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

THE ROYAL ACADEMY DINNER.

The inauguration dinner of the exhibition season of 1855
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 themselves 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 was no less complete than gratifying,
and many interesting groups might be seen in which politi-
cians of the most opposite opinione were discussing with ar-
tists, whose names are household words, the merits of the
more remarkable paintings. At six o'clock about 180 gen.
tlemen sat down to dinner in the east room, the chair being
taken by the President of the Royal Academy, Sir C. L.
Eastlake.
It is a novel sensation to find oneself dining in a noble apart-
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 Lord Privy
Seal, the Lord Chamberlain, the First Lord of the Treasury,
the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the Secre-
tary for War, the Secretary of State for the Colonial Depart_
ment, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Duke of Beau-
fort, the Duke of Northumberland, the Marquis of Lans-
downe, the Marquis of Bath, the Marquis of Westminster, the
Marquis of Northampton, the General Commanding-in-Chief,

the Marquis of Granby, the Earl of Cardigan, EarlStanhope,
Lord Wrottesley, Lord Seymour, Lord Overstone, &c. The
members of the Royal Academy present included most of the
Royal Academicians and Associates.

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 Passmaxr 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 Syrie," was then sung by the vocalists,
The Passmsbrr—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 HARDING& —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 qualifications 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 ready to face 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 posterity. (Cheers.) You will hear his thanks
for that distinguished arm of the service, and for having his
name so appropriately connected with the British army. I
now come to the infantry and artillery. I have not the
pleasursof 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 defenes in two ranks, or what is
called in their order of battle, while the infantry of other
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
adopt such a system unless your soldiers were men confident
in their courage, knowing that the honour of their regiment,
and 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 say say so because during the last
.40

years almost every power in Europe has applied Co the British
artillery for instruction. The improvements they have intro-
duced 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-
spect and regard one for the other, it is likely to be perpetual.

(Loud cheers.)
The Earl of CARDIGAN, who was warmly received by the
assemblage, said hn was fully sensible of the high honour
done him in coupling his name with the profession of arms,

for which he had always felt a deep attachment and devotion,

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 militasry appointments, and

who had exhibited the greatest Prudence, judgment: dis-

cretion, and knowledge of his duties as well at home
as in the East. He 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 according 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. WOOD 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. BUCIIANAN—After what fell from my noble friend
(Lord Palmerston) on a former occasion, who said had no
. .

right to call myself a foreign minister at all—(a laugh)—l am
inclined to think I haven righttoaddress you ; but although
I might plead this privilege, I am not disposed to do it on this
occasion. The foreign ministers who represent 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-

cessai7 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 brought to great perfection in this country,
and when we review the pages 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 bad an opportunity in
my own country of seeing expensive galleries or many speci-
mens of the perfection to which the arta 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 admirinc, 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 I 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 ARGYLL—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
to the " Health of the President, and Prosperity to
Royal Academy." (Cheers.)
rto
thank
you
The PRESIDENT, on rising, was received with loftiodr
teLecoirionoig_.
He said—Permit mo, my lords and gentlemen,
hers of the Royal Academy and on mylowdnopat
honour, it is no less gratifying e
to
ml'o-htened
for the honour you have done us. Wh't
judges to many
of communicating the praises of en 1,
ame,
wii. if
perm-
-tist and many a candidate for f
favour 'hereafter.
A young artist
with increasing the arrange-
raring, will be recognised loebe til
b those to whom
Great efforts have been made y
confided to put forward works
YiesiVire:t means
went of this exhibition has been
tcri
huted.
Would that those
of merit, by whomsoever ceoensefui;
would that such works
efforts had been more successful,
could, and consequent perplexities
pave been made as prominent as
wishes in this respect, and I may not omit
interfere with our w
they deserve
familiar regret that we cannot adequately
to repeat the too
esienrveeve;rybutinNsvtaTOf s
display the productions of sculpture. I have now the honour
~ The Health of her Majesty's Ministers as
promoters of art, the
to propose science, and education."
,
Viscount PALMERSTON—Before I proceed to return thanks
nl ai
tneadt i
Stateson . '
on behalf of my colleagues and myself for the toast which the
language, e,
31 ituoi 3
t "ricee
for
itnh eexUP
president has been so good as to propose, I may be permitted,
distinguishedin
friend lan
been pleased to say that, on a recent oe • camel, I denied him
the character of a foreign minister. To
is true, for at a dinner at which it was a certain extent that
the health of the foreign ministers, wheremy duty to propose
friend was the only foreign • •
, my distinguished
hardly recognise him as a fore'
minister present, I said I could
gether an Englishman, for I igner, although he was not alto-
sentatives of a nation can never allow that the repre-
sympathie% affections, and are. foreigners whose language,
with our own. _interests are so closely identical
(Loud cheers,) Mr. President, behalf
r,, on of my colleagues, I h
With regard to
one have now to return you my thanks.
sident, who ha part of what has fallen from the Pre-
s alluded to an opinion expressed by myself
sad the W ate S' Roe
rt Peel as to the iladetrukor of the