The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-25 00:00:00

Complimentary Dinner to Mr. Benjamin
Webster.

Last night a complimentary dinner was given to
Mr. Benjamin Webster, at the Freemasons' Tavern,
Great Queen-street, on the occasion of the presenta-
tion to him of a testimonial in token of his valuable
services as Master of the Dramatic College, in recog-
nition of his private worth, and of his eminent
talents a!; a dramatic artist. The chair was taken by
Mr. Robert Bell, and there were about 120 or 130
gentlemen present connected with the drama, lite-
rature, and the arts.
After the removal of the cloth,
The CHAERMAN proposed in very felicitous and
appropriate terms the 'usual and loyal and patriotic
toasts.

Mr. MARK LEMON, in responding to the toast of
the volunteers, said that they were all aware of the
pleasantries that could be perpetrated by one of the
best comic writers of our time, and he never perpe-
trated a greater one than when he selected me to
answer for the volunteers. I can only say that I was
a volunteer—a private in the fullest sense—(laugh-
ter)—but I was declared ineffective, (Cheers and
great laughter.) I cannot say that I retired from
the service from my own desire ; but it was so
broadly intimated to me that I was incompetent as
a volunteer by the company to which I was attached
that I was obliged to retire. I might have been more
effective as a volunteer then than I am now; but
all volunteers present will excuse me when I
say that the volunteers will do all that the army
and'navy ought to do. That is all I ought to say
beyond that I was not exactly drummed out of the
corps, but voluntarily retired upon a very broad
intimation that it was right I should do so. (Cheers
and laughter.)
The CHAIRMAN, in proposing the toast of the
evening, said it was always difficult to speak of any
man in his presence, but that difficulty was consi-
derably increased when they had nothing to say of
him but what was in his praise. (Hear, hear.) He
wished Mr. Webster could possibly have been absent
on that occasion; but as that was impossible, he
would beg of him not to listen to anything which
he was about to say. (Laughter.) Most of those in
that room remembered the days of the drama in
the time of the expiring glories of the Kemble
dynasty, when the stage was adorned by such men
as Liston, Kemble, Ward, Dowton, Fawcett, and
many others whose names must be familiar
to them, as well as the actresses Davenport, Miss
Tree, and many more. (Hear, hear, and cheers.)
They had watched with interest the progress of the
stage in our own times, and it must be a source of
pleasure to them to find amongst them the last of
that illustrious race now upon the stage in the per-
son of their friend Mr. Benjamin Webster. (Cheers.)
But he was happy to say that, although he was the
last living actor now upon the stage of that time,
they had yet amongst them another actor of that
period, who still survives, but who has retired to
repose ou his laurels—one of the greatest comedians
that ever embellished the English stage at any
period—Robert Keeley. (Loud cheers.) With re•
spect to Mr. Webster's career, so far as he remem-
bered, his reputation was commenced at Drury-lane.
He was celebrated in his youthful days for the intel-
ligence he displayed in playing Shakspere's clowns,
which r equired considerable histrionic ability, and
an insight into character rarely to be met with. At
first he played the character of Pompey in " Mea-
sure for Measure," and the circumstance under
which he played it for the first time was interest-
ing, as giving a spring to the rest of his career, he
having taken it up at a moment's notice in conse-
quence of Mr. Harley's sudden illness. It was so
great a success, that it was the first step in that
great career that had since followed, (Hear, hear.)

Then came the abolition of the patents of the great
winti r theatres. It was not for them now to pro-
nounce any opinion upon that point. Some might
think it wise, others the reverse ; but it was not
necessary for him to say more than that that was a
period of transition, when the patents were abolished
and the stage was thrown open. He did not say
too ninch for Mr. Webster, when he said that he

was the pilot that weathered the storm in that
crisis of the history of the stage. (Hear, hear.)
From Drury-lane Mr. Webster passed over to the
:Haymarket Theatre, and for a period of fifteen or
sixteen years he conducted that house with a con-
stant attention to the highest interests of the drama.
He had watched his progress narrowly, and he was
able to say that Mr. Webster had produced at least
between 30 and 40 plays of contemporary writers,
amongst which were the writings of Sheridan
Ka°les, Talfourd, and 'heir dear triend Westland
Marston—(cheers)—and others. This was in addi-
tion to the great number of those which always
enter into the programme of a manager. No man
bad been more prolific in novelties than Mr. Webster
and no manager had his shelves more crowded with
the dust covered manuscripts of modern authors,
whose productions, though paid for, he had never
been able to bring out. Mr. Bell then rapidly
and effectively reviewed the career of Mr.
Webster as manager of the Adelphi and other
theatres, and his connexion with the various
charities connected with the drama, in very elo-
quent terms, and :then presented to Mr. Webster
the testimonial, which was beautifully illuminated
on vellum and handsomely framed, with the follow-
ing inscription :