The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-23 00:00:00

THE BANQUET.

The opening of the exhibition was celebrated last
evening by a grand banquet at the Guildhall, which
was kindly lent for the occasion by the Corpora-
tion. There was a very numerous attendance of
of both English and foreign members of the Con-
gress, and among the invited:guests were the Lord
Mayor and the Lady Mayoress, Mr. J. E. Saunders,
chairman of the City Lands Committee, and other
members of the committee. The Lord Mayor pre-
sided, and among the company, which included from
400 to 500 ladies and gentlemen, were Lord Powers-
court, M. de Candolle, of Geneva, Mrs. Barnett
(daughter of the Lord Mayor), Admiral Sir Brooke
Middleton, Sir Wentworth Dilke, M.P. (chairman
of the Executive Committee), the Right Hon. C.
Nisbet Hamilton, Sir Daniel Cooper, &c. The hall
presented a magnificent spectacle, there being, in
addition to the ordinary embellishments of the build-
ing, a rich display of flowers to garnish the tables
and give the whole scene an aspect befitting a floral
festival.

The loving cup having been partaken of, the
LORD MAYOR proposed " the healths of her Ma-
jesty the Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales,
and the rest of the Royal Family," which were se-
verally received with the greatest cordiality.
Then came the toast of " The Army and Navy
and Volunteers," for which Admiral MIDDLETON
responded.
" The Houses of Parliament" were next given,
Lord POWERSCOURT returning thanks for both
branches of the Legislature.
Sir W. DILKE, in proposing " The Foreign Visi-
tors and the President of the Botanical Congress,"
eulogized the cordial and hospitable reception given
to his own countrymen and other foreign visitors by
the Belgians and the Dutch on the occasion of the
international horticultural exhibitions formerly held
at Brussels and Amsterdam. It was, he said, the
sincere desire of the British horticulturists to offer
their heartiest welcome to their foreign friends, and
he hoped he would be pardoned if, as an English-
man, he regarded the exhibition opened that day
as fully equal to, if, indeed, it did not surpass, any-
thing of the kind that had ever preceded it.
(Cheers.)
The toast was drunk with much cordiality.

Professor DE CANDOLLE acknowledged the com-
pliment, expressing his great gratification at the re-
ception which he and his brother horticulturists had
met with in this country. Many of them,. however,
were unhappily preventedo
thedisturbed statefromatten ofngtherethat
day on account central
Europe. (h ear.) Notwithstanding the excellent
discipline of modern armies, the fathers of families
could not safely leave their homes unprotected while
war was so imminent. (Hear, hear, and a laugh.)
What, asked the learned professor, was the cost of
the millions of soldiers now massed together in
Continental Europe? Why, it would probably be
found that with their pay for a single day might be
constructed a conservatory reaching from Paris to
Berlin. (Cheers and laughter.) Turning to the '
event of that day, he looked upon the magnificent
spectacle at South Kensington as a convincing proof
of the progress of science, and particularly of horti-
culture, in this country ; and he urged the votaries
of that pleasing pursuit not to be servile imitators
of their brethren in other lands, but to create new
systems and strike out new paths for themselves ac-
cording to the various peculiarities of climate, soil,
and other natural conditions with which they had
to deal.

The Right Hon. C. NISBET HAMILTON proposed
the next toast " Success to the International Horti-
cultural Exhibition." He had, he said, seen many
exhibitions in different parts of the world, but the
one he had seen that day surpassed all that he had
ever witnessed before. Not less than 300 years ago
one of the greatest intellects of England, Lord
Bacon, in dedicating an essay to horticulture, made
use of this remarkable expression—" God first
planted a garden, which, indeed, is the purest of
human pleasures. It is the greatest refreshment to
the spirits of man, without which buildings and
palaces are but gross handiwork." (Hear, hear.)
He thought they would all agree with that great
man and great philosopher ; for buildings and
palaces, without the adjuncts of flowers and horti-
culture, were but poor indeed in comparison with
the wealth and beauty of Nature. (Hear, hear.)
Horticulture was held in high esteem in this country
by all classes, from the highest to the humblest ;
and he must say it elevated the mind and refreshed
the spirit. In the most crowded streets of our
smokiest towns they often saw the love of flowers
evinced by the attention which the poorest people
paid to, it might be, the rearing of a solitary geranium
on a window ledge. He had been struck, too, with
the fact that the artisans of many of our large towns
were proud of having half an acre or even a rood of
land as a small garden in which they might plea-
santly spend a portion of their leisure. (Hear, hear.)
Brussels and Amsterdam has had their International
Exhibitions. England had now endeavoured to
follow their example, and he trusted he might say
without offence that it had surpassed them. That
was the first exhibition of the kind held in this
country, but he hoped it would not be the last, for
he was sure they all desired to have many opportu-
nities of welcoming their foreign friends and com-
peting with them in the cultivation of the arts of
peace. (Cheers.)

Dr. HoGG, one of the secretaries, briefly returned
thanks for the toast, after which Sir W. DILKE
pro-
posed " The Lord Mayor and Corporation," for
which his lordship appropriate.br responded.
Professor KocK gave " The Executive Commit-
tee of the Exhibition," which was acknowledged by
Sir D. COOPER, who ascribed much of the success of
the show to those persons who had sent their flowers
from all parts of this and neighbouring countries.
The list of toasts was wound up with "The Lady
Mayoress and the Ladies," proposed by Mr. C.
DILKE, and responded to by the LORD MAYOR.
The company then retired. During the banquet
an admirable selection of music was performed by
the band of the Grenadier Guards, led by Mr. D.
Godfrey. The dinner was provided by Messrs.
Ring and Brymer.