The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-21 00:00:00

DUKE'S " ELAINE."

The Crystal Palace Dore Art Union has now,
it appears, been thoroughly organised. It has been
set on foot, with the consent of the Messrs. Moxon
and Company of Dover-street, as well as with that
of the Editor of the Tennyson-Dore Series, to the
end that nine at least of the chefs dceuvre of the
great French artist shall obtain the circulation to
which they are so pre-eminently entitled, and this
thanks to the all-but magical agency of the radiant
modern art of Chromo-lithography. The nine
exquisite embellishments to " Elaine" are the works
which have been selected for this resplendent re-
production. The Chromo-lithographer,:under, whose
skilled hands these exact fac-similes have been so
marvellously brought into existence, is the one gold
medallist of his class in the Paris Exhibition of last
year, namely, Mr. Vincent Brooks. And containing
the works as they have been reproduced by him justify
(if it required justification) his selection thus to be
a gold medallist. Each subscription strip torn off
the counterfoils of the Dore Art Union for the
distribution of the Nine Original Drawings from
" Elaine " is, as it were, a ribbon fur the suspen-
sion of that gold medal of Mr. Vincent Brooks'.
For the subscribers to the Crystal Palace Dore Art
Union not only receive for their one guinea a copy of
these nine lovely Chromo-lithographs from "Elaine,"
but the chance of winning through the lottery, in
May, 1869, one of the Nine Prizes—meaning the
Nine Original Drawings themselves—drawings the
value of which has been estimated at no less a
sum than £l,OOO sterling. " Vivien," " Guine-
vere," " Enid," will follow in due succes-
sion but, what we have now to do
with is " Elaine," a work of which very nearly
two years ago (see 2he Sun of Sep. 22, 1866) we
had occasion to speak in the highest terms of admi-
ration. By the opinion we then expressed we abide.
Perusing the Chromo-lithographs we look eagerly,
almost, we are ashamed to say, covetously, at the
list of the Nine Prizes, the Nine Original Draw-
ings in which the pencil of Gustave Dore has
depicted with so much luminous beauty—King
Arthur Discovering the Skeletons of the Brothers:;
Lancelot Approaching the Castle of Astolat ; Lan-
celot Relating his Adventures ; Lancelot Bidding
Adieu to Elaine ; Elaine on her Road to the Cave of
Lancelot ; Torre and Lavaine Bidding Farewell to
the Body of Elaine ; the Body of Elaine on its way
to King Arthur's Palace ; King Arthur Reading the
Letter of Elaine ; and last, and perhaps loveliest of
all, the Remorse of Lancelot.

THE REGISTER LISTS.—It has; been suggested
that the register lists should bo posted at the police sta-
tions, instead of, or as well as, on the doors of the parish
churches. At the former they would bo safe from mutila-
tion, and always accessible; at the latter they in many
cases can only be examined on Sundays, or when
a service takes place, in consequence of the locking 3f
the outer gates.
WRECK.—On Tuesday, during a strong wind
from NAV., a French vessel, name not yet ascertained,
was wrecked on some rocks off St. Ives, Cornwall. The
lifeboat was promptly manned and the rocket apparatus
t;ot uut, but it was found that none of the crew were on

board. The ship's boat was on deck, and it is feared tha
the crew have perished.

THREE WIVES. By the Author of " Margaret
and her Bridesmaids," &c. The now work of fiction, en-
titled "Three Wives," by the popular author of "Margaret
and her Bridesmaids," supports her established reputation.
It is charmingly written, and is not less remarkable for
grace of style than for vigour and originality in the por-
trayal of its well contrasted characters, and for the touches
of pathos and humour which abound in the author's works.
Ail who have read and admired her former productions
will be pleased with "Three Wives."