The Sun.
London, England, 1824-01-26 00:00:00

FREE MASONS'

On Saturday JOHN SOAVE, Esq., gave a dinner
at the Freemasons' Tavern to a select number of Archi-
tectural and Literary Gentlemen, and to many respectable
tradesmen, with their foremen and clerks of the works. The
company consisted of about 110,—and it is but justice to the
liberal founder of the feast, as well as to the experienced and
attentive caterer, to say, that the dinner, as well as the wines
and desert. were varied—good—and calculated in every respect
to afford the highest gratification, and promote the greatest
hilarity. JOHN- BRITTON, Esq. a Gentleman of well-known
talents, presided in the Chair. Mr. SOAVE was unavoidably
absent, in consequence of professional business, which obliged
him to leave town.
In proposing the health of the KING, the CHAIRDIAN very
properly and appropriately paid a well-merited tribute of re-
spectful admiration to our illustrious Monarch, for his love of
the Fine Arts and literature generally—his promptitude and
liberal patronage of all the best works of living authors—and
of his (the Chairman's) own productions in particular, for
which he expressed gratitude and respect,—his noble and mag-
nificent bequest to the nation of the almost invaluable Royal
library,—and another trait of Royal beneficence and true patriot.
ism, in commencing a grand national gallery of painting, which
has long been wanting, and which, thus commenced, must pro-
duce a powerful and inspiring effect on the taste and character.
lef the kingdom. These sentiments, very concisely hut for-
cibly put, were received with the warmest applause by the
company.
The health of the Duke of Fogs was then received with
zealous applause.
In proposing the health of his Royal Highness the Duke
of SUSSEX, as (rand Master of the united Lodges of
Great. Britain, the CHAIRMAN commented on the singular
qualifications of that illustrious Prince to preside at public
meetings and private parties, and in promoting harmony and
good humour on all such occasions. He further adverted to a
particular event and epoch in that Hall, when he Was present,
and when the Dukes of KENT and S ussEx both presided at the
Union of the Masonic Lodges. On that occasion the latter
Prince was made Grand Master, and diplayed not only his
usual eloquence, but won the esteem and secured the admir-
ation of the whole combined Lodge.
Mr. PETTIGREW replied shortly and appositely to this toast.
On proposing the health of the Founder of the Feast, (Mr.
Soane), the CHAIRMAN lamented his own inability to do
Justice to the subject, or to fulfil his own intentions towards the
large and respectable company assembled around him. He
read a letter from Mr. S., written at 6 o'clock of that morning,
in which the worthy Professor expressed great regret in not
being able to attend the Meeting,—offered grateful acknow-
ledgements to the different tradesmen, and those belonging
to them, as well as to other persons more immediately at-
tached to himself, for their unexampled zeal, activity, and exer-
tion, upon all occasions wherein they were called into action.—
The letter paid a proper and generous tribute of applause to the
rising architects anti artists of the country,saying, " the des:inies
of the Fine Arts are placed safely within their hands, and they
would duly appreciate the worth and importanCe to the profession
of upright and intelligent artifices," &c. After paving a just
and fair compliment to the professional abilities of Mr. scutelE,
characterizing his zeal, attachment, and devotion to the Fine
Arts in all their branches—to literature generally—and to
architecture in a peculiar and pre-eminent degree, the Chair-
man shortly explained the object of the meeting to be,—a
marked token of respect and attachment to the several respectable
and intelligent master tradesmen and their foremen, &c., in
consequence of long and tried services, and their ardent co-
operation in forwarding and accomplishing certain public
works, in a limited time. 'Without such aid, he observed, the
best designs of genius and the most fervent zeal of the artist
would be ineffectual, his vivid fancy would be chilled, and his
most ingenious and most original designs would " be like the
baseless fabric of a vision." The artisans and mechanics gave
to the conceptions of the architect a form, consistence, and tan-
gible shape, which became permanent, and proclaimed to the
world the resources and powers of talent of Mr. SOANE'S
various public works. The Chairman briefly adverted to those
at the Bank, the Law Courts, and the King's Entrance at the
House of Lords, &c. as being replete with fancy, invention,
adaptation, and richness of combination in detail. He further
eulogized his worth and works, and received from the as-
sembled company a burst of approbation, confirmatory of the
justness of his remarks.

- Among many other toasts given in the course of the evening,
and peculiarly adapted to the occasion and company, was
" Prosperity to the London Mechanics' Institution," to which
Dr. BIRKRECK, their enlightened and zealous President, re-
plied in an appropriate, able, and discriminating speech, and
fully proved his fitness to preside over so valuable an establish-
ment.—Mr. GRAHAM afterwards, in proposing the health of
the Chairman, passed a high encomium-on his unwearied exer-
tions in the field of literature.---Mr. Quim also testified his
respect for the Fine Arts, and dwelt upon their tendency to
elevate the human character and promote the happiness of
mankind.
" The Liberty of the Press" was given and received with
applause, to which one of the literary Gentlemen made a suit-
able reply.
The evening was spent in great hilarity and harmony, and
rendered interesting by several cfFusions of wit and humour,
and some animated speeches, as well as by many excellent songs,
glees, &c. by Messrs. COLL YER, FIT ZWIL LIAM, and EVANS.
The company dispersed soon after eleven o'clock, after a feast
which amply supplied every tiling that could promote convi-
viality, and which altogether may be considered as an intellec-
tual banquet of no ordinary description.

.* The immediate occasion of this Dinner was to manifest
Mr.. SOANE'S deep sense of the zeal, expedition, and ability,
with which all the artists, of every description, the tradesmen,
&c., &c., had exerted themselves in completing THE NEW
WORKS at the House of Lords. The design of these Works
does high honour to the architectural genius and taste of Mr.
SOANE ; and the several persons who were employed in the
completion of them, may be said to be entitled to the tes-
timony, which lie has sd liberally manifested of his approba-
tion, by inviting them to the splendid Dinner of which we have
given the above brief Report.—lt is but justice to Mr. BRIT_
TON to add, that he discharged the duties of Chairman with all
the zeal of friendship—withindefatigable attention to the com-
fort of the guests—with unaffected ease, and inexiraustible good-
humour.

[From the London Gazette of Saturday.]
At the Court at Brighton, the 19th of January, 1824, present,
the King's Most Excellent Majesty' in Council.
This day the Right Hon. Sir Robert Gifford, Knight, Lord
Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas; and the Right
Hon. Sir NVm. Alexander, Knight, Lord Chief Baron of the
Court of Exchequer, were by command of his Majesty, sworn
of his 11ilajesty's Most Hon. Privy Council, and took their re-
spective places at the Board accordingly.

Captain JAMES COACH, of his Majesty's ship
Perseus, is promoted to the rank of Post-
Captain.