THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Juke 14, 1859. 155 
of the ladies’ dresses, as they flitted about the grounds, or moved 
among the flowers, was very pleasing and cheerful-looking. We 
hope they will not be offended when we just hint, in the humblest 
manner possible, that if they did not take up so much expansion 
with that horrible iron basket-work underneath their many- 
coloured muslin they would look much more graeefid, and save 
themselves many indignant sneers. We saw some “ cages ” 
in which ladies were walking that could provoke nothing but 
ridicule of no very delicato kind. What will our readers say 
when we assure them that the great centre aisle of the Palace, in 
which four waggons could easily drive a-breast, was completely 
filled by a bevy of six ladies ; and the writer of this could not 
pass without being obliged to break the rank of three on the side 
where he was. Uli, that every modest maid and matron knew 
the disreputable origin of hooped petticoats ! “ They were in¬ 
vented,” says Lola Montes, no mean authority on such matters, 
“ by an unmarried lady of fashion, to hide a nameless misfor¬ 
tune ; and for which they arc admirably adapted.” 
However, let us get back to the dinner, which to them and to 
us is a much more agreeable theme. The fineness of the day con¬ 
tributed largely to the increase of the company ; and, although 
about 250 were looked upon as the greatest probable numbers 
that would be likely to attend, it soon became evident, when the 
seats were being filled, that a good half hundred must dine in 
some other place. Mr. Strange, the sole proprietor of the Palace 
refreshment department, with the aid of Mr. Harker, the toast¬ 
master, prepared a second room, where the excluded were made 
very easy and comfortable. Had Mr. Strange been at all aware 
of the increased number but an hour beforehand, he would have 
been able to have placed all the visitors in one room. Mr. Cutler, 
the Secretary, was equally surprised, and, in one sense, agreeably 
so, at having such a goodly gathering ; but the fault entirely rests 
with the ladies. Heaven bless them, and deal lightly with their 
foibles! The day was charming, the occasion inviting, the 
flowers lovely beyond comparison,— and who ever yet saw a 
woman that was not passionately fond of Nature’s unsurpassable 
gems ? So tho mandate went forth to brother, and lover, and 
husband, and father, and the consequence was, that poor Mr. 
Cutler was nearly bewildered; Mr. Strange, for a moment, at his 
wit’s end ; “Sam Slick” hi tho chair, gratified beyond measure, 
his eyes twinkling with unctuous satisfaction ; and tho fund, the 
most important consideration of all, largely benefited. Gentle¬ 
men of the Committee! there can be no mistake about it; the 
Crystal Palace on a floral fete day, in the summer month of June, 
when the green meadows, and the waving woods, and the spangled 
gardens are in their splendour; when Eve’s fair daughters vie 
with the lilies of the field in the delicate hue and texture ot their 
robes, the strains of thrilling music, and, and,—when iced-cham¬ 
pagne is joyous to the eye, nectar to the lips, eloquence to the 
tongue, and gladness to the heart, which it makes “ open as day 
to melting charity,” and awakens all the generous impuLes of our 
common humanity, there can be no mistake about it, that the 
Crystal Palace is the place, par excellence, for gardeners to cele¬ 
brate their festive rites, and offer sacrifice to the lovely deities of 
fruit and flowers. 
The company being seated, the Hon. Mr. Justice Haly- 
BUBTON, the author of the inimitable “Sam Slick” occupied 
the chair. He was supported by Sir Joseph Paxton, M.P.; 
Sir Charles Eox; Admiral Cary; General Dickson ; Mr. Far- 
quhar, Chairman of the Crystal Palace Company; Mr. Charles 
Horsley, one of the Directors; Mr. V. C. W. Dilke; Mr. H. 
Bohn, &c. 
The dinner went off very satisfactorily ; and the dessert of fruit, 
which was contributed by members of the Society, was not as 
fine by any means as we have seen it, but it received warm 
encomiums from those who were fortunate enough to partake ot 
it. For ourselves, having to eat among the reserve stores of plates 
and dishes away from the tables, we contented ourselves as well 
as we could with a sight of what was spread about, somewhat 
sparingly, on the tables. The dinner over, “ Non nobis, Domvne ” 
was chanted by the professionals engaged. 
The Cdaieman then rose and said :—“ Ladies and Gentlemen, 
—In all parts of the wide-spread dominions of this country, at 
every social feast and meeting, the first toast that is given is that 
of Her Most Gracious Majesty. That toast is never accompanied 
by any remark or by any preparatory observations, because it re¬ 
quires none. It speaks directly to all the affections of all Her 
Majesty’s subjects, who consider it a great privilege as well as a 
duty to invoke hi that toast, ‘Long life and health to Her 
Majesty the Queen.’ ” The toast was drunk with all the honours, 
the company standing whilst the national anthem, “ God save 
the Queen,” was sung. 
The Chaikman. “ Ladies and Gentlemen,—The next toast 
which in the natural order follows that of Her Majesty, is tho 
health of the Prince Consort, the Prince of Wales, and the rest 
of the Royal Family,” The toast was drunk with cheers. 
The Chaieman. “ The next toast I have to propose to you 
is, ‘ Our gallant defenders, the Army and Navy.’ The appro¬ 
bation that you have been pleased to pass upon that toast shows 
me how unnecessary it is for me to add any observations to it, Tho 
gallant actions' of both those highly meritorious and noble 
services are recorded in history; to those it is not necessary to 
allude, but the more recent ones, and, perhaps, the most glorious 
exploits of our army we have only had in telegrams from the East, 
where we havo learned without surprise to see, in one victory alter 
another, how bravely they have conducted themselves. Now 
that the revolt has been crushed, we require time to gather our 
senses together, to form a fair estimate of the exploits of our 
army. Whatever men can do, British soldiers havo proved that 
they are the people to do it, as they have ever done. The en¬ 
durance, gallantry, fearless intrepidity, and the marvellous manner 
in which they threw themselves on countless hosts, how they drove 
them back, and the way in which they succeeded have become the 
object of envy of all foreign nations, and the admiration of our 
own. With respect, however, to the other branch of tho service, 
there has not, recently, been any opportunity for showing what 
they can do, excepting in a few naval tactics, and where they 
have landed troops in different parts of India. But should the 
united arms of army and navy be required, we well know that 
they are composed of the same stuff, the same material, that won 
laurels for themselves at the battle of the Nile and the battle of 
Trafalgar ; and wherever and whenever the sons are called upon 
they will be able to give as good an account of themselves and 
their foes as their forefathers have done before them. I have 
lived tho greatest part of my life at the largest naval station be¬ 
longing to this country out of Great Britain,—namely, North 
America, and I had the honour of the acquaintance of a large 
number of naval men. Of the seniors I say nothing; their deeds 
are recorded in the naval history of tho country ; but with re¬ 
spect to the lieutenants of the navy, a more independent, a more 
brave, a more useful, or a more serviceable body of men is not 
to be found in any branch of Her Majesty’s service. The only 
i regret I have is, that they are not better paid, and that their pro- 
1 motion is not more certain, rapid, and somewhat commensurate 
witli their deserts. Having said so much on that head, I think 
I may say in the company of the ladies that these ‘jolly tars,’— 
a word 1 like myself, for I am a jolly old man—that these jolly 
tars are as invincible in love as they are in war, I recollect a 
story told me of a lady who was suffering very much with a severe 
pain in the side. She went about complaining of some affection 
of the heart, which she feared was hopeless, and would become 
fatal, and she was asked if it was ossification that was the matter 
with her ? She shook her head, laid her hand on her heart, and 
said, ‘ Oh! no, Sir, it is something far worse than that; it is a 
lieutenant of the navy.’ Having said this, ladies and gentlemen, 
I have great pleasure in proposing those toast s, ‘ the Army and 
Navy,’ coupled with the healths of the gallant General Dickson 
and Admiral Cary.” 
The toast was drunk with repeated cheers. Admiral Caby’ and 
General Dickson returning thanks for the gallant services to 
which they belonged. 
Sir Chaiu.es Fox, in a few observations that were all but 
inaudible, proposed the health of the President ot the Society, 
the Right Hon. the Earl of Carlisle, which was received and 
responded to most enthusiastically. 
The Chaikman. “ Ladies and Gentlemen,—I am about to pro¬ 
pose to you what is usually called ‘ the toast ot the evening,’ 
and that is, ‘ Prosperity to the Gardeners’ Benevolent Society.’ 
I assure you when the honour was proposed to me to preside at 
this distinguished meeting, I demurred very considerably to it; 
because I felt that there were so many other people, who, both 
from their knowledge of gardening, their station in society, and 
their abilities to perforin the duties of the office thus devolved 
upon me, that I should rather have transferred those duties 
to abler hands. 1 felt that it was not power of speech that 
was required, but a person who could extract the money from 
tho pocket in some other way. However, if I were put into 
the witness-box I could give impartial testimony, and I should 
with sincerity and truth declare that I know of no body of men 
in this country for whom I entertain so great a respect and 
