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

BENJAMIN WEBSTER.

Who, by his natural ability, strict integrity, and unceasing
diligence, has been raised to the highest position in the dra-
matic profession, and whose zeal on behalf of " The Poor
Player" has placed him in the honourable position of Mas-
ter of the Royal Dramatic College, Master of the Drury-lane
Theatrical Fund, and President of the Dramatic, Equestrian,
and Musical Sick Fund Association, the firstnamed honour
having been conferred upon him under the direct sanction
,pf her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, Patroness of the
College.
In the proud position of Master of the Benevolent Insti-
tutions connected with the Dramatic Profession, and having
three London Theatres, one his own freehold, and two under
his own management, he may joyfully look back to the com-
mencement of his difficult career, feeling himself an honour-
able representative of well-applied intelligence, strict
honesty, persevering industry, and great kindness, since
those qualities alone have obtained for him the high honour
he now enjoys, and this expression of the sincere regard of
those associated with him in giving effect to the purposes of
the Royal Dramatic College. In the language of Shakspere
he may truthfully reply—

." This is no flattery ; these are counsellors
That feelingly persuade me what I am."
London, February, 1864.
Ile concluded thus :—Testimonials have sometimes
been justly Objected to as inapplicable to certain
cases, but there is a special appropriateness in them
in reference to the actor, whose profession is the only
one that is absolateiy personal, and whatever
honours are paid to him must be paid in his life-
time. In the actor's occupation there is a combina-
find, which are called into
tion of qualities rare to
requisition under the very eyes of the public—
figure, expression, grace, voice, deportment, and
intelligence in the secrets of art which almost
amounts to a kind of inspiration, for it cannot be
taught, although it may be trained. Now this
personal occupation must be carried out by the actor
himself; he can delegate nothing to others. There-
fore it is that his triumphs are fugitive; his fame
perishes with him; he leaves not a wrack behind.
Unlike the author, the painter, and the sculptor,
nothing remains of his genius but a barren tradition.
His book is filled with the words of others;
.his
pictures are painted upon air ; his sculpture is a
phantom. Re lives in a world of dreams, peopled
by creatures c.f the imagination ; and when he dies,
the phantasmagoria whien he inspired with tem-
porary life vanish with him. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. I,VEBSTER, who was very much affected, on
rising to reply, said :—Gentlemen—friends I will
call you, and I believe truthfully—evea though it is
said that a man of many friends may at some time
need one—this is the second honour conferred upon
me, first in my esteem, because a larger experience
of my services has not proved that I have been
found wanting in your consideration, nor your re-
gard for me moulted one feather; while your kind
intentions, conveyed to me by my old and good
friend, Mr. Robert 8011, have so overpowered me,
that no words can express to you what I feel. This
is no fable. To be twice honoured, as I have been,
in this especial way, cannot but convince me that I
have done the drama's state some service, and they
know it. As your worthy chairman proceeded in
his fhwery harangue of the choicest language, 1

felt my powers of utterance waxing smaller and
smaller, until I could have exclaimed with Othello,
" Silence that dreadful Bell! it frightens fri, power
of speech out of me." But my honour ts at stake,
and I must redeem the pledge with unalloyed grati-
tude. The memorial you have press ired me with
is not gold—it is not the silver-cupping process for
the exhibition, but it is an illuminated page in the

history of my life, given as an honest token of

friendship and esteem to a man who can honestly

say he has done his best, without a thought of os-
tentation, for his brotherhood; and could memory
hold a seat in this dramatic globe as long as I could
wish, it would be gratefully remembered for ages t•

come. I have been strongly and flatteringly al-
luded to in se many phases of my profession, that I

am almost fearful your chairman has laid himself

open to criminal proceedings for the number of
good characters he has given me; but in my future

conduct I will endeavour to save him from such a

dilemma by proving, if I can, that he did not much
overstep the bounds of prudence in his opinion
of the past. First, the player—and I have been
a very poor player, both on and off the stage,
mentally and physically—and in those times it was
fortunate that I was not a poor player on the vio-

lin—that has often stood me in need. And to
prove that music has its uses as well as charms, I
will tell you one ower tru6 tale of myself and
my fiddle. Before I was nineteen, with very small
means and no resources, I had linked myself to a
widow with a ready-made family. Actors are
prone to this sort of thing, and it often mars their
advancement in life. They cannot always get situ-
ations together; if they do, the salary is less for
the united pair than if they were two and distinct ;
but the husband has to fight the battle of two in-
stead of one, as to parts, &c., and consequently is sel-
dom out of hot water,and often out of an engagement,
Then a large family is the consequence, for actors are
very prone to that sort of thing too, and ambition be-
comes blunted or blighted in the submission to circum.
fences for the provision of food—for actors are
also prone to sacrifice everything for their child-
dren ; m cis revenons a nos moutons, I was placed
in the predicament I have described, without an
engagement or the possibility of going to one if

offered in the provinces, for money I had none, and
my uncle was inexorable, and withheld from me
all that would produce, as poor John Reeve styled
it, the " possibles." " Oh, my prophetic soul, my
uncle r I walked to all the neighbouring towns
where the shadow of a company was, but returned
sadder than I went, and almost hopeless. Day by
day I got deeper into debt, and poverty in debt
is nearly allied to absolute misery. One day a ray
of light crossed my dark fate. I heard that Mr.
Beverley, of the Tottenham-street Theatre, now
called the Queen's—the father of that great scenic
artist who now wields the brush where my dear
friend, Clarkson Stanfield, once held magic sway,
and who has honoured me with his presence to-
day—who, in conjunction with another great artist,
David Roberts, gave a sum to the Royal Dramatic
College. We all went into Old Drury at the same
period ; and like John Anderson and his wife, we
have climbed the hill together. I have diverged
again, but " should auld acquaintance be for-
got ?'' If so, what would have become of me ?
I must now on again. Mr. Beverley was about to
open the Croydon Theatre for a brief season. I
applied to him for walking gentlemen P—Full. For

little business and utility ?—Full. For harlequin
and dancing ?—Didn't do pantomime or ballet ; be.
sides, didn't like male dancers—their lags didn't
draw. For the orchestra ?—" Well, said he, in his
peculiar manner, and with a strong expression unfit
for publication, " why, just now you were a walk-
ing gentleman." "So I am, sir ; but I have had a
musical education, and necessity sometimes compels
me to turn it to account." " Well, what's your in-
strument ?" " Violin, tenor, violoncello, double-
bass, and double drums." "Well, by Nero!—he
played the fiddle, you know—here, Harry (calling
hie son), bring the double-T.-no, I mean a violin—
out of the orchestra." Our son Harry came with
the instrument, and I was requested to give a taste
of my quality. I began Tartini's Devil's Solo, and
had not gone far when the old gentleman said that
would do, and engaged me as his leader at a guinea
a week. Had a shower of gold fallen on me it

could not have delighted Dinae more than myself.
I felt myself plucked oat of the slough of despond.
I had then to support, board myself, and get out of
debt. I resolved to walk to Croydon, ten miles,
every day to rehearsal, and back to Shoreditch, on
twopence per day—one pennyworth of oatmeal and
one penny worth of milk—and I did it for six weeks,
Sundays excepted, when I iudulged in the luxury
of shin of beef and ox cheek. The gentlemen in the
gallery pelted me in the orchestra with mutton
pies, and in this pitiless storm we started, as the
pages of our music books could testify; at first in-
dignation was uppermost, but on reflection we made
a virtue of necessity, and collecting the fragments

of the not very light pastry ate them under the
stage, and, whatever they were made of, we
considered them ambrosia. At the end of the

sixth week I had so pleased Mr. Beverley and
his son Harry, that I was asked to give a
specimen of my Terpsichorean abilities as a sailor's
hornpipe for our son's benefit, with a view to an
engagement for Harlequin at the now Queen's
Theatre, Tottenham-court•road. I essayed the task,
buoyed up with hope, dashed on to the
stage, got through the double shuffle, the
toe and heel, though feeling faint, but at last, despite
every effort, I broke down from sheer exhaustion of
strength consequent upon a near approach to star-
vation, the curtain dropped on one of my hopes, and
I burst into an agony of tears. However, this
mourning was soon turned to joy, for Mr. Beverley
behaved like a father to me, took me by the hand,
bade me cheer up ; that he had seen enough to
know what I could do, and engaged me as walking
gentleman and Harlequin for his London theatre,
where I made my first appearance as Henry Mar-
land in the " Heir at Law," which, to avoid legal
proceedings, he called " The Lord's Warming Pan."
From the Tottenham-street Theatre I went to the
English Opera, now the Lyceum, from there to
Drury-lane, Drury-lane to the Haymarket, from
there to Covent-garden, the Olympic, the Adelphi,
and here I am, such as I am, During that long
period I did not, like Cie3ar, thrice refuse the crown
but I thrice left the stage in despair at ever arriving
at eminence, and, in my mind, not to be something
was to be nothing. At the time I was called on at
a very short notice to enact Pompey in " Measure
for Measure," I had started and was doing well as
a bookseller, being well versed in old and rare
literature. Harley could lilt play the part through
a serious attack of opthalmia. Every place in the
theatre was taken through the great cast of the
piece, including the names of Macready, Liston,
Richard Jones, Little Knight, Terry, James Brown,
Gattie, Pope, Bunn, Lydia Kelly, Mrs. Harlowe,
&c. After trying every one, both in and out of the
theatre, except your humble servant, Mr. Bunn, the
stage-manager for Mr. Elliaton, thought of me, and
the number of parts I had studied for him at an
hour's notice when under his management at Bir-
mingham. "At all events, he will be perfect" said
he, and the part was sent to me at three o'clock in
the afternoon. I was gone to Paternoster-row in
my way of trade, but my folks thinking it a capital
thence, returned answer it would be all right. I
did not return with my blue bag full of publica-
tions until half past five. When I was told of the
circumstance I was horrorstruck. I ran to
the theatre. No official was there. What to do ?
" Set to work at it," was the reply, " Yon have
done
as much before." But not with Shaksperet
and in London. I received a very cold reception
but the audience warmed to me at the end of the
first scene. At the termination of the great tale
Pompey has to tell, three distinct rounds of applause
greeted the poor unknown player ; and the courage
I had screwed up to this point sunk into my shoes,
and I could scarcely carry them off. The success of
the revival was complete; all the great actors came
round me; I was led in a sort of triumph to the first
green room, into which my salary did not entitle me
to enter and the Press pronounced my performance
the great hit of the evening. It is impossible for
any one here to comprehend my excited feelings.
While speaking of his connexion with the Drury-
lane Fund, the Sick Fund Association, and the
Royal Dramatic College, Mr. Webster said—l hope
with respect to these charities, they will prospor,

TIIE FUN, LOAN)

not forgetting the General Fund or that of Covent-
garden. We have built and furnished with every
comfort twenty residences for artists of the his-
trionic profession, with a magnificent hall for the
collection of everything relating to the drama,
either in pictures, books, engravings, or curiosities.
I have received the pleading information from the
talented Miss Braddon of the gift of another house,
to be called the Aurora Floyd house, as a compliment
to my representation of Softy, which reflects honour
on her and her heart. The appeal I have made to the
Tercentenary Committee fot the College, and the
school of theßoy al Dramatic College to be called the
Shakspere School, and to be endowed with scholar-
ships like the Harrow and Rugby Schools, has been
warmly received, especially by the London com-
mittee, who are desirous of distinctly making it a
part and parcel of their scheme. A number of offers
have been made to me in the kindest spirit, and
among them the celebrated artiste, Miss Glynn, had
thrown her whole talent into the scale to benefit
the plan she most enthusiastically approves. In the
course of further remarks Mr. Webster said—All
managers must be more or less dramatists. Many
and many a popular author's piece would have been
damned but for the suggestions of the manager.
Shakspere was a manager, and so was Davenant,
Sheridan, Garrick, and others, down to our present
time, and their practical knowledge helped their
success. Now, I know of authors turning managers,
or rather lessees, whose power, though not evidenced
in the bills, has weight behind the curtain as to
what shall or shall not be produced; bat this is
special pleading. Young authors complain of II
managers on the impossibility of getting their
pieces produced. Now I can a tale unfold on that
head. To please Manager Morris, I took the City
Theatre, in the classical regions of Grub-street. At
the end of my term I was indebted £5 to Mr.
Davidge for rent. I pleaded loss, and urged that he
ought to forego the £5, and he, with that booshom-
mie of manner for which Douglas Jerrold has cele-
brated him, said, " I don't mean to oppress you my
dear boy ; so, instead of paying me the £5, write me
for it a two-act domestic drama in the style of the
' Wreck Ashore.' " My circumstances only made
me too glad to accept the condition, and I wrote him
the original drama of " The Golden Farmer,"
on the backs of the stage letters of the
Olympic Theatre, whilst his boy waited for
the copy, so that I never read the drama con-
secutively, nor have ever seen it acted. It was a
great success, and Cumberland the publisher offered
me £5 for the copyright; but that good, kind crea-
ture, Davidge, finding I had no other copy refused
to give Cumberland one, and I was minus the £5.
He kicked a poor deformed call-boy out of the
theatre. This boy had been making a clean copy
1 to prompt by, and brought it to me for some assist-

ance I had rendered him. I published it, saved the
copyright to myself, which would have been Cum-
berland's if Davidge had let him have a copy, and
the piece has since returned me hundreds, made
the fortune of an actor in America, and brought me
large offers to write a sequel. I shall conclude by
wishing you all the happiness you could wish your-
selves, and heartily
Offer my thanks in triple tone to you,
As author, manager, and actor too.
Mr. Webster resumed his seat amidst loud and
continued plaudits.
Several other toasts were given and responded to
in the course of the evening, the proceedings of
which were very much enlivened by the perform-
ances of a vocal corps under the management of
Mr. F. Kingsbury, consisting of Miss Rose Hersee,
Miss Leffler, Mr. J. Gwynne, and Mr. Chaplin
Henry, all of whom gave their services gratuitously,
and better singing has rarely been heard of late
years in London. The dinner and wines amply
sustained the high reputation of Messrs. Etkington
and Co., the proprietors of the Freemasons' Tavern.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE,

CHARING.•CROSS.

The half yearly meeting of this company was held yester-
day at the South-Eastern station, London-bridge ; the lion.
J. Byng in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN said that though the station at Charing-
cross was not completed, the line had been opened, and, as
far as it was possible to judge, there was every reason to be-
lieve that the most sanguine expectations of the pr9prietors
would be fulfilled. The Cannon-street Extension works were
making rapid progress, and it was intended to provide a foot-
way on each side of the railway bridge across the Thames,
the tolls of which it was believed would yield a large re-
venue. •

In reply to a question, the CHAIRMAN said he hoped the
capital raised to complete the railway to Cannon-strut would
be sufficient to carry out those works,
Mr. PA.RICHR stated that the property in hand was worth
£500,000.
The report was then unanimously adopted and the retir-
ing directors re-elected, as also Mr. G. Smith, the retiring
auditor.

The meeting was then made special, and the directors
were authorised to borrow on mortgage any sum not exceed-
ing in the whole £233,400, and a vote of thanks to the chair-
man and directors concluded the proceedings,

LANCASTER AND CARLISLE,

The half yearly meeting of this company was held at
Lancaster on Tuesday—Mr. E. W. 'Tassel in the chair.
A dividend at the rate of 101 per cent. per annum was de-
clared upon the consolidated stock for the half-year ending
Dec. 31, and a farther dividend at the rate of 41 per cent.
per annum was declared upon the 41 per cent. preference
stock for the same period.
The CHAIRMAN said the next business was the considera-
tion of an important arrangement pending between the
London and North-Western Railway Company and the
Midland Railway Company, in which this company was
largely interested. The Midland Company had been fur
some time anxious to carry their traffic through into Scot-
land, and therefore they meditated constructing a rival
line to the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway. The London
and North-Western Company, being the lessees of the Lan-
caster and Carlisle Railway, were extremely anxious to
prevent the making of such a rival line, and therefore they
proposed to procure an Act of Parliament, by which they
agreed to grant to the Midland Railway the use of the
Lancaster and Carlisle line, in order that they might carry
their traffic into Scotland. He was very glad to see that
these great companies were now coming to their senses, and
that, instead of setting up rival lines one against the other,
and thus entering into a mutually destructive competition
they were making amicable arrangements by which the
shareholders on both sides would be benefited, In autumn
some of the directors of this company had a conference with
Mr. Moon, the chairman of the London and North-Western
Railway, and ho proposed that they should enter into a
new lease with the two companies, having a dividend of 91
per cent, per annum guaranteed to them. It was thought
by some of the directors of this company that 91 per cent.
was too low a dividend, and the negotiation, therefore, went
on, though it was not unlikely that had the dividend been
fixed at 10 per cent, it might have been agreed to. The
result was that the bill he had spoken of was introduced
into Parliament by the Loudon and North-Western Com-
pany.

After a long discussion, a resolution authorizing the di-
rectors to petition Parliament against the Bill was adopted,

BRISTOL AND PORTISHEAD.

The half-yearly meeting was held yesterday at Bristol,
Mr. J. Ford in the chair.

The report stated that since the last meeting very fair pro-
gress had been made in the business of the company. The
engineers stated that the line had been re-surveyed and set
out since the passing of the Act, and property plans were
prepared for the land throughout. The works would be le
to a contractor as soon as sufficient land was obtained to en-
able him to proceed with the works. The amount of capital
subscribed was £44,100, upon which £4,377 had been paid.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report, con
gratulated the shareholders on the progress which had been
made since December last towards commencing the works.
It now only remained to push on with every possible vigour
The scheme was complete in itself from the river Severn to
the city of Bristol, which they had every reason to believe
would be constructed within the estimates and in a much
shorter time than was originally anticipated.;;;
Mr. J. ABRAHAM seconded the motion, which was carried
unanimously.

The retiring directors and auditors were re-elected, and a
vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings.

CHEsHiRp.

A meeting of the Stockport, Tim.perley, and Altrincham
Company was held on Tuesday at the Sheffield Railway
Station, Manchester, Mr. James Marshall in the chair. The
report stated that £58,225 had been expended to December
31, making a total outlay on capital account of £156,929.
Five and a half miles of single line of pavement way had
been laid, and it was hoped to complete the works by
autumn.

A meeting of the Stockport and Woodley Junction Com-
pany was held, at which Mr. Marshall also presided.
£75,192 had been received, and £65,272 expended at the
31st December. The receipts on the line weredncreasing
satisfactorily. A dividend of 4} per cent„ payable on the
Ist of March, was declared.
A meeting of the Marple, New Mills, and Hayfield June-
tion line was also held at the same offices as the above, Mr.
N. Buckley in the chair, £95,397 had been received, and