The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-07-15 00:00:00

Page.

TilE FINE ARTS.

TO TILE RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF LIVERPOOL.
FIRST 1,01111 OF THE TREASURY, &c. ae.
I take the lioerty of congratulating ye tir Lordship ca
such valuable posscsions as those beautiful works of art
which appear in the British Gallery to be your Lorlsldp's
property. I congratulate also the British nation on hsvin;
lin her councils men of exalted rank caul station, who srC
capable of cherishing a fondness fur, and who possess a'
' judgment ef, the Fine Arts. That was a proud day ter
England, my Lord, on which her nobility and most
wealthy individuals vied with each other in ',lacing before
the public, for their improvement and amusernert, the
choicest works of art from their splendid collections.
This is indeed giving a stimulus to taste, and patroniAng
by example the Arts in the most liberal and most cffictive
way.
The revered names of Pitt and Fax will lire in the
memory of the politician ; but .hose of Liverpool, of Peel,
and of others of the present day, will add to she splendor
of their statesman-like character, the milder, but, to me, the
no less resplendent quality of the amateur, and zealous
promoter of those arts which improve and enlighten c.
ciety ;—which delight the eye and harmonize the feelings;
standing forward in the cultivation of national taste, and
following the bright example of the Monarch on the Bri-
tish Throne.
In your exalted station, my Lord, at the brad of the
Councils, as well as the Resourcts of this nation, I venture
most tespcctfully to address you on the subject of the
re-
strictions which at present check the importation of foreign
works of art into this country. It has been ever held by
liberal-minded men of all countries, to be injudicious to
offer any obstacles to the free circulation of works of genies
and taste : but in this country, now hourly arriving at s
degree of splendor and liberality before unknown in the
history of this or any other nation, it is completely at van-
ance with the national feeling, and with that generous at-
tachment to the Arts to which your Lordship and other,
of high consequence arc so successfully affiwning a power-
ful support. 1 would earnestly hops, my Lord, that it
would not be inconsistent with the views of Government,
to relinquish at once all existing duties, and throw ores
the ports of Great Britain for the reception of allestorks
of art duty
.free. Should this measure be deemed in.
politic or improper, by those whose high official situation
afford them the power of judging better than any indiri-
dual can, surely it may be well to look into the present
, system of Custom-house Duties, which appears to be
fiaufht with injustice. It cannot have escaped your Lord-
ship s notice, that a painting by any foreign artist, ancient
or modern, not perhaps really worth two pounds, flit be tie
same size, will be liable to the same duty as would attach
to the splendid If-overmans or Adrian ran de Vilde, which
now honour your Lordship's taste in the British Gallery; •
or any of those inestimable Dutch pictures from the splen-
did collection of your high-minded and enlightened eel'
league, the Righ Ron. Robert Peel. Your Lordship
must see the injustice of such a system. Why should a
merchant or tradesman, whose taste and fondness for ele
Arts urge him to possess such specimens as his means ray
afford, be compelled to pay from such means, as much
as the richest Peer or Commoner would pay on the
moat precious and costly picture, because it is the saw
site! This is at variance with the general effect of the
laws and equitable principles of taxation, of which Ibis
country has reason to be prowl.
If duties must be paid on works of Art, surely eone.
thing like an ad raiment duty might be imposed, to be
regulated by skilful, respectable, and proper persons, ap-
pointed for the purpose, sworn, and amply paid for their
services. Such persons are frequently called in to give
evidence of the value of seizures, &e. and why net to that
of imported pictures? We know that every day repent
to the amount of thousands changes owners by appraise.
'mew, and why not such appraisement between the Gover-
nors and governed ? This method would be just, and. is
my opinion, would at once put an cud to smuggling, which
is principally practiced with pictures of a low value, aril
which would not bear the aelaneasurcincia duty. A arced
ml ratan m duty would be cheerfully pa'd on them, whit
those of a higher value could better afford a much largo.
The same objection applies to prints. As much duty
now charged upon a small worthless foreign print as spelt
the choicest proof of Raphael Morrherrs Last Stipp''.
This system cannot be just, either to the payer or to the,
receiver. Paintings, prints, sculptured marble, and indeed
every other work of art, should be subject to an ei
rem duty—if to any—as bearing a proportion to elicit
aloe or merit, and not to their size or weight.
I have the honour to be, your Lordship's respectful,
humble Servant,
London, July 14, NIL AN AMATEUR.

PINN I' It OF Illor LI. li.t. k PERS.—Yesterday the 27:111.
vcrsary dinner of hotel keepers took place at the Fre--
masons' Tavern. The fluke of Sussex was to have. II,"
sided, but was prevented by indisposition. In the alwr.c:
of his Royal Iliginiess, Colonel Torrens was called to the
choir. Nearly two hundred sat down to dinner. Ilz
Secretary (Mr. Scott) read the Report of last year, tY
which it appeared that the funds of the Society had coos:-
derably increased, and augmented means thereby atfortlel
of promoting the intetests of the Charity emit:tied v:,!)
the Society. A very large and liberal contribution %;•i
entered into at the dinner. Several complimentary eta"
Iwere preposed by the Chairman, introduced with 1:14;:'
priate observations ; and the evening passed of i't 1..
I utmost conviviality, enlivened by a variety of execlic.
I singing.
1 VIOLENT STOltM.—YeSterdaY several Very hiIAVV S!''''.
V isixd the north-west of London. About ere o'.le-cl, 'I!
I the afternoon Enfield, Waltham Cross, Ch. shunt.
I their vicinity felt the severest. It was accompat:., .1 u.',i
I lightning, thunder, and torrents of bail. The e1..-v a,':=l""
occasioned by the latter was vet y t,trt at, some of the 'no:
being the dimensins a pigeon's e.ar.. The grounds .::
11. Mena, Esq. of Theoliald's, sullire:l eor,ide:ablv: rtWo
Inn panes of glass were destroyed. Two dae!..s vt- rek•l!..!
by the lightning, and a sawyer war. knocked down l• t,:'
el, ctric fluid having ent..red li:s hand, wl.]t 'a it st%:r:'
lacerated, and then passed off tbronizb the taw ill.' • i
earth, witlxtut (lout: further mist:hit t. Si v,ral I'' 's
(-lass were brAen at the Great Bull's : 'rN.s.— lil ;::1 ‘.•
Mg the nit trupolis was visited by a severe st:srm. as i.-
Intel by tt :ritic and continual t!.e.l,:s of 1::1 tt.•,:. .. T
tremendous peals of thunder, witi.it 1...:t.ii marl: 7:
hours, and we fear must have occasioned ,-1•11,,ititT.1...
damage.
I Nobusinoss of pul,lic interad was tran,,.acted vtst,:r.!.::"
the Cout-t el Chat:,..ry •