The Sun.
London, England, 1822-05-22 00:00:00

LITERARY FUND SOCIETY.

The Thirty-third Anniversary of this Charity
was celebrated yesterday at the Freeniasons' Tavern. His
Royal Highness the Duke of YORK presided, and was sup-
ported, on the right by his Grace the Duke of Somerset, Vis-
count Torrington, and Lord Bolton ; on the left by M. de
Chateaubriand and the Right Hon. George Canning. The
company were highly respectable, and much more numerous
than on any former occasion. It is with the highest satisfac-
tion that we find this Charity bursting into popularity : this
was the first anniversary at which the Duke of York presided,
and we hail it as a happy omen of his future support.
After the cloth was removed, and Non Nobis Domine per-
formed, the health of " His Gracious Majesty" was drank
with acclamation. God save the King followed, and was cho-
rused by most of the company.
On the health of his Royal Highness the Duke of York being
proposed by the Duke of Somerset, and drank with three times
three, his Royal Highness returned thanks, and assured the
company that he should be always happy in promoting the in-
terests of the Charity for whose celebration they Were then as-
sembled. It was with pride he looked around him and beheld so
highly respectable and numerous a company met together for the
commemoration of its Anniversary, and he sincerely hoped that
their exertions would continue, for they alone were requisite
to forward the true interests of the Society, and render its
operations permanent and powerful in dispelling the distresses
of the unfortunate Author. His Royal Highness concluded
amidst general applauses, and proposed the health of their
President, " the Duke of Somerset." This toast was drank
with three times three. His Grace returned thanks in a short
but feeling speech.
At the request of the Royal CHAIRMAN, W. T. FITZ-
GERALD, Esq. delivered his Twenty-sixth poetical Address.
To this Gentleman the Society owes much ; by his perse-
verance—his exertions--and his talents, it has become more
known, and consequently more esteemed.
On the health of the foreigners who had honoured the com-
pany with their presence, being drank,
Mr. CANNING rose, at the request-of M. de Chateaubriand,
to return thanks. He was confident that though the modesty
of his illustrious Friend had imposed the grateful task on him-
self, he (M. de Chateaubriand) was much better able to have
performed the task himself, even though his eloquence would
have been fettered by his having to use a foreign language. Of
one thing he was certain, that there was not a man in the whole
world more capable of estimating the value of that Institution,
or one who would feel more pleasure in advancing it.—(Ap-
plause.)—He was a man who for his talents and exertions had
been respected by the whole of Europe, before his own country
had learned to estimate his worth ; but they had now discovered
his virtues, and learnt how to prize them ; for he was now re-
garded as the Representative of his country, both as a legisla-
tor and a philanthropist.—(Applause.)
Dr. YATES delivered a very interesting Report of the pro-
ceedings of the Committee ; but, as he justly remarked, the
delicacy necessary to be observed in the distribution of their
funds was such as precluded the Committee from making a full
and public report of the benefits achieved by their generosity.—
He however recited several cases which met with strong sym-
pathy, and the whole was received with general approbation.
Sir B. IfonnousE rose to propose the health of the Right
Hon. George Canning, which he did in a neat and pleasing
speech.—The toast was received with three times three, and loud
and general approbation.
Mr. CANNING said, that he was utterly unworthy of the ho-
nour done him. After what he had heard that day of the bene-
fits conferred, and still conferring by the Society, and when he
looked to the portraits near him of one of its Vice-Presidents
(Marquis of Hastings) he regretted that it was only the first
time of his meeting a Society so noble in object and so beneficial
in exertion. He hoped it would continue to flourish for ages to
come, as it flourished now. He thanked them, too, for the allu-
sion made to his departure for India. He had shaped to him-
self the magnitude of the task of succeeding the Noble Mar-
quis in the Government there; but should he have the good
fortune to meet with him before he left India, he was certain
that very few things would satisfy him so deeply, as the in-
telligence that he (Mr. C.) had beheld the Society with the
second Personage in the kingdom in the chair, and that its
power and utility were alike in advance. Long might that In-
stitution prosper, which united the cause of good government
with literature, and genius with virtue !
The Vice-Presidents, the Stewards, and several other toasts
followed, and were received with applause.
The list of donations, life subscribers, &c. was truly noble,
and fully merited the warm applause it was received with.__
Among them we notice—His Majesty, 200 guineas; Duke of
York, 501.; Mr. Strahan, 10001.; Duke of Somerset, 101.; Lord
J. Russell, 211. ; Lord Bolton, 101.; Mr. Canning, 101., &c.
In the course of the evening a toast complimentary to the
living Poets of Britain was proposed ; and the Rev. Me
BOWLES, well known for his literary talents, and who had re-

cent!), a controversy with Lord BYRON, on the genius of POPE,
was called on. He spoke with great diffidence, declaring that
he did not consider himself entitled to appear as the represen-
tativeofthe Poets of the Country, and concluded with expressing
his thanks for the honour of being noticed on the occasion
Another toast relating to the British Drama induced the com-
pany in general to call on Mr. COLMAN, who arose, and ob-
serving that he had never been accustomed to address a public
body, for that it had been his business to write not speak, he
entered into a lively and humorous defence of the Drama.
He observed, that complaints had at all times, since the origin
of the British Stage, been made of the decay of genius, and
the licentiousness of dramatic compositions. DRYDEN, said he,
to whom we look for the ethics of the drama, in his prefaces,
dialogues, &c. bad admitted that the stage had been too free,
and professed that hereafter he would, as far as depended
on himself, make the stage subservient to the interests
of morality ; after, which, he wrote Linzberham, one of
the most licentious of his plays. Mr. COLMAN proceeded
to a playful vindication of the modern Drama, saying
that if it had really declined in talents, it had improved
in point of refinement ; but 'perhaps, said he, there may
be some ground for the ,complaint against modern theatres,
as it seemed to be thought that, as they increased in size, the
ideas of Dramatic Writers were contracted in proportion.—lt is
impossible to follow Mr. COLMAN through the whole of his
lively speech, which, though obviously delivered in a festive
mood, was connected as well as humourous ; and the
Company listened with an eager attention that manifest-
ed the high estihiation in which his talents are held, and
which was only interrupted by bursts of merriment and ap-
plause. The whole of his,speech, indeed, seemed•to excite an idea
thaf the spirit of a VANBURGH or CONGREVE hovered over
the place, in order to do honour to a day devoted to the
interests of Literature, and to animate the general gaiety—
" The Royal Academy" was a toast that occasioned a call
upon Mr. SREE, whose merits as a Poet as well as a Painter
are well known to the public. Mr. SHEE expressed his regret
that the President of the Royal Academy was not present to
testify the gratitude which that body received in the compli-
ment that had been paid to it. He noticed the alliance be-
tween Painting add Poetry, and briefly illustrated the advan-
tage which mankind derived from both of those sister arts,
when properly directed towaids the interests of virtue. Mr.
SHEE's speech altogether was marked by that spirit and terse
energy for which he is distinguished. After the retirement of
• the higher orders, a band of Choice Spirits remained, who
seeemed reluctant to leave such a scene of gaiety. Mr. M UD.
FORD, well known for talents and good humour, was called to
the Chair, and the Company, consisting of gentlemen of ac-
knowledged literary ability, collected round him at the head
table, and, with- ludicrous harangues and sportive attacks on
each other, seemed likely to keep up the spirit of festivity till
a latg hour in the morning.