The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-23 00:00:00

FRIDAY

EVENING,

MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. No. I.
.... . .

Illustrated by John Leech.
It is only necessary to observe the initial number
bjere us is the commencement of a pleasant reprint
of the serial originally brought out in the lVeu'
Monthly Magazine, and often referred to it at the
time as one of the princii:al attractions of that pe-
riodical. The coloured illustrations by Leech pro-
mise to be delightfully good, to say nothing of the
woodcuts scattered by him through the letter-press.

'IRE TRAVELLER'S LIBRARY. Pares XI.

and XII. Longman and Co.

As indicative of the spirit with which this admira-
ble and popular series of works is being continued, it
is only necessary to olmerve that the latest instalments,
the companion parts, lying before us, contain a cheap
reprint of " Eiithen"— the most • remarkable and the
most beautiful, the most original and the most bril-
liant, among all the remarkable, beautiful, original,
and brilliant works ever written by an Eastern Tra-
veller. Is re-issue in its present form will tend at
once to extend the fame of Mr. Kinglake, and to
confirm the popularity of the invaluable library now
being published at a cheap rate by the Messrs.
Longman.

WINTER EXHIBITION OF DRAWINGS.
Another, the third, winter season of this very inte-
resting exhibition of drawings in oils and in water
colours, was attended on Saturday last by ourselves,
on the occasion of a private view at Mr. Grundy's
establishment. Everyone interested in the progress
of art in this country should turn into these well-
known rooms in Regent-street, and we doubt not
but that they will all experience the same satisfaction
as that with which we passed round the walls of the
different apartments. It has been repeatedly our
pleasing duty to commend the variety of examples
from the hand of some of Our most distinguished
artists now living, contributed by them to these same
winter season exhibitions. The present collection
cannot be regarded as in
any degree inferior to its
predecessors. On the contrary
several of the speci-
mens now before the public are among the most
brilliant evidences of the skill and genius
from which they have respectively emanated.
ctur scenery of
Stanfield, not the least conspicuous of the
exhibitors, has a very charming and, in
point of execution, admirably finished study in oil
pourtraying the romantic and picturesque
" Terracina:' Suspended to the left of this is an
exquisite water-colour sketch of "Amy. Robsart,"
and on the right, another of " The Combat," filled
with power and animation—both from the hand of
the prolific and accomplished Cattermole. Other,
though lesser productions from the same master,
adorn the gallery elsewhere; and besides these are
especially deserving of notice the contributions of
David Cox and Samuel Front. A "Harvest Field"
by the former, simple and unpretending to the last
degree, is a wonderful bit of nature, and such as
must command universal admiration. Callow's
" Venice," and scarcely less than that his " Or-
leans," will be regarded as eminently merito-
rious in their truthfulness, even though the conti-
nental cities are revealed to us through the medium
of a less than usually diaphanous atmosphere.
e Caen, ' to say nothing of
Equally correct would be almost any amount of
eutogium upon Prout's
his very masterly picture of " Ghent," a picture
of the
almost jus;ieviug the penegYrics of his most infatuated
admirers. Remembering Edward Corbould's very
" Daughter
wonderful water-colour drawing
of Herodias," exhibited last year in the junior so-
ciety's gallery in Pall-mall, we may confess to a cer-
tain disappointment in reference to his picture of the
" Orange Blossom." The effect is somewhat weak
and lackadaisical' in comparison with the former
lovely and brilliant composition. Intolerable to us in
ugliness and affectation is Hood's sketch entitled
" Devotion"—not so that most exquisite delineation
of "Purity" by an artist whose name we are
culpable in having for the moment overlooked.
Nothing can be in worse taste than Leslie's con-
ceit of " A Mother's Hope, the mother's
hope in this instance being. a very snub-nosed
cantankerous looking infant sitting huddled up on a
chair, only deterred from breaking into a peevish
squall by the dismay with which it evidently views
the gambols of its exceedingly awkward-looking and
oldfashioned mamma. Frith hints at something really
excellent in his two clever but vague illustrations to
the " Relapse ;"
and Webster, in a cottage interior,
oddly entitled, " All Fours," calls to mind the dis-
tinctness of Teniers and the finish of Oatade. There
are one or two indifferent drawings in chalk by Uwins,
and some of Cooper's admirable and refreshing land-
scapes—scattered over with cattle and glittering in
the sunshine. Commend us (among all the oil paint-
ings up stairs) to Poole's bewitching little picture,
hight " A Romp in the Hayfield," a picture in every
respect singularly and eminently beautiful. The young
girl lying down among the hay is evidently "in
for it," as the urchin knows to its delight while
leaping over her fresh bundles of new mown and fra-
grant forage. Vacher next exhibits his " Lake of
Como," and llaghe his "Inauguration of the Crystal
Palace," a circumstance which will not be regretted
by any one, however familiar with their merits on the
occasion of their original appearance. Lance proves
himself scarcely less admirable in water colours than
in oils as a fruit painter ; and Hunt pourtrays with a
magical brush the prettiness of an e-filled nest or of
a moss-entangled root of primroses. Hines" Chimney
Sweep on a Snowy Morning" will be recognised as
an old favourite.;, Several " curiosities" are numbered
amongst the collection in Mr. Grundy's Gallery this
season, and of a value, moreover, sufficient to com-
mand the attendance of the more enthusiastic
1 lovers of art, if it wore only to examine
those pictures exclusively. Conspicuous among them
are some excellent studies in oil by Collins, a
gloriously coloured sketch of the female form by
Etty, the original "noting down" of "Auld Robin
Grey's Courtship" 1,
ay Wilkie, and a very beautiful
of
and masterly specimen et the lamented and gifted
Turner in his best moments representing the scenery
surrounding "Tivoli." 'i'hese alone would be suf-
ficient to prove attractive, but they are only a small
portion of a very diversified and more than ordi•
narily meritorious collection.

Couna tllitcuLA •
The following WINDSOR, JAN. 22.
had the honour of dining at the
Royal table last evening :--Her Royal Highness the
Duchess of Kent, the Lady in Waiting to her Royal
Highness, the 13aroness de Speth, the Duke of Wel-
lington, Lord and Lady Seymour, and the Hon.. J.
st. Maur, Viscount Canning, Sir Francis and
Lady Arabella Baring, Sir James and Lady Graham,
and Colonel Wylde.
The band of the Grenadier Guards was in attend-
lowing pieces :ce at the Cas—
tle during dinner, and played the fol-
Overture, "Zampa"
.. Herold.
Aria from Das Nachtslager Corradin Kreutzer.
Esterhazy Walzer
Labitzky.
potpourri Drainatique
Hartmann.
Styrer Jodler
•Unrath.
Afterwards, in the evening, her Majesty's private
hand attended, and performed the following selection :
Overture in C
Beethoven.
Allegretto, " Lohgesang" Mendelssobn.
Recitetivo and aria, "Die lustigen
Welber von Windsor"
The Queen walked in ... Otto Nicoltii.
the Home Park and the
Slopes this morning,
The r fin" of \Val's, the Princass Royal, and
Royal Children took their usual walking and pony
exercise.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert went out shoot-
ing this reorninK, accoroPanied by Prince Leopold of
Saxe Coburg, Viscount Canning, Sir James Graham,
and Colonel Wylde, and attended by Colonel F. H.
Seymour, and Lieut.-Colonel Biddulph.
The f'ollowing have been invited, and are expected
to arrive at the Castle to-day
:—Baron and Baroness
Brunnow, the Duchess of Sutherland and Lady Con-
stance L. Gower, the Earl and Countess Grey, and
Lady Alice Lambton, and the Earl and Countess
Bruce.
His Grace the Duke :of Wellington and the Right
their departure Francthis forenoodn.is and La Ar
abella Baring took
y

The Chevalier Drouet transacted business on Wed-
nesday at the Board of Trade.
Sir James K. Shuttleworth had an interview with
Sr George Grey, at the Home-office
yesterday.
Earl Grey left town after the Cabinet Council yes-
terday afternoon, for Windsor Castle, on a visit to her
bbjesty.
The Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England
had a meeting yesterday, at their office in Whitehall-
place.
arrived
Win_asor Castle, yesterday.
Sir Francis Baring , in town
of
Turk's
previous to the
Cabinet Council, from
receiovred urk
s were
's Island.
Colonial-office yes-
terdayDispatche from the Govern

ROYAL SEA-DATEUNG
the governors of the Royal Sea-
was yesterday held at ea-
Loudon bathing Infirmary at ZJargate
Loudon Tavern, to take into last consideration the report of a
committee, appointed at the t, general court to revise the
by-laws of the institution,. the Right Hon. the Earl of
Winchilsea in the chair. His
Lordship having briefly ad-
dressed the meeting, and as.`-sM'sed them of the warm interest
part in the
he felt in the charity, from hi taking a
ties alone prevented
arrange-
ments of which his Parliamentary du
and its several recom-
him, the report was broughtforward,
John Curling, Esq.,
mendations having been, seriatim, most carefully discussed
by the Rev. Mr. Curling,H. Pugh, Esq ,
e,
and other gentlemen who interest themselves in the well-
doing of the institution, were, witll some slight modifications,
agreed to. The result of this revision is almost a complete
alteration in the constitution of the establishment--a mea-
' sure which its friends have for, a long time eagerly desired.
His Lordship having expressed his gratification on a vote of
thanks passed to him by the meeting, the
business of the day
terminated.
nn
FORNRSs AND PI--LE HAR --UR RAILWAY.--The
cost of this proposed new line, with branch from the Orgrave
Tramway, is estimated by the
engineer at 45,0514