The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-08-27 00:00:00

THE FLVE ARTS.

THE SILVER PLATEAU EXHIBITING IN
PALL-AIALL
people say we are five hundred years behind our ances-
tors, and a thousand behind the Greeks and Romans in
architecture, and some other branches of the Arts, and
when one looks at Regent-street, and other specimens of
the pie-crust order of architecture, he feels half-disposed
to believe them. But then again, we turn more east-
ward, and feel no hesitation in placing the age which
witnessed the erection of Waterloo-bridge, by the side of
thole in which architecture was in her "moat high and
palmy state" in Italy and England, and the proud domes t
of St. Paul's and St. Peter's, rose like huge wonders on
the sight. Be this as it may, there can be no doubt that
in all the domestic purposes to which the arts can be ap-
plied, there never was a country that obtained a more just
and extensive celebrity than our own ; and never, at any
previous period, was that celebrity better deserved than at
present. " English manufacture," is another phrase for ex-
cellence. In coachrnaking, the manufacture of furniture,
clocks, watches, jewellery, plate, and a thousand other
things that could be mentioned, we have become both
" useful and ornamental." Our vases fee the commonest

purposes rival the best specimens of the Grecian.. and
Etruscan. We have latterly surpassed foreign nations most
celebrated for the beauty of their manufactures, even in
elegance and grace, while we have super-added to their et-
cellences, two qualities peculiarly English in their character,
"utility and comfort." This is the situation of things in the
most necessary articles of life. But even in the construction
of hi outerie for the toilet or table, we have placed our-'
selves by the side of continental nations most celebrated
for their success in the manufacture of such articles. 14 e
equal them in beauty of workmanship ; while, in-all that
relates to durability, we are fat their superior**. It rally
might be worth while to set up a curiosity shop, some
thousand years hence, for the utensils and implements of
the present day. But, generally speaking, they possess too
much of the principles of grace and usefulness evil' to
become absolute curiosities, like the nonudeecript rarities to
be found in the Regent's-quadrant. It is ugliness and in-
utility that produce your only genuine and grotesque
kora in which collector a delight. Such articles are a sort
of physical old maids, which never multiple because they
are unworthy of reproduction, and, becoming educe, grow
into the tenants of addle-beads and glass-eases. Nothing
that is posely.beatitiful ever becomes rare except by acci-
dent, and then it is copied, and we have a new edition of
it. The same thing may be said of everything useful—in a
word, everything worth having ; as, for instance, the splen-
did silver plateau, executed by Mr. Leryson, of Pall-mall,
which we had the pleasure of inspecting yesterday ; and
which, we venture to predict, will never form a subject for
a curiosity shop.
The principal feature which distinguishes this pastime,
from most other articles of the same description that we
have seen, consists io a series of very richly chased designs
which ornament it on each side. ‘Ve shall preeentlyile-
scribe them. The plateau itself is not so large as some we
have seen—say about six feet in length, and of a .
donate breadth. The upper surface is formed of ate
glass, divided into four compartments, which admits as
many alterations in the sire and shape of the plateau. The
inside consists of four solid blocks of mahogany, and on the
sides and ends are the designs in question. The whole is
supported by solid silver tortoises. The ornamental parts
to which we have alluded consist of designs of scene of
the most celebrated monastic and other gothic ruins In
Great Britain and Ireland. They ate executed ih solid
Slyer, and, u we have already taitl,ren round the two
aisles. Among others of almost equal beauty we particu-
larly noticed " Valle Cruel. Abbey," in Wales ; " Bruld-
%as Abbey ." " Monk's House ." and " Longtown
Castle." The united boldness and delicacy with which
these designs are executed is truly admirable, and the ge-
neral effect peculiarly pleasing. The chartings are ex-
ecuted in bold relief, and the accuracy with which they
have been modelled, and the force and firmness of the chi-
selling, place them among some of the finest specimens of
this class of the arts that we have ever had an opportunity 1
of witnessing. At either end of the plateau is a beautiful
view of Dover Castle and Town, with the "silver sea"—
(no metaphor here)—washing its chalky cliffs, and seve-
ral weds, tacking in different directions, in the distance.
The whereof the ornamental and other parts of this splen-
did service have been executed by British artists, under the
immediate inspection of Mr. Levyson, and it is but common
justice to say, that every portion of the work reflects the
highest credit on all the artists concerned in its execution.
It has been Visited by many individuals of taste, capable of
appreciating the merits of the workmanship, on the beauty
of which there can be but one opinion ; and we recommend
all our readers who-take an interest in the progress of our
national artists, to avail themselves of the opportunity of
seeing the beautiful specimen of English talent and in-
dustry. We have been informed that Mr. Wyatt, the
architect of York-house, has inspected the plateau, and
rammed his admiration of its beauty. It leaves this
country for India in a short time, and is designed (as has
been stated) for the use of one of the native Princes. We
are not aware whether or not it is in compliment to Hindoo
mythology that the supporters of the plateau are tortoises ; '
but suppose it is.
It will be-seen by reference to another part of our paper
That the manufacturer invites the public to inspect this
plateau gratuitously, and we conclude by recommending
our readers to take advantage of his liberality iu this
respect, during the necessarily short period it can remain
on view.

Sta THOMAS Lawatweat—it is said that this great
artist is gone to Paris for the purpose of painting a whole
kgth portrait of the King of France.
Nlclicws is now making a golden hat vest among the
pod folks of Birmingham.
Resr-Admiral Bingham is appointed Commander-in.
hief of his Majesty's ships and vessels in the East

Mr. Conant, the lonian Messenger, arrived on Thurs-
day evening at the Colonial Office, with despatches from
Leut.-General Sit Frederick Adam, K.C.B. at Ancona.
On Thursday afternoon, as Sir. Alfred and Lady Mon-
tape, accompanied by Bolton Stretch, Ewl• were Proceed-
ing for Brighton, in an open carriage and four, the leaders,
while going at a very rapid rate down hill at the other side
,f Brixton, became frightened and unmanageable, at the ,1
sudden falling of a boy's kite before the animals' heads,
I)! which the carriage came againit a waggon, and was
overturned. We regret to say that Sir Alfred had his arm
fractured below the elbow. Most fortunately her Lady-
ship and Mr. Stretch sustained no injury. '(he two ser-
mut who sat behind, one her Ladyship's maid, escaped
salt a few slight bruises: Sir A. and Lady Montague are
?duped to their house in the Regent's Park.
Unica the First was the first and only King that ever
the Speaker's chair during the sitting of Parliament;
nn which occasion he went to arrest five Members of the
Hasse on a charge of high treason.
RRPCRLICAN G RATITUDE. —The spirited enterprise, in
1775, during the first American war, by which Major-Ge-
-I'7ll. Prescott, of the British army, and his Aid-de-Camp,
Major Barrington, were captured, was projected and exe-
cuted by ll illiam Barton. It will be recollected that the
klivh troops had surprised and taken Major-General Lee;
with a view to obtain his liberation, that the
against Prescott was planned and undertaken
• In 1012, Barton was a prisoner for debt, in
gaol at Vermont, where he has lain for thirteen
'rived of his own liberty ;
Shut out from common air, and common use
his own Limbs
hard creditors, or the more friendly hand of
subsequently released him.— Washierion Paper.
1./t A t.e Frsuass.—The two ships fitted out in
from Rotterdam for Greenland have returned ;
empty, the other with a barrel and a half of seal
!hat from Harlingen is also returned without fish,
lY 40 barrels of seal blubber.
iivisr.—So little remains to be done in this
mod, that we may now congratulate our readers
iclu.ion of the harvest. The quality of the
r was finer, nor was it ever secured in better
The thanksgiving for plenty was read in some
Sunday last. At no period has the exhorta-
poet been rem appropriate :

------Ve rural lords,
hose wide doroalna o'er Albion's Isle emend,
whose kind hand your annual wealth alTords,
I bid to Heaven you grateful praise wend.
Journal.

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