The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-16 00:00:00

branch of literature or science, what it might, he could
find no better adviser, no kinder friend, than Lord
Brougham. People might fancy, froth what he some-
times said in the House of Lordseettiat his Noble Friend
was not a very good-tempered Man ; but let any mart
try him out of the House, and, whatever the real diffi-
culties in which he might be placed, he would find there
was not a better-natured, kinder-hearted man in the
world. His Noble Friend had had but little justice done
him ; but he (Lord Ellenborough) had felt it, right to
do him justice. He had said nothing more than he knew
to be true, and which, if not now, posterity wouldac-
knowledge to be true. Without detaining them longer,
he proposed the health of Lord Brougham, which was
drunk with three times three and one cheer more.
Lord BROUGHAM thanked the company for the very
kind and indeed affectionate manner in which they had
received his health. He felt a peculiar pride in consi-
dering himself a literary man, although accidental cir-
cumstances, professional and political, had estranged
him for a season more than he otherwise wished from
literary pursuits. He regarded it as a peculiar privilege
and happiness to have cultivated literature and science
fur now so long a period, and he attributed the honour
now conferred upon him by coupling his name with the
writers on science, to the tact that he believed he was
at that moment one of the oldest cultivators of science
now living in this country; it being just half a century
since he first became known to the mathematical world
by a publication in the Philosophical Transactions on
subjects of mathematics and natural philosophy.--
(Cheers.) He was deeply sensible of the value of this
admirable and useful institution; and he agreed parti-
cularly in the grounds on which his Noble Friend, the
Chairman, had rested its commendation; he meant, its
tendency not to encourage men who had no natural cell
to devote themselves to literature—for that was not de-
sirable on the part of others; above all, it was not de-
sirable on their own particular account. Indiscriminate
charity was no part of the object of the Literary Fund.
Certainly it was no part of its object to teach literary
men to rely on the benefactions of this or any other
institution. But, as men of letters were perhaps more
subject than others to reverses of fortune, to losses and
calamities, to penury and privation, its object was to
hold out the
.helping hand occasionally, temperately,
discriminately; and, after full examination and cautious
inquiry, to give its assistance secretly, and not to
wound the feelings of the most sensitive of nature's
sons. To befriend such an institution became not
only a duty, but ought to be a peculiar pleasure and
highest gratification of all who had the means. The
Noble and Learned Lord then complimented Lord
Ellenborough on the manner in which he had die-
! charged the duties of Chairman, and the debt of gratitude
the institution owed him for his energetic advocacy of
its claims. He spoke in a noble presence ; and, i
looking around him for one whose name he might pro
pose as a toast, he beheld those who had fought and bled
in their country's service. Here were divines, lawyers,
poets, masters of sacred song ; here ware pious prelates.
whose lives were pure as the faith they professed and
preached ; here were men who had adorned and culti-
vated social life by the arts they had invented ; here
were they who had also stamped their name on the end-
less memory of the world, for the services they had •
rendered mankind : among all these, whom was he to-
choose—whom but their most distinguished Chairman %.
—(Loud cheers.) He had a grateful recollection.of those
countless millions over whom his Noble Friend had borne
sway with such illustrious distinction, that he would
venture to say, in neither ancient, middle, nor modern
times, had there been any example of a more brilliant
vice royalty than he exercised in India.—(Cheers.) Un-
der his protecting influence, guided by his masterly
councils, and inspired by that without which no states-.
man, be his wisdom ever so profound, could hope to suc-
ceed, because it would not merit success, and could not
earn it,—with that steady and unflinching firmness
which, in statesmen as in warriors, is the grand title to
success, our armies in that country had been led to
victory and renown. Without further preface, he would
prose " their Noble Chairman."—(Cheers.)
Lord ELLENBOROUCII, in acknowledging the toast,
spoke as follows :—I thank you most sincerely for the
kindness with which you have been pleased to drink my
health, and I owe especially a debt of gratitude to my
Noble Friend for the very much too flattering a manner in
which he has proposed it. But I owe a debt of gratitude
to my Noble and Learned Friend far beyond that. I
have to thank him, not for having praised me in my
presence, but for having defended me in my absence. Gen-
tlemen, this is not the place for me to say one word
with respect to the measures which led to the success
that attended my administration in Irelia. This only I
will say, that success was unbroken by one single mo-
mentary reverse. Every measure succeeded ; and I owe
a debt of everlasting gratitude to those noble hearts by
which that success was achieved. I never had to com-
plain of any civil servant of the company with whom I
Came into personal communication ; I never had to corn •
plain of any military officer. Every one served me with
the utmost zeal and the most unbounded devotion. No
time shall ever obliterate or diminish my gratitude to
them for those services. Gentlemen, I drink all your
good healths, heartily wishing prosperity to this Society;
and I hope every year will have a r• port yet more
favourable than that we have heard to-night.—(Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN then proposed the health of " Lord
Mahon and the Writers of History."—(Cheers.)
Lord MeHoe acknc,wlidged the compliment in a neat
speech, which was lourily applauded.
Mr. M URCHISON, 1 eing called upon by the Chairman,
proposed " the Health of Baron Leopold Von Bea, and
the Writers on Geology," which the Baron briefly ac-
knowledged.

The CHAIRMAN, in an eulogistic speech, tit--xt pro-
posed " Mr. Sergeant Talfourd and the II( ets ;" to which
tl e Learned Sergeant responded in a long and energetic
harangue.
The next toast was, " Mr. James and the Novelists,"
to which Mr. James replied in a speech of considerable
length.
" Mr. Komble and the Dramatists" was next given,
and duly honoured by the company. Mr. Kembie
replied, also at great length.
A second list of contributors having been read,
Lord ELLENBOROUCH said it would be very ungracious
if they did not drink the health of those visitors who
had favoured them with their company. Perhaps. there-
fore, Mr. Walter would allow him to associate his name
with that toast. Mr. Walter had contributed a great
deal to literature—a great deal more in one week than
others in a year.--Cheers.)
Mr. WALTER said, that any services which he might
have rendered to literature, or any cause which 'item;
ture knew best how to diffuse and defend, were amply
repaid by their kind reception. Though he was a
stranger to the meetings of this society, he was not
ignorant of its merits. Dr. Johnson said, that the best
patrons of authors were the booksellers; and, in truth,
from the period when flattering dedications to princee
and rich nobles went out of fashion to the present time,
and the support of literature was thrown upon the mass
of the people—(" Hear, hear," from Lord Brougham)—
upon the daily increasing number of readers and students
—from that time to the present the advantage had bees
mutual; to the public, by a more ready access to science
and literature ; and to authors, by a greater number of
readers, and of course more ample means of support.
If, speaking generally, in our day there had been less of
great genius than in preceding times, there had certainly
been a more extensive diffusion of minor intelligence.
whick was perhaps more necessary than even genius
itself for the ordinary purposes of every-day
practice. Hence they had throughout the coun-
try a great number of literary institutions ;
and where there wore so many professors of literature,
h
there must, of course, be a proportionate number of
failures. The duty, therefore, of every one who re-
distinction a
to
consider well their
ev
ne
et. eenocne dle
mankindar i ngoabnl
obliged
esdc science for ftoor theirendbeneficial
assistance
where
I.ldiu
e.
recommendationthose
tuor occurred;
aspirants
;
talents, and whether they had really
the vocation they supposed—(Hear, hear)—for if there
but it should
t o literary be
with
were error in this respect in the first instance, the less
distinguished walks of life would be deprived of mem-
bers who might be useful—and families, of exertions
which might at least repel want and procure moderate
comforts. It was the object of that society, and of others
of a similar character, to heal the evils which resulted
from such a state of things, and it would be extremely
hard if those who had dedicated their lives to the im-
provement of their countrymen should, when life sp.
proached so near its close that they could make no
further exertions, be left to suffer want, either in their
own persons, or in the persons of those who had looked
up to them for support. He, therefore, heartily wished.
prosperity to the benevolent objects of this institution,
which he hoped would long continue to be the resource
of unfortunate merit in literary pursuits of every kind,
" The Stewards" was the next toast, which was
responded to by the Rev. Sir John Wood.
The final toast of the evening was "The Ladies,"
given in right gallant style by the Chairman, elad heartily
responded to by the company.
The meeting broke up about half-past

11 o'clock.

THE THAMES TUNISEL.---11 HITSTni HOLIDAYS.--
Upwards of 33,000 persons have passed through the Thames
Tunnel during the last four days, viz., on Whit-Sunday,
8,590; Whit-Monday, 8,320; Whit-Tuesday, 7,290; and
Wednesday, 8,190; the great majority of whom were chil-
dren. Bands of musicians were stationed at either end, but
the principal attraction was a Welsh family named Thomas
(a father and four children), the youngest of whom was only
five Years of age.
ROY POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.---At this fee-
tire season of the Year, when so many are seeking for amuse-
ment, no place is better adapted for that purpose than the
above institution ; but the greater number visit it for a higher
purpose—that of instruction—and it will amply repay all
those who are anxious to learn. Among the numerous
specimens of natural history: works of art and science, we
mentions Messrs. Clegg and Samuda's working model of the
atmospheric railway, which has created so much atten-
tion. Models in all their complicated and varied
features ; steam-engines, fixed and locomotive; diving
bells ; diver, who exhibits various life preservers in
the great tank. Among those which excite the most atten-
tion, we may mention Mr. Wilson's life coat, and many others
too numerous to name. Lectures on chemistry and natural
philosophy, by Doctors Ryan and Backhoffner, who deserve
great credit for the simple yet effective manner in which
they convey their ideas, and at the same time blending in-
struction with amusement. The Physioscope, the Crorna-
trope, and most beautiful dissolving views, all of which hr
a great degree enhance the pleasure which the Directors offer
to the public, by the very liberal manner in which every-
thing novel, both for amusement or instruction, is displayed:
and explained.

IVIIITSUN HOLIDAYS. WOOLWICH. Notwith-
standing the enormous influx of visitors to Greenwich
during the earlier part of the present week, the vessels of the
Watermen's and Woolwich Steam Companies have'bronght
down immense freights of passengers, most of whom visited
the great national establishments, the Royal Dockyard,
Royal Arsenal, and the Royal Military Repository. During
the whole of Monday the main thoroughfare leading from
ot
1.1
up
ni
arsn t
boeti
ge
sI. oyoanl Arsenathel pmeresdean;eda
baocuotn
,n4uooou streamspe
rsans
visited, the Royal Military Academy, and were highly
formdel theighie chiefd with
attraction t he n umoefrot
that
t andtlni beautifullne m
ilit
ryand models
museum.