The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-14 00:00:00

ARTIST' BEN.EVOLIN7' FUND.

The fiftieth anniversary of this institution,which
was established in 1810, for the relief of the widows
and orphans of artists, was celebrated at the Free-
masons Tavern, Great Queen-street, on Saturday.
About 100 gentlemen sat down to dinner, presided
Over by the Right Hon. Lord Stanley. Notwith-
standing the unfavourable state cf the weather, a
party of ladies also honoured the occasion by their
presence. 'After the dinner the usual loyal and
patriotic toasts were received with much cordiality.
The noble Chairman afterwards proposed the toast
of the evening, " Prosperity to the Artists' Bene-
volent Fund." In advocating ifs claims to public
support, he' said the experience of their common
daily life proved the necessity of such an institu-
tion. Every other profession or trade carried on in
that metropolis made a similar provision for the
widows and orphans of its less successful members.
In our complex and artificial state of society we all
knew that poverty, distress, and even ruin might
come upon a man without any fault or folly of his
QWII ; but the hazards and uncertainties which at-
tended all human pursuits were obviously much
aggravated in the case of the liberal and imagina-
tive professions, because, while mechanical and
oidinary employments busied themselves in supply-
ing the primary necessities of life, literature and
art appealed to a comparatively limited number of
supporters, and ministered to the wants of only cul-
tivated intellects and tastes. They were therefore
exnosed to greater fluctuations, and were even liable
in times of unusual public difficulty to temporary
extinction. The motives with which persons engaged
in them were also different from those which led to
the adoption of other avocations. A man went to
the bar, for example, not from any abstract passion
for law, but perhaps because he had an attorney for
a near relation. Another man entered the Church
because his family had a living in its gift; and a
third turned his eyes towards the army, thinking he
had interest enough to obtain a commission. The
artist, on the other hand, generally ,chose his pro-
fession rather from a feeling of devotion to that

particular pursuit than from a calculation that it
would yield him as great a pecuniary return as
other employments for which he had less natural
aptitude or sympathy. Again, a man who followed
any mechanical occupation could usually make
pretty sure as to his average earnings from year's
end to year's end, whereas he who lived by the
exercise of his imaginative or recreative faculties
-felt that his peculiar gifts were not always equally
at his command, and that there were seasons in
which genius itself must either lie fallow or be-
come sterile. Morever, art, like literature, hardly
admitted of a very successful mediocrity. In the
law a great many men who set out with the inten-
tion of becoming lord chancellors or lord chief jus-
tices subsided into respectable County Court judges
—(a laugh)—while the young curate i.vho had car-
ried his thoughts as high as a bishopric often ended
his days in some quiet country rectory amid the
love and esteem of his parishioners. In the pro-
fession of art, however, although there were a few
splendid prizes, the most eminent of its votaries
were often condemned against their will to unpro-
ductive periods, or to times of unrewarded exer-
tion ; and, on the other hand, the moderately gifted
had butecanty opportunities of providing for those
dependent upon them.. An institution of that kind,
then, by enabling them to aid in an effective and
methodical manner the families of less fortunate
artists, whom individually they would all gladly
assist, could not but be deserving of public encou-
ragement. The noble lord then referred to the
financial position of the fund. Its income for the'
past year, he said, was £1,120, of which £630
was derived from property invested. The sum
granted in relief was I'BBo, or nearly 80 per cent.
of the whole revenue. The greater part
of the remaining 20 per cent. was ab•
sorbed by the expense of tbese anniversaries.
In other respects the arrangements of the society
seemed to be of a very economical character. They
had also an annuity fund, which was self-support-
ing, the benefits of the Benevolent Fund being
confined to those who contributed to the fernier.
That limitation of the scope of the society was more
apparent than real, and whatever hardship it might
occasion was obviated by the labours of another in-
stitution, not a rival but a coadjutor in the same
field,-and which was most economically and effi-
ciently conducted. The progress of the Artists'
Benevolent Fund since its first establishment half
a century ago had been steady and uninterrupted.
It had accumulated £20,000 of invested property,
showing an average saving of £4OO per annum;
and among those who had presided over its pre-
vious festivals stood such distinguished names as
those of the late Sir R. Peel, Lord Aberdeen, Lord
Palmerston, and last, but not least, Lord Lynd-
hurst. (Cheers) The health of the Chairman was
subsequently given, as was also that of Sir C. East-
lake, the President of the Royal Academy; and in
the course of the evening subscriptions on behalf of
the society to the amount of £6OO were announced
by the secretary. The musical arrangements were
under the direction of Mr. Lawler, assisted by Miss
M. Wells, Miss S. Cole, Mr. D. King, and others.

SIR EDWARD BULWER T,YTTON ON THE

foie-I'B iL L.

The following is taken from the London corre-
spondent of the Cork Examitur :
" The speech of Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton is
the topic of the hour, Ewa will in all probability be
the remarkable feature of this
year's discussion of
the . little' Reform Bill. Few speeches of modern
times have produced a more powerful effect on the
House of Commons ; and whatever opinions may be
entertained as to the views it was intended to ad-
vance, no one who reads it. can refuse to it almost
every description of merit—as a literary composi-
tion—which ought to belong to a successful
effort of the kind. I would not be cor-
rect if I attributed to this brilliant and preg-
nant oration the same damaging influence that
vdjocutb i warmest
otn .
iany
rendered the speeches of Edwin .Tarne3 and Adam
Black so fatal to the , little bill' ; for these
were spoken by the sworn followers of the govern-
ment, and, one might say, the political henchmen
of its author. But vicious in their effect as were
the statistics of Edwin James, and discouraging to
all moderate men as were the genuine apprehen-
sions and honest hostility of Adam Black, still the
immediate effect produced.by the speeches of these
two ' Reformers' was absolutely nothing when
contrasted with that produced by the matchless
appeals which enchained the attention of a willing
auditory, andsympathy formtphaethtyi7eff at least,
itsastcaliv'riilelding witheenit
its ..
While it was being delivered cri-
ticismas entirely out of the question ; but I
speech could more safely stand the
test, whether in its general plan, its ar-
rangement of topics, its felicitous illustration,
its grave and noble declamation, its exquisite
finish, and its not less admirable temper. Some
portions of it were as finely wrought as if the artist
chiselled in marble or in silver. For instance, a
finer or more highly-finished portraiture than that
of the French Emperor no one has yet produced,
spoken or written.
premises or in his inferences,
id intellectual effort, and a sue--
Whether Sir Edward were
the highest qualities of the
scrutinise ; I merely deal with his
his
man of genius, the scholar, and the politician, for
rlscipegesealsei
rfteuehol ra notswe
xareostri tpec
e
a party object; and also its effect on a sympa-
thetic and willing audience. During its delivery
it was rapturously cheered ; nor was the applause
by any means partial or one-sided. The Whig
vied with the Tory in approval, and even the
Radical caught the contagion of the moment.
Nor, indeed, could the orator justly complain
of the insensibility of the Treasury bench. Nu
doubt the visage of the parent of the battered off-
spring looked gloomy enough ; and, out of compli-
ment to the wounded feelings or an afflicted father,
one or two official faces wore an air of decent
gravity—but there was more than one pair of eyes
that gleamed with malicious delight, or sparkled
with genuine satisfaction, as the vehement cheer
followed some hit more crushing, or some argument
more conclusive than another. Perhaps it, was a
purely intellectual pleasure that the Premier en-
joyed, or that no desire to get rid of a troublesome
and unwelcome attempt at legislation enhanced his
satisfaction as he followed the harmonious flow of
the graceful and polished periods, end marked, with

hastily, or without authority. I state that which
warranted by the btAterhents of many who poured
out of the house in a state of feeling and conviction
anything but friendly or favourable to the pet mea-
sure of the Foreign Secretary. Were I to leave the
above unexplained I might be held amenable to the
bharo.hc of weak or wilful exaggeration ; because
were it an angel that had spoken, it was scarcely
possible that so profound an impression could have
'been made upon a number of well-seasoned politi-
Cians—unless there was a cause altOgether inde-
pendent of that Which the very; highest order of
Oratory is capable of producing on the'human mind.
That cause did exist—in the almost universal dis-

ike to the measure proposed—to any measure which
which would necessitate an early dissolution and a
general election. Many, very many of the pure
'Whig party entertain honest objections to the re-
kluction of the franchise to so low a standard, and
regard a thoroughly democratic constituency with
as lively a feeling of apprehension as any member
of the true old Tory.party could do. Then all the
'Conservatives are, to a man, unwilling to see the
bill pass as it is. But who is there that really
wishes to have to encounter the trouble, the ex-
pense, the danger, and in too many instances the
degradation, of a contested election? It is true,
there are noble exceptions to the:general rule, and
there are some, even many, constituencies, by which
,the member or the candidate is treated with hon )ur
land with generosity; but unfortunately the rule is
!quite otherwise, as too many embarrassed fortunes
and ruined prospects can attest. From my know-
ledge of the house, I confidently assert my belief
that if the question were put to the vote, and that
vote were by ballot, ' whether this bill should be
persevered with or not this session,' there would
not be anything like 100 votes given in its favour.
And if the issue were to be decided by the real
feelings of the house it would be a gross exag-
geration to assert that one-fourth of that number
would be found on its side. And yet, if it
came to a division whether the bill should be
read a second tithe or not, the second reading would
be carried, though not by a large majority ; for
though it is detested, and though most men would
be rejoiced to be rid of it at least for this session, or
do not sea any real necessity for it at present, still
very few of those who are openly arrayed under
the Liberal banner would willingly commit them-
selves to an open and direct vote of hostility to the
principle of, reform. Such being the feeling enter-
tained towards the ' little bill' of the Foreign Sec-
retary, you can understand why—altogether irre-
spective of its unquestionable merits, as a display
of oratory of the very highest order—the success of
Sir Edward's speech was so signal and so tri-
umphant."