Part 13 (1/2)
The Prince, in proposing the next toast, ”The Artists' Orphan Fund,”
said:--
”I have no doubt you will drink this toast in b.u.mpers, particularly as this is the first dinner which has been given in aid of the Fund. I can a.s.sure you it has given me much pleasure to come here and explain to you some of the chief points connected with this excellent charity. Being a charity in aid of orphans it is, you will agree with me, worthy of peculiar sympathy. It recommends itself still more to our notice when we reflect that it proposes to help the children of those who have done so much to elevate and refine art among us, and whose beautiful pictures have so often delighted us. Many persons may imagine that it is not difficult to be a painter, but the distinguished artists whom I see around me will, I am sure, agree with me that that it is a great mistake. To be a good painter genius is by no means all that is required. Industry and perseverance must also be exercised just as much as in the case of eminent clergymen, lawyers, scientific men, philosophers, or the members of any other branch of human exertion which we can name. Again, we must remember that, although a man may have been a successful painter, although his genius may have been recognized in other countries besides his own, and although he may have acc.u.mulated money in the course of long, laborious years, yet, being laid on a bed of sickness, that money may have dwindled away, and his children may be left entirely dest.i.tute.
This fund, then, is destined for the support of the orphans of such artists and for their education. No one particular school is to be set apart for education. The guardians of the children will be allowed to select the schools to which they shall go and no restrictions of any kind will be imposed upon them with respect to religion. I may add that the first idea of this fund came from a gentleman who offered to place a certain number of candidates in two schools which he himself established, and that he has since given to the charity the munificent donation of 900. My only regret is that, while we must all applaud the munificence of this gentleman, I am forbidden to mention his name. There is, however, another name with respect to which I need not be reticent, and which is well known to you all--I mean that of Sir W. t.i.te, who has given the large sum of 1000 to the fund. Now, I feel sure you will follow this good example, that you will support to the best of your ability this excellent charity, and that I need not urge upon you to sign freely the papers which have been placed before you. I may add that I am authorized by the Council to mention that a sum of 7000 has already been collected out of the 10,000 which are required, a result for which they beg to return their grateful thanks. But though the sum I have just named will enable them to carry out the immediate object of the fund, neither they nor any one else will have any objection to your adding considerably to that amount. I will not detain you longer, but while thanking you for your attention will again ask you to drink 'Prosperity and success to this most worthy charity.'”
The Prince of Wales then gave ”Prosperity to the Royal Academy,”
stating that ”the community at large took the greatest interest in that body of gentlemen, for to them we owe the elevated and cultivated taste with regard to painting and sculpture which now so widely prevailed in this country. The interests of the Royal Academy and of Art would, he felt sure, not suffer as long as they were confided to the care of Sir F. Grant, the distinguished President of that inst.i.tution.”
Sir F. Grant, in returning thanks, said the members of the Royal Academy were very glad to have it in their power to aid so excellent a charity, and that, in addition to the 500 which they had given last year to the orphanage in connection with it, they were ready to give on the present occasion a further donation of 1000. He begged, in conclusion, to propose ”Prosperity to the other Art Societies.” The toast was responded to by Mr. Clint, President of the Society of British Artists.
The Treasurer read a long list of subscriptions, amounting in all to 12,308, including a hundred guineas from the Royal Chairman.
ROYAL MASONIC INSt.i.tUTION FOR GIRLS.
_May 8th, 1871._
The annual festival of the Royal Masonic Inst.i.tution for Girls was held at Freemasons' Hall, Great Queen Street, on the 8th of May, 1871, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales presiding. The whole a.s.sembly in the hall was Masonic, the ladies being limited to the gallery of the Temple.
The Prince wore, besides his Royal and military Orders, the insignia of a Past Grand Master of the English craft, and around him, in full Masonic ”clothing,” according to their rank in the craft, were many distinguished members.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, in proposing ”The Queen,”
said:--
”The first toast which I have to give is the health of the patroness of our craft--Her Majesty the Queen, who has always identified herself so far with our Freemasonry as to extend her hand to all charities.”
Sir Patrick Colquhoun, with the Grand Master's gavel, proposed the toast of ”The Prince of Wales, the Princess of Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family.” He referred in feeling and touching terms to the loss lately sustained by the Prince and Princess, the death of an infant son on Good Friday, April 7, and he expressed the deep thankfulness of the brotherhood that the Princess was recovering her health.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, in responding for the toast, which had been received with loud applause, thanked the brethren, and said ”it gave him the greatest pleasure to be there, surrounded by the brethren of the craft to which he was proud to belong. He a.s.sured them that it was a proud day indeed to him when he became a Mason, and he should always do his utmost to be a worthy brother among them. He expressed, too, on the part of the Princess, his personal thanks to Sir Patrick for his touching remarks, and his thanks to the brethren for their sympathy. He was glad to announce that the Princess was restored to her accustomed health, and in a short time would be among them. It might be fitting then to announce that the Princess had consented to be the patroness of the inst.i.tution.”
The toast of ”Earl de Grey, the Grand Master,” was then proposed by the Royal President, and Lord Clonmell proposed ”The Past Grand Master, the Earl of Zetland.” ”The Deputy-Grand Master's Health” was proposed by Mr. C. Sykes, M.P., who dwelt upon the great zeal and ability the Earl of Carnarvon had shown in following Masonry.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, in proposing the toast of the evening, said, ”in general he felt diffidence in asking for subscriptions for charities over which he sometimes presided, but he had not such a feeling on that occasion, when he looked round and saw on all sides the brethren of the craft, for he knew that one of the main principles inculcated in the minds of Freemasons was charity. He knew that the brethren composing the vast a.s.semblage before him had come with one object, to support this excellent inst.i.tution. A very full and able report had been drawn up, and therefore it was not necessary for him to address them at any length. He might say, however, that the inst.i.tution was founded for the clothing, maintenance, and education of the daughters of decayed Freemasons, and it provided that the daughters of trustworthy Freemasons should not be left to the pangs of misery and ignorance. One important point was that it was supported entirely by voluntary contributions, and since its foundation in 1788 it had educated, clothed, and maintained nearly 1000 girls.
”It was specially interesting for him to be connected with that inst.i.tution, as his grand-uncle, George IV., when Prince of Wales, was an earnest supporter of it, and was present at its foundation.
”It had been the great object of the committee to give the girls a good, sound, simple, and useful education--not what it had become the fas.h.i.+on to consider education, but an education without any 'padding.' In these days education was more thought of than it was fifty years ago, and, indeed, it was the great topic of the day. But before this time the Freemasons were among the first to set a good example, and having set this good example early, it was their duty to keep it up. The committee, in order to test the standard of education given in those schools, entered some of the names of pupils for the Cambridge Local Examinations, and, with very few exceptions, these girls so entered had pa.s.sed the examinations with credit to themselves and to the inst.i.tution. The inst.i.tution was flouris.h.i.+ng in every respect. During the past year 100 girls had been received into the inst.i.tution, and as many had gone forth ready to take their place in the every-day life of men and women, well instructed in all the duties of the positions they would be called upon to fill. He urged that it had become necessary to build afresh, and as he had himself found that building could not be carried out for nothing, the subscriptions of the brethren were looked for to a.s.sist the committee.”
The secretary read the list of subscriptions, which included 100 guineas from His Royal Highness the Prince, and 25 guineas from the Princess, and though forty lists were not given in the subscriptions already received amounted to 5000. On a later page will be found the record of another anniversary, when the Prince presided, and when the subscriptions were about 50,000.
The year 1888 is the centenary of the Inst.i.tution, which flourishes, at St. John's Hill, Battersea Rise. The girls are admitted at eight years of age, and maintained until sixteen. There are nearly 250 in the school. The annual revenue, from all sources, is about 15,500.