The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-10 00:00:00

ARTISTS" GENERAL BENEVOLENT
INSTITUTION.

The 39th anniversary dinner of this society was cele-
brated at the Freemason's Hall, Great Queen-street, on
Saturday last, the Right Hon. B. Disraeli, M.P., in the
chair. About 170 gentlemen were present, and at six
o'clock sat down to a very reacrcia entertainment,
served iri excellent style.
The right hon.. chairman was supported on Ids right
by Lord Dufferin, Sir J. Marjoribanks, &c. ; and on his
left by Sir C. L..Eastlake, P.R.A., the Hon. C. S. Har-
dingo, M.P., J. Scott Russell, Esq., Sir W: C. Ross, R.A.,
and Messrs. D. Robarts, R.A., F. R. Pickersgill,
&c. Among the company at the cross table were Messrs.
T. Ewins, R.A., J. Creswick, R.Ar, W, F. Frith,
R.A., Philip Hardwick, R.A., C. Blackwell, R.A., A.
Elmore, A.R.A., Augustus Egg, A.R.A., T. L. Cowper,
A.R.A., H. Weekes, A.R.A., J. C. Hawk, A.R.A., J.
E. Millar, A.R.A., &c.
The large gallery in the hall was crowded with ladies
during the proceedings, which were enlivened by some
excellent part-singing under the direction of Mr. Lockey,
in which Miss Ransford and Messrs. Francis, J. L. Hat.
ton, and H. Phillips took part.
On the removal of the cloth, the CHAIRMAN gave
"The Health of the Queen," observing that, indepen•
dently of those claims which her gracious Majesty always
had on the devotion of her subjects, they ought never to
forget on an occasion like the present that .she had taken
this institution under her special protection. (Cheers.)
The toast was followed by the National Anthem,
which gave occasion to a demonstration of the feeling
that pervades all ranks and classes in the country at the
present moment. The lines in the second verse, " Scat-
ter our enemies" and "Frustrate their knavish tricks,"
were received with a general cheer from the company.
The CHAIRMAN next gave his Royal Highness Prince
Albert, observing that it was mainly to that distin-
guished personage they must look for the encouragement
of those fine arts in which all present were so deeply in-
terested.
The next toast was " His Royal Highness the prince
Of Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family."
The CHAIRMAN then said—l ,beg to propose as the
next toast "The Army and Navy."- (Cheers.) 'Under
ordinary circumstances that toast would be received with
pleasure, but at the present moment I am not surprised
that it should be drunk on all public occasions with
enthusiasm, and I may perhaps be allowed to express my
firm assurance that the enterprise upon which our sol-
diers and our sailors are embarked will be crowned with
success and triumph—(cheers)—and sure I am that their
achievements will furnish ample materials for the skill
of the painter and sculptor upon future occasions.
The Ron. C. S. lIARDINGE, in acknowledging the
toast, said, he did so in obedience to the wish of his
right hon. friend the chairman, for otherwise he should
have felt that he had no claim whatever to intrude upon
them beyond the fact that he bore the name of the Com-
mander-in-Chief, and he need not tell them bow proud
he was to bear that name. (Hear.) Ile would only
add that it was his confident belief that in any future
operations our brave soldiers and sailors would prove to
their country and to the world that they were in every
way worthy of the confidence which had been reposed
in them, and that, in the words of the poet—
" Still in the cause they'd ardent prove
Of glory, chivalry, and love." (Cheers.)

The CHAIRMAN-It is now my duty to appeal to your
sympathies in behalf of that institution, a regard for
whose fortunes has assembled us together this evening.
We are met here for purposes of benevolence—to miti-
gate the sufferings and to soften the necessities of some
of our fellow creatures ; but we must not forget that
those fellow creatures are members of a particular class,
whose pursuits, whose feelings, and whose misfortunes
are not the feelings, the pursuits, or the misfortunes of the
masses of mankind. An artist is a man whose course is
carved out for him by a natural predisposition which he
finds irresistible ; he is a being whose life must be de-
voted to the contemplation, and sometimes to the crea-
tion of the beautiful, and the rules which apply to the
conduct of ordinary life, the prudential principles which
regulate all other pursuits and professions, cannot and
ought not to apply to him. It may be his destiny to
devote himself to labours which his own generation may
not appreciate, and he may have to elevate and even to
create the taste of the times in which he is destined to
live, though not to flourish. (Hear, hear.) On the
other hand, he may be one who, with an enchanted
pencil, may captivate the public taste ; but the public
taste in all countries, and especially in a country not
educated for art, is essentially capricious, and he may
find that patronage and that support which he had en-
joyed suddenly fail him altogether. But, whether he
labours for posterity or devotes himself to the passing
hour, for the artist is that sad destiny which awaits all
the labours of the brain—depression, despondency, •
that inertness which arises from the nervous sys-
tem being overthrown, and that impotence of
execution which often results from physical calamity
when the conceptions of the soul are still clear,
and the idea to be executed still vivid. (Cheers.) Slow
as has been the recognition of the claims of artists and
of their misfortunes in this country, it has been almost
equalled by the slowness of the recognition of the claims
of their literary brethren. It has required time even in
a country so wealthy, so advanced, and intelligent as
our own—it has required a long course of time before
the great mass of the community have felt that sym-
pathy with the artist and with the author in his distress
which they willingly extended to other classes of the
community. (Cheers.) Is it true that we are so entirely
absorbed in money-making, that we are so entirely de-
voted to material interests, that a general feeling for
the fine arts cannot be supported and maintained in
England ? If we examine the evidence which we have
before us, I must confess it does not seem to me to sub-
stantiate that theory. Who, for example, are the most
munificent and most influential patrons of the fine arts ?
Do we not find them among the most busy classes ?
(Cheers.) The people who are supposed to be entirely
devoted to the pursuits of material fortune, the manufac-
turers and the merchants of England, are among the
most eminent patrons of the fine arts ; and one of the
great features of the present day is the taste shown by
the middle classes for the fine arts. (Hear.) Ido not
mean to say for a moment that the aristocracy of Eng-
land have not always been most distinguished by their
taste for, and foremost in their support of the fine arts,
by which they have benefited in the refinement and cul-
tivation of their own minds ; but it is unquestionable
that the most munificent patrons of the fine arts are
found among the middle classes. There are many in
this room who are so familiar with the constitution of
this noble society that for me to attempt to recommend.
it is scarcely necessary. There are other means by
which artists in distress and buffering may find relief
and support, but they are ,means obtained solely by com-
bination among themselves, and devoted solely to those
artists who contributed to the fund. I entertain the
utmost respect for an institution of that kind, and I
rejoice to hear that it has been attended with success-
ful results, but the present institution acts upon a wider
basis, and proposes to itself more extended results.
We ask the whole of the community to come forward
and express their sympathy with English artists. It is
a matter of much gratification to find that although the
present institution is on so extended a principle, many
artists have contributed largely to its funds, and, not-
withstanding its revenues are not so large as might be
desired, those who have examined the records of its dis-
tribution will see that it has been attended with the
greatest advantage. The number of cases relieved
during the past year is 65, and we cannot but feel
that it must be most consolatory to the artist
to know that when he is gone his brethren will
not forget him, and that those nearest and dearest
to him will not be left utterly helpless. (Cheers.)
Years ago, when the sympathies of men with artists were
still less, when the sufferings of artists were still more
acute, and when their position was still more difficult
than at present, this institution effected great benefit ;
in the interval which is approaching it is destined to
confer still greater advantages, and it is an institution
which I believe will in some future day be looked back
upon with a sort of classic feeling as one that was re-
ceived when the sympathies of people were not so fresh
and full, and an institution the principles of which were
ultimately recognised by the nation, because •they were
founded on truth and formed for sacred purposes. (The
right hon. chairman resumed his seat amid the cheers of
the meeting.)

EASTLAKE begged to propose the next toast,
which was " The Health of their Chairman." (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN briefly acknowledged the toast, and
proceeded to propose " Success to the Royal Academy,"
which, he said, was an institution in which all artists
were deeply interested, and which, he was happy to ob-
serve, was one of the most successful institutions ever
established in this country. The president of that in-
stitution was, by a happy association, president of the
Artists' Bedevolent Institution, and the chair had never
been occupied by any one who had more in his works
carried out that high ideal feeling and that passive re-
pose which were essential elements of the beautiful.
When he proposed his health he was sure the name
would be received with feelings of the highest respect.
Sir C. EASTLAKE, in returning thanks, expressed the
interest that had always been felt in this institution by
the members of the Royal Academy, and said he
should always endeavour to support it, being per-
suaded from his own experience, and an intimate ac-
quaintance with its operations, that its funds were
judiciously administered. (Hear, hear.)
Lord DUFFERIN then, in a few words, proposed
"The British Institution, and all the other societies
established for the promotion of the line arts;" after
which.

Mr. C. R. COOKERELL, R.A., the treasurer, read the
list of donations and subscriptions, which, including
legacy from the late J. R. Durrant, Esq., of 1,8701.,
amounted to 2,3921.
Various other toasts were proposed, and about 11
o'clock the chairman left the chair, and the company
retired.

THE EMPEROR'S VASE AT ASCOT.—For some time
past it has been a matter of speculation and inquiry in
the sporting world whether, under existing oircum.,
stances, the piece of plate, value 300 sovereigns,which
the Emperor of all the Russias has for the last '
years presented to the British public, to be run for nine
Ascot-heath, and which has formed the great race of
Thursday's
programme. meeting, will this year be included in the
profframme. The plate has been ordered, and might,
but, n Sjtuntledae
had stewards of the Jockey Club felt so inclined,
in oc onaroyn
have been contended for as
usual ;
wlaistth, itth:,anSoannounced r thetohfattheßuckhounds (the Earl of
stewards,
idrtecultienegfiithceii
phraovffeeroerdt
Bessborough), who is one of the
stewards of the Ascot
nieetingtov due consideration deter-
minedThe'll this
year reassume the shape of gift.
race will
for a piece of plate of 30() the old Ascot Cup, being
the grant of 200 s sovereigns value, made up by
overeirrns from
0 . the race fund, added
to a sweepstakes of 20
sovereigns each. We have reason
to believe that this.•
decision has given very general Gals.
faction.