"I have no doubt you will drink this toast in bumpers, particularly as this is the first dinner which has been given in aid of the Fund. I can assure 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 accumulated 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 destitute. 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. Tite, 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