The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-06 00:00:00

RAILWAY REGISTER.

In the opening article of the present number, on the
contest of the gauges, the writer, who confesses that his
sympathies are with the broad gauge, after going through
the whole of the evidence adduced before the Commis-
sioners, comes to the conclusion that the inconveniences
of a break of gauge have been greatly exaggerated—
that they are more than counterbalanced by the benefits
arising from the existence of the broad gauge—that the
report of the Commissioners " is a very creditable docu-
ment for honest men, who were appointed to report upon
a subject, the correct mode of investigating which they
did not understand, and who possessed among them
every qualification except that of being men of business,"
and that the Board of Trade did right in setting the
report aside. The article thus concludes:—
"For our own parts, we see no occasion for any decision at
all; we think it would have been better for both parties to
have been left alone to fight it out; but if any decision was
to be come to, that of the Board of Trade seems to be more
consistent with equity than any other."
After an article on Indian Railways, wo have a
minute account of the working of the Leviathan loco-
motive Great Western on the journey to Bristol on the
memorable 13th June, 1846. In an article on the deci-
sion in Walstob and Spottiswoode, the writer pleads
the cause of the provisional, committee as against the
allottees, and considers that the former have in many
instances been rather hardly dealt by. The "Railway
Portfolio," which is now incorporated in the Register,
is intended to furnish a complete record of the prospec-
tuses and other documents of railway and other joint-
stock companies, and preiserre them in an acoeasible

THE PATRICIAN. •
In addition to a variety of papers on historical,
genealogical, and antiquarian subjects, we have, in the
present number, a well-written notice of the doings at
the Italian Opera, and an excellent critique on De
Vigney's novel of " Cinq Mars," and on Victor Hugo's
" Notre Dame."

FINE ARTS.
THE INDEPENDENTS ASSERTING LIBERTY

OF CONSCIENCE.
This splendid picture of the first assertion of Liberty
of Conscience by the Independents, is the work of J.
R. Herbert, Esq. The scene is laid in the Jerusalem
Chamber, where the Westminster assembly of Divir es
were accustomed to hold their sittings, and may be said
to be one deQcriptive of a most interesting period of our
history, though unfortunately but little known. It is
almost impossible to criticise the merits of the piece,
without taking it in an historical point of view ; but
even looking on it as a mere work of art, though there
are some blemishes we would wish away, yet we must
at once accord to it no ordinary degree of merit. In
many of the portraits the artist has shown 'a master
hand—that of Cromwell is drawn with great power,
freedom, and expression, and the beholder at
once recognises in his lineaments the subtle
statesman and the daring leader. The portrait
of Bulstrode Whitelock, one of the lay assessors,
is also exquisitely handled. The colouring is rich yet
truthful, and we do not observe that " garishness"
which is the fault of many modern artists, when treating
an ambitious subject. The discontent of the zealots at
Philip Nye's address is well expressed. While the
calm manner of the speaker, and the dignified, yet re-
solute composure of his adherents, is powerfully de-
veloped. On the whole this piece must secure to the
artist a rank in his profession, to which it is but the
fortune of few to attain. We understand that Mr.
Agnew, of Manchester, has purchased it for the sum of
five hundred guineas, and that he has given an order to
the artist to execute him a picture of Mr. Cobden and
the Anti Corn-law League in council, for which he is to
receive one thousand guineas. The picture is to con-
tain upwards of fifty portraits. The present exhibition
is at No. 23, Cockspur-street.