The Express.
London, England, 1860-05-04 00:00:00

,PRIVATE VIEW OF THE ROYAL

ACADEMY.-iTHIS DAY.)
__..2-

rt 1s quite certain that the private view of 'the
idyl deedesey is sa mutual treat looked forward to vary
Sege* by the privllered few who are admitted oa Sat
semeetrily aorlasive osereimm .The pictures ere never wet
to seek ssivanMes Oa codisery days, alms ti is quite M.
Waal mcror astrou, the crowd is so great beim
W lidiele shire I the Last attractive that yeanre
Sleek if you *add ses it all, to do so under every dield-
analage. Tee me brooked shout, trampled was, ead.pad
smut isms aid whet—to tine who bumf iseligi
Awn Philwee—it woes lea in, yea are swage to vie*
theta Gem Se Seems at *SS I asa be an MS
together, aid im compelled to emits it pirests4, ts
a bit at a time, m shame allows you. On the day of the
private view them am noes of these MoonveMenoss to mum
plain of. The very limited number of the tickets that see
tested, et WI Se great difEculty of obtaining them, keeps Se
receneal theklullest asemeat suficisatly clear to reirim
say ineeemedease from erowilwg oet of the yields& The

nib indilniie, in a emsle greener gas den !IRO bn
hammed then who hen sever son In donkfml
Penn se engin! ; and ie, indeed, so reenricalele ea to
amiee ft a igneiliciverbether ft would sot lee advienintW
the Academy to hen seem psnmeont arrangement. *Oh
met. Paton something et thie kind has shaady hem
seasted ; the pest immerses-le is to deemstise di the
rento, whin sirlke c.. thle year, leading as to hope Met
Wles the genic is etheitled as Monday, it TM be feud
lisitthe gnition of the floor in beer eanidered. Tht
beating cossenittee has refaced the number of entsren
pieced ea the walls this meson by no fewer than three
hunted, sad the relied to the eye and the improvement in
the general affect of the exhibition, caned by this chine,
am very gnat.

At this time of year the question " what sort of an exhibition
is it'" is is many neemtlia. That question we are in the
reeponsiWa poultice et being the bet to answer. We do go
witheetrasok hezhatios. It knot one otthose exhibitiew to
elitok then is likely to Waal any espial Mere of
sedloaseet. There is nothing alsitress, or that will tales
the yodel by storm as a novelty. The two great works of
thdyear, by BO Edwin Ladner and Millais, are both
hum ths aeseliof gentlemen fi where the public expels
wee. These as, not like the easily days when pre.
Segerseleissa Let showed its bright eaters as the wale is
Treeigareguare, sad when everybody was up in arms to
attest or defend that new end kw the meet pert unpopeer
maevement. Then is no revokers of fresh scone, nor hes
say hitherto unknown on= esme out with what is tech-
aically called a " hit." As a nunterbelasce to this, it
any, however, be said that tit arranal eidientila the Pri-
sterns of which took *seek wareing, is amsundosetedly
al= creditable to the salmi of art is the country. The
Meowed eirmilion el the general standard which has been
se reinarkable for the lad few inn, is dill easspiedeas,
writhe seporierity of NNW ant theielme pistons now,
in the woad and tltirdetess we exhibited ten yews me,
is especially striking arolotriona. It may be that the gnat
facilities for artedneatio in this ocinatry are sow beginning
to tell. It may be that the Inewace of preaaphaelitinn
has brooght about a wee gensmal earetulase and study of
natio, lad tl may le that the same result has also been
eostribeted to by the inmates et photography. M all
met' the thee is so. The Muskeg of all peat Minim-
UM of MI branek of the arts Is to Improve—sot the woks
of men of high guess, whisk will r always the ersne—
bet to weer Ilan sough*, sad apeeshie the desks of
them who wow , thrash seed leweerakie gee.
TWO II then srjletlirlMs of ens peek& !Weep" the
greatent sneers of the year is made by one who era new
no beget be ogled eves a rising era, ad • work of =qui-
Mho beauty and tender feeling, by the painter of the
ileguseet mid the Order of Belem, rimy excite Indeed Ger
admiration, but not our empties.
Neither can it be said that there is anything to astonish
is n the fact that a picture is presented to us this year by
Bir Edwin Landseer, such as could have come from no other
bawl that can hold a bran. Thin magnificent work, whisk
remanent& a "Flood in the Highlands" (106), is of peat Mae
and full of true and striking incident. The Highb=l4lllll,
driers to the roof as their last strong-hold; the aninnb es
anted by a common seam of danger, that a bare lee who
her form on the heather at the top of the hawse, more stand
of Us rising water than even of her neighbour the dog ; the
chili which has not forgotten to take can of its friend
the puppy in the hour of danger—in such things as these,
we ill know how this great artist can show that exquisite
saushility to the suggestions of nature, which is perhaps
even • more remarkable characteristic of his genius than the
fins art by which these delicate touches are made to tell.
There is nothing forgotten here, not even the panic of the
mouse, nor the indifference of the ducks,who are Trite at home
in this scene, and wbo are swimming in and out of the door-
way if the house, to the top of which the water has already
risen The power of this magnificent picture, in .lady*
the incidents of which one might ripe= half • day, is such
that it seems to bring • chill into the very room with it,
and hangs there like a tempest cloud.
We now poi trjr the mesiderstion of • work in every wer
• contrast to that just mentioned, but united to it ins hire-
ship of genic. An early success, though an immeess whew
tags to • sea in some remota, is not without its lapsed
drawbacks. It is true that it comes at • time of life when
the appetite for honours and distinction is usiesally
keen, and when the pleasure of winning in pester
than it ever is spin. The praise bestowed on the yam
geniis is loud, and the ear that receives it is acutely gen-
sitive to it ; but such commendations are purchased at •
price, and not infrequently • heavy on.. The precocious
genius has drawn • bill on the future, and has to work
hard if he intends to pay it off. With many men wbo
have produced some wonder in their early yeah, their first
works are a bugbear to them, and are brought up con-
' Usually in judgment whist this. There is little doubt
that this will be in some degree the ease this year with Mr.
Millais. He bas net only by the well-known Huguenot picture
shut up the pannier • pair of loon for other artists, but
ha• la some degree done so for himself likewise. Had Mr.
Maisie not produced, some ton years ago, the picture just
named, the beautiful work which he exhibits this season,
under the title of "The Neck Brunrwicker" (29), would
almost set criticism at ddance.

It is a somewhat surprising thing that the Black Now.
wick Human have never been pressed into the siewkos el

art before this time. With the exception of • brief ann.
lion in " Childe Harold," they have been left wholly
without notice. Yet • mare romantic page in the hiztary al
war is nowhere to be read than that which commemorates

the almost terrible sod mod the forlorn courage of these
desperate soldier. Dressed entirely in black, with a skull
sad ere-boos on their ebakos, pledged to give no quarter

and to receive none, this regiment went into Waterloo,
sworn to revenge the slaughter of the Duke of Brunswick,
their leader. They went by the name of the Black
Brunswickers, and only three Aimedred of them came out of
action. That our painters, novelists, and dramatists have,
till this time, left such ground as this untouched is a rather
remarkable instance of neglect. It hos been reserved for
Mr. Millais, who is ever iii.xious to break new ground, sad
whose perception of the picturesque in subject is unrivalled,
to call our attention to the poetical interest which attaches
to the fortunes of this gloomy bond. He has done so in a
picture of inflnite technical beauty and of tore and tender
feeling. The scene occurs apparently after the renowned
ball at Dvorak, and the " hiuserd de la wort," as the
Firth celled the regireat, in his ghastly black costume,
forms a wonderful contrast to the bright creature whom he
is kering, and who is still in her bell dress of white satin.
The all to arms which separates these lovers may have in
its appeal to that love of action and adventure which is in
the nature of men something to reconcile this half-doomed
soldier to the misery of the moment; but there is no such
allevisitMo of its wretchedness to the unhappy girl whom
the Black Humor is leaving behind. If we were not die.
' armed by the beauty of this picture, end were relined to
critters, we should say that Mr. Millak has macrileed a
little too much at this shrine of beauty, and that in pre-
serving that harmony of parts and symmetry of baker by
which the picture is pre-esnineally distinguished, he has
failed to give the intensity of parr which such a scene as

1 this would all forth. Supposing, however, the Maw el
the Brunswickds mistrals to be of the undemon-
strative kind, her action as she nestles up spire
her lover's breast and presses her smooth check
against his black dress, is infinitely subtle sod bean.
tiful. She holds the door with one of her heads, that h•
say not leave her, hut he is pulling it open—and wilt se
We have no epees for further comment cm this beautiful
plater* ; it will pitiably be a pester public favourite Aim
anything the artist has produced since his " Order
Release."
There ie if we mistaimusis, la ere of the lecturer 4
Sir Joshua Belies wrier. he wash the impossital,
dud* with • wdzeiseiptoseloi hr*Alm O sarwestyli:
ebbed on. /a ties pletemelmealld•yeeirler AMY pop
Own is. hewerwr. • *MEd amphibian at tide *my a
fer. la the Awn of OM 1.1, who i• ANON a wd•••• mak
Oirrri• IYPair is the *Ole at the lasses highway, there is
MOO &dank t. seabboties of two ?motions Ada;
Wish not of • Mad Amok opposed to other, are Tai
n two impeihsowd dullitt liellahions. The
weilkhootra lighwelwis, la MI of Ide sieradlar ewer.
dle, happened to legla wet • °mho Is idgeth 1/118
Win Mime pews rd dose Isla he Lever bed awl a
Nese•ba ogent mak the ll• Mew Meehlei ••••0041 to eve
up the Yaw pit stem hooky -which woe **Jr,

06-171416;7167bi1i•Tt bifTlell.lBl,;-la labe- dam,
arpeesme hells leer andilief Bled it Meld seskiden
tehili the dissadat se Ind i add empopnia as die nal
00111101.amdir agile a weenes mind. Ids dotage damn
is amented on a burs Peed. au *are the earshis has
be.. stopped, sad among the dash of the riled luggage of
the tramlines. Theriiiid dory Is weilten, and the picture
will be one of the attractive ems al the year.
an will, dm, YE Moroi "Nadi Antoinette" (153),
whieh is ow el the artist's meet menseeful efforts. One
Nell whh that lire lbw*, tad selected a newer pithiest
as which 1e disphy the great ergo and skill which are shows_
is this piston. The partied., issidsut hs the life of this
araferiag bay seimied in this ems hes net, however, been,
to am iindedge, Wren token She is dews at themes)
mama 1111114 rater she was burkeided into coed the wilding
remain in the peace, the mob were let into the egartraget,
and Oared to peas in font of the barrier behind Midi
she steed. The hose of this Pre& mob—which relish ,
any by the bye, et the winthstie revolutiowary crowd get
together under Malmo °elate het serow—ar• aseddly
sad well studied, and their rabid fury is Indy ordeaded.
with the quiet dignity of the Qom, and lie nomermilke 1
of the young girt when bead the remonsleense of Xario
• Antoinette has resehed.

U it wee legible to exembise lie literary profemioe with,
the aetiet's spesielity —and ..y am who attempted it would

probably excel in wither calling—were this possible the ex-i
visioning which a Court painter might record would doubt-
less forma highly entertaining page in the snub of worry.
What delega and disappointments, whet andainnes or de-
fiance of allaill pomposity and insolence ; whet unpalatable
labour, uniarelassit hapossibly onfavounkle eircumstaacco,
'Da repronalming Nir.Piailigls picture (58) of the marriage
of the Prisms IloyaL It is suflicient to say that with
thane things and the smassary formali►y of emspealtioa
width his subject rendered inevitable to contend against
Yr. lfhillp has produced a moot agreeable and Leiliiaat *-
tem and it is *mat to be able to congratulate the artist,
not only on having "got it over," but baying got it ever so
melL

Another of the effects of the year has been made by Mr.
Asedell, who has a very striking picture (59) of a Irighlard
shepherd found by his wife lying dead upon the snow. The
artist has steered clear of anything repulsive in this neoers•
ray ;ideal subject, the story of the death being told by
the stiffened Bate of the deg who has died on his mester's
breast more than by the fees of the shepherd, which retains,
as ie the ease. we believe, in death by tresning, same slight
tlgs et dear. The deg is terribly dead, sad must, we
should fear, have neesedtated an act of murder in the
artist's kenneL This picture is simple and fins in compo-
sition, and very superior to the other two works exhibited
by Yr. Amadei!, or, indeed, to anything we have seen under
hi mos.

We have got within the last few years to look with some
curiosity far the works of Mr. aria, the painter of
"Eastward Ho!" and " Home Again." Tros to his new
system of ,looking out for such Airship Incidents of the pre-
esat dap Y our newspapers mooed, Mr. O'Neil gives us this
year a scene (2Z3) on board the forecastle of a ship that has
struck. One of the crew is having the rope fastened round
him, with which he is shout to whit whets The splin-
tered stump of the broken most sad oilier details of this
scow are well gives, but the pieta,* is liable to a charge of
tumors, sad there is a want of that stir and activity
which would surely characterise such • moment as the
artist has chosen.

One regrets to see the fine talent. of so accomplished an
artist as Mr. Egg employed on a somewhat hackneyed
theme, but otherwise we should regard with perfect com-
placency and unalloyedpleasure his skilful rendering (275) of
the woman-taming Petruchio, and of the slowly yielding rebel
whom be las taken in band. The execution of this picture
ki as rich end beautiful as we expect it to be when it
appears as the work of Mr. Augustus Egg.
The public knows what it has to expect from names with
which it has been so long familiar as those of Stanfield and
Roberta. Another old name appears in the catalogue this
year, which we are glad to sea. It is that of Mr. Denby,
the painter of the " Upas Tree," the " Evening Gun," and
of so many other triumphs of power and truth. The
" Phi:ohm rising from the Sea" (/19) of this artist is a work
such as, with all the landscape talent of the day, no one
but Denby can produce. In this picture the artist
seems actually to rejoice in the morning glory of
the some he is representing and to revel in the fresh sun-
light which he has represented with almost deceptive
truth. Long may Mr. Denby live to give ns such works,
for with his death the power of producing such a sunlight
u this goes from among us.
To turn from an old name to some new ones, we must
eaß attention to the great fidelity and power of a work
by Mr. Ranh (461), and to the beauty of drawing and
colour in the picture called " Never More" (455) by Mr.
Oakieron.

Mr. 8010M011, the clever psinter of "Waiting for the
Verdict,' has this year • picture (478) calculated to aug-
ment this artist's rising reputation. There is also a very
shiver picture from the " Life of Peg WoMngton," by Miss
Soloman (181/) ; and a work of some premise (261) by Mr.
Mums Skim, ion of the well known Prank Stone, the
Oats from whom works are familiar to all our readers.
Among the names which we are sorry to miss from the
eatalogae is that of Mr. M. Ward, one of the most intel-
ligent artists of oar school, and one who his not only
thought himself, but has set others thinking also. We bear,
however, rumours of a great work in preparation, which we
shall hope to see on these walls next season. Mn. H M.
Ward is here with an unusually clever and brilliant
little picture (334), which will be coveted by every lady who
has been in a position to watch with the most pardonable of
all the forms under which pride shows itself—the first step
of htr firstborn.
No one will be surprised that Mr. Hunt is represented
on these walls only by a portrait study (510) of marvellous
force and fidelity—the extraordinary picture now ex-
hibiting in the German Gallery, and an account of which
appeared recently in the Express, being enough to ex-
plain the fact that for the last two or three years no
important work from his hand has appeared at the Royal
Academy.
There are some remirkahle pictures by Mr. Dyce, and
one especially (141) • sea piece, so unlike his usual style
that it almost makes one doubt the correctness of the
catalogue which attributes it to this artist's name. It is
very beautiful work. One feel' no such doubt on looking at
Mr. Hook's pictures, which proclaim themselves and their.
author at a `lance ; indeed, it is a question whether this &diva
is not rather in danger of exhausting the vein which he was
so fortunate in &worming in the depths of the ocean,
and which he has been working at so incessantly
for so many years. While among the landscapes wa may
mention • snow-piece (227), which displays • more rcenatita-
ble talent than we have expected to find in works Irma she
easel of Mr. Sidney Cooper. and that there are fine works
Iby the Linnells, both father and sons, especially • picture
called "Atop of the Hill," by J. T. Lionel.
I The space at our oummand is almost exhaustedo rid we must
leave unadmired the admirable portraits by Sir Watson Gm-

doh wed Mr. Yet, sA WOU A/ those of Mee Doke of.
Vg4 sad • lady serranseisi by her eltikken, of Mr.
the painter of the fresco jnet completed tik
lisoinl•lns. Baron Mareehotti has turned • child
info orzWe with his amastemei felicity. it mew mach
to say, but it is wady doing the easanoesst justice to trait
nisei aggsisibs work of art to proaceume it the most bean
the kind whisk we ever remember to have
sus blimp swilitnre-room of the Royal Academy ; and Mr.
ghiloriresissr exhibits • bast full of life and truth. The
sedgtwaseisaw b, is other respects, not more attractive
, thew rtttL

We meet eimelade MIT adios without an allusion to
vim ILE sei emit eldbe thiseaseal !sulk, as it haa already
pliers who were estmlleid to this dere rivets
vipie=the abeam of adaiames ea the Aceises7 wale.
Se mildetare res AO- MI and be be so lower exists,
emi what specimens there ere, are shows cm two
tills io the iedife of est eimeteefue. Amoept those
*Aare eahaileit the tour large uslmitituree of the bell may
be alleseedi Iln Wells are oesephemone for their peat
beauty. The bon* eammaittee has pined adolimmel space
b the sew ansigessent of Olds room, sal, with the
eseeplisa as undue premium's gives to the elms of
pietwree whisk ray be mad kitchen jetsam, may be
ad to hove dose ile week umeestily well

r

-110TAL ITALIAN OPZILL

The piffliagis;itie of the Trots:store was distin-
Edo eipal7 by heck novelty, the list appearance of
sillag, In aracter of Asses* the gipay—•
person who is priudsisat a place, aqd demo& a per-
former of hoe se •ii•um&u sad • singer
that she hie pod a tide as Leonora to be
se the huhu Awn. This character has griculasr.
formed he limi4" contraltos of the day—Vardot
Garcia, Miss& saml Ileeshiasess ; by all of them very
finely, but hp nails mind pluitirdift or buessefully
that2a.MilMeg las bee a nelkiwg eat Wed, pealed
der dimaslar. Ili, pnto* &rives
Tra=Meleveego solihnshtp. sad
= ta assit llal4 ..16;21istrUal4.
Midkidepeowiews.
litcSlhe Limpid lie last—a nee who preserve
their features ja eshelever part of thowedd they
may In ILAWahof Ono nen Oahe he would
have been Month eta Ine as Mn embodiment al his own.
Meg Merton. Hale. ChMeg's singing was as
fine as her acing ; sad Its finest feature
wen,
that its ainsiml eweellasas was lost 1*
its truth it
fern au gempollo baguage. In the
giceri's borrowing months haw terrible crime and more
terrible, polithemot every Idea of a vocal performance was
utterly hipettes. Ussmshissalgy, uedliag is a great
singer, bat eh* is a sill pester tragedian.
fa ell reshisets the opera wee magnificently performed.
Orih's Lessors wee ehesmlnazllew voice was es lovely,
her squat se mils, her en as she ; and
Mario souther to be by far best Maurice on the stage.
Onalani resumed hi park ht which he has nodval, of the
Gaunt di Una. and hie imam air, "Il Wu del too
Berrie was sum& usual. with peals of applause.
When this unequal as it is, is the best of its
author's is so performed, we do not wonder st its
popularity.

THE DECIMAL ABSOCIArioN.—DEPUTATIOM
TO THE BOAED OP TRADE.

Yesterday, a deputation from the International
Decimal Amociation had an interview with the Right Hon.
T. Mawr Ofinem at the Mike if the Board of Trade, in
artier to induce pia to have the question of a common
ousts= of weights sad messures and coins discussed at the
forthcoming statistical magma

Br. J. B. Barra, ILP., in introducing the deputation, said
they welted on Mr. Gibson respecting the equalisation of
therm of weights and measures. The association
to have sa opportaaity of damming the question at
the &poaching cowries, as bad been previously done at
thcei held in Awash and Pais. The commercial relations
of this matey with Preach were assuming so intimate a
the/miter that the necessity for an uniform system of
sad measures was dm* apparent.
P.R.8., said the system they advocated bad
the of maw distinguished men in England, the
Unites,
and other countries. They took the oppor-
tunity of the • congress to adopt the same mum
se that followed at Bradford when M. Michel Chevalier
sad other distinguished statists were present. They should
L nif thequeetion could be made the subject of
sdi airy aad discussion, and should wish to have a
the association appointed to attend the
wairramis Lao said he attended the previous congresses
held at Paris and Brussels, when the question wasdiscumed.
They wanted to know how far the common* of various
couelries bad extended, and what comparative progress
bad be made by each, but far the purpose of demonstrating
this comparison it was ascrearay to have a uniformity in the
system adopted. It was for the different governments to
take the nemesery steps, and the association wished to have
the adiPeot direnesed In a formal manner.
Mr. J. B. WTI, M.P., said the Russian government
took great interest in the matter, having had Mr. Cooper to
rep swat them at the Bradford congress, and he understood
from him that the Busian government was favourable to
the seiociple, and would be ready to adopt any international
museum for currying it out.
Mr. Maxie Ciansos, in reply, said he did not see that he
was at liberty..to indicate the subjects which were to be
selected or the course of proceeding which would be adopted
at the coignes. Be supposed that the committee in making
the preliminary arrangements would consider the question.
but he could not tie the committee down, as they were ap-
rusted in order that they might afford the benefit of thew
edema Be should be happy, however, to confer with the
committee, and had no doubt they would consider the
matter.
The deputation then withdrew.