The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-19 00:00:00

LEOPALD REDPATH'S COLLECTION.

This, the last remnant of a transient splendour, of a
brilliant mirage that dazzled and deceived the un-
happy man who believed its beauty to be lasting, is
now to bo offered for public competition by Messrs.
Christie and Manson, upon Thursday, the 21st, and the
two following days. The well-known name of Redpath
will doubtless attract a numerous assemilage of visitors
to examine and comment upon the articles of vertu
which at one time formed a part of his worldly goods ;
and it is even possible that we may hear of his being
quoted as a miracle of taste and refinement, for to the
holder of money most things are passible—the reputa-
tio❑ of a Mwoenas among the number. "There's
naught impossible," asserts the wily servant in the old
play. "Yes, to be learned, Moses," hints his credulous
master ; but the reply is true and conclusive :

" Oh, no ! to be rich implies it !
Hood your ass with reverend purple,
So that you hide his two ambitious ears,
And ho shall pass for a cathedral doctor.

"Sic transit gloria mendi" is a truth palpable enough
at all times bat few, we imagine, can regret the destruc-
tion of an edifice that bad fraud for its architecture, false-
hood for its pillars, and crime for its foundation. Besides,
the taste of Redpatb was more than doubtful ; the pre-
sent collection is that of a mau who has been led
by others, of one who is ambitious of the name of "a
man of taste" without the requisite qualifications ;
there is no " unity" in the objects of art now presented
for inspection—for a knowledge of art must come in-
tuitively, and no sum of mosey can purchase its posses-
sion. The collection of Venetian glass is varied in cha-
racter, .and some few of the specimens are very choice
both in design and delicacy of workmanship. The
Dresden, Sevres, and other china contains articles
(though some are common enough) of great value. The
Majolica and Palissy ware are good in quality and de-
sign, but not of a character to elicit any esi e&al com-
mendation. The of of art and vote are tine. espe-
cially some groups of figures, vanes, cups, giranclolea,
snuff boxes, &e., and some exquisite Limoges enamels, a
quststity of clever carvings in ivory and wood, a few
well-designed clocks, and various statuettes, among
which must be mentioned the graceful Leda of Pra'
deer, that was exhibited with so much success at the
Exposition Universelle at Paris. Besides these, there
-are 'several good bronzes and carefully executed
marbles, in addition to a collection of oil paintings
and watet•solour drawings, containing some . good
examples of various artists; to wit—Copley Field-
ing, Hunt, Duncan (the view of Spithead is one
of his most charming pictures), F. Taylor, L. Haize,
Richardson, Topham, Goodhall, and Turner—though
the specimens of the last-named painter are by no means
first rate either in conception or colour. Of the oil paint-
ings we relent as es orth notice a magnificent landscape
of O'Conner's, painted with a Salvator-like freedom ;
several splendid effects by the Danbys, father and sons ;
the "Two Leonidas," by Carl Sohn ; two more than
doubtful Lelys ; a glorious picture by Dyckmans, per-
fect in detail and colour ; and other specimens of which
a deficiency of space precludes a mention. That the
present will be a remunerative sale we cannet doubt, but
that' it exhibits any superior artistic taste upon the part
of the collector we utterly deny. There is a perceptible
want of unity in the whole collection that betrays its
origin ; it is the endeavour of a man careless about ex-
pense to take rank as a connoisseur and to be hailed by
enthusiastic and interested friends as a person possess.

ing a judgment which was foreign to his nature, for in
this collection we cannot discover the name of one un-
known artist. It is a selection quite in the old track—
each name is known, and each picture has its market
value. In directing public attention to this collection
we have no intention of catering for a morbid sympathy,
we simply direct the public to the works of artists whose
names are household words, and whose productions
have, long ago, commanded both admiration and esteem.

THE MILITARY HOSPITAL AT NETLEY.—The Medi-
cal officers of the Middlesex Hospital inform us that
the result of an interview which they have had with
the Committee at the War-office has only been to
confirm their opinion, that, notwithstanding the altera-
tions, the building is quite unfitted for the purposes of
an hospital.----Medical Times.
THE SILK CEOP.—The accounts regarding the progress
of the silk crop continue on the whole satisfactory. In
Spain some new silk has already appeared-in the market,
and the crop, which is almost secured, is expected to be
" half a good crop." Last year it was almost a total
failure. In Naples and Sicily there have as yet been no
adverse signs, and from the Roman States and Tuscany
the statements are very favourable. In Lombardy the
prospect seems more doubtful, but it is still too early to
form a positive opinion respecting that country. From
France the advices each day describe an improvement,
and the worms are now between the, second and third
stage. Complaint,, are made of seed from Lombardy,
and also of the French seed, but these have been Luc-
cessfully replaced by seed from Brussa and Tuscany.
The mulberry-leaf is said to be fine and abundant, but
the price is high—a fact which seems to indicate confi-
dence in the health of the worms, and a large con-
sumption.

The adjourned meeting on this subject was held
• at the Mansion-house yesterdiy, the Lord Mayor
in the chair. The attendance was very thin, and
the interest of the.preceedings appeared to have
evaporated.- The chairman ascribed the smallness
of the number present to the result of the debate in
the House, of CoMmons on Friday night, in the
course of which he said Mr. Pearson's views on- pri-
son discipline received a general sanction.
Mr. PEARSON then formally put in his appear-
ance, but begged to be excused from remaining, on
account of an official engegement.that he had else-
where. Befornleaving the Will, however, he asked
that the -meeting at its rising might' be further
adjourned till this day week, when lie under 7
took to confine his reply to one hour. The diseus-
sion was then resumed at •the point where it was
interrupted on Friday, and it dragged on with lit•le
spirit for upwards of two hours. The most ani-
mated spe ch of the whole was delivered by Mr.
George Cruiltshank, who recounted the experience
he had acquired of the character of the thieves of
London while living among them in disguise with
a view of. intimately studying. their habits. The
• Orater, by an easy transition,. vanhed the temper,.
ance question, and was giving vehement expression
to his wellicnown opinions upon it when ho was
suddenly called to order for his irrelevancy, and
was obliged to to an abrupt termination. He
was followed by Mr, Paine, who advocated the
educlition rather than the punishment of neglected
jvenile ofleird.eis together with a lighter and moresurnmrnary—mode of adding -ifftli'is6*-riff4ncd4i'
generally. Mr: Payne moved a series of resolutions
to.be added to Mr. Pearson's, in accordance with
hiS own views. Mr. Armstrong criticised that part
of Mr. Pearson's plan which advises the erection of
large prisons with walls enclosing 1,000 or 2,000
acres of land, and characterised it as cc benevolent,
but impracticable." He also recommended the
transfer of our convicts to the colonies for life, and
suggested that a prospective interest in the land
they tilled should be held out to 'them as an inc,n-
tive to good conduct. Sir Thomas Tancred next
advised a separation between the punitive and re-
formatory elements in our prison discipline. Tran-
sportation should, in bis judgment, be the ultimate
reward offered to reclaimed criminals, who ought
to be sent out, after expiating their sentence at
home, as free men. Several other speakers suc-
ceeded, whose views were singularly discordant._
Indeed, most of the gentlemen present . seemed
amusingly at sea as to the object .of the discussion,
and the greatest conflict of opinion prevailed as to
the precise question before the meeting. Some
held that it was Mr. Pearson's plan pur et simple.
.Others thought that that plan was to be taken, in
conjunction with the wider subject of the prevention
of crime. Others, again, contended for the ques-
tion of punishments apart from that of preven-
tion ; and one speaker went so far as to insist
that his new method of growing turnips was'
peculiatly germane to the issue. It would be.
hard, however, to accuse any one of travelling out
of the record when no one could agree on what that
record was. At length two hours and a quarter of
rambling and purposeless discussion was brought to
a termination by another adjournment, the under-
standing being that the third meeting should be
rigidly restricted to Mr. Pearson's proposition.