The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-28 00:00:00

btrlT ISbitton+

SOCIETY OF BRITISH ARTISTS.

On Saturday last we were present at a private view of
the pictures exhibited this year by the Society of British
Artists. The exhibition is more distinguished for pro-
fusion than perfection, and though, on the whole, the
society has collected together a pretty good set of pic-
tures, we were unable to discover anything on the walls
sufficiently prominently excellent and striking, as to jus-
tify us to felicitate ourselves on the progress which the
artistical talent of this country has been making during
the past year. Mr. Hurlstone, the president, bears
away the palm of honour, both in number and quality.
His " First Appearance of Columbus in Spain is the
facile princeps of the whole exhibition.. The different
attitudes of the three figures are very fine, and the co-
lofiring has that rich mellow tint which suits a
Srianish subject. His other pictures, which are-
mostly studies of Italian heads, a la Murillo, under
various titles, are also very successful, both in composi-
tion and execution, and fully equal to Mr. Hurlstone's
reputation. Of the other historicalpictures, there are none
which, call for particular mention, except, perhaps Mr.
Wageman's "Henry IV.'s Soliloquy on Sleep," which is
painted with all the care and minuteness of what is now
called the Pre-Raphaelite, School. The anxious and
deeply thoughtful face of the monarch, however, seems h
more fitted for the soliloquy of the King in Hamlet.
The landscapes, as .a class are by far the most prominent
and excellent works of the whole exhibition. Mr. Bod-
dington is there with an unusual number of his bright
sunny views, and Mr. West also, with his bold power-
fully painted waterfalls, some from Norway, and others
from England and Wales. This artistt seems to
revel in Welsh scenery, and some of the views which he
has presented us with from that land of mountains are
most excellent. "Margate Sands," by Mr. Tennant,
is remarkable for the beautifully clear and transparent
tone in which it is painted ; and Mr. Clint's coast
views—" Castle Cliff, Hastings," and "Lovers' Seat"—
are among the most meritorious of this class. Mr.
Ward, Mr. Cole, and the Messrs. Williams are also
contributors in this class of very creditable specimens.
Mr. Pettitt's " Seventh Vial," which we suppose, for
want of a better title, we must also call a landscape, is a
monstrosity of the first order. Its composition, which
is an utter, failure as to effect, shows how difficult and im-
, possible it is to realise scenes so vast and terrible as those
which were presented to the imagination of the Apostle.
As for the execution, a- mass of green and red colours
divide the canvass between them, and it is only by dint
of hard staring that the spectator at last discerns some
falling columns in the foreground, a few flying figures
and toppling rocks behind—the sight which, according
to Mr. Pettitt's idea, the Apostle saw on the opening of
the Seventh Vial. We hope that this will be the last
we shall hear of Mr. Pettitt on the Revelations. Ano-
ther picture by the same hand, " A Scene from the
Creation," which represents all the beasts of the field
marshalled together in a row as if on parade, speaks
more of zoological knowledge and manual skill than of
the higher powers of a genuine artist. There is the usual
proportion of nude and derni-nude figures, a pro-
pos of mythological or fancy subjects, which, as
the best thing to do we pass over in silence. There
are none of any particular merit, and though in
many the faces are pretty and well painted, there are
some, we regret to say, which, without any counter-
balancing excellence, rather overstep the line which good
taste has prescribed with regard to such pictures. Among
the most objectionable in an artistic point of view, is
"the nosegay" where the nymph favours us with a sight
of a pair of shoulders, &c., which for breadth and mus-
cular development might, we believe, belonged to Milo
the oak splitter. The portraits are unusually uninter-
esting ; among the best are Signor Gardono, b'y Buck-
ner, and " Miss Adujo," by F. Hurlstone. Mr. Buckner
has also contributed several studies of heads, two
of which " from a Sicilian Exile" and of a Ro-
man Head," are of very considerable merit. There
are several subjects exhibited from Mrs. Beecher
Stowe's novel, of which a head of " Uncle Tom," by Mr,
C. H. White, draWn well and without affectation,
is by far the best. Mr. Dessurne's " Fall of the Angels"
ought to be classed with the "Seventh Vial" as a mon-
stro3ity. Such a conglomeration of arms and legs stick-
ing up in the air, upside down, we never saw on canvass
before. There is neither taste, design, nor effect in the
, picture, so far as we could perceive, though it would
take a contortionist of the first order to get a proper
view of it. If Mr. Sands, the ceiling-walker, wishes to
have his portrait taken as engaged in that exciting feat,
we should recommend him to Mr. Dessurne.
The Messrs., Wilson exhibit several good sea-pieces,
of which "A Fresh Sea-breeze," by Mr. 4. Wilson,
"Off the Coast,of Holland," and " St. Michael's Mount,"
by Mr. J. Wilson, jun., deserve especial notice.
, Among the animals, Mr. Earl's " Disowned "

a little

terrier, who, had evidently, been recently kicked out of
doors, is by far the best. The deprecating forlorn air of
the outcast tells its own .tale 'in an instant, and the
picture will be a great favourite with that large sec-
tion of the public most readily struck by this class of
paintings. Amcpg the water colours, the most merito-
rious are some luscious fruits and flowers by Mrs. Duf-
field, two drawings of dead game by Miss Bouvier, and
an Ophelia beautifully painted by Mr, G. B. Boyce. A
numerous fashionable crowd of visitors thronged the
rooms all day. on Saturday.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.-(THIS DAY.)

THREATENING THE MEMBERS OF THE JUNIOR UNITED

SERVICE CLUB.

Lieutenant Frederick Mundell, 4, King-street, Port-
man-square, was brought up in custody of Sergeant
Bewley, of the D division, charged, on ,a warrant signed
by P. Bingham, Esq., one of the magistrates of this
court, for that he did, by means of a menacing letter,
unlawfully threaten one Samuel Pole, and other members
of the Junior United Service Club, whereby the said
Samuel Pole apprehends that he and others are in danger
of some bodily harm from him, the said Frederick
Mundell.

Several gentlemen, members of the club, were in at
tendance to watch the case.

Mr. Samuel Pole said he was a Major in the army,
and one of the members of the Junior United Service
Club. The letter which he now produced had been re-
ceived by the chairman and committee of, the club from
the defendant. He did,not know whether the letter was
in the handwriting of the defendant or not, but believed
it was,
Mr. Leadley, the chief clerk, read the letter above al-
luded to, in which the writer complained that he had
been treated in an unjust and ungentlemanly manner by
the committee and members of the club, by their ejecting
him from the club, of which he had bben a member, that
he demanded to be restored to his membetship, and
called upon Mr. Pole and the other members to act to-
wards him as became gentlemen and officers, and that if
they did not do him justice he would wreak summary
vengeance upon the whole of them. The letter was
signed Frederick Mundell.,
Mr. Bingham said the matter need not go any fur-
ther ; and told the defendant that a letter couched in
such language as the one first read was not allowed by
law. If heldefendant) was the writer of that letter, to
save further trouble, he 'Mr. Bingham) should order him
to enter into his own recognisance in 2501. to be of good
behaviour for the next three months.. And he should
also call upon him 'as a gentleman of honour to promise
not to use threats towards complainant and the other
gentlemen connected with the club.
The defendant faithfully promised not to repeat the
offence, and having entered into the required recogni-
sange, left the court.
•

THE • BURIALS IN MARYLEBONE.—On Saturday, a
meeting of the parocial authorities was held at the Court-
house, Marylabor:re, for the purpose of taking steps to
close the vaults under the parish church, Christ Church,
of Trinity Church, and St. John's-wood Chapel. Mr.
Churchwarden Stephens presided. On the motion of
Sir J. J. Hamilton, Bart., seconded by Mr. Harlowe,
the report of the burial vault committee, which recom-
mended the closing of the vaults under the above
churches, and that when interments should take place
in the unoccupied portions of them they should be only
used as catacombs and be hermetically sealed, was
unanimously adopted._
AN EMIGRANT SHIP ON THE GOODWIN SANDS.—
On Saturday intelligence .was received at Lloyds, that,
at ten o'clock that morning, a large Dutch vessel,
called the Febro, had gone on to the Goodwin Sands.
Immediately on the vessel striking, signal guns were
fired, and it being ascertained that she had 300 emi-
grants on board, the Deal boatmen and others put off
in their luggers to render assistance and save the pas-
sengers. On nearing the vessel it was follnd that the
sea was making a clear breach over her ; and, a line
being got out, the women and children were dragged on
board the luggers, and subsequently the men. Some of
the latter, however, in their eagerness to escape, fell
overboard, and were carried away by the sea, six un-
fortunately perishing. The remainder, however, were
safely landed at Deal, where they received the most
hospitable attention. Fortunately the weather mode-
rated, and permitted the Deal boatmen to lighten the
vessel by casting a considerable portion of her • cargo
overboard, and thus prevented her sinking into the
sands ; and it is hoped she will get off with the flood.
-Unfortunately, however, in order to save the ship, the
private effects of 'the poor emigrants have been nearly
all sacrificed.

THE ORIENTAL COMPANY'S STEAMER CITY OF LONDON
left Southampton yesterday with ship-letter mails for
Gibraltar, Malta, and Constantinople. Her period of
starting from Southampton has been altered from the
29th to the 27th of the month, in order that she may
reach Malta on her homeward passage in time to trans-
fer her passengers and merchandise from Turkey and the
Black Sea, destined for France, to the Malta and Mar-
seilles mail packet.
LIVERPOOL, March 26.—The Royal mail steamer
Europa, Shannon, commander, sailed from the Mersey
this morning for New York, with the usual mails and a
large number of passengers. The steam-ship Cambria,
with advices from New York to the 15th, and Boston to
the 16th inst., may be expected to arrive here on Mon-
day ; and the steamer Baltic, with New York advices to
the 19th, may be expected here on Wednesday next.

COURT CIRCULAR.

WINDSOR, MARCH 26.
The Queen and Prince walked in the Home-park this
morning.

The royal children took their usual morning exercise.
Prince Albert rode out on horseback this forenoon
attended by Captain the Hon. Dudley de Ros, and
visited the new model lodging-houses at Windsor.
Prince Arthur and the Princesses Helena and Louisa
were driven out in an open carriage to-day.
The Earl of Aberdeen arrived at the Castle this after-
noon on a visit to her Majesty.
The Queen and Prince drove out in an open carriage
in the afternoon. Colonel Bouverie and Captain the
Hon. Dudley de Ros were in attendance on horseback.
The Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred also drove out
in an open carriage and four, attended by Madame Rol-
lande.

The following had the honour of dining with her Ma-
jesty this day :—The Duchess of Kent, the Princess
Adelaide of Hohenlohe, the -Earl of Aberdeen, the Lady
in Waiting to the Duchess of Kent, the Baroness de
Speth, Sir George Couper, Colonel Dixon, commanding
officer Ist Battalion Scots Fusilier Guards, and Lieut.-
Colonel Williams, commanding officer 2d Life Guards.
MARCH 27.
• .

Her: Majesty, Prince Albert, the Prince Of Wales, the
Princess Royal and Princess Alice, the Duchess of Kent,
Princess Adelaide of Hohenlohe, the Earl of Aberdeen,
and the ladies and gentlemen of the Court, also the do-
mestic household, attended divine service this morning
in the private chapel of the Castle. The Hon. and Rev.
G. Wellesley officiated.

Dispatches were received at the Colonial-office on
Saturday, from the Governors of Gibraltar and Ber-
muda.

Viscount Palmerston left town on Saturday afternoon,
or his seat, Broadlands, Hants.

A Cabinet Council was held at the Foreign-office,
Downing-street, on Saturday afternoon. The Ministers
present were the Earl of Aberdeen, Lord J. Russell,
Earl Granville, the Duke of Argyll, Viscount Palmer-
ston, the Earl of Clarendon, the Duke of Newcastle, the
Chancellor of 'the Exchequer, Sir James Graham, Sir
Charles Wod, the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, and
Sir William Molesworth. The council sat two hours
and a half. Earl Granville arrived in town on Satur-
day morning to attend the Cabinet Council from Alden-
ham Park, Bridgnorth. Viscount Palmerston arrived
in town on Saturday morning from Brighton. The Earl
of Aberdeen left town after the Cabinet council on Sa-
turday, from Windsor Castle.

THE INCOME TAX.