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ST. PATRICK'S DAY.

DINNER AT THE ROYAL HOTEL.

Lives there a mun with soul so dead

Who never to hinuelf has said,

«' This is my own, my native land V

The anniversary of the tutelar saint of Ireland was celebrated upon a scale of more than ordinary magnificence on Sa- turday. The sons of Hibernia and their guests dined together at the Royal Hotel in George-street, and the festival was attended by nearly one hundred gentle- men. His Excellency the Governor honoured the meeting with his presence ; and by his gentlemanly deportment and affability of manner, increased the hap- piness of those who were fortunate enough

lo be within his immediate observation. His address, too, which our readers will peruse with much pleasure, was deli- vered with extreme animation,, and re- ceived with the most boundless enthu- siasm. Amongst the guests were Co- lonel Lindesay, the Ohtef Justice, many of the civil anti military officers, besides the personal staff of the Gover- nor. About half-past six o'clock, the company sat down to a dinner which, in its arrangements, reflected the highest credit on the Stewards, and the proprie- tors of the Royal Hotel. The band of the 3i)th Regiment was in attendance, and played several appropriate tunes in their usual style of excellence. Major Poole presided ; and we have seldom witnessed a chair more ably filled. Mr. Hely acted as Vice-President.

On the clolh being removed, the Pre- sident rose to propose The King's health, which was drank with three times three, and followed by " God save the King"

from the band.

The next toast proposed was The Queen and the Royal Family, which was received with similar honours to those paid to the preceding. The Air, Young May Moon.

The President next proposed a toast to which he said he was quite certain no Irishman could refuse filling a humper " The immortal memory of St. Patrick."

This toast was drank most enthusi-

astically. Air-St. Patrick's day. which

was encored.

? The President then proposed the health of "Earl Grey and His Majesty's Mi- nisters" L'oud applause followed the an

nouncementiof this tonst from all parts of the room. It Was drank with three times three. Air--Hearts of Oak. '

" Sir James Graham and the Navy" was proposed by the President, and having been drank with three times three, Mr. Holman was, by very general concur- rence, called upon to return thanks, which he did by saying, that though no longer an active mtmber of the profession with which the dearest interests of h's heart were associated, he trusted be might be allowed tore u:n his most giateful ac- knowledgments to the gentlemen present for the manner in which they had received the toast just proposed to them. To the navy Ireland had contributed many of its highest ornaments (cheers)-men who li id | most materially assisted in fighting the

good battles of England and freedom, and who knew well that though their sphere of action was limited to the deck, they had, if they fell, an orean for their grave (loud cheering). Air-Rule Britannia.

The Chairman next rose to propose a

toast which, he was sure, would be most j gratifying to the feelings of the company. It was the health of '* His Excellency the Governor, and prosperity to the Colony over which he presides." A ir-Garryowen.

The Governor, the announcement of whose health was received with the most

enthusiastic demonstrations of applause, briefly returned thanks for the honour confeired upon him, by the toast which the worthy President had proposed, and f jr the flattering manner in which it was rcceitcd. His Excellency said, h° was

not so vain as to attiibute to himself all

the applause that followed the announce- ment of the toast ; for he was aware that much of it was to be attributed to the connexion of his name with that of the Colony, in which he, in common with the company, felt so large and deep an inte- rest, (much applause.)

The Chairman next proposed " Mrs. Bourke and the Ladies of the Colony." Air!-Believe me if all those endearing young charms.

The Governor, who said he would not inflict a long speech on the company, shortly returned thanks on behalf of Mrs. Bourke and the Ladies of the Colony. Ile concluded by proposing the health of their worthy President, Major Poole which was warmly cheered by the com-

pany.

Major Poole said, I beg to express my deep sense of gratitude to His Excel- lency for the manner in which he has pro- posed my health; and to you, gentlemen, for the flattering way in which jon have received it. As our days in this Colony are numbered, I only hope that I may be successful in my application for ' a long day;' (cheers)-and that, at the next anniversary of St. Patrick, I may have the pleasure ot meeting you all iii the s »me excellent spirits which you are this mo- ment enjoying." (cheers).

The President then proposed the health of " The Judges of the Colony." The Chief Justice returned thanks. His Honor said, " I have much pleasure in acknowledging, for myself and my brother Judges, the very flattering manner in which you have received the toast of our worthy President. Ne\t to the satisfac- tion arising from our own exertions to fill, as far as in us lies, the respective duties of our several stations in life, is - or 1 am sure ought to be-that of gratify- ing our fellow-citizens-(cheer»). I trust we shall continue to deserve that appro- bation which your reception of this toast abundantly proves wenow possess; (checis) and, let me atld a hope also, that the con \ i v i a 1 spirit in which we are assembled here to-day, under the influence of that good old Saint-for whose memory, per- mit me to say, 1 have as much respect as the most pious Irishman amongst us may, as it has so ausspicuously com- menced, continue to animate and cheer us. That we may pass many such even- ings in the same kindly exercise of friendly feelings is, I beg to assure you, gentlemen, my most sincere wish. To contribute to it will always to me be a source of extreme gratification (loud ap- plause). His Honor sat down amidst universal cheers. Air- Cooleen.

The next toast was, " The archdeacon and Clergy." Air-Chorus from the Cre-

ation.

The ftev. Mr. Dickenson, as the only member of the established church present said, he believed the duty de- volved ou him of returning thanks on be- half of the Archdeacon and clergy. He considered such Meetings as the present notonly innocent but laudable (hear, hear), and calculated greatly to promote the harmony and good feeling of all classes of the community. The reverend gen- tleman continued in a low tone, but in a manner very dignified and graceful, to express the delight ho experienced from witnessing the union and cheerful spirit of unanimity by which the festive board that evening was distinguished (applause).

" Mr. M'Lcay and the Civil Officers'of the Colony' was proposed by the Presi sident, bul, hi consequence ef Mr. M'Leay's absence-an absence very ge- nerally regretted-Mr. M'Q toid was called upon to return thanks. He said, " I am extremely sorry, Mr. President and gentlemen, that it should have fallen upon me to return thanks for your kind- ness in drinking this toast with such Bat- tering marks of your approbation. 1 beg leave, in my name, and in that of my frionds, the Civil Officers of the Colony, to assure you that we are duly sensible of the honour you have conferred upon us. On all occasions, I trust that tha senti-

ments so well expressed by the Chief Jus-J tice will actuate us'^-that ' we shall all, be ' desirous of contributing to the harnipny and conviviality of the. Colony (cheers).

The Vice-President.- roser to propose the toast which was »ex^'In'-thVord'er of the evening; and in doingsja|d,-'fj have the honour, gejitiemeQ,lttpapj;oposei for your adoption a toaatilocwhiohii áin¡ pertectly assured you«NvilHeáÜwaoc:#i'Htog1

ctr, ahd " fill a bumper high.'? ' rtiàvu to propose to you the health of'.'Colóíiht Lindesay and the Ojficcis of the. Garri- son."-(cheeis.) It must be to all of us maller of deep regret, that we are so sooty to lose the society of that gentleman, dis tinguishcd as he is, as much by bjis courtesy in private life, as by his courage in the field- (cheers.) Let us then, gentlemen, with three times throe, ex- press our esteem lor Colonel .Lindesay and the Officers of tho Garrison-(loud cheating for sera al minutes*) Air-39(A regiment's, march. , ,

Colonel LiNDrsAY returned thanks, \h the following terms. " lean never for- get, gentlemen, the very flattering man- ner in which you have received ihe men^ lion of my name,-(cheers) nor' can( X ever forget the umarjing kindness which I have experienced during my connexion with this advancing Colony-[loud cheer- ing.] These are, I beg to assure you, not only my sentiments, but those also of the officers of the garrison, with wlio'u you have associated my name. In their name and in my own, I beg most cor- dially to thank you for the honour you ha\e this evening conferred upon us."

Captain Walpole rose and said, " At the risk of disobeying orders, I beg leave to say a few woids; and if I am out of order, t'ie Colonel must command me to retreat; (lauyliter) and at this distance'I may be excused if I do not hear tl'e Colonel's whistle [TI e Captain here fa- voured us with a shrill whistle from Ihe call used by light-infantry officers, which caused much amusement.] I think, gen- tlemen, continued the Captain, ouf''prJsi| tion is the converse of the story ol tlie êfâ man and his ass (much laughter.)' * HW pleased nobody, and lost his ass into the bargain, (continued laughter) while' 'w8 have pleased every body, and re'tairiea that grave-looking animal of the fable^ in fact, we may at any moment lme'hini out of the stall, and sit down each up'b'tí his own proper a-s." Much laughter a'iíd cheering followed the speech of the Catt t,»in, which was delivered with an extreïue

felicity of manner. ' (i*^

The President next proposed the he al til of" The si Morney General add the Bi\r of the Colony." This toast was drank with three times three, amidst much applause.

The Attorney General rose and expressed his sense of the high honour conferred upon the profession of which he was a member. In the respectability of that profession, the public were as much concerned as its own niemberV; and he must be permitted to say, that amongst the members of the bar of Ausí tralia were to be found men whose talents

and gentleman-like conduct would reJ fleet credit on any profession- (cheer».) in their name and his own he begged XÁ thank the gentlemen present for Ihe way i n which they had done honour to thtf bar of Australia." iUi

The President then called upon"^." Justice Dowling to propose the next

toast. '

His Honor rose and said-" Gen- tlemen, I am called upon, by our excel- lent President, to propose to you "x The Daughters of Erin (cheers) -that is,T to. propose them to you as a toast (laughter)',^ for I believe that, as to any other propo« sidon, Irishmen would prefer making' it' for themselves (much laughter), I trusty however, it will not be deemed incon-v sistent with the gravity of the judicial character to declaro that I entertain an. attachment for the daughters of Erin (cheers), and I should scorn, in the word* of our nat'onal poet, " the lore which wisdom biings," if it made me " too cold oí* wise for woman's eyes" (bud chetrs)'. Let it be remembered, too, that chastity is the characteristic of the daugh- ters of Erin - ceuturies have made that chastity proverbial (cheers) ; and I pro- pose to give, with three times three, the health and happiucss of Erin's lovely daugbt'rs." Cheers from all parts' of the room followed the learned Judge's3 toast. Air-Savourneen Deelish. ' ^3

i A

Mr. Therry said-" It might appeaiy presumptuous in him, after the eloquent, address of the learned Judge, to address the company. Ho would venture tovdo, so, however, as it devolved upon him to, propose a toast, which, he was sa tis ii edi was so congenial to their minds, that ii needed no ardent expression fromiJhimL or from any person, to recommend it 'fo_

their favourable reception. Love otcoiun-0 try (-»aid Mr. 1.) is a principle so strong'

and universal, that it may be regarded as^ much an instinct as a duty (hear, hear ft It is a passion that reveals itself in the breast of every man -that we read written

in our hearts-and of which we can no

more divest ourselves than of any^other essential attribute of our nature (ap- plause). We cherish this feeling at home -abroad, it comes upon us with redoubled fervour-and across the trackless ocean that separates us from our homes, dis- tance lends to it a renewed and aug- mented endearment (cheen,). Universal as this passion is, there is no people in whose hearts it beats more ardently ana1 fervently than in the hearts of ihe sons of lingland, Scotland, and Ireland, circu- lating as a vital current through the' whole frame of their constitution (cheers). A though the fine sky, and genial climate', and abundant soil of New South Wales, afford many compensations, the English',' Scotch, a id Irish cherish? with°& devot edness that knows 'no change,Jthcir strong' local attachments-their fónííness^ar'.'the' 1 nd of their birth and of WirLf$lrers,f graves-and to theATit is'most, panful!%' be torn frm those 'blakes, wîéh1 ,whïélP their earliest anil fondest recollection are associated (much ch'éering). jít#Séf thus, gentlemen, may'we cherish the gifles iñory of our native'land, "'T"ui>'

t " With love that scorns the lapse of lime.,

! ? " Arid ties that stretch beyond the deep'-fi 0J

'long^may we continue, as in the Old wjfcßfit jwe have been, " brothers in glory .anSl ¡rivals in renown," tobe, in the'NewwYffjL ¿brothers in affection, in reciprocal regaVqf

and, mntual esteem. Long may our na- tional elnblems-the Rose, theThistle,and the Shamrock-be cherished and regarded as they have been beautifully described !j¡y, a favourite hard of Scotland, - Camp- bell, a*

" 'J y pea of a race which shall til' invader acora

As rocks resist the billows on the shore ,

Types of a race which shall to time unhorn

Their country leaves unconquered as before."

With these sentiments I propose-" The Softs of "England, Scotia, and Er'n, and Vnáy their ^affections and- energies be ever vnited in support of the power and the glortf of the British empire." Air-Sptig 'of Shillelagh. ' '

' As soon as the applause which attended the'specchof/ Mr. Therry had subsided, tlie' President calle J upon the Solicitor G encrai1 ¿o propose the next toast in the

list.'

Mr. M'Dowell rose and spoke to the following effect:-" 1 ha\e been íe quesled, gentlemen, by your .Steward«, to propose a toast, which, in the society I

have now tho honour to address, it is scarcely necessary to preface by a single observation. I rise to propose the health of ' Thomas Mooie, the Bard of Erin;7 (cheers) of whom why should 1 speak to the, men of that country, to whose national music he has " marrie 1 his immortal yerse." (loud cheers) Of the Italian soft- ness of his versification,-of the Horattan elegance of his diction-of the sparkling brilliancy of his imagination-of his genius, at once sublime and epigramatic -r^as 1 do not mean to speak an essay, I shall say nothing, (cheers) But let his personal independence not be forgotten. $fvhim we may justly say, what the poet o'^r Twickenham has said of himself,

"he sometimes condescends to call a

iyiiuister his friend." (cheers) He has b,ad the manliness to acknowledge his early errors ; and for them he has made tp, society an ample atonement. " Lnsisse pudd" is the motto for a man like him, uud'that motto he has adopted. Fortu- nately for himself-for the country-for the world-the disturbed fountain at which he first drank was no Lethe, (loud cheats)-the oblivion it produced was but temporary - the stream has since worked itself quietly down-it has crept along through still and sequestered scenes, reflecting pure and perfect images of domestic life-reflecting the luxurious foliage and flowers on its margin, and re- flecting also occasionally glimpses ofthat Hea\ en to 'vhich his sacred melody would direct us. (cheers.) But highly as I prize his talents, it is not for their pos- session I regard him. We have often seen the most splendid squandered upon the theworthless. It is not for his personal in- dependence-rare characteristic though it be in a poet-that I admire him ; but i£ i% because those talents and that inde- pendence have invariably, like his own Ghebcr's light, been devoted to the ser- vice of his country." (Loud cheer nig.)

'This toast was drank with three times three. Air-The Harp that once through Tara's Hall.

'Thenext toast was " The Agricultural and Commercial Interests of the Colony.'' Air-Money inbothpockvts. Mr. Berry re- turned thanks, and commented with much point and animation on the importance of those interests in reference to, and con- nexion with, the general interests of the Colony.

The health of the " Vice President" Was next proposed, for which, in the ab- sence of Mr. Hely, Mr. Innes made a suitable acknowledgment.

The Chairman next proposed the health of the " Sons oj Australia." Air -Currency Lad.

Mr. Wentworth having been called upon to return thanks, commenced by saying that his friend, Mr. Campbell, who sat near him, and whose talents and gentlemanly character were well known to those whom he had the honour to ad- dress, ought to have acknowledge 1 the obligations conferred upon the sons of Australia. However, continued Mr. Wentworth, I am happy in the oppor- tunity ofacknowleging in my own name, and in the name ot my Australian bre theren, the compliment )ou, gentlemen, have been pleased to pay us. I believe that wherever Australia's sons have yet appeared upon the theatre of life, they have exhibited abilities equal even ta the sorts of Hibernia (cheeis). In social qualities too, I may assert, that even willi'Ireland whose hospitilily is prover- bial, they may stand in competition (loud cheers) ; and 11 trust, with His Honoi the Chief ustice, that this social board may be the prelude to many an enter- tainment, where the same good feelings will prevail which has animated this anniversary ( oud cheers). For myself I can say, that I am most anxious, in every way, to promote that good and generous feeling in which we ought to live, and to extend the agreeable horizm of this evening's board to that of life (loud cheers). Mr. Wentworths addiess was r çeived with general applause, amidst

which he took his seat.

The Attorney General then pro- posed the health of " The Stewards."

Mr. Therry returned thanks on their

behalf, and said, that if the arrangements of the evening were in any respect gra- tifying to their guests, the Stewards would find their " exceeding great re- ward." " Piersons of various sentiments oh( tuauy matters had on that day met in gOÎo^feJlowjship. It recalled to his mind a practice that prevailed among the au cicnit Grpeks. During the celebration of

tlie j Olympic games, all public dissen s^o^and all public animosities were sus-

pended ; and, on the same principle, at the festive board, on St. Patrick's Day, »n Irishman should permit no sentiment to prevail but that of such good and ge- nerous fellowship as distinguished their meeting that evening. He concurred in,

tjjíe hopes expressed by others, that, their* itfeetiqg that day would contribute to the;

sowing oí the.seeds of harmony and hap- piness inthd»Colony (hear, heart)

'1 he Chairman next proposed " the Currency Lasses." Mr. Innes returned thanks. Ho felt called upon to do so from the happiness he enjoyed in having " linked his destiny" with a daughter of Australia (much cheering).

Several other complimentary toasts were proposed, and excellent speeches delivered. The- evening was also en- livened by several comic and sentimen- tal songs by Messrs. Manning and Perry, Major Mudie, &c. Some conver- sation took place as to the appointment of a president for the next anniversary of St. Patrick, who, however, was not fixed upon, but the discussion adjourned, and reserved for a eommittec of Irish gen- tlemen; anti, after an evening distin- guished by the display and prevalence of

great social and intellectual talent-the company having, in conclusion, " drowned their shamrocks in a bowl of whiskey punch," broke up in the same spirit of festive gaiety and good humour in which the entertainment commenced, and in which its proceedings had been conducted.

Of all the days iu the year for length,

commend us to St. Patrick. The 21st of December hitherto calendered as the longest, is a fool to it. From twelve o'clock on Friday niidit till the same hour on that of Sunday did " the boys" cele- brate i's return with the usual honours festive and pngelistic. The first announce- ment to the sons of St George, St. An- drew, and St. David that their cousins of the rival patron had commenced their de- votions, was the rapid motion of a stage coach, which the latter had borroioed

from the fr.mt of Mr. Samuel Lyon's

door. The inside and outside of this ve-

hicle was crowded (if a freight of about sixty will justify the term) willi the heralds of Paddy's lind, while themid dlc of the roof served for an orchestra, on which three musicians willi a tamborine, violin,and fife,ushered in" Patrick's Day in the morning." After pervading, in this order, through all the streets in the town, till cock crow warned them

of approaching day they dispersed to take a " dhrop o' the cratur" in the dif- ferent public-houses as they opened. At noon the band of the 39th Regiment, at trooping the guard, played, as usual, se- veral Irish airs with their accustomed excellence. Numerous were the broken

heads that graced the latter part of that, and the whole of the following day. In King-street, on Sunday afternoon, a chance melee, took place, and it would ex- ceed our numerical science to detail the whole of the black eyes, cracked skulls, and fractured ribs, that " all for love" were, given and recen ed. The consta-

bles, however, after some difficulty, restored order, by their prudent manner of dispersing the mob; and the veil of night, together with the return of the rain, shortly after consigned St. Patrick to another year's oblivion.

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