The Sun.
London, England, 1856-04-10 00:00:00

THE HIGHLAND SOCIETY OF LONDON.

The anniversary of the battle of Alexandria (21st
March) falling this year on Good Friday, the members
of this society postponed their annual gathering till yes-
tering evening. The Duke of Argyll presided, supported
by The Chisholm, Sir Charles Forbes, Bart:, and Sheriff
Kennedy. Among others present, we observed the
Saxon Minister, Captain Jay; R.N., C. Sutherland, J.
H. Campbell; James Murray, Rev. Dr. Cumming, F.
11. Caldwell, Dr. Halley, J. G. Elsey (of the Bank of
England), Thomas Macgregor, J. B mcher, and Messrs.
Saudeman (2).. The Highland Society was instituted
for the preservation of the garb, literature, and language
of Caledonia, and is also the parent of the Caledonian
lutri, in which are educated and clothed the orphans
and children of needy- Scotchnsen. The entertainment
last night was of the usual excellent' quality for which
the Freemasons' Tavern is distinguished, Mr. Banks,
its superintendent, leaving nothing undone for the
comfort of the members and their friends. Tile
great hall was tastefully decorated with the ar-
morial shields and tartans of variees clans,
which, when filled with the company dressed
in the martial costume of the 'Highlander, gave
,the
whole scene a most fascinating appearance. In the
musical department the performers were more numerous ,
than -at English Society dinners; besides a well c)n-
conducted instrumental band, there was the Queen's
aid the C iledonißn Asylum's pipers, and the Juvenile
hand of that institution, eaci of whom played through-
out the evening appropriate selections of national music;,
added to these were a choir of vocal performers. Mr.
Macgregor Simpeon, the Scottish', _-voeslist, was also
present, and favoured the company with some favourite
songs, in a style, so:netimes of pathos, at another of s-i
much energy, that he completely absmbed their feelings,
and received marked demonstrations of the pleasure his
delivery gave them. _ _

The'noble CHAIRMAN gave the first toast, that of
"The Queen and Prince Albert," which was drunk with
rapturous applause,
After the other toasts which are ordinarly drunk
upon such oc anions,
Mr. Alderman and Sheriff KitentEDY proposed "The
Health of the President of the evening, his Grace the
Duke of Argyll." In doing so he alluded to the dis-
tinguished position the Argyll family had occupied in
history, and expressed the gratification he felt that the
present duke's ability and high official position proved
that in him the race had not regenerated.
The toast having been drunk with Highland cheers,
The Noble CHAIRMAN rose to acknowledge the com-
pliment. He thanked his friend Alderman and Sheriff
Kennedy for the flattering manner in which he had
spoken of him, and the company for the enthusiastic
manner in which they had received the mention of his
name. (Renewed cheers.) The Highland Society was
established originally for social purposes—to maintain
amongst Highlanders in this country that national spirit
which was the greatest guarantee of national honour,
and they had every reason to be satisfied with the suc-
cess which had attended it. (Hear, hear.) Highlanders
had been found to have added by their influence some
dignity to the United Kingdom not only in the naval and
military services of the country, but in other important
departments of the State. Mr. Macaulay, a hose his-
tory all of them had read, stated with perfect truth that
previous to the year 1745 the highlands were but little
known to the English, and laid down a poslion, in the
truth of which he could not quite agree, that it was a
kind of terror which kept the English away from that
magnificent country—that they were afraid to look
d.,wri the precipices from which they might fall and
dash themselves to pieces, or to look up to those
eagles which might in an hour or two be feasting on
their bones. (Laughter.)' Now what a change hsd
come over all this ! The Parliamentary sew-ion could
scarcely close before all England was off to the High-
lands. This great change Mr. Macaulay attributed
to the facilities for travelling which had been
introduced, to the construction of new roads,
the introduction of steam, and the comparatively
easy manner in which people could bo wound up those
tremendous mountains. But this was doing scanty jus-
tice not :illy to the Highlands and the Highlanders but
to the English also, for he did not believe that the E,g-
lish were a people who through any feeling of fear would
be likely to overlook natural beauties. They had shown,
beyond all doubt, that they took peculiar pleasure in the
scenes which the Highlands presented. He (the noble
duke) attributed to Sir Walter Scott the whole change
that had taken place. He had collected in his works all
that was brilliant in regard to Scotland, and hence the
strong feeling in its favour which now prevailed amongst
all classes of Englishmen. (Cheers.)
Af er a short pause,
The Noble CHAIRMAN said it now became his duty to
propose what he might justly term the toast of the even-
ing, that of "Abercrombie and the heroes who fell in
Egypt," and to this he would join, " Those who fell in
the Crimea." They would drink this toast this year
under peculiar circumstances. England had had fre-
quent alliances with German nations, but recently she
had fought side by side, and shoulder to shoulder with
France, in friendly rivalry with the descendants of
the very men whom Abercrombie and his heroes met
face to face in battle. (Loud cheers.) It was for
this reason that he would join with the usual toast on
this occasion ; an occa,sion upon which they met to cele-
brate the battle of Alexandria—that of the heroes of the
Crimea, many of whom belonged to the highland So-
ciety. One of the noble band, Col. Hunter Blair, was
of their number. He was a gentleman who, although a
member of the House of Commons, and engaged in
public life, went forward at the call of duty to fight the
battles of his country. He was amongst the first of
those who fell at Inkerman. (Hear, hear.) He (the
noble Chairman) could not help expressing a hope
that the alliance to which he bad alluded might be an
enduring alliance, for it was one which must inevitably
tend to the promotion of civilisation and the common
cause of Europe.
Other toasts followed, and the company was addressed
by the Saxon Minister, Captain Jay, Sir Chas. Forbes,
the Chisholm, and other gentlemen.
The duties of toastmaster were rendered a sinecure, by
Dr. lialley—a Highlander of Athol—giving the honours
in the Gaelic language, and after the fashion at High-
land gatherings of old.