The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-01 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 1853.

Notwithstanding the decisive announcements
in the Lords and Commons, that the Government
were in possession of ample materials for legislation
with respect to the future government of India,
there is every reason to hope that Ministers will,
for once, take warning, and consent to avoid the
difficulty for the present session. It is not often
that a FABIAN policy is desirable, or even justifi-
able. Even moderately good legislation may be
better if given promptly, than more important
ameliorations after tedious and vexatious procras-
tination which irritates and embitters the feelings
of the parties concerned, and leads to the mutual
estrangement of those whose interests are really
one and indivisible. But the Indian is an excep-
tional question. There is a Select Committee
sitting for the purpose of acquiring information,
and it would be a bad compliment to the many
eminent and able men who have devoted much
time and labour to the inquiry, if the mat-
ter should be finally disposed of before the
results of their investigation were published. It
would form a bad precedent if some of the most
distinguished Members of the House of Commons
were to have their energies concentrated on a very
important subject, to the exclusion of other very
interesting topics ; and that it should then be
found that their toil had gone for nothing—had
been as lightly esteemed as that of SYSIPHUS
in the olden time, always employed at rolling his
rock to the top of the hill, merely in order to see
it fall back again the moment the summit had
been attained, or as of thieves and pickpockets at
the present day, who ascend the treadmill daily,
merely for the sake of laborious occupation, with-
out any profitable result. In justice, then, to the
Select Committee, no permanent enactments
should be carried until their recommendations
have been - put forward, and dispassionately and
attentively considered, so that a sound conclusion
may be arrived at on adequate data.
But there is another and no less urgent reason
why there should be a postponement of legislation
on this vitally important subject. The im-lulu
before the Select Committee up to this time has
been altogether one-sided. Many eminent men
have unquestionably been examined—men who
would not wilfully prevaricate, or state that which
they did not believe to be "the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth." But,
unfortunately, they have all been at one time or
other employees of the company, and were, gene-
rally speaking, greatly.
biassed
favour
achieved
under which they had respectivelyfame and fortune. Lord ELLENBOROUGR's prej,_
dices might possibly be enlisted on the other side.
But still there was no evidence produced on be-
half of the native population—no witness who
could give expression to their views and feelings—
who could explain the evils they were enduring,
and the nature of tile remedies that could alone
afford adequate relief. In the petitions of the
Native Associations of Bombay and Madras, and
also of the European residents of Bengal, we find
that the prayer has been for delay, so that oppor-
tunities may be afforded of substantiating the
various matters so forcibly detailed in their seve-
ral statements ; and that, for the accomplishment
of that object, the Charter may be annually re-
newed until the investigation is complete.
It is, therefore, only right and proper that the
parties chiefly interested should receive an atten-
tive hearing before the question be finally disposed
of. It would, indeed, under any circumstances,
considering the vast importance of the experiment
about to be tried, be better that the new system,
whatever it may be, may only be established for
a limited time, so that it may remain open to

modifiSation and improvement, as the well being
of the country—the interest as well of Great
Britain as of Hindostan—may require. Nothing
could be more valuable than a quinquennial revi-
sion of the system of Anglo-Indian Government—
a revision to be made after searching inquiry and
ample discussion in both Houses of Parliament.
The myriads of Hindoos would then be allowed
to detail their grievances as they might
arise, while the local Government would be
stimulated to activity, so as to bring forward the
much-required ameliorations that have been so scan-
dalously and so unaccountably neglected.
The -East India Company can have no reason to
regret any renewal of their Charter—however
limited may be the period. Whatever form may
be finally adopted, or system introduced, the
present cumbrous and perfectly useless ma-
chinery, must be wholly dispensed with.
There is no possible reason why the guaranteed
holders of India Stock—men who, under any cir-
cumstances, must receive ten and a-half per cent.
interest for the use of their capital—should be
allowed to intermeddle with the Government of
an important province. There might have been
some shadow of a pretext, so long as the Company
was a trading corporation, and that its large capital
was embarked on the faith of the powers
formerly conceded, but nothing of the kind can
now be required. The patronage of British India
is not to be made the means of bribing a wealthy
constituency, or obtaining votes for would-be Di-
rectors. It must be changed into a better chan-
nel. What that channel may be, must be a matter
for future consideration. One thing only is cer-
tain, that it cannot be through the intervention
of the present Court of Proprietors, or of Directors
of the Company.

Reference is again due to the remarkable Essay
recently penned by Mr. DYCE, R.A., in regard to
the reorganisation of the National Gallery. Al-
ready we have twice taken occasion to allude to
that pamphlet in well-merited terms of commen-
dation. It has been observed in these columns

that Mr. DYCE argues—and we think reasonably
enough—against the inadequacy and confusion
of the present collection of paintings, considered
strictly as a national collection. He insists
that the range taken should be more extended.
He maintains that, not one or two, or half a
dozen, or ten or twenty, as the case may be, but
that all the various schools of art should be repre-
sented in a gallery of pictures seriously pretending
to be national in its character. Without this, he
insists, the enterprise would be unworthy of its
name, and, to a very considerable extent, value-
less. A National Gallery, in fact, he defines to
be a collection illustrating the History of Art down
to the present time, and extending back to the
period of its earliest commencement. As a proof
that all this can be really effected—that the pro-
ject, though undoubtedly gigantic, is, at the same
moment, literally practicable—he reminds us of
the rapidity with which the pictorial treasures
of the Royal Museum at Berlin were col-
lected together. Scarcely fifteen years after
that Gallery was first projected, it com-
prised works of all classes, " from the rude By-
zantine down to the productions of the last cen-
tury," to the number of some twelve hundred.
Obviously, therefore, we repeat, the scheme is
practicable. In order to render it still more easy
of accomplishment, Mr. DYCE suggests that the
chief regard of the selectors of the various pic-
tures should centre, not so much on the merit of
the different paintings, as on their genuine-
ness. The suggestion is sound and rational.
Were it adopted frankly, and - carried out
systematically, we should very speedily wit-
ness the good effects of the whole plan
proposed. Fifteen years would not be required
to elapse before England could see herself in a
position to regard, without emotions of despairing
envy, the different institutions established for the
same purpose in the respective capitals of the countries
of the European Continent. We might, then, with-
out a sense of degradation, pass between the storied
walls of the Louvre and of the Pinacothek. As
matters are at present, it is otherwise. Nowadays
we are conscious, in this particular, of little more

than the fact that the wealthiest country in the
world possesses, perhaps among all, the meanest
collection. We know perfectly well that it is
not merely very narrow in its scope, but very
disorderly in its want of arrangement. Superior
excellence cannot be claimed for more than a few
of the specimens constituting its principal trea-
sures. Genuineness even, in one or two de-
plorable instances, is more than questionable.
We have two or three glorious CORREGIOS, one
or two noble MURILLOS, an exquisite GUYP, a
wonderful VANDYCK, and a PIOIBO of deserved
celebrity : GUIDO is not indifferently represented,
there are some estimable examples of CLAUDE,
and some of PoussiN, and some of RAFFAELLE, and
some of REALBRANDT—beyond these how few could
be enumerated ! As Mr. DlrcE reminds us—rather
painfully—we may wander round the apartments
of that melancholy building in Trafalgar-square,
and look in vain for a single production from the
hands of masters in the art of really eminent
reputation. We have not one work, for instance,
of CONEGLIANO, not one of CARPACCIO, or of
BASAITI, or of GHIRLANDAIO, or of WAN BELLINI,
not one of SIGNORELLI, or of PERUGINO, or of PIN-
TURICCHIO, or of BENOZZO GozzoLl. Net one ! And
the catalogue might be deplorablylengthened. This,
remember, in a " National" gallery !—nay, more,
in the National Gallery of England. No wonder the
more patriotic of the genuine lovers of art amongst
usare beginning at last to bestir themselves, and are
calling loudly for some munificent interposition on
the part of the Government No wonder that
that detestable masterpiece of Mr. WILKINs', in
Trafalgar-square, has fallen so rapidly of late lower
and lower in the public estimation that it scarcely
could be regarded with more profound contempt
had it emanated .from the architectural genius of
SETH PECKSNIFF, or, as it might almost have done,
from some stone and stucco freak of Mr. WirairNs—
MICAWBER ! Hope has at length been awakened
by the purchase of a site for a new National Gal-
lery, the funds being partially furnished by the
money obtained by the Great Exhibition, and re-
maining unconditionally at the disposal of the
Royal Commissioners. Precisely at this period,
Mr. DYCE has issued his pamphlet, and in that
pamphlet he has spoken, as we have shown, for-
cibly, cogently, and convincingly upon the neces-
sity of rendering the collection comprehensive, and
of properly regulating the manner of its ar-
rangement.

So much in reference to the formation of the
National Gallery. Now, in regard to its ma-

Lagement.

The inadequacy of the present Board appears so
undeniable to Mr. Dye; that he candidly con-
fesses (p. 43) he sees no remedy for it " short of
its entire abolition." As an institution its
power is unquestionably too scattered. To be
effectual in its operation, it must obviously be
concentrated. Hitherto the Keeper of the Gal-
lery has not been a responsible officer—,he has
had no definite duties—he has been regarded as in
no way accountable to the Trustees or to the
public for the performance of those vague duties
—those duties both indefinite and irresponsible.
Instead of this, he has been " a mere servant,"
acting under the authority of the Board, who
were, therefore, the responsible parties in the
establishment. Nevertheless, whatever might
have been the responsibilities of the Trustees
prior to the August of 1846, those responsibilities
have ever since then, as Mr. DYCE observes (p.
27), ceased and merged in the official responsi-
bilities of the Treasury ! Yet more—as our
pamphleteer somewhat bitterly and sententiously
insinuates—the incapacity shown by the Trustees,
in judging of the excellence or even genuineness
of e
epictures,onhas, since the date already mentioned,
b attribute of the Treasury ! To re-
medy ni y etim
proposes that the
whole scheme of
theMr Mr. DYCE
emanagement should be
d
thoroughly, and, if possible, immediately re-
organised. It would be difficult to explain in a few
words the whole of the scheme here advanced--not
simply difficult, moreover, but superfluous. A
glance at the intelligent pages to which we have
in these columns more than once before referred,
will reveal plainly enough that there haa been on
precipitation in the indubitab y 1 bold counepunued

in this matter by our gifted Academician. His
suggestions are the result, manifestly, of mature
reflection, the fruits of mingled experience and
deliberation. We cannot doubt that the influence
of the argument put forward by Mr. DYCE so
very opportunely must become speedily manifest,
more particularly as it has been expressly addressed
to the more intelligent classes of the community,
under the direct or personal auspices of H. R. H.
the PRINCE CONSORT—those high auspices which
are not inaptly defined by the writer (p. 75) as
" based on the rare union of genius, talent, and
almost universal acquirements, with exalted rank,
and invariably exerted in a manner at once the
most graceful and the most princely." Under
those auspices we shall begin to anticipate with
confidence the establishment of a new and pro-
perly organised institution for the encouragement
of Art at the National Gallery about to be erected
near Kensington.