The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-19 00:00:00

ROYAL LITERARY FUND,

.....~.

Last evening the 75th anniversary of the esta-
blishment of the Royal Literary Fund was cele-
brs.ted by a grand banquet at St. James's Hail,
Piccadilly. The proceedings derived unusual in-
terest from the fact that the Prince of -Wales pre-
sided, this being the first public dinner at which his
Royal Highness has essayed the duties of a chair-
man. The same post was filled a very years ago
by his iLlustrious and lamented father, who, as is
well kncrwn, was a warm advocate and munificent
patron of this institution.
Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales
and the Duke of Cambridge arrived at half-past six,
accompanied by General Knollys, Major Teesdale,
and the rest of their suite, and were received by
Earl Stanhope (the President of the Institution)
and several of the Vice-Presidents. As their Royal
Highnesses entered the hall the band played the
National Anthem, and the whole of the company
rose to greet them. Their Royal Highnesses wore
the blue riband of the Garter, and the other prin-
cipal guests appeared in their respective stars and
orders.

When the whole company had taken their places
the hall presented a brilliant coup:d'oeid. On the
Prince's right sat his Royal Highness the Duke of
Cambridge, Earl Russell, the Belgian Minister, the
Marquis of Salisbury, Viscount Hardinge, the
Bishop of St. David's, Lord Dynevor, Lord Eger-
ton et Teton, Lord C. Hamilton, Lord Houghton,
Sir J. Pakington, and Admiral Sir A. Milne. On
his left were Earl Stanhope (President of the In-
stitution),
the Lord Primate of Ireland, the Duke of
St. Albans, the Marquis of Clanricarde, Earl de
Grey and Ripon, the Lord in Waiting, Viscount
Sydney, Lord Broughton, Lord Talbot de Malahide,
Right Hon. Sir E. Cardwell, Sir C. Phipps and
General Knollys. Among the other guests were—
Mr. Whiteside, M.P., Sir Thomas Phillips, Sir W.
Alexander, Sir Roderick Murchison, the Very Rev.
Dean Milman, Mr. Anthony Troilope, Sir F. Kelly,
Sir R. W. Carden, Mr. Arthur Helps, Mr. Beresford
Hope, Alderman Rose, MT., Colonel Sykes, M.P.,
Mr. H. Bohn, Mr. Bell, Mr. Tom Taylor, Mr. Long-
man, Sir Robert Hamilton, Mr. Gaspey, Mr. Mac-
millan, Mr. Kaye, Mr. Mudie, Mr. Bentley, Dr.
Major, Mr. W. Harrison, Mr. Wingrove Cooke,
Mr. George Cruikahank, Mr. W. Fawcett, the Dean
of Westminster, the Master of Trinity, the Provost
of Eton, Mr. Macaulay, M.P., &c.
The galleries were filled with ladies. Grace be-
fore meat was said by the Lord Primate of Ireland.
During the dinner the band of the Grenadier I
Guards, conducted by Mr. D. Godfrey, performed
an admirable selection of operatic music.
Non nobis Domino having been sung, his Royal
Highness the Chairman rose to propose the first
toast, which was the signal for loud and general
applause.
His ROYAL HIGHNESS said—Your Royal High-
ness. my Lords, and Gentlemen,—Tho first toast I
have the honour to propose is the health of " Her
Majesty the Queen, our munificent patron," a toast
which I am sure will be drunk with the enthusiasm
which it elicits on all public occasions. (Hear, hear.)
Although the Queen is now compelled to a certain
extent, to withdraw from public life, still her inte-
rest in every institution of this country, and parti-
cularly in charitable institutions, remains undia
minished. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, I give you " The

Queen."
The toast was received with the usual marks of
loyalty.
The Marquis of SALISBURY, in eulogistic terms,
proposed the health of " Her Royal Highness the
Princess of Wales and the Rest of the Royal Fa-
mily," which was received with all the honours.
His Royal Highness the CEIAIRMAN, in acknow-
ledging the toast said,—Gentlemen, I beg to
thank my noble friend most sincerely for the kind
words he has used, and you also for the manner in
which you have received them. lam quite con-
vinced that if the Princess were here this evening
she would be much gratified by the compliment
which has been paid her, not only by my noble
friend but by everybody in this room. (Cheers.)
Mr. CARDWELL, in proposing the next toast, said
that in the Church they recognised the noblest of
all contributors to the literature of the country.
Her beautiful formularies, as well as her transla-
tion of the Scriptures, the standard of her teaching,
had probably done more than all the rest of our
literature to form the classical purity of our lan-
guage, and to furnish the people with the house-
hold words of daily life. The soaring wing of in-
tellect had never sustained a loftier flight than in
the immortal work of Bishop Butler ; human elo-
quence had never been more splendidly displayed
than in the works of Barrow, Jeremy Taylor, and
other illustrious divines of the Church ; nor did
poetry ever attain a more paramount sway over the
affections of the people than had the hymns of Ken,
Kehl?, and Heber. (Cheers.) The right hon. gen-
tleman concluded by giving " The Church," asso.
elating with the toast the name of the Prmate of
Ireland.

The Archbishop of ARMAGU briefly returned
tho.nlo, and congratulated that institution on the
happy auspices utidcr..which it held its 75th anni•
verliary.

His lloY.u. HIGHNESS then said,—The next toast
I have to propose is, " The Army, Navy, and Volun-
teers." (Cheers.) This is a toast which gives me
especial pleasure to propose, from the circumstance
of my having served for a time with both infantry
and cavalry. (Hear, hear.) Short as my service
was, it has been long enough to impress me with
the conviction of the efficiency of all ranks com- '
posing the British army. (Hear.) I have also had
an opportunity during my voyage to America in
1860, and on many other occasions, of witnessing
the able manner in which the duties of the navy
are performed. The Volunteers demand our warm-
est thanks and approbation for the zeal with which
they came forward when they thought their ser-
vices were required, a zeal which they still evince
on every occasion afforded to them. (Hear, hear.)
I beg to couple the "Army and Volunteers" with
the name of my illustrious relative the Doke of
Cambridge—(cheers)—who so admirably fills the
arduous post of Commander-in-Chief, entrusted to
him by the Queen, and to whose practical and
liberal administration the army owes its present
high state of efficienoy. (Hear, hear.) With the
navy I will couple the name of Rear-Admiral Sir
Alexander Milne, who only lately has returned
,rom the successful discharge of the difficult duties
attaching to the command of the North American
station. (Cheers.)
His Royal Highnesss the Duke of CAMBRIDGE said
—Your Royal Highness, my Lords and Gentlemen,
I rise to respond to the toast which has been so
kindly and so ably given from the chair, and in
doing so I beg in the first place to thank my illus-
trious relative for the handsome compliment which
he has been so good as to bestow on me. We of
the army feel justly proud that his royal highness
should have practically entered into the duties of
our profession, and although, of course, his position
does not admit of his continuing uninterruptedly in
the service to which I rejoice to think he belongs,
etill by the interest, he has taken in it, and the abi-
lity he has evinced, he has proved that he would
indeed be an ornament to the profession,
and that
he has a real sympathy with 't"
in his heart.
(Hear,
hear.) Gentlemen, I put to myself this question,
how is it that a toast which is so immediately con-
nected with the arts of war should be so well
so immediately connected
received by a society
with the arts of peace? The answer which
presents itself to my mind is simply this,
that the arta of peace cannot be promoted, as every-
body here would wish them to be, unless they can
be carried on in that security which is not only Use,
ful to the State, but beneficial to each individual.
It is by the efficiency of the services that security
alone can be preserved. It is by the efficiency of the
services that the great position in the scale of
nations which this country has now for so many
years filled can be maintained; and it would, in-
deed, be a sad day should that position, whether as
regards our security at home or our power abroad,
be in the slightest degree impaired. (Hear, hear.)
Gentlemen, feeling anxious that the peace which
we have now for some time enjoyed may be greatly
prolonged, I sincerely hope that our services will not
be neglected, but will he kept in a high state of effi-
ciency. (Hear, hear.) Our army is not :ergs, its

• duty is onerous, and it is stationed in every part of
the world. But we have happily of late years had
that army supplemented by a noble body of Volun-
teers; and this powerful addition to the other re-
sources of the State has given us a security at home
of which I think we may well be proud. (Hear.)
In the name, then, of the Volunteers as well as of
the Army I beg to tender my heartfelt and respect-
ful thanks to his Royal Highness and this com-
pany for the honour they have done us. (Cheers.)
Admiral MILNE, in responding for the navy, said
that although many changes had taken place in
that service, involving the loss of those wooden
walls which had brought such honour and glory to
this country, he felt persuaded that no change
would ever take place in the loyal and gallant
spirit which animated the officers and men who
manned our fleet, (Hear.) The navy was anxious
on all occasions to discharge its duty to the country.
That feeling had been nobly displayed by Captain
Peel in India ; it had been equally exemplified by
Admiral Hope at the Peiho Forts ; and he believed
the navy would always co-operate with the army and
Volunteers, not only in protecting these shores
but in defending with their strong right arms the
distant colonies and dependencies of an empire on
which the sun never sets. He would add that it was
a source of pride and gratification to the service to
which he belonged that the illustrious brother of
his royal highness had adopted it as his profession.
(Hear, hear.)
His ROYAL HIGHNESS then rose and said—Your
Royal Highness, my Lords, and Gentlemen, I have
now the honour to propose the most important toast
of the evening--it is " Prosperity to the Royal Li-
terary Fend." (Cheers.) Although the most im-
portant, it is nevertheless the toast upon which,
perhaps, I can say least. Certainly, I can give you
no new information, as every one here present
knows better than I do the character of this insti-
tution. Still, it is right I should venture to offer a
few remarks on the working of this society. You
are all aware, gentlemen, of the immense ad', an-
tages which has been derived from it in support of
literature and science. One of its pt'incipal features
is that it is not limited to our o-tvu countrymen, but
is often extended to literary men of all nations_
(hear, hear)—so that Taie may feel proud to think
that by our timely assistance we not only advance
the literature of our own country but that of other
nations. In this way many eminent men who would
otherwiee be incapacitated from carrying on their
labours, and from making their talents known to
the world, are enabled to do so. (Hear, hear.) The
second important feature is the secrecy with which
this timely aid is given, a secrecy so sacredly ob-
served that in the whole number of cases, which
amount to 1,645 since the foundation of this corpo-
ration in 1790, there is not a single instance of any
indiscretion having been committed ; and if cases
have been brought to light at all it has only been
through the aclrnowledment of the literary men thus
assisted being anxious to express their gratitude.
(Hear.) I ought here to mention the name of a dis-
tinguished man of letters whose loss must be deeply
deplored in all literary circles. I allude to Mr.
Thackeray. (Continued cheering.) I allude to him
not so much on account of his works, for they are
standard works, but because he was an active mem-
ber of your committee, and always ready to open
his purse for the relief of literary men struggling
with difficulties. (Hear.) Gentlemen, some of those
here present do not, perhaps, know that in France
since 1857 an institution similar to ours, and founded
by M. Thenard, has been in existence for the bene-
fit of scientific men only, and that a few days ago
M. Champfieury, a distinguished writer, proposed
to found a literary society adopting some of cur
principles. It is to be hoped that these two societies
may be one day amalgamated, or at least may form
sister literary fun ds—(cheers)—an d„'if administered
on our model, I think we may augur for the new in-
stitution a large measure of success. We shall at all
times be most happy to enter into communication
with it and show it the result of our long experience,
and of the unwearied zeal and exertion of the officers
of this corporation. (Hear.) I will not detain you
much longer, gentlemen, but I cannot sit down
without bringing back to your recollection the deep
interest which my dear and lamented father—
(cheers)—took in everything connected with litera-
ture and science, and particularly in the labours of
this society. (Hear, hear.) Nobody has forgotten
that the second time be spoke in public in this
country was as chairman of the Literary Fund
dinner; and we all, I am convinced, deeply regret
that the speeches made on that occasion were not
reported at full length, as every word falling from
those lips could not fail to command universal ad-
miration. (Cheers.) Gmtlemen, let us drink
" Prosperity to the Royal Literary Fund.'
The toast was drunk kith much. cordiality.
Earl STANHOPE, as president of the institution,
()tiered to it:s Royal Highness and company his ac-
knowledgments for the good wishes they had ex-
pressed on its behalf. The prosperity of the fund
could not bat be greatly promoted by the sympathy
of such men as his royal highness and the other dis-
tinguished guests around him. In the course of the
feeling address which they had just heard with so
pleasure, his royal highness had paid a tribute to
the merits of Mr. Thackeray, and had pointed out
that those merits were exemplified not only in his
literary productions, but in the helping hand he had
always stretched forth to a fellow man of letters in
distress. There was, perhaps, nothing more strik-
ing than the contrast between the feeling enter-
tained towards each other by literary men in the
present day and that entertained about a century
and a half ago. If they looked to the classical
writers of the reign of Queen Anne they would find
that the sufferings of their less fortunate brethren,
so far from being regarded as a matter of sympathy
with them, were treated as a matter of ridicule and
jest. That sentiment ran all through the poetry
of Pope. In the " Dunciad" Pope spoke oi—

" Calm temperence, whose blessings those partake
Who hunger and who thirst for scribbling sake."
(Laughter.) Now, on the contrary, in a happier
mood, they did not hunger but feast for scribbling
sake. (Hear, hear.) In the same harsh and cruel
spirit Pope described those professors of song who
were driven by penury to the practice of their art.
Speaking of a cavern, he said—
" Keen, hollow winds howl thro' the bleak recess,
Emblem of music caused by emptiness."
That feeling of contempt and scorn for the sufferings
of less fortunate men of letters no man who respected
himself would express or entertain in the present
day. If they looked to those who first turned the
stream in another direction, and gave rise to those
feelings from which that institution itself had
sprung, they would sea, perhaps, that the most
eminent man to whom in that, as in many other re-
spects, their gratitude was due was Dr. Johnson.
(Hear.) Johnson had himself shared, in no common
degree, the fete of the unprosperous man of letters.
He might have been expected on that account, like
the veteran described by Tacitus, the great histo.
rian of Imperial Rome, to be much harsher still.
" Antiquam duramque militiatn revocabat, eo im-
mitior quia toleraverat." But, on the contrary,
Johnson's gentle hart felt for those who suffered
as he himself had done, but who did not rise as he
finally did, His sympathy with them found ex.
pression in such lines as these :
" There maik what ills the scholar's life assail—.
Toil, envy, want, the garret, and the gaol."

Thus the last line stood at first; but as altered, and
as it new stood, it ran—

" Toil, envy, want, the patron, and the gaol."
(Hear, hear.)
Earl RUSSELL, in proposing "Prosperity to Eng-
lish Literature," said—This toast does not seem to
require much recommendation, and it is not to my
taste to " gild refined gold" or " paint the lily."
But I think that English literature, prosperous as
it has been in its progress for five centuries, has
not obtained that pre-eminence which it ought to
have in our English system of education. In early
days, when our great schools were instituted,
Greek and Latin literature afforded the only perfect
specimens for educational uses; but a native litera-
ture has grown up since then worthy of being re-
commended to youth at our schools and Universities.
(Hear, hear.) I read the other day with some re-
gret that a dist nguished man, the head roaster of
Eton, said they have not a sufficiently good method
of teeching English in that groat school. Now,
would it not be easy to ado, A 't-6..1 lime method of
teat . wLich they adopt in teaching

Latin and Greek—namely, to have the best authors
read in the school ? (Hear.) Our young men
gain a knowledge of Homer, Virgil, Ovid, and
Horace. Why should they not become acquainted
with Shakspere, Milton, Dryden, and Tennyson ?
They learn from the history of Livy of the consti-
tutional struggle which took place in the ancient
republic of Rome. Why should they not learn
from Macaulay of the constitutional struggles which
took place in this country ? (Hear, hear.) I can-
not but think that it would be a comfort to many
young men who are much occupied with the study
of the classical writers to store their minds with the
best examples of English literature, and in their
hours of recreation to turn to books which are easy
to read and delightful to follow. (Hear.) I am
about to couple with this toast the name of Mr.
Anthony Trollope. (Hear, hear.) You all know
with what power genius can make you acquainted
with imaginary characters ; and those persons who
have read " Barchester Towers," and " Framley
Parsonage" will entertain the liveliest recollection
of the acquaintances they there made. (Hear.) I
have read those works with the greatest delight ;
and it' I have not yet been able to make myself ac-
quainted with the " Small House at Allington," it
is because there is a great house in Downing•street
which takes up so much of my time. (Hear, hear,
and laughter.) The skill with which our authors
of dramas, novels, and romances impress their ficti-
tious personages on our minds is something mar.
venous. Every one, lam sure, will find on reflec-
tion that he is far better acquainted, for example,
with such fictitious characters as Don Quixote and
Sancho Panza than with Julius Caesar or the Duke
of Marlborough. (A laugh,) We know of those
great historical characters little but their public
life—that they fought such a battle, made such a
speech, or established such a form of Government.
But as for these fictitious personages, we follow them
through all their actions, and trace all their domes-
tic relations. For my part, I would rather part
with some of those historical characters than with
the imaginary persons who aro thus vividly de-
picted to us. Of Shakspere himself, great as he
was, we have no very distinct conception ; but
of his Falstaff and his Justice Shallow everybody has
a clear idea, as well as of what taverns they passed
their hours in. (Hear, hear, and a laugh.) It is
not only a proof of talent, but a source of the greatest
delight to readers, to have such lifelike portraitures
of character as those given us by men like Mr.
Dickens, Mr. Thackeray, and Mr. Trollope. The
noble lord concluded by proposing the toast, which
was very cordially received.
Mr. A. TROLLOPE returned thanks, and took oc-
casion to pay a graceful tribute to the genius of the
lamented Mr. Thackeray.
Lord HOUGHTON next proposed the toast of
" Foreign Literature," which was acknowledged by
his Excellency
M. van do -Weyer, the Belgian
Minister.
The TREASURER then announced that the sub-
scriptions collected during the evening amounted to
nearly £2,000. The list included an annual dona-
tion of 100 guineas from her Majesty, another of
£llO from the Prince of Wales, and a second dona-
tion of £2O from the Duke of Cambridge.
Earl STANIIOPE next proposed the" Health of his
Royal Highness the Chairman." There could, he
said, be no better preface to that toast than the an-
nouncement they had just heard from the treasurer,
fur they could see how large beyond all precedent
ira the annals of tae institution was the present sub-
scription, and they would be at no loss to tell to
whose presence they were indebted for that result.
They all felt deepl: grateful to his royal highness
for having come among them and presided over their
festival in so very effective a manner. (Cheers.)
The trust was drunk with the greatest cordiality.
His Royal Highness the CHAIRMAN then said.
—Your Royal Highness, my Lords, and Gentle-
men,—l thank you most sincerely for the kind
and cordial manner in which you have drunk
my health, and I feel proud to have occupied the
chair for the first time on so interesting and
important an occasion. (Cheers.) I must now teke
the opportunity to congratulate this corporation on
the great advantage which it enjoys in the services
of the distinguished nobleman who now fills the
high office of your president, and who has contri-
buted so much to historical literature. (Hear.) I
cn give him no higher praise than by saying that
he is a worthy successor of a nobleman who was
more than 20 years your president, who throughout
a long political career never made an enemy, and
who always found time to assist in the advancement
of literature and art. I allude to the late Marquis
of Lansdowne. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, allow me to
propose one more toast. In the presence of a society
accustomed to cultivate with such signal success the
flowers of literature it would be unpardonable to
forget the flowers of society. (Cheers and laughter.)
I propose the health of " The Ladies," who by their
numerous attendance here this evening evince the
interest they take in the Literary Fund.
The toast was drunk scith the usual honours,
after which their royal highnesses immediately left
the hall. The entire proceedings passed cff very
satisfactorily.