The Sun.
London, England, 1867-11-04 00:00:00

the chair has been filled by my noble friend
Lord Lytton. (Cheers.) Himself a man of trans-
cendent genius, who has taken a foremost rank in
the literature of the civilised world, he was the man
to do justice to our friend Charles Dickens.
(Cheers.) And while we may be gratified at his
presence, so nothing could be more becoming or
graceful in Lord Lytton than to preside on this oc-
casion. I should be ashamed to *advert to anything
personal to myself, and yet I trust you will forgive
me for saying that when this toast was committed
to my care it was to mo a source of infinite gratifi-
cation and delight. It bridges over the chasm of
years and takes me back to a period whe❑ the
noble lord and I were you:ig in life and starting on
our several careers. To me, and, I believe, to me
alone, then his college companion, he confided the
fact that he was composing that beautiful poem on
sculpture which was crowned by the academical
Ariz and it was to me an immense gratification to
be the first to announce to him as I did—for he had
left the University when the prize was adjudged—
that he had triumphed over all his competitors.
(Cheers.) That was the commencement of his literary
career, and what a series of brilliant successes my
noble friend has achieved. (Cheers). Poet, novelist,
dramatist, thinker, critic, philosopher—how much
has he contributed to the enjoyment, the edification,
and instruction of the intellectual world in all these
departments. (Cheers.) Like Sheridan passing
the bounds of that literary world in which he was
destined to shine, and in which I first saw that star
rise which was afterwards to culminate to such a
height of glory, and to shine with so much brilliancy,
he has added the reputation—the great, deserved,
and honourable reputation—of statesman and orator
of the first and highest order. (Cheers.) I ven-
ture to predict that those speeches which, in the
great arena of political conflict, the House of Com-
mons, he has pronounced will remain as models of
the highest and noblest eloquence, although I must
say I generally differed from him. (Ailaugh.) Those
speeches contain thoughts deserving the attention
of the most profound thinker, clothed in that glow-
ing, graceful language of which no man is a more
complete master than my noble friend. (Cheers.)
I must not forget, however, that my noble friend is
not himself the hero of this evening. We are met
to do honour to our guest and friend by his side,
who derives additional lustre and brilliancy, and is
crowned with greater glory from the fact of the
noble lord presiding this evening. (Cheers.) In
the toast 1 have to propose let me embody the hope
that for long years our noble friend may continue to
contribute to the literary glory of our country ; and
that in that august assemblage to which, by a wise
and just exercise of the prerogative of the Crown,
and with the universal approbation of all thinking
men, he has been elevated, the eloquent orator will
not be silent, but will continue in that path of glory
and renown he has so long trod with so much honour
to himself and advantage to his country. (The toast
was drunk with great cordiality.)
Lord LITTON—I am deeply sensible of the kind-
ness with which you have received the toast which
I rise to acknowledge, proposed to your notice as it
has been in far too flattering terms. In the pre-
sence of so many distinguished cultivators of art and
letters, it would ill become me to say a single word
as to my own aims and attempts as a writer. But
I cannot pass over with equal brevity the pleasure
I derive from the compliment I have received at
your hands as your chairman, having been proposed
by one who was associated with all my avocations
and aspirations in my earliest years. It is true that
he has achieved, and nobly achieved, the highest
honours of a noble profession—(cheers)—it is true
that he was my fellow collegian and my familiar
friend at that age when friendships ought to be un-
ending. I remember as if it were yesterday the
pride I had in every exhibition of those remarkable
talents which since have become the admiration of
our Parliament, and now reflect lustre on our bench.
(Cheers.) Something, indeed, of a melancholy sen-
timent mingles with the recollection of a period so
illustrious for contemporaries unusually brilliant,
when we walked with Macaulay and supped with
Praed, and regarded each other with unchangeable
affection. (Cheers.) You have been graciously
pleased to confer on me n compliment for acting as
your chairman ; on the contrary, thanks are due
from me to those who, through your accomplished
secretary, proposed to me that honour. I shall
always regard it as a great distinction to have
presided on an occasion which conferred a pub-
lic honour on one whom I so warmly
admire as a writer and so cordially esteem
as a man. (Cheers.) Before sitting down
you will allow me to propose a toast—the
health of that part of the audience which every
writer of polite letters is the most ambitious to
please—l mean those who are our gentlest critics,
but who, at the same time, are the most formidable
rivals whenever they condescend to compete with
us as authors. (Hear, hear.) It has been said
that man was born to look upward and contemplate
the stars. I now look upward, and, in contemplat-
ing the stars, I propose " The Health of the Ladies."
(Loud cheers).
Mr. BUCKSTONE said he was not aware why he
had been called upon to respond to the toast, as he
was not particularly a ladies' man. (Laughter, and
cries of " Oh, oh"). He admitted, however, that
there were some ladies of his acquaintance with
whom he had passed many happy hours. It was
not, perhaps, the right thing or etiquette to tell
their names, but on this occasion he would make the
company present the confidants of his tender pas-
sion. He mentioned the names of Mrs. Gamp,
Betsy Prig, Mrs. Nickleby, and not forgetting Mrs.
Harris. (Roars of laughter.) Having confessed
to the happy hours he had enjoyed with those ladies,
he hoped he might be forgiven for venturing to re-
spond for the ladies present. (Laughter.) They
were met to say good-bye to their friend Mr.
Dickens, who was about to visit America. He (Mr.
Buckstone) had, as was well known, travelled
through every State of the Union and visited every
city, was perfectly well acquainted with the cha-
racter of our American cousins—(a laugh)—and
believed they might safely trust Mr. Dickens in their
hands.

The proceedings then ended, and numbers of
personal friends pressed round Mr. Dickens as he
left the hall, and cordially wished him a safe voyage
and a speedy return.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.--This Day.

COURT OF EXCHEQUER.

Before Mr. Baron Martin and aCommon Jury.)

HAWKSLEIGII V. STOW.

This was an action to recover the balance of a
sum of £1,400 due upon a bond, and the defence
was that by certain arrangements between the par-
ties themselves the amount of £4OO was nut due by
defendant. It appeared that the parties were in
business together at Goole, and that both families
lived on the mostfriendly terms. The plaintiff in July
last accepted a bond from defendant for £1,400 worth
of certain stock which ho had disposed of to him,
but this bond was not executed till May following.
The plaintiff had not received anything except the
interest, although the deed provided that the £l,OOO
should be paid in four instalments, and none of these
instalments had been paid up.
Several letters were read from the parties which
showed the intimacy they were on, and in one of
them the plaintiff wrote that he should never forget
the former kindness of the defendant to him, and.
should be happy to do the best he could for his
family. Several other letters were read, showing
that at the execution of the deed several fresh ar-
rangements had been made, because there was a
difficulty in getting the defendant to execute the
bond.

Mr. Baron Martin said that these letters, having
been written in March, had nothing to do with the
question.

- A verdict was then taken for the plaintiff on the
bond, and leave given to move for a new

POLICE IN TELLIGEvCE—This Day.

THAMES.

STEALING CIGARS.—Pbilip Dicker, a lad in the
service of Mr. Morris Deans, cigar-maker, of 251,
Mile-end-road, Stepney, was brought befcire Mr.
Paget, charged with stealing 12 cigars, the property
of his master.

Mr. l'aget columitted the pawl= for trial.