Speeches and Addresses of H. R. H. the Prince of Wales: 1863-1888

The Prince, in responding, said: —

"Sir Francis Grant, your Royal Highnesses, my Lords, and Gentlemen, – I thank you most sincerely for the very kind manner in which you have proposed my health, that of the Princess of Wales, and the other members of the Royal Family, and for the cordial manner in which it has been received. I need hardly assure you that it is a source of sincere gratification for me to be present a second time at the annual dinner of the Royal Academy, more especially as I am enabled to have the opportunity of supporting you, Sir Francis, on the first occasion that you take the chair as President of the Royal Academy. Although we are assembled on a festive occasion, I cannot omit referring to the memory of one whose loss we must all deeply deplore. I allude to your late President, Sir Charles Eastlake. You Royal Academicians all knew him so well, and how justly popular he was for his many distinguished qualities, that it would be superfluous for me to pass any eulogy on his name. But I cannot forbear offering my small tribute to his merits, having always considered him as an old friend, and having known him, indeed, since my childhood. I now take the opportunity of thanking you, Sir Francis, for the very kind manner in which you have adverted to me in connection with art. I need not assure you that I shall always be most ready to do my little best in assisting to promote the welfare of art and science, and thus following the bright example of the Queen and my lamented father. I thank you, also, for the allusion you made to me as a brother of the 'brush.' Although, as I observed before, I will do my utmost to support art, still I am afraid I shall never be able to compete with you as a painter, but at the same time I shall always be ready to enter the lists with you in the hunting field as long as you do not attempt to ride over me at the first fence. With respect to the present Exhibition, it may, I think, be said that the pictures in a great measure not only show the progress of art, but record the times in which we live. Taken as a whole, the Exhibition is one of a peaceful character, and indicative of peace. There is only one picture to which I would refer which, at the present moment, bears anything of a warlike character – I mean 'Volunteers at a firing point,' in which there is a picture of a distinguished Highlander (Mr. Ross), a countryman of your own, who is represented as shooting for a prize. That is a very interesting picture, and it reminds us forcibly that the Volunteers who came forward for the protection of their country have not been required in that capacity, and are now employing their time usefully in the art of rifle shooting. Without further trespassing on your time, permit me once more to thank you for the manner in which you have proposed and drunk my health."

The Duke of Cambridge, in responding to the toast of the Army, referred to the distinction in art attained by the President, the brother of one already highly distinguished in arms, his friend Sir Hope Grant. Prince Alfred responded for the Navy.

An interesting fact, not generally known, was mentioned by Sir Francis Grant, who had been called the successor of Sir Charles Eastlake. Sir Edwin Landseer had been elected; and, although he could be only persuaded to retain the office for one week, the Academy had the proud satisfaction of knowing that his name is registered among its Presidents.

The other speeches at this banquet were of unusual interest, from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Earl Russell, and the Earl of Derby. Allusions were made to the loss of Lord Palmerston, and of Mr. Gibson, the sculptor, and also to the approaching marriage of the Princess Mary of Cambridge, for whom the Duke of Teck responded. The Earl of Derby made special reference to the National Exhibition of Portraits at South Kensington, interesting alike to the artist and to the student of history.

1867

After dinner, the customary loyal toasts were proposed and responded to, the President making special reference to the severe and protracted illness of the Princess of Wales, which they all deplored, with the trust that it would please God soon to restore her to perfect health. The Prince, on rising, was loudly applauded, and spoke with evident emotion, in witnessing the warm sympathy shown by the assembly: —

"Sir Francis Grant, your Royal Highness, my Lords, and Gentlemen, – I beg to tender you my warmest thanks for the very kind manner in which you have proposed and received the health of the Princess of Wales and myself. I feel sure she will be deeply gratified for the kind words you have this evening uttered, and I am glad to say that, although she has now for very nearly two months been kept to her room by a long and tedious illness, she is now progressing towards recovery. I know I can have no more pleasing announcement to make to her Royal Highness than to tell her of the very kind feeling which has always been exhibited to her since her first coming to this country. I beg also, Sir Francis, to thank you for the very kind manner in which you have alluded to the interest I take with regard to science and art. I need not tell you that I do take such an interest. If I may say so, I take the same interest which my parents have always taken, although I may not have the same experience or knowledge; still, I hope I shall always tread in their footsteps in that respect.

"I am flattered, Sir Francis, by your statement that I have shown an appreciation of art in becoming the possessor of a work by so celebrated an artist as Sir Edwin Landseer. I think it would be impossible to find at this table any one who would not feel the same appreciation of so admirable a work of art. I obtained the picture under somewhat peculiar circumstances. It had been painted for a private person who was kind enough to give it up to me. Sir Edwin Landseer, although he has been before the public for many years as a painter, has within the last two months achieved great distinction as a sculptor, and has produced one of the finest monuments of art that exist in this country. He kept us perhaps some time in waiting for his lions, but the result has certainly been a most magnificent one.

"With reference to the Exhibition now before us, I think I may say that for many years we have not seen a finer exhibition. The names of Grant, Watts, Millais, and others I need not particularise. Last year we had to mourn the loss of Sir C. Eastlake, and now we have to lament the departure from among us of another Royal Academician, Mr. Philip, to the vivid truthfulness of whose pictures from Spanish life I myself, from having been in Spain, can amply testify. I beg, my lords and gentlemen, again to thank you for the kind manner in which you have proposed and received my health, and the still kinder manner in which you have received the health of the Princess of Wales."

1870

The Royal Academy banquet for 1870 fell on the 30th of April.

Sir Francis Grant, the President, in proposing "The Health of the Queen," stated that Her Majesty had, in May of the previous year, conferred on the Academy the honour of visiting the new galleries in state, and was pleased to express her high approval. At that visit she gave commissions for pictures to several young artists of rising fame; and she presented to the Academy the beautiful marble bust of herself, executed by her accomplished daughter the Princess Louise.

In next proposing "The Health of the Prince and Princess of Wales and the rest of the Royal Family," the President said that they were all glad to welcome the Prince, for the first time, in the new galleries. "Last year His Royal Highness was well employed elsewhere visiting the historic wonders of ancient Egypt, accompanied by the Princess of Wales, whom we must all rejoice to see returned to this country in perfect health. It must be a gratifying circumstance to all Her Majesty's loyal subjects that the Royal Princes, her sons, are not too delicately reared, as Princes were of old, but are all manly English gentlemen and great travellers, who seek to elevate and enlarge their minds by studying the customs and policy of foreign nations, and to strengthen the cords of sympathy and loyalty which bind our colonies to the mother country. I read with pleasure of His Royal Highness recently presiding at a meeting of the Society of Arts, and the able sentiments he then expressed on the subject of education. I am glad also to learn that the Prince has succeeded the late lamented Lord Derby as President of the Royal Commission of 1851 – an institution, if I may so call it, which has done such great things for the progress of art, especially in connection with manufactures, and which owes so much, I might say entirely its great success, to the enlightened genius and active support of the Prince's illustrious father."

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 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."