The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-06 00:00:00

THE BRITISH INSTITUTION.

(THIS DAY.)
On Saturday we had the gratification (according
to annual custom) of attending the Private Nr,ew of
the Exhibition opened season after season at the
British Institution—the exhibition for the present
season being opened there to public view this at% et--
noon—the charming yearly exhibition there, in that
popular gallery of the British Institution, of the
of Ancient Masters and Deceased British
Atris7, all the more attractive art-
Artists,
London this one in
.ear , after year
exhibitions here in
particular takes high rank,
among our especial favourites, 0: itself it
annually justifies the design of the whole laatiLl-
tion unier whose auspices it flourishes year after

year with undiminished excellence—it justifis the
design, and partially fulfils it, the whole purpose,
we mean, for which the British Institution was
originally founded, namely, " for promoting the
Fine Arts in the United Kingdom." It does so pre-
cisely, by chastening the taste of the lovers of art,
early summer after early summer, by display-
ing to their view fresh collections of the old
masters and of deceased British artists—here, at
52, Pall Mall, gathered together from various col-
lections throughout the country, from the Royal
collections and from private collections. Nearly
200 paintings (exactly 184 according to the cata-
logue) have this year bee❑ ranged thus along the
walls of the three specious and lofty apartments,
constituting the gallery of the British Institution.
Immortal artists, masters of all the schools, are there
represented by more or less important specimens
of their own works, and this for the most part by
being very heterogeneous grouped together. Hare,
a faded Velssquez (111) representing the Infanta
Margaretta, daughter of Philip IV., surrounded by
her ladies and d warts, posed for her portrait in the
studio of the painter. This painting, in point of
fact, being a sketch for the picture at Madrid called
" Las Meninas." Here is a brilliant Carl Dolce
(52) A" Madonna and Child," the child the love-
liest little baby profile—the lap of the Blessed
Virgin littered with flowers almost givieg one
the sense of fragrance. There era several ex-
quisite Hobbimas this year in the gallery, full of
delicious verdure, lit up with sunny atmospheres
of diaphonous beauty. There is a noble Canaletto
(50) the property of the Duke of Buccleugh, with
lofty exemplars of those wonderously heaped-up
Stones of Venice, dear to the eyes and to the heart
of Mr. Ruskin, stones reflected, from the trefoils of
the parapet to the wave washed line of thebase.,
ment, in the blue waters of the Grand Canal. Seve-
ral old familiar favourites, favourites familiar to
the world at large for years and years past
by means of celebrated engravings, greet one's
delighted gaze here in the Loan of the veritable
originals. Here, for example is (in 77) that rem
nowned Vandyke, displaying on a single canvass
Three Portraits of Charles L's handsome face, in
half view, in full front, and in profile (of the three
we know not which is the handsomest), the gift of
the unhappy King to the Earl of Stafford, the pic-
ture now belonging to the Marquis of Lothian.
Here, again, high up (19) is the same nobleman's
Holbein portrait of the great and good Sir Thomas
More, sometime Lord High Chancellor. Here,
too 34) is Holbein's preposterous limning of Henry
VIII,, clad in purple-red velvet, jewels and gold,
showing us a grotesque caricature of the " human
face divine," in the outlines of a bloated blubber-
visaged voluptuary. As a refreshing contrast
to which, turn we to (164) Romney'e
lovely portrait of that exquisite siren of a woman,
" Lady Hamilton." Gazing at it you might
almost say—lf so she looked—her pretty heed aside,
her rosy, dewy lips riant (laughing from velvet-red
to a gleam of pearl), one can comprehend at least, it
one cannot excuse the fall of Nelson under the spell
of her witching fascinations. It is the one face of
all, it is the one picture of all that haunts us in
the remembrance as we quit the gallery.

2/Ir, S, C, liall's Reminiscences of Distill-
tinguished Authors,

A numerous and fashionable audience assembled
on Saturday afternoon, at the Vestry-hall, High-
street, Kensington, to hear Mr. S. C. Halt, F.S.A.,
relate his reminiscences of literary celebrities with
whom ho had been personally acquainted. The
lecture was given for the benefit of the Kensington
Industrial School, and though its delivery occupied
upwards of two hours, it wis listened to through-
out with the deepest attention, and the audience
frequently showed by hearty bursts of applause
their appreciation of the intellectual treat which
had been provided for them. In the course of his
long literary career Mr. Hall has had the good
fortune to be brought into personal contact with
most of the distinguished literary men and
women of our epoch; Hannah More, Samuel
Rogers, James Montgomery, Ebenezer Elliot
Moors, Miss Landon, Mrs. Opie, Lamb, Coleridge:
Allan Cunningham, Hogg the Ettrick Shepherd,
Sydney Smith, Professor Wilson, Miss Mitford,
Wordsworth, Southey, Miss Edgeworth, Mace
Hemans, Campbell, Theodore Heck, and Thomas
Hood. Of all these famous men and women Mr,
Hall gave brief, yet discriminative " word portraits,"
interspersed with characteristic anecdotes. His
listeners were carried in imagination far back into
the last century when he spoke of his acquaintance
with Hannah More, whose familiar talk was of Bishop
Porteus, Dr. Johnson, and Edmund Burke; and
Samuel Rogers, whose first volume of poems wan
published in 1786, who had worn a cocked hat when
a boy, and seen Garrick play. Ebenezer Elliot, the
corn-law rhymer, was quaintly described as a man
of iron in frame and understanding, and also in trade,
for he was an ironmonger at She flield. While
speaking of the ill-starred Letitia E. Landon, Mr.
Hall was greatly affected. Her brief career (he
said) was beset with privations, disappointments,
and embarrassments, and she was ever
struggling against poverty. When in the zenith
of her fame, and towards the terrible close of her
life, her personal appearance was highly attractive;
for though small in stature, her form was remark-'
ably graceful, and she paid that attention to dress
which literary women too frequently neglect. In
society she was brilliant, without, being that
dangerous thing, a female wit—playful with the
young, sedate with the old, and reflective with the
middle-aged. The circumstances of her death were
enveloped in mystery, for her husband had since
died, and made no sign. As to the various rumours
about her death, he (Mr. Hall) would not allude to
them. He was sure she did not commit suicide,
although he knew that she was most wretched in
her mournful banishment, and most miserable i❑
her changed condition of life, and if her past
career had been gloomy, her future was
very dark. He did believe, however, that
poison was administered by the African woman,
who it was known had been her predecessor. Here
is an amusing trait of Mrs. ()pie's; character—Mr.
Hall having asked her to furnish a story to a work
which he was conducting, she replied that was
opposed to her principles to write a story, but she
would send an anecdote, and accordingly she nar-
rated an anecdote in such a manner, as rendered it
in effect a very pathetic tale. To follow Mr. Hall
in all his pleasant memories of the illustrious dead
would far exceed our limits; we must therefore
content ourselves with observing that the intrinsic
merits of the lecture were greatly enhanced by the
admirably clear and emphatic manner in which it
was delivered. At its conclusion a vote of thanks
to Mr. Han was proposed by the Ven. Archdeacon
Sinclair, and carrier? by acclamation.

ACCIDENT TO A JOCKEY..--A serious accident
occurred two days back at Chantilly to M. Schicklees jockey,
Mortimer. He was exercising Villafranca-iu the Atlee des
Lions, when the mare fell and rolled over her rider, who
received injuries internally. He was lying yesterday in an
almost hopeless state.—Galignani
A case of hydrophobia terminating fatally has
just occurred at Joigny (Yonne). A man named Ramond,
the keeper of a wineshop, was bitten on Easter Monday by
a strange dog, which he was driving from under a table in
his house. He at once applied to a medical man, who, not
thinking that the dog was mad, instead of cauterising the
wound, ordered some other treatment. A week ago symp-
toms of madness manifested themselves in Ramond, which
gradually increased in intensity until Thursday night, when
he expired in dreadful agony.

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BALMORAL, JUNE 2.

The Queen went out driving in the morning with the
Princess Louise, and went out in the afternoon with the
Princess Helena,
Prince Leopold went to Invercauld to fish.

JCNE 3.

The Qa.:ken went out is the morning \ vith the Princess
Leiningen Princ?ss Loaiso, and drew, is the afternoon
with the Princt.,4 Helens and Princess Leiningen to Alt
na tritiihusach.

-

The Prince a Lcl Princess off Wales.

The Prince and Princes .7 of Wales re turned to Marl-
boreagn-houso from Cambridge at 5 o'cl,lck on Saturday
afternoon.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, with ti to Prince and
Princess Louis of Hesse, and the Ladie3 and gentlemen in
Waiting, attended divine service at the Chaptl Royal, St.
James's, yesterday morning.
The Communion Service was read by the Rev. the Sub.
Dean, the Rev. R. C. Packman, and the Verj Rev. the
Dean of Chichester.

The Very Rev, the Dean of Chichester preachod the Ser-
mon, from St. Luke, c, 14, verses 16 and 17.
Anthem, "Sing 0 heavens," Kent, sung by .2..esers Rs
Barnby, Benson, and Lewis Thcmas.
Mr Cooper presided ut the crgan.
The Archbishop of Armagh, the Duke of St. Albans,
the Marquis of Bath, Earl St. Germans, Viscount Sy dneY
Lord Crewe, and Lord Llanover, were present during' the
service.

Tile Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied by' the
Prince and Princess Louis of Hesse, drove to Kew in. the

afternoon,

RETURN OF lIER MAJESTY TO WINDSOR.--The
Queen and the royal family are expected to return to
Windsor from Balmoral on Wednesday. The Prince and
Princess Louis of Hesse, it is understood, will reach Windsor•
to-day.

Extensive preparations have been made at Frog.
more Lodge for the reception of their Royal Highnesses
the Priztce and Princess of Wales, who will arrive there ea
Tuesday next.

The Piinee and Princess of Wales, the Prince
and Princess of Hesse, and all the Princesses, will proceed
to Buckingham Palace on Friday, atter luncheon, to be
present at the State Ball which takes place in the evening•
—Court Journal.

His Excellency Senor Don Manilla and famili
have left the Brunswick Hotel, Jermyn-street, for Paris.
Prince Edouard de ha Tour o'Auvergue lett the
French Embassy on Saturday for Brussels.
The Duchess of Sutherland will return to town
to-day from Lilleshall, Salop, in order to attend to-morrow
the wedding of Lord Frederick Cavendish and the Hon•
Luey Lyttleton.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Clanricarde
entertained his Royal Highness the Duke of Cam•
bridge at dinner on Saturday, at ther residence in Stratton"
street. There were present to meet the royal duke their'
Serene Highnesses Prince and Princess Edward of Sale"
Weimar, Emily Duchess of Beaufort, the Marquis and
Marchioness of Waterford, the Earl and Countess of Bess"
borough, the Earl and Countess of Harewood, Lady Moles"
worth, the Right Eon. tha Speaker and Lady Charlotte
Denison, Dr. Quin, Mr. Calthorpe, Mr. Grant, and Colonel
the Hon. James Macdonald, in waiting on his royal
highness.

Me Earl and Countess de Grey had a dinner
party on Situ:day at their house in Carlton'
gardens. The Archbishop of York and Mrs Thompson,
the Earl and Countess Fitzwillianr, General Sir Richard
and Hon. Lady Airey and Miss Airey, Hon Alfred Stourtont
Mr It, Vyner, M.P., Mr Ingilby, &c., were among the
guests. Cuvers were laid for 20.

Viscount and Viscountess Strathallan and Ha'
Miss Drummond have left 11, Dover-street, for their seat
in Scotland for the season.

Lady Abinger has left iLo St. George's Hotel.

The Right lion. StrEdw,arn BulWer Lytton re'
turned on Saturday to his town mansion, Breadalbane
House, Park•lane, from his visit to Cambridge.
The Baroness do Bunsen, widow of the Baron de
Bunsen, who for so many years represented the Court of
Berlin in this country, arrived in England recently, and
has since left town on a visit to her sister, Lady Llanover,
in South Wales.

Sir Alexander and Lady Arabella Bannerman
entertained a Select party at diviner on Saturday evening at
/heir residence in Grosvenor. pla cc.

DEATH OF MR. W. J. Fox.--Oar readers Will
ahem cur regret in learning the c'eat h, on Friday
Friday afternoon, cf Mr Williom Johnson Fox, for many
. _

years M.P. for Oldham, He died in his 78th year, after a
very short illness. Air. Fox was born in Suffolk in the year
1786. His father, who was, in the first instance, a small
farmer, afterwards became a Weaver at Norwich. In early
lite the lamented deceased entered the Congregational
ministry, but afterwards became a Unitarian, which body
he left, and for many years attracted enormous congrega-
tions to the chapel in South-place, Finsbury. Ile Was one
of the ablest and most eloquent of the lecturers of the Anti-
Corn-Law League, a writer in the Westminster Review and
various other publications. He was elected M.P. for Old-
ham in 1817, and this position he occupied, with the ex-
ception of two brief intervals, until the period of his retire-

ment from public life.—Dispatch,
SIR EDMUND BACON, BART.—The death of the
above baronet is announced as having occurred on
the 3th ult., at Raveninghem Park, Norfolk, The deceased
was the premier baronet or-Er:gland, being in possession of
two baronetcies--being representative of the 0.11 baronet of
Redgrave (created in 1611) and 10th baronet of Mildenhalt•
The late baronet was eldest son of Sr Eamund Bacon, by
Anne, eldest daughter of the late Sir Win. BeauchamP
Procter, Bart., and was born in 1770. He married in 1801
his cousin, Mary Anne Elizabeth, daughter of Mr Daell"
wood Bacon, of Ottery St. Mary, Dever: (who died in 1820
and in 1820 succeeded to the baronetcy. The venerable
baronet is succeeded in the family honours and estates by
the nepkew, Henry Hinckman, eldest son of the late Air
Nicholas Bacon, who died last year. The present baronet,
who was formerly in the 2d Dragoon Guards, was born ill,
1820, and married in 1853 Miss Beckett, third daughter of
Sir Thomas Beckett, Bart.
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.—We tinde"
stand that an exhibition of all kinds of botaquet-holderS,
aecient and modern, is to take place in tho Royal Plorticni'
lurid Gardens on the 13th of July, to which the possessors
of jewelled and other bouquet-holders ere invited to cell-
tribute such objects as they may be possessed of.
OFFICIAL APP OEN TM EN TS.—Tlle hon. W. Swart,
Secretary of Legation at Washington, is appointed
Secretary of Embassy at Constantinople—Mr Adams'
Second Secretary to the Embassy at Paris, is appointed
Secretary of Legation at Washington, in the room of gr
Stuart—Lieut.-Col. Sir Robert Anstruther, Bart., M.P./ is
appointed Lord-Lieutenant of the county of Fife, vice Mr
Erskine Wemyss, M.P., deceased—Mr John Crawitga
Kerr, writer, Glasgow, is appointed Keeper of the Record
of Sasines of Dumbartonshire—Mr Cuthbert Edward
Ear-
son, of the Inner Temple, now stipendiary magistrate at
Manchester, is to be the new metropolitan police magi°-
trate, vice Mr Leigh, who retires.
iMP,, COBDE N ON TUE LORD CHANCELLOR' 5
COUNTY COURTS BILL —ln rep:N. to a letterfroto the
Secretary of the Rochdale Tradesman's Association Pre'?il
for a distinct explanation of his opinions upon the l'od
Chancellor's County Courts Act Amendment Bill, and
asking whether they might expect his support to the obit:
tions against the measure, Mr. Cobden has written
following letter :—" House of Commons, June 3.—Sir,'
In reply to your letter asking for a more specific express- t
of my views respecting the County Courts Act Arnendol
Bill, which bas been introduced into the House of Lords,
beg to say I approve the principle of the measure, but Pre'
for to postpone my judgment on irs details until it is WT.
duced into the Commons. In this view I think the /I°o'ili
dale Tradesmen's Association will agree with me, when a
remind them that until a bill reaches the Lower House "-
remain in ignorance of its provisions, as it is liable t°
alteration at every stage. Already the measure in question
has undergone amendments, which are now being Printeeeacia
To-day a deputation of the Trades Protection Society 07;
had an interview with the Lord Chancellor to express tile'
concurrence in the principle of his bill, but to ask for sc'ele.
amendments. He agrees, upon certain conditions, to
tend the limitation to which your body is opposed front °n
year to three, and ho promises to take other sueegestiorm
into consideration. I may add that on the subject of
prisonment the deputation requested that it might be re,
stiicted to one commitment. If you will allow me to Ine'4°
the suggestion, I recommend your association to lose nu'
time in petitioning the Lords for such amendments as 37°0
wish to have introduced into the bill, and to postpone alt
action with the. Commons until we know in what Imo! 1_
comes down to us, I can guarantee you ample time during
the passage of the measure through the Commons for girielei:
full expression to your views by petition. I shall 11,
obliged by your allowing this letter to be published in fa
and 1 remain very truly yours, RICHARD ConneN.---3°113;
Fletcher, Esq., Secretary, Rochdale Tradesmen's Ml°l3
tion." •
THE LATE FRENCH PLoT.—lMperatori and gee,
g:ioni, who were sentenced to imprisonment for ""
years for having conspired io assassinate the Emperor oifotha:
Frence, are about to be removed from the prison of eat.
to a fortress where they are to undergo their punish
Greco and Trabucco, who were sentenced to transports or,
are shortly to be removed from Paris to the place of t
destination, which is not yet announced.