The Sun.
London, England, 1821-06-06 00:00:00

FINE ARTS.

Ma. EoiTort,—Those who are not much ac-
quainted with the Fiue
_Arts roust be greatly
perplexed by the differing opinions which pre-
tended Critics give of their progressive or retro-
grade state; and by the judgments which they pass
upon the abilities of the various Artists who place
themselves, by exhibiting their works, within
the power of these self-constituted purveyors for
the public taste.

To the remarks which are usually called criti-
cisms, if made with a reasonable knowledge of
the subject criticised, no Artist or Public Exhi-
bitor ought to object, even when conveyed in
language and terms of severity, if such as cannot
be felt. individually abusive and personal, and
when there is no reason to suspect malicious mo-
tives ; for, in that case, there are no terms of
reprobation or contempt too strong for such use
of the license which by custom and consent is
largely granted to the critical pen.
Time . observations upon Architecture in the
Guardian newspaper of the 9.oth and '27th ult.,
under the guise of criticism, appear to be deeply
imbued with a personal and malicious spirit as
regards the Professor of Architecture of our
Royal Academy, Mr. SoAsE, whose taste and
works are attacked in no measured terms of re-
proach, but who is, according to the summary
of these profound Critics, " at once the glory
and the shame of Architecture" in this country.

It is difficult for persons not acquainted with
the Protean vocabulary of Critics to understand
the objection to Mr. So.tNE's talents meant to be
conveyed in these terms. Critics are apt in their
raging zeal, especially if their ink is tinctured
with malicious gall, to confuse their own ideas
as well as the ideas of those whom they pretend
to enlighten ; and although an occasional Critic
myself, I am in this case somewhat puzzled, and
ray perplexity is increased, when I read that Mr.
SOANE has no invention, but is notwithstanding
constantly introducing novelties into his architec-
tural compositions ; that his designs are "vapid.''
That some are become " superannuated !" and I
was absolutely beginning to despair of the archi-
tecture of my country, when I was reassured by
perceiving that the Critic in the plenitude of his
profound knowledge forbids not hope ! for that
fortunately the " Grecian style" was adopted
just in time to rescue us from the consequences of
Mr. So.tNE'S "glory and shame," and want of in-
vention of things not novel ! and that Mr. SAIIIIKE,
(let us prepare our Pans) who is no inventor of
novelties, is at hand, not to rival Mr. So NE's
glories, but " the glories of the Acropolis of
Athens" and that Mr. HartatsoN and Mr. ATKIN..
SON are ready to help him, and by their united
efforts will probably decoy back the " Architec-
tural muse" whom Mr. SOANEN style and taste,
uniting with the chimaeras of Sir WILLANI CHAN..
BUIS, and the multifarious Architecture of '
Mr. NAsx, has contributed to frighten away !I
What has Mr. SOANE to oppose to this critical in-
undation ? An acknowledged eminence in his
profession during his whole life ; he is a member
of a foreign Academy, and Professor of Archi-
tecture at our Royal Academy of Arts ; and if ac-
cording to the Critic's own admission " the gene-
ral principles of this institution are favourable to
the advancement of real merit, arid the maxims
by which it is governed are just, impartial, and
praiseworthy," what will the array of the
Critic avail in the attempt to write down Mr.
SoANE's reputation ? The appointment implies
his superiority, and the brilliant course of lectures
which he delivered as Professor sustained and
fully justified the high estimation in which he
has been held, and proved his competency to fill
the arduous situation to which he was chosen in
preference to all contemporaries. Those who
heard his lectures attest that they displayed the
most intimate and extended knowledge of his art,
which he imparted to his auditors with luminous
comprehensiveness ; and that no architectural lec-

tures ever delivered in our school can be said to
approach those of Mr. SOANE, in the progressive
information'they conveyed, and in general useful-
ness to the student.

It ryas not till Mr. SOINE practised as an archi-

tect that the 44 Grecian style" obtained any very
public spread and recommendation ; if, therefore,
Mr. SOANE'S some time exuberance and invention
can be injurious to our national taste ; if his novel-
ties are our bane, he has himself the merit of pro-
viding the antidote; he inculcates the Grecian style
and example, shall I say, to a fault ; it is his
ALPIIA and OMEGA, and from him did the first of
our proposed deliverer from inventive novelty
receive his original impulse of preference for that
-style and 'example, and the first rudiments of its
proportions from his instructions.
Mr. SQANE'S compositions evince a perfect
knowledge and adoption of the Grecian style ; Iris
Triumphal Bridge (for which he received, when
a student, the gold medal of our academy, and
which was the foundation of his architectural
fame) ;• his
.Designs in Early and Progressive
Life, some of those which he has exhibited as
" dreams," and others which the
.Critic has ma-
ligned as " superannuated," defy contemporary
genius and rivalry for any thing that has appear-
ed in the yearly display of our artists. They
sheiv that he can adhere closely though not ser- I
vilely to the Grecian example where such adhe-
rence is indispensible.„. and he has been able in
these designs to unite itSsimplicity with inventive
variety. in his Works he will be found -taking
the Grecian style as his model, so far as the
nature of
_the. buildings of our country, and
their uses, admit of any marked character.—
lie has not. yet
,attempted to' turn Athenian
temples . into churches or dwelling houses.,
His design for a palace in the present Exhibition
is a magnificent specimen of hi's ability, notwith-
standing the supposititious objections in the rear
of -the. criticism thereon; and the Critic's pre-
terites of disapprobation,,by *Lich he detracts
fioni his reluctant acknowledgment of the merits

or, this composition. These objections are of a
nature that betray-theCritib'gignorance; the de-
fects of proportion heiintimates are not to„be
traced in
,such a perspective,; but it is easy to
assert them', and %hat beside assntion is there

probable within tile range of this Critic's archi-
tectural knowledge.
Mr. SOANE'S design for a Church has general
unity and chasteness of composition, and, with
the variations, (evidently intended to reduce the
expellee) has more of originality than designs for
such edifices usually present. Our BcclesiasliN
Architecture the Critic is very dAirous to
rescue from the ignorance of " Parish Vestries."
—Their proceedings he may arraign with im-
punity, but he is discreetly silent upon the
proceedings of the Commissioners appointed
under the New Church Act, and their Corn t-
tee of building : he does not venture to surmise
even that such high and powerful arbiters have
assisted to frighten away the " Muse of Archi-
tecture." It might, however, not be difficult to
shew, that they hare probably as much to do in
alarming her as Parish Vestries. Their parsi-
monious, not to say sordid estimates and allow-
ances, reduce in quantity and proportion every
design, whether Grecian or Gothic, they pinch
and pare till substance and space are lessened to
what is just sufficient to afford probable security,
and the most scanty personal accommodation.
But, in truth, our Churches, under a more
liberal system, would present no very favourable
opportunity for an Architect to derive from their
design or execution high reputation as an Artist.
Galleries and pews, and the narrow passages
called aisles, are formidable obstructions to Ar-
chitectural proportion and effect. There is nothing
left now of ecclesiastical munificence as applied
to building ; the revenues of the Church are not,
as in the days of Wler.Lim of Wykeham, ex-
pended in raising splendid Cathedrals and
Churches. We dilapidate those that remain to
us, and accelerate their decay and ultimate ruin
by substitutions of inferior materials in " econo-
mical" repairs.
Mr. SMIRKE is employed in building one of
the additional Churches, and possibly has made
designs for others, but he has considered it pru-
dent to keep them closely preserved from the
blights of criticism. By his continued omission to
exhibit, this Artist appears not willing to sub-
mit his compositions even to the praises of Critics,
and they accordingly demur a little at his want
of confidence in their judgment, and his coyness
and rejection of their flattering Milts, which it
seems they are ready to improve into more posi-
tive notice, if he will give them an opportunity :
perhaps he sets an equal value upon their praise
and disapprobation, and will neither be put to
the trouble of blushing at the one or refuting
the other. Merit is usually reluctant and dif-
fident.

The Guardian Critics, however, give to Mr.
SMIRKE a tempting sort of Pisgah view of the
praises in store for him, if he will but fairly put
himself in the way. They have surmised his
ability to rival, by some original composition, the
glories of Athens ; at present, he is content to rival
them by partial applications of the Doric,which has
shone so resplendently in the Attic land, and
continues there magnificent in ruin: He seems
however extremely partial to this particular order,
which he has abundantly copied and applied to
buildings and in places where its severe propor-
tions are not always congenial; its effect in some
of his uses appears lumbering and obstructive, and
in one of his small imitations (that on the flank
of the military club house in Waterloo-place) it
loses all its importance, and the iron fence with
which it is surmounted completes the trivialness
of its appearance. Mr. SMIRKE must have been
dreaming of the fall of the unfortunate ARACHNE,
whom MINERVA transformed into an Architect of
no mean constructive skill, or of some miserable
Iron bridge, when he resolved upon such a cob-
web finish to this portico, which by the way is in
a situation where porticos do not usually appear
in the antique. •

This protege of the Critic then does not im-
press me with such higl. expectations of the pro-
bable effects of his genius as are intimated, and
for the Architects assigned him as coadjutors in
purifying our national taste and the suggested
rivalry of the glories of the Acropolis, they do
do not inspire me with any very lively additional
hope. One of them must be scarcely beyond his
probationary state ; the other did not commence
his studies as an Architect till he was patronized
by Count RUMFORD, the scientif►c arrangement
of whose roasting and boiling inventions were
amongst the first objects of his professional prac-
This course of study the Critic will not

tice.

fail to discover must also inculcate a " Grecian
style," for the Greeks were prodigious amateurs in
culinary proceSses, though not so simple in the
tastes they evinced in such compositions as in their
Architecture. Perhaps the Critic will favour the
public with his opinions upon this important
subject, which p7oh.ably he will better under-
stand than Architectural composition.
Since Writing the foregoing, this indefatigable

hydra of The Guardian appears to have accom-
plished what., might be expected to result from
his abusive.labours; lie has produced that sort of
irritation, which was probably the main intention
of his rerna-rks-. By The Guardian of the 3d
instant, I perceive that there are two Artists who
have been induced to expostulate with him, and

Mr. SOANE, it should seem, has threatened him
with some legal process. I cannot feel much
surprise at this, for we have had, recently, even
a fatal instance of the consequences of intem-
perate remarks upon individuals. I hope, how-
ev-er, that Mr.,So NNE will not attempt to take
any legal notice of this Architectural MERSITES.
On Mr. SoiNe.s part, contempt only should be
shewn to such a critic ; unless, indeed, he would
proceed in the mariner which the following story

intimates as the most effective in such cases :

A,noble statesman, who was about to change
his political party, gave a dinner to his new
friends, the first upon the occasion. I❑ the-draw-
ing-room, where the company, were previously
assembled, the lady's pet parrot was sitting in
his cage rather dull and sulky, perhaps not ap-
proving; what was going on, having been taught
to speak a different political note from which he
coold not depart so readily as his Lordship ; and
one of the courtiErs attempting to coax him into
good humour, threw the bird into a paroxysm of
rage, and it began to scream' " Rogue Pitt !"--
" Rogue Pitt !"- " Coach for Fox !" " Rogue
Pitt l"—The whole room was in alarm, but t

THE SUN.

SOLEM QUIS DICERE FALSUM AUDE4T

LONDON,
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, mu.

Philadelphia Papers to the 6th of May were
received this morning. We subjoin the chief

contents :
" NEW YORK, MAY 4.—(MEx/co.)—Letters
from Vera Cruz, as late as the Ist of April, are
in town. The place was then quiet, and mea-
sures were taking by the Government to prevent
any opposition from the people. The last ad-
vices from the interior state, that the late agita-
tion was not so important as first represented,
and had nearly subsided. During the ferment
that prevailed, the people of Vera Cruz only
wanted some spirited leaders, and they would
have joined in the attempt to establish their inde-
pendence.
"Arrived yesterday the French frigate l'Egerie
in 14 days from Martinique. She was dispatched
by the Governor of the Island with 38 American
seamen in irons, accused of piracy, and sent home
for trial." ..-....
Letters have been received at Boston from
Constantinople, after the arrival of Mr. BRAD/su
there ; they announce that the Turks are very
desirous to make a treaty with our Government.
One of the letters is from the Neapolitan Charge
d'Affai rs .—( From the Palladium of April 27.)
--....ava...
We received liamburgh Papers to the Ist inst.
and Lisbon to the 25th ult. this morning. The•
contents are as follow :
" Sr. PETEP.SBUGH, MAY 16.—Instead of the
Regiments of the Guards, which have marched
away, we have now troops of the line to do the
duty of the garrison.
" Ad vices have been received from Captain
Billinghausen, who commands the vessel sent on
a Voyage of Discovery to the South Sea. In
May 189:0, he was at Botany Bay. After sailing
from Rio de Janeiro, he had discovered in south
latitude 56°, three islands which were covered
with snow and ice : a volcanoe smoked in 'one of
them. Captain. B. saw no traces of a southern
i Continent. Did such an one exist it would
doubtless be covered with snow and ice, and bel 1
inaccessible.
" WARsAw, MAneu 21,—The Grand Duke'
Constantine set out yesterday to meet the Em-
peror, who will arrive here on the 24th.
" Faom THE DANUBE, -MAY 21.—After long
debates, it has been resolved in the Divan at
Constantinople, to call over a new and powerful
Turkish army from Asia to Europe. Strict orders
have accoi•Slingly been sent to several Pachas. The
Porte designs to have two large armies, one on the
Danube, the other in Macedonia. Meantime all
the disposable troops are assembling in Rumelia,
whence they must advance over Mount Ilintis
to Bulgaria. The Janissaries who are in and
about Adrianople are to form the van-guard of
this army. The Janissaries in Constantinople are
speedily to march from that city. The Russian
Ambassador had frequent conferences with the
Ministers of the Porte. Ali Paella of Joannina
has, received overtures of conciliation, and of
1 being restored to favour if he will be 'content

with the province of Albania ; but it is said, he
has declined to negociate till the Turkish troops
have evacuated Albania, a proposal to which the
Porte is not likely to agree.
CZERNOWITZ (Capital of Isuckorvina), MAY
41.—Famijies. and fugitk Greeks daily arrive
here from MoldNkiaWe have about 800 house
here, and every inhabitant is eager to shelter the
fugitives ; but we have no more room. M. Raal,
the Austrian agent, arrived here on the 4th from
Jassy ; soon after several Boyar families of dis-
tinctionarrived from the same place. They offered
a high rent for a few ill furnished rooms ; but
every house is full, and they must travel further.
At Rudschuk, and, according to other accounts,
at Silistria, and again, according to others, at
both places, the Turks have passed the Danube,
and it was feared they would enter Jassy on the
Sth. Terror pervades them, for they unsparingly
destroy whatever is in their way. Of Ypsilanti
we know nothing certain: sometimes he is said
to have joined Aly of Joannina, sometimes to
have gone to Bulgaria ; then to have retired to
the mountains of Transylvania; then to have en-.
• trenched himself with 40,000 men at Bucharest.
The number of Greeks murdered in Constanti-
nople amounts to thousands. The furious people
cut off the heads of the victims with the greatest
indifference. Ten or twelve fall on one person,
ill treat him so as to make him desperate, and
when he is so exasperated that he can resist no
longer, they cry out to him " nie bolze" (don't
be afraid), and cut off his head. This " nie
bolze" is now the dreadful watchword in the
Turkish capital, which daily and hourly re-
sounds in all the streets inhabited by Greek
Christians.

" FROM BESSARABIA, MAY 7.—The efflux. of
Greek fugitives from Jassy and the neighbour-
hood exceeds all belief, and those that turn to
the Buckowina are equally numerous. Hi-
therto only rich and distinn-uished families
came, chiefly women and children. They affirm
that there are among Ypsilanti's troops officers
from Italy and France. .The Turks, who have
passed the Danube, are iii 'full march to Bucha-
rest and Tergowist. On their way they have
cut to pieces 27 Arnauts belonging to Ypsilanti,
and 25 armed peasants.

44 BUCIIAREIT, APRIL 20.—0 n the 21st April,
we learnt that Captain Jeneza had quitted the
corps of Ypsilanti, and that the latter bid en-
trenched himself -in Tergowist. The troops are
highly dissatisfied with him, disperse in all dire"'
Lions, and accuse him of deceiving them, as he
had not only promised the aid of the Rtls"
sians, but affirmed that the Greeks had taken
all the fortresses on the Danube.—Theodore is als°
entrenching himself in his convent, but has recor-
ed with respect the agent of Prince Callimachi
at Bucharest, and being questioned as to his itns
tentions declared he would desist from his enter'
prise as soon as the grievances were redresseul -
which he had drawn up a statement in 48 arti,cles'
The agent promised to lay this before the Prince
his Master.
" LI3BON, MAY 25.—The papers of lagt 0'014;
contain little but the account of the sittings °`
the Cortes. The Decree respecting the disnlis-
- of the-English Officers is now officially Pub'
lished ; it is exactly in the same terms as bags
already been made known. The Cortes has
discussed, in several successive sittings, the Pw't
on the Liberty of the Press, in 28 articles.---M°'
of them were agreed to : many occasioned wall°
of
debates, and several were amended; the Owle
the Law, with the amended articles,,bas beer'
ferred back to the Committee, to be dracP cP

conformably to the decision of the Cortes.
" In the Sitting of the 24th, M. Serpa; en t.'°
o
part of the Committee appointed to examine Ili
riu
geese
'
papers
terrelative
Ato g e then ts conducti
gonf
, , tO
that
read a Report from the Committee, stating,
0111,
the Government having made the necessarY
munication to all, the first who excused hinli9e4
was the Resident in England, unless he reTw,ii
orders from his Majesty ; that the sec°ll:o re•
Jose Anselmo Correa, and three other* /17:1 the
fused passports to vessels, and deeWe—
Portuguese ports in a state of bloel‘ade
that the above Correa and others 113 d Pa
direct
were le
fished various papers, &c. which
libels on the nation, and might have done infin
c,
mischief. The Committee thought
to then ation:
should be considered as treason
• dby h
atlthortse
that they were in no manner
Majesty, that their conduct merited punish veld
which they 0111;
but that there was no law to
Corte
be rendered amenable : but that the
ought to censure their proceedings, and cleclro
employed on ftr,..4
them incapable of being
missions.
it was resolved, that the Report should e
printed, anal the paper on :;hick it was fouoe,
ed laid on the table, to be examined by V
puties." their condu

SHIP NEWS.

THE DISCOVERY SHIPS.

WIDEWAL, MAY 22.—This day the Hecht
and Fury, Discovery Ships, with the Nautilus
transport, sailed from this harbour, having been
detained by contrary winds ; the crews are all
is good health and spirits.

DEAL, JUNE s.—Wind S. W.—Arrived and sailed for the
River the Castle Huntly, Drummond, from China ; Fame,
Trickey, from Lisbon ; Regard, Fligg, from Patre.s ; Dennison,
from Juernel ; Hutton, Montgomery, from Jamaica ; and
Hannah, Neway, from Havannah. Came down from the River
the Andromeda, Stewart, for Madras ; Express, Barrett, for
Gibraltar ; Tranby, Forster, for St. John's, N. B. ; Arpheus,
Christal, for Smyrna ; George 111., Harrison, for Antigua ;
Isabella, Little; and Ann, Milne, for Teneriffe ; and Helen,
Gibson, for Quebec ;—most of the outward-bound have sailed.
PORTSMOUTH, JUNE b.—Wind W. S. W.—Arrived his
Majesty's ship Redpole from a cruise ; Defence transport from
the Mediterranean ; Fox, ditto, from Plymouth ; and Albion,
Adams, from Galikoli. Passed up Channel the Tontine, Tur-
ley, from Philadelphia.
COWES, JUNE s.—Put in here the Mayflower, late Gibles,
from Charente, in consequence of the Master dying.
FALmou TH, J UNE 3.—Wind S. S. W.—Arrived the Stan-
mer packet, with a mail from Lisbon, in eight days ; and Trium-
virate, Green, from Tarragona, in 32 days. Sailed the Diomede,
Renday, for Amsterdam. Arrived off the port the Nancy,
Cowell, from Rio Janeiro, in 80 days, for London.

AIAnINE NTE LUMEN CE.—Upon a representation from
the " Society of Ship-Owners of this Port," to the Treasury,
the :I,lembers for Newcastle have received an assurance, that
the proposed additional duty of five shillings per cent. upon
time policies, shall not take place. This will avert an expence
in the Insurances of this Port of not less than 50001. per
annum ; and is another and striking proof of the utility of this
Society, in -matching over the interest of the Ship-owner.—
t.Newcastlc Courant.)