The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-03 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MAY 3, 1858.

BANQUET AT TRE,BOYAL 4I7ADEHY

OF A

TLe inauguration of the Annual Exhibit& n of Pictures
and Sculpture at the Royal Academy wal -celebrated en
Saturday by the usual anniversary festival. It
was attended with befiqing pomp and circumstance.
Ministers of State, legislators, chiefs of -the army and
navy, dignitaries of the Church, the judicial bench, the
representatives of literature, science, cc mmerce, and
manufactures, all assemble 4 on the occalion to pay their
common tribute of homage to art in its own chosen
temple.

The doors of the Academy were throwra open to the
guests of the institution at 2 o'clock, and .coon after that
early hour a very distinguished company, •which received
continual accessions to its numbers, arrived to avail
themselves of their enviable privilege. Als the afternoon
wore on the rooms appropriated to paint'asgs and sculp-
ture were comfortably filled, and many separate groups
of eminent statesmen, ecclesiastics, and w arriors coul i
be seen engaged in lively converse on the: merits of the
various works which challenged their critizoisre.
The dinner commenced at 6 o'clock, Sir Charles East-
lake, the president of the institution, occupying the chair.
It took place in the East-room, the walls of which were
literally covered with the newest and most fascinating
specimens of the painters' art. The aspect of the Ban-
quet-hall, thus characteristically decorated, and filled to
its utmost capacity with an imposing array of distin-
guished and delighted guests, was bri.liat. t le the tx
treme ; but the splendour of the scene reached its climax
when, "the health of her Majesty" having been given,
the singing of the National Anthem by the vocalists was
the signal for the turning on of a perfect blase of gas
from 100 jets in the ceiling. This transformation, which
from its suddenness appeared quite magical, was for a
time a little overpowering; but when, the dazzling
effect of the first surprise had subsided the pictorial
embellishments of the hall, radiant with the richest
colours and set in the freshest of gilding, were exhibited
to the most wonderful advantage.
Among the guests were his Royal Highness the Duke
of Cambridge, his Excellency Baron de Cetto, the Duke
f Newcastle, the Duke of Rutland, the Duke of North-
umberland, the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Earl of
Derby, the Earl of Warwick, the Lord Chancellor, Lord
Stanley, Lord J. Manners, the Chancellor of the Ex.
chequer, SirJ. Pakington, Mr. Walpole, Lord Garner-
von, Lord Chief Justice Campbell, Lord Chief Baron
Pollock, Lord Cranwortb, the Earl of Clarendon, Lord
Palmerston, the Master of the Rolls, the Speaker of the
House of Commons, the Bishop of London, the Bishop
of Oxford, the Bishop of Carlisle, Earl Granville, Lord
St. Leonardo, Lord J. Russell, Lord Stanley of Al.
derley, Earl Grey, the Attorney-General, the Solicitor-
General, Sir C. Wood, Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Cardwell
Mr. Labouchere, Lord Goderish, Mr Robert Lowe, Sir
R. W. Carden, the Goveruor of the Bank of England,
Sir R. Murchison, Mr. Hope, LP., Mr. R. Stephenson,
M.P., Sir W. F. Williams of Kars, Mr. M. Manes,
M.P., Mr. H. Drummond, M.P., Professor Faraday,
Mr. Alderman Salomons, the Presidents of the Colleges
of Physicians and Surgeons, Mr. C. Dickens, and Mr.
Tbackeray.
The PRESIDENT rose and said—My Lords and gentle-
men,—The first toast which it is my privilege to propose
is the health of her Majesty the Queen, the gracious
Patron of this institution. (Cheers.) I have great satis-
faction in stating that her Majesty, having recently
honoured these rooms with her presence, was pleased
on that occasion to express her marked approbation
with regard to the merit and interesting character of the
productions this year submitted to her inspection.
(Hear.) Gentlemen, I give you "the health of her
Majesty the Queen."

The toast was received with the usual demonstrations
of loyalty.
The PRESIDENT—The toast which I have next the
honour to propose is " the health of his Royal Highness
the Prince Consort." (Cheers.) ,A desire to promote
educational and commercial objects, including those
which the fine arts can d►rectly or indirectly assist, has
more than once prompted his Royal Highness the Prince
Consort to co-operate in important undertakings con-
nected with the advancement of those interests—under-
takings which have been attended with the most satis-
factory results. The exhibition of works of art at Man-
chester, although a past event, is too fresh in our recol
lection to permit us to overlook the fact that, like its
great original in 1851, it received, from the first, the
most cordial support from his Royal Highness. (Hear,
hear.) Such enterprises, from their public nature, and
from their useful and comprehensive effects, have only
to be named to awaken a feeling of respect towards
their enlightened promoter. Public experience wid also
respond to expressions of acknowledgment for the
humane assistance which hie Royal Highness is ever
ready to extend to well-conducted, benevolent, and cha-
ritable schemes. But with regard to the fine arts—the
subject to which lam chiefly privileged to allude—l may
observe that his Royal Highness's thorough acquatn•
tance with every branch of those arts can be known to
those only who have intimate opportunities of observa-
tion. (Hear, bear.) Many an individual votary of art
bears witness to that consummate critical knowledge
which his Royal Highness can always render compatible
with the most encouraging kindness, and to a love of
excellence ever accompanied by indulgent liberality.
(Cheers.) (The President then gave the toast, which
was druek with much co►diality.)
The PRESIDENT, in proposing " the health of his
Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and the rest of the
Royal Family," observed,—Tee interest with which the
people of this country have been accustomed to re-
gard the family of our gracious Queen and her
illustrious Consort will long accompany the -members
of that Royal circle in their future career. How strongly,
how touchingly that interest was manifested on the oc-
casion, in the early part of this year, of the marriage of
her Royal Highness the Princess Frederick. William of
Prussia will be remembered and felt by all. (Hear,
hear.) His Royal Highness the Pr,oce of Wales ap-
proaches manhood endowed wi,./a a nation's attachment
—that best guarant*.e for a noble return in public
duties fulfilled, in public benefits conferred, and in the
silent ielluence of private virtues—qualities which his
Royal Highness has, from his earliest years, witnessed
and learnt to revere in the example of his ,illustrious
parents. (Cheers.) In proposing ,he health of his
Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and that of the
rest of the Royal family I beg to call your remembrance
that this, the Ist of May, is the birthday of his Royal
Highness Prince Arthur, as it was also the birthday of
Arthur, Duke of Wellington. (Cheers.)

The PRESIDENT then rose and said—The toast to
which I have next to invite your attention is, "the
Army and Navy," connecting with the army the name
of his Royal Highness the C ,rnmander of the Forces ;
with the navy that of the First Lord of the Adiniralty.
(Cheers.) But two years since the return of peace offered
an occasion for the expression of our gratitude to those
heroic men who had so honourably won that best result
victory. Since then—the energies of both services—of
the army extensively and of the navy in part—have
been again called into activity ; and if the importance
of wars is to be estimated by their ultimate beneficial
consequences to mankind, the present conflict may, by
its result, occupy a distinguished place, and a memor-
able epoch in future history. The admiration which the
conduct of our soldiers kindled throughout the coun
try during the Crimean campaign has been no less
powerfully excited by the recent achievements of
the British army in the East ; not forgetting the deeds
of our gallant seamen. (Hear, hear.) There are
living heroes to whom a grateful country has shown, and
will show, its sense of their services. In naming one
who is no more, but who is in danger of being forgotten,

even in the stirring succession of evens—.l mean Sir
Henry Havelock —(cbeen.)—l may, perhaps, be allowed,
having been early acquainted with to refer to those
distant days in his history which happened to come
under my observation—days which, could we have wel-
comed him here, he might have been pleased to remem-
ber. (Hear, hear.) I believe two, at least, in this as-

semlly were schoolfellows of the Havelock' at the Char-
ter-house. The elder Havelock was evidently born to be
a soldier ; but Henry was in his youth reinarlia;,lo fur
his attention to his classical studies, and for the pacific
regularity of his conduct—so much so that when his
name, in connexion with the Indian victories, first filled
the land I doubted for a time whether it could be the
same " Phlos Havelock," as he was called, who, when
at school, liked nothing better tban his books. The same
seJate habits and prevailing sense of duty, ,claaracterized,
I am told, his manhood, and indeed his life. (flear,
hear.) Ordinary observers (I speak of military, men)
may learn from the characters of those two noble soldiers
that military genius and heroic courage have no unmis-
takeable type in mind or temperament. First-rate Offi-
cere, first-rate warriors, may, like the elder Ilavelock--

for he, too, was a most distinguished crnament to his
profession—sometimes indicate outwardly their fitness
for deeds of daring ; or, as in the instance of Sir Henry
Havelock, the highest military reputation and the steps
which lead to it may be compatible with a life of ra-
tional study, of order, and of devotedness to the highest
duties. (Hear, hear.) Recurring to that former war
to which I have alluded, the achievements of which were
commensurate with the magnitude and difficu4y of the
operations, I need not remind you—and yet it is a plea
sure to remind you—that the earlier triumphs of that
war were shared by an illustrious prince who
now hos:ours us with his presence. His Royal High-
ness's name will be remembered with those who were
prominent in the dategera and successes, of some of the
moat arduous coeflicte which this age has seen ; nor will
it ever he forgotten that his Royal Highness's sympathy,
humanity, and considerate arrangements endeared him,
as they still endear him, to every soldier under hie com-
mand. (Loud cheers.)
The Duke of CAMBRIDGE, whO was received with Loud
sheers, said,--My lords and gentlemen,—l rise to re-
spond, on behalf of the army, to the toast which has just
been offered to you in such handsome terms by your
President ; and in doing so I can assure. you that to me
it is a source of-the greatest pride and satisfaction to feel
that the army is at this moment meriting the good
opinion of the nation, which is, indeed, at all times
happy and willing to appreciate its services. (Cheers.)
Believe me, the army is always gratified, when absent on
duty in a foreign land, to know that the country is not
insensible to the sacrifices and hardships which it has to
endure. To be remembered at peaceful gatherings like'
this is to us at home as well as to those of us at a
distance at once a solace and a pride. If ever there
was a time at which the seryiceii of- the.setrerg- liere
highly appreciated by the country 1 believe that
time is the present ; and all I can say is that when-
ever called upon in periods f emergency the army
will perform its duty conscientiously and in a manner
of which the nation will never have cause to be
ashamed. (Cheers.) Allusion hag been made to the
campaigns in the Crimea ; but it would ill become
ute to refer to auy services of mine, except to say that
I feel proud in having shared in at least some portion
of tho-e operations. And I should be very ungrateful,
indeed, if I did not express to you that all the merit
which has been ascribed to me is due to those who
serves under me and with me. I only bore a part
with them in their-exploits, and, as one of the generals
employed in the late war, it is only just to those who
were engaged under me that I should pay to them the
tribute which has now been accorded to myself. (Cheers.)
As regards the duty which the army is now discharging,
nobody, I think, will refuse to admit that the able and
admirable manner in which my gallant and distinguished
friend Sir Colin Campbell has conducted his operations
in India is deserving of the highest praise. (Cheers.)
I do believe that there never was an officer—not even
excepting some of the greatest captains of the age, who
has exhibited more military talent than the Commander-
ins Chief in the East has displayed in his present arduous
and trying campaign. (Cheers.) I know that the
feeling of my gallant friend towards his troops is that
their benaviour has been most gratifying to him; and
is saying this I em sure it will be understood that that
behaviour must have been of an order worthy of this
nation. (Cheers.) But, gentlemen, in an assembly like
this, met to do especial honour to thee arts of peace, I
fear that these allusions to the arts of war may be
thought out of place. Yet, in order that we may con-
tinue in the uninterrupted enjoyment of the luxuries and
refinements with which we are permitted to regale our-
selves to-night, my advice to you gentlemen is, "Pray
don't forget Ihe army ; but maintain it in such a state
that we may never And ourselves in less agreeable
Society than we do at present." (Cheers and laughter.)
I am sorry that I cannot claim for myself the merit of
being in any respect an artist. When I was a little boy
My friends were very anxious that I should turn my
attention to the fine arts; but I regret to say that, like
many other young people, I was sorry enough in those
days to think the study very troublesome, and
accordingly did not make the progress which my
guardians had at heart. (A. laugh.) The con-
sequence is that I now stand before you extremely
ignorant of refined pursuits. I hope, however,
that I can appreciate them to some humble

extent, though my taste may be but imperfectly tutored ;
and as far as my cursory observation of what you have
achieved goes I think I may congratulate this aseeinble
on the scene presented by these walls. (Cheers.) My
praise, as I bays already intimated, may be of little
worth, for I have no preteesione to be an artist ; but hav-
ing lived a good deal in the world, and seen many picture
galleries, not in England alone, but in various parts ot
Europe, and having inspected the collection, exhibited
year by year in this metropolis, I take leave to congratu-
late you on the success of _this year's exertions. I often
hear it stated that soldiers are not fond of science or of
art ; but lam glad to say that this is a mistake. I be-
lieve that among ,he members of my profession, there is
a genuine appreciation of your productions ; and I trust
that we are not the worse eabetoes en that account.
(Cheers and a laugh.) The army admires art as warmly
as any other class, and its authorities are willing and
anxious; to promote all those peaceful pur-uits which, as
your president haljuetly observed, do not at all interfere
with the duties of a military man. (Hear, hear.) Gen-
tlemen, I ern happy to have this opportunity cf aseuring
you that, as far as my humble &cite extend, and con-
sistently with keeping the army effcient for the arduous
and onerous duties intrusted to it, we shall not think it
beneath us to direct our atteuti,vn to those peaceful and
agreeablo pursuits the triumphs of which we have now
the pleasure r f beholding. (Cheers.)
Sir J. PAKINGTON—AIy lords and gentlemen,—in vir-
tue of the (Alice which I have the ~ionottr to ho!(.1, the
du'y devolves on me of acknowl,:ding the compliment
you have been pleased to pay to that noble service with
which I esteem it a high privilege to be officieLy
connected ; and though the gratifying scene which mow
surrounds us, as hie Royal Higtiness has reminded
„e, is rather the result cf peaceful than
of warlike arts, I am sure I may say for
the enlightened officer, of the nasty that they share
largely
in the pride we all feel in everything, whe-
Orr it relates to peace or war, which tends to promote
the improvement or raise the repueoon of our Country.
Adverting to the reference which you, sir, were pleased
to make to the "ervices of the Rola' navy, I may be
allowed to observe that, though the strugeles in which
ee have lately been engaged have rot been such as to
lead to great naval actions, the gallant conduct of our
naval forces on shore, headed as they have so admirably
been by the eabent Sir Win. Peel--(cheers)--and the
other officer.; serving in the same brigade, are a proof—
if proof were needed—that the navy is am able and wil-
ling at this moment as it ever was to render efficient ser-
vice to its cJun ry. (Cheers
The PRESIDENT—Tile toast which I have next to in-
troduce to your notice is "The Health of the Foreign
Ministers" who on this occasion honour us with their
In proposing this toast I have still to
presence. (Hear.)
express a hope that the time may come when, with in-
creased local accommodation, we can safely invite foreign
contributors to add to the attractions of our exhibition'.
(Hear.) At the present those foreign artists, knowing
that the space at oar command is insufficient even for
our own exhibitors, are reluctant to add to our difficul-
ties by sending to us their works. Among the few
speci
the present Exhibition
mens by foreign art-net/se-1031th-
contains I may mention a work of great merit by a lady
ot Copenhagen, Madame Jericf au.
The toast was received with much applaese, and was
briefly acknowledged by the Baron de Cetto, the Bava-
rian Minister. _ _

•
The PRESIDENT then rose and said—Gentlemen of the
Royal Academy, the toast which I have now, to
propose
is "The Health of the Noblemen and Gentlemen who
this day honour the Academy with their presence."
(Cheers.) I state only shat is
general felt when I
say that the present rely ion of the fine arty to society
is, in one respect, more important then it has been
in this country. The peculiarity of
that rely
tionship consists in the still growing influence of the
fine arts of the people at large. I need not endea_
which that inflmne„ has hA
your to trace the steps by
come remarkable ; but, whatever may be the means and
operations by which the effect is being produced, there
can be no doubt that the chief cause has been the warm
interest which has been taken in the subject by en-
lightened amateurs, such as those to whom we now
desire to express our acknowledgments. (Cheers,) The
higher interests of art—by which I understand the en-
cauragetnent of its best tff -rte, and the appreciation of
i s best productions—may be considered to be safely
identified with the intellectual wants of cultivated
people. (Hear, hear.) It was veutned that, for more
material wants—for example, an improvement in the
tasteful requisites of various articles of commerce—a
direct and methodised Pystem of juitactioll wag expo,

client. I believe much good in the proposed dir(etion
has been accomplished ; but, as often hai•pens in experis
ment, an indirect and unexpected benefit was also the
result—namely, the gra(livil education of the people by
means of exiiNticne, 'mtpeoms, and schools, in the 'ap-
preciation of works of taste ; including, con.equently, a
reference to nature, and awakening that aptitude fOr
mental pleasures which is one of the criteria of advanO-
ing &vilieation. (Hear, bear.) The principle is, I believe;
now admitted, that if work is to be provided for those
who live by toil, their leisure should also be an object of
attention. Apart iAtogether from the question respect-
ing the Sabbath, and w•th referenceronly to other periods
( f cessation from labour, it is felt that the means of
rational recreation, reflection, and improvement should
he in store for the working man's holiday. That such
resources are indirect elements of culture we can no
longer dobbt. Many in the higher classes—with their
powers of thought in grave matters heavily taxed from
day to day—can rarely turn to the arts except as to oh-
jects of momentary amusement or of solace ; but to him
whose labour is chiefly of the body, while hie men-
tal powers are inert, a certain exercise of the mind
even in his boars of relaxation is a wholesome charge.
It is partly for this reason that the fine arts are more
directly means of instruction with the lower orders
than they can be with others ; and for this reason the
working man, long before he appreciates art for its
own sake, readily consents to make a study, in con-
nection with history, poetry, or science, of that which
to many is only an agreeable dilettanteism. (Hear,
bear.) Far be it from me to undervalue that dilettanteism;
lir i 6 fio:: 11;.: that ert'•fl,a,:o to I:e
On the contrary, I believe that the progress of con-
noisseurship and the best efforts of living art, developed
and displayed by means of such an institution as this,
are as essential to the effects to which I have referrer'
as central hg4t ja indispensable to the remotest refi-c-
-tfon. (Mar, liege.) It is to wavy sits;thia-Asesnahliy,
and to many more whom this assembly represents, that
the advantages which I have noticed are mainly to be
ascribed. Our acknowledgments are *due to all those
who, by the interest which they -take in such pursuits,
or by direct • )couragerrent, have contributed to that
diffusion of love of art which in its consequences may
be regarded as a national benefit. (Cheers.) The Pre-
sident coneluiled by giving the health of the guest,,
which was drunk with the usual honours.

The Loan CHANCELLOR.—My Lords and gentlemen,
—I wish it bad fallen to the let of some worthier gue-t
to acknowledge the compliment which you have just to
kindly paid, because I feel there is probably not one of
those who have shared in the present honour with me
who is not more competent and better entitled to un-
dertake this duty than I am. The greater part of my
life has been spent in severer studies, which have wholly
pre;ented the cultivation of a taste for those arts which
refine and adorn society, and I can therefore offer only
the tribute of an unenlightened admiration. Bat,
stranger as I comparetiv&y am to poruits of a lighter
kind, I have always considered it one of the privileges
of offieial life—of which, however, I have not bad free.
quent experience—(.o laugh)—to attend the great annual
festival of the arts, at which, in the company of the
most distinguished artists of the day, and surrounded by
the triumph of their genius, all our i•ensee are at once
gratified,—our hearing by instructive and agreeable die-
course, our taste by the generous hospitality we enjay
—(a laugh)—and our eyes by the splendid works which
are diplayed before us. (Hear.) The opening of the
Royal Acadamy is an event which is to ked forward to
with great. interest and anxious expectation by the
whole of London. At the earliest opportunity the pub-
lic swarm numberless for the purpose of seeing dis•
played before them the result of the thought, the
taste, the imagination, and the skill which have
been labouring in secret for many months before for • the
honour and glory of the nation. Nor are they downer,
to be disappointed in their expectations. Year after year
the stores of genius are presented to their gaze; they see
them in various productions of historical illustration, of
creative imagination, of imitation of nature, and of that
which I may call the intere-ting and domestic branch of
the art, by which those features which are dear to us are
preserved, and, by a fortunate inspiration catching the
happiest expression of the moment, are transferred im-
perishably to the canvass. (Cheers.) Gazing upon th.-
splendid works we see immediately before uo, and recol-
lecting those of the other department of the arts,—
" Where Sculpture with her rainbow sister lies"—
we may venture to say with pride that our national taste
has not degenerated, nor is our national genius on the
wane. (Hear.) Indeed, there is no country in the world
which can produce such admirable specimens of living
genius as we have the happiness now to behold. (Hear.)
I am sure that our distinguished friends, the foreign Mi-
nisters who are near me, will pardon me this expression
of national pride, and will even feel sympathy with a sen-
timent which is the basis of that generous rivalry in which
nations may enter upon a field of contest in which all the
victories are bloodless, all the triumphs without a stain.
(C _eery.) I believe it is the duty as well as the interest
of a nation to cultivate and encourage the fine arts to the
utmost; and there is nothing which will tend to foster
talent or encourage g,-niti4 more than the continuance of
that which from my heart I sincere-1y desire, and which I
now call upon you all t.,) join with me in drinking— viz.,
" Prosperity to the Royal Academy." (Cneers.)
The toast was received with great cordiality.

The PRESIDENT then said—My lords and gentlemen,
I beg leave, on the part of the members of the Roya,
Academy and on my own, to return our respectful thank
for the honhur you have done us. I beg also to expree•
our acknowledgments to his lordship for the manner in
which he has been pleased to introduce anti recommend
the toast. (Cheers.) In speakiniz of the tUrts that are
being made to render art subservient on the one hand
to commercial prosperity, and on the other to educa-
tional purposes, it appeared t, me unnecessary to dwell
on their higher r commendations. That part of toe sub-
ject has, however, been eloquently taken up by hiel.,rd•
ship, who has spoken of the fine arts nq their best trii nds
cool! wish, and of the present exhibition in a manner
calculated to encourage and stimulate alt the-e who have
c mtributed to its stractions. (Hear) Vi li r:prd to
this in,:titudon, aimin2 as it ijo(,R, whatever be its prac-
tic Al shortcomings, at the highest development of art, the
chief regret of ite members has been, and is, that v‘akt
..f mace which renders it impossihle. to de jin-tice to al
the cxeibitAli can these occasions. Attractive as this
exhibition is said to be, it might,-I believe, have been
more so had an additional room been at, our cli,ptisat,
while a far more important object would have been at-
tained by the display—or, at all events, the hatter
play—of many works of great ability, and the preven-
tion of disappointment their merit ;rioug authors.
([Tear ) But if we cannot at present indulge a hope that
our donitin may be enlarged, it is at least reasonable to
expect that we shall not be unfairly molested where we
are. (ifrar, and a laugh.) While it is complained,
ju-tly or unjustly, that every institution constantly
making increased demands on the finare a of the coun-
try, the Royal Academy, with the exception of its occu-
pation of these walls—the equivalent for its original
local habitation, and for which it is admit'ed that it
makes a fully adequate return—has, from itA I,unda-
tint), sever received from the Government a sinele grant
—(cheers)—on the con' rary, its nmibers, in their private
capacity, have often bequ,:athed their hard earninze and
the result of theirlabours to the public; Bourgeeie, S ane,
Turner, Chantrey, are instances to illustra- in the truth of
this remark. (Hear.) Let not, then, the economy of this
institution he imputed to it, especially in these times, as
a demerit ; nor the fact with all its gratifing irfer-
cores, that during the existence of this I iiktituti.m, for
nearly a century, it has received the unvarying moral
support of every Adrnint,tration, and the uncea-ing fa-
vour of the Throne. (C,leer-..) " I now beg to propi.e as
the next toast the health of her M. jesty's Nlinisters; and
I take the onpartunity of obeerviniz that the first occa-
sion ,ehen the advancement of the Fine Arts was noticed
as an object worthy of attention in a speech from the
Sovereign in Rini ameat was during the A.,lmmistrsti..,
of the Earl of Derby, in 1852. (Hear, hear.) I bare
the honour to propose "The Health of Her M..je-.ti's
Ministers."

The toast was greeted with loud applause.
The Earl of DEBBY—My Lords, Mr. President, and
gentlemen, in the name of my cone:tree and myself
allow me t.) return you my grateful thanks f•ir the henour
which you have done us in drinking our healths. I thank
yen, sir, for the manner in %stuck you have pad to us
this personal tribute ef your rag +r I and goodwill. I say
this personal trii-ute, because, on an occasion like the
present, surrounded by men of all opinions and ,•f every
political denomination, here in an a,setnnly, in. which
even for a short time we can breathe the air untainted by
the breath of political strife, it would be absurd and ridi-
culous if I'were to attempt to connect with the toast just
given any, the sliv,htest, political sigeificance. (Rear.)
We accept it. Beetle-ten, a. I a.n ir.i yen mean it, a-
an expression of that kind and generous feeling
which every body of Englishmen regard those, what,: VPT
their opinions, who to the best of their ability and judg •
• went are devoting their time, attention, and 1-4 hour t
what they conceive to be the public interest. (Cheers.)
My noble friend the Lord Chancellor has said, it is one
f the privileges of office to be admitted to participate
inivcr,ariem like tha present ; hut. unfortunately, I
can say for myself at leas,, and pr nah.y for all who
have bad so short a period in which to baniliarise them-
selves with the labours of office, it is also one of its
penalties that we have not at command that lebiure which
would enab o us to avail ourselves of those advantages,
and unhappily I may say, for myself, that both yester-
day and to-day my time wag so entirely engrossed by
pubic engagements that it was only a few moments before
we cat down to dinner that I wa able to enter these
rooms, and that, beyond running hastily through them.
and having pointed out to me by ,30718 of my triennsvri in
greatest ornarnerts in your adlection, which Yl;Th).__l
forgive me if I do not venture to specify—( I
appreciatingh a e ba d anyt
those irrtiuutm' opp of ortunity
ebr; nwhichwhich are seutard.
rcouplod, (Cheese:) Dut among the fow to which my at.

Pit [Chi 4D. St AM PIM 5-d

tontion was more particularly called I have certainly seen
exemplifications of a etndy of nature, of imagination, of
invention, of combination, of colouring, and of design,
which have impressed me very strongly in favour of the
present year's t*'nihitien, (Hear, hear.) So far as I have
been able to form, I can hardly say an opinion, from the
transient g!impee which, as I have been able tc.ehlai't
fully confirmed the report made to me by those re ors f
tunate than snyeelf, in haVing their time at their a.s:ms...
that the present eolleotion may fairly vie with an)
those which of late years have preceded it. (Cheeks.)
There was, however, one consolation which I promised
royeelf in attending this banquet. -I thought that I
should have been free for two hours at least from the ina•
p-rtunity of those requests which, some times in a miller
sometimes in a tn,re pressing tone, are urged upon the
attention of the members of a Government. (Laughter.)
In Downing--treat I expect, of course, three or four
times a.clay at al! event', to receive applications from
clergymen for livings that are not yet vaeant, from bar-
risters for appointments which nobody dreamt of making
—from numberless individuals for no end of commis-
sionerships—(laughter)—but I bad had fend)r hoped
when I came to the tranquil and classic regions of Tra-
falgar•equare to have bad no such solicitations made to
me. (Lang h ter.) I have been di-appointed. (Renewed
mo laughter.)4fia t te
rYi
nogu ru,s!
on
ntha
toe mostwh d‘t persuasivetook
pl
at oc
ea eos
na nfdorwmitehr
occasions, have hinted your confidence that Government
would not be deaf to the claims of art ; you have inti-
mated that,,great as are the services which the Royal
Academy has rendered to the country, and which I
cheerfully acknowledge, they might be greater still if
you enjoyed greater accommodation.

bro,lxt
If there
r,.auee.,c,weidaiatst
It onuo eirr
cr.:oLoum,
boi
yr
fano,
ro!ha
.eer
"0 si angelus ill., •
~,auttttit,rra.P)
the ad vantages which the public derive from your labours.
(Cheers and llughter.) And, sir, I owe you ray thanks
for recording that the firstepeech from the Throne which
Adverted to the improvement of the fine arts as an ob-
ject of public interest was one which I bad the honour
Est achri.fing the Sovereign to deliver 4862. Sir, that
also remil,ds me that in those dayl, svhen-we'-weragrien
in office--.-(l:m4hier)—any tight hon. friend who then, as
ow, wa4 Chaecel'or of the Excheqt.er, expressed at one
of these antis rBvy festivals, notorl his hope and wish
but also—deluded mortal !—(laughter)—his sanguine '
expectation that the next year would see the It :yal Aca-
demy and the National Gallery united in a much im•
proved situation. UnfortunaWy, More that next year
arrived we ceased to be respoas ble for the adrninietra-
tion of affairs. (A. laugh.) "Liberal and progressive
G-verneaents" succeeded us, and for the last six years,
tinder their auspices, it is painful for me to say that of
the in3prgved site of the Royal Academy and National
Gallery I have not the slightest indication. (Cheers and
laughter.) With this experience I shall not repeat the
errors of my right hon. friend ; but I have this consola-
-ion, that at lea 4 you will not think the present Go-
vernment lees attentive than its predecessors—(laughter)
—and that, if we bane not the good fortune to be es-
teemed a Governmk ar of progress, at all events we shall
~ot be considered one of reastion. (Cheersand laughter.)
But, to speak seriously, I hold it to be one of the main
:4±cts of a Government to-pro:note the interests of the
floe arts—l hold that to be an object of high national.
importance ; and ;o far as the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer and the House of Commons will allow me, I shall
have the greatest pleasure in contributing to their ad-
vancereetit to the utmost of my power. (Cheers.) The
noble earl concluded by repeating •his acknowledgment
for the toast.

The PRESlDENT—Gentlemen,—The second leaf of our
eatalogueuhows that the Royal Academy has itahonorary
members. Tho•e time-honoured offices date from the
feundstien of the institution and have been filled by dis-
tinguished names—from Goldsmith to Walter. Scott, and

from Gibbon to Lord Macaulay. The honorary office
of chaplain to the Royal Academy baying been vacant
by the decease of our respected Bishop Blom&11, the
Bishop of Oxford was invited to undertake that office,
and having been pleased to accept it his lordship appears
here to-day no longer RA a guest but in his privileged
capacity. (Cheers.) In making this announcement I
have to congratulate the members of the Royal Academy
on the acceseion to their list of honorary members of an
enlightened fiiend of art, who, I have reason to think,
takes a warm interest in the welfare of this institution.
(Cheers.).
. .

The Bishop of OXFORD—My lords and gentlemen, I
beg to return you my very hearty thanks for the honour
you have thought fit to do me in associating me as an
honorary member with this institution. I can assure
you, sir, and your company, as well as your fellows to-
day, that I esteem it a very bigh honour and a great
privilege to be connected by your choice with British
art, and that not only because of my own great love for
it and delight in its work, not only because I thank-
fully acknowledge before you and your brethren of this
institution the great debt which, in the education of my
own mind, I have personally c mtracted to those enno-
bling arts ; but because I believe also that that Holy re-
dgion whose officer in this land I am is bound by indis-
soluble bonds with your pursuits. (Cheers.) Not only
does the art of painting owe its rebirth among us to
the influence of the Christain faith—not only did it find
ifs. earliest subjects in the catalogue of its objects of be-
iief, but even down to the present i'ay it is the high
tone which the Christian religion maintains among us
which opens the eye of many to understand nature
around them, which accustoms them also to comprc.
bend that conscientiousness and labour in dealing
with their subjects are essential to their success, and
that, therefore, there-`is a union ,between us; that,
you give and receive ; that you . receive from
Christianity, and that in turn you render back
to our great work ; that you help us in unnum-
bered ways in our special vocation in raising the tone'
Ind temp -.T of the people of this land ; that you are fel-
low-labourers with us from the very highest' rank of
society down to the very lowest. (Hear, hear.) I would
say, were it not too trite an observation, that what we
see e
even around
tyt
together
egu
erbt
best
thr lsepo
inrthisetwodihaahyta
harmony
roughly
ght,
hey mixture
goodwill.
arena
ala.
t.me of those who are accu'torned, and necessarily Ramis-
,f public life, that the amenities of art produce among
rival to
tt striveeian s the