The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-04 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUlf.

SlR,—Thanks for your promise to watch over the con•
templated removal of the National Gallery from Trafal-
gar-square !
The removal of the pictures from the centre of London
would prove a great inconvenience to the provincial
public, and a loss to the nation. The working classes,
and commercial men, like Mr. Cubitt, are limited in
their opportunities and in their time ; and, if the pictures
were removed to the Kensington-gore cabbage gardens,
they would be too far away to be visited by many who
have only an occasional chance of a day in town. For
instance, on Monday next an excursion train leaves
Yorkshire for London, and returns on Wednesday,
leaving only one day to myself and several others who
a. e preparing to visit town for the sole purpose of seeing
t, e National Gallery, with its pictures, and the Crystal
Palace, with its splendid collection of busts and statuary.
But if the National Gallery were removed to a distance
it would be impossible, in the time, to visit the two col-
lections. For a working man to take a cab is oat of the
question ; the faro would absorb the price of his Sun-
day's dinner. Again, there are so very few public insti-
tutions that the people really feel to be national, that
we deem it bad policy to remove the pictures to where
the attendance will be limited, for the sole convenience
of Belgravia. Be wise in time !
As to the evils connected with the building, they
would exist in any similar edifice if put at the back-
door of flunkeyism.

The present structure in its effect is an abortion,
and seems squatting to make water for the fountains !
The pepper-boxes should be kept in an old curiosity shop,
and the feathered virgins sent to a nunnery ! But, as
the site is the best, it not " the finest in Europe," pray
let us have a National Gallery erected on that spot, and
no other —a gallery worthy of its refining objects, and
such as shall become a source of pride to the nation—
not an elaborated structure which would require an
opera-glass to examine the details and count the parti-
culars, but a Palace for the People, which from its
elevation and proportions shall satisfy the requirements
of good taste, and at once impress the mind and the
imagination with a feeling of its magnitude, its grandeur,
simplicity, and beauty.
More space is required than could easily be obtained
in the rear of the present site. If desirable to add sta-
tuary and portraits to the present collection, it would
not be advisable to bring " fossil bones" among works
of art, as intimated by the letter of the Earl of Elles-
mere. The historic portraits, however, can scarcely be
seen to advantage, placed as they are above the cases
in the museum ; and in the shadow of the ceiling they
seem like old and useless panels. These painted bio-
graphies would be a useful and interesting addition
to the National Gallery of Portraits.-
If there is not space to realise the long galleries of
the Louvre, there is ample ground near Trafalgar-
square for a National Gallery large enough to embrace
the new and old masters in painting, sculpture, and por-
traits.
The evils arising from- the dust and want of ventila-
tion and space can be remedied in Trafalgar-square as
well as at Kensington

1. Cover the floor with cocoa nut matting, and the
chief source of annoyance will pass through to the
boards, instead of remaining for the visitors to grind
and kick up in dust as at present.

2. Veoti'a'e thoroughly, and by a known process
which drives out the rarefied air without inconvenience
to the visitors or pictures.

But to remove the National Gallery from its present
site would cause, in an educational point of view, a
national loss. The Royal Society can promote science
as well at Kensington as elsewhere. But the National
Gallery, to fulfil its mission, should be constantly in
the midst of the people. Science instructs the under-
standing, and must be cultivated by the educated stu-
dent ; whilst Art exercises the tastes, appeals to ide-
ality, and refines the moral feelings. The first can only
be cultivated by the few ; the lost awakens the springs
of sympathy in all, rich or poor, educated or otherwise
Hence the imperative necessity of retaining the National
Gallery in the central and accessible position it no'
occupies, that tae people may
have easy admission and
a temptation to visit the Temple consecrated to the
Beautiful. E. T.
Rotherham Mechanics' laatitute.
.