The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-16 00:00:00

bringing with it the proper season for excursion

trains and shilling days, before the last workman
has disappeared with his tools. It is, undoubtedly, ,
an advantage to every public spectacle to be in com-
plete
order before the public are admitted to in-
spect
it, but this is less to be regretted in the present
instance, as the high price of admission charged at the
outset throws the inconvenience upon the class which
can best afford to sustain it ; and neither tourists from
the other side of the Channel, nor visitors from the pro-
vinces can be expected in any considerable numbers for a
month at least. Precautions have been taken, too, to
prevent, as far as possible, any feeling of disappointment
or discontent in the meantime, for the Fine Arts-hall
may be said to be in complete order, and contains a col-
lection of paintings such as, in point of excellence, has
rarely been brought together. Here the season ticket-
holders, now amounting to 12,000, will find materials for
agreeable and refined study, and when tired of this the
progress made day by day in other departments will, no
doubt, be sufficient to occupy their attention. The Eng-
lish,(the Belgian, the Prussian, the Dutch, and the French
schools are all more or less satisfactorily represented in
this hall. Of the last-mentioned some of the specimens
are not yet produced, so that for the moment it is placed
at a disadvantage with the rest ; but the Belgian and
Prussian collections are most complete, every branch of
their respective schools being well exemplified, and the
Sovereigns of both countries contributing some of the
greatest gems in their galleries. The Dutch is a smaller
display, but it has been well selected, and fully sustains
the fame of the country in art. Of the illustrations of
the_English school it is impossible to speak too highly
as individual pictures, and in interest and merit, as well
as numbers, they undoubtedly surpass those from abroad ;
but, on the other hand, they do not represent so com-
prehensively the style of the school in all its depart-
ments, nor is its contemporary character (an important
point in exhibitions of the kind) so strictly preserved.
Again, foreign artists have, with a liberality which does
them infinite credit, contributed largely to the display,
and, in some instances, painted the works shown by
them expressly for it, whereas none of our artists appear
as exhibitors, though three of the greatest names among
them, and those, too, whose genius shines most
conspicuously upon the walls of the hall—Mulready,
Maclise, and Danby—are by birth, Irishmen. The British
portion of the gallery, therefore, has been supplied en-
tirely from the generous stesire increasingly felt by the
owners of valuable pictures to extend as widely as pos-
sible their humanising and gracious influence on the
mind. Of course, it is obvious that a collection so made
strips many a private residence of its choicest ornaments,
and that, if repeated too often, the demand for one's
best pictures to be kept for months on view at exhibi-
tions might grow into a nuisance. It is an especial in-
convenience to those who, having masterpieces of art,
afford the public every reasonable facility for seeing
them, and who thus (like the Duke of Devonshire for
example) render their mansions favourite places of resort
during the summer season. This may serve as a useful
hint for the future ; but, in the present instance, the
great interest and merits of the collection leave no room
for regret that the efforts used in getting it together have
been crowned with such success. A simple enume-
ration of, some of the chief pictures will convey
to the reader the best idea as to the merits of
this part of the Exhibition. Sir Thomas Lawrence
is represented by his great portrait of Kemble
as Coriolanus. Hogarth, by that extraordinary
work, " The Gates of Calais," so full of tragic
force, and " The Last Stake," one in the series of "The
Harlot's Progress." At one end of the hall hangs
Danby's sublime painting of " The Deluge," with its
terrible but rather painful details of execution. Near it
is placed Barker's " Woodman," a fine specimen of mas-
culine English art, which has been so extensively popu-
larised by engravings. Sir Edwin Landseer's famous
" Bolton Abbey" appears among several other examples
of his style, transferred from the walls of Chatsworth.
There are three or four Mulreadys, "The Wolf and
Lamb" included, some of them contributed by the
Queen, and all of them displaying that mastery of de-
tails and refinement of execution for which he is distin-
guished. Maclise's " Weird Sisters" forms a splendid
feature of the collection ; Wilkie's genius is represented
by "The Rent Day," and Duncan's by the picture of
"Flora Macdonald watching over Prince Charles." The
style of that gorgeous colourist Etty is exemplified
by the "Joan of Arc," and several other works,
Calcott's by a delicious view of Venice, and Turner's
by a splendid landscape scene in his early man-
ner. The collection also contains some of the
best works of Collins, Leslie, Stanfield, Creswick, Her-
bert, Redgrave, Cooper, Pickersgill, Elmore, Goodall,
Uwins, and many more ; nor is it possible to see so many
first-rate pictures brought together without a feeling of
gratification that the school to which they belong is our
own. Among the Belgian artists who exhibit may be
specially mentioned the names of Gallait, Wappers, De
Keyser, and Verbockoven. " The Temptation of St. An-
thony," by the first-named painter, is a work of extra-
ordinary merit, and for grandeur of conception and
power of execution is unsurpassed by anything in the
hall. But for the fine contributions from the Royal
Gallery kindly sent by the King, the range of modern
Belgian art would not have been completely represented
Of the Prussian school the examples are numerous, well
selected, and brilliant—the most remarkable being, un-
questionably, a sea piece of Achenbach's, exhibited by
the King. This is a picture of the very highest merit,
the wild spray of stormy and tumultuous waves
against a projecting pier being depicted with extra-
ordinary truthfulness and skill. Two works by Kretzsch-
iner—one "An Arab and his Camel," and the other
"Crossing the Nile," and both exceedingly clever--were
painted expressly for the Dublin Exhibition. There is
a fine representation of one of the scenes in Faust, by
Bezers, and the styles of Levin and Schroeder are also
illustrated by noble examples. Among the Dutch
artists who exhibit may be specially mentioned the
names of Hendricks, Eckhous, Barton, and Genissen ;
and among the French Tassart, Bonheur, and Lehman.
The first-named shows a picture of very great merit,
representing with less dramatic power, but more
poetic refinement than his Belgian rival, the "Tempta-
tion of St. Anthony." Besides the modern schools,
more or less strictly illustrated by contemporary
painters, the hall contains some examples of the an-
cient masters. The Japanese compartment, furnished
by the liberality of - the Dutch Government, is
already a feature of the Exhibition, though not half
in order yet, and artists are busily engaged in
sketching the suggestive forms of objects which it con-
, tains. In the Great-hall the orchestra of the opening
ceremonial has been swept away, and trophies of manu-
facturing skill are rising up over its immense area, diver-
sified, after the manner of 1851, with sculpture and
fountains. Two splendid circular crosses, covered with
the moss of centuries, stand on either side of the main
entrance, touching relics, amid the evidences of modern
lowedsplendourt,h we
ahsiscol ic
isurround
of
everythem,
people, tle o i
bludte nmtoismt es ,a
sacred
when looked backed to through ages of suffering and a
history full of sorrow. In the centre of the hall, and,
therefore, occupying the most prominent position in the
whole building, stands Baron Marochetti's equestrian
statue of the Queen a noble work, in the best I
manner of a great artist, and fully embodying the
grandeur of a reign established in the hearts of her
subjects. M'Dowall's " Eve " still retains its place, as
on the opening day, at the top of the hall ; and, placed
Modestly at one side, is the statue of Mr. Dargan. A
fine large bronze of "Hemules and the Bull," full of
power, and the work of a young German artist, has
been just uncovered, and, when properly placed, will
claim the admiration to which its merits entitle it. In
the other divisions of the building, and in the galleries,
we find promise of many highly interesting collections.
Those of Irish marbles, of Irish flax and linen manu-
factures, of Irish poplins, Irish frieze, and Irish lace,
will all be excellent as well as large. The show of
ceramic manufactures and of miscellaneous wares is

being rapidly arranged, and in a few days the machinery
in motion will be in complete working order. Thus the
Exhibition grows into shape, though with much still to
do, amply provided in the materials of success ; and,
though on a scale which forbids comparison with the
great display of 1851, it is a spectacle to which the cu-
riosity and attention, not only of the natives, but of
English and continental tourists, may be confidently di-
rected.

THE NEW AMBASSADOR TO THE FRENCH COURT.—
The Marquis of Clanricarde is named as the almost
certain successor of Lord Cowley, as ambassador at the
French Court ; the present functionary is to be ex-
onerated from his duties long before the august cere-
monial of the Emperor's coronation. Should the Irish
marquis obtain ne coveted appointment it will displace
the ambition of another nobleman who has served the
Grey and Russell party for years, and who has receivsd,
time by time, valuable testimonials in the form of place
from his political friends.—Sunday Times.

DEPARTURE OF ARTISANS FROM THE ROYAL ARSENAL.
—The wheelers, &c., of the Royal carriage department
drew up a memorial to the authorities, praying their
wages to be augmented to 30s. per week, on account of
the rise in all parts of the country in the scale of pay.
Their request could not be entertained, and nine of
them gave notice of their intention on Saturday last to
leave their employment. When the best tradesmen have
all left, and the work is performed in a disgraceful way by
inexperienced hands, then the board authorities will ap-
preciate their services, and grant a more liberal scale of
pay. The emigration mania has now carried off many
experienced hands from this country to seek a fortune at
the gold mines.—Kentish .Mercury.

FOREIGN.
10 3 Antworp&Rotterdam 1 id
5 3 BolgianEastn. Junct. 1 1
20 4 Beziers to Graissessac 1— ip4l 5
20 all Charleroi &Erquelin. 134 —13 i
20 10 Dijon and Besanpn. • 3 31 P
1
20 8 Dutch Rhenish....... 1 --1 dis
20 all East Indian ...... ..... 5 —5l P
20 1 Do. Extension • ~. 1 IRP
5 all Gt. Indian Peninsula 2 20
20 10 Gd. Junct. of France 21 —21 p
201 15 Gt. Western of Canad
Shares .. ... . ..... . ..... par 1 P
P 5 1 Lucca & istojasp.a•
prcf ......
g...................... ••• par
20 15 Luxenur r 7 71
10 10 Do. (Railway) ......... 4-4 - 4
5 2 Do. . . .... . . 1 1
........... 11 1
5 3 Do. (clanal) ...... . .....
10 2 Do. 6p. ct. pref..... i —P
20 9 Lyons & Mediterran.
20 4? Madras . 2 —21 p
1
20 all Namur & Eiege (will
interest) ....... . ....... 7 8
i
20 all Do. (ex interest) .....•
16 all Northern of France 361 371 371 i 1
20 all Do. 201. 3p. c. Bds.
(finy.B.&Ams. Shs.) 14, 141
10 all NorwegianTrunkProf 8' 91
20 10 Paris and Lyons ...... 18 18,
20 all Paris and Orleans.... 43 441
20 all Paris and Rouen .....• 451 46
20 all Paris and Strasbourg 37 38 38i 9
20 4 ParisCaen&Chcrbrg. 5, — 6 p
10 7i Quebec dzßichmond.. —A p
20 all Rouen and Havre.— 21 - 22
20 all Sambro and Meuse... 84 91
10 4 Do. 51 p. ct. pref.... ... •,.
20 2 Sth-Eastru. of France ... ...
20 4 Southern of France.. 6/ 6 p
Pm
20 2s. Upper India Scrip... _ p
41 5
1011
20 10 Western of France... 111 —MP
allB DWoe.sts rpaenrdee.rs _
pre f
.... i
di g i
10 2 West. of Switzerland id Rd
20 6 , Zealand., , ... li --lid