The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-07 00:00:00

THE ROYAL ACADEMY DINNER.

The inauguration dinner of the exhibition season of
.1655
attracted, on 'Saturday, a brilliant assemblage within the
walls of the Royal Academy. From two ,o'clock, at which
hour the doors were opened, until six,
Ministers of State,
Many munificent patrons of art among the nobility, and others
distinguiShed in politics, law, literature, and science, con-
tinued to arrive, and to, apply themeelves with keen artistic
relish to the inspection of the paintings in the various rooms,
The " fusion" of rank, wealth, and Parliamentary eminence
-with-the artist world: WitS no.-lesi-eomplite than gratifying,
„and many-interesting;-groups might be seen, in-which politi-
cians of most opposite opinions were discussing-with ar-
. tists, .whose names are. household words, the. merits -of The
mpre remarkable paintings._ Atfii.x o'clock about 180. ge-
ntlemen sat down to dinner-in the-east-roent,Ahe chainjeitif
taken by...the-.-Prnsident ofh . t...e. Royal Academy, Sir 70.--1.4.'
Eastlake.
It is a -noVel sensation to find oneself dining in s noTol-e—apar-t-:
ment filled to the ceiling with paintings fresh from the easel
Of the artst and resplendent with gold and colour, but when.
the company rise. to drink the toast of "the Queen," hun-
dreds of gas jets around the ceiling suddenly start into flame.
and astonish and bewilder the guests with the dazzling splen-
dour of the scene.
`The list of guests included the following ::—.The Lard Privy
Seal,-the Lord Chamberlain, the First Lord of the-Treasuri,
the ,-cretary of State for the Home. Department, the Secre-
tary for War; the Secretary of State for the Colonial De,part_.
Mont; the Chancellor of. the Exchequer, the Duke of Beau-
fort, the Duke of Northumberland, the Marquis of "Ans..,
downe, the MarqUis of Bath, the Marquis of Westniinster, the
Marquis of Northampton, the General Commanding=in-Chief;
the Marquis of Granby, the Earl of Cardigan, Earl Stanhope;
Lord Wrottesley, Lord Seymour, -Lord Overstone, (te. The
members of the Royal Academy present included most of the
Royal -Academicians and As4ociates.
The PRESIDENT said—My lords 'and gentlemen, I have the
honour to propose to you as the first toast, " The health of
her Majesty the Queen." ' • . .. -
The toast was warmly received, and " God Save the Queen"
was sung by the vocalists.
The PRESIDENT—I have now to propose to you the " Health
of his Royal Highness Prince Albert, the health of his Royal
'Highness the Prince of Wales, and that of the rest of the.
Royal Family." (Cheers.)
The PRESIDENT then rose to propose " The healths of his
Majesty the Emperor of the French and our gallant allies."
He said, the cordial English welcome which their Majesties
the Emperor and Empress of the French recently received in
this country, and the full justice which has been rendered by
public opinion to the bravery and perseverance of our allies,
are evidences of national feeling which may conduce to the
happiest results. The feeling has been reciprocated by the
great satisfaction which that welcome has excited, and by the
high appreciation on the part of our allies of the intepidity,
and, to use their own term, the solidity of their British com-
rades in arms • (Cheers.)
• " Partant pour la Syria," was then sung by the vocalists.
The PRESIDENT—The toast which I have now the honour to
propose is, " The Army and Navy," connecting with the
army the name of the Commander-in-Chief. and . that of the
Earl of Cardigan; with the navy, that of the First Lord of
the Admiralty.
The toast was received with enthusiasm. .
Viscount HARDINGE—I have great pleasure, On the part of
the army, in returning thanks to you.. It is true that when-
ever I have spoken on that subject before the war broke out
I have always anticipated that when the day of trial should
come, after a peace of 40 years, the British army would not
be found deficient in those great gratifications by which,
as soldiers, they distinguished themselves in the Penin-
sular war. I feel that if I were to speak of the dif-
ferent arms of which that army consists, each has a dis-
tinctive character, and if I were to enumerate them in .the
Order of their precedence, I should show, first that the
British cavalry have at all times been reahy-to ale every
danger, and, although I am not a cavalry officer, there is one
here who distinguished himself in the highest degree in the
charge of cavalry at Balaklava. (Cheers.) In that remark-
able charge my noble friend near me gained a name that will
descend to posteritx. (Cheers.) Yon will hear his thanks
for that distinguished arm of the service, and for having his
name so app, opriately connected with the British army.. I
now come to the infantry and artillery. I have 'not the
pleasure of seeing an officer of the artillery, but; as an in-
fantry officer myself, I may express a confident opinion that
the British infantry is second to none in the world—(cheers)
—and, as a proof of the intrepidity and solidity of which our
president has spoken, I may say that the British infantry
has a system of its own, which, unless it should be adopted
in the present war, is not practised by any other nation.
They fight in attack and defence. in two ranks, or what is
called in their order of battle, while the infantry of othe
armies fight in columns. The British infantry have that in-
trepidity and solidity which can alone enable them to adopt
that system. It must be evident that it would be difficult to
elopt such a system "unless your soldiers were men confident
in their courage, knowing that the honour of their regiment,
'ui,l even of the army, depended upon their individual coolness
and courage, and that upon their acting the part of steady
soldiers the fate of the battle depended. (Hear, hear.)
With regard to the artillery, I may truly say that I know no
artillery which can be considered superior in all its parts to
the British artillery, I sly say so because during the last 40
years almost every power in Europe has applic d to the British
artillery for instruction. The improvements they have intro-.
:laced have been copies of ours, and if I wished for evidence
to attest the opinion of their skill, I should refer to the scene
so beautifully described by an artist in another room. (The
noble viscount referred to a picture by Mr. Stanfield, of the
siege of St. Sebastian; with the British troops under Welling-
ton taking possession of the heights and Convent of St. Bar-
tolomeo.) lam sorry to detain you upon military subjects,
but the Emperor of the French has noticed the bravery and
good conduct of the allied troops. During the last
six months the soldiers of the two countries have

been in the same camp living like brethren, and nothing can
exceed the cordiality and goodwill that exists between the
French and English armies. (Cheers.) 'We have had during
the last week a proof of the good feeling between the two
courts. The same feeling exists between the two camps, and,
as this cordiality is founded upon mutual sentiments of re-
leneet and regard one for the ether, it is likely to be perpetual.
(Loud cheers.)
The Earl of CARDIGAN, who was warmly received by the
a'ssenibiage, said he was fully sensible of the high honour
done him in coupling his name with tile profession of airak,
I l i• which be had always felt a deep attachment and devo:ion,
and with the name of a noble lord who had distinguished
himself in every part of the world—(cheers)—who had held
`the highest civil. as well as military appointments, and
who hal exhibited the greatest prudence, judgment, dis-
cratiou, and knowledge of his duties as well at home
;is in the East. Ho felt sensible of the kind and
flattering manner in which his services on a late occasion had
been spoken of, but he had done, nothing but lead a body of
troops against the enemy aceJrdine• to the orders he had re-
ceived. He could not, however, but feel highly gratified at
this and many other kind receptions which had been given
him since his return. (Cheers.)
Sir C. Wool:, returned thanks for the navy.
The PRESIDENT said that the next toast which he begged to
introduce was the " Health of the foreign ministers who had
deigned on this occasion to be their guests." (Cheers.)
Mr. Bum/ma—After what fell from my noble friend.
(Lord Palmerston) on a former occasion, who said I had no
right to call myself a foreign minister at all—(a laugh)--I am
inclined to think I.have no righttoaddress you ; but although
I might plead this privilege, I am not disposed to do it outhis
occasion. The foreign ministers who represeut.the different
nations of the world at this court must be very ungrateful
indeed if they did not feel sentiments of deep gratitude
towards the British people and the numerous noble societies
that adorn this country.. We have received the kindest
attentions from all, and it is a natural and ne-
cessary consequence that this should produce feelings of
response, not only on our own part, but also on the part of
the countries we represent. (Cheers.) We feel it to be a
great privilege to be present on occasions of this kind. The
arts have been brosight to great perfection in this country,
and when we review the p&ges of history we find One thing
to be constantly the fact—that civilisation and, above all,
liberty, are the best foster-mothers of the arts. (Cheers.)
Painting and sculpture sprung into existence almost at
once, like Minerva from the head of Jupiter, when Greece
became free; and I believe it may be said to be a remarkable
fact that they sprang almost at once to a point of excellence
which has not since been exceeded in any 'country in the
world. For my own part, not having hal an opportunity in
my own country of seeing expensive galleries cr many speci-
mens of the perfection to which the arts have been brought
in this country, everything wears an air of novelty in this
exhibition that has inspired me with delight, and I shall re-
member the present evening when I return *to my native land
as one of the most agreeable and instructive of my whole life.
(Cheers.) But, although the taste and imagination may be
gratified by the specimens of art here collected, .I cannot
help admiring that noble institution of England, an English
dinner. (Cheers and laughter.) I have enjoyed the priVilege.
of feasting with you, and, after enjoying the feast of reason
and the flow of soul, in surveying the pictures hung up on
these walls, I have been highly delighted to enjoy a more
material feast of this sort. I return you the thanks of .my,
colleagues and myself, and I am sure 1 may also thank you
in the name of every member of the diplomatic corps. -
The PRESIDENT then gave " the health of the noblemen and
gentlemen who this day honour us with their presence."
The Duke of Anorm,--In the absence of the Lord Chan-
cellor, who expected to be here, I may say, in acknowledg-
ing the toast on behalf of the strangers present, without
departing from the strict language of truth, that the open-
ing of the Royal Academy is looked forward to by all of us
as the beginning of one of the greatest and purest enjoy-
ments of the year; and when I say that I may add that it is
an enjoyment not unconnected with our highest and deepest
interests. Those who may enter these walls for the purpOse
of spending an hour of relaxation, and who wish to avoid all
grave thought and reflections upon the serious business of
life, will find here that it is the high province of art to ad-
dress itself to every and any subject. I cannot look around
these walls without seeing how happy the opportunity has
been appreciated by the members of the Royal Academy of
depicting the virtues and glories of military character and
military life; and I need only point to the picture behind me
(Mr: Cope's picture of " Consolation") to show that they have
also keenly felt the miseries and calamities of war. Mr. Pre-
sident, I am not competent to enter into any criticism of art
in this country, but I believe the state of art can never be
dissociated from the . state of civilisation of the country in
which that art is produced. I beg to propose that we drink_e
to the " Health of the President, and Prosperity to the
Royal Academy." (Cheers )
for the menit
He said—Permit me, my lords and gentlemen,t to
thank
you
The PilksinErr, on rising, was received with lend cheering.
hers of the RoYal Academy and on my own p
the indirect means
honour, it is no less gratifying to me.tiottoaa
for the honour you have dons us. Whilebdeui7se,
d judgee to many
of communicating the praises of enlightened
fans, if verse.
a young artist and many a caud idtatncerefasing`v ho,.
favour hereafter.
veriug, will be recognised withb nsiblo of that
d put forward works
of this exhibition has bever en ti
,G,fremato
contributed. Would that those
confided to
the, arrange-
menteffortsr
t a:heo beensoe
th_otstee
cessfal ; would that such workl,
nately
efforts had boon moree
8 have been made as prominent as
and con equent. perplexities
acraemilloonsty atahee hone •
but want could,
interfere wita our wishes..
in this respect, and I may 'not omit
Majesty's Mi•iisters, as the
they desienrveeve(yinstantc
of, opo„:,o,
frsLclrdpttutlhea.t NlVeh
isplay
o propose . , • ,
to repeat thertoolonfrioihlisaot
,meters of art, science, and enw•.Ation.
P"
The Health of her
',rem()
Viscount PALus am); —Before I proceed to returns tl.. l-
en behalf of my colleagues and myself for the t • , • "A'
• the
I,..c.,ident has been so good as to propose,
I may be
in Parliamentary language, 'to " rise in ex.))l
.listinguished friend the Minister for the trArati°ll."
been pleased to sapthati on 's. reer.•nt occasion, ted States has
the character of a foreicm
a minister. To a col. •••
is true, for
.at a dinner at which it w tale extent that
the health of the fereigu a 3 my duty to propose minister
friend was the only 'foreign • 5,, where my distinguis'!ed
hardly recognise him as a f •ragninister present I said I coulct
;ether an Englishman, for olrel-er although h'e was not alto-
sentatives of a
nation
can never allow that the repre-
VmPatihics, affections, are foreigners whose language,
with our own. , and interests are so closely identical
of my colleagues, (Loud cheers.)
,Mr. President, 'on behalf
With regard' to I have 'now to return you my thanks.
sident, who One
part of what has fallen from the Pre.- has alluded to an opinion expressed by myself
tux late Sir Robert- Peel as to the inadequacy of the