The Sun.
London, England, 1841-07-01 00:00:00

THE S

public dinner." So, jumping from great to small,
place me upon my own boards, and I think I can wind
up a season, pacify a pit, nay, coax a gallery—(Loud
laughter)—aye, even when crowded with the storniy,
sixpences of a second price—(Grcat laughter and ap-
plause)—with most men of my trade ; btit you must ho
well aware, that flourishing in the set phrases of a
theatre, where, as children say, you have all the talk to
yourself, is widely different from following in the wake
of such eloquence as you have listened to to-night, and,
I fear, my thanks will fall miserably short of what they
ought to be.—(Cries of " No," and loud applause.) lam
well aware that much of what Mr. Robertson has been
pleased to say of me, has been coloured by those feel-
ings of private regard with which he honours me ; and
I am equally aware, that the cordiality with which you
have responded to his compliments, has sprung more
from your kindness to an old servant, than to any merit
that old servant possesses.—(Renewed cries of " No,"
and great applause.) .Well, Gentlemen, merit or no
merit, I am truly grateful for the honour you have done
me, and thank you for it from the very bdttom of my heart.
—(Long and continued cheers.) With regard to the
drama, I wish the lady could embody herself, and ex-
press her obligations in propria persona.—(Laughter)—
for really her moral character is looked upon with so
much suspicion by one half of the world, and she
is deemed so unfashionable a personage by a large
Proportion of the other, that it is. scarcely credit-
;tble for a staid sober man, and the father of a
family like myself—(Laughter)—to hare anything to do
with the unfortunate woman.—(Continued laughter.)
Still something may be said for her.—(Loud applause.)
If, with some few yet bright exceptions, her authors
and actors have somewhat fallen below the standard of
former days, pardon me when I say that a deficiency
of vegetation is not always the fault of the soil, it some-
times proceeds from want of sun.—(Loud cries of hear,
and applause.) The truth is, the drama has been some-
what " left and abandoned of her velvet friends,"—the
higher classes ; and, of course I think them wrong.
Their presence,—especially the ladies,—acted as a sort
of moral police, before which no manager or performer
dared court the applause of the million by one act or
word repugnant to right feeling or good taste.—(Conti-
nued applause.) Theatres are powerful engines ; and
you may raise or degrade them, but you cannot crush
them. Sir Walter Scott has told us that " a lore of
theatrical amusement is inherent in human nature ;"
and I am certain that we might as well attempt to
sweep the name of Shakspeare from the page of our na-
tional literature, as banish the art he has immortalised.

(Loud cheering.) Then let us hope that the upper ranks
will rally round the drama, and prevent her from being
made a positive evil, in vitiating the tastes of her more
humble patrons.—(Continued applause.) I own her
prospects in this respect are mending—(Applause)—
and I augur most favourably from th return of Mr.
Macready to theatrical management.—(Applause.) His
great taste and talent as an actor, and what is of more
consequence, his moral worth as a man, must benefit the
cause.—(Loud applause.) He is also the friend of our
distinguished guest—and I may, possibly, add the
names of Knowles, Talfourd, and of Bulwer—one
whose pen would do right good service to the stage,—a
pen which has proved its mastery over all the passions
of the human heart in every rank of life.—(Applause.)
I need not mention names—(Loud applause)—range
from the dark malignity of a Ralph Nickleby, to the
noble generosity of the Brothers Cheeryble.—(Applause.)
Look at Newman Noggs.—(Here the remembrance of
Mr. Murray's performance of that character caused long
and tremendous cheering.) Observe the wreck of a
kindly heart peering through the dirt dissipation has
thrown around him, and then contrast his bloated fea-

tures with the pallid cheek of the infant withering under
the lash of that mercenary pedagogue whom my friend
Mr. Robertson so admirably contrasted with the honest-
hezlrted Dominie.—(Cheers) In short,' Gentlemen, range
from one end of his writings to the other, and tell .me if
such delineations would not create actors.—(Great ap-
plause.) We should again hold the mirror up to nature
—again breathe the fresh air of truth, instead of being
stifled amidst the red and blue fires of melodramatic ab-
surdity.—(Great and long continued applause.) Gen-
tlemen, I truly appreciate the compliment you have paid
me by listening so patiently at such an hour, and con-
clude with laying before you my best and most grateful
acknowledgments.—(Great applause.)
Captain HARRINGTON proposed the health of Mr.
Fletcher and the other Stewards, after which the meeting
separated about twelve o'clock.