The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-03-27
THEATRICAL BANQUET.


THEATRICAL BANQUET.
Mr.. Macrcadly's Farewell Dinner In Eng
land-sycechesb by Bulwer, Dickens, Thack-
AIRY, and others.
This fcstivty took place on Saturday evening,
the I'D inst, Mt the Hall of Commerce, in Thread
needle street, London The applications for tick
cts had as most of our readers are aware, been so
numerous, rs to cause the stewards to remove the
scene of operations from THEORETICALLY contem-
plated-Londen Tavern, to the larger Hall Of Com
merce. Even there, however, there was room
for large proportion of the applicants. Many
hundreds unable to be present, and the lucker
candidates had to endure all the unpleasantness Of
a scramble and continuous cram. The raised and
principal table was placed along the eastern wall,
and the general company sat ut tables running mt
right angles from it. There were more than 900
gentlemen present. Behind the chairman, in a re-
cess in the wall, a dozen of ladies were accom-
modatcd. The yocalists occupied the narrower or
vestibule portion of the Hall. The musical arragc-
ments generally were under the direction of Mr..
Land, and amongst his forces were Miss II. Horton
who was received with marked APPLAUSE the Misses
Pyne Miss Messent, Miss Eyles and Miss W. Will
liams; Messrs. Jockey, Hobbs, Machin, Whtworth
Frank Rodda, Hutton, &c, Sc. We may here
mention, that the part-singing Of the ladies and
gentlemen IN question was real musical treat.
Shortly after six, the chairman, Sir T.. Bulwer
Lytton, accompanied by the guests of the evening,
and several of the more distng uished members en-
tered the hail. and took their places amid much ap-
plausc. On the right of the chairman were placed
the Sheyalier Bunsen the Prussan minister, Sir G.
l.. Eastlake, F.R. A, Charles Dickens, Esq, Sir f..
Landseer, Lord Dqherin, Capt; Sir George Back,
Lord w. Graham, Lord Ernest Bruce, JAMES Hey,
wood, Esq, T., ID. Maclise, Esq, RA. Charles
Barring Esq, R.A., A. Stafford, Esq, NIP. Sir
Alexander Gordon, X. De Bammeville, :. Hart
Ed, R.A'. +. =. define Radcliffe Esq, Eliot
Warburtcn, Esq, w. L. Pollock, Esq; and on the
left Of the chairman were his Excelency NJ. Van
der Weyer, the Marquis of CIanricarde, Sir II.
Se Eo o6 on F w. ror Gsn,S he%
Sir John Wilson, 6. Stanheid, Esq, RIA, W. j.
Fox, Esq, Mp, X. Monckton Nilnes, Esq, Mp,
I1hn Dslane Esq; G. Leslie, Esq, R.A., p. IL.
Dr. GUN, Hon 5. Lyttleton J. cattcrmoe. EE Esq,
Sir t. Ryan, Mr.. Sergeant Adams, II. :. Rintoul,
Esq, ID. w. Harvey, Esq, Sc. Among the gene
raj company were G. IIerTies, Esq, Samuel Garter
Esq, b. Webster, Esq, James Wallack, Esq,
Captain Cooke, Joseph Paxton, Esq, Mark Lemon,
Esq, Dr. southey, b. w. Proctor, Esq, w. Jer-
dan, Esq, ;. Phelps, Ed, Captain Torrcns, +.
u. Macready, jun, Esq, Dr. Mackay, Sc, Sc
After the removal ofthe cloth, grace was ehanted,
and
The CHAIRMAN gave the hcaths of the Queen,
Prince Albert, and the royal family, which were
received with the usual demonstrations of loyalty.
Inc CHAIRMAN, in proposing the toast Of . The
Army and Navy" observed that the drama was
under very great obligation to the army, three Of
our great dramatic writers having been connected
with that profession. Ben Jonson served with the
army IN Flanders Steele, the father of our serious
comedy, had been trooper in the Guards aud
rarquhar owed many OF his happiest reeollcctions
to the time when he was lieutenant under Lord
Ouery. tChecrs.l lie did not remember that the
navy had IN former times, contributed it, quota to
our dramatic literature; but one of the most bril-
liant wits of the present day, who had given to the
ia 20 ~ ha Il e
Lnglish dramas-he meant Mr.. Douglas Jcrrold-
had been connected with the navy [IIear, hear
For the rest, one thing was perfectly certain-that
!, had not been Tor the navy, IN conjunction with
the army, our play.lo,ng ncighbors, the French.
might have made England itself the subject of
very disagreeable tragedy Laughter
The toast was briefly acknowledged by Lieuten-
ant Governor sir j. Wilson bchalfof the army.
and by Captain sir g. BACK, for the navy
The CHAIRMAN then rose, and said-tfentlcmen.
when glance through this vast hall and feel how
weak and ndistinct Il my voice, | feel that must
frankly throw myself on your indulgence. and en-
treat your most patient aud courteous attention
while approach that subject which unitcs to-day
an assembly 80 remarkable for the numbers and
distinction Of those who compose il. We are met
TO 10 honor to an eminent man, who retircs into
private life after tbose services 10 the public which
arc always most felt al the moment We are about
TO lose them. Hear, hear. There are many
among YOU far better qualified than am TO speak
critically Of the merits of Mr.. hacrcady a. an ac-
tor; but placed a. am In this chair, | feel that |
should justly disappoint you If did not seek
TO give some utterancc TO those sentiments
Of admiration Of which you have made
me the representative. Gentlemen, this morn
ing ! read in one Of the literary journals some
qualifying remarks n to the degree Of Mr..
Alacroady's genius; and now, a. | recognise
here many who are devoted to literature and art.
will ask them II am not right in this doctrine
that the true measure Of the genius Of an artist i
the degree Of excellence 10 which he brings the art
hat h. 0utst II
Macrcady by this test, and how great Is that genius
that will delight Us no more f"hear, hear, and
cheers for it Is because il has 50 achieved what
will call the symmetry Of art that its hcghth
and its breadth have been often forgotten. fHear.
hear.l We know that IL Is the uneven and rrcgu-
lar surface that strikes the largest and the III
nensions Of genius, like those Of a building, are
lost in the jusipcss Of IT, proportions tapPsuse;l
aud therefore II Is that in recalling the surpass-
ng excellence Of our guest a. artistical per-
ormer, IL really at loss 10 say in what line Of
haracter he has cxcellcd the most. tIIear, hear,1
The Titantic grandeur Of Lear, tho human debase-
ncnt a Werner. the frank vvacity Of Henry ", the
gloomy and tmorous guilt q King John, or that
iis Misrepresentation, Macbeth, iniwhich II seemed
o me that he conveyed more exact notion Of what
Shakespeare designed than can recollect 10 have
cad IN the most profound Of the German critics;
or | take 1t what Shakespeare meant TO represent in
Macbeth, was the kind OF character which is most
ia BILE TO be Influenced by belief in supernatural
gencies. who Is acutey sensitive 10 all impress
ions who has a restless Inauguration more powerful
han his will, who daggers in the air, and ghosts
n the banquet hall, who has moral weakness and
,hy steal courage and whoas guest repre- sented
perpctuslly between terror aud
arinr-a trembler when oppressed by his conscience
md a warrior when dched by hs foe. Loud
heering. But in this, and in all that number
ess crowd Of characters which IL too fresh in
-our memories for me to enumcratc, we don't 80
much say how well this spoken, or how finely
hat was acted, feel within ourselves how true
: the pcrsonation Of the whole. Gentlemen, there
y word often applied to artists and authors, and
hink always applied impropery, when we speak Of
ppcrior intellect-the word versatility. think the
roger word is--ccmprebensiye. Hear, bcar.l
man ~ genius docs not vary and change which
: the nc appg VI The wssa versatility; but be has