodily exer-
tions. have been *offered to larguish in poverty, sad to pe-
rish i■ wait."

At seven o'clock upwards of one hundred Gen-
tlemen sat down to an excellent dinner.
When the cloth was removed. the. Noble CH A la-
MAN proposed. " The Health of his Majesty, the
munificent Patio* of this Institution," and unstilt-
ed Isis well-founded persuasion that the health of
the King would be drank by the compitiy, cot
only as good subjects, but as persons entertaining
a full sense of the value of his Majesty's munificent
patronage to the Literary Fund.
The toast was drunk with great applause.
" The Royal Family."
" The Army mud Navy."

The CHAIRMAN. in proposing the health of their
Nubie President, his Grace the Duke or Somerset,
lamented the absence of his Grace. who was pre-
vented from attending owing to a recent domestic
affliction. He was sure that the Societe were ton
sensible of the munificent patronage unifetinly be-
stowed on the Literary Fund by the Duke of Sumer-
set to require any eulogium from him iii proposing
the health of that distinguished personage.
Hit Grace'. health was drunk with three times
three.

A glee. written for the occasion, was then sung by
Mr. Shield, Mr. Taylor, and several other probs.
pions! gentlemen. The words by Mr. Fitsgerald ;
the music by Mr. Shield. was loudly sp.
plauded.

The CHAIRMAN, in rising to iwopose pros-
perity to the Literary Fund, took a, brief but
premise view of the many advantages floisibeg from
this ezcelkot Institution. He coniplimentadlhem
on having early had the honour of his Royal Sigh-
new the Prince of Wales's pratruneege, a sappers
continued when his Royal Highness became Re-
gent, and now when he had aiwended the throne.
an that they now had the honour of being a
Royal incorporated Society. The Chairman ad-
verted in pointed terms to the claims which, men of
literature bad upon society. They were generally
too devoted to their pursuits to be attentive to
their owes private affairs and consequently often
pistd isarsasav aftertargely coutributi..g to the in-

formation and eitjoymensi of others. He-alro urged
that the benefits of this fund were not confined to
England, they were participated by the elegant
translator of Milton's inimitable poem into the Ice-
landic language. He concluded by entreating the
company to take every means of enlarging the funds
of the Society, and thereby augmenting the sphere
of its utility.—(Appioase.,
Mr. Frrzoasat.n then, at the request of the
company, read an elegant poetical address, which
was received with great enthusiasm. It was the
poet'. twenty-fourth address at the anniversaries of
this Society.
The pathetic passage alluding to the lamented
death of his late lamented Majesty and of his Royal
Highness the Duke of Kent. who took an active
interest in the prosperity of this Society, were re-
ceived with much feeling by the company.
The thanks of the Society were then given to
Mr. Fitzgerald, for Iris excellent address, .Sad his
health was drunk with three times three.

A Friend of Mr. Fitzgerald'r took this oppor-
tunity of passing a high encomium on the poetical
talents and other excellent qualities of that Gen.
Hems°, and hoped he would preserve the poems
he had on 24 different occasions delivered to this
Society, in a complete volume.
The Earl of PuttrasT proposed the Noble
Chairman's health, which was drunk with three
times three. _

The Noble Earl in returning thanks expressed
the deep interest he felt so the prosperity of this
valuable Institution. _ _

The CHAIRMAN then gave the meeting the
agreeable information that Mr. Fitzgerald had
composed a song winch Mr. Brashest would now do
them the favour of singing.
Mr. BRAMAN song the song in exquisite style,
and was then formally thanked from the Chair for
doing so much justice to the excellent song of the
poet.
The Treasurer's Report was then reed by the
Rev. Dr. T•TILS. It conveyed a very plessiag ac
count of the Society's fonds. The permanent
fund, the interest of which was alone applicable
to current purposes, amounted to 6,509/. Since
the last anniversary, 1.1181. had been received
into the funds, and 1.0571. dispensed in a variety
of ways by the Society during the same period.
It was also stated, that the Society hurl several
other funds available for general purposes.
The following au Ascriptions were then announced:
His Majesty's half-yearly donation of 100 guineas,
making hie total subscription 3,000 guineas—
(Great applausei-10 genies' from the Doke of
Somerset, and similar soros from the Earl of 810.
siuton ■nd Mr. Douglas Kinusird. and 25 guiuess
from Mr. G. Watson Taylor. Mr. &ahem also
gave five guineas.
The health. of several distinguished patrons of
this Society were then given iu succession from the
Chair amid great applause. Among them the
health of Sir Benjamin Hubhouse was drunk with
the strongest demuustrations of regard.
The CHAIRMAN, in proposing " the health or
the Earl of Guilford, and prosperity to UN U.lO
of the howl Woods, poid air 'Sequent trio

ho'e to ill* Noble Earle N • d.stingoiehod pott••
of literature.
44 Prosperity to our Neill,. Lied" was next
given.
The !writhe of the Stewards were next dristik;
and. •
Mr. nou'ot.ss 11/lieD reterned thanks in se
eloquent speech.
Severn! other toss's were given, soil the revolts/
°petit in the outwit eontramilety.