The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-18 00:00:00

BRIT ISH INSTITUTION.

An exhibition (of annual recurrence), is now open
in the galleries of the British institution, Pall-mall,
consisting of 144 paintings by Italian, Spanish,
Flemish, Dutch, French, and English masters, these
pictures being lent for public exhibition from the
private collections of the proprietors. If any true
lover of art is anxious to obtain a treat of the highest
and most intellectual kind, that treat he may obtain
by a visit at this time to the British Institution. We
regretted to observe that the three noble rooms at
that establishment were but scantily attended
the other morning when we visited it; although our
regret was peculiarly of an unselfish kind, seeing that
the small attendance materially facilitated our own
inspection of the paintings. Several of these pictures
are not only the works of men renowned in every
civilized country, but they are works themselves of
individual celebrity—works many of them familiar-
ized to the masses through the medium of innu-
merable engravings.
For example there is No. SO, "John Kemble as
Coriolanus,' by Sir Thomas Lawrence—standing
grandly and gloomily in almost colossal proportions
in the dark hall of his enemy, revealed only in the
folds of his cloak by the fire smouldering on the
hearthstone.
There is No. 114, the celebrated portrait of " Cur-
ran," by the same artist, from the collection of Sir
Robert Peel—that half sour, half sad, half droll,
quite Irish face of the great wit and orator—humour
twinkling in his eyes, and intellect gleaming from his
forehead,, seen between the black locks of his slovenly
but glossy hair.
There is also, No. 126, the celebrated " Portrait of
Admiral Keppel," from the brush of Sir Joshua
Reynolds.
No. 140. The portrait, by Guisto Subtermans, of

"Starry Galileo;"
a portrait well known in this country, through the
engraving in the Gallery of Portraits, published by
Charles Knight, for the society of Useful Knowledge.
Besides these, there is No. 120, Wilkie's famous
" Blindman's Buff," from the collection belonging to
her Majesty, and his (No. 118), if possible, still
more famous " Rent Day," to say one word in
commendation of which would be frivolous, because
superfluous.
N 0.104. " The Hookabardar," by Sir David Wilkie,
not so well known, is for some reasons still more
interesting, seeing that it is evidently one of those
studies from life with which hp had so richly stored
his portfolios,
_during that oriental journey from which
the Scottish Hogarth was destined never to return
alive.
Nos. 105 and 107 are singularly curious portraits
in miniature of Jeanne D'Albert, Reine de Navarre,
and Henri D'Albert, Roi de Navarre, by Janet.
Hard, cold, and glittering like enamel, they are
nevertheless perceptibly vivid likenesses, and for that
reason are infinitely estimable.
No. 124. " The Towneley Gallery," by Zoffani.
The more we lock at it the more we feel ourselves
carried back bodily to the distance of a century and
a half, to the time of lappelled waistcoats and
powdered wigs. That old peer, with the red rheum
in his eyes, who is turning over a folio on his knees,
at the left-hand corner, as a student runs over the
leaves of his lexicon to find out a word, is all but
living and breathing.
Let any nervous lady look another way rather than
at No. 83, the " Lion and the Mouse," by Rubens
and Snyder. The Lord of the Forest is worthy of
the gorgeous brush of Sir Peter Paul ; the dental efforts
of the mouse seem to be superfluous when contrasted
with the muscular powers of the rampant lion. The
lion is rending, half upright, through the network,
his eyes flashing, his jaws opening, revealing the
red gums and white teeth, roaring for freedom, with
his paws extended and every nail bristling out.
Of the other pictures we may refer especially to
(No. 86) the " Frost Piece," by J. Ostade ; (No.
18) " A Scene on the Ice," by Cuyp ; (No. 9) " A.
Girl with a Letter," by Greuze ; (No. 40) the im-
mortal " Virgin and Child, with St. Ann," by
Leonardo da Vinci ; (No. 52) " The head of a Man,"
by the divine Raffaelle ; (No. 62) an elegant
Venus and Cupid," by Paggi ; and, fothough last,
not least in our dear love," Turner's two extraordi-
nary pictures (No. 38), " The Wreck of a Transport
Ship," and (No. 43) " The Opening of the Vintage
of Mficon"—in viewing the latter of which we could
not help thinking of the ingratitude received by
Lamartine from the people of Macon, a place
only illustrious because it had the glory of giving
him birth.

POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.
To clothe knowledge in such a garb as to make it pa-
latable to all classes is a task of the utmost difficulty, and
since the establishment of the Polytechnic Institution it
has ever been the study of its managers to overcome this
step in the advancement of learning. There will be
found ample food for thinking minds in the models and
specimens deposited in the museum of the institution;
for the searchers after deeper information will be found
lectures replete with elementary and natural philosophy.
A lecture on botany, by Mr. Graham, is at present
delivered in a form quite comprehensive to the beginner
of that beautiful science. In experimental and natural
philosophy Doctor Bachhoffner is expatiating on the
method of ventilating mines by the steam-jet, a subject
just on the eve of forming a discussion in the House of
Commons, and also on the public subject, light, in which
the most brilliant luminaries, the electric, the lime, and
the buds lights are exhibited together, enabling the
spectator to form comparisons in his own mind of the
value of each, either as an object of commerce or cu-
riosity. For those who are desirous of spending an
hour of pleasantry blended with much sterling inform&
tion, Mr. James Russell, late of Drury-lane Theatre, is
giving a lecture on character, illustrated with his usual
delightful comic style of singing, which compeli those
who are his auditors to laugh almost against their will.
The lecture has been attended by large and highly re-
spectable audiences, who testified their approbation by
loud and continued applause.

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.—MR. BUNN'S BENEFIT
—This annual ceremony is fixed for Monday next, the
25th inst., when a series of entertainments are offered
to the public, in themselves of the most attractive kind
and re udered doubly so from the fact of their being sup-
ported by some of the first talent with which the metro-
polis is now so rich. We are to have genuine comedy
and farce, a sprinkling of ballet, and the choicest of
musical morteaux, in the execution of which native and
foreign talent struggle for pre-eminence. Useful as all
this delightful entertainment must be to the beneficiaire.
Mr. Bunn might fairly rest his claims to public pa-
tronage on the exertions he has made for so many years,
on this his famous scene of action, to gratify and amuse
the town. It is to him alone that we owe the present
advanced state of our musical drama, who has not only
given every encouragement to our composers, but esta-
blished the reputation of most of our first singers. There
can be no doubt of Mr. Bunn having, as usual, as full
an audience as Drury-lane can hold.
LEAMINGTON SPA, JUNE 16.—The late festival, to
inaugurate Hollins's statue of Dr. Jephson, passel off
in a manner worthy of the fame of that celebrated medi-
cal practitioner. As one amongst the most attractive
features of the summer season, it proved highly success-
ful, as regarded the influx of visitors, a considerable
portion of whom still remain at the Spa,
to partake of
the medicinal springs and participate in its unceasing
round of public amusements. The Tyler family con-
tinue their performances daily, and we are on the eve of
a visit from Mr. Macready, whose reception at our new
and elegant theatre, so speedily after his treatment at
the hands of a low and brutal section of the Trans-
Atlantic democracy, will no doubt be one of the most
enthusiastic kind. The "great event," however, of the
ensuing week will be the celebration of the Queen's ac-
cession, when the Jephson's Gardens will be the scene
of festivities upon a large scale—the leading attraction
to the denizens of the neighbourhood being Lieutenant
Gale's monstre balloon, "The Royal Cremorne." The
latest arrivals include the names of Lord Elphinstone,
Viscount Canterbury, the Bishop of Victoria, Lord
Riddlesdale' Admiral Sir George and Lady Cockburn,
Lord and Lady John Scott, Sir James Ritchlieu, Vene-
rable Archdeacon Croft, Mr. Algernon Percy, &c.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.—On Saturday night, shortly
after ten o'clock, a fire involving a considerable destruc-
tion of property, broke out in a long range of prem'ses,,
occupied conjointly by Mr. Jonathan Clark, biscuit-
baker, and Mr. Thomas Smith Gordon, a cabinet-maker
and ship-joiner, situate in Orange-court, Great Her-
mitage-street, St. George-in-the-East. The flames
commenced in the lower floor, in the tenure of the first-
named party, and although assistance was promptly at
hand, and every endeavour made to arrest the progress
of the fire, the flames continued to mount most fearfully
until Mr. Clark's property presented one immense sheet
of flame. So great was the light caused by the confla-
gration, that information of the disaster was almost
simultaneously forwarded to the whole of the fire stations
in town, and forthwith the engines of the London and
West of England establishments started to the scene, on
reaching which the firemen found not merely the pro-
perty above-named enveloped in flames, but the adjoining
premises, on either side, were also burning. Plenty of
water being at band, the whole force was brought to
bear upon the flames, by which means their further ex-
tension was cut off, but it was nearly twelve o'clock before
they could be extinguished, and not until the whole of
Mr. Clark's premises were totally destroyed, and the
damaged
contents of Mr. Gordon's workshops consumed, nothing
reefmthaein adjoining
walls.ingofeithperrebmuiisldesinng,ebruetnathiseeomutaetrerialiyd
Severalged
by the action of the fire.
DEPARTURE OF THE lIIBERNIA.—LIVERPOOL, SA-
TURDAY EVENINO.—The North American Royal Mail
steam-ship Hibernia, under the command of Captain
Laing, took her departure for New York, via Halifax,
this afternoon. She had a large number of passengers
on board, and the usual wet kiy mails for C,nada and
the United States, in charge of Lieutenant Raymond,
RN., Admiralty agent. The Caledonia may be ex-
pected its the course cf Monday.
STATE OF THE IRON TRADE.—BIRMINGLIAM,
SATURDAY.—The iron trade remains in much the same
state as reported last week. In many instances sales
are effected at much lower prices than those agreed upon
three wet lee ego. Nail roads, which last quarter day
brow lit 81. per toe, are now at 61. 10i. so 61. I:3i. ; bars,
b
1 in April 81. 10s., now 61. 155.; and pig at 31. 10s., now at
2/. 15e., or even 21. 10s. There has been a further re-
duction in the price of coal.