ese　observations　were　unfortunately　correct；　or　it　might　be　that　we　were　bewildered　with　a　name；　not　disappointed　of　the　reality；　for　though　Shakespeare　had　brought　a　Hamlet；　an　Othello；　and　a　Macbeth；　an　Ariel；　a　Juliet；　and　a　Rosalind；　upon　the　stage；　were　there　not　authors　living　who　had　brought　as　varied；　as　exquisitely　painted；　and　as　undying　a　range　of　characters　into　our　hearts？　　The　shape　of　the　mere　mould　into　which　genius　poured　its　golden　treasures　was　surely　a　matter　of　little　moment；　let　it　be　called　a　Tragedy；　a　Comedy；　or　a　Waverley　Novel。　　But　even　among　the　dramatic　authors　of　the　present　day；　he　was　unwilling　to　allow　that　there　was　a　great　and　palpable　decline　from　the　glory　of　preceding　ages；　and　his　toast　alone　would　bear　him　out　in　denying　the　truth　of　the　proposition。　After　eulogizing　the　names　of　Baillie；　Byron；　Coleridge；　Maturin；　and　others；　he　begged　to　have　the　honour　of　proposing　〃The　Health　of　James　Sheridan　Knowles。〃
  Sir　WALTER　SCOTT。　　Gentlemen；　I　crave　a　bumper　all　over。　　The　last　toast　reminds　me　of　a　neglect　of　duty。　　Unaccustomed　to　a　public　duty　of　this　kind；　errors　in　conducting　the　ceremonial　of　it　may　be　excused；　and　omissions　pardoned。　　Perhaps　I　have　made　one　or　two　omissions　in　the　course　of　the　evening　for　which　I　trust　you　will　grant　me　your　pardon　and　indulgence。　　One　thing　in　particular　I　have　omitted；　and　I　would　now　wish　to　make　amends　for　it　by　a　libation　of　reverence　and　respect　to　the　memory　of　SHAKESPEARE。　　He　was　a　man　of　universal　genius；　and　from　a　period　soon　after　his　own　era　to　the　present　day　he　has　been　universally　idolized。　　When　I　come　to　his　honoured　name；　I　am　like　the　sick　man　who　hung　up　his　crutches　at　the　shrine；　and　was　obliged　to　confess　that　he　did　not　walk　better　than　before。　　It　is　indeed　difficult；　gentlemen；　to　compare　him　to　any　other　individual。　The　only　one　to　whom　I　call　at　all　compare　him　is　the　wonderful　Arabian　dervise；　who　dived　into　the　body　of　each；　and　in　this　way　became　familiar　with　the　thoughts　and　secrets　of　their　hearts。　He　was　a　man　of　obscure　origin；　and；　as　a　player；　limited　in　his　acquirements；　but　he　was　born　evidently　with　a　universal　genius。　His　eyes　glanced　at　all　the　varied　aspects　of　life；　and　his　fancy　portrayed　with　equal　talents　the　king　on　the　throne　and　the　clown　who　crackles　his　chestnuts　at　a　Christmas　fire。　　Whatever　note　he　takes；　he　strikes　it　just　and　true；　and　awakens　a　corresponding　chord　in　our　own　bosoms；　Gentlemen；　I　propose　〃The　Memory　of　William　Shakespeare。〃
  Glee〃Lightly　tread；　'tis　hallowed　ground。〃
  After　the　glee；　Sir　WALTER　rose　and　begged　to　propose　as　a　toast　the　health　of　a　lady；　whose　living　merit　is　not　a　little　honourable　to　Scotland。　　The　toast　（said　he）　is　also　flattering　to　the　national　vanity　of　a　Scotchman；　as　the　lady　whom　I　intend　to　propose　is　a　native　of　this　country。　　From　the　public　her　works　have　met　with　the　most　favourable　reception。　　One　piece　of　hers；　in　particular；　was　often　acted　here　of　late　years；　and　gave　pleasure　of　no　mean　kind　to　many　brilliant　and　fashionable　audiences。　　In　her　private　character　she　（he　begged　leave　to　say）　is　as　remarkable　as　in　a　public　sense　she　is　for　her　genius。　　In　short；　he　would　in　one　word　name〃Joanna　Baillie。〃
  This　health　being　drunk；　Mr。　THORNE　was　called　on　for　a　song；　and　sung；　with　great　taste　and　feeling；　〃The　Anchor's　Weighed。〃
  W。　MENZIES；　Esq。；　Advocate；　rose　to　propose　the　health　of　a　gentleman　for　many　years　connected　at　intervals　with　the　dramatic　art　in　Scotland。　　Whether　we　look　at　the　range　of　characters　he　performs；　or　at　the　capacity　which　he　evinces　in　executing　those　which　he　undertakes；　he　is　equally　to　he　admired。　　In　all　his　parts　he　is　unrivalled。　　The　individual　to　whom　he　alluded　is　（said　he）　well　known　to　the　gentlemen　present；　in　the　characters　of　Malvolio；　Lord　Ogleby；　and　the　Green　Man；　and　in　addition　to　his　other　qualities；　he　merits；　for　his　perfection　in　these　characters；　the　grateful　sense　of　this　meeting。　　He　would　wish；　in　the　first　place；　to　drink　his　health　as　an　actor。　　But　he　was　not　less　estimable　in　domestic　life；　and　as　a　private　gentleman；　and　when　he　announced　him　as　one　whom　the　chairman　had　honoured　with　his　friendship；　he　was　sure　that　all　present　would　cordially　join　him　in　drinking　〃The　Health　of　Mr。　Terry。〃
  Mr。　WILLIAM　ALLAN；　banker；　said　that　he　did　not　rise　with　the　intention　of　making　a　speech。　　He　merely　wished　to　contribute　in　a　few　words　to　the　mirth　of　the　eveningan　evening　which　certainly　had　not　passed　off　without　some　blunders。　　It　had　been　understoodat　least　he　had　learnt　or　supposed　from　the　expressions　of　Mr。　Pritchardthat　it　would　be　sufficient　to　put　a　paper；　with　the　name　of　the　contributor；　into　the　box；　and　that　the　gentleman　thus　contributing　would　be　called　on　for　the　money　next　morning。　　He；　for　his　part；　had　committed　a　blunder　but　it　might　serve　as　a　caution　to　those　who　may　be　present　at　the　dinner　of　next　year。　　He　had　merely　put　in　his　name；　written　on　a　slip　of　paper；　without　the　money。　　But　he　would　recommend　that；　as　some　of　the　gentlemen　might　be　in　the　same　situation；　the　box　should　be　again　sent　round；　and　he　was　confident　that　they；　as　well　as　he；　would　redeem　their　error。
  Sir　WALTER　SCOTT　said　that　the　meeting　was　somewhat　in　the　situation　of　Mrs。　Anne　Page；　who　had　L300　and　possibilities。　　We　have　already　got；　said　he；　L280；　but　I　should　like；　I　confess；　to　have　the　L300。　　He　would　gratify　himself　by　proposing　the　health　of　an　honourable　person；　the　Lord　Chief　Baron；　whom　England　has　sent　to　us；　and　connecting　with　it　that　of　his　〃yokefellow　on　the　bench；〃　as　Shakespeare　says；　Mr。　Baron　ClerkThe　Court　of　Exchequer。
  Mr。　Baron　CLERK　regretted　the　absence　of　his　learned　brother。　None；　he　was　sure；　could　be　more　generous　in　his　nature；　or　more　ready　to　help　a　Scottish　purpose。
  Sir　WALTER　SCOTT；There　is　one　who　ought　to　be　remembered　on　this　occasion。　　He　is；　indeed；　well　entitled　to　our　grateful　recollectionone；　in　short；　to　whom　the　drama　in　this　city　owes　much。　　He　succeeded；　not　without　trouble；　and　perhaps　at　some　considerable　sacrifice；　in　establishing　a　theatre。　　The　younger　part　of　the　company　may　not　recollect　the　theatre　to　which　I　allude；　but　there　are　some　who　with　me　may　remember　by　name　a　place　called　Carrubber's　Close。　　There　Allan　Ramsay　established　his　little　theatre。　　His　own　pastoral　was　not　fit　for　the　stage；　but　it　has　its　admirers　in　those　who　love　the　Doric　language　in　which　it　is　written；　and　it　is　not　without　merits　of　a　very　peculiar　kind。　　But　laying　aside　all　considerations　of　his　literary　merit；　Allan　was　a　good；　jovial；　honest　fellow；　who　could　crack　a　bottle　with　the　best。　　〃The　Memory　of　Allan　Ramsay。〃
  Mr。　MURRAY；　on　being　requested；　sung　〃'Twas　merry　in　the　hall；〃　and　at　the　conclusion　was　greeted　with　repeated　rounds　of　applause。
  Mr。　JONES。One　omission　I　conceive　has　been　made。　　The　cause　of　the　Fund　has　been　ably　advocated；　but　it　is　still　susceptible；　in　my　opinion；　of　an　additional　charm
  〃Without　the　smile　from　partial　beauty　won；　　　　Oh；　what　were　man？a　world　without　a　sun！〃
  And　there　would　not　be　a　darker　spot　in　poetry　than　would　be　the　corner　in　Shakespeare　Square；　if；　like　its　fellow；　the　Register　Office；　the　Theatre　were　deserted　by　the　ladies。　　They　are；　in　fact；　our　most　attractive　stars。　　〃The　Patronesses　of　the　Theatre；　the　Ladies　of　the　City　of　Edinburgh。〃　　This　toast　I　ask　leave　to　drink　with　all　the　honours　which　conviviality　can　confer。
  Mr。　PATRICK　ROBERTSON　would　be　the　last　man　willingly　to　introduce　any　topic　calculated　to　interrupt　the　harmony　of　the　evening；　yet　he　felt　himself　treading　upon　ticklish　ground　when　he　approached　the　region　of　the　Nor'　Loch。　　He　assured　the　company；　however；　that　he　was　not　about　to　enter　on　the　subject　of　the　Improvement　Bill。　　They　all　knew　that　if　the　public　were　unanimousif　the　consent　of　all　parties　were　obtainedif　the　rights　and　interests　of　everybody　were　therein　attended　to；　saved；　reserved；　respected；　and　exceptedif　everybody　agreed　to　itand；　finally；　a　most　essential　point；　if　nobody　opposed　it　then；　and　in　that　case；　and　provided　also　that　due　intimation　were　given；　the　bill　in　question　might　passwould　passor　might；　could；　would；　or　should　passall　expenses　being　defrayed。　（Laughter。）　　He　was　the　advocate　of　neither　champion；　and　would　neither　avail　himself　of　the　absence　of　the　Right　Hon。　the　Lord　Provost；　nor　take　advantage　of　the　non…appearance　of　his　friend；　Mr。　Cockburn。　　（Laughter。）　But　in　the　midst　of　these　civic　broils　there　had　been　elicited　a　ray　of　hope　that；　at　some　future　period；　in　Bereford　Park；　or　some　other　place；　if　all　parties　were　consulted　and　satisfied；　and　if　intimation　were　duly　made　at　the　kirk　doors　of　all　the　parishes　in　Scotland；　in　terms　of　the　statute　in　that　behalf　providedthe　people　of　Edinburgh　might　by　possibility　get　a　new　Theatre。　　（Cheers　and　laughter。）　　But　wherever　the　belligerent　powers　might　be　pleased　to　set　down　this　new　Theatre；　he　was　sure　they　all　hoped　to　meet　the　Old　Company　in　it。　　He　should　therefore　propose　〃Better　Accommodation　to　the　Old　Company　in　the　new　Theatre；　site　unknown。〃Mr。　Robertson's　speech　was　most　humorously　given；　and　he　sat　down　amidst　loud　cheers　and　laughter。
  Sir　WALTER　SCOT