The Sun. — 1867-11-04 (London, England)

OTWAY, M.P., proposed the toast of "Literature," and read a message entrusted to him by his neighbours to Mr. Dickens—" God speed you on your visit to New America, and a happy return to Old England, and to the home where you are so dearly loved." (Hear, hear.)  Mr. ANTHONY TROLLOPE, who was very warmly received, acknowledged the toast and said—l always think that a very great honour is paid to any gentleman who is called upon, on an occasion like this, to say a few words in reply to the toast of "Literature ;" and I think it is especially an honour to be called upon to do so at a banquet such as this, given to grace so distinguished a guest. I believe that the state of literature in England at this monsent is not only very prosperous, but that it is also very healthy—(cheers)—and I believe this in spite of those anticipations respecting the Falls of Niagara which have lately been brought before us—(a langh)—and in spite of those wails of " Woe, woe, from the housetop," which we have recently heard from the lips of a great prophet among us. We love that great prophet, indeed—he has passed a long life among us, a life of truth and honesty, and he has done good work, but I am inclined to think that he has now allowed himself to be carried away by the melancholy enthusiasm of a spirit of ill-boding till he almost forgets that there is a God still among us, and until he has come to believe it to be his duty to tell his brother workmen that nothing but the cry, " Woe, woe, from the housetop" can fitly describe the state of things to which we are hastening. (Cheers.) " Fiction!"—l am now repeating the words of this great prophet—" Fiction ! 0 ! my friends ! you will soon have to think how Perilous and close a cousinship it bears to lying." (A. laugh.) Now, these are very hard words to us who are engaged in fiction, hard words for us who do our teaching by the telling of tales instead of by the uttering of prophecies. (Cheers.) Was Colonel Newcombe—that finest gentleman of past days— Wm he a liar ? (Cheers.) Was Jane Eyre, when she spoke to her lover, and demanded from him that ho should not taste one drop of cold water—was she a liar? (Cheers.) Was the sermon that Dinah Preached a lie ? (Cheers.) Was the story of the life of Eugene Aram a lie ? Do you remember— Who does not remember ?—the walk which Bill Sykes took with his dog after the murder ?—was that a lie? (Cheers.) I ought, perhaps, properly to have spoken of literature generally—and, indeed, the prophet has handled literature generally almost 43 harshly as he has handled fiction ; but, seeing that I am myself somewhat concerned in fiction, I have ventured to refer specially to that branch of literature. My belief is that we who wrote fiction Lave taught purity of life, nobility of action, and self-denial—(cheers)—and have taught these lessons With such allurements, both for young and old, as tte other preacher in these days can teach, and which 310 prophet can reach. (Cheers.) My lord, I believe, at any rate, that all will agree with me, that those five great writers of modern fiction whom 1 have ventured to quote do not deserve to be proPhesied against in the words which I have repeated from Mr. Carlyle. (Loud cheers.) The toast of " The Drama" was next briefly given by Sir E. Landseer, in the absence, through indisposition, of Sir E. Tennant. tlr. BENJAMIN WEBSTER expressed himself highly honoured in responding to such a toast in the presence of one of whom it might be said, as of s hakspere, that he had exhausted an old and created Illew world. The drama was one of the highest diversions ever devised, calculated to convey in!traction with amusement. Those who raved against It were either the children of folly or slaves of ignorahco—(cheers)—while the encouragers of that prof ession were those who were the lovers of virtue Itacl the admirers of art. (Cheers.) The ancients were very careful in the composition of their dramas, 41:14 he hoped the moderns would imitate their example. The Athenians were wont to enlarge upon the advantages which the drama conferred upon , IS country, and on one occasion it was set down at £lOO,