The Sun.
London, England, 1825-05-17 00:00:00

[MORNING CHRONICLE.]

The question of the augmentation of the sala-
ries of the Judges, was last night discussed in the
House of Commons. We agree with the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer in reprobating the prac-
tice of paying Judges by fees. This practice has,
in every country of Europe, led to the exist-
ing complexity of Isgal proceedings. It gives
the Judge an interest in devising means for
keeping suitors as long as possible before them,
and for multiplying useless forms ; and so long as
human nature continues to be what it is, it will
be unsafe to place Judges, or any other class,
in a situation in which interest and duty are
at variance. The raising the salaries of the
Judges is a more difficult question. We do not
say that they ought trot to be paid, and well paid,
but there is a danger, as was observed by Mr.'
Scarlett, lest if they should be overpaid, the
younger sons of the Aristocracy might lay hold
of the situations. We see what has been the con-
sequence of over-dosing the Church with
wealth. The Nobility and Gentry have lung
considered the Church merely a pretext for
enjoying a large estate ; indeed a large income
naturally tempts to enjoyment ; and labour,
hard labour, is demanded from a Judge. On
the other hand, there is no doubt a danger lest
enough he not given to induce men in practice
to quit the bar. By practice we do not mean
merely that of the advocate, for it may he ques-
tioned whether the best advocate will make the
best Judge. Zeal and ardour, and fluency, the
versatility of disposition which enable a man to
carry away his hearers, go to the formation of a
first rate advocate ; patience and dispassionate-
ness are required in the Judge. But consi-
derable professional practice is evidently ne-
cessary to give a knowledge of so difficult a
subject as the law, and to enable the Judges to
preserve their influence over the Bar. Great mis-
chief resulted in Scotland from the Bar possessing
too decided a superiority in talent over the
Bench. It was objected, that no precaution was
taken against the appointment of men of too ad-
vanced an age.--May not this evil be obviated in
a great measure by making the situation more de-
sirable for men in the vigour of life ? The Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer paid high compliments to
the law and its administration in this country,
which he said were the admiration of every
foreigner. We suspect the Right Honour-
able Gentleman knows very little of what en-
lightened foreigners think of our law and its ad-
ministration. As fur as a judgment may be.
formed front foreign publications on law, the
publicity of our proceedings and the impartiality
of our Judges are almost the only advantages
that. the foreign lawyers are willing to allow us.

[THE TIMES.]
The Chancellor of the Exchequer last night
brought forward his project for appropriating the
fees of Courts of Justice, and raising the salaries
of the Judges. We shall at present content our-
selves with giving a summary of the Right Ho-
nourable Gentleman's propositions. Fees taken
in Courts of Justice are in future to form no
part of the emoluments or salaries of the
Judges. The sale of offices in their own Courts
by the Chief Justices of the King's Bench and
Common Pleas is to be abolished, and these Judges
are to receive a compensation for the emoluments
which they derived from them. The Lord Chief
Justice of the King's Bench is assigned to enjoy
a salary of 10,0001. a year, in lieu of all fees and
emoluments whatsoever. 'l'o the Lord Chief
Justice of the. Common Pleas, 8,0001. a year on
the .same condition. The Master of the -Rolls is
to he allowed 7,0001. a year. The Lord Chief
Baron of the Exchequer, 7,0001. a year. The
Vice-Chancellor, 6,0001. a year ; and each of the
Puisne Judges, 6,0001. a year. The fees hither-
to., payable in Courts of Justice, are to be received
as-usual, hut to be tranferred by the receiving
bikers., (after deducting their'salariei) fir the Ex-
chequer, .where they are to form a fund to meet
part of the increased. expences. The power of sell-
int; any- face§ in the pa tronageof the ChiefJtiscices
is to cease.from the passing of the Bill. The pOwer
.uf selling,sorne minnr;officesinitie Oft-afithe.chief
della of the Kines aetittiatid'eimstrion -19

continue during the possession of the presentofficers
on the ground that, as they have purchased their
situations, they have a right to all the advantages
which may accrue from them in that way. The
office of the Lord Chancellor not to he interfered
with until after the report from the Commis-
sioners appointed to inquire into the Court of
Chancery. When will that report make its ap-
pearance ? The Commissioners would indeed seem
to have got into Chancery !

[THE PUBLIC LEDGER.]
The only thing of interest in the Paris Papers,
which arrived last night, is an announcement in
The Etoile dated Sunday, that the negociations
between Portugal and Brazil are brought to an
amicable issue. Most sincerely do we congratu-
late both Powers upon an event, which restores to
one all the substantial benefits of the former con-
nexion,and secures to the other the formal recogni-
tion of its independence. This is another triumph
of British diplomacy, and the more gratifying,
as, in promoting British interests, it has relieved
an old and faithful ally from a situation full
of embarrassment. Our foreign policy at this
time meets the wishes of all enlightened Eng-
lishmen ; and it is only to be regretted that
the same cannot be said of some parts, and
these by far the most important of our do-
mestic policy. In proportion as the former is
wise and comprehensive, the other is narrow,
illiberal and irritating, upon questions too of
vital importance. How long is this discrepancy
to last ? And how much longer are the wisest men
in the country to raise their voices against it in
vain ? How much better would uniformity of
system be for all parties in the State, and how
much more conducive to the public welfare, as
well as to the consideration of the country ; it is
clear, that as long as this anomaly lasts, our pros-
perity can take no root, and the public mind will
be subject to periodical fits of alarm. Let us hope
that the good sense, by which the people of this
country are so much distinguished, and by which
they have been rescued from perplexities, from
which no other could have probably extricated
themselves, will befriend them in the present in-
stance. It is clearly pride alone, intermixed per-
haps with prejudice, which is the occasion of the
discrepancy upon which we are animadverting. Let
us trust that it will not be the ruin of this, as it
has been of many other empires, that in their
time played as conspicuous a part, and held as
lofty a station. The country is clearly at the
threshold of a great crisis, which, according to
the manner in which it may be met, will he pro-
ductive of incalculable good, or infinite mis-
chief. It will be either the means of conso-
lidating her prosperity for ages, or of com-
promising her best and denre,t interests ; and
when we consider what may he the consequences
of this night's decision, we have only to pray that
it may correspond with the liberality that is con-
spicuous in our foreign relations.

FINE ARTS.

FOR THE SUN.

MR. EDITOR—In my last I mentioned my in-
tention, with your liberal permission, to advert to Danby's
sublime picture," The Escape of the Israelites from Egypt,"
and Etty's inspired group of " Woman interceding for the
Vanquished ;" but at present I shall only tresspass on your
limited space by some observations on the latter artist's per-'
formances. The invention of Etty, since he first appeared as
a public exhibitor, formed a distinguished superiority in all
his works; but it would be doing him an injustice to say that
his power of embodying his fine conceptions falls below the
fire, grace, and beauty of his invention. There has been at
times a degree of negligence in his forms which detracted from
their excellence ; but it was only that sort of carelessness in
details, into which a man of great genius, in the velocity of his
execution, sometimes falls, through the richness of his fancy
and the intensity of his feelings. It was a dangerous error,.but
an error indicative of thought, not of weakness. Correct-
ness is truth, and truth in the Arts and in morals ought
ever to be a primary and indispensable object. Notwithstanding
the seducing examples of Parmigiana and earreggia purity of
form is not only, in itself, an exquisite beauty, but it confers
an additional beauty on every other excellence. I have, as a
literary volunteer and lover of the Arts, in my public remarks
on Etty's works, ventured, within these few years more than
once, to express these sentiments with great respect and defer-
ence, as a part of my duty ; and, at the same time, I have
borne my very humble and earnest testimony to his high and
commanding powers as a Painter, and Port upon canvas. if
the extremities of some of this extraordinary Artist's figures
have been occasionally slighted, the general freedom of his out-
line, his bold and felicitous fore-shortenings and masterly articu-
' lation of the naked, in other parts of the seine picture, im.
pressed the experienced eye with a high opinion of his anato-
mical science, and his skill as a draftsman. The unrivalled
splendour, deep tone and harmony of his colouring; the ideal
graces which he conferred upon whatever he designed ; the ele-
gance of his imaginations, and the vigour and vivacity of his
magic pencil, communicated a seducing charm to the oversights
occasioned by the rapidity of his hand, and left me little room
for any other feeling but delight and admiration.
His picture, now exhibiting at Somerset House, is an exhi-
bition in itself, and will ever rank as one of the noblest pro-
ductions of the British pencil. It displays the highest powers
of a poet, with the enthusiastic daring of a painter of the first
class. The subject is altogether the offspring of his own ima-
gination. He has represented a combatant of a lofty stature
and powerful frame, in the prime of his manhood and the
glory of his strength, engaged in the bloody grapple of mortal
conflict. The victor, inflamed with ire, is about to strike the
deadly blow • his whole strength is collected, his arm is raised,
his eyes flash fire, and his vanquished adversary, forced down
upon his knees beneath his overpowering grasp, has no longer
strength to resist or to escape the impending stroke. In this
dreadful moment, Woman (the lovely intercessor) throws her-
self upon her knees, and clings to the Conqueror, to
stay his avenging arm, and save the unhappy victim from
death.. Nothing can be more finely conceived, or exe-
cuted with more energy. The strong expression of the
passions, and the desperate fury of action in the combatants,
are admirably contrasted by the undulating outline, and grace-
ful earnestness of the female. The attitudes are those of vio-
lent exertioni, but natural. The group is composed with great
linearfelicity, and the grandeur of the design is sustained by a
correspondent depth and splendour of colouring, a truth and
harmony in the masses, and a noble diffusion of light that
streams with the effulgence of a glory over the principal ob-
jects.. The deep blue of the sky reminds me of the sky in
Titian's martyrdom of SL Peter, the Dominican ; but, against
this flood of. shadowy lustre, the glowing flesh tints of 'his
figures breathe and palpiiate and rise upon the eyes with the
force and illusion of life itself.
have never seen this man; this Etty, this Son of inspiration,
but I thank God, that I have seen his pictures. This triumph-
ant production of the British, pencil in the public style, which
Foal do honoutto the first place in the National Gallery, and
whist' is richly worth four •tintis the sum, is priced' by the
Modest Artist !at may five'hundred Guineas. In' proof of the
4nti-British and Anti-histerical spirit of the-lige, a Journal of
yesterday announced' thatit was them unsold t ! !
May Ifith, .182 S. - • , 'EVELYN, Jtrx.
'„! We shall receive with pleasure the spirited and judicious
Critiques of this writer, but we beg leave to remind him that
We were first induced to' insert thetas as they related tothe sub.
Ject
asracragauf • Welrtuie:aathi•Gat;.st.aricitzTeittil
aCnCal.eetintiiomllettf stouCtWatr!roueritnatrstwell
as
.tempt us to hope that It will become •the.propecir of the-nation.