The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-13 00:00:00

ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS.

To JOHN PRESCOTT KNIGHT, ESQ , RA., SECRETARY
TO THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS.
Sin,—As you "do not doubt being able to answer my
various queries, and give me such, useful information into
the bargain as will save me front again hazarding in-
genious speculations and statements which are not strictly
according to facts," " provided T. S. comes from
behind his anonyme," th'e proposition is too good
not to be accepted. But in thus throwing off
my incognito, I must premise that, as I am personally
unacquainted with any member of the Royal Academy,
I beg to be understood that, in presuming to " summon
the secretary of that body before the bar of public
opinion," I am less actuated by personality than a feel-
ing of obligation to contribute my quota towards getting
at the root of those heart-burnings which ever and anon
proceed from the management of the National Gallery,
especially the eastern portion of it. Why I have pre-
ferred the medium of a public journal to convey to you
my inquiry, is, because I do not assume to be the
only artist outside the Royal Academy pale, whose
performance has been, this season, so unceremoniously
rejected. And being fully aware how inconvenient it
would be for a secretary whose time is valuable, to reply
personally or by letter to every grumbler disposed to
demand why his individual production should be
amongst the rejected. Therefore, to save unnecessary
trouble, I deem a personal application • inexpedient,—
being persuaded, that froth the description I gave:of the
"Rejected Miniature" in The bun of last Monday, you
would be able to inform me, and those whom the matter
concerned—the reason of the rejection, which, if
satisfactory to myself, I did not doubt would be
equally satisfactory to those artists who had been
subjected to a similar disappointment. Though fiat-
tered by your pOlite offer to gratify me with a per-
sonal interview, I must decline the honour, so long as
"The mysterious four seals" may not be broken. But
with reference to say "hazarding ingenious speculations
and statements which are not strictly according to
facts," I beg, in one respect, to plead guilty. Jo con-
trasting the management of the two National Exhibi-
tions of England and France, I believe I conveyed an
impression that the Exhibition of the latter was still
held in the. Palais of the Louvre. The mistake was not
perceived until it was printed ; but though I could not
avoid regretting the lapses, I did not think it of suffi-
cient importance to substantially affect nay state-
ment ; but having my veracity called into question,
I hasten to correct the unintentional error.
After the Revolution of 1843, the National Exhibition
of Works of Art was removed from
.the Louvre to the
Palais Royal, and thence to the " Menus Plaisirs," .Rar,
Faubourg Pa,ssonicre. With this correction I feel guilt-
less of any other nai satatement, unless the hypothesis, that
" the council,' whose decision is final "—(in the absence
of any information to be met with in the catalogue)
assumed to be con iposed of R.A.'s, be a misstatement ;
but allowing myself an equal latitude to make inferences
with that which enabled you so ingeniously to discover
that T. S. was the "Nettle," I did come to the conclu-
sion that " the inquisition" of Trafalgar-square—the
"terribly mysterious council"—was composed of mem-
bers of the Royal Academy. But should it turn out that
this " council whose decision is final" is neither more nor
less than her Maj esty's Privy Council, I beg to assure you,
Mr. Secretary, that, thenceforth, I will be more cautious
about " hazarding ingenious speculations" for the future.
Meanwhile, I must throw myself upon your generosity
for enlightenment on this point as well as on others in
which I may nnwittingly have 'erred, albeit, at present,
I be unable to avail myself of a personal interview.—l
am, sir, your obedient servant,

THOMAS SKAIFE.
Vanbrug,h-house, Blackheath,
13th Jute, 1853.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

(THIS DAY.)

The June sessions of the Central Criminal Court corn-
nenced this morning. The number of prisoners for
vial is ninety-three. The judges who are to preside are
he Chief Baron (sir F. Pollock), Mr. Justice Manic,
and Mr. Justice EL-le - and the aldermen who are upon
the rota to attend. -to form a court are Sir P. Paurie, Sir
G. Carroll, Sir J. :Musgrove, Finnis, and Cubitt.
The grand jury- :having been sworn,
The Recorder p:roceeded to deliver the usual charge.
It was gratifying to find that there were no cases of great
brutality on the calendar. The first case to which he
would direct attention was one against a gentleman of a
learned profession fc procuringabortion. If they attached
credit to the depositions which would be laid before
them, it would be their duty to find a true bill against
the person indictedt. With regard to the other persons
implicated in the :affair, though it did not appear that
any one had been _present except the principal offender
when he used the instrument, yet if the grand jury
thought that they were aware of the purpose for which
he visited the your ig lady in question, and concurred in
that object, then tl iat would be felony. The next case
was that of a perE;on, who, having taken a letter of
credit for a small amount on a banker in this country,
and then proceeding abroad, by altering the amount,
had obtained large: sums on account of it from conti-
nental bankers, much exceeding that for which it was
originally obtaineet. If the offence had been committed
in this country, it would have amounted to forgery,
but as it was committed out of the jurisdiction of the
tribunals of this country, there would, no doubt, be con-
siderable technical difficulty in proving the case, and the
course which he would advise them to pursue would be,
if they found the, main facts proved, to find a true bill
and leave the technicalities to be disposed of by her
Majesty's Judges, who would have to try the case.
The learned Rec order then proceeded to direct the atten-
tion of the grand. jury to the MSC of the attempted ex-
tortion of money from the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
which he described as of great importance to social
morality. It was a case which might happen to any
individual, it was as such serious from the nature of the
charge; and it was only a man of unblemished reputation
and moral character who would be able completely to
escape the effect of it. Neither was it every man who
had strength of mind to bring such an offender before
the public.

The Grand Jury having retired, several true bills
were immediately returned, and the trials were pro-
ceeded with.

DESPERATE SUICIDE FROM BLACKFRIARS-BRIDGE.—
At a late hour on Saturday night an elderly female,
name at present unknown, caused a considerable deal of
excitement amongst the numerous persons passing over
Blackfriars-bridge, owing to her mounting the steps of
one of the recesst ts, and deliberately plunging head fore-
most towards the. bed of the river. In her attempt her
head came in contact with one of the piers of
the bridge, which broke the frontal bone, and other
wise so injured her that there is no doubt she was
killed before she :reached the water. A man named
Copeland succeedecit in bringing the poor female ashore,
and she was conveyed, in the first instance, to the
Christ Church dead -house, when Mr. Kibblewhite, the
beadle, had her to ken to the Angel Inn, in Upper
Ground-street ; but, in spite of the most strenuous exer-
tions of all present:, it was impossible to do the least
good, as the vital spz aic had fled. The inquest, it is ex-
pected, will be held 40-raerrow (Tuesday).