The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-20 00:00:00

the fullest and the liveliest appreciation. Never-
theless, when we find the new Burial Bill pre-
pared by the Board of Health, entrusted to Lord
SHAFTESBURY, to be by him placed upon the table
of the Legislature, we must at once acknowledge
that we are very nervous as to the consequences.
Why ?it may be asked. For a simple reason
enough. But first, as to the cause of the ineffi-
ciency of the previous measures passed through
the Lords and the Commons for the preven-
tion of intramural by the substitution of extra-
mural sepulture. That cause we ourselves have
indicated from the outset in the plainest possible
language. It was literally the subordination of
the public interest to the clerical interest in this
dreadful difficulty of the Dead Man's Question.
That, and no other, has been the cause from first
to last of the failure of the preceding attempts at
improvement made by the Imperial Legislature.
Our reason for looking with anxiety and care, we
would venture to add with suspicion, upon the
forthcoming new measure, is simply and honestly
because we fear lest the relative value of those
conflicting interests may not be rightly estimated
by the Earl of SHAFTESBI7RY. Should our anti-
cipation prove to have been groundless, we shall
be eager to make the amende honorable to the
Noble Lord by commending him for the abandon-
ment of that deplorable course upon which, in
this instance, he has hitherto adventured. Under
any circumstances it behoves us all, of course, to
examine minutely every clause in the new Bill,
before according to it one word of praise or of
condemnation.

Another important witness has been examined
before the Committee of Inquiry as to the state
of the Pictures in the National Gallery. This
time, however, not a distinguished artist, but a
picture-dealer of some eminence—not an Aca-
demician, but an Auctioneer. From the
evidence given by Mr. CHRISTIE, it would
appear that the investigation now proceeding
has not been set on foot without considerable
reason. According to his estimate of things—
and surely upon'these matters he may be said to
speak with somewhat of the authority of expe-
rience—the effects of the recent cleaning-process
indulged in, in the unsightly edifice in Trafalgar-
square, have been such that he considers the
market value of the paintings thus treated to
have been seriously deteriorated. Recollect this
is the opinion deliberately and dispassionately
pronounced by a picture-dealer of high reputa-
tion—for undoubtedly Mr. CHRISTIE may be so
designated in his capacity as an auctioneer. In
that capacity a vast number of pictures pass
through his hands—a fact testified by his own
acknowlegment and a careful regard to the
average run of sale advertisements. Consequently
his views are not the crude or shallow views of
mere amateur-ignorance. They are the results of
lengthened and intelligent observation. Regarding
them in this light, they rise, it must be admitted,
to no small degree of importance. It is, there-
fore, with a full appreciation of their value that
we take into account, one by one, the re-
markable statements made before the Committee
of Inquiry by this practised Picture-dealer, or
rather, as we have intimated, Picture Auctioneer.
Almost at the outset of his evidence, we find Mr.
CHRISTIE asserting that, "as regards his sales, he
always recommends that nothing should be done
to the pictures, as [mark this !] they sell best in, a
dirty state"--a notable admission ! An assurance
really painful to bear in mind with the remem-
brance of all the scrubbing and scouring that has
been going on of late in reference to some of the
pictorial treasures in the national collection—all
the soap and water, all the skinning away
of old varnish, all the wiping and polish-
ing with sponges and silk handkerchiefs ! "It
is a very difficult question to answer," con-
tinues the witness, " what has been the effect
on the market value of the late operations
performed on the pictures in the National Gallery,
but a very general opinion prevails that their mar-
ket value is deteriorated." A deduction, of course,
quite inevitable, after the previous assertion that
pictures " sell best in a dirty state." Conse-
quently in a clean state they sell worse—and
therefore if cleaned the pictures must have their
market value deteriorated. That is obvious.
Either so much is certain, or the preceding state-
ment about pictures selling best when dirty goes
for nothing. Manifestly, however, Mr. CHRISTIE
could speak without reservation when the subject
of his remarks happened to be deductions from his
own professional experience. When, on the con-
trary, reference had to be made to the National
'Gallery officials, and praise or blame had to be
attached to their proceedings, his observations be-
trayed, as a matter of course, a more discreet cir-
cumspection. Therefore we find him gently in-
sinuating—not bluntly avowing it as a fact, but
gently insinuating it—as a conjecture or impression,
that " a very general opinion prevails that their
(the pictures) market value is deteriorated." Be-
fore this witness had remarked that he had seen
" sometimes good effects and sometimes bad ef-
fects result from cleaning pictures." " Some-
times good and sometimes bad ;" clearly, then,
there is a risk in the operations ! That risk the
public becomes, unhappily, but too well aware of,
through the result of the late cleaning operations
indulged in, in regard to the national collections.
It has learnt the truth only when too late, in re-
ference to some of its most remarkable artistic
possessions. Fortunately, out of that " nettle"
Danger, in allusion to the Past, it is yet possible
to pluck the " flower" Safety, in allusion to the
Future. Similar proceedings may be prevented.
We believe, indeed, that it is simply with a view
to their prevention—with a view to their more
effectual and more authoritative prevention—that
this Committee of Inquiry has been orga-
nised. With this laudable purpose before them
the members of the Committee are sitting
from time to time examining witnesses, collecting
and collating facts, taking notes preparatory to
the compilation of their inevitable report—in
fact, carrying on with untiring assiduity the
labours of a detailed and elaborate investigation.
Their first object is naturally to elicit from com-
petent witnesses facts indicative of the good or
injury that may have been done to certain pic-
tures in the National Gallery, through recent
cleaning operations. Conspicuous among these

witnesses must now be ranked Mr. CHRISTIE, the
picture auctioneer, who, towards the close of his
evidence, gave his previous remarks about
dirty pictures selling best a pointed illustra-
tion. He declared that he believed the Spanish
Collection which he sold lately would not have
fetched the price it actually did if put into the
hands of cleaners ! This, recollect, from no mere
theorist, or dilletanti, or amateur, or Pococu-
nArrrE—but from a practical man of business, a
man acquainted with the market-value of pictures—
in short, an eminent picture auctioneer. Reasons
for the reorganisation of the National Gallery
management are being found as plentiful as black-
berries.

THE ACCESSION OF HER MAJESTY.—This being the
anniversary of the Queen's accession to the throne, the
morning was ushered in with merry peals from the
metropolitan churches, the shipping in the river and the
dock were dressed with flags of all nations from their
mastheads to the water's edge, the royal parish churches
of St. Martin-in-the-fields and St. Margaret's, West-
minster, had the royal standard displayed from the
summits of the towers, and double royal salutes were
fired from the Park and Tower guns. As is customary
her Majesty's tradesmen, the clubs, and principal
theatres will be illuminated in the evening.
THE ROYAL CHRISTENING.—This august ceremony is
fixed to take place on Monday next, the 27th inst., in
the presence of the whole of the Royal family, including
the King and Queen of Hanover. The infant prince
will be christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury, as-
sisted by the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of
London. The sponsors will be the Princess of Hohen-
lobe, the Princess of Prussia, and the King of Hanover.
The names to be given to the Prince will be Leopold
George Duncan Albert. The Queen in the evening will
give a grand banquet, at which the Cabinet Ministers
and great officers of state who have been invited to the
ceremony will be present.
CABINET COUNCIL.—A Cabinet Council was held on
Saturday afternoon at the Foreign-3ffice Downing-
street. The Ministers present were—the Earl of Aber-
deen, Lord John Russell, the Lord Chancellor, Earl
%ranville, the Duke of Argyll, the Marquis of Lans-
wne, Viscount Palmerston, the Earl of Clarendon,
Sir ILukeesol Newcastle, the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
Sidney raham, Sir Charles Wood, the Right Hon.
Lertlutz.,l
ILdiiSix William .Moled worth, The
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