" (Loud applause.) Gentlemen, those words have never
passed from my mind; and I feel convinced that you have pardoned my
many errors, from the feeling that I was striving for the widow and
the fatherless. (Long and enthusiastic applause followed Mr. Murray's
address.)

Sir WALTER SCOTT gave "The Health of the Stewards."

Mr. VANDENHOFF.---Mr. President and Gentlemen, the honour conferred upon
the Stewards, in the very flattering compliment you have just paid us,
calls forth our warmest acknowledgments. In tendering you our thanks
for the approbation you have been pleased to express of our humble
exertions, I would beg leave to advert to the cause in which we have
been engaged. Yet, surrounded as I am by the genius--the eloquence--of
this enlightened city, I cannot but feel the presumption which ventures
to address you on so interesting a subject. Accustomed to speak in the
language of others, I feel quite at a loss for terms wherein to clothe
the sentiments excited by the present occasion. (Applause.) The nature
of the institution which has sought your fostering patronage, and the
objects which it contemplates, have been fully explained to you. But,
gentlemen, the relief which it proposes is not a gratuitous relief, but
to be purchased by the individual contribution of its members towards
the general good. This Fund lends no encouragement to idleness or
improvidence, but it offers an opportunity to prudence in vigour and
youth to make provision against the evening of life and its attendant
infirmity. A period is fixed at which we admit the plea of age as an
exemption from professional labour. It is painful to behold the veteran
on the stage (compelled by necessity) contending against physical decay,
mocking the joyousness of mirth with the feebleness of age, when the
energies decline, when the memory fails! and "the big, manly voice,
turning again towards childish treble, pipes and whistles in the sound."
We would remove him from the mimic scene, where fiction constitutes the
charm; we would not view old age caricaturing 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
gratify--desirous 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