The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-05 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 5, 1859.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

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HOUSE OF LORDS-(YESTERDAY).

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The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.

Viscount DUNGANNON presented a petition against
the abolition of church-rates.

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Lord WENSLEYDALE presented a petition for the
total abolition of imprisonment for debt.
The Bishop of LONDON presented a petition from Derby
against the abolition of church rates without any equiva-
lent.

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Lord COLVILLE (of Culross) presented petitions from
the Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Shields, and Gateshead Cham-
bers of Commerce, in favour of the bill for the better regu-
lation of watermen, bargeowners, and others connected
with the navigation of the river Tyne.
Lord BROUGHAM. presented a petition from Devon,
complaining e the recent decision of the Lords Justices,
and praying that Dissenters might not be debarred from
administering trust funds of grammar schools. The
noble and learned lord dwelt upon the injustice of the ex-
clusion, and said legislation on the subject was imminently
necessary.

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Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY presented similar
petitions from Newbury, Folkstone, and other places.

MARRIAGE LAW AMENDMENT BILL.
This bill was read a first time.
Lord WODEHOUSE gave notice that he should move
:he second reading of the bill on Tuesday week.

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DIVORCE COURT.
Lord BROUGHAM gave notice, that on an early day he
would call the attention of their lordships to the state of the
new divorce court, with a view of aiding and assisting its
action.

for cartoons to be employed in the decoration of the Houses
of Parliament. Eleven premiums were so assigned, and
more than two-thirds of them were awarded either to stu-
dents of the Royal Academy or to persons who bad been
students of that society I happened to be in Paris at the
time of the exhibition there of works of industry and art.
A room was allotted there to the leading schools, including
the English, and I have reason to know that many foreign
artists of eminence expressed their admiration of our native
works of art there, and their surprise that they had known
so little of the English school. Besides what I have stated
as to the application of the society's funds, I must mention
that there are medals and premiums awarded to students
who attain a high degree of efficiency, and sums of money
expended in defraying the expenses of promising young men
in travelling on the continent to visit the schools of the an-
cient masters, with the view to their improvement. My
lords, there is no profession which affords more immediate
pleasure and delight than the profession of the arts ; but,
unfortunately, pecuniary reward to any extent does not al-
ways accompany exertion in that vocation. Occasionally,
from failing energies, sometimes from loss of sight, those
who devote themselves to it are unfortunately reduced to
poverty and distress. The Royal Academy also appropriates
a portion of its funds to the relief of persons of that class,
and of widows of artists who may have been left destitute.
These are charitable objects, but they are not confined to
members of the institution. The aid is distributed freely to
the profession at large—(hear)—and a much larger sum is
given to those members of the profession who are not and
never were connected with the academy than to those who
are so connected. I find about £4OO a year is subscribed for
the relief of persons connected with Abe institution, and up-
wards of £9OO for persons in the profession not so connected.
I think your lordships will feel that that application of the
ors are deserving of
funds has
beeanndathcaot trrea'admintrat
beneficial,
is wise,
and prudent
our thanks for the manner in whichthey have managed the
concern. There are one or two objections which have been
made to which I wish to refer before I sit down. It is
sometimes complained that the walls of the Academy and
the Exhibition are too much confined to Royal Academi-
cians, members of the society. Whether that be the case or
not I cannot undertake to say, ner whether the exhibition
would be better and more profitable if the works of Royal
Academicians were reduced in number and those of other
artists admitted in greater numbers. I will not enter upon
that subject, because, as it is understood that more exten-
sive buildings are about to be erected, that complaint, if
well-founded, can be removed in future. Another point to
which I wish to allude is an objection which is sometimes
made that favouritism prevails in the selection of the mem-
bers. Where election is not made by the public voice it is
impossible to say that favouritism maynot sometimes exist,
but here it is held in check by the voice of the profession,
who have always their eyes directed towards the proceed-
ings of the Academy, and it is still further controlled
by the influence and authority of the Sovereign, who
must be satisfied of the propriety of each nomination, for no
person elected can hold office until his election has received
the sanction of the Sovereign and a diploma of qualification.
But this I will say, that during the last 50 years nearly
every artist of eminence in this country has been received
into that body. There have been one or two exceptions,
the reasons for which I will not enter upon, because they
are of an unpleasant character, but I say generally in
broad terms, that every artist of eminence who has existed
in this country during the last half century has been a
member of the Royal Academy. I have felt it a great satis-
faction to be able to state these facts to your lordships, and
through you to the country. Now, ono word before I sit
down upon the proposed change of site. I believe as
far back as 1830 it was suggested that it would be proper
to remove the Royal Academy from its present position
in order to afford more room for the National Gallery,
and I think in 1854 Lord J. Russell proposed to advance
£40,000 to enable the Academy to procure another resi-
dence. What was the result of that offer Ido not know,
except that it was never completed, but this I do know, that
it was nOt very favourably received by the Royal Academy,
and for a very obvious reason. They have always considered
themselves to be under the immediate supervision of the
Crown. If they received a sum of money from the public
purse they properly considered that they might be called
upon from time to time by the House of Commons to make
returns, to be examined, and to assume a political charac-
ter quite foreign to the tranquil state so necessary for the
well-being of art. Therefore I am sure the offer was
not accepted by them. But other offers have since been
made, and now it is proposed that a site should be granted
in fee to the Royal Academy upon part of the ground occu-
pied by what is known as Burlington-house. No situation
can be better for this purpose. They are grateful for that
offer, but still they fear what I have before suggested,
that a grant from the nation, unless an equivalent was
offered by themselves, would place them in the
position I have just mentiond. Their object is, and
always has been, to remain solely under the control and
supervision of the Crown, and therefore what they now
propose is this—they will accept the grant upon the condi-
tion that they on their part shall be allowed to expend an
amount equal to the value of the site in the construction of
buildings necessary for the Academy, to be permanently ap-
plied for the purposes of art. Thus the grant from the na-
tion will be paid for by that equivalant, because both the
land and the buildings to be erected upon it are to be de-
voted in perpetuity to a great public object. I think if this
kind of agreement can be carried out it will not affect the
position of the Royal Academy, and they will remain as
before wader the immediate supervision, control, and
Government of her Majesty. I wets anxious, my lords.
to make this explanation, because I was sure, as re-
garded the conduct and management of the Academy, I
could say nothing but what would redound to the credit of
that body. I think also your lordships will not object to
the view they take as regards the proposed change of site,
that the acceptance of a grant should be conditional upon
the arrangement which I have mentioned. What is the pre-
cise sum they will expend I am not prepared to state at
present, but I imagine it will be some £40,000 or £50,000,
which will be a complete equivalent for the land to be
granted to them. lam sorry to have troubled your lord-
ships at such length—(hear) —but I was glad to have an
opportunity of addressing you upon a subject which, from
the position I now stand in, and have stood in from my
early days—(hear, hear)—naturally possesses great interest
for me. (Hear, hear.):

The Earl of DERBY—I am surethe house is indebted to
my noble and learned friend for the remarks which he has
addressed to us. (Hear, hear.) He has explained with his
usual clearness and precision the various arrangements
which have been made from time to time between the
Crown and the Royal Academy. I think the principle is
now recognised on all hands that while the Royal Academy
has no right to claim exclusive possession of this or that
particular building, yet it has a right to claim on the part

of the public that they shall have some means provided for
carrying on their labours, from which I readily admit the
public have for a series of years derived the greatest benefit.
I believe my noble and learned friend has only done

justice to the zeal with which these labours have been
undertaken, and to the services they have rendered to the
fine arts in this country. I should not havo risen now,
as there is no particular point involvei in the remarks of
my noble and learned friend, but that I think it
is expedient your lordships should be put in pos-
session of what is the real position of the Government