The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-09-25 00:00:00

Madona, which is borne by a group of handsome and elegantly-
attired young men. This, which forms the principal .and
central group of the picture, is preceded by a band of singers
and musicians ; and is followed by a train of celebrated mei
assembled to do honour to the genius of Cimabue and his
divine art. Among these are Arnolfo di Lapo, Gaddo Gaddi,
Andrea Tafi, Nicola, Pisano, Buffalmacco, and Simone Memmi,
the illustrious author of the "Divina Comedia," Dante, occupy-
ing a conspicuous place in the corner. The drawing and paint-
ing of the respective figures are in general forcible, truthful, and
pleasing; the heads are expressive, and the draperies rich in
texture and brilliant in colour, while the costume appears
accurate, and it is generally suggestive of minute study and
careful finish. The action represented is simple and subdued,
and though rendered with fine artistic feeling and regulated with
the nicest eye to a balanced composition of lines and colour, it
does not suggest the idea of dignity, and though solemn, stately,
and measured, it is. deficient in earnestness, and lacks that ap-
pearance of life and animation which constitute the charm of
historical representation. The spectator feels impressed with
the conviction that he is looking on a picture. The artist and
his art is everywhere presented to his eye, and forced upon his
understanding. The subject and the mode in which it is
treated appeals more to the critic than to the general public ;
and the result of such an appeal is that of wonder and admi-
ration, but it stirs no chord of sympathy, awakens no emotion.
It is beautiful in parts, and pleasing as a whole; but at the
same time it is eminently suggestive of the poet's exclamation,
How vain is learning. and how empty art,
Save where't improves the mind or mends the heart.
In Mr. Leighton's cleverly-executed picture we have good
and skilfully-executed drawing, well-studied composition,
admirable colouring and bold manipulation ; yet all of these
'fail to interest in any high degree, from the absence of that
everyday sentiment which could induce the spectator to become
more than a mere looker-on at such a pageant.
No. 62. " The Rosicrucians," by W. Douglas, R.S.A., is a
clever picture of a class in a great degree peculiar to the
Scottish school. Some dozen years ago or more, one of the
most gifted members of the Scottish Academy, the late amiable
David Scott, painted an admirable though somewhat outré
picture of an alchemyst, Paracelsus, in his study. This singu-
lar but powerful picture combined many of the higher attri-
butes of genius, varied character and powerful expression,
learned composition and brilliant colour, with quaint represen-
tations of eccentric vessels of different material, which gave to
the artist a wonderful command of prismatic colour. This
picture was admired by many and abused by some k but on the
whole it appears to have taken an immense hold an the mind
of Scottish artists', for no exhibition has been opened in the
Scottish metropolis since poor David Scott's Paraceleus, which
has not been enriched by some representation of alehemycal
operations. Some of these have been good, many indifferent,
and a large number of their very bad. The one before us
seems to occupy a portion of the debateable land between the
good and the indifferent. It is rich in its ample variety of
colour and texture, is pleasing in general tone, and without
reaching the dignity of "high art" will constitute an agreeable'
and interesting cabinet decoration.
No. 166. "The Ten Virgins,' by James Eckford Lauder,
R.S.A., is a pleasing as well as an ambitious picture. It
represents the ,moment of the parable, when, at the approach
of the bridegroom; the five wise virgins having their lamps in
order, are about to set out to meet and hail his coming, while
the foolish virgins have their lamps to trim. The story is
fairly told, and the incidents are significantly set forth in this
small but excellent picture ; which, is liable to the objection,
however, of being exceedingly like a reduced duplicate of the.
larger picture painted several years ago by the same artist,
and purchased by the Royal Association for the Promotion of
the Fine Arts in Scotland, by the committee of which Asso-
ciation it was engraved and distributed among their sub-
scribers. The picture now before us presents many of the
excellences for which the pictures of Mr. James Lauder are
remarkable. It is rich and pulpy in colour, pleasing in
general arrangement, and it possesses great power of light and
shadow.

No. in. Portrait of a Lady," by W. Huggins, is a very
favourable specimen of this-artist's capabilities. It is life-like,
and unaffected in style. Rich and pulpy in colour, and soft
as well as delicate in handling. It bears, in these respects, as•
well as in the warmth and solidity of its tone, a favourable
resemblance to'the portraits executed by Wilkie, in what were
called his later. or Spanish style,

No. 79. "Portrait of a Lady,!' by W. Resell, is 's
picture of a different class from that last named. It is -lower
in tone, yet sweetand pleasing in effect. The head is grace-
ful, and is.painted with much delieacy and beauty.
No. 75. "PortraW of Hugh Pierce,•Esq.," and No. 80;.-"Por-
trait of Joseph Hubback, Esq.," both by J. Robertson, are admi-
rable specimens of theartist's bold and:vigorous style. They are
both-well drawn, and painted with ease and freedom. Mere
is' a general air of ease-and nature in these two pictures ; the'
heads- are firmly and well painted; and in both there f.s- a
combination of richum-without ostentation and of vigour
and boldness without vulgarity, if we excelit the somewhat
questionable disposal of Mr. Pierce's right hand.
No. 167-. "Cattle on the• Banks of a River," by F. R. Lee?
R.A., an 4 T. S. Cooper, A.R.A, The combination of talent,
and skill- bestowed on this picture has resulted in a happy---
display of natural effect. Asa bright summer sunny land-
scape the 'abject is charming in. the highest degree. The-
earth, the air, the water, and the trees,- are-bathed in balmy
sunshine ; and the cattle are- drawn and painted in sweet
harmony with the pleasing scene.

No. 106. "Loch Ranza, Isle of Arran—Morning- mist clear-
ing away," by J. W. Oakes, is a -very, favourable specimen of
Mr. Oakes' talents as a landscape painter. The sterile yet
picturesque beauty of the scene depicted is reproduced with
praiseworthy fidelity, and the atmospheric effects- so peculiar
to the scenery'of the rugged yet lovely Isle of Arran have
moved the artist with telling- inspiration, which he has
cleverly transferred to his canna.-

LIVE RP OOE CO U.R OF _B ANEW. C‘IPTC

ON-Wednesday, before Mr. Commissioner Perry,-there was
an adjourned certificate meeting: in the case of J.:P. Hall.
The bankrupt was-lately a merchant and shipowner in Liver-
pool; he was alaninterested in some chemical works at &-
Helens.- The chief ground of opposition urg,ed, against the
bankrupt was, that he had continued trading long-after he
must have known:-that he was insolvent. Afteran argument
which lasted upwards-of three hours and a-half,..thetsse was
adjourned for judgment till Thursday, when Mr; Commis-
sioner Perry said,_ the allowance of the :certificate= had: been
opposed by 111 r. Townsend, the solicitor of the trado.as.signees,
upon several grounds,- First, that the bankrupt continued
to trade when he • must have known that he was--insolvent.
Secondly, that he- had made large purchases of goods,-which
he is alleged and: has admitted', to have obtained advances
upon nearly to the extent of their value shortly. after the
receipt of the invoices, in the mouths of November, Decem-
ber, January, and February, e.. 89- of which goods were
obtained in February, in which lasts month he,. on the 17th,
gave notice to his-creditors of his-having stopped.--payment.
Thirdly, that he-had made payments to Mrs. Newels to the
extent of £l,lBO mid upwards) such payments- being. in the
nature of frauduleig preferences... Fourth, that on the-17th
of February, the- day sof notice: :of his having stopped pay-
ment, he made a, -mortgage of a ,ship, the Locd.Riversdale,
to a creditor fen an antecedent debt; and a further objection
was founded upon sales matte in February last to creditors
from whom no-money was received for the goods, transactions
which were also: urged as assuming the character of illegal pre-
ferences. He was of opinion that the first objection had been
established, and that the bankrupt had failed in his duty to-
wards his creditors in this respect. As to the second objection,
the obtaining
_advances to such, an extent as has been shown
upon goods not paid, for, was one of the grounds, of the deci-
sions in exporte Monica, (3,. De Gex M'lsTaghten and Gor-
don's Reports, 502.) It was-urged that hehad enly pursued
what he alleges to be a common practice in Liverpool It ap-
pears to me,. however, that unless the court is to adopt a code
of commercial morality for Liverpool different 'from that which
is acted upon elsewhere, it must visit with its severe censure
the pledging of goods unpaid for to the extent •of nearly their
value when it takes place on the part of a trader in a state of
insolvency, who thereby-leaves the vendors, of the goods to look
to the.- invirsoitihverentgaprudrett theaser
eh relates to
the payments to Mrs.. Bigham, it appears by the bankrupt's
objection,as the only; means of pay-
viii
examination of the. 7th of August that repeated promises of
sthbiirldls
payment had been made by him, and, therefore, it must be
due to her. One such application is in terms stated to have
taken that applicationhad been made by that lady for the debt
been made by Mrs.l3igham about the. 2nd or 3rd of February. As
to the fourth objection, the mortgege of the Lord Riversdale
must, for the present purpose at least, be . taken to have been
made in pursuance of a previous promise, and so thus far
under that amount of pressure which would avail to sustain
the transaction. The other objection urged was not strongly
pressed against the bankrupt.. I.think that the delivery of the
freight-note-for the sugar of lead to the amount of £374175. 2d.
to. Messrs.. Fitzsimmons, Applebee, and Co., creditors of the
bankrupt,, on the 16th of February last, without any previous
contract note which could have been enforced against either
party, was a reprehensible act on the part of the bankrupt;
but with that observation
.I shall dismiss that part of the case.
Upon, the case, then, as it rests upon the first and second, heads
of objection to the certificate, and considering the large amount
of liabilities, the court feels itself bound to order that the
allowance of the certificate be suspended for twoy.ears, and
that the protection. be withlaeldfor six months. With respect
to. the class of certificate, as there is no doubt some of the
losses have been unavoidable,, and as it appears that, with the
exception of an entry in a fictitious name, which must always
call for some observation, but which entry does not appear to
have been made with any fraudulent intention, the books of
the bankrupt appear to have been well kept. The certificate
to be granted will be of the second class. Subsequently an
appeal was lodged against the judgment. The appeal will be
heard by the Lords Justices in London, and pending the appeal
the commissioner has granted protection, to the bankrupt.
On Wednesday, before Mr. Commissioner Stevenson, J. C.
Gresty, who lately carried on business, as a tobacconist in
Liverpool, passed his adjourned last examination unopposed,
and the 18th of October was fixed for the certificate meeting.
Re J. G. Ceaus.— Wednesday was fixed for the certificate
meeting in the case of this bankrupt, who lately carried on
business as a shipowner and merchant in Liverpool.. The as-
signees opposed the allowance of the certificate on the follow-
ing grounds :—First, wilfully bad bookkeeping for fraudulent
purposes ; second, dealing extensively in accommodation bills ;
third, fraudulent preferences ; fourth, prevarication in his exa-
mination in reference to the true state of his affairs ; and for
conduct coming under the 124th section of the Bankruptcy
Act, in having his letters directed to other persons in order
not to afford the assignees the necessary information as to the
state of his property ; fabricating debts which never had any
existence for the-purpose of fraud; mutiltating, altering, and
falsifying his books of accounts, and concealing property; and
obtaining money in one instance by means of bills and a bill
of lading for goods not then shipped, and afterwards be-
having improperly in preventing them from being shipped.
In reply to his solicitor, the bankrupt stated that there would
be a surplus over and above his liabilities of £8,434 14s. 2d.,
besides a balance due on several debts that might be recovered.
He (bankrupt) attributed his difficulties to the failure of a
house in Italy indebted to the amount of £6,000 or £7,000.
The hearing was adjourned until Friday, when Mr. Evans was
occupied,on behalf of the bankrupt, in replying to the charges
made against Mr. Claus. He proved that the bills, which had
been termed accommodation bills, were bondfide transactions,
and that a misunderstanding had arisen in consequence of a
misapprehension of the term " accommodation bills," as ap-
plied by the bankrupt. The case was then further adjourned
to the 9th of October, when judgment will be given.
In the matter of W. and E. Latham, the last examination
passed On Friday, without opposition, and the certificate meet-
ing was fixed for the 18th of October.