ns of this country, are no doubt, with
so many widely differing musical characteristics by birthright, that it
is not at all unreasonable even for the most modest among them--and this
virtue still attaches to some, I should say, to all, of them--build
great hopes of a definitely distinct British music, such as you, Sir
John [Millais], doubtless had in your mind when you honored our art by
proposing this toast; such our very best painters would willingly hail
and acknowledge; such as your own Academy would welcome in that genial
manner which for many years past it has so generously taught us to
expect. [Cheers.]

WILLIAM CHARLES MACREADY

FAREWELL TO THE STAGE

[Speech of William C. Macready at a farewell banquet given in his honor,
London, March 1, 1851, on the occasion of his retirement from the
stage. Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton acted as chairman. He said:
"Gentlemen, I cannot better sum up all I would say than by the words
which the Roman orator applied to the actor of his day, and I ask you
if I may not say of our guest as Cicero said of Roscius, 'He is a man
who unites yet more of virtues than of talents, yet more of truth than
of art, and who, having dignified the scene by various portraitures of
human life, dignifies yet more this assembly by the example of his
own.' [Great applause.] Gentlemen, the toast I am about to propose to
you is connected with many sad associations, but not to-day. Later and
long will be cherished whatever may be sad of these mingled feelings
that accompany this farewell,--later when night after night we shall
miss from the play-bill the old familiar name, and feel that one
source of elevated delight is lost to us forever. ["Hear! Hear!"]
To-day let us only rejoice that he whom we so prize and admire is no
worn-out veteran retiring to a rest he can no longer enjoy
[cheers]--that he leaves us in the prime of his powers, with many
years to come, in the course of nature, of that dignified leisure for
which every public man must have sighed in the midst of his triumphs;
and though we cannot say of him that his 'way of life is fall'n with
the sere, the yellow leaf,' yet we can say that he has prematurely
obtained 'that which should accompany old age, as honor, love,
obedience, troops of friends'--[cheers]--and postponing for this night
all selfish regrets, not thinking of the darkness that is to follow,
but of the brightness of the sun