The Sun.
London, England, 1851-05-15 00:00:00

ROYAL LITEICARY FUND.

The anniversary dinner of this institution was cele-
brated yesterday at the Freemasons' Tavern. His Ex-
cellency M. Van de Weyer occupied the chair, sup-
ported by the Spanish Ambassador, the Turkish Am-
bassador, Lord Ashburton, Baron Charles Dupin, Mr.
R. Comyn, the Vice-Chancellor Sir Knight Bruce, the
Hon. E. Phipps, &c.
After a very excellent dinner,
The CHAIRMAN proposed " The Health of her Ma-
j esty," and took occasion, in connexion with the literary
character of the assembly, to mention that among the pa-
pers scattered by the French revolution were several let-
ters written by her Majesty in French, which, for the purity
of their diction and the elegance of their style, elicited
the high admiratoia of the best French scholars.
In proposing the " Health of Prince Albert," the
CHAIRMAN pronounced a warm eulogium upon the
sterling practical sense which his Royal Highness had
always exhibited, in combination with the deepest phi-
losophical appreciation, and the most generous aspira-
tions for the good of mankind.
The Rev. J. S. M. ANDERSON acknowledged the toast
of "The Church," proposed by the Chairman; and Sir
C. MALCOLM that of " The Army and Navy," proposed
by the Mayor of Bristol.
The CHAIRMAN next proposed "Prosperity to the
Royal Literary Fund," and, in doing so, bore testimony
to the wise and generous method in which the managers
of the Literary Fund conducted that charity, the promp-
titude and delicacy with which its committee were ever
ready to administer to the necessities of the unfortunate
scholar who could satisfy them that his misery was not
the just punishment of immoral habits. His Excellency
expressed his great satisfaction that the plan recently
published for the establishment of a Guild of Literature,
and other circumstances, manifested that there was an
increasing disposition to improve the condition of lite-
rary men in this country; and suggested that one most
efficient means of placing writers in positions where, re-
lieved from sordid anxieties, they could tranquilly
pursue their beneficial labours, might be afforded by the
practical development of the Act of Parliament which
had been passed for the establishment of public libraries
in all our great towns. He, himself, in the outset of his
career, hied derived inestimable aid from being appointed
librarian to the city of Brussels—(Loud cheers)—and
in the same way the interests of literature and the wel.
fare of literary men in England might be advanced to
an incalculable degree by the appointment of men of
acknowledged literary merit to the position of public
librarians.—(Hear, hear.)
The Rev. Dr. RUSSELL, in reading the financial report
of the institution, statt d that in the course of the past year
38 cases had been relieved, to the extent in the aggre-
gate, of '2 3701., the classification of castes relieved being
—History and biography, 4 grants; biblical literature, 5;
science and art, 3; topography and travels, 4; education,
.5; poetry, 4; essays and tales, 7; drams, 1; law, 1;
wediciee 1; and miscellaneous, 3 grants. The Reverend
Gentleman paid a high compliment to the secretary of
the institution, Mr. Blewitt, and mentioned that, in con-
sideration of his services, the Kiog t f the Belgians had
coeferred upon Mr. Blewitt a splendid medal.
Among the donations announced by Dr. Russell were
—the Queen, 14th donation, 100 guineas; M. Van de
Weyer, 12th donation, 30 guineas; the Duke of Somer-
set,i 44th donation. 10 guineas; Lord Ellenborough , l
guineas; Lord Ellesmere, 10 guineas; Mr. T. B Ma-
caulay, 10 guineas; Mr. Alexander, Ker, 10 guineas, &c.
• The health of the Chairman was then proposed by
Lord Asfinuterose and gracefully acknowledged by M.
VAN DE WEYER, who mentioned that the chairman elect
for the ensuing year was Lord Cempbell.
The next toast was " His Excellency the Turkish
Minister, and the Foreign Ambassadors," which was ac-
knowledged in French by the Thrkish Ambassador.
M. CHARLES DUPIN spoke in acknowledgment of
the next toast, " The Literature and Science of all Na-
tions," and took occasion to recognise the genuine
liberality with which he had found all classes of En-
glishmeninformation to foreigners as to
and machinery in the development of
the
manufactures ready to
which they so eminently excelled.
Mr. GROVE also spoke to the toast.
Mr. HARDINGE then proposed " Mr. Alison and the
Historians," and
Mr. ALISON returned thanks in a speech which gra-
phically contrasted the Congress of Peace, now assem-
bled in Hyde-park, with the Congress of War which,
thirty-five years ago, ho had witnessed assembled at
Paris.

Vice• Chancellor K. BRUCE proposed, " Mr. Thacke-
ray and the Novelists."
Mr. THACILERAY, in acknowledging the toast, repu-
diated on the part of his brethren that pity which so
many people, taking their cue from the degraded
literary hacks of the days of George IL, were so very
much disposed to bestow upon them. " The patron and
the gaol had alike ceased to be words of fear in the
ears of the literary men of England.
Several other toasts were drunk, and the whole of the
proceedings were characterised by a genuine cordiality.

THE GOLD 3S-----
R--- -n
fin ROBBERY.—Ins spector Field has
that two
men quitted Southampton on Thursday
train for London with two weighty bags in
their possession,
who evinced considerable anxiety about
them, and requested to have them conveyed in the same
carriage. There is good reason to believe that these men
then had the two missing boxes of gold dust in their Ns-
sion. The train arrived at the Waterloo Station at half-
past four o'clock on the morning of Friday, and a cab, No.
20 (one of the number privileged by the company), driven
by a man named Pitcher, was called off the stand for them,
and the two bags were placed by the porter therein. Some_
thing suspicious, however, was obsetved by the cabman es
to the contents of the bags and the manner of his passen-
gers. They ordered him to drive with all possible speed to
the terminus of the Eastern Counties Railway at Shoreditch,
but stopped the cab at the Railway Coffee-house opposite to
barneoatkhfearstc,aabn,qi
ni twhhaisebhetehne
ta;asgcesrlvtaienreepdlatcheadt,
it, where they alighted, and having given him 4s.
as his
fare, be was discharged. They then entered the coffee-house,
twhheyerethtehileyv
and the parties were driven towards the M. •
... moues This
has also been traced ; and" Mr. inspector Field .-cab
tailed had
has, it is b
hiertyd, gained such information of the placewhere 1. e--
sure was deposited, that many hours will the trei-
to
wbola
01
the
golic
property
be
_. not elapse before
11141 discovered.