The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-10-03 00:00:00

LITZ RA R T IM PRO PEA! ENT. •

TO

A Faro, armee! Sotrate., sed arnica viritaq.
St is-1 have seen of late several splendid encomi-
ums in our paper on the rising taste for Letters and
the Fine Arts in Belfast. The high prices given for
hooks at the late Bishop of Down's auftion, the pro-
ficiency made by several young Ladies in painting.
the numerous concerti of music, both public and
private, and the respcdable audience that attends the
I .eCtures on Galvanism, mentioned by you in your last
paper, have all been adduced as ?rook of our grow-
ing taste. Were I disposed to acquiesce in this opi-
nion, I would complete the panegyric s I would say,
this is the place for genie; to be nurtured and deve-
loped ; for here the Young Rs.trias made his grand
debut ; here the In fiat Plenemenom first trod the
boards; and here a greater wonder still, a boy, only
twelve years of age, had dared successfully to emu-
late the Greek and Roman fame, in the walks of the
Muses. What future excellence does not such early
genius prognostica:e? To what un-:valled superio-
rity, in all the arts that embeliiah life, may we not
reasonably coped to arrive? We are already an
Athens in miniature, and want only the munificence
of a Pericles to adorn our walls wit:. the finest pro-
duEtions of the pencil, and beautify our streets with
the chissel of a Phidias.

But, though all this may have a fine sound, it has
en more. I mutt need admire that rather unusual
coincidence of youthful geniis, which has tended to
throw a lustre on our town ; but I cannot subscribe
to the opinion that we are mating any rapid strides
to literary excellence, or even laying the foundation
of a future fame, in several departments of science
that I could iiimtion.
I am a plain man, sir, 311 Irishman, fond of seeing
things represented in their true colours ; and, though
I have expe: kneed the justice of the observation, that
flattery gain. applause, while truth excites hatted—
. °Asti/piton tiniciros, writer odium pe,it,' yet still I am•
such a friend to truth, that I will not tamely see it
t3,lificed to compliment; and, though I can hardly
eyeft to he tecrivrd with much indu:gei.ca after
a profession, I will proceed.
Un saLing a cursory view of Belfast, its crowded
streets. its new buildings, its commerce, the dress
and the appearance of the inhabitants, it ungoes.
tionabl♦ bears every mark of a most flouris-ing
town ; but. when we inset it more closely, we find
that our taste for useful learning, and our encou-
ragement of the Fine Arts, bear no manner of pro-
portion to our growing wealth and prosaerity. We
are still far behind our sister countries, both in spe-
ctil ttive science, and our pmeical application of its
rainciptis. If writers, therefore, like you, Sir. in-
stead of flattering us into the belief, that we are al-
ready on the borders of perteflian, were to point out
our defetts, and rouse us from our supineness, we
should be more likely to arrive at some degree of
improvement.

With resped to Betty's and Miss Mudie's first ap-
pearance in Belfast—these are things of which rte
have ao:bing to bout. It is notorious that Betty,
whose ailing has delighted the critical acumen of the
first audience, and gained the friendship and admi-
ration of the first ch.stitaers in the world. played in
Belfast to empty benches; and it was only a mingled
feeling of shame and curiosity, excited by the un-
expected success of Betty, wineh tilled the Theatre
for the Yon Phamomempn. 1 understaild our taste
is now going to put to the test, by air: encourage-
ment we give to the first clinical colleCtion of Ori-
ginal Poems, which the Belfast Press ever had the
honour of presenting to the would. But is it not
jest now subje led to another test, still more in point
—Miss Linwood's Pidures ? How many, or rather
how few (for I am told their numbers are easily
c ilculated) have gone .to gratify their taste by this
sublime and unrivalled exhibitiou ? The people are
deterred from going. it seems. by a reason that I am
ashamed to mention. I hope they will abandon the
base idea, and, while they have yet an opportunity,
redeem their charafier.
While I am on this subjeiff. Sir, I crave your in-
dulgei.ce for a few farther observations.-- It does
net seem to me to be a very accurate criterion of a
people's taste, to run to the leCtures of a Philosopher,
who has the art of exciting curiosity. by a series of
the most brilliant experiments. What people is so
deplorably sunk in ignorance or stupidity. as not to
be filled with astonishment at beholding the opera-
tian of the most powerful agent in nature ? Who
would not be interested in seeing the developement
of a principle which is ingeniously conjeaured to be
the connetting medium of body and spirit—whose
light rivals that of the sun—and whase surprising
alias on animal bodies, have opened a spacious
field for the investigation of the Philosopher ? Had
not his leCtures been attended by a respedable, I
cannot think it a sum. roes audience for Belfast, I
should have concluded that it was the last proof
wanting, to chew that we had not one principle of
useful curiosity capable of being roused—that we
were, in lea, Ike the people of Phieacia—
.. A verrant nation,
" never sch:nce reared her laurr;l'd head."
I would be glad to knoo• from you, Sir, the names
of some of our townsmen who have made a figure
in letters or the arts, whose tame refleßs credit on
otir town, and will descend with honour to poste-
, rity.—ln what library shall I find their works, that
I may profit by their knowledge, or grow wise by
their admonitions
i Srpt. 23. Hots asrus.
9 Extras front ne Belfast :Ver. ifettcr.

There are two maiden ladies now residing in the
parish of :loping, whose united ages amount to
160 years ; and who are respectively able to do the
finest needle-wot k, witl,out the assistance of glasses.
The long pending match between tie Game
Cbiekrn, and is countryman Giday, is fixed for
next Tuesday. he Combatants are now training,
in Sussex, in which county the battle is to be fought.
The stakes, for which the Coropeti!ors are to per-
form, are, 600 guineas to'4oo, and current betting
is guided. in a great measure, by the same odds on
the Chickrn. Most of the. amateurs of pugilism havc
departed for Brighton within thr last two or 6 me
days, at which place the seat of anion will Se de-
termined on, at the latter cud of the present ssr ek.
Young Crib and Capt. were amongst the
latter who left town, the former bei.,i; baely...i by
the latter to fight Richnume the noted blac' , oa the
day above-named. Odds three to two on Car&