The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-28 00:00:00

Lows :

"April 27, 1853.
"The committee have to report, that, in pursuance of a
resolution passed by them, December 2, 1852, the present
meeting has been called to receive their final report and
statement of acoounts.

They have much pleasure in announcing that
the total amount of subscriptions is £448 8 0
Of whi.th remains to be collected only, sub-
ject to loss by defaulters
The gross expenses paid and incurred, includ-
ing the purchase of ground for the erection of
the monument, amounted to
"And the sum deposited in the London and
Commercial Bank is

29 9 6

54 9 1

" The committee have also to report that 4001. has been
guaranteed to the sculptor by Mr. Murdo Young, the
trustee elected by the subscribers. Upon which, the form
and style of the monument having been discussed with re-
ference to the means at the disposal of the committee, and
the generally expressed wish of the subscribers, a copy of
the annexed letter was addressed to the following gentle-
men :—Messrs. E. H. Baily, R.A., P. Macdowell, R.A.,
W. C. Marshall, R.A., R. Westmacot3, R.A., J. H.
Foley, A.R.A., H. Weekes; A.R.A., W. Behnes, J. Bell,
and M. Noble."

" Sir,—The sum of 4001. having been subscribed for a
monument to be placed above the grave of Thomas Hood,
in Kensal-green Cemetery, I beg to hand you, by desire of
the committee for the fund, the following description of
the style of monument which they have approved.
" A colossal bust, in bronze, upon a pedestal of red po-
lished granite, the whole 12 feet high, and 6 feet 6 inches
square at the base. In front of the bust, and leaning
against it, a laurel wreath, in bronze. Upon either side
of the pedestal bas-relief compositions in bronze, about
two feet in diameter, illustrating The Bridge of
Sighs,' and Eugene Aram's Dream,' or The Plea
of the Midsummer Fairies.' Upon the front of the
pedestal this inscription He Sang the Song of
the Shirt.' The poet's name, date of birth, and death,
with the statement—' Erected by public subscription.
A.D. 1853.' Upon a separate portion of the pedestal to
be introduced a Comic Mask,' veiled, in bronze, and the
' whole to be protected by a suitable railing of bronze or
iron. Should you be pleased to. prepare a model of the
above composition, not exceeding four feet in height,
the committee request that • it may be sent to the
Whittington Club, Strand, on the 31st of March, with a
motto or monogram attached, accompanied by a sealed
envelope containing a repetition of the same, with your
name added, and addressed to myself. Messrs. Macdonald
and Leslie, of Aberdeen, having promised to supply the
granite pedestal at a considerable abatement on their usual
price, and it being probable that the metal castings may
be obtained on similarly advantageous terms, the com-
mittee are induced to hope that, in consideration of the
literary eminence and moral worth of the poet whose genius
they desire to honour, and of the humble sources from
whence a large proportion of the subscriptions have been
received, they will be met in a liberal spirit by the gentle-
men to whom this letter is addressed. The following are
the sculptors who have been applied to. [Here the names
were given.]—l have the honour to be, &c.,

" ' JOHN WATKINS, Hon. Sec.'
"In reply to these communications, the secretary re-
ceived letters from each of the above gentlemen, the ma-
jority of whom expressed regret that, in consequence of
the number of their engagements, and in some cases the
resolution they had formed of declining all unre-
munerated competition for public monuments, they
could not comply with the request of the committee.
Mr. Bell, Mr. Behnes, and Mr. Noble wrote expressing
their intention to prepare designs ; and on the 31st of
March, Mr. Bell having in the interim `relinquished the
idea of competing for the monument,' the model by Mr.
Noble and the sketch by Mr. Behnes, now submitted to
the subscribers, were received.
" Mr. Behnes' design not having been executed in com-
pliance with the terms of the application made to him,
and Mr. Noble's model proving not only correct in
these particulars, but in the opinion of the committee
an admirable work of art, they have determined
to recommend it to the general body of subscribers."
The CHAIRMAN said the secretary had received an in-
teresting communication from Miss Eliza Cook, which
the secretary wished to read, and which he was sure the
meeting would be glad to hear. (Cheers.) The letter
was as follows :

"54, Great Ormond-street, April 25, 1853.
"My dear Sir,—Permit me before the final meeting on
Wednesday next, of the committee and subscribers con-
nected with the `Hood Memorial Fund,' to express to you
my extreme gratification at the result of a project which I
never imagined would have been so successful as it has
proved. . _

" A simple tabular erection to the memory of one of
England's truest poets was all I hoped to realise, bu,
the generous sympathy of English spirit, extending from
the poor shop girl to the princely duke--bas increased
the Fund to an amour far beyond my expectation, and a
memorial of an important character can now be placed over
the remains of him who has slept for nearly nine years
without a common head-stone to direct the worshippipg
stranger to his ashes.
. . .

" the design for the intended monument, by Mr. Matthew
Noble, which has met the approval of the committee,
claims my unqualified admiration, and I believe this admi-
ration will be shared by all who look on the production.
" I request you to give my warmest thanks to the sub-
scribers who so readily did honour to the glorious dead ;
and assure them that their response to my unworthy but
heartfelt appeal in this cause will ever be a proud and fond
remembrance to me.

" Oblige me by presenting to the committee my acknow-
ledgment of their services, and by expressing to Mr. Murdo
Young my perfect sense of his disinterested zeal in advanc-
ing the interests of the monument.
" As regards yourself, you have too certain a conviction
of my high estimation of you as a private friend and public
co-operator to require any complimentary declaration in
this letter. Moreover, you are cognisant of my severe suf-
fering, which forbids all unnecessary correspondence —so,
with the reiteration of my sense of satisfaction at the
thorough accomplishment of the endeavour to raise a me-
morial to ' Poor Hood,' I beg to subscribe myself with
sincere regard, yours most faithfully,

" ELIZA COOK.

" To John Watkins, Esq."
The CHAIRMAN said no formal programme had been
prepared of the evening's proceedings, but if any
gentleman had any proposition to make, he should
be happy to hear him. It was right, however,
that he should state that this was simply a busi-
ness meeting convened for the purpose of bringing
this noble monument to a close. (Hear, hear.) The
purpose of it was nearly accomplished ; and all they
could now desire was to see the model before them put
into execution ' • but before this was done, the committee
would be glad to hear any suggestions that subscribers
might wish to offer. (Hear, hear.)
After a brief pause,
Mr. MuRDO YOUNG moved that the report be approved
of, and the model accepted, in accordance with the
wish of the committee. (Hear, hear.)
This motion having been seconded by Mr. WALLER,
was put from the chair, and carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN again repeated that he, should be
happy to hear any gentleman who felt disposed to ad-
dress the meeting.
Mr. W. C. KENT—Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen,
in presenting myself before you as asubscriber—as merely
one -of the-subscribers—l cannot, of course, presume to
speak with any degree of authority in regard to the
feelings entertained by those gentlemen who have par-
ticipated in furthering this memorial. At the same
time, I think I may, without much presumption, ven-
ture on my part to submit to this meeting the propriety
of expressing to the originators of this design the thanks
of those who have helped to swell the subscriptions. I
think it would be ungrateful in us as subscribers if
we did not do so, seeing that but for the exertions
of those amiable persons who have co-operated in
bringing this subject before the public, we should
not have been afforded this opportunity of marking the
grave of Thomas Hood with some testimonial. Without
these exertions the ashes of Hood might have been al-
lowed to remain uncommemorated in Kensal-green Ce-
metery, without either a brick or a bramble to indi-
cate the spot where the poet rested. I may possibly be
allowed, therefore, to submit most respectfully to this
meeting, that we ought to express our gratitude to Eliza
Cook for those lyric sympathies—(cheers)—with which she
awakened popular attention to the subject. (Hear.) We
ought also to express our thanks to those gentlemen who
have most kindly aided in enforcing the necessity of this
testimonial—to one gentleman in particular, for the
liberality he has displayed in guaranteeing the payment
of the full amount, in case of emergency, and to another
gentleman for the assiduity with which he has discharged
the duties of honorary secretary. (Hear, hear.) I
think these two gentlemen may be well associated with
the fair originator of the design, without any disparage-
ment to the paramount and popularly-recognised merits
of Eliza Cook. (Hear, hear.) I also think that, before
the dissolution of the committee—for I am given to
understand that such is the purpose for which we have
been called together here this evening—we ought to
express to them also our thanks for the share they

have taken in the proceedings. (Cheers.) I also think,
Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, that we ought to con-
gratulate ourselves on being enabled to witness this even-
ing that exquisite model, the product of the genius of
Mr. Noble ; and also to rejoice in thinking that we have
arrived in so many respects at
.such a satisfactory con-