The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-10 00:00:00

1658.

ROYAL AADEM:

(THIRD NOTICE.)
Another survey , f the treble exhibition of pa-int
iugs now on view in Trafalgar-sqesed -impresses us
with the sati--factory conwetion that if sortie among
the Royal Acadamiciaos have be-n either ibdolent
or otherwise occupied, sowe &So have been at once
industrious and successful. To Mr. Frith and to
Mr. Egg belong the chief trincophs'of art noticeabls
in the collection. To Clarkson S•anfield, _ and
David Roberts belong the credit of simply sustain-
ing their already eminent reputatious. Each con-
tributes to the gallery four works of considerable,
. if not conspicuous excellence. In each instance
the four works are strikingly characteristic. Me.
Roberts delights, as usual in his gorgeous architec-
tural interiors : No. 14 representieg the high altar
lof the Venetian• Church of "San Giovanni -e
Paolo;" No. 159 "The Basilica of San Larenzo ;"
No. 366 that of "San Giorgio Mazgiori ;" and No.
485 "The Ducal Palace of Venice." Mr- Stan-.
fi ld's quartett of seascapes consist of No. 18,
" Old Holland ;" No. 141, " The Fortress of
Savona" ; No. 359, '" The Castle of Ischia ;" . and
No. 497, "The Hollands Diep—tide making"H
the lasitof these, delicious to look at, radiant, re-
freshing. • Among the younger contributors Mr.
Wallis this season wins less than we had hoped be
might have done upon our admiration. His de-
lineation in No. 462 of "Henry Martin, at Chep-
stow Castle," though thoughtful througltout, is not
by any means, to our - fancy, satisfactory ; runt
while N 0.562 is a powerful artistic c ,ntribution t -
. wards the realization of one of the' political day-
dreams of Louis Napoleon' namely; "The Extinc-
tion of Pauperism ;" No. ni 9, "Sir Walter
Raleigh in the' Tottier" -is anything rather than
worthy of the painter of-the library of Montaigne,
or of the death-bed Of Chatterton. - The little child
blowing bubbles in the dungeon, while his captive-
father is engaged there .writing his-History of the
World, is but indifferently contrasted With R deigh
himself, who gazes up frciat ' liii student-labours
with a look rather Of vacancy ' than of
abstraction. Mrs. E. 'M. Ward ' allows her
artist ambition to take a higher fright than even
in No. 360, pourtrayiug an incident borrowed from
Hepworth Dixon's Life of .4ohnsHoivard,i to wit
'he great philantbrvist's "Farewell to England;"
- when he took. leave of his tenants (h Umbl - vidagers)
at Co.rdington. Frank Stone,• leaving for once-his
charining Sentimental Prettinesses, gives us in No.
204, "The Missing Boat (Pas de Calais)," a very
beautiful seaside picture, full of animation and ten-
derness. It is altogether, both in gendine natural
feeling and in the vigour of its execu• ien, among
tee very best things his artist-hand has yet pro-
duced. Mr. G. Jonei, R.A. , adds another to his
already numerous illustrations of the heroic ctreer
of the -conqueror of Scinde. No. 210, depicts, ,
atter the usual fashion of our veteran war-painter,
(with marvels in the shape of smoke and flame, and
granite) the famous destruction of the Fortress of
Emaum Ghnr—the memorable explosion effected
on the 15th of January, 1848, under the direction
of the chief engineer Major Waddington, of whose
deed of daring Sir William Napier has written with
his iron stylus, in his annals of the C 'inquest ef
Scinde—" It was a grand action ! He would have
lone better to have -reserved his heroism for a
greater occasion—hut it was a grand action !"
From which casual mention of the name. of our
great military historian—the British Livy of the
Peninsula—may we not cast one cursory glance
here for a passing moment down into the cool deals
recesses of the half subterranean chamber of the
Academy, to which the handiwork of the Sculptors
of England are annually doomed on the opening of
the May Exhibition. There in. No. 1181, will be
found on its appropriate pedestal an example of the
,rotean genius of this honoured and venerable
Master at once in Arts and Literature. This is no-
thing less than a classic bronze statuette, represent-
ing in a heroic form, with the garments nearly
burnt off it and the barbed arrow sticking deep in
the side—het?; et lateri lethalis arundo —the tragic
" Death of Alcibiades." To the title of which
noble work of art as worded in the catalogue, will
be found appended the name of Lieut.-General Sir
W. Napier, a name which will, of course, be there
perused with surprise by those not previously
acquainted with the fact that this eminent man,
distinguished simultaneously
.ias' the brother and
biographer of the Conqueror df Scindi, arid as the
far-famed historian -of the 'wars of ,the Peninsula,
handles not less deftly the brfish or the painter,
the tools of the modeller, and the pencil of the
draughtsman, than the pen of the aunalist, a
pen that has long since written upon tablets more
enduring than bronze, (ere perennius. Toe inci-
'lent here, however, recorded by him in animated
metal is precisely the very incident we might sup-
pose a Napier thus gifted with the sculptor's art
would hare selected for commemoration. It is an
occurrence, moreover, eminently worthy of being
thus commemorated. It will be remembered as
the event transpiring shortly after the Athenian
genii. era luarai.hulcni. when ' ht, took i e ruge -..bv i tit
Pharnabazus, and when certain hireling assassin.,
having previously fired his house, slew him with
darts while he was attempting to escape—his death
occurring in the full vigour of his manhood. From
the first glance at the statuette, it might be sup-
posed to represent a mere ordinary athlete or
gladiator—but on looking at the features more
closely, there may be recognised ' the !comely,
though distorted lineaments of the Once prosperous
as well as superb and princely Alcibiades. Re-
turning to the pictured walls upstairs in the warm
and cheerful daylight—our attention is caught
while passing through the North Room, an apart-
ment chiefly devoted to architectural drawings and
designe, by a painting in many respects as grace-
ful as it is instantly recognised to be ambitious and
Attractive. It is No. 1104, by E. Crowe--a pic-
ture suggested to the artist by a charming incident
described in the last volume (xvi., p. 405) of
Household Words. It occurs in an article entitled
"Stepping Stones," in the course of which the
writer has brought once more into the light of day
a buried fragment of a forgotten correspondence.
It is the portion of a letter addressed by Sir Charles
Wogap to Dean Jonathan swift :—"I had the
honour of bringing Mr. Pope fr'om our retreat iu'
the forest of Windsor to dress, ii la anode, and in-
troduce at Wilt's Coffee-house." Admirably has
the artist realized the scene of Pope's introduction
to Dryden. The picture would assuredly begeme
popular if reproduced, as it deserves to be, in the
form of an engraving. Horsley's double painting—
coupled in one frame—No. 350. "Flower Girls,
Town and Country"—will be examined by every
visitor to the Gallery this season, or we are much
mistaken, withnothing short of genuine delight and
Admiration. The contrast is perfect, and it is ex-
quisite: the fresh, riant, lovely, blooming flowers,
faces, atmosphere, in the " Country," where young
girls and younger children are gathering prim-
roses and bluebells—the care-worn, prematurely
wrinkled, and mournful features of the bouquet
sellers at the door through which are crowding the
quaint and motley figures of the masqueraders.
A distinguished young artist, who has given extra-
ordinary promise in his contributions to the last
two or three of these annual exhibitions at the
academy, J. M. Carrick, presents to view upon its
walls this year, as it will be remembered by many
he did last season, not simply remarkable promise,
but high and great achievement. One work of his
alone will be found in the present collection, but it
is a work worthy of him—No. 847, "Near Great
Marlow, Bucks, '—a work worthy of a painter
whose teaober is Nature, whose studio is the green
countryside—one who, at least in spirit and affec-
tion, lays his brush upon the canvass as tenderly,
and, it might be said, even as reverently, as ever
Paganini laid his marvellous bow upon the violin.
Mr. Carrick has again demonstrated, through the
dyes taken from his palette—that it is, with a true
artist's eye, with that of a poet hardly less than
with that of a painter, that he surveys whatever
scene may attract his admiration, detecting with
the instinct of genius all the hidden beauties of a
landscape. Another single picture, from the hand
of another artist of rare accomplishments—No. 564,
`Milking Time in the Mountains, near Dolgelly,
North Wales," by H. B. Willis, demand., a glance,
and something more than a passing glance, of de-
lighted admiration. It is a pastoral view that
might appropriately be selected as a vignette for
the Georgics. It recalls to mind, as we gaze at it,
that dulcet couplet of Gay's in the first canto of his
charming "Rural Sports" :

" When the big-udder'd cows with patience stand,
Waiting the strokings of the damsel's band."
As already intimated, we may observe again, in
reference to another and a very distinct department
01 the Exhibition, that embracing irs ample s"l° of
Portraits—the walls of the Academy for 1838 are,
if possible, more abundantly supplied than even
with effigies of wvll-known, or more frequently
nameless, Ladies and GeLtlemen. The pre-emin et co
of
retained respectively among the portrait painters
our time by Sir J. Wat,on G ,rdon and by Mr.
Grant we took occasion to signalize in our first
notice of the present year's remarkable collection.
A few among their contemporaries compete with
considerable credit to themselves in the same ap-
parently simple but in reality very difficult branch
of the profession. Apart from its mei its as a
picture from the life (taken at the period
of his
Excellency's sojourn in England ilis„li
13 rcthraariatetaer,
as ambassador) '6Jung ahadoor
cannot but b
painted in 876., by T. Brigatock,
examined with lively interest—representing as it
does the magnanimous and heroic Prime Minister of
Nepaul, who is now so nobly assisting the British
army in India at the head of 10,000 Ghoorkas.
Another portrait of interest is one representing, in
the form of a pretty little snub-nosed ureh'n, the

gr"clacjil.a:al4h°4l6ttutAurle
pin- Sadand
-thelboYfliitince htf
rul-r of th. gyptiaik As-16 illte•rious
unknown fignting away upon the walls broad-
cloth a•, d broader . 'is eztrtmely
gratifyi-.g to discover in one (No.. 184)
John Thomas' Esq.,"" ana in another' (N 9. 206)
" John Snook, Esq. " to note how one gentle-
man looks with his hand on his hip, and how
another get tlernan is obliging enough to present
to view the inside of bit. hat foreshortened. Of
the ladies—to whom as we write we raise id token
of houiage the bumper of ink id— our stand-
dish —we would wish to speak' '.*ith all be-
fitting respect and admiration. Happily in
doing so we should be paying rather a regard to
truthfulness than to mere courtly. gallantry. The
flattery, if there be any, rests with the artists and
not with the spectators. Some of ,the fair feces
here depicted are really exquisite in their
loveliness. Many .of them are obvionily life.
life. Most cf them are strangers to.the roXXot,
or, as we express it, the many-headed. A few
will be recognisl,tl
,upon the instant by those
familiar with the purlieus of Mayfair in the
height of the season : among the portraits
BO recognised, for exaniple,— being N 9. 'l9l.
rtrphe Most Noble the Marchioness. of London-
derry." Glancing aside, however, from the por-
traits—who that 'has visited tha Academy ibis year
has not paused again and yet again in wonder and
delight-before one of the most ex• raordivary of all
remarkably pictures in the collection, the work
of an acknowledged ant renowned master in the
art, No. 10i. J. F. Lewis's " Kibab Shop, Scu-
tari, Asia Minor"—the pie ure with that cane
trellis-work screen in the window through the
Meshes of which are caught -glimpses of the all
but dancing foliage' of the trees beyond. The pic-
ture, with the oriental fowls clucking and pe:tking
in the foreground--the wonderful microscopically
depiced foreground with its littered 'morsels of
grain and greenmeit. Sauntering through the
room appropriiited,to the 'display of drawings and
miniatures, we find an old favOurite to the public,
T. Carrick,• as well representea as ever by the pro-
ducts of his refined and delicate pencilnot the
least interesting of his eight brilliant m niatures
being No. 675, " Hon. Thomas IL Peteree of New
ueswick," who we are told; was "one of the last,
if not the last, survivor of the Royalists who left
the United Staten for the British provinCes after
th. American war of Independence." Mathew Noble,
contributes downstairs, in. the sculpture-room—
four additional evidences of his artistic genius—con-
spicuous among these being No. 1162,-his "Pre-
paratory model for a colossal bust of H.R.H. the
Prince Consort, to be executed in marble for the
city of Manchester." Four works, too,.from the
hand of another sculptor, of very, rare accomplish-
ment, deserve, or rather demaoct a careful exami-
nation, last but not least •of tbese either in
value or importance being No. 1327, a monu-
mental medallion, nobly and exquisitely de-
signe It would hardly be fair to an artist
f rising fame to pass . again, out. of the
doors' of the Academy without awarding one
pas,ing sentence of commendation to H. O'Neill's
worthiest work of all—yet—no. 384. "Eastward
Ho ! August 1857"—the farewell of some soldiers
on a Transport Ship (away for the war), from their
wives, mothers, sister'; sweethearts, children I It
is a painting full of tender feeling—one that it
would be difficult to view without emotion—so true
is it to the heart-brimming, eye-moistening reality.
As a corollary to which picture, there is No. 531.
" Retribution," by E. Armitage, absurly mis-
printed in the catologue Miss K Armitage. A
colossal Britannia grappling a Bengal Tiger by the
throat with one hand while preparing with the
other to plunge the avenging steel to its heart—
the Tig-r raging in its impotence, Britannia gigan-
t c and irresis'ible. Tempting us to linger at:llin
comment over the collection there are of course other
attractions, such as, the angelic child-faces of Sant,
the broadly humorous drolleries of Solomon, that
bewitching maternal picture of Cope, No. 52.
" Upward Gazing," the delicious portrait landscape
No. 67. the "Ford across the river," painted by
Ores wick, with Cuyplike Cattle straying orer the
stream, from the pencil of Sidney Cooper, the bril-
liant Baltic View of Carmichael, and the Ruth of
Pickersd:ll. Enough, however, has here, been said
in our third summary of this splendid Academy
Collection,

R.EAR °BERNIER'S MORNING
CONCERT. •

This concert took place on Saturday morning at
Willls's Rooms, and was attended by a crowd of fashion-
able visitors, who appeared to thoroughly' enjoy the
beautiful music, provided for them. The concert may
be considered as being essentially an instrumental one,
for the vocal portion was of minor excellencs, while the
performances on the harp, violin, violencello, and eon-
certina were of a high-class character, and eminently
satisfactory. The 'opening - tHO,Toi and
violencello, was played by Herr Oberthtir, Here Janes,
and Herr Lidel, with great brilliancy and finish; and
the sweet airs in "Lucia di Lammermoor" never received
more able treatment. Miss Freeth gave Mendelssohn's
" Pr,lude and Fugue in E minor." as a solo on the
pianoforte, and exhibited considerable promise. Her
style, at present, evinces more power than delicacy,
more ekillin manipulation than refinement in rendering;
but these are virtuous faults in a young pianists, which
time and experience will doubtless soften. The steadi-
ness and accuracy with which she gave the Fugue move
went merited the applause it received. 'A solo on the
violoncello by Herr Lidel, illustrating Rossini's en-
trancing theme, "Cujus Animam," was among the most
conspicuous of the performances. Herr Lidel possesses
the valuable qualification of clear,. fall, and perfect
"tone," seldom striving after electrifying effects, but
satisfying those nice and educated ears which prefer
sound musical expression to florid execution. A harp
solo, by Herr Oberthiir, was very exquisitely played,
and his imitations of gushing water in " La Cascade"
was charmingly sweet. .The Nocturne, for three harps,
by Miasea Chatterton, Vining, and Freeth, was given
with spirit, eliciting warm applause, which the young
artists richly deserved. Signor Rsgondi, on the con-
certino, exhibited great precision of toudb add fluency of
execution, and in his duet with the violoncello created
con-iderable enthusiasm. The concluding arrangement
of Irish melodies for harp and piano was brilliantly
given by Herr Oberthtir and Miss Freetb, and the whole
conceit went off with successful eclat.

ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL, GRAY'S INN-ROAD,--The
number of patient+ relieved at this hospital during the
week ending May 8, 1858, wag 2,215, of which 730 were
new °seep. -

CITY OF LONDON HOSPITAL FOR DISEASES OF THE
CREST, VICTORIA PARK.--The number of patients
relieved at this institution during the ltst week was
1,203, of which 176 were new cases.
AUSTRALIA —The large and fast sailing .clipper-ship
Donald Mackay sailed front Liverpool yeiterday (9th
inst.), having on board a full cargo and 430 passengers.
THE MEDJIDIE DECORATIONS.—Two boxes of the
Aledjidie dee ratios were delivered on Saturday at the
the Admiralty, Whitehall; but it is understood that a
further brief delay will tyke place in their distribution.—
Unitod Service Gazette.
We regret to announce the serious illness of Mr.
Page*, one of the principal surgeons on the staff of St.
13arthoLimovi's Hospital. It is only a few weeks since
this gent'e nan was appointed one of the surgeon 4
extra-
ordinary to the Queen, on the death of the late Mr.
Trays r,.
prompt and sagacious liberality, has offered to
oplatche
THE COMING ECLIPSE.—Sir John Pakington, with
vessels at the d,sposal of science tor the observation
for
meeting
great eclipse of September next— p_
"'in South America,
which to astronomical advantage
and, if an, foreign
nl:eastr.ono mical expedi-
tion particularly about Li
Expedition.
of markp r thete
yh
eg.he
—The Court of Direc-
tion may perhaps be oru 'La; i ,Ad
astTrollnEoLmAeTrsEaDreit.inFvoitilepdstsoli,o/iinLtsh:
iia
sense which they enteriain.
Direc-
t of the Hon. East ID
feotmhepavnayluteo
s
burst of bun in the new Industrial
un,earied and enthusiastic
.ervices, have res.olved to
erect a marble
Considering the ina
of his labours in relation to the
importance
wens" .And productive resources of India, a more
Lfoersebnishatllr-isbturteeett.o h
1110.,,UfileLtIres
:s memory could not
sluliutssbeuiempliance
have been chosen.
"BIG BEN."—We have pleasure in stating that the
new bell fir the cl.ck tower at Westminster has been
taken out of the mould in a perfectly sound state, so far
as can be ascertained on the closest inspection, although
it eill be impossible to know this with complete cer-
t.tiuty until it has been swung. It has been struck as
!aid on its site, and from the sound emitted its
tinkers c ,tifidently expect that the tone will be power.
ful, ri.h, and o'ear, and that the desired note will be
attained. It is at present undergoing the process of
cleaning.
SUPPOSED WRECK.—The brig th
re. sea of Fishgrazd,
James Wade, toaster, is
and is supposed to have
been lost on the Rack water Pontk during one of the late
storms. She was bound limn Liverpool to Waterf, rd,
and her beat and a panel belonging to the car thin have
been washed ashore a few miles to the north of Wexford,
Keith a quantity of wreck. All hands must have perished.
They belonged principally to Fishguard.
THE VACANT CI!TMISTRY CHAIR AT EDINBURGH
Several caedidates are in the field for the chair
of chytni,try in Erinburgh University, rendered
vacant by the death of Professor William Gre•
gory, including Dr. George Wilson, Regius Pro-
fessor cf Technology in that university, and Dr.
Thomas Anderson, Professor of Chymistry in Glasgow
University. The proposal has been mooted among the
patrons (the Town-council) to offer the chair first to Dr.
which has been received with
Faraday, a suggestion
considerable favour, but the patrons have resolved to
tato) 80020 time to consider what step they will Wis.