beg to tender you my warmest thanks for the kind way in which
this toast has been proposed and received. It has afforded me
great gratification once more to attend the hospitable board of
the Royal Academy, and especially as I have this evening for the
first time had the pleasure of dining in these new rooms. As the
President has remarked, he was kind enough last year to invite
me to inaugurate these rooms, but, being abroad, I was
unfortunately unable to do so. I regret it, especially as that
was the one hundredth anniversary of the Royal Academy. I think
I may be allowed to congratulate the President and all the Royal
Academicians on the Exhibition of this year. Of course, every
artist strives each succeeding year to produce still better
pictures and statues, and I think the Academicians have no
reason to complain on the present occasion. We must regret, as I
am sure all Academicians will, the death of Mr. Maclise, and it
is with feelings of sorrow that we shall now for the last time
see a picture of his adorn these walls. The President has kindly
alluded to me as having recently presided at a meeting of the
Society of Arts, and I cannot but thank him for the compliment
he has paid me in connection with the observations I made upon
that occasion. It afforded me great pleasure to preside at that
meeting, and, although my position as President of the Society
is to a certain extent an honorary one, I promise that I shall
be ready on every occasion to come forward and give as much time
as I can in promoting any of its very important objects. I beg
also to thank the President for having alluded to me as
President of the Commission of 1851. It is with deep regret that
I have had to succeed one whose presence we must all miss on
occasions like these--one whose name can never be forgotten in
the country's history, and who always took the highest interest
in the welfare of all our great institutions, and more
especially those connected with art--I allude to the late
lamented Lord Derby. My lords and gentlemen, I assure you the
Princess of Wales will be highly gratified to hear how kindly on
this, as on every other public occasion, you have received her
name and health, and I beg to thank you for the kind manner in
which you have listened to the few remarks I have made."
The usual toasts were afterwards given, and responded to by eminent men,
including Mr. Motley, the American Minister, and Charles Dickens.
_1871._
At the Royal Academy banquet of 1871, the President, Sir Francis Grant,
in proposing "The Health of Her Majesty the Queen," referred to the
recent opening of the Albert Hall, a proceeding which, in some degree,
tended towards the realisation of the late Prince Consort's constant
efforts for the promotion of Science and Art in this kingdom.
In proposing "The Health of the Prince and Princess of Wales and the
rest of the Royal family," Sir Francis referred to the zeal of the
Prince in the encouragement of Art, and said that he was shortly to
preside on two different occasions in connection with Art, at the
opening of the International Exhibition, and at the dinner of the
Artists' General Benevolent Institution.
The Prince, in responding, said:--
"I feel very much touched by the kind way in which you, Sir
Francis, proposed my health, and this company received it, and I
beg also to thank you for the very kind terms in which you
alluded to the name of the Princess, who, I am confident, will
be deeply gratified by the kind way in which you alluded to her
name and the company have received this toast. You have referred
to the opening of the International Exhibition next Monday, and
I sincerely trust that the opening of that series of Exhibitions
may be as successful as the others which preceded it, and that
the promotion of science and art may be carried forward by the
means of these numerous Exhibitions. It is always a great
pleasure for me to meet you here at this annual gathering, to
see so many distinguished and celebrated persons, and to be
surrounded on all sides by the pictures of the most celebrated
artists of our own country, and also, by the permission of the
Academicians, by the pictures of the most distinguished foreign
artists. I feel sure that the artists of this country take it as
a great compliment that these pictures should be sent here for
exhibition. With respect to the present Exhibition, it must
strike all of us on looking around these walls that some
pictures are wanting--pictures from an artist whose health, I
fear, is failing, although I am sure we all hope most heartily
he may yet be spared to us; still we do miss the pictures of Sir
Edwin Landseer. Gratifying as it must be for distinguished
artists to see their pictures exhibited, and to hear the remarks
made on them by critics and others, there are two beautiful
drawings in this Exhibition of which, alas! the artists will
never hear the praise that may be bestowed upon them, and I feel
sure that it will not be considered out of place if on this
occasion I offer my condolence to the Royal Academicians for the
absence of one of their number, and the cause of it in the
terrible bereavement he has sustained (alluding to the death of
the son of Mr. Goodall, R.A.). My lords and gentlemen, I thank
you for listening to these few remarks, and as many speeches
have to be made I will not trespass further upon your attention
than by again thanking you for the very kind manner in which my
health and that of the Princess have been received by this
distinguished assembly."
_1874._
The chief interest of the evening was in the speech of Sir Garnet
Wolseley, the "hero of Coomassie." His health was proposed by the Prince
of Wales, who said he would have preferred that the toast should have
been given by some one better qualified, but that he felt it a pleasure
and honour to fulfil the duty laid on him by the President.
The Duke of Cambridge, in responding for the Army and Navy, had in very
happy terms also referred to the services of Sir Garnet Wolseley, who in
his speech gave well-merited praise to the Commander-in-Chief, for his
efforts to raise the standard of military education.
Returning to earlier proceedings of the evening, the President of the
Academy, Sir Francis Grant, in proposing "The Health of the Prince and
the Princess of Wales and the other members of the Royal Family,"
said:--"It is a subject of infinite satisfaction to the members of the
Royal Academy to observe the unmistakable and earnest love of art which
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales manifests on all occasions.
Notwithstanding the numerous calls that are made on the time of His
Royal Highness, to which he assiduously responds, we learn through the
Press of his occasionally visiting the studios of some of our leading
artists, thus honouring and encouraging Art in the most gratifying
manner. We have also to thank the Prince for the active assistance he
gave us in promoting the success of the Landseer Exhibition. It was
owing to his personal influence that we are enabled to thank his
Majesty the King of the Belgians for two beautiful pictures sent from
the royal collection at Brussels, and also his Serene Highness the Duke
of Coburg, who sent from Coburg one work of great interest, and besides
several other valuable pictures, one of Van Amburgh and the Lions, the
property of his Grace the Duke of Wellington, a picture that possesses
this special interest, that the subject was suggested and the picture
commissioned by the Duke's illustrious father. I am glad to be able to
announce that the Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied by the Duke
and Duchess of Edinburgh and the other members of the Royal Family,
honoured the Exhibition with their presence on Thursday. I hope the
Prince will forgive me for the liberty I take, if I venture to mention
that we members of the Academy always witness with pleasure the honest
and zealous way in which both the Prince and Princess go over the
Exhibition, beginning catalogue with pencil in hand, at No. 1, and
working steadily through all the galleries. It cannot but be gratifying,
even to the humblest artist who is so fortunate as to obtain a place on
these walls, to know that he has good reason to hope that his labours
will not escape the observation of the Prince and Princess of Wales."
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, who was received with much
cheering, said:--
"Mr. President, your Royal Highness, my Lords, and Gentlemen,--I
beg to thank you for the very kind manner in which you, Sir
Francis, have proposed my health with that of the Princess of
Wales and the other members of the Royal Family, and for the
cordial way in which you, my lords and gentlemen, have been
pleased to receive it. I can assure you, Sir Francis, and the
members of the Royal Academy, that it affords me the greatest
pleasure and satisfaction to have been able to accept your kind
invitation. It is now two years since I had the opportunity of
partaking of your hospitality, and you may be sure that whenever
I am able to come to the Royal Academy it will always give me
the greatest pleasure. Sir Francis Grant has been kind enough to
allude to me with reference to the Exhibition at the Royal
Academy of pictures by his late distinguished and
never-to-be-surpassed colleague, Sir Edwin Landseer. I will only
say that any efforts of mine--the efforts were but small, but
such as they were, any efforts I could make--were most
cheerfully devoted to give the country the opportunity of seeing
those magnificent works, some of which, having for many years
been in the possession of their proprietors, had not been
placed before the eyes of the public. It gave me very great
pleasure to help in any way such an exhibition. Thanks to the
efforts of the President and the members of the Royal Academy,
that exhibition was a great success, and afforded the utmost
interest and pleasure to all who saw it. I feel assured that you
must all deeply deplore the loss of that great man. Last year he
was still living, though, alas! his health was such that it was
impossible for him to come among his colleagues as he used to
do. At any rate, he lived to render his name illustrious, and we
can never hope to see his fame excelled. Sir Francis, I hope you
will allow me to congratulate you on this most excellent
Exhibition. When we see these walls surrounded with
pictures--when we look at the catalogue and see the names of
yourself, of Messrs. Millais, Leighton, Prinsep, Watts, Ward,
Frith, Graves, Calderon, Sant, Alma-Tadema, and many others I
might mention, it is unnecessary to say that we have here a
collection of pictures of the greatest artists which this
country can produce. I am glad to take this opportunity of
saying that I hope those gentlemen who have come to the Royal
Academy on this occasion have not forgotten to look at one
picture in the next room, which I think well deserves attention.
It is numbered 142 in the catalogue, and is entitled 'Calling
the Roll after an Engagement in the Crimea.' This picture,
painted by a young lady who, I am given to understand, is not
yet twenty-three, is deserving of the highest admiration, and I
am sure she has before her a great future as an artist. In the
next room, the Lecture Room, is a statue of 'A Horse and his
Master,' by Boehm, which I am confident all who take an interest
in sculpture will agree with me is one of the finest pieces of
sculpture of modern times. The name of the artist is so well
known that it is superfluous for me to make any remarks upon it.
I only hope that at no very distant day he will have the
privilege of writing R.A. after his name. My lords and
gentlemen, I beg to thank you for the very kind way in which
this toast has been proposed and accepted by this distinguished
company."
The marked way in which the Prince called attention to the now
celebrated picture of "The Roll Call" was a generous tribute to rising
merit. The young artist thus signalised has more than fulfilled the
anticipations formed of her. The name of Elizabeth Thompson soon became
distinguished in Art, and she continues to excel in depicting military
scenes, now that her name, Lady Butler, is associated with that of a
most gallant and distinguished officer, Sir William Butler, K.C.B. The
praise bestowed on "The Roll Call" by the Duke of Cambridge was equally
hearty, and was a high compliment as coming from the head of the British
Army.
_May, 1875._
The President, Sir Francis Grant, in proposing "The Health of the
Queen," referred to Her Majesty's constant and cordial encouragement of
Art. "In carrying out our Winter Exhibition of the Ancient Masters, Her
Majesty has always given us her cordial support; and I hope I may be
allowed to remind you that last year, when we held an exhibition
exclusively of the works of the late Sir Edwin Landseer, the Queen was
so kind as to contribute no fewer than sixty works by that eminent
artist. For that and other gracious acts the Academy desire to record
their grateful acknowledgments."
On giving the toast of "The Prince and Princess of Wales and the other
members of the Royal Family," Sir Francis Grant said:--"I beg to assure
His Royal Highness that the members of the Royal Academy are very
sensible of the honour he confers on us by his presence on this as on
many former occasions. They especially value the compliment as an
additional proof of the interest His Royal Highness has at all times
manifested in the promotion and encouragement of Art. I am glad to say
the Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied by the Duke and Duchess of
Edinburgh and other members of the Royal Family, honoured the Exhibition
with their presence on Thursday, and after their usual careful
examination of the works of Art were pleased to express their
approbation. We cannot but be impressed by the cordial and zealous
manner in which both the Princess and the Prince fulfil the many onerous
duties which devolve on their exalted position. We can scarcely take up
a newspaper without reading of their Royal Highnesses performing some
public duty or lending their presence for the support of some charitable
institution, combining as they do this honourable desire to do good with
the most gracious manner--a graciousness which, I venture to say, does
not proceed from mere courtly education, but from the genuine impulses
of good and noble natures."
The toast was drunk with all the honours, and His Royal Highness, who
was received with much cheering, said:--
"My Lords and Gentlemen,--For the exceedingly kind manner in
which my health and that of the Princess of Wales have been
proposed by you, Sir Francis, and received by the company here
present allow me to return my most sincere thanks. The President
of the Royal Academy and the Royal Academicians may be assured
that it affords us the greatest pleasure on all occasions to
come to the Royal Academy, to attend their annual Exhibition. I
am sure, Sir Francis, that you and your brother Academicians
have no cause to complain of the Exhibition this year. I am
certain that all who have any knowledge of Art will agree with
me that this is a very fine Exhibition, in no way inferior to
any of its predecessors. For myself, I will only say that it
affords me the greatest gratification to be present on an
occasion when one meets with the most distinguished men--men of
the highest position and talent, surrounded by all that is most
beautiful in Art. I beg to return my best acknowledgments for
the kind manner in which you have received the health of the
Princess of Wales, of myself, and of the other members of the
Royal Family, and I sincerely hope, that on many future
occasions I may have the happiness to be present at the annual
gatherings of the Royal Academy."
In responding for the Army, the Duke of Cambridge referred with high
praise to the picture of "The Last Muster," and also to that of the
young lady who has again distinguished herself by a military picture,
"The Square of the 28th Regiment at the Battle of Quatre Bras," and also
the picture by a foreign artist in another room delineating an historic
"Charge at Waterloo."
In speaking of the Navy, the President said that Mr. Brassey had
presented to the nation the fine picture of the _Devastation_. "I
believe," said Sir Francis, "this is the first representation of an
ironclad that has found a place on these walls--a picture of the
_Devastation_--of which the genius of the talented artist has made quite
a picturesque object by concealing more than half the vessel in smoke,
and adorning what remains with a variety of flags."
_1879._
After having missed the anniversary festival at Burlington House for
four years, mainly on account of pressing work, partly in connection
with Art, the Prince of Wales honoured the President and Council by his
presence on the 3rd of May, 1879. There was the customary number of
Royal and distinguished guests, but another President now filled the
Chair, and other changes were witnessed among the Academicians.
Sir Frederick Leighton, in proposing "The Health of the Queen," said
that, "as members of the Royal Academy, we acclaim in this toast the
head and immediate patron of this institution--a patron whose patronage
has been for forty years not formal merely, but whose interest in its
well-being has constantly shown and still shows itself in acts of
gracious and enlightened generosity and high examples of support, a
generosity and support the fruits of which were but a few weeks ago
again magnificently evident on our walls. Deep gratitude, therefore,
mingles with loyalty in the toast which I have now the honour to
propose--'The Health of Her Majesty the Queen.'"
The President said of the Prince of Wales, that "his absence for a time
had not been caused by any diminution of the interest which he has ever
evinced in this Academy and in the arts which are its care, but, on the
two last occasions at least, by the performance of self-imposed and
onerous duties in which the furtherance of English Art had no small
share. Those who had the honour to co-operate with His Royal Highness in
the work to which I allude--and not a few are seated at this table--know
by experience with what steadfast zeal and devotion and with what
inexhaustible kindness in his dealings with all he carried it out; but
no one, perhaps, so well as myself knows how desirous the Prince of
Wales has been throughout that English Art should receive at the
International Exhibition that recognition and honour which in his view
it deserved, and which in the event was measured out to it by the
opinion of Europe." The Princess of Wales, as all knew, co-operated with
never-failing grace with the Prince in fulfilling the duties of their
high station. As to the other members of the Royal Family, "all had
grown up in the love of arts, and several of them practise one or other
of those arts with enthusiasm and with marked success. I give 'The
Prince and Princess of Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family.'"
The Prince, in responding, said:--
"Sir Frederick Leighton, your Royal Highnesses, my Lords, and
Gentlemen,--I am very grateful for the excessively kind manner
in which this toast has been proposed and received by this large
and distinguished company. As the President, Sir Frederick
Leighton, has said, it is four years since I last had the
advantage of being present at your annual celebration. It was a
matter of great regret to me that so long a time should elapse,
but it has given me great pleasure to come here to-night and
take part in your proceedings. During those four years events
have occurred in the history of the Royal Academy which have
awakened deep regret. The members of the Royal Academy--I may
say all who sit at these tables--feel that they lost a friend in
the death of Sir Francis Grant, who so long presided with so
much geniality and kindness at these anniversaries. But of the
Academy, as of Royalty, it may be said, '_Le Roi est mort! Vive
le Roi!_' The President is dead; another President is elected.
Sir Frederick Leighton is an old friend of mine--a friend of
upwards of twenty years' standing. I congratulate him most
cordially and sincerely on the high office he now holds. I may
also congratulate the Royal Academy on having such a man to
preside over their meetings.
"I have to return my thanks, and those of my colleagues, to Sir
F. Leighton for the able assistance he has rendered during the
recent International Exhibition in Paris. Your President was
unanimously elected chairman of the Section of Fine Arts, and he
presided over a jury of at least forty members, and I think we
have every reason to congratulate ourselves on the results.
"Let me now congratulate you, Sir Frederick, and the Royal
Academy generally, on the magnificent Exhibition which we see
before us this evening. I have not yet had sufficient time to
enable me to speak to its merits, but I hope on some future
occasion to have the opportunity of going over it more
carefully. I thank you again for the kind way in which my health
and that of the Princess of Wales have been proposed and for the
very warm reception you have given me."
The Duke of Cambridge, in responding for the Army, referred to wars now
being carried on in different parts of the world. He also spoke with
praise of two pictures in this year's Exhibition by Miss Thompson. Mr.
W. H. Smith spoke for the Navy. Lord Beaconsfield responded for Her
Majesty's Ministers, Mr. Froude for Literature, the Lord Chief Justice
for the Guests, and the Lord Mayor for the Corporation of London. The
Lord Chief Justice (Sir Alexander Cockburn) gave an eloquent description
of the chief works of Sir Frederick Leighton, beginning with the
"Procession of Cimabue," nearly a quarter of a century ago, from which
men felt that "a new genius had arisen who was to add to the lustre and
renown of British Art." Sir Frederick Leighton, in his concluding
speech, paid a generous tribute to the memory of Sir Francis Grant, and
also of Mr. E. M. Ward, in whom the Academy had lost "one of the few
artists who made the history of our country a constant subject for
study."
_1880._
At the annual banquet in 1880, the President, Sir Frederick Leighton,
paid to the Prince of Wales a handsome compliment when he said: "Sir,
of the graces by which your Royal Highness has won and firmly retains
the affectionate attachment of Englishmen, none has operated more
strongly than the width of your sympathies; for there is no honourable
sphere in which Englishmen move, no path of life in which they tread,
wherein your Royal Highness has not, at some time, by graceful word or
deed, evinced an enlightened interest." Coming from Sir Frederick
Leighton, this was not the mere language of flattery.
In replying, the Prince, after expressing his sincerest thanks, said:--
"Year by year the members of my family and myself receive
invitations to take part in the proceedings at this anniversary
banquet. You can therefore well understand that I find some
difficulty in replying to the toast. At the same time I can
assure the President and the members of the Academy that, though
year by year we visit these exhibitions and take part at these
banquets, the interest we take in them does not in any way
diminish. I may be allowed to congratulate him and his
colleagues on the very great success of this Exhibition. I had
the opportunity two or three days ago of going through these
rooms, and, though I do not profess to be in any way an art
critic, I am quite sure they have no reason to fear any
criticism upon the works of art which adorn these walls.
"I have been charged by my brothers, who generally take part in
this day's proceedings, to express their great regret that they
have not been able to be present. My brother, the Duke of
Edinburgh, has been for the last five or six weeks absent on
duty in Ireland, where he is employed on an important and, I
trust, useful mission, not only as Admiral Superintendent of the
Naval Reserve, but in doing what he can to relieve the distress
which exists in Ireland. He has lately had the opportunity of
taking the supplies for distribution on the West Coast from that
gallant ship the _Constitution_, sent over by our American
cousins, so nobly and generously, to afford relief to their
distressed brethren in Ireland. In a letter I received from him
two days ago he says the distress still exists, and both food
and clothing are much wanted; in many instances the corn is not
yet sown. I will not touch more upon this topic, and I should
not have mentioned it had I not been particularly requested to
do so."
_1881._
At the banquet of 1881, the most notable incident was the special toast
in honour of Sir Frederick Roberts. The President, Sir Frederick
Leighton, said that "it was unusual at that table to single out a guest,
however distinguished, when the profession to which he belongs has
already been made the subject of a toast. But the brilliant achievements
of Sir Frederick Roberts, especially the now famous march from Cabul to
Candahar, had stirred all hearts." Sir Frederick, while grateful for the
hearty welcome, spoke of the services of Sir Donald Stewart, and said
that officers and men were all animated by one spirit--to do their duty,
and to uphold the honour of their Queen and country.
Other events, that had occurred since their last assembly, were touched
upon by the Prince of Wales, in responding to the toast with which his
name is usually associated at these banquets. He said:--