The Sun.
London, England, 1824-04-08 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE TiLEATRICAL FUND„

The Anniversary Dinner. was held yesterday
at the Freemasons' Tavern, his Royal:Highness the Duke of
.Your in the Chair. On the right hand of the Royal Pre.
sident were Sir Thomas Farquhar and Sir 'Charles Flower ;
on'his left Mr. Calcraft. Many other persons of distinction.
were' assembled around the Royal ,President. Upwards of five
hundred individuals partook of an excellent dinner:
Upon the removal of the cloth many loyal and appropriate
toasts were given. Nan nobis Domino and God sane the King
were sung by all the vocal strength of the DrurylLarte esta-
blishment, much to the delight 'of the'company, 'who, had as-
sembled to further the views of this interesting and laudable
charity.
Sir SAMUEL SIIEPUARD proposed the health of the Royal
President, and embraced the opportunity of eulogising the un-
bounded liberality with which his Royal Highness Invariably
stept forward to -guard from the pangs of poverty those who' had
spent the best part of their lives for the amusement, if not for
the improvement, of the age in which they lived. The toast
was drank with three times three. •
• His. ROYAL HIGHNESS acknowledged the honour which
had been conferred upon him, and assured the company of the
interest which he took in the furtherance of the grand object tor
which they had assembled.
The health of Mr. KNAN, the Treasurer of the Institution,
was then proposed by the Royal President, and received with
all the enthusiasm 'that is so -justly 'due 'to him who 'has so
essentially contributed to advance the interests of Drury-lane
Theatre.
Mr. Ktaif returned thanks in a speech of considerable elo-
quence; lie stated that he was about to quit the office which he
held, and the country to which he was so much indebted, at
least for some time ; he felt it incumbent upon him to declare
publicly the great benefit which the patronage of the Duke of
ork had conferred -upon the Drury-lane Theatrical Fund.--'
In 1818, when his Royal Highness hrst presided at the board, it
was necessary to reduce the relief afforded to the annuitants to
the amount of twenty per cent; ' There was then evidently a
lamentable display of ability in-distress, without the means 'of-
relief. Much more could now he effected, but still much re-
mained to be done. dlr.-Kean-lamented the want of alacrity '
amongst some of his professional 'brethren who had not' lent
their assistance to succour the distress of their aged and unpro-.
tected brethren.
The Committee of the Covent-Garden- Theatrical Fund hav-
ing been drank,
Mr. CA.LCRAFT returned thanks, and assured the Meeting
that he was equally interested in the success. of each Theatre.
He did not feel capable of adding to the impressive observa-
tions of his friend Mr. Kean, but he felt confident that, so long •
as the management of the Drury-lane Theatre presented to the
public the mass of talent which now graced its boards,' the most
liberal patronage would never be withheld.
Mr. KEAN, as Treasurer, read the report of the contribu-
tions of-the evening; the principal donors were Miss Read, an
admirer of the histrionic art, 4001.; his Royal Highness the
Duke of York; the Duke of Bedford, Lord Gwydyr, the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, Mrs. Coutts, &c. had 'also been very
liberal in their support of the Fund. • The contributions of the
evening amounted to. 1,2f101. Mr. Stephen Price, the Manager
of the Philadelphia and Boston Theatres, had also contributed
10 guineas.
The health of Mr. Pnlcs, the A incrican Theatrical Manager,
having been drank with much enthusiasm, he returned thanks
in a very neat speech. - He observed that the 'American
Stage was yet in its infancy, but that it had both strength
and character, and he was not ashamed to confess that the
principal ability which he had been -able to offer to the criticism
of his countrymen had been derived from the British stage.
He trusted that the unanimity which existed between 'England
and America would never be disturbed,- and that the talent
which- arose in one country would be greeted with friendship
and patronage in the other.
At half past ten o'clock the Royal President left the Chair.
The company were much' indebted to the Stewards for the un-
remitting attention they paid. .