Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-09-11 00:00:00

Et EPOIT.

It appears th art-unions, like transactions in comm'ree., are sub-
ject to fluctuations over which we have but small control, and the
causes of which a e diffinf tto ascertain. Last year, when the tmae
of drawing was altered, coat to allo.v the prize-holders to sele,t at the
comme reeTeat of the exhibition, haste 31 of at the close, and when
the additional pr.vilege was granted of iaviting the pr:ze-hotie a to
t'r to private view, it was anticipate ! that th,r3 would be a large edi-
tion to the funds, and that the annual average of subscribers would
at le ist be doub•e,l. This, however, was nit the eta r, ths snbscrip_
tions bel g very little mere than n-nal. This year, although these
privileges have rseen extensive'y advertised, no suitable raspo 353 has
been returned by the public, and the suhscriprions are materially
less than they were last year. Oae reason of this ap 'ear: to be that
the sea-on is unfavourable for the collection, on account of al many
persons beteg out of town. Ass Cher, is th 3 difference of opinion wi.h
respect to the propriety of drawing it at this period, aad allowing tare
prize-holler a first choice with the bnza file purchaser of a pi.rture.
It will be well to put this in its proper bearing before the public, in
order that they may form their own judg.neat of the various views
entertained.

It fb sLaLtd, oa the on, hnn t, that, by allivrin the nc:ze holders to
select en the first day, they sweep away a cl 193 of pictures which
would, without them, fin I ready sa'e, and at the cloie of tee ertliibi-
ten there'is always ample to tterial for choice which wo.lll then
cornc. in to swell the Academydis salea ; an I also, it is said, that the
pre holder wise risks his guinea is not enfalel to al eqoalchas:te
with the bola file purchaser echo peeps Ws money down.
On the o her hand it is s ated that pri seholder comes equally
with money in hand, and tint by giving' him an eiaal first choice
OR the op :flint day, it would increa:e the power ant num')er Of
sabacribers, Betwee a these two dilemmas the Art Union stiff Ira,
ors account of one or other withholling from It their support. Now,
however, it is feared that Vs: small am )nut of su. ,scriptions wt 1
laid at once to a return to the for ter timeof selecting, as there ap-
pears a great proba'aildy f the facile:my withdrawing the privi-
leges now granted t r the society. Ana:her year, ho rover, every
effort will be male to na he it an etfactire support to the arts in

LicerpJol.
The number of ,übslribers this year is 274 ; from these
has been r;:ceived the sum of

s d
The expenses are : Printing 3 1 6
Advert'ising
Gene:al m .namment, which in lades piper, envelopes
po ;Mg), the use of St. , eorge'n Hall the parchaic and 57 3
cutting of tickets aul other incidental expe,.s.s

£25 18 3

Leaving £317, with a em :11 b,lance ci £7—£3"4:
To be meat io I,r,zes, which has been divided ai follows :
One €fs3 . .
0.,e cf 30 . . .
Two of 25 .
, Thr eof2o . .
Fonr of 15
S,ve tor 10 .........
Four of 5 .... .

(Incleave of £7 balaa.e) . £347
The Chairman, then, finding that the funds of the
f,ciety were so low, requested any gentleman present to
offer some suggestions, by which the exchequer would be
augmented, and a taste for the fine aris increased.
A. brief conversation ensue 3, in which Me. V,,relst, Mr.
11, and setw other g,ntlemen took a part, in the coarse
o which-several suggestions were made.
The d,•aWing then took place, and the following were
awarded