The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-30 00:00:00

THE ROYAL AOADEMY—(This Day).

This morning, according to annual custom, the
Private view inaugurated—we were going to say for
the select few, but, remembering the crush from
which we have just escaped we ought to say
rather for the select many —the Ninetieth
Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts. The
collection of paintings for 1858 is very far beyond
an average collection. It is in many respects re-
markable, in some extraordinary. As usual, the
catalogue itself is a study—almost as a piece
of literature. Its motto is sufficienlly sug-
gestive and appropriate. It is from Schiller.
Conspicuous among the defaulters this season
is J. E. Millais, whose absence from among the
contributors is doubly regretable ; his name, how-
ever, shining, because of that unwonted omission,
like the fame of Brutus, when his bust appeared
not, for once, in the Roman Procession. Besides
Millais, however, others will be missed by
the more discerning and observant, as no
lorger taking part in the annual display
consequent upon this grand artistic emulation—
the names, for example, both of W. Dyee,
and Sir C. Eastlake, r.R.A., still coming within
this category. Sauntering round the principal
apartments, of the gallery this forenoon, we have
, found, however, shining down upon us from the
walls abundant consolation. For with us, at least,
our conscience in art criticism is not guided by the
Horation Precept.
" Nil admirari props res est una, Numici,
Solaque, qua possit facers et servare baatum."

Rather than servilely obey this injunction to depre-
ciate, we would prefer, particularly in this national
month of Pleasure May, the month dedi-
cated at once to the Derby and the Aca-
demy —we would candidly prefer to carp
as little as pos=ible, to weigh merit not by the
weights and measures of avoirdupois, to turn a
glance hither and thither indiscriminately ever
ready to to he anywhere and everywhere gratified.
To "follow suit" indeed with the jovial Republic
in a kindred mood :
Nunn atheletarum studiis, nunc arid equoruni,
Marmoris ant eboris fabros aut cents amavit ;
Suspendit pitta vultuin nsententque kabala."
Dazzled, however, with a first day's rapid survey
of 602 Pictures, exclusive of those in the Octagon
Room, ctc , to say nothing of a glance at 280
Drawings and Miniatures, and at 170 specimens
of Sculpture, it is almost impossible to attempt any-
thing in the way of detailed criticism. Enough if we
now simply enumerate a few of the chief noticeable
peculiarlities of the collection. The Portraits are,
if anything, more numerous than hitherto. F.
Grant, R.A., still bearing off the palm as usual
from all English, as Sir J. Watson Gordon, 8.A.,
&c., assuredly does from all Scotch competitors,
the former more particularly in No. 73, Lady Col-
broeke, and the latter in No. 73, Dr. Monro.
Clarkson Stanfield, R.A., sustains his reputation
peculiarly through the medium of No. 359, The
Castle of Ischia. Alfred Elmore, R. A., through No.
8. An Incident in the Life of Dante. Augustus
Egg, It. A., wins especial notice by No. 19. Scene from
the " Esmond" of Thackeray ; andyet morethrough
another picture to be afterwards particularised.
W. P. Frith's No. 218. The Derby DAY) is
a subject of universal notice, and of unstinted
admiration. As likewise is Sir E. Landseer's (No.
180), " The Maid and the Magpie." Edward
Ward, R. A , contributes two grand historical pic-
tures, which are, for the generality, in all this exhi-
biti )n, are the prominent themes of eulogium. They
are(No. 38), "The Emperor of the French receiving
the Order of the Garter from her Majesty the Queen,"
and No. 254, Visit of Queen Victoria to the Court
of Napoleon I. Richard Redgrave, R.A., delights
us, as usual, with his refreshing verdure, as in No.
232, The Growth of Love. W. E. Frost, A.R. A.,
with his nude classic figures, as in No. 121,
Zephyr and Aurora. P. F. Poole, A.R.A.,
with his favourite gleams of green and yel-
low, as in No. 310, "The Last Scene in
King Lear." Distinguishing peculiarities these
to which we have become as much accustomed as
we have long been to the feathery foliage of W. F.
Witherington, R.A., in No. 392. On the Grita
towards Rokeby, or as we were formerly, to the
Cuyp-like cattle in the Beaumont-and-Fletcher
pastoral landscapes of Lee and Cooper, here no longer
discernable—or to the luscious fruit squandered
from those.inexhaustible cornucepea.s, the pigment-
bags of G. Lance, a delicious specimen of whose
cunning of hand in the worship of Pomona will be
found in No. 379, "Fruit." As ever the throng
this morning and afternoon to the private view of
the Academy, included in it almost all the celebrities
and notabilities in London in the height of the sea-
son, dignitaries of the church and of the senate, men
famous in politics, science, art, and literature.
Among those present we noticed his Grace the
Archbishop of Canterbury, the Duke and Duchess
of Argyll, the Duchess of Sutherland, the Marquis
of Lansdowne, &c., ke.
To-morrow evening there will be as usual the great
bariquA or symposium given w:thiu the gorgeous
walls of the Gallery by the Royal Acadamicians to
the members of the imperial Government.

THE ROYAL ACADEMY. - Yesterday morning, ler
Majesty, accompanied by the Prince C.)nsort, and the
Pr;nceases Alice and Helena, and Prince Leopold, paid a
visit to the exhibition cf the ItJyal Academy, T 1 afalk,ar-

F qua e. -
ROYAL ACADEMY OP Music.—lLT rneA gracious Ma-
jesty, who laries the grea interest in this valual
institution, has most kindly intimated to the atrl ‘ cfe
'Westmoreland evening
her cammand that a grand con-
cert be given in S. James',,-hall on Wetineeday, the
23d of June, at which the Queen and Prince Albert will
be present. A committee will be formed to issue vouchers
for the centre of the hall, which will be occupied by the
Royal visitors. The organiFationof the programme, to
render it worthy of such an occasion, will be carefu ly
attended to. Nut only will the past. and Present Etnd(nt,,
the former comprising the most ELDIDerlt professorr, vocaland instrumental, rtsi.it, but the co— Aeration of. the lead-
ing artistes, native and foreign, will be called into play.
Mr. Costa will be the conductor.