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."