The Sun.
London, England, 1827-05-15 00:00:00

ARTISTS° BENEVOLENT FUND.

The Anniversary of this institution was held at
the Freemason's Tavern, on Saturday evening, when
the Chair was taken by the Right Hon. the Earl of
Aberdeen, supported by Lord Farnborough, Lord
L. Gower, Sir Gerald Noel, Sir John Swinbtune,
Sir Thomas Lawrence Sir Wm. Beechey, Hon. T.
Liddell, M.P., lion. *. Liddell, and many Royal
Academicians. About half-past six o'clock, nearly
one hundred and fifty gentlemen sat down to a sump-
tuous dinner. On the removal of the cloth, and the
performance of Non Arobis Domine, the health of the
King was drunk with three times three, standing.
Song—" God Save the King."
The Duke of Clarence and the rest of the Royal
Family was next given.

The Noble Earl then rose and said. It is with
the highest satisfaction that I state, I have it in com-
mand from his Majesty, to offer his third donation of
100 guineas.—(lmmense cheering.)—l am sure I
need not offer any observations on his Majesty's ex-
quisite taste for the flue arts, which he se munifi-
cently patronises, nor upon the interest which lie
feels in the sucess of the Artists' Benevolent Fund,
for I can state with truth, that there is no feature in
his Majesty's character more distinguished than that
of a strong desire to protect and assist every Institu-
tion connected with the Fine Arts." The Noble
Chairman then gave, " Prosperity to the. Artists'
Benevolent Fund.

Sir JOHN SWINBURNE then rose to propose the
health of a Noble Lord,not less distinguished for his
classical taste, than for the exertions by which so
many splendid and valuable works of art had been
preserved to this kingdom. He should give, " the
health of the Right Hon. the Earl of Aberdeen."
The Earl of ABERDEEN.—I beg you to accept
my thanks for the great honour you have done me.
The Noble CHAIRMAN next begged to propose
the health of an individual, under whose superinten-
dence the affairs of the Institution had been so long
and so prosperously administered—" Sir John
Swinburne, President of the Society."—(Applause.)

Sir Joi-iN SWINUURNU rose to return thanks.—
The Noble Chairman had rightly stated that the
' Society was on a solid, foundation. The Institu-
tion had adopted a plan which had led to its great
prosperity, the creation of a "joint stock fund," to
which any artist might contribute, and become a
member. The benefits which these contributors de-
rived were not eleemosynary gifts, but annuities pur-
chased as their rights. A considerable number of
artists had been added to the list of contributors to
this " joint stock fund; " and there could' be no
better evidence than this of the success of the un-
dertaking. He could not find words to express his
thanks ; but he could receive no greater reward
than their approbation, which it should be his con-
stant study to deserve.—(Applause.)
The Earl of ABERDEEN rose to propose the health
of a gentleman, whose presence did honour to the
Institution, and whoSe name excited universal ad-
miration. He should give " the health of Sir
Thomas Lawrence, President of the Royal Academy."
(Immense applause.)
Sir T. LAWRENCE -begged to offer his sincere
thanks for the honour the Meeting had conferred on
him by tile last toast, and particularly for the, Insti-
tution .to which he was President. He congratu-
lated the Meeting on the succevss of the Institution.
They had in the Chair an individual in every way
characterised by his benevolence and by his love of
the Fine Arts; supported, on his right hand, by a
Nbbleman (Lord Farnborough), distinguished for
his early taste, and his encouragement of the pro-
fession, who was now dispensing the favours of his
Sovereign. On his left there was -a. young Lord
(Lord Leveson Gower), himself gifted in the Arts,
and now their determined friend and patron.—(Great
cheers.)—Sir Thomas Lawrence concluded by pro-
posing " The health of Lord Farnborough." •

Lord FARNBOROUGH returned thanks for the un-
expected honour they had done him.
The. Earl of ABERDEEN, in rising to propose a
toast, could assure the-Meeting that whatever good
had been done in that Society was entirely owing to
his predecessor (the Marquis of Stafford), and he
should propose .his health •in the presence of his
Noble Friend on the lefty by whom he was that day
represented.
Lord L. GOWER—I beg, in the name of my fa-
ther, to thank your Lordship and the company for
the honour you have done him ; and I assure you
that you do him but justice when you suppose that
he has the prosperity of the Institution at heart;
wheii he delights in the contemplation of many
splendid: works, be assured he has not forgotten
those to whom he owes that pleasure. Persons who
know him can say how 'happy he is in promoting the
interests of those to whom he owes that vast debt of
pure enjoyment.—(Cheers.)

The SECRETARY here read his Report : among
the items in which, there appeared a donation of
1001., from Messrs. Wilkins and Gandy, being the
moiety of a premium paid by the Lords of the Trea-
sury to these Gentlemen, for their design and model
for a National Monument to commemorate the
Battle of Waterloo.

The CHAIRMAN immediately rose, to propose the
health of Messrs. Wilkins and Gaudy, which was
drunk with great applause.
Mr. WILKINS returned thanks.
The next toast' was, " the Ladies." " The
Stewards," followed, and Lord Leveson Gower re-
turned thanks.

" Lord Goderich," who filled the Chair last year,
Was next drunk with great applause.

Sir THOMAS LAWRENCE then rose to offer a toast.
He was a gentleman of that country which had pro-
duced great artists, and the greatest hero. He was
about to propose the health of an individual, who
was great in the three arts—" Mr. Shee, and pros-
perity to the Royal Academy of Ireland."
Mr.-SHEE.—" Permit me to thank you in the
name of the Royal Academy of Ireland, for the
honour you have conferred upon it. This should
have come from another quarter, for that histi-
tution ranks among its MeMbers, the name of
Sir Thomas Lawrence.—(Applause.)—The Arts
are, I regret, not successful in the Sister Isle.—
The hospitality of my countrymen induce them to
receive and cherish the stranger's efforts instead of
their own. Whether in the east, west, north, or
south, the plant which springs up in its own soil is
neglected, and the exotic nursed. My countrymen
remind `me. of the Judge who, to show his impar-
tiality, always decided against his own friends.—(A
laugh.)—Nothing native is by them appreciated but
their whiskey—(A laugh)—and nobody unwelcome
but a certain functionary, who sometimes interrupts
its production." Mr. Shee contluded with' some
pertinent -remarks on on the Royal Academy of
Edinburgh and other Institutions' of Art.

The company was amused by some glees and
songs, by Messrs. Dance, Horneastle, Hudson, &c.,
and they separated at a late hour. The collection
was nearly 800/.

ANECDOTE OF ,COOKE.—Cooke, Rho had
passed his hand along all the pallisades and shut-
ters as he marched, came in contact with the
recently painted new front -of a coachrnaker's
shop, from which he obtained a complete hand-
ful of wet colour. Without any explanation to
me as to the cause of hi's anger, he rushed sud-
denly into the middle of the street, and raised a
stone, which, in respect to its magnitude, Poly:-
phemus might /Sot have rejected in his desire to
crush the shepherd Acis. ,This fragment Cooke
was going to hurl against the unoffending win-
dows; but I was in time to save them from
destruction, and him from the watchhouss. On
my asking the cause of his hostility to the pre-
mises of a man who could not have offended
him, he replied, with a hiccup, " What ! not
offend ? a d—d ignorant coachmaker, to leave
his house out, new-painted, at this time of
night !"--.Dibdin's Reminiscences.