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making known to her Majesty’s subjects within your Province the intention to cele- brate next year the Three Hundredth Birth- day of Shakespeare, in a manner worthy of the poet and of the poet’s countrymen.

It is felt, by the Noblemen and Gentle- men composing the Shakespeare Committee that all her Majesty’s subjects who speak the language of Shakespeare must regard with in- terest the proposal to commemorate his birth, by the erection of a monument in a conspi- cuous part of London. It may not be pos- sible for many of those who reside in dis- tant parts of the British dominions to assist personally on the 23rd of April, 1864, in laying the Foundation Stone of the proposed National Memorial. Nevertheless, as many thousands so circumstanced must desire to contribute towards such an undertaking, it is hoped they may be afforded a suitable op- portunity of doing so. The Committee have therefore instructed us to communicate with the Representatives of the Crown in the vari- ous British Colonies, and to request their good offices in making the object of this ap- plication widely known.

The people of England have had so many recent and gratifying proofs of the strong sympathy which unites them to their colo- nial brethren in all matters of national inte- rest, that we anticipate a hearty and early response to this invitation on the part of your Council and of the community the ad- ministration of whose affairs has been en- trusted to your Excellency.

We feel that it would be presumptuous in us to offer any special suggestions as to the most effective mode of bringing the subject be- fore the people of the Colony. The proper authorities there can alone fitly decide such local details. We may, however, state that it is confidently expected that this movement will ere long be honored by her Majesty’s immediate patronage, and by the presidency of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. When the list of distinguished Vice-Presi- dents, Officers, and Members of the Commit- tee is completed, we shall have much plea- sure in transmitting it. We have further to request that your Excellency will allow your name to be added to the list of the National Shakespeare Committee.

In the meantime we may state that con- tributions towards the Shakespeare Memorial should be remitted to Messrs. Coutts & Co., Bankers, London.

We shall also be most happy to pay every attention to any communication with which your Excellency may favor us on the subject of this letter.

We have, &c.,

CHARLES NICHOLSON,
R. G. MACDONNELL.

His Excellency Sir George Grey,
K. C. B., &c.

THE NATIONAL SHAKESPEARE COMMITTEE.

Patron—
William Ewart, Esq., M.P.

President—

Vice-Presidents— The Duke of Manchester,
The Earl of Carlisle, Charles Dickens, Esq.,
Alfred Tennyson, Esq., Poet Laureate.

General Secretaries— W. Hepworth Dixon,
Esq., F.S.A., J. O. Halliwell, Esq., F.R.S.

Colonial Secretaries— Sir Charles Nicholson,
Bart., Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell, C.B.

Dramatic Secretaries— J. Stirling Coyne,
Esq., G. Linnaeus Banks, Esq.

Treasurers— Sir Richd. Kirby, C.B., Wm. Tite,
Esq., M.P.; F. W. Cosens, Esq.

Bankers— Messrs. Coutts & Co., Strand, Lon- don.

Committee—
Hans C. Andersen
Richard Ansdell, Esq., A.R.A.
Rev. Dr. Angus
E. H. Bailey, Esq., R.A.
M. W. Balfe, Esq.
G. Linnaeus Banks, Esq.
Henry N. Barnett, Esq.
Thomas Bazley, Esq., M.P.
Robert Bell, Esq.
Rev. J. M. Bellew
Bayle Bernard, Esq.
E. L. Blanchard, Esq.
Sydney Blanchard, Esq.
Algernon Borthwick, Esq.
Sir C. Rouse Boughton, Bart.
C. H. Bracebridge, Esq.
Sir David Brewster
Rev. Professor Brewer, M.A.
Shirley Brooks, Esq.
The Rt. Hon. Lord Justice Knight Bruce
Leicester Buckingham, Esq.
J. B. Buckstone, Esq.
General Sir J. Burgoyne, Bart., G.C.B.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. C. Burns
H. J. Byron, Esq.
B. Boad Cabbell, Esq.
The Earl of Carlisle, K.G.
Robert Chambers, Esq.
The Chevalier de Chatelain
The Earl of Clarendon, K.G.
The Duke of Cleveland, K. G.
C. J. Coleman, Esq.
J. P. Collier, Esq., F.S.A.
W. D. Cooper, Esq., F.S.A.
F. W. Cosens, Esq.
J. Stirling Coyne, Esq.
William Creswick, Esq.
George Cruikshank, Esq.
Lord de L’Isle and Dudley
The Duke of Devonshire, K.G.
Edward Dicey, Esq.
Charles Dickens, Esq.
Sir C. Wentworth Dilke, Bart.
W. Hepworth Dixon, Esq., F.S.A.
Dr. John Doran
Members of the Dramatic Author’s Society
James Dugdale, Esq.
The Earl of Dunraven
The Mayor of Durham
Joseph Durham, Esq.
Rev. Alexander Dyce
Sir Culling Eardley, Bart.
Viscount Eversley.