The Sun.
London, England, 1825-04-28 00:00:00

FOR. TIIE SUN.

ROMAN CATHOLICS.
Mu. EDITOR—By inserting the enclosed ex-
tract from The Kentish Gazette of Tuesday last (a
loyal and temperate journal), in your impartial,
constitutional, and valuable paper, as it empha-
tically condenses the Roman Catholic Question,
you will oblige many " Men of Kent," and among
others, your friend and admirer,
Rochester, April 26. A STAUNCH PROTESTANT.

" It is said that if the Bill were to pass, perhaps six Ro-
man Catholic Members might be returned to the House
of Commons, and what could they do ? Did it depend upon
popular election, we are persuaded that not even six would
be returned, but what is the fact. Every one knows, for
it is matter of public notoriety, that a number of Mem-
bers were returned to former Parliaments,
~without any
popular election whatever : and what is to prevent a num-
ber of Members from being returned in the same manner to
succeeding Parliaments. If then from one huhdred to one
hundred and fifty, or even more Roman Catholics, can be re-
turned to the House of Commons in a succeeding Parliament
(were the measure to pass), what becomes of all the securities
enacted by the Bill. Let a body of Roman Catholics become
legislators, and then must again commence that-contest in this
country between the Catholic and Protestant Churches, which on
former occasions produced such melancholy consequences, and
which unhappily is inseparable from placing politkal power in

the hands of Roman Catholics. The great mass of the Roman
Catholic Laity, from the peculiar nature of their religion, by
means of auricular confession, and through the terror of eX,eom-
munication, are instruments in the hands of their Priests. Here.
arises the danger to other communions, the Roman Catholic
hierarchy are always endeavouring to increase, and extend their
power ; let them have sufficient means to work with, and they
will not rest satisfied with any thing short of exclusive domina-
tion and ascendancy. This is decisively proved by the whole
history of the Roman Catholic Church, presenting as it does a
continued series of acts of tyranny, or -of contests for power, and
by the experience of our own times, chewing as it does, the con-
tinually encroaching spirit of that Church ; and its constant
anti persevering attempts to extend and confirm its dominion,
by extinguishing wherever it can, freedom of opinion- and of
discussion, and preventing mankind from becoming intelligent
and enlightened. Would it not then be the grossest absurdity,
the most suicidal impolicy, to place political powerin the
hands of those who have invariably so misused it ?" .

HISTORICAL PAINTING•

FOR THE SUN.
EDlTOli—The error of confounding the
domestic style of Painting and. Sculpture with the public style,
has been productive of a great injury to the Arts in this-coun-
try during the last twenty years. Many Noblemen and Gen-
tlemen, who were honourably anxious for the advancement of
the British School in the highest department of Painting,
have erroneously conceived that the patronage which pri-
vate individuals have so deservedly conferred upon the do-
mestic style was all that was necessary to. produce a Bri-
tish School of Historical Painting in competition with the
great Masters of Greece and Italy. To accomplish the great
object of competing with the ancients, is, arid was the declared
object of the British Institutions in their first circular letter
in 1805, and in their subsequent publications. The enlighten-,
ed Directors of that patriotic Association, well knew that the
Arts were not left to the "fortuitous circumstances" of pri-
vate caprice or -fashionable taste, in. Greece or Italy ; they
were convinced that it was by a great and constant public pC.:
tronage, that the ancient Artists were enabled to attain to their
unrivalled excellence. The Directors boldly declared their ho-
nourable confidence in the genius of oun
their ctryinen. "We
feel, however, no apprehension, but that the spirit of
the British Artist will be awakened. and 'invigorated
whenever a free and fair scope shall be given to his talents
whenever he shall be stimulated by the SAME PATnoN-Adm
as that which raised and rewarded the Italian and Grecian
Masters;--a Patronage WITHOUT winca, if we refer to his,
torical evidence, we shall fintl.that no high excellence in art has
ever been obtained in any age, or in any country.
The truth of the preceding extract is Undeniable. But after
the British Institution has existed full twenty years, it is is.fact,
that although the Directors have contributed to advance
the domestic style to an unrivalled degree 'of excellence,
they have not been able, notwithstanding all their me-
ritorious intentions and exertions, to make any impression
upon the great national obstacle, the exclusion of pic-
tures from public edifices, nor have they succeeded in creating
any public patronage whatever for the public style of historical
painting in this country. They have,not succeeded in creating
t9a4gieghrxcieinienactelyincto:
eint ry.
any of that " same patronager—" which raised. and rewarded
the Italian and Grecian Masters ;—a patronage without which"
the Members of the British Institution have honestly borne
howeverevidentlyiiest
ec.
xohenaeslvtlreeeicne thistdt
the
dne
;daonlz
becauseiitsetri ac ls
its
yhe sense, e
blemishiwtihioict
iht
;anda
nt h
their public testimony Oat no high excellence in art has ever
and the pritith artists have attaineddis-
played domesticsNtVylee
which raised and rewarded the Grecian and;
been obtainede rs n
Dutch
aty head t
without
patronageha
nes syht g
e
public patronage
of
InDuirsetctnoorts
Italian masters.
. It is a melancholy fact, that the Public t lic sy e of historical
painting is now more abandoned to public ne go, and more in.
danger of extinction than was ftor y years when WEsT
the founder of Rritish historical painting, displaying; his'
genius on the grand series of subjects from asfor
the intended Chapel Royal . the Revelations
atWindsor.
April 23, 1825.

EVELYN, Jux

:►NUSCRIPT OP ihrSUß:—Captain CLIFFORD,
.of his Majesty's ship. Eiiry-c4ies, has brought with him to Eng-
land the celebrated manuscript upon PapYrus, of a portion of
Homer's //sad,belonging,to W. J. BA'SKEs, Esq. '.1%.P. for
Cambridge University.- "This MS. was dis Covered in the island
Elephantina, in 1-pPqr. Egypt, by a French Gentleman trai. .I
velling.for. Mr. Banker. It is Written in what are termed Uncial
letters, of the most beautiful form, and may probablybeascrib-
ed to the age of the Ptolemies. An order was issued from the
Treasury to the Officers of the Caioms; that it should be sent
up forthwith, and opened in Mr. Bankers presence. - Aluch
eagerness is excited. in ,the Literary World for the unrolling of
this invaluable curiosity, it b,eing, by many centuries, the oldest
classical writing in existence.