The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-10-11 00:00:00

NE:loins OF ruNii.va,

•ITN ACItROXOLOOIP %I. oorrory TIIE voiroirrarinV
or Tut PICTEIE4 ■Y TDB GREAT BIAITvas INTO
ENGLAND, RINCL TIIL INLWEII REVOLUTION. 1111 N.
BUCHANAN, tIGA.--At BERMAN N.

Mr. Buchanan IS MI *AI known to the elmateuer of
Fainting, not only as a critical judge of the art, and of
the original works of the old masters, but as posarssittg a
vast fund of *morale information connected with its his.
tory and progress, as to leave us no room to 1101111 t the wel-
t:tune reception which these voltinv.s will moil with among
the admirers and pro/miters of the tine arts. Ili, kw„„.
Itsige in getout d net tttttt tun a correct 'reception of the
Hue beauties of painting, than on coning principles,
formed from an intimate association with the subject, and
the most extensive actittaintance with the finest works of
the different sc:ittols. His object in condensing the vain-
rale information whirli he has given to the public, may lie
milt sled from the laowing extract from the introductory
chapter:—
" The last thirty years have produced events in the
history of Ettrope, which fur a considerable length of time
not only revolutionised her ancient polities, and impeded
or diverted the itaittral current of her trade and commerce,
but forced from their ancient sanctuaries those treasures of
settneo and of art, that had long been the pride and glory
of the Stat-s to %inch they belonged. " IA chute du
Kane de trottstatiti.l porta data 'ltalie lea debris de Fan-
cienne !a Frame s'eurichit it son tour de ces pre-
ciruses &poodles." What Rousseau has said of Constan-
tinople we tray apply to France and Italy '•--from these
sources have our prisicipal ricks in art been derived.
" During the conflicting storms which ravaged the conti-
nent of Europe, t :rt at Britain alone presented a bulwark to
which foreign ;mime; looked with awe and with respeet
axed although at war with her politically, thy still confider',
in her honour and in her strength : they traionnitted their
moneyel width to her public funds, and their colh•ctions
of art to private innelividnatr, either for i rotection, or to
be disposed of for t'..sir use. The collections of Monsieur
de Calonne, soil of the Duke of Orkaus, with many selec-
tions of the lai;l:r4 importance from the palaces of Rome,
Florence, Bolovita, and Genoa, which bail escaped the
plunder of an invading army, were imported into this
country, and noised an enittlation and • taste for the ac-
quisition of works of art, witt:ll had been almost dormant
iu England tine e the days of its illustrious patron and pro-
teem'', Chart s the Vital.

" iron) :his pi ins! may be tinted a new and a distinct
era in the ar:, with reference to water) :—the col-
lections of (treat Ilritaio, lierctolOre potsessing but few
genuine works of the Indian schools, were now enables' to
enrich theins,i et s from their precious stores, and were
coon placed MI a par with tin's: of Rome iwiself.
" That the infrottletion of such interesting objects into
this country deeil.l be istarkisl by some chronological no-
tice, while facts and dated ale call hi the remembrance of
every lov. r of the art, is a matter which may be deemed
worthy of our notiee and attention ;—to tic their history,—
to aseertain theit origin,—is to enhance and to ensure their
'slue. With this view princ;pally, the following pages
hsve been thrown to...;ether, as beittg likely to prove accept-
able to low-, who miy now or in future possess these ob-
.', cis ; while to the public in gt neral they will prevent
Stile% of curious suet interesting documents, and will, in
so fur as re-plods :lie fine arts, form It history of our own
times.

" While the importation of works of art into England
since the perioel erf Lila French revolution constitutes one
of the leading features of the following pages, the amateur
will likewire find tLe subject illustrated by aketrbes of
character of the prinriral painter, of the rums schools,
and his attention imariahly directed to those works which
have been always regarded as the chefs-ancurre of art, on
wh;cli he unity with confidence farm a correct taste anti
judgment.-
The arrival or the Oat e•xit COLLECTION in this coun-
try may be said to hare created that taste in Eoglanel for
pictures of genuine merit, which since that eriod has not
only continued tee improve, hut to extend itwif to the most
remote quarters of the kinglet,' : the foulness for pictures
is not only now manifested whoever thore is wealth, but
the demand for them has nu link, but i.e she 111011111 of pur-
chase; the treasures of ancient art tinel their way into the
possession of thousands, who, till of late years, were nut
competent to ettimate theta.

A very cifieft:lllillig account is given of tbs. original ac-
quisit of this collection by the celebrated Philip, Re-
sent Dust liT 4)11 EA NS, batter rementl!cmtl by Ole name
of Philip Eiroliii, thr •tipktiou of which occupied twin'y
yeses of that life, which was at last closed upon the
sattlitbb

"The principal part of this maplificent collection," says
Mr. Buchanan, "consisting of the Italie., schools, was con-
igncel. on the part of M. Laborde de 'lien:vine, to a house
of mint ire: its the city of Loudon ; end it is believed that
they were in the hands of that house when a treaty was en-
tered into by the late Mr. Bryan, as authorised by and on
the part of the late Duke of Ihridgewatcr, the present
Earl of Carlisle, and the Eirl Gower, now Marquis of
StattlirJ, ler the purchase or that part of the collection, in-
cluding she the French. 8.:houl, which was agmed on, at
the prier of 4x,0001. sterling.
" When this important purchase was concluded, which
neared for England one of the richest collections, and at
die ante time one of the most valuable acquisitions, which
had pref....nod itcelliu modern t. s, it was determined on
by thes: three Noblemen to s,•lcet a certain proportion of
their own !Mcrae collections, mid to allow the tentainder
to b: sohil by private contract, under an exhibition, to be
made of the entire collection.

'l•hia txhibition commenced on the Nth of lA•crmbcr.
179 g, ill the 1111,11111 belonging to Mr. Bryan, in Pall-Mall,
anal at the Lyceum, in the Strand, neither of these places
Is'• im!induallr tultscientiv trovnsive to contain the
collecti•nt. It whammed fur six months, at the end of
wh•eh time all rietanea sold were &liven-11 to the pur-
chat rF.

" The p:rtans reserved for the original purchasers are
indicatedin the following catalogue at their estimated
valuation, and amount to :19.000 guineas. Those sold
daring the sale by private contract amounted to 31,0110
rain,'" while residue. sold afterwards by Mr. Cole,
to the receipts of exhibition, which were consider-
stueutited to about toexPol. more; thus leaving a
cable dims of pictures to tier purchasers, as a bonus
and jast reward. for securing for this country at oplentbd a
colection, and eillichitig it with works of the tint cheis.
That those noble purelt isers Were most fortunate in their
sno.eulation is canon ; as to their /ii rofir.o, we feel 1:I-
-thaca .• to leave theme unsung." We have heard
mere titan Onee from Mr. Bryan himself, the whole pain-
cubrs of that purchase, aunt have heard him descant, with
fce!ings evideney mortified anti iinlignant, at the very
scanty remuneration he received as the agent of the parties
ho had thus turned If.s exertions to such good account.
The very inadermate compensation assigned to Mr. Bryan
for his servie,s, is, we have no doubt, within the know-
ledge of 11r. Rudman ; but we are re disposed to ap-
plaud than to blame the courtesy which has made I ab-
stain from putting it on record.
A liberal patronage of the arts—we say it reluctantly—
e"l,o( be numbered attiong the causes of our national au-
I. -Twiny. They have, however, of late excited a stronger
and their powerful influence on the habitual civi-
c. 4 and tmoitiers of the people, appears to he much snore
truly a;.pne:ated at present by those who take a lead in the
7,rnownt, than it has ever before It en. This liberal
spirit has recently been inanifisted in several instances, in a
manner very ereditside to those in power, and highly he-
nou.rable to the national character. Should this public-
spot teil ben 1111111111 l .ilitary in our rulers, we 410 not
!impair to s-ea NA IIoNAI CAl.l.rav of paintings its Eng-
-144d, typal to any of those iiiiguilicent public collections
which at present put us to Atone on the Continent. While
tfill wing ouchin4 eft this subject, we cannot omit to transcribe the
intrresting extract, which we trust will have its
weight In the quarter to which it is addressed. Speaking
orfatir of Raphael's pictures of superlative excellence, Mr.
Buchanan adds—
." There Will a time when these four magnificent works
nwool i ight have been acquired for this country, and which
only have been re-acquiring what had in part for-
t:wily belonged to it; but boos.. to whom the writer of
retuarks applied, did not at the moment attach !Attn.
leris of
qactice to the subject, or did not choose to riot
:. k the acquisition, andthe opportunity was un-
r.umitely allowed to pass by. .
trmt ter picture of the

same high class in point of excellence, land coming from
the seine source, Was indeed consigned to him in the year
IMI3, with many other tine pictures from AlatlrM, and
was sold in England. It temained in this country roe se-
veral years; but that picture hiss again been transmitted
to the Cotitinent, and is now in the possesion of the Prince
Royal of Bavaria, a Prince well known for his refitted taste
and just discernment in all matters com!etted with the
arts. His Royal Highness paid for this picture the sum of
/woof. sterling. It was this Prince who, a few years aro,
purchased the Citing Marbles, while our people were con-
sideriug about a few thousand pounds. This economy is
much to he tegretted, for it was in reality of very little eon-
sequence too power like Great Britain, whether she should
give six thousand or ten theusand pounds for objects which
were in themselves imigue, and retiels could nowhere else
be acquired on any terms.
" When works of the above magnificent class are, from
the fate of war, or the casualties of existing eireninstateet,
rendered attainable, they become objects worthy the atten-
tion of States more than individuals; they ailil to the
glory of the country which secures them ; they become a
source of reel as well as of elassteal anti national wraith.
Crowds of strapeers from ail quarters flock to see them,
and they expend in the country which vows* n them a
part of their income and wealth ; but when such occa-
sions are neglected, adieu fur ever to the golden op-
portunity. _ _

" Again, it may be maintained, that when such objects
present thetas dyes, the public ought to weigh their relative
importance, not so much from the mere value in money
which is attached to them, as from the actual cosiscquenee
that they are of to the art in general. either as tending to
form and diffuse a noire v. Lined taste, or to improve the
style of a national school of art. by reference to works of
the first order. A l;overnment is indeed amply repaid
it. advances by the policy of such a purchase, and
by the kntfits which revert to itself, directly or In-
directly.
"'flew, considerations become probably of more iffirtlft-
once in themselves at this moment, in consequence of an
opportunity again pia setting itself of enriching t hi. country
with sum? objects which, in point of real conscspience,
tumid s...cond only to the Raphael?' above-mentiowd, and
the loss of which this imintry must always regret. The
Marcel's! Sec t.r, Due de Balmatie, knowing that the
author of these pag,ts had formerly 'mule several must va-
luable acquisitions or works of art in Spain and Italy, and
latterly had purchased the collection of Mons. de Talley-
rand, in Franc-, ct ))))) nuniectid to him, in April last, that
he felt disposed to part well his pictures as an entire
collection, if the salute could be disposed of in that
manner. Mr. Buchanan represented to the Marcella'
the diffirulty of placing an entire collection in that
way ; but stated the probability of the eight celebrated
pictures by Murillo king purchased for England, if the
Mamba! would fix a separate value on them. This, after
much diffieulty, the Mareclial ogress! 10, and in obtaining
a note of the value of these, with three other very capital
pictures, which are in the same collection, .Ir. Buchanan
immediately returrest to England, for the express purpose
of communicating the soma to his Majesty's Ministers,
and impressing on them the importance of welt an acqui-
sition, these magnificent pictures being already known to
every connoie,cor as the eirfribrurres of that great mas-
ter. What the molt of such a communication may yet
be, hen t
every amateur of painting. who I'm seen these fine works,
hopes and trusts that the British nation, rich and power-
ful as it now is, and flourishing in its finances, will not
allow the present opportuni7 to pass, of securing for this
country objects of that great consequence, which, from
their high value, can never be found in commerce, and
may be regarded as a property which ought to licking to
states, 3114 not to individuals. So act of the 11l one
House of Parliament could be more gratifying to the pre-
sent or to succeedingp, generations, than a vote of credit
for the sceming of these filatures, while it would add an
additional lustre to his present Majesty's reign."
We earnestly hope the opportunity to which Mr. Bu-
chanan has thus strongly called the attention of the British
Gorminient, will not be overlooked.

THE A Rmr.

INDIA.

The d:•tschment of his Ithtiesty's 20th regiment, on
board the l'ornicallk, landed at Cannanore on the 2ttls
April ; the remainder on board the Charles Forheit and
Lonjee Family, on the 20th April. We arc informed
that his Maj. sty's loth regiment was to embark at C.in-
nanore on the tat May, for Madras, in the above-named
ships.

thi 3fonilay, the 3:li of April, the lion. Company's fri-
gate, Hollings. ('apt. George Barnes, Cot 1111 l 'toter, sailed
from Bombay for Aladras and Calcutta, having on board
eighty Diets of the Artillery, under the command of ('apt.
Runk Lieing. Law and Stamford, and thirty such of the
Bombay regiment, tinder Lieut. 1111.

- -
Extract kutu the Cuksals GererNmegt Gaulle, datc.l April 8,

" DETACIIFENT ORDERSI7I.IruT..ent. IXXEt.
•' The l'onriusnilinglieer has flinch pleasure in publishing to
the drtadunrM the billowing extract of a biter from Secre.
guy Swinton to the Atkins' wt. Mr. SCOlt, Agent to tb. tior.nuir.
General t_

' The attack upon the enemy's stockade at lbsalpstlee, linvrever
unfortunate, was fully warranted by the encouraging sum** of
preceding day*, said other conahlerations, stated by yam; anal the
Ilovernor-lieneral in l'atincil desires me to cattorey, through you,
the high snow entertained by the Government of the gallant and!
persevering exertions of the 1/I!ieert arid inch engaged 111 that al-
fair. Ills lannlaltip in Council :tas Icarnt, with sentiment., of the
deepeat rtgret. the Inas of Officers which we instaintal in these
Oftislllt. lif these it appears Lieutenant Arnparoog was killed on
the spot, and Captain Johnstone, and Ensign llarbetie, bare been
moat severely wounded; but it is consoling and sanisfac:orV to re_
lira, that their eilitrts have berg productive of time greatest advan-
tages to the public intermit, notwitlis!ataling the failure of the
assault on the Iturtnett praition, as the enemy, diai al by their
heavy tomes, have aims: rortattal from Culler, it, contusion, and
have altogether evacutanal the einuary.' "

The G.Stli Oil York N.wth Killing) regiment of Ihtfintry
hav arrived in Dublin from I kotagliailee.
Detachments of rerruits be!onging to the under-men-
tioned regiments of Infantry, viz. the 419th (td Nottiog-
linen), the stall (West Estes). the 70th (4 atsgow
land), the dl (the Queen's Kiel). the Goth (the !hike
of York's Own Rifle ('orps), end the 117th I.3tieers,
marched this morning from the Itecruitintt Departintttt in
Westmitittlev, for Portmatouth, Isle of Wight, Cluthlott,
and Canterbury.

I`AS AT ICII3I.—An extraordinary act of fanaticism took
place at the Hotel, r arnarvon, on Monday Inst. 1 ser-
vant of an elderly lady of great respectability, Who was
there, borrowed an axe limn one of the setvsnts of the
house, who, thinking it was for the purpose of doing tome-
thing to the lady's carriage, lent it I • without beritarion.
Ile took it into his bed-room, very composedly placed Lis
left hand upon the foot of the bid, mil with the wit. in his
right hand, chopped it clearly otr! Having thrown the
hand under the bed, be came down, baling the stamp,
bleeding profusely, which must have caused his death in a
short time, had not the waiter made rise of a handkerchief
by way of a tourniquet, and by that invass partially
::topped the blood, until surgical :MI was pronaretl. tbe
the arrival of the surgeon, he was so exhausted, that fur-
ther amputation could not then be performed, but it hos
since been done, and the pow loan seems likely to survive.
This horrifying act of self-mutilstion was etli•ett tt for the
avowed purpose of being hets.r enabled to voter into the
" Kingdotn of !leaven !!!” Every possible care has been
taken of hint, an4l a !lemon continually watches hint he
has Lints ht.eu dull and silent, and it is much to be frarell,
that the delusion has by tso mean, krt hint, and that sonic
other member Of his hotly, or indred his life, may be di!•
next sactitiee to his most unnatural mania.—(7.e err
(.7:ronide.

LANLST•III I: neer nr ver.—On Tomloy list the
men were eturloyeil at the works of Conway brillve, to
undermine the ground os neual, niten, ►Locking to relo to.
by a heavy fall of the ;Ground. three worknitm wore crostini
to death ; one Mall ebeapetl, hut niuzli
arzetie.

ACC IDE X7.—Monday evening Inst. as MTV.
twin at Lady .It. t key's. it Silsoe, wan in the brewholtv,
by route acrid' in he slipped irto the raash•tuto full of
Isiilitrz wort, up t.) his throat. from which with great diffi-
culty lie esh ieatnl Itiotsrlf. Surgical assistance wan oh-
LIIIIII.II as surlily as p.-sibi.e, but I:is lin: is ....Tair,:t! of.