Hem! Gentlemen: I was born at a very early period of my existence; or, to speak with greater perspicuity, it is now fifteen years ago since I came into the world. My parents were some Ladies and Gentlemen engaged in literary and dramatic pursuits, who, observing that Mr. and Mrs. Drury-lane, and Mr. and Mrs. Coventgarden possessed two very fine children, but which children had grown so enormously fat, through keeping all the good things that were given them entirely to themselves, without allowing any of their playfellows in the neighbourhood to have the smallest taste of their pudding, or their apple, my parents came to the determination to have a baby of their own (cheers and laughter), who should be reared and educated in such liberal principles, that when it might obtain something nice, every boy and girl in the country should come forward and have a taste, provided they asked in a proper manner.— (Cheers.) On my first appearance in the world, I was looked upon as rather a sickly child. Mr. and Mrs. Drury-lane and Mr. and Mrs. Covent-garden gave it as their opinion that I could not live; or, if I should perchance exist for a short time, there would be so many hungry ragamuffins to snatch everything out of my hand, that I should perish for want of proper nutriment. However, Gentlemen, in spite of such forebodings, though I was very small at my birth-(laughter)-as many a subsequently great person has often been at that period, I daily increased in size and strength, so carefully was I watched and so well was I nursed. Indeed, nothing could be better than the latter. One of my best nurses is present at this moment, and I can gratefully declare, how

ever, from month to month that excellent person may have sent out such creatures to other people, that excellent person was never a Mrs. Gamp to me.— -(Laughter.) After years of great care, I was discovered to be rather a strong fellow, so much so, that when I occasionally encountered the two big boys of Drury-lane and Coventgarden, I was enabled to give them a thrashing. At last they were both afraid to come out of doors, for one of them has not been seen for several years, and I don't think that the other intends to show himself at present. -(Cheers.) When I attained the age of eight, my parents gave a good dinner, and put me out 'prentice, and once every year since that time they have continued the pleasant practice, when I have been introduced to my friends, who have greatly rejoiced to see how I continued to grow. On each of these occasions my friends always did something handsome for me, till at last the good and gracious Queen of this country hearing much talk of me, and finding that I was an honest, hard-working, liberal fellow, did something handsome for me too, and continues to do so till this day. (Cheers and laughter.) As this is the Seventh Anniversary of my being put 'prentice, according to the usual terms of such indentures, I am out of my time this evening. I trust, during the period of my service, I have given satisfaction, because I am now about to commence business for myself; and when I tell you that I am master of a capital of nearly seven thousand pounds, I think you will acknowledge that I have every prospect of success in life— added to which, my friends have obtained me a Royal Charter, that will enable me to place my savings out to

much more advantage than I have hitherto done—as it is fit I should inform you that my present capital is invested in the somewhat Utopian attempt to reduce the national debt.-(Laughter.) But now, Gentlemen, by virtue of my Charter I can become a landed proprietor to a very large amount per annum; I can invest my money in the best government and other securities that may present themselves; I can receive legacies; I am, from this day, quite equal in importance to the two big boys I have alluded to; and altogether I have every likelihood of becoming a prosperous gentleman. I have already received notice of one benefit to be derived in consequence of the power so given to me-our old and esteemed friend, Mr. T. P. Cooke, having made his will and left me a legacy of £1,000, with contingent advantages (Loud and prolonged cheers)—“ sweet William” has indeed proved true to his early love.-(Cheers.) You will remember that at the annual dinner given me by my parents and friends, I informed you, the latter had always done something handsome for me, I hope on this occasion they will do something handsomer than ever-for the proud position I have achieved, has not been without an 66 alarming sacrifice" (for my Charter has cost full five hundred pounds); but which I am convinced your liberality this evening will greatly lessen. You also well know that a man, however prosperous in life, will always have some poor relations, and when I inform you that I am already providing for six, to each of whom I allow from £30 to £60 per annum, besides having paid the funeral expenses of many, and given money to their families, I am con

vinced you will do all in your power to encourage so good a young man.—( (Cheers.) And now, having related my autobiography, Mr. Buckstone will resume his own position, and continue his address as my Treasurer.(Cheers.) Gentlemen, though Mr. General Fund, in speaking for himself, may have been a little egotistical, yet I can assure you every word he has uttered is true, and that a more deserving and a more promising person never presented himself to beg your favours. His very pardonable exultation, as regards Drury-lane and Coventgarden, might perhaps have been a little subdued, because those institutions, though compelled to be limited in their circle of benevolence, have given comfort and independence to many a public favourite, while to their existence are we indebted for our own, as Jonathan in America owes his origin to John Bull in England, and with precisely the same propensity to bully his big brother. I have great pleasure in thus slightly alluding to the excellence of the great funds, because there are some valued friends of mine connected with them, who are present this evening with a generous desire to help us, and I only regret that dramatic affairs of late have not given them that consequence they formerly enjoyed. (Loud cheers.) And now, Gentlemen, let me hope you will not forget your usual liberality this evening, and that our worthy Secretary may announce in his customary well-toned and manly voice, some substantial donations. Remember for whom it is we plead. For the declining Actor, the Singer, the Dancer, and the Pantomimist in town and country, for those whose best days have been passed in the effort to instruct and amuse you, and the

time has been, to fight for you; for it is well-known that in the ranks of Charles the First, and also of William the Third, there were many actor-soldiers who were good men and true; and at this day, Gentlemen, when invasion has been talked of, and rifle corps contemplated, think of what service a body of good broadswordsmen might be, such as we have amongst us; fancy them advancing to an enemy, and asking in an undertone, "how he would like to have it?" whether in eights or flemishes, with preens, passes, shoulder blows, and head blows; and as in such combats we always contrive to kill the villain at last, you may easily guess who would get the worst of the encounter.-(Cheers and laughter.) In conclusion, Gentlemen, I must again thank our kind and excellent Chairman, and also our ever-visible Trustee and friend, Mr. Charles Dickens, whose re-appearance at this festive board we can always calculate upon as regularly as the astronomers can reckon upon the return of a comet, though, luckily for us, his visits are not so few and far between as one of those luminaries.

(Cheers.) Our poet tells us, "If to do, were as easy as to know what were good to do, chapels had been churches, and poor men's cottages princes' palaces." Gentlemen, what you have to do is easy enough to accomplish: it is only to be as generous as ever you can this evening; then, indeed, will our chapels be churches, and we can offer to our poor men that best and happiest of all palaces the "cottage of content."-(Loud cheers.)

Mr. JOHN FORSTER, in rising to propose the health of the Chairman, charged Mr. Buckstone with having been saying, and getting applause for, some of the very