arge at Waterloo."

In speaking of the Navy, the President said that Mr. Brassey had
presented to the nation the fine picture of the _Devastation_. "I
believe," said Sir Francis, "this is the first representation of an
ironclad that has found a place on these walls--a picture of the
_Devastation_--of which the genius of the talented artist has made quite
a picturesque object by concealing more than half the vessel in smoke,
and adorning what remains with a variety of flags."

_1879._

After having missed the anniversary festival at Burlington House for
four years, mainly on account of pressing work, partly in connection
with Art, the Prince of Wales honoured the President and Council by his
presence on the 3rd of May, 1879. There was the customary number of
Royal and distinguished guests, but another President now filled the
Chair, and other changes were witnessed among the Academicians.

Sir Frederick Leighton, in proposing "The Health of the Queen," said
that, "as members of the Royal Academy, we acclaim in this toast the
head and immediate patron of this institution--a patron whose patronage
has been for forty years not formal merely, but whose interest in its
well-being has constantly shown and still shows itself in acts of
gracious and enlightened generosity and high examples of support, a
generosity and support the fruits of which were but a few weeks ago
again magnificently evident on our walls. Deep gratitude, therefore,
mingles with loyalty in the toast which I have now the honour to
propose--'The Health of Her Majesty the Queen.'"

The President said of the Prince of Wales, that "his absence for a time
had not been caused by any diminution of the interest which he has ever
evinced in this Academy and in the arts which are its care, but, on the
two last occasions at least, by the performance of self-imposed and
onerous duties in which the furtherance of English Art had no small
share. Those who had the honour to co-operate with His Royal Highness in
the work to which I allude--and not a few are seated at this table--know
by experience with what steadfast zeal and devotion and with what
inexhaustible kindness in his dealings with all he carried it out; but
no one, perhaps, so well as myself knows how desirous the Prince of
Wales has been throughout that English Art should receive at the
International Exhibition that recognition and honour which in his view
it deserved, and which in the event was measured