The Sun.
London, England, 1815-02-25 00:00:00

TU FINE ARTS.

Catalogue. Rais.on& (fate British Gallery.

(No. IV.)
No: 17. Swiss Peasants, IL H owA an, R. .A.—A produc-
tion of no distinguished merit, especially if eye re(Kr to the
raid; and chaeacter of the' painter. It is merely, a nut-disa-
greeable thing from the casil oif Mr. Howard. If we remem-
ber rightly, it, was in the R. A. Exhibition last year.
• 18. Tattoo Report, GEO. JOST:A-4/1 this, as in all Mr.
Jones's pictures, there is.a particular good effect, which we
shall advert to when we come to a number, which will better
illustrate the chief excellence of his pencil than any of those
we have hitherto noticed in our regular progress through the
Catalogue.

19. Sampson brraking his Bowls, the late I. F. RI GAUD,
It. A.—Everyßoval Academician presents one of his labours
to the Academy oil being elected a Member, and the great
picture, .of which this is the sketch, must be recollected' by
every adnurer,of the Arts, as that presented by Mr. Rigaud,
and hung among the dubious trophies of Somerset Pouse.
It is very highly finished for a thin; of .this generally slight
description ; for most artists satisfy themselves with mere out-
lines and dashes, on which, as oa short notes or memoranda,
they Nv oil; in the composition of their principal pictures.—
Mr; West pursues another course: his sl“.:tches are all ex-
cellently finished, and had lie never painted one of his great
pictures, would have established his chiini to the foremost
consideration. Mr. Rigaud, we may also discover from this
specimen, left little for imagination after he had embodied
his first. idea. This Sampson is a copy (a priori) in little of
main work in the Royal Academy.

ROYAL ACADEMY.---MY. SOANE, the Professor
of Architecture, delivered his second Lecture on
Thursday night. It was a discourse ofpracticaluti-
lity, chiefly intended for young Artists. The learned
anti ingenious Professor, however, illustrated his
observations by a reference to the works of VI-
TRIVUS, PALLADIO, PYRA NISI, and other celebrated
Architects, of former times, as well as to our ad-
mired countrymen INrGo Joilcs. The topics treat-
ed upon were roolus, windows, stair-cases, chim-
neys, and doors, the diniensions of which, and
their due propOrtion 'to the nature and magnitude of
the edifice, were shewn as Well as by .a develope-
ment of the principles adopted by the best Masters,
as by a reference to ground-plans, sections, and
elevations, drawings of which were submitted to
the audience. Applying immediately to stair-
cases, he paid a high compliment to Mr. B.
WYATT, on the construction of those in Drury-
lane Theatre, and concluded with a very eloquent
and interesting; culogium on the social qualities,
distinguished talents, and admirable works of the
late JAMES WYATT, Esq.
ANCIENT CONCERT.—This harmonic Institu-
tion, which, we believe is the oldest Esta-
blishment of the kind in the kingdom, commenced
for the season.on Wednesday night. The Duke
of CUMBFRI.AND was to have been the Director
for the night, bat his place was supplied by the
Duke of DEvoNsitittF.. Mr. F. CaAmErt, as usual,
led, and the Orchestra was occupied by the ablest
Performers of the Royal Band. BARTLEMAN,
VAUGHAN, AV. KNYVETT, Miss TRAVERS, and
Miss STEPHENS, were the chief vocal Performers.
The selections were from FIANoEL and PEitGor.Esr.
The new Ballet called The fiztliqu Nuptials,
which was roughly handled on its introduction
on Monday dt Drury-lane Theatre, was better
received last night.
The Edinburgh SheriWdisplayed humour as well
as wisdom in inflicting a fine upon the Principals
and Seconds concerned in au intended duel, and
ordering the penalty to be applied . to tl4t Lunatic
Hospital ; but some people think that he 'night
also have given directions for the parties to be
admitted as Patients.

THE RECENT DUEL IN DUBLIN.

. •
It .
cc contrast 'the good effects of the office of
Coroner in this cOpntry, with., the:. situation of,
Countries Where no such ofce exists, we shall he
fully con Vined of its advantage, and the safety
it secures o the,ebunnunity.' • •
In Italy, for instance,, where it rests with the
friends to bring:the murderer, duellist, or what
you are pleased to call him, to justice, hired
bravos, or men instigated by private revenge,
take away the lives of men with impunity, and with-
out fear of• punightnent.. lu many, ins-ionce3, the
known murderer will write threatening letters to
the relatives or friends of the sufferer, telling
them, if they have ,any intention to proceed 'le-
gally Against him, or revenge the murder, he will,
treat them like the deceased ! The consequence
is, the offender'escapes, or the surviving friends
take the same clandestine modes of revenge on the
offender. Thus crimes multiply, the security of
human life is in constant jeopardy by malice,
envy, jealousy, and the whole train of hateful
passions, rousing to deeds of revenge and murder.
The custom of deciding private difierences by
duel is becoming daily more common, and it is
high time the, Legislature should put a stop to this
barbarous custom of the middle ages, , which,
though it may determine who is the beSt fencer
or marksman, no one in his senses will consider as ,
decisive as to either part,y, in respect to right or
wrong, though our ancestors, in the dark times of
superstition, might indulge in' Such a belief.
It is hoped this occurrence xvill be inquired into,
with a view to the good of tke public fol., if this
example should stand as a precedent, it would
soon be folloWed by others, and produce dreadful
consequences,,
The SecondS are mostly considered as partici-
pants in the crime, where one or both the duel-
lists fall; it is,l therefore, a dangerous practice
to admit them, by their influence with the
friends of the deceased, to screen the party who
has killed his opponent, perhaps the Second ii:AL-
ing an eye to his oi.vti safety by so doing.
I beg leave to add, that none of the parties in
the recent duel are known to we, and what I have
stated is merely from a sense of what is due to
Feb. 18, 1815. JUSTICE,
P. S. It is remarkable, that in the very Paper
above referred to, and in the next column to that
the correspondence about the duel is given, there
is, under the head of Ireland, an account of an
Inquest, held byArthur B. Moss, Esq. Coroner for
the County of Dublin, probably the very Gentle-
man whose office it was to perform the same duty
to the unfortunate Mr. D'Esterre. It is said,
there were from 4 to 500 spectators at the duel;
there can, therefore, be no Want of witnesses,

COURT-NARTIAL.—.- A General Court-Martial
was held at Palermo on the 9th Sept. 1814, and
continued by adjournment to the 17th of the same
month, when Lieut. JAMES BRIDGER, bf the 20th
Light Dragoons, was arraigned on three charges,
of having used the most opprobrious langu ge
against Colimel HAWKER, his CommautWg Offi-
cer, accusing Itito of cowardice, Ittc. •was
round guilty of the first tilt) charges, actirtitted
on the third, and cashiered. The sentence has
been confirmed by the PraucE REGENT.
The detachment of Royal Artillery stationed at
Hitll left that place on Monday week, on the
route for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the head-quar-
ters of the district. The depot of the G 5 13 and
101st Regiments, lately stationed at, Hull, march-
ed-frarn thence on Thnisday for Portsmouth-.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Urn,-1 observe, by your Paper of the II th inst.
an advice from Dublin, dated the 7th Feb. whil.ch
states, that no Inquest has been held on the body
of the unfortunate Mr. D'ESTgRRE, who died in
consequence of a duel with Mr. O'CONNEL. It
appears by a letter froin Sir Edward Stanley, Mr.
D'Esterre's second, to Mr: O'Connel, there is.no
prosecution intended by the friends of the de-
, ceased. Mr. O'Connel's reply, which, as well as
Sir,E. Stanley's, von have published, declares this,
to be a very polite and considerate attention :On
1 the.Rart'of 'Sir E. Stanley.- '
There •appears a ' great . neglect, or conrily
',. ance, on the part of the Coroner in Ireland,
omitting .to take an inquest in a case so no-
toriotis, for which, in this Country, lie would he
inactedat
_the Assizes, and severely punished.—
In many instances, persons suspected to be poi-
soned or murdered hav&iixeen taken out of their
graVes and undergone the inquest. I 6;M-ember a
vessel stranded; in which the bodies of several
persons drowned: were found, and buried Without
an inquest. :The -individual ordering them to be
buried was. severely fined,.and the bodies being
taken out.of their graves, the'inquest was held,'
though no doubt existed aslo the cause. of their
death. „.
The office of Coroner has ever been 'considered
as one of the greatest. .saTegoards of the lives of his
Majesty's. subjects; for by this institutio'n the
untimely or suspicious :death•of• any individual •is.
judicially inquired. 'into, and the aecessaries to
such untimely death brought to condign punish-
ment. The relations or friends-of the person de-
ceased have, no ,right to dispense with this soletwa'
adjudication., which, when it•tiliesii)lace; the Co-
toner will - toke'care.ta• birel':the' parties over to.
prosecute, wh-t!..lter theylwould';ortiot,
In cases of, duels, Seconds,arefrequently as
much'ii..4plietited as ificpers'ou. who did kill his
antagonist; and' it 'ai;Pears,:'an unusal assaniptitrw:
of 'Sir'ridWard Stanley, who was Mr, D'Esferre's
Secoiid, to give Mr: O'Contiel the polite and con-
siderhte attention, to assure hirn•be would not be
prosecuted'. - ' 1 .., :: • - . , . -
~
It appears equally surprising, that Mr. 0 Con-
nel, who is , a barrister, shriuld take all this-for
granted apd right; Only adding' his 'deep. regret.
and orrow for the Fital,accident, in which he, 'a as
the real Actor ; in this he would have done !midi •
better, if lie bad considered consequences hjore
hand,. and prevented. the accident; which, Whets
he 'Went to tight, he Illus( have beeiraware as 'very
likely to ensue. ''' ''' - - . ' '