The Press.
London, England, 1858-07-24 00:00:00

THE PRESS, JULY 24, 1858

frenzy of delight by advancing a step towards the
establishment of the favourite Spanish dogma of the
Immaculate Conception. His bull, without affirming
the doctrine, prohibited any one from preaching
against it; and " Our Lady of the Immaculate
Conception " became the fashionable Madonna of
the time. A large number of these are to be found
in the list of Murillo's works, and the picture now
offered for sale we take to be one of them. Rules
were laid down by the art critics of the time as to
the manner in which the subject should be treated.
The Virgin was to be clothed with the sun (that is to
say, enveloped in a yellow light), treading on the
moon, and surrounded by cherubs ; her eyes were to
be directed upwards, and her hands folded upon
her breast. This picture of Murillo is painted in
accordance with these regulations ; but in spite of
the opinions of the professors, we have little to say
in the way of admiration. We find the Virgin a not
very goodlooking peasant girl, placed, it is true, in
a supernatural position, but with nothing else of the
supernatural about her; we can see no " heavenly
ecstacy," much less anything like immaculate purity.
Even in point of colour it does not seem to us a
good specimen of the artist, while the drawing in
parts is undeniably incorrect, and the execution
careless. When we hear that the price demanded is
4,000/., and read M. Otto Miindler's printed opinion,
we cannot repress a feeling of gratitude that this
gentleman is no longer "Expert of the National
Gallery of London."

PROPOSED DRAMATIC COLLEGE.
ON Wednesday afternoon a public meeting was held
at the Princess's Theatre, for the purpose of estab-
lishing an asylum for aged and infirm actors and
actresses. A gentleman of the name of Dodd bad
offered to grant five acres of land as the site of such
an institution, and a provisional committee was at
once formed with the view of effecting the object.
It *a-at their instigation that the present meeting
was convened.
Mr. CHARLES KEAN, who had given the use of his
theatre to the committee, occupied the chair. He
was surrounded by most of the leading actors of the
(lay, including Mr. Benjamin Webster, of the Adelphi
(chairman of the committee), Mr. Planchit, Mr.
Harley, Mr. Nelson Lee, Mr. Robson, Mr. Barney
Williams, Mr. Samuel Phelps, Mr. Frank Matthews,
Mr. Creswick, Mr. Sims Reeves, Mr. Cullenford, Mr.
A. Wigan, Mr. Kinloch, Mr. T. P. Cooke, Mr. William
Cooke, Mr. Barry Sullivan, Mr. R. Roxby, Mr. Swan-
borough, Mr. John Cooper, and others. Besides the
members of the theatrical profession who supported
the chair, many literary, artistic, and dramatic
celebrities were observed on the stage, amongst
whom were Mr. Charles Dickens, Mr. Charles Reade,
*-Mr. Wilkie Collins, Mr. W. R. Bell, Mr. Peter Cun-
ningham, Mr. Clarkson Stanfield, R.A., Mr. Augustus
Egg, Mr. David Roberts, R.A., Mr. T. Creswick, R.A.,
Mr. Ellmore, R.A., and Mr. Thomas Grieve.
The CHAIRMAN opened the proceedings, atter
which Mr. CULLENFORD read a report, of which the
following is an abstract :—The immediate object was
to procure sufficient funds to erect twenty buildings,
ten for actors, and ten for actresses. The next pur-
pose will be to provide annuities for the occupants.
At a subsequent period it may be hoped to add an
educational design for the children of members of
the dramatic profession ; but at present the com-
mittee desire to give their whole attention to the
single purpose of providing dwellings, not doubting
that everything else which may be required, will be
provided for. They now recommend : that the ac-
ceptance by the committee of the five acres of land
from the grantor be confirmed by this meeting ; that
four trustees be appointed to receive a conveyance ;
that the title of the institution be "The Dramatic
College ; " that bankers be appointed ; that a sub-
scription for carrying into effect the objects contem•
plated be now commenced, and that gentlemen be
appointed to act as stewards, in making a collection ;
that the proceedings of the provisional committee be
approved, and that the said committee, with power
to add to its number, be continued in office till the
next annual general meeting; that when, in the
opinion of the committee, sufficient funds have been
obtained, plans and estimates for the proposed build-
ings be procured ; that at a special general meeting
the provisional committee do present a report of their
opinion as to the regulations necessary for the future
management of the college; the committee have
reason to believe that the first two dwellings will be
erected by the Covent Garden and Drury Lane
Theatrical Funds.
After an eloquent address from Mr. KEAN,
Mr. CHARLES DICKENS came forward to propose
the first resolution, which was as follows :
That the report of the provisional committee be adopted,
and that this meeting joyfully accepts and gratefully ac-
knowledges the gift of five acres of land referred to in the
report.
He said he thought he might venture to congratu-
late them beforehand on the pleasant circumstance
that the movers and seconders of the resolutions
would have little to say, in consequence of the com-
prehensiveness of the report and the statement of

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the chairman. Many as the parts were in which
Mr. Kean had distinguished himself on those boards,
he had never distinguished himself more than on
that day in the large grasp of an artist, the generous
feeling offs man, and the grace of a gentleman. The
dramatic art was too frequently forgotten in the ex-
citements of this work-a-day world. Actors had to
change the silks and satins of the night for the
hideous coats and waistcoats of the present day, in
which those now on the stage had the honour to ap-
pear before the meeting ; their career was in every
respect a chequered one, so that they had nothing to
do but to accept the goods the gods provide. He
could not help recollecting that in a few hours from
that time the stage on which they stood would be
converted into the scene of a cruel bond ; the quality
of mercy would be beautifully stated to the Venetian
council by a learned young doctor from Padua.
Now they were assembled to enter upon a bond, the
execution whereof that meeting would witness, and
which he trusted would be one of mercy for many
years to come. Mr. Dickens proceeded to draw a
humorous contrast between the feelings which ope-
rated upon the hearts of those present and the pas-
sions which would govern the actors in the very dif-
ferent scene which was to be enacted on the same
spot at night—the play to be performed being, as
well known to the audience, The Merchant of Venice.
Mr. CREswrcic seconded the resolution, which was
carried.

Mr. T. P. Corms proposed the second resolution :
That Charles Kean, Esq., Benjamin Webster, Esq.,
Charles Dickens, Esq., and W. M. Thackeray, Esq., be
elected trustees of the said college.

Mr. HARLEY seconded the resolution, which was

adopted.
Mr. WEBSTER proposed the'next resolution :
That a subscription be entered into for the purpose of
carrying out the gift of the donor, and the intent ions of the
provisional committee.
- - - -

Mr. WEBSTER stated that an application had been
made to her Majesty, requesting that she would bo
graciously pleased to become the patron of the insti-
tution, and the following answer had been received :
Osborne, July 18, 1858.
My dear Mr. Webster,—l have had the honour to lay
before her Majesty the Queen the papers which accom-
panied your letter to me of the 15th inst.
I have received the commands of her Majesty to say to
you, in reply, that her Majesty would take much interest
in any plan for rendering more comfortable the declining
years of actresses and actors who were suffering under
insufficient means, and the Queen would wish every success
to the undertaking of which you have forwarded the pro-
' speetns.
The scheme is not, however, as yet sufficiently advanced
for her Majesty to become its patroness.
The Queen has always required, before she grants the
use of her name to any new charity, that not only shall the
object be a deserving one, but that it shall have been suf-
ficiently appreciated and supported by the public to give a
reasonable security that the institution shall be prosperous
and permanent. When, therefore, your plans have ac-
quired a little more substantive character, and there is good
evidence of a cordial and general support, you will be at
liberty to apply to me again for her Majesty's patronage.—
I remain, yours, C. B. PI:1113PS.
Mr. Webster proceeded to express the deep sympathy
he felt in the cause, and stated that, being possessed
of large masses of stone in Wales, bo would
contribute sufficient to face twenty tenements and to
supply the whole amount of stone which might be
required in the erection of the collegiate school.
Mr. ROBERT BELL seconded the resolution, which
was agreed to.
It was then proposed by Sir GEORGE ARMITAGE,
and seconded by Mr. FRANK MATTHEWS, that Messrs.
Coutts and Co. be the bankers at the West-end, and
Messrs. Roberts, Curtis, and Co., in the City, for re-
ceiving the subscriptions to the fund.—Carried.
A long list of subscriptions was then read by Mr.
Cullenford, amounting in all to nearly 7001., including
100 guineas from Mr. Henry Dodd.
Sir W. D. BATHE proposed, and Mr. BRADY, M.P.,
seconded, a vote of thanks to Mr. Kean for his
valuable and efficient services as chairman, and for
his kindness in offering the use of the theatre for the
occasion.
Mr. KEAN having expressed his acknowledgments
and congratulated the promoters of the scheme that
they had commenced their labours under such en-
couraging auspices, the meeting separated.

MME.Toru.—This accomplished actress made
her third" positively last appearance this season,"
at the Royal Italian Opera-house, last night. The
manager deemed the success of Monday's per-
formance on the same boards a sufficient reason for
repeating it. In our next number we shall take our
farewell of this lady, who, unhappily for the public,
has discovered, only at the twelfth hour, that she is
fitted for something else than a repetition of that
miserable play Adrienne Lecouvreur. Had Elisabetta
Regina d'lnghilterra been produced in the place of
and at the same period as that meretricious composi-
tion, we cannot help thinking that Mme. Ristori
would have proved a greater acquisitionto Mr. Orye
than she has done,

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