The Sun.
London, England, 1860-04-02 00:00:00

ARTISTS' GENERAL BENEVOLENT:
INSTITUTION.
40 -
The annual festival of this charity tcok place on
Saturday night at the Freemasons' Hall under the
presidency of the Right Eon. W. E. Gladstone,
Chancellor of the Exchequer. The right lion, gen-
tleman in proposing the toast of " Prosperity to the
Institution," said the society is one which is of a
nature that can never be confined to simply recom-
mending its name, even to an audience favourably
disposed. There is something in its nature
which gives it a peculiar hold upon the feelings,
and likewise requires that we should assure
ourselves that iu proposing such' an institution
as an object of commendation and support, we
are offending rgainst none of those rules of pru-
dence and good sense which, in this mixed state of
things, it is necessary to apply even to the'cantrol of
the imptilses of human and Christian lactievo'encr
It is not usual, perhaps, that those b. longing:t o . fly
special class- should appeal, should join in endeav-
ouring to concil ate support ffr establishments
which have the object of. relieving distre•s oolong
the members of that des; themselves. It requii es
that we should be convinced there somet ,in;
special and peculiar in the condition of the (lass in
order to satisfy us that it is altogether wise to
attempt special:pro vision which shall possess De mad
and title to puolic support. I do not hesitate to
say that it appearS to me but too easy to makeout
that special claim on behalf of this institution.
It is easy on acccunt of abundance of objects
which present themselves to your philanthropy,
yet, at the same time, it is not " too easy" in one
sense, because there is nothing degrading nor dis-
honouring in this institution to the noble profession
which you pursue. Those who are not numbered
among the band of artists, who have not been en-
dowed with those peculiar faculties which mark
that description of genius, or, have not had the op-
pertunity for their exercise, must all feel that they
are under permanent obligations to the authors of
much innocent delight, so many elevating lessons,
so much of useful and practical instruction, and so
much power and influence, as art, through the
exertions of its professors, brings to bear upon the
course and progress of society. It is not merely a
rendering of a debt which gratitude must prompt,
but it is likewise in meeting and satisfying pecu-
liar wants which render it right that this institu-
tion should be commended to public and general
support. You have heard pronounced from this
chair most intelligent and descring commendation
of the management of this institution, and all that
I can give in the moments abstracted from other
and more labourious duties is little more than the
testimony of the sincerity of my feelings which is
afforded by my presence among you this evening.
(Cheers.) To those who have heard the addresses
which have been delivered by my predecessors in
the chair it would be needless, and even imperti-
nent, for me to presume to offer any observations.
But it is in the nature of such institutions that
what has been very well said should be said
again and again, in order to revive, to freshen
in the public mind the demands which you so
justly' make upon their sympathy and sup-
port. (Cheers.) You must all have been struck,
no doubt, in surveying the state of society, by the
marked characteristics in the economical distribu-
tion of labour, and the rewards attaching to it, in
the times in which we live. This is a time in which
the highest professors of all the arts and in all the
professions, having attained a certain position, can
usually command abundant, and in some peculiar
cases even splendid means of livelihood. It is also
a time when, owing in a great degree to the wise
legislation of recent Parliaments, the labouring
classes of this country are able to command a rate
of remuneration for their toil such as for many long
generations has not been the case. But between
the great capitalists, the great posseSsors of eststes,
and those at the head of the profession upon one
side, and the mass of the labouring popu-
lation '1 upon the other, there are the classes