The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-23 00:00:00

and to adopt the most efficient means of rendering-theta
educationally useful.
" Emanating, as this Bill does, from a member of their
body, Mr. Ewart, to whom, in conjunction with others',
the public are greatly indebted for the establishment of
schools of design, and believing that if carried out effi-
ciently by the local authorities, public taste will thereby
gradually be improved, and that much good will result,
the Committee feel entitled to allude to it in terms of
sincere commendation. The connexion between manu-
factures and arts is generally admitted, and has been
always urged in the reports of your Committee ; it is
asserted that we cannot compete with foreign manufac-
turers in some branches of trade because of the want of
knowledge of the arts of desip on the part of the opera-
tives. By providing collections in each town of the
finest casts of the ancient forms of beauty ; giving
general access to them, and making drawing a part of
ordinary education, we might speedily overcome this re-
proach, and become independent of foreign aid.

" The increased facilities of access to- national and
private collections now enjoyed by the public, wax
threatened by the recent demolition of an ancient relic..
The law being found defective—a proof, amongst others,
of the indifference towards the fine arts which has been
entertained by our Legislature—a Bill for the protection
of works of art has been brought into the House of
Commons, and will speedily be made law ; is to
be hoped, that should any evil-disposed persorreoteisoit
similar outrage, he will be punished with 'lour ;
have an interest in maintaining the security of worksiif
art publ'ely exposed, and thereby preventing the renewal'
of an unjust stigma now nearly removed.
" The remission of the duty on glass will be advan-
tageous to painters in water colours, and lead many to
adorn their howes with prints, who otherwise would
not have done so.

" The increased attention paid to the fine arts at our.
Universities, the important proceedings of the royal
commis ion for their encouragement, the rabid spread oF
a d( sire for artistical decorations in our buildings, and
other evidence that the love of art is penetrating the
mind of the country, would afford important matter for
congratulation and commeu.t.
- It is not too much to assert, that the proceedings of
the Art-Union of London have greatly assisted in pro-
ducing the movement now apparent, by leading multi-
tudes to talk and think of art who otherwise had disre-
garded it, and obtaining a more extended consideration
of its value and uses. It will be the duty of the Com-
mittee, as it is their pleasure, to aid in giving this move-
ment a right direction, and they call upon the subscribers,
and they call upon artists, as they have before done, zea-
lously to assist them in the endeavour. _ _ .

" :The great end of art,' says a philosophical writer
of the last century,* has been so little considered, that
many are accustomed to look on pictures as they would
on rich hangings. It is true that some kinds of pictures,
like some kinds of books, can do no more than please.
But the first object of high art is no more to be orna-
mental than the first object of an author is to decorate a
library. Like poets, historians, and philosophers.
painters have the power of instructing whilst
entertaining the mind.' To painters we say, exercise
this power ; produce works to teach as well as please,
and rouse art to her proper station amongst us ; and to
the public we say, purchase these works when produced,
and so lead others to follow the right path—to advance
the character and increase the enjoyments of their coun-
trymen. Seek excellence in every department, from the
lowest to the highest, and remember, that by rewarding
mediocrity to the exclusion of genius which may await
your assistance, you depress talent and commit injustice.
" Let us all bear in mind, that the great object of our
Association is to elevate and diffuse art.

" GEOR 3E GODWIN ? Hon. Secs."
LEWIS I'OCOCK, I
* Richardson's " Art of Criticism."

X a. d.

1845.
Expenses, printing, advertising, pos-
tage. &c.;
Sum allotted for purchase of pictures 9,650 0 0
Ditto for bronzes. 450 0 0
D:tto for medals. 2OO 0 0
Su' reserved for engraving, &c., on out-

960 0 0