Literary Fund Society.
The Times, 1824-05-13T00:00:00

Yesterday the 5teh anAiyesaaz ee qt tisosiety,,.itttittited for tbe benevolent purpose !of alleviating literary distresa, and re.; tieving thc*idows2nd orphsngbfauthors leflt in penury, wa's hel at Freemasomn' Rall: the Mlarquis'of LAwsDOWK took thc chair in ,the-absence of His Royal Highntess the Dlukeof York, who-was prsvented by business from- honouring the company with his are. sence. The noble Mazquis ras supported by Lord Brndon, Lord John B.usscl, and several other persons of rank who are patrons of tbe selet. Aoot25personasa w.dowitto durtner. The srreA5uREx (Dr. Yates) read * report of the state of the funds of the society, by which it appeared that the amo,int re- ceined last year was . . . . ?2,261f 3 3 Disbursetuents forrelief . . . 1,872 13 6 Balance in Treasurer's hsnds . . . ?388 9 9 including the bouse fund. The TFrasurer remarked that the list of cases of individuals relieved was not, out of delicacy, published, but that therelief had been extended in the most prudent manner to the most meritorious and deserving indivduals. The list of private subscriptions was next read, which contained the names of theKing, the Duke of Somerset, anda iconsiderable number of other subscrib. ers. wlho are zealously attached to the interests of the society. The Duke of Somerset's health was next given with three times three. Lord JoTas RUSSELL, in proposing the health of the Msrq,uis of Lansdown, expressed the satisfaction which he felt upon hearing the report of the society's funds this day: he was more particularly pleased at hearingthatthe namnes of those who were relieved werecon- cealed from thePubliceye. If authors were a class of men ptoverbially improvident,assome werepleased tosay,let it also beremembered that theywerealsornore susceptible than most othermen; aind that theyhad also, when their hour of misfortune came, not the sarne means of seeking subsistence which other classes couild avail themselves of. (Hear.) In proposingthehealth of hisnoblefriend, he was afraid to say much, for he knew that to dare to praise himn to his face for his public and private worth, would be to offer violence to those feelings which they were all bound to consider. (Applause.) The noble CHAIR)frA.'S health was then drank with great ap- nlause. *The Marquis of LANSDOW,N, in returning thanks, said, that he felt highly isattered by the compliment which they had just paid him, upon the acciuental circumstance of his being called to fill the chair, in the absence of his Royal Highness the Duke of York. Being there, he begged permission to say,-that he was proud of the honourwhicnhtheyhadconferred upon him. In a country like tbis, there must necessarily beaa large class of authors, many of them exposed to the vicissitudes of fortune under circumstances which very properly called for that peculiar delicacy in the adminis- tration of relief which he was glad to see pervade the business of this society. The triumphs of literature, like those of war, were only to be,obtairled after a long and fatiguing nmarch. The generosity of the counfry provided an asylum for their wounded soldiers, and this society held forth a refuge to those who had become unfortunate in the.'field of literature: and sure he was, that nQ sanctuary could be provided more gratifylng to the -feelings of authors, -than one which, like this, was supplied by the sympathy of those who were engaged more or less in the same pursuit, and bound by one com- mon taste to promote the same object. He cencluded by cordially returning them thanks for the compliment which they had paid him. The healths of the Vice-Presidents were thein drunk, and Lord BRANDON returned thanks. On the health of Sir TiroktAs LAWRtENCE and the Royal Aca- demy b -ing drunk, Sir Thoma.s expressed the warm interest which he feit for the prosperity of this institution. ; The Royal Asiatic Society of Literature" was drank with three times three. Alr. COLEn7ROoXE returned thanks. The MVlarquis of LANSbOWN said, that while they were dispens- ing their bounty to those who were unfortunate, they ought not to forget those who were successfil, and haa reached the goal of their glory. He would therefore propose the healths of the poets of Great Britain, and he hoped they would allow him to name in par- ticular, Mr. Thomas hloore. (Applause.) Mlr. TaboatAs MOORE, in retuming thanks, alluded to the old and true remark, t1hat men of literature were mostly im- provident. They were so, in mnany initances, by their profusion to others: they showed by their conduct that the road to literary fame was not always the patl to wealth, and that with whaterer balance they were enabled to keep themselves erect on their journey, it was not to be foand in thetr pockets. (A laugh.) Be bestowed his best commendations upon this society, and the de- licacy with which thev adrninistered their funds, and remarked that such a mode was due to those sons of genius whom misfortune had humbled. flad his Royal Highness the Duke of York beer. in their chair, they would have had to boast on this oc_asion of the presence of a member of the only royal family who could be said to fill the throne of a free people. (Applause.) That freedom they had earned and won. One of the great vital 'cba- racteistcs of a free people was the possesionr of a free press. cIrhen that great but ambitious man Napeleon heard that a member of the Institute meant to propose, after the imperial dynasiy, the removal of some republican trophies from the literarv records of their body, Napoleon gave a significant hint to the servile sycophant, and said. " No, let us at least preserve a republic of etters. (Hear.) In England they h-ad that republic..they had Lhoise who knew no patron but the public, and acknowledged, no power hut the law and public opinion. (Applause.) He onjured L.e country and this society to preserve the independence of their repbli o' lttrs,to roectitfrom servility, anid, to mitigate w-hen individuals becamne aprey tot misfortune, who had prevt iously in- itructedhem by their works, the degradation too of-ten attendant upon poverty H ocue by expresing his thanks to the corn- panyfor the coropliment hich they had paid him, and to their noble harman, for the marksof kindness he haduniformlyreceivedfrom kiim. At half- past 10 o'clock the Marquis of Lansilown retired, and Lord Brandon took the chair, and kept up the festivity of the com. ?any until a late hour.- - LI2ERARY FUD SOCIE-Y.