[Speech of Henry John Temple, Viscount Palmerston, Prime Minister
of England 1859-1865, at the annual banquet of the Royal Academy,
London, May 2, 1863. Sir Charles Eastlake, the President of the
Royal Academy, said, in introducing Lord Palmerston: "I now have
the honor to propose the health of one who is entitled to the
respect and gratitude of the friends of science and art, the
promoters of education and the upholders of time-honored
institutions. I have the honor to propose the health of Viscount
Palmerston."]
MR. PRESIDENT, YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESSES, MY LORDS, AND
GENTLEMEN:--I need not, I am certain, assure you that nothing can
be more gratifying to the feelings of any man than to receive that
compliment which you have been pleased to propose and which this
distinguished assembly has been kind enough so favorably to entertain in
the toast of his health. It is natural that any man who is engaged in
public life should feel the greatest interest in the promotion of the
fine arts. In fact, without a great cultivation of art no nation has
ever arrived at any point of eminence. We have seen great warlike
exploits performed by nations in a state, I won't say of comparative
barbarism, but wanting comparative civilization; we have seen nations
amassing great wealth, but yet not standing thereby high in the
estimation of the rest of the world; but when great warlike
achievements, great national prosperity, and a high cultivation of the
arts are all combined together, the nation in which those conditions are
found may pride itself on holding that eminent position among the
nations of the world which I am proud to say belongs to this country.
[Loud cheers.]
It is gratifying to have the honor of being invited to these periodical
meetings where we find assembled within these rooms a greater amount of
cultivation of mind, of natural genius, of everything which constitutes
the development of human intellect than perhaps ever has assembled
within the same space elsewhere. And we have besides the gratification
of seeing that in addition to those living examples of national genius
the walls are covered with proofs that the national genius is capable of
the most active and admirable development. [Cheers.] Upon the present
occasion, Mr. President, every visitor must have seen with the greatest
delight that by the side of the works of those whose names are familiar
to all, there are works of great ability brought hither by men who are
still rising to fame; and, therefore, we have the satisfaction of
feeling that this country will never be wanting in men distinguished in
the practice of the fine arts. [Cheers.] One great merit of this
Exhibition is that whatever may be the turn of a man's mind, whatever
his position in life, he may at least during the period he is within
these walls, indulge the most pleasant illusions applicable to the wants
his mind at that time may feel. A man who comes here shivering in one of
those days which mark the severity of an English summer, may imagine
that he is basking in an African sun and he may feel an imaginary warmth
from the representation of a tropical climate. If, on the other hand, he
is suffering under those exceptional miseries which one of the few hot
days of an English summer is apt to create, he may imagine himself
inhaling the fresh breezes of the seaside; he may suppose himself
reclining in the cool shade of the most luxuriant foliage; he may for a
time, in fancy, feel all the delights which the streets and pavements of
London deny in reality. [Cheers and laughter.] And if he happens to be a
young man, upon what is conventionally said to be his preferment, that
is to say, looking out for a partner in life, he may here study all
kinds and descriptions of female beauty [laughter and cheers]; he may
satisfy his mind whether light hair or dark, blue eyes or black, the
tender or the serious, the gay or the sentimental, are most likely to
contribute to the happiness of his future life. [Cheers.] And without
exposing himself to any of those embarrassing questions as to his
intentions [laughter] which sometimes too inquisitive a scrutiny may
bring [much laughter], without creating disappointment or breaking any
hearts, by being referred to any paternal authority, which, he may not
desire to consult, he may go and apply to practical selection those
principles of choice which will result from the study within these
walls.
Then those of a more serious turn of mind who direct their thoughts to
State affairs, and who wish to know of what that august assembly the
House of Commons is composed, may here [pointing to Phillips's picture
behind the chair], without the trouble of asking an order, without
waiting in Westminster Hall until a seat be vacant, without passing
hours in a hot gallery listening perhaps to dull discourses in an
uninteresting debate--they may here see what kind of thing the House of
Commons is, and go back edified by the sight without being bored by dull
speeches. [Cheers and laughter.]
Now, don't, gentlemen, imagine that I am romancing when I attribute this
virtue to ocular demonstration--don't imagine that that which enters the
eye does not sometimes penetrate to the mind and feelings. I will give
you an instance to the contrary. I remember within these walls seeing
two gentlemen who evidently, from their remarks, were very good judges
of horses, looking with the greatest admiration upon the well-known
picture of Landseer, "The Horseshoeing at the Blacksmith's;" and after
they had looked at it for some time one was approaching nearer, when the
other in an agony of enthusiasm said: "For heaven's sake, don't go too
near, he will kick you." [Cheers and laughter.]
Well, gentlemen, I said that a public man must take great interest in
art, but I feel that the present Government has an apology to make to
one department of art, and that is to the sculptors; for there is an old
maxim denoting one of the high functions of art which is "_Ars est
celare artem_." Now there was a cellar in which the art of the most
distinguished sculptors was concealed to the utmost extent of the
application of that saying. We have brought them comparatively into
light; and if the sculptors will excuse us for having departed from that
sage and ancient maxim, I am sure the public will thank us for having
given them an opportunity of seeing those beautiful works of men of
which it may be said: "_Vivos ducunt de marmore vultus_." I trust,
therefore, the sculptors will excuse us for having done, not perhaps the
best they might have wished, but at least for having relieved them a
little from the darkness of that Cimmerian cellar in which their works
were hid. [Cheers.] I beg again to thank you, gentlemen, for the honor
you have done me in drinking my health. [Loud cheers.]