The Express.
London, England, 1847-04-09 00:00:00

fmr Etas.

ItoVAL ACADEMY.—The "Hanging Committee" Os
the Academy, Messrs. Eastlake, Webster, and Herbert, are
busily enraged arranging the pictures for the ensuing exhi-
bition. They have both an oncrous and a delicate task to
perform. The first duty of a flanging Committee is inn-
rialsly to reject. "We have more than we have room for,"
is the yearly exclamation. This accomplished, they have
first them'clven to serve, then their brethren in the Academy,
and then the associates. The line of right is pretty well en-
gaged by the time the Rapti Academician* "nil associates of
the Academy are taken care of. Should a good niche re-
main, it is given, perhaps, to a favourite student, or the son
of an Academician, or just as chance and ac ident may deter-
mine. Then come the undecorated—the many who want
the appendage to their names of R.A., or A.R A.. and who
have little to look for but a place above or a place b,-low the
line. This well or ill placing is u serious matter
where a picture is concerntd. Wilkie's "Blind Fiddler,"
the rioond picture he sent to the Academy, was PD
in the exhibition that it was nearly obscured by a " Black-
smith's Forge" of a 1t0y..1 Acatlerincian immediately adjoin-
ing. It behoves Si* committee, then, to exercise their func-
tions with even-handed justice. In a space too limited to
allow of all being well seen, some must be above and some
below the line. But what the public pay* to ace, is the beat
pictures in the hest plam* —not the measlier* of the
Academy. in all the gond places. There are, we are told,
better painters in the Academy than out cf it—which is per-
fectly true ; but just as true is it that there are better painter.
out of the Academy than many that are in it. All we would
urge on this year's cammit•ee is the principle of giving the
best places to the best picturiv, and the necesdty of abolish-
ing that black hole of the Academy, called the Octagon
Room, where the spectator looks to see a picture in vans,
I and where the members of the committee " hang up" their
opponents to a long three month, of unmerited obscurity.
There see pleasing rumours afloat about this }ear's exhi-
bition. Edwin Landseer has a picture of Van Aiaburgh be-
tween a lion and a tiger, a commission, we ore told, from the
Duke of Wellington ; Etty, a story of Joan of Arc, painted
in three compartments Mulready, another ',kilo*e from the
Vicar of Wakefield, a commission from Sir Thom,* Baring;
Mr. Webster, a picture of Village Choristen., a con.minion
from Mr. Sheepshanks; Mr. E. M. Ward, a Scene in
'Chaser Alley in the time of the South Sea scheme ; Mr.
Frank-Grant, two full-length portraits of Sir Henry Pottin-
ger and Mr. Hudson (the Railway King) ; Mr. Dibson, a
statue of the Queen ; and Mr. M'Dowall, a colossal group of
the Death of Virginia.
ine arama. _

LycEuM.—A new drama in three acts, from the
pen of Mr. Shirley Breoks, was produced here with success
last evening. It belongs rather to the school of the Adelphi
than to that of the Lyceum, where we usually expect more
of the comic than the sentimental. No objection, however,
is to be taken to it on that account. Madame Celeste has
no legal or recognised monopoly in the tears of those who
love "intense interest" and " strikit g situation" above
every other sort of dramatic art. The sentiment of " The
Creole," for such is the name of the drama, iv "anti-
slavery." If Frederick Douglass, now, see suppose, in
the hold of the good ship Cambria, could have seen
the author as he appeared on the stage last night he
would have jumped from the boxes to the pro,renium to
have embraced him. Mrs. Maurer, on the other hind, had
she only heard Mrs. Keeley deliver the tag, would have
been ready to scratch her eyes out, if only for the honour of
Calhoun, " her own dear American statesman.' The scene
is laid in the Mauritius, at the early period of the French
revolution. A regiment hos arrived there, a young officer of
which, a Al. de Nyon, is the proprietor of an COCO in the
colony. Soon after his arrival he has fallen in lo,c with •
Creole girl, with whose history he is unacquainted. There
lives on an adjacent estate a man of colour, named Latour,
who is enamoured with the daughter of a M. I. k oniron, a
proprietor of rank, with whom De Nyon is intim:Ml,' con-
nected. Latour makes himself acquainted wild De Noss,
and discovers his affection fur Louise. On this discovery he
resolves to build his own success lie reveals to be Nyore
that Louise is a slave of the estate of which he (De Nyon)
proprietor; induces him to sell her to himself. in order that
she may be legally freed; and, having thus obtained
poneraion of the prize, turns round upon his aii•
quaintance, and refuses to release Louike unless De
Nyon will obtain for him the band of t'irginie Oarniron.
The sufferings to which the unhappy Louise is exposed
whilst under Latour's infitieuce, form a leading feature as
the drama. A rivandiire, however, is her guardian
angel. This Minerva of humble life has not only taken
Louise under her protection, but has also thrown her shield
ever Bakes, a Jew dealer in the colony, who, because he is a
Jew, is persecuted by its inhabitants. Bokes has had deal-
lop with Latour, and it transpires, just at the right mo-
ment, that the latter has assigned to him all la's property.
Here is a prospect of release for Louie.. Latour. however,
has, it seems, been toa deep for tke Jew; for, under the law
of the Mauritius, no alien can acquire property in slave*, and
consequently there was no authority to put Bok.s in pos-
session of what Latour has by deed made over ti him. It is
at this juncture that f.arour engages in a duel with a dathico
young officer, named St. Entilion, who is in love with Virgin,.
Damiron. In this duel Latour receives his deathblow. As
he is expiring, the proclamation of the convention arrives,
by which freedom is conferred on all slaves in the colonies
of France, and thus Louise becomes free, and " virtue is
rewarded," though Bolus lutes his principal and interest.
The piece was prettily put upon the stage. Mrs K
played the rioandiere, and her husband the Jew, with their
usual skill. The latter, who had a long beard ant a coat al
the latest Monmouth.street cur, was occasionally exceed-
, ins'', amusing. Emery was east in the part of 1,10.111.
which is rather above his usual range of character, thong\
he played it, as he plays everything, with energy and are.
Mr. Leigh Murray was the officer (De Nyon), Mr. F. Mat-
thews the planter (Dantiron), and Miss May the capti-
vating slave. Miss Dickinson had • small part as St.
Entilion, which she played with • great deal of dash and
smartness. The drama was very much applauded through-
out, and at its close the principal actors, and subsequently
the author appeared before the curtain, receiving all the
ovations which attended a theatrical success.

dam.

CLERICAL.
Tice Budior or LONCON :men !s alienating part of the rectorial rich.,
of Pt. otephen Coleman, Fenchurch•drect (new racant,„' • • bait of
the district churches in Bethnal-green. The oat , •
said, will be redrawn true 1,5001. to 800/. • • . ob. • sig
A BILL Ls vow 10 IRE floisr. or Conroe.. • • • •
of Doddington sr. March, in the Isle of El • • • sti.
11.11111101.
The next ordination of the Lord Bishop of•W • 14 • ,4
the 154 h August.
Ponytail:sm.—Rev. Wm. Ilse lowill, to ' I •
Norw. ; Rev. B. J. Rolston. A.M., to South •
Norf., dio. Nora, : ralne 163/..• patron, J. •
rinalket, Suffolk. Rev. J. A. 'frees, M.A., •
to be ace of her Modesty's preachers at VI h • • 101
to Nor h Lew R., Heron, q. itacter ; rah,/ - •
patron, the crown : vacant by death of Be,. W. • • '
• ss.