The Press. — London, England, 1857-05-09 00:00:00

45G Armoury Court, grim with the ponderous figures of men and heroes of all climes and ages. Some hotted monstrously grotesque, others were bright, shining, and handsome as in the story-books; some were of very coarse manufacture—a mere panoply of common ironwork,—while the suits from Venice and Milan were exquisitely tempered, and inlaid with the finest arabesque designs in gold. On the right was the complete suit of armour for man and horse which was formerly worn at coronations by Dymoke, the hereditary champion. It is the finest suit of harness in the court. The Prince, too, must have been astonished at the extent and beauty of the collection of English sculpture which adorns the central hall. Here, on one hand, is Marshall's " Ophelia," and, on the other, Spencer's " High:and Mary." Beyond is Bailey's " Eve at the Fountain," the most beautiful and widely-known of all his works. Gibson's '• Hunter" faces it, and seems in the very act of slipping the leash that his hound may bound forward on the game, so full are both of energy and vigour. Next comes J. Westmacott's " Peri," a perfect embo diment of immortal grief. The "Greek Slave," that cold prodigy of Hiram Powers, which so narrowly escaped being the first work of the age, again greets the visitor. " Eve startled at the sight of Death," one of the most touching groups in the building, is on the right; and on the left is Westmacott's " Euphrosyne," so light and airy that it seems ready to soar aloft." Arrived at the trarsept, his Royal Highness took his place on the dais, looking down the avenue up which he had advanced, and, his suite having formed a brilliant semicircle round him, the orchestra per- formed the National Anthem vocally, Mme. Clara Noveilo singing the solo, Dlr. Sims Reeves and Mr. Weiss also taking parts. The anthem having been concluded, Lord Overstone advanced, and in the name of the general council read a brief address, to which the Prince repliAl. Mr. Fairbairn, the chair• man of the executive committee, then advanced and read a lengthened ad tress detailing the crigin of the Exhibition of Art Treasures:— The project of a purely fine•art exhibition on a great scale appeared at tirst sight, to s.ry the least of it, some what problematical as regards its financial success. But when the subject was silted, when it was found how com prehensive were its details, how wonderfully rich our happy country ( untrodden for many a century by any foreign invader) unquestionably is in all that unequalled wealth and civilisation could accumulate, and how much positive and immediate good was likely to result from the bringing together or the eager and inquiring minds of our time with the realisations of the genius of past ages an , l other cimntries—the project assumed a proportion of importance which at once commanded attention and cried aloud for fulfilment. The tirst suggestion of the Art• Treasures Exhibition was submitted by Mr. Deane, the General Commissioner of the Exhibition, to au inatienti .I meeting of Manchester gentlemen, on the 211th day of March, Isso. The scheme was favourably received, awl, dependent upon the success of the application for public support in the way of sub scription, was voted into existence. An 1 here we would request your Royal Highness's speoial attention to a remarkable feature in the history of this undertaking. Without any public appal, without even a general local canvass, contributions to a guarantee fund amounting to not less than 74,0001. were raised in this city within a period of three weeks. From this fact we would draw the inference that the promoters of all schemes professing to commend themselves by their intrinsic merits to public approval need not and onght nut to be deterred from pro mulgating their patriotic efforts by the lack of positive money gifts, but would rather do well to test the sterling value of their conceptions by this form of appeal for the guarantee of the whole expenditure required. The address then expressed the warmest gratitude for the patronage and liberality with which the proposal had been met by her Majesty and the principal nobility and gentry of the United King dom, and concluded with a tribute to the memory of the late Earl of Ellesmere. The address having been presented to his Royal Highness, and also an elegantly-bound copy of the catalogue, Prince Albert replied as follows : Gentlemen of the Executive Commi►tee,—l thank you most sincerely for your kind address. The expressions of loyalty and attachment to the Queen which it conveys will, I feel certain, be most gratifying to her. I have with pleasure accepted your invitation to preside at the inau gural ceremony of an undertaking which I have watched with the deepest interest from its first conception ; and I may now be allowed to congratulate you upon the success which Las so far crowned your labours. The building in which we are assembled, and the wonderful collection of these treasures of art, as you so justly term them, which it displays, reflect the highest credit upon you. They must strike the beholder with grateful admiration not only of the wealth and spirit of enterprise of this couniry, bat also of that generous feeling of mutual confidence and goodwill between the different classes of society within it, of which it affords so gratifying a proof. We loekild a feast which the rich of this country have set before those to whom fortune has denied the higher luxuries of life—bringing forth from the innermost recesses of their private dwellings their choicest and most cherished treasures, amid intrusting them to your care, in • order to gratify the nation at large ; and this, too, unhesita- tingly—at your mere request. —satisfied that your plans were THE PRESS. disinterested and well 'natured, and that they had the good of the country for their object. - - • This is a gratifyin , 4 sight, and blessed is the country in which it is witnessed! But not less so is the fact which has bhowu itself in this as in other instances, that the great and noble of the land look to their Sovereign to head and lead them in such patriotic undertakings; and when they see that the Sovereign has come forward to give her coon tenance and assistance to the work, they feel it a pleasure to co-operate with her, and not to leave her without their support—emulating thus, in works of peace, the chivalric spirit which animated their forefathers in the warlike times of old. Yon have done well not to aim at a mere accumulation of works of art and objects of general interest, but to give to your collection, by a scientific and historical arrange• meta, an educational character—thus not losing the oppor tunity of teaching the mind as well as gratifying the senses—and manifold are the lessons which it will present to us. If art is the purest expression of the state of mental and religious culture and of general civilisation of any age or people, an historical and chronological review given at one glance cannot fail to impress as with a just appreciation of the peculiar characteristics of the different periods and countries, the works of which at•e here ex hibited to us, and of the influence which they have exer cised upon each other. Tn comparing those works with those of our own age and country, while we may well he proud of the immense development of knowledge and power of production which we possess, we have reason also for humility in contem plating the refinement of feeling and intensity of thought manifested in the works of the older schools. I trust that you may reap, in the approbation of the public at large and in the remunerative conconrse of the people, the immediate reward of your labours; and that, like the Exhibition of 1851 to which you so flatteringly allude, you may thus also find the means of closing your operations without having recourse to the guarantee fund which this district has so generously put at your disposal. Beyond this, however, I trust that the beneficial effects upon the progress of art and taste in our country which we may confidently look to may be a lasting memorial of your vast enterprise. The orchestra of six hundred voices then performed Haydn's hymn, " The heavens are telling," after which the Lord Bishop of Manchester offered up prayer; at the conclusion of which a brilliant procession was formed, preceding and surrounding the Prince Consort, and moved through the different galleries amidst a magnificent performance of the march from Athalie and the prolonged cheers of the spectators. The return of the procession was hailed with loud cheers, when his Royal Highness, standing iii front of the Chair of State, formally declared the Exhibi tion open. The orchestra concluded the stale cere monial by performing the " Hallelujah Chorus." Prince Albert then proceeded to inspect in a morn careful manner than before the several departments of the Exhibition, and whea he left each gallery or court the barriers separating it from the central hall were removed and the public allowed to enter. His Royal Highness left the palace before five o'clock, and at once drove to Abney-hall, where he was to pass the night. His Royal Highness did not, according to the programme, attend the evening concert at the Free trade Hall. He passed the evening privately at Abney-hall, and at an early hour on Wednesday morning left the hall to attend the inauguration of the statue of the Queen in Peel-park. His Royal Highness and suite arrived on the ground soon after half-past nine, and, amidst the enthusiastic cheers of thousands of spectators, alighted at the main entrance of the Library and Museum. Conducted to the reading.room, his Royal Highness received and replied to the address of the corporation of Salford : It is with pleasure (said the Prince) that I comply with your request to inaugurate the statue which loyalty has erected on the spot where the Queen met for the first time your body, in the presence of 140,000 children enjoying the blessings of school tuition. That they may grow up an addition to the active powers arid strength of their country is my anxious wish ; and many succeeding generations, seeing the Queen's statue in the midst of this park, find in its c.internplation an assurance that when loyalty and attachment to the Sovereign, as the representative of the institutions of the country, are linked to en ardent love of progress, founded upon self-reliance and self-improvement, the country cannot fail to prosper under the favour of the Almighty. The Bishop of Manchester then presented an address from the Lancashire and Cheshire Mechanics' In• stitntions, after which the Prince, attended by a brilliant suite, inspected the Museum and Local Arts Collection. The attention of his Royal Highness was much attracted by the many fine oil and water colour works of the local artists. The inspection of the Local Arts Exhibition being over, the Royal party proceeded through the Museum to Peel-park to inaugurate the statue of her Most Gracious Ma jesty. The statue is erected upon the spot from which, when in 1851 the Queen visited Manchester and Peel-park, she saw an assemblage of no less than 80.900 children from the Manchester and Salford Free Schocls. The statue is placed to com memorate this event, and, as the inscription on its pedestal stags, a large portion of the expenses con nected with its erection weie met by penny contri butions from the little children themselves. The SATURDAY, cause and manner of its erection render it one of the most touching memorials in the kingdom, and one of which both the people of Manchester and their Sovereign may well leel proud, and look upon with feelings of no ordinary emotion. _ As the Prince emerged from the Museum he was met with enthusiastic cheers from the thousands as sembled in the park. A canopied platform, covered with scarlet cloth, was erected in front of the statue for the royal party, and the Prince Consort having taken his place und'r the canopy, the Mayor of Salford, in a brief address, reminded his Royal High ness of the event the statue was intended to com memorate, viz., the visit of her Majesty to this place in October, 1851, and her reception on that occasion by some 80,000 Sunday school teachers and scholars : Many of these (said the Mayor) are now here present, and lam sure they join with me in fervent prayer and cordial wish that this may long remsin a statue to our Sovereign's honour ; living as she does in the hearts of her affectionate subjects, and that she may long continue to reign over a prosperous, united, and loyal people. Prince Albert bowed in acknowledgment of these few remarks, and giving the signal, the figure was instantly unveiled, and, amid a royal salute from artillery and the tremendous cheers or a loyal people, a noble figure of the Queen was displayed. The statue is one of the best of the many of her Majesty. It stands about nine feet high, and represents the Queen in her robes of state, and in the bloom of womanhood. The likeness is perfect, and its attitude portrays with surpassing fidelity that calm and unaffected dignity which so distinguishes the Sovereign. _ The ceremony having been concluded, the Prince, accompanied by the Mayors of Salford and Man chester, and attended by the 7th Dragoon Guards, quitted the park for the North-Western Railway station amid the deafening cheers of the people. Indeed, the cordiality of his Royal Highness's recep tion was marked. Precisely at twelve o'clock the Prince left for London, and at twenty minutes past five p.m. reached Buckingham Palace in safety The first few days have dispelled any fears for the success of the Exhibition ; upwards of 10,000 visitors have daily been present in the building. The period for her Majesty's vLsit has not yet been fixed, but we believe it will take place towards the close of July. Her Majesty during her visit will remain at Trent ham, the seat of the Duke of Sutherland. NATIONAL EDUCATION. A DEPUTATION of the Metropolitan Church of England Schoolmasters Association on Saturday waited on the Right Hon. W. Cowper, Vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education, at the Privy Council office, for the purpose of presenting a memoria: to the Committee complaining of certain regulations established by the minutes of the Com. mittee of Council, and which very materially affected the interests of the schoolmasters of England. The memorial set forth five distinct matters of grievance: —First, that the amount, 4s. a week, payable to male pupil teachers was insufficient, and the mode of payment inconvenient, in consequence of which the supply of suitable candidates as pupil teachers in the metropolis and large towns was rendered inadequate to the demand. Secondly, that the sums paid to schoolmasters and schoolmistresses for the special instruction of pupil teachers (Is. a lesson ) were not proportionate to the time and labour devoted thereto. Thirdly, that a regulation had been laid down by the Committee of Council, which precluded the payment of all sums due to the schoolmasters on leaving their schools, by way of augmentations and gratuities, for a less term than one year. Fourthly, that the schoolmasters were not allowed to employ remuneratively their time out of school hours. And fifthly, that the distribution of the capitation grant, since its extension to all the national schools throughout England and Wales, was not yet decided. Mr. CoweE ft replied to these several points seriatim. First, with rezard to the pupils' stipend, that was, no doubt, a very serious matter, and required and should have very serious attention. With regard to making advances to the pupil teachers, he would consider the point, but he was not prepared to express an opinion upon it at present. As to increasing the payment of the schoolmasters, it was difficu't to estimate at what amount the gratuity ought to he fixed. With reference to the oth er p or ti ons of the memorial, the right hen. gentleman candidly tt l.t the deputation that he could not at all acquiesce in their statement, that it was unjust to require the schoolmasters to devote all their remit neratile time to the duties of their schools. He did not thick it would be right for the State to exact less than the whole of their remunerative time ; nor did he think that the schoolmasters should be allowed to engage in any other occupation or employ ment. Mr. SIMPSON begged to observe that if the State would recognise the schoolmasters as servants of the State, and would pay them in proportion to other servants of the State, they would be perfectly e r Li e t 1 Il f • )f le a e r. 3- 431 it e :14 ,y le a a la It I. a a a 1 3 3 a V a a