The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-14 00:00:00

APRIL 14, 1851.

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTION
OF FINE ARTS.

for';lll,tely fer the ertiste of this ceuntry,
there ss no I.sck of opportunities for the public dis-
play of their paintings. Outside the galleries of the
Royal Academy they can find accommodation for
their works in one or other of the numerous subordi-
nate exhibitions. For instance, there are the walls of
the British Institution, there are those of the Society
in Suffolk-street, there are the apartments of the old
and new Water Colour Establishments, there are the
rooms of Mr. Grundy, and further on, is Regent-
street, there are%, the saloons of the Portland
Gallery, nearly opposite the Polytechnic. On
Saturday we had the gratification of attending
at the last mentioned exhibition of pictures, on the
occasion of the private view, prior to the opening of
the collection to public view this morning. Having
luckily visited the Portland Gallery before it had
become inconveniently crowded with visitors we had
the satisfaction of surveying the works of art on the
walls under somewhat advantageous circumstances.
When it is remembered that the majority of the
paintings are the productions of young and conse-
quently inexperienced artists, but artists manifestly,
in the very selection of their themes, ambitious, and
for that reason, therefore, entitled to attention, it
must be obvious that with an abundance of
blemishes to pardon, the critic has much to
admire, to marvel at, and to commend. It is, per-
hap', this fact, more than any other, which, to our
thinking, invests the collection in the Portland Gal-
lery with a more than usual interest. Among the
mass of unknown aspirants, however, may be recog-
nised the names of men already well known by the
power and versatility of their productions. Conspi-
cuous among these, moreover, will,* noticed the name
of the president of the institution, Mr. R. S. Lauder,
several of whose pictures this year are of admirable
ability. His "Christ Walking on the Sea," No.
61, perhaps the most remarkable painting in
the collection, is a noble evidence of his
capabilities, conceived in a lofty spirit, and produced
with a bold and daring mastery of the materials cf art.
The figura of the Saviour, serene and majestic, stands
in the lull between two enormous waves green as
emerald, and transparent in their liquid modulation.
The one form appears alone amidst the awful solitudes
of the sea ; and the sun having already sunk below the
horizon has left a solemn glare of red in its wake—
the ruddy streak of light contrasting finely
with the darkness coming over the rest of the
waters. Another painting from the same
hand represents "John the Baptist in the
Wilderness," No. 281, a work of great excellence,
especially in reference to the grouping. The figure
in the foreground, among the listeners, bears, inten-
tionally perhaps, but we cannot but think unfortu-
nately, too manifest a resemblance to the form and
features of the Divine Redeemer. " Macbeth," No.
:519, by E. J. Niemann, is in admirable keeping with
its theme, wild and weird as the very sound of the
marvellous poesy itself. The Thane of Cawdor and
his companion, startled in one of the gloomier por-
tions of the " blasted heath" by the ghastly appa-
rition of the witches, are portrayed with
an obvious appreciation of the text of Shak-
apere—the altitude of the ridge on which the
weird sisters are grouped, being well indicated by
the crow winging its way to the " dusky woods,"
whilst the mists congregate over the moor, and the
" light thickens " into twilight. The " Destruction
of Pompeii and Herculaneum," No. 32, by L. W.
Desanges, is a not unsuccessful venture upon a path
already trodden grandly by John Martin. A
charming portrait of " Rudolph, youngest son
of Sir Alexander and Lady Spearman," No.
113, is contributed by the same master to the
collection. R. R. Mc lan has two spirited
and admirable paintings in the gallery; one No.
68, " The Highland Sword Dance, or Ghillie
Callum," an animated representation of that most
animated of dances, wanting only the bagpipes as an
accompaniment, and suggesting rather a painful
idea of fatigue in the old fellow who is whistling the
melody ; and another, No. 219, depicting some
" Highland Children going to School—Lochabar"—
most of them blowing their nails to warm them in
the bitterness ofs ;the season, while the gilli
nen adhere blows his horn in advance of his compa-
nions. R. Burchett arrests our attention at the very
entrance of the gallery with his clever delineation of
the " Death of the Venerable Bede," No. 2, one of
the sublimest deaths ever recorded by biographer.
The subject is taken from the beautiful account fur-
nished us by Cuthbert, the favourite disciple of the
good and wise old monk of Yarrow. It runs as fol-
lows :—" The young disciple I spoke of before,
whose name was Wilberth, said to him, Dear master,
there is still one sentence that is not written: He
answered, Write quickly.' The young man said,
It is now done. • Thou bast said well, said he,
all is consummated, hold now my head, that I may
have the pleasure to sit looking towards my little
oratory, where I used to pray, and whilst I am sitting
may call upon my Heavenly Father,' and thus sitting
on the floor of his little habitation, he sang Glory be
to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost ; and when he had named the Holy Ghost he
breathed out his soul." The whole scene is monastic
in its character, and is portrayed with an elevated pathos.
Among the sea-pieces we may especially notice, No.
46, "A Dutch Market Boat leaving Shore," by A.
Montague, delightfully fresh and breezy throughout ;
and No. 124, a dashing picture of " An Affray," by
H. P. Parker. "An Incident in the Life of St.
Elizabeth of Hungary," No. 177, by J. Collinson, is
a noble speeimen of its school, the countenance of St.
Elizabeth in particular being depicted with a wonder-
ful expression of devotional rapture. Among the
more meritorious works of Mr. R. S. Lauder should
have been noticed before this, No. 256, his clever
delineation of " The Lady of Shallott," from the
lovely verse of the Laureate Tennyson. The shadows
and reflections in the mirror are wonderfully managed.
What can possibly be said of W. H. Deverell's
" Banishment of Hamlet," No. 53—what ? But that
it is a detestable sample of a most execrable style—
out-Franciaing-Prancia—hard, angular, grotesque,
more hard, more angular, and more grotesque than
any limning on a stained glass window of the mid-
dle ages ! The collection, after all we have said, is
richest in landscapes than in any other kind of pro-
ductions, and its finest landscapes we have not yet
particularised. S. R. Percy contributes one of the
finest of these, being No. 39, " Llyn Idwall, North
Wales"—the lights and shadows on the distant
mountains in the background being entitled
to especial admiration for their truthfulness.
Another and a yet nobler picture, by the
same artist, is No. 250, ! " Summer—Storm
clearing oir —a painting such as Thomson would
have prized and appreciated. The broken tree to-
wards the centre of the picture—the draggled and
saturated look of the vegetation, and the wild and
scattered look of the clouds passing off we might al-
most fancy with a muttering of thunder in the dis-
tance—all are admirable, and prove the painter to be
no unobservant student of nature. J. C. Bentley has
one or two clever pictures in the exhibition, such as
No. 71, " The old Mill Ferry ;" and No. 160, a
" Scene on the Weaning in Yorkshire." As usual,
G. A. Williams is !among the most successful con-
tributors ; No. 162, " A Morning on the
Thames," and No. 189, " Stacking the Autumn
Hay Crop—Evening," being exquisite specimens of
his ability. The last is a rich sunny piece of English
rural life. Two little circular pictures from the same
hand win our admiration at a glance—No. 239,
" Midday," somewhat too dark, by the way, for the
hour indicated, and No. 217, "Evening," with a
warm sunset glow on the tree-tops. J. Collinson has a
clever rustic scene, entitled "The Reply," No. 93, and
a " Fruit-piece," o. 120, by W. Duffield, arrests the
attention as a picture highly meritorious. A view of
the " Boulogne Coast," No. 222, by E. J. Cobbett,
appears to us one of the curiosities of the gallery,
odd in treatment, and yet singularly natural in
its effect. "The Halt, Smugglers," No. 276, by
11. P. Parker must not be overlooked, animated as it
is and true as reality, even to the very biscuits in
the blue cotton handkerchief. A Cottage interior,
No. 312, by A. Provis ; a Landscape with_a watery
atmosphere lit up with sunshine,,and having alevonder-
fully beautiful appearance, No. 223, by A. Gilbert;
a charming group of three children suffused with the
pink glare of sunrise, and poetically entitled the
"Morning of Life," No. 335, byIL.W. Desanges—also
demand from us some eulogistic mention however in-
cidental. In the Water Colour Room we observe a
capital sketch of " A Young Shaver," in themn
of W. Hunt, No. 343, by W. Hemsley. Altogetheraner
isthe i gall,ti so me rey r
eassp
emetasyobf e conjecturedmore th sthan
a v frome ra
average
eo
xucr e nl
loetni
ec
ee
several of the pictures in the gallery being
gyngpaonfeamreic.
merit
really entitled to praise borde,ring even on

LYCEUM THEATRE, MR• RIDEN'S BENEFIT:.
assistant box.-bookkeeper
The benefit of Mr. W. B. Risden,
and box-keeper to the dress circle, which was fixed
.for the
7th instant, but which was unavoidably postponed in con-
sequence of the closing of the theatre, will take place one
day in the second week of Easter, «hen two new pieces will
be performed. All tickets issued for the 7th will, we under-
stand, be available at the forthcoming biniefit.
Risden, who is suffering we believe, from severe indisposi-
tion, was not aware of the closing of the house until the
evening of the 7th.
We understand that a movement is now going on
amongst the influential shareholders of the York, Newcastle,
and Berwick Railway, to invite George Hudson, Esq., M.P.,
to resume the chair of their
important company.
OPENING OF THE OUTH WALES RAILWAY rnom
CnitysTow.—The 18th of. June next has been fixed as the
day for opening the portion cf the South Wales line from
Chepstow to Gloucester, in order to complete the rail com-
munication between • that city and Swansea. The bridge
open-
over the Wye. at Chepstow. in a forward state; a single
line of rails will be laid down by the proposed date of
ing. Great exertions are being made to complete the heavy
tunnel at Cwmbvfrla, to the west of Swansea, andiin order
to accomplish this a large number of excavators have been
employed. The works in Pembrokeshire are being pushed
forward with all possible speed. Strenuous exertions are
being made to complete the Vale of Neath line, so as to be
opened simultaneouly with the South Wales Railway.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

La Aiwa di Portici was repeated on SRturday, and
was received, from beginning to ens, with enthusiastic
applause. The magnificent acting of Mademoieelks.
Monti more than confirmed the very high opinion which
Eye expre.lsed of her powers on Friday. She is the
gre.stest mine the world ever saw. Signor Pardini was
suffering so severely from influenza that he was com-
pelled, at the end of the second ant, to resign the part of
Massaniello to M. Poultier, whose manner of rendering
the character gave general satisfaction. Madame Fioren-
tini sang the music of Elvira exquisitely, and Massol was
as great as ever in Pietro. The choruses were given with
admirable precision, and the superbness of the niise en
scene elicited repeated plaudits. Her Majesty and Prince
Albert honoured the theatre with their presence.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.
COVENT•GARDEN.

Roberto it Dia;Olovlis to have been performed, here
on Saturday, with Tamberlik as the hero, and it was
understood that her Majesty would honour the theatre
with her presence. On the doors being opened the fol-
lowing hand-bill was found posted over the money-
takers' box:—

" It is with extreme regret that the directors arc com-
pelled to announce that the illness of Signor Tamberlik
was this afternoon so greatly increased as entirely to de-
prive him of his voice, and it will therefore be impos-
sible to perform the opera of Roberto it Diavolo this
evening. The opera of Semiramide will be substi-
tuted, in which Madame Grisi and Mademoiselle Ar.gri
will perform; the part of Assur will be sung by Signor
Salvatori, who, although still suffering most severely
from hoarseness and sore throat, has most kindly con-
sented to appear. Under these circumstances, the direc-
tors most respectfully request the kind indulgence of the
audience.
" Boys! Italian Opera, April -12, 1851."
" 3IEDICAL CERTIFICATE.
" I hereby ceraty that it is ouite impossible for
Signer Tamberlik to perform this evening, in conse-
quence of complete logs of voice from a sudden attack of
influenza. " A. BILLING M.D.
" ' April 12, 1831.'" ,_
_ _

It was also understood that her Digjesty would not be
present in consequence of the postponement of Roberto.
No sooner had the overture to Semiramide commenced
than a row began which completely drowned the music,
the calls for," Gye" were uproarious and continuous, and
io was not until Grisi appeared that calm was re-estab-
lished. She soon sang the rioters into good humour,
and the opera proceeded in the usual manner. Both
Grisi and Angri were in excell,mt voice.