The Express.
London, England, 1856-06-24 00:00:00

LORD ORFORD'S PICTURES.

Verily there seem • fatality attending the *glee-
tioLa of the noble family of Walpole. The Hoaghton Gal-
lery of ths foosder, sir Robin Walpole, the groat =Mister
sad for Earl of Orford, was sold to Catherine of Russia.
Then, in our own time, the Strawberry-hill Collection of
r.c. Walpole was nattered by the inszorable hummer cf
the late George Robins ; and now the Woltarton Collection
—famous, though situated in a remote part ef Norfolk—of
Walpole, the lut Earl of Orford, is delivered op to the
”Insvitable" Christie. This is stW more curious,

easiog at the present stoutest, when we hear
that Mr. Hareourt, M.P., and Frances Countess Wilde-
grave are engird in endeavouring is restore Strawberry-
hll to its "Horatian" stater. Tao pistols of the collection
the celebrated Rainkow L•ndscape by Ruben. This
pointless was, together with its companion, " The
CI &Way," now in our National Gallery, formerly In the
Belbi Palace at Genoa, sad was bought from Mr. Watson
Taylor's collection for 2,8001. Nothing can be more swe-
etness than the spirit and power lavishly displayed in the
handling of it is picture. Its execution is so extraordinary that
you unconsciously retire soma little distance to allow your
confused senses to appreciate the scene, just as you would
remove to a distance from an organ torrent of music, to dim •
anguish the milady. But we have no space, even if we
had the ability, to do justice to the vigour of manipula-
t on, the f sew and contrast of colour, and the masterly
knowledge of 'Met in this noble work of the most prolific
sad mast (yttrium of painters. By Murillo there is a pie-
ties. " Christ falling beneath the weight of his cross, and
the Virgin gluing upon him," which proves that high reli-
gious feeling may he coeveyed by overplay realistic forms,
appropriate solemnity of tine, and simplicity of expreseloo.
"The Deems. D'Ossuns,' by Verlailswe, does not resat the
Use touch of the master, but is rm.:liable for its fresh
isobar and warm plowing life-blood. "The Converted
Jew," Rembrandt, is a flue study of head and hands. The
Jew I oaks, by the way, like a boy with a prematurely old
appeanace, from his stature being cot auffleiently removed
frost life-sis and therefore ambiguous. 1 here is a putt.
cularly good work by Sasso Ferret°, with an unusually
golden tone. " A Portrait of Pope," by Richardson, the
twister and art mite, Winterising. "A Sea-piece," by
Rupdael, has • poetical storm effect; and there are
eery excellent *Remotes of Opts, Togeoy, Sir C. Rastlake,
Caseletii, Basseao, &remit, Do Reem—a prosy of fruit
with infinite delicacy of toneh--Weeail, De Heaingb, sad
Sr/there the lest brilliantly coloured, en seemlex to be
the product of ages of labour. Besides these batrinsically—
Ito to speak—valiable pictures there He othlre of the highest
importance in the history of art, or, if not insigne, of the
greotost rarity in Ragland. "An early Games altar
piece" is said to be the only specimen of Granewald in this
wastry. It has dignity, hot we do not see meta of the
graadeor and nobleness " Dr. Wasps attributes W it.
"The Virgin sad Child—the Racket sad an Angel," le an
early picture, fall of purity and grac-, by the great Flores-
tine sculptor, Andrea Verwebio. " The Glorification of We
Virgil,' by Lo Spagne, the Spanish fellow-student of
Raphael, is the best specimen in Rashid of an artist little
known even is Italy. Another painter scarcely hams out of
the city when he palsied (Naples) is A. Sabbatini, called Da
Salerno. lie was during a shoet tiae a pup.l of Raphael
There are two very good specimens in this collation, and
they, with the work of Lo Sono°, show callously the tram-
eitlioal state of art at the commencement of the alienist's

..stun, when the devotional spirit of tee ongtenenefini wee
not yet begotten is the clinical forma introduced by
llsoluel and tte eelectiesehool.

Or moister*, tboro lea bust of Napoleon by Canoes, and
two a•atnee by Finoloi, of Rome. Titers is aloe a moot
*update mimes by °rialtos Gibbose, booldos auserom
others by Rosen end the iltmiala caner, Cloth. Titers
are, moreover, among s gnat and biome variety of other
More. bronsm, teara•eottaa, majolica, sad • carious spe-
cimen of Lana della Robbie, amebas from the fame NI
Wog glued.

rOCIETT OF ARTS. - EXAMINATIONS OP
PUPILS OF MECHANICS' INSTITUTIONS.

An interesting experiment, which may lead to
very important results, bas just taken place under the
auspices of the above-named society. We allade to the
examination of fifty-two candidates from the wuioua
mechanics' institutions and similar societies spread throngh-
out the c iuntry. Duo notes was given to these institutions
that the Society of Arts bad established a board of ex-
aminers, which, on the 10th, Mb, and 12th of June, would
to te• examination of penman connected with the
Era:atone, and would accord to snob candidates as might
par,certifieatse of merit. Three certificates us of three
degrees—excellence, proficiency, and competency. The
results of the first eiromnation, although not officially
published, are, we are assured, suck as to warrant the mart
sanguine expectations of the projecten as to the success of
the wheats. The ezaminers is mathsmeties, chemistry,
Enlists history, English literature, French sad German,
speak in terms of high admiration of the papen sent up to
them, and of the intelligence displayed by many of the caa•
endues when tested by • vivo wee examination. Some of
the ezawitners go so far as to *nut that the results have
been even more satisfutory than those obtained when exa-
mining pupils who have been specially prepared for used-
nations, in pablic iletitutioas sit spirt for instruction in
pa/Ulrike subjects. No., this shows that, however ten-
satisfictory mop bars btes the proceeding+ of the me-
chanise' institutes foe sums years put, they have
not been utterly nudes,. If, to spite of the want of
systemat c instruction, and, any rersogolud mode of tasting
@lacier cy, me many as fifty two members of these institutes
menu themselves, at the shoe:est possible notice, to un-
dergo a probing examination, and a large majority of them
stink themselves creditably, It can seerosty be doubted
that when a definite plan of regular examinations it laid
down, the results will be multiplied exuarively. A lane
proportion of the adult population of the country stiffer
from the want of early education, and esperarce the
greatest difficulty is overcoming the impediment+
arising from deficiency of coyly training. Them
are measly soy Institutions calculated to supply
this war. The mechanics' institutes hale but too
often abandoned the functioes they ens destined to
LI, and lave degenerated into eminent rooms, reeding
room., sad circulating libraries. If, however, It eau be
abets that they afford facilities to men desirous of laetrile-
Soy wee may of study but of obtainlog • public recognition
of purffigieany in study, they will rise in dignity and worth.
The memliers will have • direct interest la securing
the sinless of eminent men as lecturers and lestractors.
Ti. undies may ammo a definite and regular form, and the
institutions may become real working men's colleges. The
prase and outilleates of the Soziety of Arts will hold out
something tangible ea a reword fur submitting to a course
of mental training which, without such reward, would
tamely be submitted to by persons who have payed the
period when esudy le made compulsory. If the Society of
' Ares named. in elevating the mechanics' institutes into
esublisheeents for general education it will have made good
, its this to a large amount of public gratitude.