The Sun.
London, England, 1840-12-16 00:00:00

FINE ARTS.

- ,
THE WEATHER.—Yesterday evening the mer-
cury decended to 22 and this morning at slim: o'clock in
the open air it stood at 24. There was again this morn-
ing a elieht fall of snow ; the wind still blows from the
N. E. and the day is intensely cold. In some situations
the ice is upwards of two inches in thickness, but on the
Serpentine, where the Humane Societya men are busy
in preparing for work, it is very thin. There can be no
skating there fur some days to come.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN FINSBURY.—On
Tuesday morning the house of Mr. Thomas Helme,
carver and gilder, No. 28, Paul-street, was almost de-
stroyed by fire. It commenced about two o'clock, sad
meseengers being sent to the fire stations, the arrival of
engines quickly followed. Abundance of water was ob-
taieed, but it appeared to have very little effect 'aeon the
flamme as, in a short time, the whole of a very valuable
stock in the yard, together with several workshops, were
consumed. It was feared that the house of Mr. Williem
Rowland, No. 32, Mark-street, which adjoins Mr. Helene's,
would be also destroyed, but through the intrepidity of
the firemen and police it was saved, The first floor and
the back of the house of Mr. Whittaker, cabinet-maker,
suffered considerably ; and Mr. William Bedell's, No.
34, in the same street, was seriously dameged. The fo!-
lowing is the official account of the damage done. lir.
Kafure, Paul-street, dwelling-house saved, and stock of
shop and timber-yard totally consumed—insured in the
Pocenix for one third of his loss. Mark-street, Mr. Row-
land's, Ne. 32 ; furniture damaged by removal—not in-
sured. Mr. Whittaker, cabinet-maker, house damaged,
and hack premises and stock partly destroyed—not in-
sured. Mr. Bedell, No. 34, house damaged, arid furni-
tuie by removal—not insured. The origin of the fire is
at present unknown.
Amongst the officers who served on board the
Charlotte, Sir Robert Stopford'a flag ship, at the late
siege of Acre, was one of the sons of Sir Robert Peel.
The gallant youth, who ranks as " mid," is understood
during the whole period of his short service to have for-
warded to his distinguished father a faithful diary of all the
events which have fallen under his notice, sad his narra-
tive of the affair at Acre is said to be peculiarly graphic
and interesting.
A citizen of Konigsberg, lately deceased, has
left 25,000 thalers (125,000 f.) to be placed out at interest,
which is to accumulate for 250 years, and then to be em-
ployed in the founding of an homoeopathic establishment.
He has named a physician for the proposed foundation,
whose salary of 2,000 thalers is to begin at once.
;MURDER AT ASHTON-UNDERLINE.— On
Friday evening at six o'clock a diabolical murder was corn.
mitted at Ashton, on the premises of Mr. Whitfield, a
joiner and builder, within a few hundred yards of the
very heart of the town. The murdered man, Benjamin
Cooper, was at work with his brother James when a most
terrific shot took place against the side of the shed in
which they were. Benjamin Cooper, who was just in the
act of stepping upon a log of wood, exclaimed, " Oh,
James, I'm done for l" and reeled to the side of the saw-
pit. On examination of the spot, it was at once seen that
some piece of fire arms of extraordinary calibre and di-
mensions had been discharged through the crevices of the
shed, and had scattered a number of large slugs in all di-
rections. On probing the poor man's wounds it was found
that two or three slugs of large size had entered his loins,
and that one had penetrated as far as the pelvis. On re-
examining the shed it was discovered that another large
slug had passed through two boards, and lodged in the
roof of the adjoining shed. The wounded man moaned
piteously, and frequently exclaimed, " Oh I what will be-
come of my wife and family," at the same time appearing
quite convinced that he had not lung to live. This fact
the surgeons felt it their duty to communicate to him, and
hls statement was then taken in writing. Four persons
have been apprehended. The atrocious act is supposed
to have arisen out of revengeful feelings from the Coopers
being believed to have been working for Mi. Whitfield at
lower wages than arc sanctioned by " the Sawyers' Club."
The club box, since the murder, has been seized. On the
following morning the infernal roachiee, with which the
diabolical act was committed, was found about thirty yards
from the place where it was discharged. It is a piece of
iron piping, about twenty inches long, with one enii piuged
up with wood and melted lead. A touchimie had been
filed and drilled into it, so as to form an awkward piece of
artillery. It had been placed on a sloping bank close to
the shed, and Cooper having been seen through the joints
of the planks it was tired point-blank at him. The bore
of the pipe was two inches in diameter, and it had re-
coiled about thirty yards.
DIFFICULTY IN OBTAINING COMMON
COUNCILMEN.-Last evening a meeting of the inhabitants
of the ward of Portsokcn ens culled for the purpose of
selecting fit and proper persons to be put in nomination on
St.Thutuas's Day to represent this extensive and populous
ward in the Court of Common Council. This ward has
always returned five representatives to the Court of Com-
mon Ccutacil, but, by the late regulation of apportioning
the number of representatives to the extent of the ward
and the number of its inhabitants, there have been three
added to the number, so that instead of five the inhabitants
will have to elect eight Common Councilmen to represent
them. Of the five members who at present represent the
ward, two, namely, Mr. Negus and Mr. Hoard, have ex-
p. ossed their determination to resign, so that there will be
five vacancies at the ensuing election ; but such appears to
be the apathy on the part of the inhabitants on the subject
that not a single person has been yet named as likely to
offer himself for the appointment. On the contrary, many
respectable inhabitants who have been solicited to el:ow
the mselvcs to be put in nomination for the honour have
decline d, so that at present the office of Common Coun-
cilman, at least in this ward, appears at a discount. To
many of the inhabitants of this ward who recollect the
fierce contests that have invariably taken place, the large
sums of money expended in such contests, and the efforts
made to reject Mr. Michael Scales front the representation
of the ward, though in a few months afterwards he obtained
a considerable majority of the votes of the freemen for
Alderman, the circumstance appears an extraordinary ano-
maly. At the hour appointed for meeting there were
scarcely twenty persons in the room, and Mr. Deputy
Tears having taken the chair, a resolution was proposed,
seconded, and carried for adjourning the meeting to a fu-
ture day.
DISTRESSING SUICIDE.—A young lady, the
daughter of a rich proprietor at St. Morenvilliers, near Mont-
dither, in France, being crossed in love, and pressed to give
her consent to a marriage repugnant to her inclinations,
endeavoured to drown herself sonic time since in a deep
marsh on her father's property. From this she was extri-
cated by some of the servants of the family, and became
apparently reconciled to life. A few days after, however,
she leaped into a well, and fell so perpendicularly that she
did not sustain the slightest injury, her petticoats serving
as a sort of parachute. Shortly afterwards she was heard
to utter plaintive cries, and the domestics ran to save her a
second time. It was a draw-well, and the rope was un-
fortunately so bad that no one liked to trust to it. While
they went to procure another and a sounder rope, the un-
fortunately young lady's under-garments became saturated
with the water, and ceased to present any further obstacle
to hi r submersion. But the irresistib e instinctive tenacity
of lite bud by this time succeeded to the suicidal resolution,
and the poor girl cried out in her despair, " Save me,
save me I" It was unhappily too lute. When the fresh
rope was obtained, and the descent effected, she was a
corpse.
On Tuesday evening the General Steam Navi-
gation Company's vessel the John Bull arrived from Ham-
burgh with Friday's mail, and papers of the same date.
A FRIEND TO THE POOR.—On Tuesday, at
the Mar 'cholla Police Court, the Sitting Magistrate, Mr.
Raelins.oe, received from an unknown hand a sum of
money, with a note, of which the following is a copy
Th'c donor of the enclosed 10/. presents his compliments
to Mr. Rawlinson, and begs he will favour him by distri-
buting the amount amongst such poor and destitute per-
sons as may from time to time appear before him, and
whom lie may consider deserving of aid, and that he will
add to the obligation by noticing, the receipt in some one
of the public journals.—( Signed) "the ear ly
psrt of last winter an enclosure was forwarded to the same
Mapistrate for the above praiseworthy
doubt, the gift of the same kind-heartcd individual, &eject, and war, no
also on that occasion adopted the signature " P."

PORTRAIT OP THE QUEEN.
Hodgson "aid Graves, London, Is4o.
Of all the portraits of her Majesty with which
the public are familiar—and we need scarcely add
that they are numerous as " autumnal leaves that
strove the brooks of Vallambrosa"—decidedly the
most striking is the celebrated one by llayter,
which represents the Queen seated in the Imperial
Dalmatie robes on the throne of homage in West-
minster Abbey, and is at present in the col-
lection at Windsor Castle. This fine portrait
is now engraved by Ryall ; and as a spirited,
highly finished work of art it deserves all the praise
that can be bestowed on it. Nothing can surpass
the rich and lustrous effects that Mr. Ryall has
imparted to his draperies, which he has so adroitly
disposed, that, ample and weighty as they are, fold
within fold, they do not in the slightest degree in-
terrupt the view of her Majesty's figure, which is
seen in all its symmetrical proportions. The
countenance is so true to life that there cannot be
a possibility of mistaking it ; but there is an
air of royal, and perfectly unaffected, dig-
nity thrown into it, that we have missed in
many of the portraits of the Queen. The clear, full,
expressive eye, the slightly aquiline nose, the high
and open forehead, which bespeaks such frankness
and intelligence of character, the delicate and clearly
defined shadings of the neck, the elegantly
moulded arms, and figure just sufficiently plump
and rounded to convey the idea of perfect har-
mony of proportion ; to all this, the artist has done
every justice, and indeed has produced a like-
ness well worthy to appear in a Royal gallery of
paintings. That the picture will be highly popu-
lar we have not the slightest doubt, for it pourtrays
her Majesty while in the act of fulfilling one of the
most solemn duties of a Queen ; and the look of
reflection—indeed, we might almost say, of pen-
siveness—with which her countenance is gently
shaded, adds greatly to the interest with which
every loyal subject cannot fail to regard the portrait.

PORTRAIT OF THE DUKE, OF WELLING-
TON
BIS ROBES AS CHANCELLOR
OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD.
Hodgson and Graces, London, 1840.
This is, w e believe, the first authentic portrait
that has appeared of the Duke of Wellington as
Chancellor of the University of Oxford. It is en,.
graved by Pl4illips, from an original painting by
Briggs ; is a full-length, and represents his Grace
seated in his state chair on a slightly raised plat-
form, attired in his official robes, his left leg, which
is encircled by the Order of the Garter, resting on a
low foot-stool. Close beside him is a reading-
desk, covered with what seems to be black
fringed velvet, on which lie some sheets of a Uni-
versity prize poem, of course, on the subject of
Waterloo. The Duke's attitude is one remarkable
for its ease and simplicity. The left hand, in par-
ticular, which rests on the knee, and just touches
it with the slightest possible pressure—as
is evident from the drawing of the fingers
—has the rare merit of being wholly flee
from that stiffness and formality which we so often
see thrown into a position which is meant to be one
of perfeet repose. The drawing of the leg, too,
more especially of the foot, is managed with exceed-
ing skill ; and the engraver has given all the effect
that could be desired to the bright, glossy, and
transparent hues of the silk stocking. Its peculiar
glossiness, indeed, catches the eye at once, and
proves the close attention that has been paid to the
minutim of the picture. The likeness of the Duke
is about the best we have seen ; and his figure,
which appears somewhat full, is necessarily so, by
reason of the flowing and cumbrous robes in which
he is attired. We should not omit to notice the un-
commonly skilful manner in which every line
and feature of the stern, thoughtful coun-
tenance are brought out into vivid relief by
the deep, black mass of shadow immediately
behind. How true is the expression of the firm,
close-shut mouth and thin lips, round which a
smile would scarcely ever seem to have played
The artist has caught, not merely the features, but
the exact character, of the Duke's countenance,
rivalling, in this respect, even the late lamented
Lawrence. His Grace is certainly the sternest
and most inexorable-looking Doctor of Civil Lams
that ever wore the robes of a Chancellor of Oxford.
We have often had him painted as a Doctor of
Cannon Laws ; but this is the first really good
likeness we have seen of him, as Arthur Wellesley,
D.C.L. of the high Tory University of Oxford.
As such, it is of no ordinary value ; and years
hence, when nought remains of the illustrious
Chancellor, but the memory of his mighty deeds
arms, will be still more valuable than it now is.

FIRE AT CHELSEA.—(FUKTHER PARTICU
LABS.)—About nine o'clock the firemen succeeded in re-
moving the whole of the burning ruins, when amongst
them they discovered what at first sight appeared to be a
bundle of rags, but which, upon examination, turned out
to be the remains of the unfortunate man, the brother of
the landlord, who had been burnt to death. The only par-
Lion which had escaped the flames was the chest. it was
conveyed to the bonehiluse to await the Coroner's inquest.
Nothing has as yet been ascertained as to the origin of the
fire. Mr. Beale states that his wife and child were prov-
dentially on a visit at Islington. On Sunday night he closed
the house about twelve o'clock, and went to brd, having
first seen everything apparently safe, about one o'clock.
He was awoke about two o'clock by Mrs. Winter, who
slept in the adjoining room, knocking violently at the par.
tition, and crying out " Fire," when ho effected his
escape as has been described without saving a single ar-
ticle. James Hall, who was in bed with the unfortunate
deceased, in one of the top rooms, states, that he went to
bed about one o'clock, and had just dropped into his
first sleep, when he was awoke by the deceased calling
out. Being half asleep, be only caught the word
" fire," and seeing the room dark, said, " Non.
sense ;" but at that instant be smelt fire, when he
jumped out of bed and ran down stairs. The smoke was,
howevcia so dense that be was unable to proceed further
than the landing of the first floor, where he ran against
some person; whom he then believed to be the deceased,
but who afterwards groved to be Mr. Burchell, to whom
he called out to get to the front of the house, and he re-
turned upstairs and got out of the front window on to the
signboard, as has been described. He is not aware, from
i the state of alarm in which he was, whether the deceased
followed him from the room, or whether he even got out
of bed.
HAYMARKET THEATRE.—Mr. Archer, the
box book-keeper of the above theatre, took his benefit on
Monday, and mustered an audience only second in num-
bers to that which congregated on the first performance of
Sir E. Bulwer's comedy of Money, which was on this oc-
casion chosen as the chief attraction. It was succeeded
by the revived drama of The Children its the Wood, in
which Mr. Wallack sustained his old character of 11' alter
with a great deal of natural acting, and completely carried
with hirt the feelings and sympathies of the audi-
ence. Miss P. Horton played the part of Josephine with
propriety. 0. Smith revelled in his ancient villainy as
Oliver, and Oxberry took Baby Gabriel under his own
particular patronage, making him more Oxberry than Ga•
briol atter all. We must say a gond word in praise of the
precocious cleverness with which Master George Webster
and Miss France played the children in the wood. The
iittle buy could not have been more than six years old, but
he came on with the self-possession and courage of an old
stager, and went through his part with determination and
energy, retaining the natural innocance and simplicity of
childhood at the same time. Bob Short concluded the
performances. The house was crowded to the slips.
NEW CODE OF SIGNALS ON THE GREAT
WESTKRN RAILWAY. —The whole of the engine drivers,
stokers, guards, conc!uctors, and other persons employed on
the railway throughout the line, were assembled atthe
engine-house of the Paddington station last week, when a
new code of signals, prepared by Mr. Brunel, the engineer-
in-chiet to the Company, were fully explained to them by
that gentleman, arid several of the signals were put into
practical operation. A special train was sent from the
Paddington to the Faringdon-road station, to convey the
engineers, stokers, guards, &c., at that end of the line to
town. By the adoption of the ne A' code, distinct and it'll-
madaate intimation will be given to the engine drivers and
eters of the least obstruction along the line.