chronicles of the canongate-第7章

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caturing　itself。　　（Applause。）　　But　as　our　means　may　be　found；　in　time　of　need；　inadequate　to　the　fulfilment　of　our　wishes　fearful　of　raising　expectations　which　we　may　be　unable　to　gratifydesirous　not　〃to　keep　the　word　of　promise　to　the　ear；　and　break　it　to　the　hope〃we　have　presumed　to　court　the　assistance　of　the　friends　of　the　drama　to　strengthen　our　infant　institution。　　Our　appeal　has　been　successful　beyond　our　most　sanguine　expectations。　　The　distinguished　patronage　conferred　on　us　by　your　presence　on　this　occasion；　and　the　substantial　support　which　your　benevolence　has　so　liberally　afforded　to　our　institution；　must　impress　every　member　of　the　Fund　with　the　most　grateful　sentimentssentiments　which　no　language　can　express；　no　time　obliterate。　　（Applause。）　　I　will　not　trespass　longer　on　your　attention。　　I　would　the　task　of　acknowledging　our　obligation　had　fallen　into　abler　hands。　　（Hear；　hear。）　　In　the　name　of　the　Stewards；　I　most　respectfully　and　cordially　thank　you　for　the　honour　you　have　done　us；　which　greatly　overpays　our　poor　endeavours。　　（Applause。）

＇This　speech；　though　rather　inadequately　reported；　was　one　of　the　best　delivered　on　this　occasion。　　That　it　was　creditable　to　Mr。　Vandenhoff's　taste　and　feelings；　the　preceding　sketch　will　show；　but　how　much　it　was　so；　it　does　not　show。＇

Mr。　J。　CAY　gave　〃Professor　Wilson　and　the　University　of　Edinburgh；　of　which　he　was　one　of　the　brightest　ornaments〃

Lord　MEADOWBANK；　after　a　suitable　eulogium；　gave　〃The　Earl　of　Fife；〃　which　was　drunk　with　three　times　three。

Earl　FIFE　expressed　his　high　gratification　at　the　honour　conferred　on　him。　　He　intimated　his　approbation　of　the　institution；　and　his　readiness　to　promote　its　success　by　every　means　in　his　power。　　He　concluded　with　giving　〃The　Health　of　the　Company　of　Edinburgh。〃

Mr。　JONES；　on　rising　to　return　thanks；　being　received　with　considerable　applause；　said　he　was　truly　grateful　for　the　kind　encouragement　he　had　experienced；　but　the　novelty　of　the　situation　in　which　he　now　was　renewed　all　the　feelings　he　experienced　when　he　first　saw　himself　announced　in　the　bills　as　a　young　gentleman；　being　his　first　appearance　on　any　stage。　（Laughter　and　applause。）　Although　in　the　presence　of　those　whose　indulgence　had；　in　another　sphere；　so　often　shielded　him　from　the　penalties　of　inability；　he　was　unable　to　execute　the　task　which　had　so　unexpectedly　devolved　upon　him　in　behalf　of　his　brethren　and　himself。　　He　therefore　begged　the　company　to　imagine　all　that　grateful　hearts　could　prompt　the　most　eloquent　to　utter；　and　that　would　be　a　copy　of　their　feelings。　　（Applause。）　　He　begged　to　trespass　another　moment　on　their　attention；　for　the　purpose　of　expressing　the　thanks　of　the　members　of　the　Fund　to　the　Gentlemen　of　the　Edinburgh　Professional　Society　of　Musicians；　who；　finding　that　this　meeting　was　appointed　to　take　place　on　the　same　evening　with　their　concert；　had；　in　the　handsomest　manner；　agreed　to　postpone　it。　　Although　it　was　his　duty　thus　to　preface　the　toast　he　had　to　propose；　he　was　certain　the　meeting　required　no　further　inducement　than　the　recollection　of　the　pleasure　the　exertions　of　those　gentlemen　had　often　afforded　them　within　those　walls；　to　join　heartily　in　drinking　〃Health　and　Prosperity　to　the　Edinburgh　Professional　Society　of　Musicians。〃　　（Applause。）

Mr。　PAT。　ROBERTSON　Proposed　〃The　Health　of　Mr。　Jeffrey；〃　whose　absence　was　owing　to　indisposition。　　The　public　was　well　aware　that　he　was　the　most　distinguished　advocate　at　the　bar。　　He　was　likewise　distinguished　for　the　kindness；　frankness；　and　cordial　manner　in　which　he　communicated　with　the　junior　members　of　the　profession；　to　the　esteem　of　whom　his　splendid　talents　would　always　entitle　him。

Mr。　J。　MACONOCHIE　gave　〃The　Health　of　Mrs。　Siddons；　senior；　the　most　distinguished　ornament　of　the　stage。〃

Sir　W。　SCOTT　said　that　if　anything　could　reconcile　him　to　old　age；　it　was　the　reflection　that　he　had　seen　the　rising　as　well　as　the　setting　sun　of　Mrs。　Siddons。　　He　remembered　well　their　breakfasting　near　to　the　Theatrewaiting　the　whole　daythe　crushing　at　the　doors　at　six　o'clockand　their　going　in　and　counting　their　fingers　till　seven　o'clock。　　But　the　very　first　stepthe　very　first　word　which　she　utteredwas　sufficient　to　overpay　him　for　all　his　labours。　　The　house　was　literally　electrified；　and　it　was　only　from　witnessing　the　effects　of　her　genius　that　he　could　guess　to　what　a　pitch　theatrical　excellence　could　be　carried。　　Those　young　gentlemen　who　have　only　seen　the　setting　sun　of　this　distinguished　performer；　beautiful　and　serene　as　that　was；　must　give　us　old　fellows；　who　have　seen　its　rise　and　its　meridian；　leave　to　hold　our　heads　a　little　higher。

Mr。　DUNDAS　gave　〃The　Memory　of　Home；　the　author　of　Douglas。〃

Mr。　MACKAY　here　announced　that　the　subscriptions　for　the　night　amounted　to　L280；　and　he　expressed　gratitude　for　this　substantial　proof　of　their　kindness。　　＇We　are　happy　to　state　that　subscriptions　have　since　flowed　in　very　liberally。＇

Mr。　MACKAY　here　entertained　the　company　with　a　pathetic　song。

Sir　WALTER　SCOTT　apologized　for　having　so　long　forgotten　their　native　land。　　He　would　now　give　〃Scotland；　the　land　of　Cakes。〃　He　would　give　every　river；　every　loch；　every　hill；　from　Tweed　to　Johnnie　Groat's　houseevery　lass　in　her　cottage　and　countess　in　her　castleand　may　her　sons　stand　by　her；　as　their　fathers　did　before　them；　and　he　who　would　not　drink　a　bumper　to　his　toast；　may　he　never　drink　whisky　more！

Sir　WALTER　SCOTT　here　gave　〃Lord　Meadowbank；〃　who　returned　thanks。

Mr。　H。　G。　BELL　said　that　he　should　not　have　ventured　to　intrude　himself　upon　the　attention　of　the　assembly；　did　he　not　feel　confident　that　the　toast　he　begged　to　have　the　honour　to　propose　would　make　amends　for　the　very　imperfect　manner　in　which　he　might　express　his　sentiments　regarding　it。　　It　had　been　said　that；　notwithstanding　the　mental　supremacy　of　the　present　age　notwithstanding　that　the　page　of　our　history　was　studded　with　names　destined　also　for　the　page　of　immortalitythat　the　genius　of　Shakespeare　was　extinct；　and　the　fountain　of　his　inspiration　dried　up。　　It　might　be　that　these　observations　were　unfortunately　correct；　or　it　might　be　that　we　were　bewildered　with　a　name；　not　disappointed　of　the　reality；　for　though　Shakespeare　had　brought　a　Hamlet；　an　Othello；　and　a　Macbeth；　an　Ariel；　a　Juliet；　and　a　Rosalind；　upon　the　stage；　were　there　not　authors　living　who　had　brought　as　varied；　as　exquisitely　painted；　and　as　undying　a　range　of　characters　into　our　hearts？　　The　shape　of　the　mere　mould　into　which　genius　poured　its　golden　treasures　was　surely　a　matter　of　little　moment；　let　it　be　called　a　Tragedy；　a　Comedy；　or　a　Waverley　Novel。　　But　even　among　the　dramatic　authors　of　the　present　day；　he　was　unwilling　to　allow　that　there　was　a　great　and　palpable　decline　from　the　glory　of　preceding　ages；　and　his　toast　alone　would　bear　him　out　in　denying　the　truth　of　the　proposition。　After　eulogizing　the　names　of　Baillie；　Byron；　Coleridge；　Maturin；　and　others；　he　begged　to　have　the　honour　of　proposing　〃The　Health　of　James　Sheridan　Knowles。〃

Sir　WALTER　SCOTT。　　Gentlemen；　I　crave　a　bumper　all　over。　　The　last　toast　reminds　me　of　a　neglect　of　duty。　　Unaccustomed　to　a　public　duty　of　this　kind；　errors　in　conducting　the　ceremonial　of　it　may　be　excused；　and　omissions　pardoned。　　Perhaps　I　have　made　one　or　two　omissions　in　the　course　of　the　evening　for　which　I　trust　you　will　grant　me　your　pardon　and　indulgence。　　One　thing　in　particular　I　have　omitted；　and　I　would　now　wish　to　make　amends　for　it　by　a　libation　of　reverence　and　respect　to　the　memory　of　SHAKESPEARE。　　He　was　a　man　of　universal　genius；　and　from　a　period　soon　after　his　own　era　to　the　present　day　he　has　been　universally　idolized。　　When　I　come　to　his　honoured　name；　I　am　like　the　sick　man　who　hung　up　his　crutches　at　the　shrine；　and　was　obliged　to　confess　that　he　did　not　walk　better　than　before。　　It　is　indeed　difficult；　gentlemen；　to　compare　him　to　any　other　individual。　The　only　one　to　whom　I　call　at　all　compare　him　is　the　wonderful　Arabian　dervise；　who　dived　into　the　body　of　each；　and　in　this　way　became　familiar　with　the　thoughts　and　secrets　of　their　hearts。　He　was　a　man　of　obscure　origin；　and；　as　a　player；　limited　in　his　acquirements；　but　he　was　born　evidently　with　a　universal　genius。　His　eyes　glanced　at　all　the　varied　aspects　of　life；　and　his　fancy　portrayed　with　equal　talents　the　king　on　the　throne　and　the　clown　who　crackles　his　chestnuts　at　a　Christmas　fire。　　Whatever　note　he　takes；　he　strikes　it　just　and　true；　and　awakens　a　corresponding　chord　in　our　own　bosoms；　Gentlemen；　I　propose　〃The　Memory　of　William　Shakespeare。〃

Glee〃Lightly　tread；　'tis　hallowed　ground。〃

After　the　glee；　Sir　WALTER　rose　and　begged　to　propose　as　a　toast　the　health　of　a　lady；　whose　living　merit　is　not　a　little　honourable　to　Scotland。　　The　toast　（said　he）　is　also　flattering　to　the　national　vanity　of　a　Scotchman；　as　the　lady　whom　I　intend　to　propose　is　a　native　of　this　country。　　From　the　public　her　works　have　met　with　the　most　favourable　reception。　　One　piece　of　hers；　in　particular；　was　often　acted　here　of　late　years；　and　gave　pleasure　of　no　mean　kind　to　many　brilliant　and　fashionable　audiences。　　In　her　private　character　she　（he　begged　leave　to　say）　is　as　remarkable　as　in　a　public　sense　she　is　for　her　genius。　　In　short；　he　would　in　one　word　name〃Joanna　Baillie。〃

This　health　being　drunk；　Mr。　THORNE　was　called　on　for　a　song；　and　sung；　with　great　taste　and　feeling；　〃The　Anchor's　Weighed。〃

W。　MENZIES；　Esq。；　Advocate；　rose　to　propose　the　health　of　a　gentleman　for　many　years　connected　at　intervals　with　the　dramatic　art　in　Scotland。　　Whether　we　look　at　the　range　of　characters　he　performs；　or　at　the　capacity　which　he　evinces　in　executing　those　which　he　undertakes；　he　is　equally　to　he　admired。　　In　all　his　parts　he　is　unrivalled。　　The　individual　to　whom　he　alluded　is　（said　he）　well　known　to　the　gentlemen　present；　in　the　characters　of　Malvolio；　Lord　Ogleby；　and　the　Green　Man；　and　in　addition　to　his　other　qualities；　he　merits；　for　his　perfection　in　these　characters；　the　grateful　sense　of　this　meeting。　　He　would　wish；　in　the　first　place；　to　drink　his　health　as　an　actor。　　But　he　was　not　less　estimable　in　domestic　life；　and　as　a　private　gentleman；　and　when　he　announced　him　as　one　whom　the　chairman　had　honoured　with　his　friendship；　he　was　sure　that　all　present　would　cordially　join　him　in　drinking　〃The　Health　of　Mr。　Terry。〃

Mr。　WILLIAM　ALLAN；　banker；　said　that　he　did　not　rise　with　the　intention　of　making　a　speech。　　He　merely　wished　to　contribute　in　a　few　words　to　the　mirth　of　the　eveningan　evening　which　certainly　had　not　passed　off　without　some　blunders。　　It　had　been　understoodat　least　he　had　learnt　or　supposed　from　the　expressions　of　Mr。　Pritchardthat　it　would　be　sufficient　to　put　a　paper；　with　the　name　of　the　contributor；　into　the　box；　and　that　the　gentleman　thus　contributing　would　be　called　on　for　the　money　next　morning。　　He；　for　his　part；　had　committed　a　blunder　but　it　might　serve　as　a　caution　to　those　who　may　be　present　at　the　dinner　of　next　year。　　He　had　merely　put　in　his　name；　written　on　a　slip　of　paper；　without　the　money。　　But　he　would　recommend　that；　as　some　of　the　gentlemen　might　be　in　the　same　situation；　the　box　should　be　again　sent　round；　and　he　was　confident　that　they；　as　well　as　he