The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-27 00:00:00

TEE ART EXHIBITION.

As one emerges from a cloud of darkness into a flood of
light, and stands amazed at the glories which surround
him, so it is when you stand in the centre of the exhibi-
tion room, and behold a collection of art from all quarters
of the earth, and of all ages. The first impulse is that of
wonder, which soon changes to that of admiration, and as
each succeeding object rivets the attention, the mind
instructively turns back to remote ages, which, as it were,
stands now before you, as risen from the tomb of time, once
more to revisit the " glimpses of the moon," and glad the
world with their long lost presence. We turn here and
there and find ourselves like the man to " double business
bound." We really know not where to begin, and certainly
we can hardly find language to convey the pleasurable sensa-
tions which we could wish to convey to our readers. We may
be permitted to say, that with most lovers of the antique
we are rather enthusiastic on these points, particularly
when we see something worth admiring, and of undoubted
origin. By the way, we saw in a paper (it was an Ameri-
can paper, of course,) that the veritable tower of Babel was
discovered a few months ago, by Mr. Place, a Frenchman ;
but the most wonderful portion of the story is that the
remains of the tower are about three quarters of a mile
high. and that this stump can be seen from 70 to-100 miles
off in all directions I The mystery of the tower's wherea-
bouts is only equal to the opthalmiac influence that must
have prevailed over the people of all countries, who have
traversed the plains of Sennaar (not Shinar), since some
time after the ark rested on the mountains of Armenia.
Although we hare no bricks or mortar from the old build-
ing at the exhibition, yet we may turn to the glezid case,
No. 2, under the head of "Pottery," where we find some-
thing equally interesting, and decidedly more ornamental
and useful. The manufacture of pottery in this country
forms no inconsiderable portion of trade, both domestic
and foreign, and with the exception of the
finer kinds, called porcelain, in its several varieties, imported
from China and Dresden, we believe England surpasses
any other country in extent of its manufacture of this arti-
cle, as regards both useful and ornamental. We are not
about to enter on the history of this article, nor on the
details, which may be classed under three heads—namely,
earthenware, stone ware, and porcelain, and the almost
innumerable varieties issuing from each of these heads. The
origin of pottery is clearly traceable from the flood, as it is
certain that the descendants of Noah had already become
acquainted with the moulding and use of clay, for the ine-
vitable conclusion is, that when they knew how to fabricate
bricks of clay, their domestic necessities must have forced
them to the construction of earthen vessels for such uses.
Early in the Old Testament earthenware is noticed, and
potters and potters' clay also frequently mentioned : even at
the time of Christ potters were of some note, for a " pot-

ter's field" was purchased with the thirty pieces of silver for
which Judas had betrayed his master. Immediately after
the confusion at Babel, some of the descendants of Nimrod
(properly Nemrod) founded the China Empire, and from
that time up to, comparatively speaking, a recent date, the
secret of the manufacture of the finer description of pottery
was confined to that people. In that exhibition we have
not any specimens of extreme antiquity, although it is
doubtful if some are not much older than the period
attached to them. There is, however, enough to show the
high state of decorative art that prevailed in pottery several
centuries ago, and Nos. 66, 67, 68, and 69 in the catalogue
will show the high state of artistic skill bestowed on such
objects. Towards the end of the sixteenth century, what is
called Flemish stoneware was much in use, particularly in
Ireland, and, strange as it may appear, in the first quarter
of the present century, the writer of this notice (then a boy)
saw in several parts of that kingdom, in old mansions and
baronial halls, great varities of this ware, particularly the
jugs called " Grey Beards," which were much valued by
the owners, as these had been heirlooms in the families, but
where they came from none could tell, certain, however, they
were not fabricated in Ireland. The specimen No. 80 is like
what he SAW, bat he believes these things have all disappeared
and given way to modern pottery called (improperly) China
ware. No. 81 is a curiosity, being a jug of this ware with
a medallion portrait of William 111. ten or eleven years
before his death. The likeness is considered good, but

oue (if not the best) of the best profiles of that celebrated
Monarch is attached to the collar of "S S" belonging to
the Corporation of Dublin, which collar is wor.i by the
Lord Mayor of that city on State occasions. It was
presented by the King himself to the Corporation of
bublin, and the late Daniel O'Connell was the first
Catholic Lord Mayor of that city who wore it, from the
time of its presentation. Portraits on pottery were com-
mon in the middle ages, some in relieve, and this art was
carried to America, for the best portrait of Washington
was found on a common cirthea iiite:l2r—only two of
which we believe are now in fxistiric2. Up to a recent

period, portraits (not in relievo) of pvular and eminent
mea of the day, were to be found on jugs oups, &c., but
that peculiar art has • not been practised lately, inst seems
to have been transferred to handkerchiefs and other
perishable fabrics. In the collection now before us,
there are some fine specimens of old Staffordshire, or
Liverpool Tortoiseshell ware, of 160 years ago, see Nos.
99 and 10), the latter with a portrait of John Wesley,
dated about 170,0. This sort of ware was superseded by
weigewood glazed earthenware.

Again, we regret that an inexorable demand on our
space, requires us to cut this notice shorter than we
intended, but we mean to go through the whole of this
exquisite exhibition, which for the art Student, the
Antiquarian, and the general public, possesses more
attractions, than any we have beheld for a long time.

THE VACANT ORDER OF THE THISTLE.—The Advertiser
says, that the Green Ribaud, vacant by the death of the
Earl of Fife, will be given to Lord Kinnaird.

The Ballinasloe Star says, "The spirit of emigration is
again abroad throughout this district of Ireland. Not only
to the United States and Canada, but to Australia, a large
proportion of the emigrants engage their passages.
A singular will suit has been for some time in progress in
New York. A man and his wife were drowned when the
Arctic steamer was lost at seas and the whole question of
the disposal of the large property turns on whioh died first.
The editorship of the Illustrate 4 Landon Naas has fallen
into new hands, in consequence, it is said, of a quarrel
between Mr. Ingram and Dr. Mackay, who has conducted
the paper for some years past. The new editor is Mr.
Shirley Brooks.

SUPERSTITTON.—In the west of Clare a kouse was robbed
of a considerable sum of money, and the person who lost it,
having a suspicion of the thief, went to the 'reemasons to
open the " Black Book," to ascertain if his suspicion was
correct. The end of it was, that the people have attributed
the late storm to the opening of the " Black Book !"
Clare .Freetwin.

A NICE TEAM.—When the first hand cart train entered
the city, foremost in the line were noticed three buxom
Welsh girls who had drawn their hand cart some one
thousand five hundred miles. Wishing the next day after
their arrival to see a Mormon, with whom I had some
business to transact, I enquired of one of his spirituals
where I could find him. Sle answered me, with an ironic
smile on her lips, " He was gone to engage as spirituals
those three Welsh girls who were in the lead of the hand
cart train. He thinks they would be very useful in having
his winter's wood from the canons, they make such au
excellent team."—New York Daily, Tribune.
PALstEarroN THE " TRUTHLESS;'—We have no hesita-
tion in declaring that a more unmixed tissue of falsehood
and mystification, an address more disgracefully charac-
terised by the suppressio yen/ and the suggestio falei, has
never been obtruded on a gullible public. Had Lord
Palmerston ventured to tamper with truth and sincerity
in the affairs of private life as he has done in the grave
affairs of state, ho would have been summarily expelled
from all respectable society- That a prime Minister
should venture to go to the country upon such a flimsy
patchwork of gossiping scandal, dishonest concealment,
and mendacious insinuation, impresses one with a sense of
national degradation. When Lord Grey, by a dissolution,
invited the national judgment on his Reform Bill, the
importance of the appeal justified the stop ho took.
When Sir Robert Peel, by a dissolution, invited the
national judgment on his commercial policy, the import-
ance of the appeal justified the step he tech. But Lord
Palmerston, by dissolving on such false and frivolous
pretexts as this address discloses, merely enacts a dull
and paltry burlesque of his great and good predecessors.
—Daily_News.3

-•- ,

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS

[By the British and Irish Magnetic Telegral4l

THE PRINCIPALITIES.

the 20th instant, that 1,600 Turkish troops istte
It is stated from Constantinople under date
stationed upon the frontiers of the Principalities'
ready, in case of need, to enter them for the Pr;
tection of the rights of the Porte. Ismail Filed
was reported to have been arrested, as susPeets
~.
of having contributed to purchase arms for the
expedition undertaken by the Kangaroo to

Circassian coast. • viss
An attack by the Russians upon Circassia
regarded as imminent.

FRANCE.

The Paris Three per Cents closed yes'
(Thursday) at 70f 600.

BOARD OF TRADE RBTURNS.

Yesterday morning the monthly returns Of the
Board of Trade for the month ending Febrnoltsl
28, 1857, were issued. We subjoin the Iyh
declared value of the exports of British and At
produce and manufactures during the °-
including only the " enumerated articles"
For the month.
18;7
1856 7,123,067
1855

ntir
Including the unenumerated articles the nn
returns are £9,313,040 against £7,725,747 in •L''
and £5,032,416 in 1856.