The Express.
London, England, 1860-04-26 00:00:00

AMATEUR ARTISTS' EXHIBITION.

Amongst the many art exhibitions opened at this
1113116011 we are glad to welcome one exclusively devoted to
the works of amateur artists, which is to be opened on
Friday in the rooms above M. Gambart's French Gallery
in Pall-mall East. Her Majesty, with her usual desire to
promote such useful and meritorious undertakings, will
honour the exhibition with a visit this day, previous to the
admission of the public. The last collection of this nature
was brought together in 1856, in Burlington-house, to aid
the Crimean fund. Some time before, an annual exhibition
of the works of amateurs had been opened, but was soon
discontinued. It is to be hoped that the attempt now made ,
will meet with more success, and that its promoters will be
encouraged to persevere in future years.
The proceeds of the exhibition are to be devoted to the
" Home for Day-workers," • very praiseworthy institution,
founded by the Countess de Grey and lady Hobart, for
the purpose of providing • home for young women em-
ployed in lithe great establishments of milliners, dress-

Makers, aed others, in the metropolis. The rooms, which
are maresly lame enough for the collection of dressings ex-
hibited, been kindly lent by Yr. Gambart.

M. LOUIS BLANCS LECTURES AT THE MARY•
LEBONE INSTITUTION.

The eminent and accomplished Frenchman who
lately made his ti/bat as an English lecturer at the Eyre
Arms Assembly Room with such brilliant enceees „oom-
menced last evening • course of four lectures, at the Mary.
lebone Institution, on the "Salons of Paris in the eighteenth
century." The place was crowded by • very intelligent and
attentive •udience. The lecturer displayed, upon this occa-
sion, the same consummate mastery of our own language, and
the same skilful management of anecdote and illustration,
that were so remarkable on his first appearance. He de-
scribed the peculiar habits of aerial intercourse that pre-
vailed in the fashionable and literary world of Paris during
the gay and giddy carnival of aristocratic dissipation that
preceded the outbreak of the revolution in France.
The special excellencies of French conversation
its liveliness and versatility— its graceful ease and
the absence of pedantry and dogmatism in the brisk
encounter of wits beneath the agreeable presidency of the
famous drawing-room queens of that time—were dwelt upon
by M. Louis Blanc with his usual discrimination. He bristly
noticed the personal character and history of some of the
most influential and notorious of these women —Madame de
Tencin, Madame Geoffrin, Madame du Deffand, and Made-
moiselle Levine's° ; touching delicately enough upon the
poen vices by which the first of them, although a cardi-
nal's sister and the friend of a pope, dishonoured her rank
and her sex. The part which was played in this society by
such men as D'Alembert, Helvetia., and Fontenelle, with
whom Gibbon and Horace Walpole were also asso-
ciated, occupied • Urge share of the lecturer's
discourse. Many of the bons mots and characteristic
expressions which he related, though not told by him for
the first time, were told with so mach humour and vivacity
as to give them back their original freshness. His serious
feoz.4entah.tion the levity leativirreligioniand mho?.
inhowllkichowneestleofdett
Parii•s of that day were content to indulge, on the eve
of the terrible storm of the revolution, inevitable as death,
med. • deep impression on the audience, and in speaking
of the sad of such a career of vanity as that of Madame
du Deland, dying at eighty-four years of age, incredulous
of the reality of love, or virtue, or God in this universe,
the lecturer applied a thrilling touch to the profoundest
sympathies of his hearers. His second lecture, next Wed-
nesday, will introduce Roureesn.

BANQUET TO THE 78rit HIGHLANDERS IN EIGN-
BUIGH.—The grand Edinburgh banquet to the pliant 78th
Highlanders came off on Tuesday evening in the Corn Ex.
armee, and wee a most brilliant a•d encemedul affair. Some
most rare and valuable articles bad been contributed by
noblemen and gentlemen in all porta of the country for the
embellishment of the hall, the resources of the Castle
armoury having oleo been placed at the disposal of the
committee. The appearance of the Exchange is described
to have been that of some " vast baronial hall of the olden
matitei„wlhedentothcearetainenie of some powerful chief had been
Etrxraaurr HITE THE Pori—A public meeting
of
orate th 'curious return from some
the was held Y well-fought field.' The speakers were numerous and elo-
evenil "' Si. 'orth.rp per- t, so they could not fail to be when the theme wee
pose ETChammi
.. gmpathl
.aid.: T.. and its gallant
ceding was one d hieh statris,..ayA=e4ter theud pro-
poother="ll.aap ~Yi lad bges
wd ammtbopeircremplr'itomaLiver- Errsgraard's H.a.moicasoraira.dic
isCoooormitreA.—twerdhealiveci(izt
catholic' of Birkenhead would act be behiadhancl au- =h. mandflea bnakeut i ib..
preying their sympathy he • Pmelhr•l form. A ooleetioa and lb. packets,ii-la. the pAclpe grocers.
was then made, and the total subscriptious obtained Labelled •• Jaws 'Epps. eifeeeffriaft Chemist. loedon.'
•mounted to upwards of 100 f. s Advertisement.