The Sun.
London, England, 1860-02-02 00:00:00

THURSDAY EVENING, •FE4RUARY 2, 1860.

of the London season—the white silk dress, the
white satin riband, the Brussels lace, the cambric
handkerchief, the pearl bracelet, the kid glove
—seem to have had particular attraction for his
eye, and present a world of minute variety,
fused into one breadth of light: Nor did he need
any particular stuff or costume to develope his
art ; he took what presented itself, equally the
fresh, stiff, fashionable dress, or the soft, tumbled
Indian shawl, and made them both true and beau-
tiful. Thus, while many of his pictures are painted
on a cool and pearly scale, almost an equal number
might be quoted of great depth and richness. Above
all, Sir William possessed the art, and this appears
even in his early historical efforts, of bringing ela-
borate subjects and minute details into one whole.
There is no sign of puzzle or confusion in his ar-
rangement. His lines flow together, where most
picturesquely, most naturally. His backgrounds,
whether the interior of a gorgeous room, the fireside
chair, the more conventional curtain and column,
or an open garden, are all in keeping with his sub-
ject, while they are also finished with a care and
minuteness that triumphantly prove the strength of
his more principal parts. We have implied at the
beginning of this short notice that the merits of Sir
W. Ross as a painter have not been so universally
acknowledged in his own time as they deserve to
be. It is the lot of a portrait painter during his life
to owe much of his fame to the very strength of his
likenesses—an excellence which Sir William pre-
eminently possessed. Posterity, therefore, can alone
fairly judge how far the portrait painter has ren-
dered not only that individual but that general like-
ness to human nature which makes all generations
kin. But in this respect the artist world has, or
should have, the power to antedate the verdict of
posterity, and accordingly we find Sir W. Ross's
warmest admirers among his fellow-painters. They
know the hard things in art he overcame. They
know that precisely what is most difficult to do he
best succeeded in doing. To the elder painters,
therefore, his works are a source of enjoyment ; to
the younger, a school of instruction •, to be prized
the more now that the kind voice is hushed which
was always ready to give help and encouragement
to a junior.

of railway conveyance instead of either by the
river or by the streets between London-bridge and
Charing-cross, two of the most busy thoroughfares
in the metropolis. Such being our views of the
importance of the undertaking, we think we best
consult your interests by losing no time in carry-
ing it oat to a successful completion, in order that
the capital invested in it may become remunerative
as speedily as possible. In conclusion, I beg to
move the adoption of the report.
Mr. MILLER having seconded the motion,
In reply to a question, it was stated that £1,500
beyond the amount set forth in the accounts would
cover all the expenses incurred in passing the bill,
upon which Mr. BEATTIE expressed his conviction
that the directors were entitled to the thanks of the
shareholders for their marvellous economy in pass-
ing the Act.

'The report was then adopted, the directors named
in the Act of Parliament re-elected, and Mr. T.
Parker and Mr. G. Smith elected auditors.

A vote of thanks to the directors, with the grant
of £l,OOO for their past services, was then carried,
and acknowledged, it being also voted that their
future remuneration should be at the rate of £9OO
a-year.

The meeting was then made special, and the
agreement with the South-Eastern Company for
the working of the lino read.

Tile CHAIRMAN then said—The meeting is made
special for the purpose of submitting for your con-
sideration and approval the agreement which has
been entered into with the South-Eastern Com-
pany for the working of the line when constructed
and opened for traffic. You arc aware that that
company has agreed to subscribe £300,000 to-
wards the undertaking. The working agreement
has been very carefully framed, and we believe it
will be found mutually advantageous by both com-
panies. While the South-Eastern Company will
secure by it the use of one of the best termini sta-
tions in the metropolis, together with access for
their traffic to three additiomal metropolitan stations
south of the Thames, this company secures the ad-
vantage of having the line effectively worked by a
company pcssessed of abundant working stock, by
which means the extraordinary traffic resources
of the railway will at once be made available. The
company, however, will retain in its own hands the
letting of the railway arches, from which a revenue
of above £5,000 per annum is expected to be derived,
as well as other sources of revenue not connected
with the working of the line and terminus for rail-
way purposes. The chairman concluded by moving
a special resolution approving of the agreement.
Mr. GORDON THOMPSON having seconded the
motion, a short conversation ensued, in which it
was stated the gist of the agreement was this—
that the South-Eastern Company was to pay 2d. a
head on each passenger carried over the railway,
and maintain the line.
A vote of thanks to the chairman and directors
closed the proceedings.