The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-27 00:00:00

--
FINE ARTS.
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTION.
A private view of the pictures collected together
in the Portland Gallery (316, Regent-street) enabled
us, on Saturday, to observe the progress made by the
principal contributors to the National Institution.
Seieral of the works of art displayed on the walls of
the principal apartments reflect honour upon the
English school of painting, especially in that depart.
ment in which our artists as a body have long proved
themselves unrivalled—that of landscapes. Produc-
tions of various merit—some as admirable as, it must
be admitted, others are execrable—to the number
altogether of 381, serve at once to demonstrate that
our cultivators of art are industrious at least, if not
all peculiarly gifted, and that the patrons of art are •
munificent, if not in every instance discriminating.
Foreign scenery is in the present exhibition as fre-
quently pourtiayed as usual, from the Pyne-like view
of Thun in Switzerland (20), by J. A. Hanntnersley,
to.the Venetian Sketch, by W. Oliver (119), show-
ing the Canal St. Pruner°. Happily there are others
of a more home:-drawn character, such as H. B.
Wiliis's (67) "Sunny Scene on the Severn in Gloti-
ceetershire"—an exquisite English landscape, painted
with poetical truthfulneee to nature, and with a sense
of the characteristics of rural life in this island,'
indicative of a masculine and yet subtle
appreciation. Another painting from the same
hand, small though it is, and consequently
restricted in vigour, is nevertheless expressive
of the same admirable capacities, revealing (76) " A
Sketch from Nature ore Little Nook near the Lover's
Seat, Sussex"----3 name appropriate to so sylvan and
loveable a spot for either tryst or contemplation. Yet
a third composition from the easle of H. B. Willis
(302), " The Pleasant Time of Harvest," demands
from us a no less earnest expression of our admiration.
His partiality for those two horses we cannot regret,
seeing how marvellously well he depicts them always, _
how exquisitely the whole scene harmonizes, and
bow charmingly the artist, in developing his own
original
powers, can emulate simultaneously the
very opposite excellences of Collins and of
Herring. One of the Laudera—J. Eckford
to wit--has a singularly clever and ingenious
representation of (23) "Master Walter Scott and his
friend Sandy Ormistoun." Child though the future
romancist is—in every feature, in the serious, earnest
expression, in the lofty forehead, and quaint mixture
tplong uko
gpr
npo eowrmi
eli lip—s
d, a
aps
of
gwf
resemblanceti deoGmr
e a
act cuornd
skntrn gate oabsfloreommtefo
of severity and good humour (traceable possibly to that
portrait
fn
the bust by Chantrey to the Sic Sedebat.
Anotherown
the Lauders, this time R. Scott, contributes two works
of considerable dimension, of sublime
p
enormous pretension. Yet both are, to
our utzonrktl
thinking,
f
not merely signal but absolutely painfulfailures—
(72) " The Crucifixion," a subject too awful
to be lightly treated in the style of mere pictorial
melodrama, and (168) " Christ teaching Humility"
—(pity Mr. Lauder could not take a lesson in that
same virtue of humility)—in which the faces are
weird and unearthly as corpses galvanized into a
semblance of life, and in which the very raiments also
partake of the unnatural in their piebald variegation.
Not less raw in colouring is the little river-side
study, near Battersea, of F. W. Hulme (34), called
" High and Dry." A triple picture, somewhat in the
rigid style of Millais, eulogized,by Ruskin, represents
the skill of J. Zephania Bell and (24) the story of
" Ellen of Kirconnel." Incomparably the most gifted
contributor to the walls of the Portland
Gallery, and to the catalogue of the National
Institution, is Sidney R. Percy. Several of his paint-
ings this season are perfect masterpieces—especially
that exquisite composition (39) "An Osier Bed on
the Thames," which should henceforth be always dis-
tinguished by the bird with the metallic blue plumage
on the gnarled limb of the fallen timber—as the
kingfisher. Another work by Percy Sidney (101)
the " Eagle's Nest, Killarney," a third (294) entitled
" Willows," and a fourth (149) delineating the "Llyn
Mymbyr, N. W." reveal his extraordinary and ver-
satile powers as an artist, capable of,representing with
equal truthfulness the scenery of England, Wales,
and Ireland. Edward Armitage has a droll
picture (60) called " Sunday Trading—a hard case,"
which, with its phantom policeman and timid little
orange girl, we would earnestly commend to the Sab-
batarians. The Williamses as usual are in remark-
able force—" Carnarvon Castle, Moon Rising," by
E. Williams, sea., being a wonderful revelation of
darkness visible, the same artist's (74) "Heath Scene
—storm clearing off,', being as lurid as Alfred W.
Williams's (69) " Piss of Nant Francon," is sunny
and exhilarating. R. Burchitt has an admirable
portrait in his likeness of (88) the Right Rev. Dr.
Ullathorne. There is, of course, another " Burning
of the Amazon" (139), this time for the benefit of
Miss Smith, and from the hand of Captain
Inglefield. "An Attractive Tune" (204), by
Daniel Paesmore, represents an old fiend
of a fiddler scraping diabolical discord from
the (catgut, with an eldritch lock, etough in its
ugliness to frighten any sensible infant into fits.
" The Highlands" (245), by Mrs. M‘len, would be
excellent hut for the water, that looks like a conglo-
merate of mud, gravel, and shavings—in fact, as un-
like water as anything we ever saw depicted. A
really extraordinary effect in the way of perspective
is produced by J. W. Glass in his (255) " Free
Companions," Such a " London Sunrise" as that
panted by 11. Dawson (296), no mortal ever wit-
nessed from Battersea Reach to the Isle of Dogs—
with its raw gemboge glare, and its lacework clouds
similarly tinted, giving one the best idea imaginable
of the aspect of the golden fleece. During the prin-
cipal portion of Saturday the rooms were sufficiently
crowded to indicate the popularity of the National
Institution.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
PORTSMOUTH, MONDAY. —The Rodney, 90, Captain
Graham, C. 8., is ordered to complete with four months'
provisions. and will leave Spithead about the latter end
of the week, previous to which she will be paid advance.
It is reported she is going to Plymouth end Queenstown
in the endeavour to make up her complement, of which
she wants about 150.
The Encounter, 14, Captain Gordon, has been taken
into the angle dock to-clay to refit.
'The Sampson, 6, steam-frigate, Captain T. W. Jones,
touched
which left on Saturday to look for the Queen, 116, re-
turned to Spithead this afternoon without seeing anything
of her. But the wind has suddenly shifted to-day CO
Batavia, which
S.S.E., and therefore she may be expeocft.ewdahrouzrwluw,
16
PLYMOUTH, MONDAY.—Her Majesty's screw steam-
arrived
today with
at
'Afdrommiral Sir John Ommanney,
schoirpkCannndfl ii,ra,bnfrooumtbS, South v
eAdme
hereriee
y,
General Roses is on board. yesterday afternoon.
His Netherlands Majesty's sloop.
ofloargd (icy,
of
hero yesterday morning, saluted the citadel
with I'7 'guns, which comp'iments
acknow-
ledged from the ramparts and from were duly 2gul guns, Captain
PatnadinthNe
Impregnable, in Hamcaz. Air, John
her Majesty's ship
Dutch Consul, paid an offie• ' Luscombe, the
lel visitmorning.
on board this
Commodore Superintendent Sir
re-
sumed his duty at the dockyard Michael Seymour
The French ship Louis XlV.,otu Saturday.
kirk, arrived hero yesterday. 'min Calcutta, for Dun-
a D,etmher.- On the 26th of Left Calcutta on the 7th
S., long. 2$ 11 B ,the English January spoke, in lat. 33 8
for Loudon. February 5 ship Indian, from Penang,
16th passed St. Fl doubled the Cape. On the
elen •
long. 1 0 1 a t en the 19th, in Ist. 12 14,
es. - ~. .6, spoke the barque Vilore, from Cal-
cutta (25th of N
the 2d ' November), for Liverpool; on
o 01 February
29th of February, on the
lat. y passed Ascension; .
_
French ship d ules and Agise, for Bordeaux, which
vessel had previously
spoken the Cyrene, from Bor-
deaux for Monte Video, in lat. 1 47 N., long. 23 W.; on
the 19th of March, in Ist. 15 44 N., ong. 36 24 ..
spoke the French ship Sarah, from 116 anion. April the
7th, in lat. 46 31 N., long. 20 5 W., passed a ship with
" Greenpoint " on her larboard quarter. April 14, in
lat. 48 47 N., long. 15 40 W., passed a Russian ship
from Singapore, which left on the 15th of November,
for Cowes.

APPOINTMENTS.
WOOLWICH, APRIL 26.—Master Joseph Wallis (1850)
to the Argus, 6, steam-sloop of 300-horse power, ad-
vanced war steamer, at Devonport.
Surgeon William Webber, M.D. (1852), to the Brito-
mart, 8, brig, at Devonport,
The Torch iron steam-vessel, tender to the Herald,
for surveying service in the South Seas, will be ready to
proceed down the River on trial on ay 8, and both
vessels are expected to be fully ready for sea in about a
fortnight from this time. While iron vessels are con-
tinued in the Royal Navy, it is necessary to employ
them, but it would be a source of satisfaction and con-
fidence were each of the officers and crew supplied with
life preservers. These useful safeguards might be sup-.
plied as fittings, and returned into store when iron ves-
sels are paid off.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sut,—l observe that Captain Penny has published in
your valuable journal his opinion that the master and
mate of the Renovation saw only.
of my brother officers, as
and we can easily discern
ships." If it is his wish to
preventwh aiti liitrisrethael calls :ll' country
restigu.
tiou into the truth of this extraordinary narrative, it
should be known that many
well as myself,
i,l3pir9anot;ised eye" must
who have :navigated the Artie seas, are
is absurd be-
othfar
eitaepataidniffpeerneiiiity,,,ep
have been
directed towards tie so-called Victoria Channel,
There is no such illusion,
Victoriaon is true, than that
as be peeks of,
Banks lof Newfoundland. The assertion
of near the
forty years to produce such u field of Lico *thirty or
hp c
rind all comment ;on t - ontrary, we
talsasinndgmeahtiepsofwethnet
ußprtnhoevati
We hope awl trust that the
that it is far more prebabl.e that the of oi opinion
narrative of thb
ethars
Admiralty will not relak
the Polar Sea. Channel into
in the investigation they have so laudably begun on this
interesting subjeet.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,.
North-Wost Castle, JoriN ROSS, Rear-Admiral.
......,22._Stranraer, April 23.

_ -
On Sunday, April 25, twenty-four persona •
nouncoclAl\eprtqra ,gt rj*,ii t441,41a1tc,11.- eta
B• 040441,7) L 94404.