The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-04 00:00:00

Banquet at the Royal Academy,

On Saturday evening the President and Council of the
Royal Academy gave their anniversary entertainment to a
distinguished assemblage at their rooms in Trafalgar •square
The presence of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales
gave great interest to the celebration. The company began
to arrive soon after two o'clock, and spent the interval till
dinner was announced in admiring the gems of British art
which adorn the walls and form the exhibition for the year
of the Royal Academy.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, attended by
Lieut.-General Knollys and Colonel Teesdale ; his Royal
Highness Prince Louis of Hesse, attended by Captain Wes-
terweller and Colonel Du Plat ; and his Royal Highness
the Duke of Cambridge, attended by Colonel Macdonald,
arrived at 20 minutes past six, and were received by Sir
C. Eastlake, the President of the Royal Academy, who con-
ducted their Royal Highnesses to their seats at the banquet
in the East-room, where covers were laid for 170 guests.
Sir C. Eastlake presided, having on his right his Royal
Highness the Prince of Wales, his Royal Highness Prince
Louis of Hesse, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord
President of the Council, the First Lord of the Treasury,
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Secretary of State
for the Foreign Department, the Earl de Grey and Ripon,
the Secretary of State for India, the First Lord of the
Admiralty, the Lord Chamberlain, the Lord Steward, the
Speaker of the House of Commons ; and on the left hie
Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, the Archbishop
of York, the Duke of Rutland, the Duke of Buckingham,
the Marquis of Salisbury, the Marquis of Bristol, the
Marquis of Normanby, the Earl of Derby, the Earl of
Shaftesbury, Lord Stanley, Earl Grey, Earl Powis,
Lord Chelmsford, Earl of Carnarvon, Lord St. Leonardo,
Earl of Cardigan, Earl Stanhope, Earl Grosvenor, Lord
Monteagle, Lord Ravensworth, Sir J. Pakington, Mr.
Disraeli, and Mr. Walpole. On the other side of the Pre-
sident's table sat the Bishop of Oxford, E srl of Clarendon,
the Duke of Newcasth, the Bishop of London, Lord Over-
stone, Lord Stanley of Alderley, Earl Somers, the Master
of the Rolls, the President of the Board of Trade, the Sec-
retary for the Horne Department, the Master of the Horse,
the Right Hon. Edward Cardwell, and the Right Hon.
William Cowper. Among the other distinguished guests
were—Lieutenant-General Knollys, the Right Hon. Robt.
Lowe, Viscount Newport, the Governor of the Bank of
England, Colonel Macdonald, the Right Hon. the Lord
Mayor, the President of the Royal Society, the Chief Jus-
tice of the Queen's Bench, the Lord Chief Baron, the Chair-
man of the Board of Customs, the Attorney-General, Major
Teesdale, Mr. T. Baring, Mr. R. Monckton Wilms, the
Rev. Dr. Whewell, Mr. G. Grote, Lord It. Cecil, Mr. G.
Hardy, Lord Delamere, Lord De Tabley, Mr. W. Stirling,
Sir John Lawrence, Lord Alfred Hervey, Capt. Wester-
weller, Col. Du Plat, Sir IL I. Murchison, Professor Owen,
Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, Lord Elcho, Mr. A. H.
Layard, Hon. A. Kinnaird, Viscount Bury, the Field Officer
of Brigade in Waiting, Lord John Manners, Sir Hugh
Cairns, Sir David Dundee, Lord Taunton, Lord Hardinge,
Sir John Ramsden, Mr. W. H. Gregory, Mr. Ponder, Mr.
C. Babbage, Mr. J. Kelk, Mr. J. T. Caird, Mr. A. W.
Kinglake, Sir Charles Lyell, Mr. Danby Seymour, Mr. J.
Haliburton, President of the College of Physicians, Presi-
dent of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Sir H.
Holland, Hon. R. Cum m, Mr. Alderman Salomons, the
Solicitor-General, Mr. Thackeray, &c.
There was a very full attendance of members of the
Academy.
The PRESIDENT, in rising to propose the first toast, said—
May it please your Royal Highnesses, ray Lord, and Gen-
tlemen, I have the honour to propose
nurgorpaonsietos
patronyon ''Tohlet llhiesalthof
her Majesty the Queen "—the
insti-
tution, the gracious promoter of those arts which can con-
tribute to confer refinement on nations, and add a lustre to
the throne, which can dignify the enjoyments of prosperity,
and harmonise with the earthly consolations of adversity;
and which in their more special uses—in recalling the form
and features of the great and good, and in illustrating their
eminent qualPies—can subdue the force of sorrow by re-
kindling the admiration of departed excellence. (Cheers.)
It is gratifying to know that by the offerings of the people
and of their representatives means are provided for the
erection of a suitable national memorial to his late Royal
Highness the Prince Consort. (Cheers.) This tribute of
sinenee and universal respect will, we trust, add to those
sources of consolation which still surround her Majesty, and
of which not the least is the devoted' and affectionate loyalty
of
Thehrestuobajsetctws.as (Louddrunkwith al
cheers.)l
the honours.
The PRESIDENT is ',proposing the next toast, said—
tpal
hVul
aehen eeccn,no
auttshhni
neet
nr
overpoweringdyi shi tka i
end gtauhuinssth ape drgisfsnwes
ts:wt
ss thewhoitefeorhon rlt
eaheseeßt
Royal
Royal
agya
enlamdlA cadem
bFI
too
ei lin hye
a ureol i
ynds
felt to render it suitable, on that festive occasion,
to
pose a tribute to the memory of his Royal
flighnessPthoe
Prince Consort. But now that his Royal Highness's quali-
ties and character, in all their importance and distinctness,
are superseding the affecting personal reminiscences which
were at first so absorbing, that tribute may be consistently
and respectfully offered ; and, if so, nowhere more fitly than
in an institution especially connected with the Fine Arts,
which:he especially encouraged—(cheers)—or more worthily
than on an occasion when the enlightened promoters of art
honour its professors with their presence. (Cheers.) The
toast which I have the honour to propose, and which will be
drunk in silence, is " The Memory of the great and good
Prince Consort."
Drunk in silence.

The PRESIDENT—The toast which I have now the honour

to pr pose is The Health of his Royal Highness the Prince
of Wales and the rest of the Royal Family." (Loud and
continued cheering.) If names and titles ever possessed a
spell, the mere mention of their Royal Highnesses the Prince
and Princess of Wales may be said to exercise a fascinating
influence—(cheers)—and imagination for once corresponds
with the sober certainty of reality, since every felicitous
circumstance concurs to commend a union which has called
forth the truly cordial congratulations of the people of this
country—(cheers)—above all, since that auspicious union is
a source of comfort and consolation to our honoured Queen.
(Cheers.) In renewing our sincerest welcome to the illus-
trious Princess who now calls England her home, we there-
fore feel that we already owe her Royal Highness a debt of
gratitude, for in adding to the happiness of her Majesty she
found an immediate access to the hearts of her elajesty's
subjects. (Cheers.) Her Royal Highness's winning
presence more than confirmed that pleasing prepossession ;
and the professors of the Fine Arts are privileged to extol
the personal attractions and gracious manners which en-
hance the impression of her Royal Highness's amiable cha-
racter. (Loud cheers.) We have this day the honour of
offering our respectful and heartfelt congratulations to his
Royal Highness in person (cheers)—and we cannot but
regard it as a propitious circumstance that the first occasion
on which his Royal Highness has been pleased to honour a
public festival with his presence is one connected with the
interests of the Fine Arts, the promotion of which was so
prominent an object with his Royal Highness's patriotic
and enlightened father. (Loud cheers.) The toast is,
"The Health of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales,
and the rest of the Royal Family."
The toast was drunk with all the honours.
His Royal Highness the Prince of WALES, who spoke evi-
dently under deep emotion, but in a peculiarly clear and
pleasing tone of voice, and with great impressiveness of
manner, said—Sir Charles Eastlake, your Royal Highnesses,
my Lords and Gentlemen—lt is with the most contending
feelings of pleasure, pride, and sorrow that I rise to return
you thanks, in the name of myself and the Royal Family,
for the kind terms in which you, Sir Charles, have proposed
our health, and for the very cordial way in which this dis-
tinguished assembly has received it. (Cheers.) I cannot
on this occasion divest my mind of the associations con-
nected with my beloved and lamented father. His bright
example cannot fail to stimulate my efforts to tread in his
footsteps—(loud cheers) —and, whatever my shortcomings
may be, I at least may presume to participate in the interest
which he took in every lust itution which tended to encourage
art and science in this country—(cheers)—but more espe-
cially in the prosperity of the Royal Academy. (Loud
cheers ) Adverting to my marriage, I beg you to believe
how grateful I feel fur, and I may be permitted to ad] how
sincerely I appreciate the sentiments you have expresssd
with reference to the Princess. (Loud cheers.) I know
that I am only speaking her mind in joining her thoughts to
mine on this occasion. (Loud cheers.) We neither of us
can ever forget the manner in which our union lies been
celebrated throughout the nation—(cheers)—aed I should
be more than ungrateful if I did not retain the most lasting,
as well as most pleasing recollection of the kind expres-
sions and reception which my attendance at your anniver-
sary meeting has evoked this evenieg, (Loud and con.
tinned cheering.)

The PRESIDENT—We are honoured on this occasion with
the presence of his Royal Highness the Prince Louis of
Hesse, who is closely connected with that Royal family
which is the object of our heartfelt interest and 103 alty.
(Cheers.) We have thus an opportunity of expressing to
his Royal Highness our sincere congratulations on the
safety of her Royal Highness the Princess Louis and on
the fair promise of the infant Princess; and we have the
honour to offer his Royal Highness a respectful and most
cordial we'come. I beg to give " The Health of his Royal
Highness the Prince Louis of Hesse." (Cheers.)
His Royal Highness Prince Lours of HESSE said—Mr.
President, your Royal Highnesses, my Lords and Gentle-
men,—l have been much flattered by your kind invitation,
which has enab.ed me to spend this evening in so distin-
guished an assembly. Still more gratified have I been by
the cordial way in which yon have welcomed me, and in
which y u have drunk my health and that of the Princess.
While I return my warmest thanks in both oar names, I
take this opportunity of expressing my devotion and grati-
tude to your beloved Queen and her family, and my profound
admiration of this great and noble country, to which I am
most sincerely attached. (Cheers.)
Various other toasts having been given and duly received,
the " Health of Lord Palmerston" was proposed and drunk
with the greatest enthusiasm.
Viscount PALMERSTON, who on rising was loudly
cheered, said—Mr President, your Royal Highnesses, my
Lords, and Gentlemen,---I need not, lam certain, assure
you that nothing can be more gratifying to the feelings of
any man than to receive that compliment which you have
been pleased to propose, and which this distinguished as-
sembly has been kind enough so favourably to entertain
in the toast of his health. It is natural that any man who
is engaged in public life should feel the greatest interest in
the promotion of the fine arts. In fact, without a great
cultivation of art no nation has ever arrived at any point of
eminence. We have seen great warlike exploits performed
by nations in a state, I won't say of comparative barbarism,
but wanting comparative civilisation ; we have seen na-
tions amassing great wealth, but yet not standing thereby
high in the estimation of the rest of the world ; but when
great warlike achievements, great national prosperity, and
h gh cultivation of the arts are all combined together, the
nation in which those conditions are found may pride itself
in holding that eminent position among the nations of the
world which I am proud to say belongs to this country.
(Loud cheers.) It is gratifying to have the honour of being
invited to these periodical meetings, where we find assem-
bled within these rooms a greater amount of cultivation of
mind, of natural genius, of everything which constitutes
the development of human intellect than perhaps ever is
assembled within the same space elsewhere. (Cheers.)
And we have, besides, the gratification of seeing that in
addition to those living examples of national genius the walls
are covered with proofs that the national genius is capable
of the most active and admirable development. (Cheers.)
Upon the present occasion, Mr. President, every visitor
must have reen with the greatest delight that by the side
of the works of those whose names are familiar to all there
are works of great ability brought hither by men who are
still rising to fame; and therefore we have the satisfaction
of feeling that this country will never be wanting in men
distinguished in the practice of the fine arts. (Cheers.)
One great merit of this Exhibition is that whatever may
be the turn of a man's mind, whatever his position in life,
he may at least during the period he is within these walls
indulge the most pleasing illusions applicable to the wants his
mind at that time may feel. A man who comes here shiver-
ing in one of those days which mark the severity of an Eng-
lish winter—(a laugh)—may imagine that he is basking in
an African sun, and he may feel imaginary warmth from the
representation of a tropical climate. (Laughter.) IF, on the
uther hand, he is suffering under those exceptional miseries
which one of the few hot days of an English summer is apt
to create, he may imagine himself inhaling the fresh breezes
of the seaside ; he may suppose himself reclining under'the
cooling shade of the most luxuriant foliage; ha may for a
time, in fancy, feel all the delights which the streets and
pavements of London deny in reality—(cheers and laughter
—and if he happens to be a young man, upon what is con-

ventionally said to be his preferment, that is to say, looking
out fur a partner for his life—(a laugh)—he may here study
all kinds and descriptions of female beauty— (laughter and
cheers)—he may satisfy his mind whether light hair or
dark—(laughter)—blue eyes or black--(continued laughter)
.—the tender or the serious, the gay or the sentimental, are
the most likely to contribute to the happiness of his future
life. (Cheers.) And, without exposing himself to any of
those embarrassing questions as to his intentions—(a
laugh)—which sometimes too inquisitive a scrutiny may
bring—(much laughter)—without creating disappointment,
or breaking any hearts, or being referred to any paternal
authority which he may not desire to consult—(laughter)
—he may go and apply to practical selections those prin-
ciplis of choice which wilt result from the study within
these walls. (Loud cheers and laughter.) Then those
of a more serious turn of mind, who direct their thoughts
to State affairs, and who wish to know what that august
assembly, the House of Commons, is composed of, may
here (pointing to Phillips's picture behind the chair),
without the trouble of asking an order for the gallery—(a
laugh)—without waiting in Westminster-hall till a seat be
vacant, without passing hours in a hot gallery, listening
perhaps to dull disccurse in an uninteresting debate—
they may here see what kind of thing the House
of Commons is, and go back edified by the sight, without
being bored by dull speeches. (Cheers and laughter.)
Now do‘vt, gentlemen, imagine that I am romancing when
I attribute this virtue to ocular demonstration—don't ima-
gine that that which enters the eye does not sometimes
penetrate to the mind and to the feelings. I will give you
an instance to the contrary, I remember within theca walla
seeing two gentlemen, who evidently, from their remarks,
were very good judges of horses, looking with the greatest
admiration upon the well-known picture of Landseer, the
" Horseshoeing at the Blacksmith's," and after they had
looked at it for some time one was approaching nearer, when
the other, in an agony of enthusiasm, said, "For Heaven's
sake, don't go too near; he will kick you." (Loud cheers
and laughter.) Well, gentlemen, I said that a public man
must take great interest in Art; but I feel that the present
Government has en apology to make to one department of

art, and that is to the sculptors ; for there is an old maxim
denoting one of the high functions of art, which is artis eat
celare artenz. Now, there was a cellar— (much laughter)—
in which the art of the most distinguished sculptors was

concealed to the utmost extent of the application of that
saying. (A laugh.) We have brought them comparatively
into light—(cheers)—and if the sculptors will excuse us for
having departed from that sage and ancient maxim, I am
sure the public will thank us for having given them an op-
portunity of seeing; those beautiful works of men of whom
it may be said--

" vino!' ducunt do marmore vultus."
(Cheers.) I trust, therefore, the sculptors will excuse us
for having done not, perhaps, the best they might have
wished, but, at least, for having relieved them a little from
the darkness of that Cynaraerian cellar in which their works
were hid. (Cheers.) I beg again to thank you, gentlemen,
for the honour you have done me in drinking my health.
(Loud cheers.)

The next toast was, " The Interests of Literature," in