The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-14 00:00:00

Artists' General Benevolent Institution.

On Saturday evening the fifty-first anniversary
festival of this institution NVLS held at the Freema-
sons' Tavern. The chair wa3 occupied by Mr. A.
H. Layard, M.P., who was supported by Sir Francis
Grant, the new President of the Royal Academy ;
Messrs. D. Maclise, R.A., Creswick, R.A., Weekes,
R.A., Frith, R.A., Calderon, A.R.A., O'Neill,
A.R.A., Horsley, R.A., J. C. Parkinson, Edmund
Yates, &c., and a very large number of gentlemen,
the majority artists and many other known patrons
of art.

It appeared from the report that the institution
—which has been established to assist artists in dis-
tress, whether members of the.society or not, the only
claim being merit and need—has relieved 82 appli-
cants, at a cost of £1,443, during the past year—the
highest that has yet been recorded. The total net
income amounted to £2,287 10s., and its invested
capital was £22,000.
The CHAIRMAN advocated the interests of the
association in an able and comprehensive speech,
urging that if there was one profession more than
another which was dedicated to the public, it was
that of art. (Hear.) In a recent speech of his friend
Sir F. Grant, at the Royal Academy dinner, the
President had dwelt on the want of room in the pre-
sent building for the display of the works of art,
and upon the heartburning and sorrow which the
necessary rejection of pictures from that cause occa-
sioned to artists. Now artists were between a cross-
fire of the critics, the public, and those important
persons wno stood between the artist and the pub-
lic. The man of genius who wished to rise above
the standard of public taste was the very man to
whom this institution could be of the greatest ser-
vice. (Hear.) The man of genius should look for
that assistance, not as a favour, but as a right.
Adverting to the influences which checked the suc-
cessful career of artists, he referred to a case men-
tioned in the report of a portrait painter to whom
assistance had been given, and who had suffered from
the competition of photography. Who would be-
lieve that the sun himself would condescend to
come from his high state and put himself in com-
petition with unfortunate terrestrials? (Hear, hear.)
To some extent miniature painters did not suffer by
this new competition, but line engraving had severely
suffered from the spread of photography. For the
time photography had paralysed two branches of
art in this country. From the time of Cromwell
downwards miniature painters and line engravers
had held a high position, and both had
a claim upon the support of the institu-
tion. The extension of our commerce, indeed,
owed much to the progress of art in this country.
(Hear, hear.) As to the management of this insti-
tution he ventured to say, that no other society ex-
celled it in the economy of its management, con-
sidering the funds which it had at its disposal. On
all grounds he appealed for support to this institu-
tion. Ile appealed to those who enjoyed art, and
were its intelligent and discriminating patrons ; he
appealed to the go-betweens between the artist and
the public, who derived great profits from the pro-
fession—(hear, hear)—and he finally appealed to
the public at large, because no part of the commu-
nity had done more than English artists to make
the English school of art one of the foremost schools
in Europe. The hon. gentleman next, after paying
a graceful tribute to the memory of the late Sir
Charles Eastlake, proposed the health of the new
President, Sir Francis Gr nt, adding his belief that
that gentleman would aid in the contemplated re-
form of the Royal Academy in the most liberal spirit.
Sir F. GRANT, in returning thanks, said that he
believed when the proposed scheme which had been
adopted by the Royal Academy for its reconstruc-
tion was before the public, it would be accepted as
satisfactory ; and alluding to the prospect of a new
gallery being built for the exhibition of the
Academy, he hoped that space enough would be
afforded, and adequate accommodation for the
hanging of pictures in eligible positions obtained,
to enable justice to be done to the largest number
of exhibitors. In his character as President of the
Royal Academy, he conceived it to be his duty to
take an interest in every institution connected with
art, and to extend his personal acquaintance to as
many artists as possible ; and acting on that rule
this institution would always receive his warmest
support.
The CHAIRMAN then said he had a statement to
make, which he believed would be memorable in the
annals of the institution. A gentleman, whose
name he did not know, had made the following
most liberal and generous proposal—namely, that
he proposed to give land and build a house upon it
for the education of a certain number of children of
artists, on the condition that this institution would
grant a fund for the support of the schools (Cheers.)
This proposal came through Mr. Agnew, who in a
noble spirit had offered at once to guarantee £2,000
towards the endowment of the school. (Cheers.) It
behoved those present, their friends, and the public
to endorse this offer, and by their additional assist-
ence make this school of the utmost value and im-
portance to the profession. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. AGNEW, amid renewed applause, said the
offer was of land and a house for the reception of,
say, 50 children, and he knew a friend who would
supplement this proposal by a sum of £2,000.
Several other toasts were proposed and responded
to, and the subscriptions in the room on behalf of
the institution amounted to £933 15s. 6d.

RECONSTRUCTED.—A young woman, possessed of
a fine person and property, a member of one of the oldest
and most fashionable families in South Carolina, became
engaged to a young man in her own grade in life, who was
a major in the rebel service, and was to marry him at the
termination of the war if ho survived. If he did not, she
was to remain ever true to her vows, and being a Catholic,
had promised to enter a convent and become only the
bride of heaven. They were a model pair of lovers, and
all who knew them believed they were the embodiment of
poetry, tenderness, and devotion to each other, that they
lived what bards had sung and romances had described.
They were like two blossoms on one stem—a planet and
its ray. As usually happens, fate frowned on their feli-
city, and, jealous of their love, cut the material cloud of the
sentimental major's being at Fort Wagner. Eloisa was
mad with grief, and inconsolable for evermore. Her parents
believed she would not and could not live ; and that if she
did, she must be ref tof reason. Months passed. Charles-
ton fell. Columbia was threatened. Eloise. remained.
She was anxious to be slain by the barbarians who had
murdered her lover. Tho Union forces arrived, but had
something else to do than kill women, and Eloisa survived
in spite of herself. She heard the regiment was in town
thi-tt had charged upon the battalion led by her best-be-
loved, and she resolved to see the colonel and denounce
him as the slayer of her prince and peace. Eloisa saw him,
and had a tremendous scone. Tho colonel was handsome
and gallant ; and when the fair girl thundered, as all her
sex do at first, and then rained, ho was touched and inter-
ested in the unknown woman. He comforted and con-
soled her, realising the truth of the idea that the heart is
never so susceptible to a new attachment as when it is re-
covering from an old one. In four weeks she had learned
to love the Yankee savage, and expressed her willingness
to be his, while he was resigned, as most men are, to be
worshipped by her, if she were bent on any such folly.
They were married in spite of the threatened anathemas
of all her relatives and friends, and are now in Europe.
Charleaon Letter.