The Sun.
London, England, 1842-04-19 00:00:00

LITERATURE

ENCYCLOPiEDIA B ITA 2,71‘71(121
Muck, EthAziryk, 1842.

Part 126

• There is an excellent article on " Savings' Banks"
in. this—the closing Part of the " Encyclopedia Eli-
tannica"-L-wherein an important statistic question is
discussed. in a practical, business-like spirit. The
writer expresses himself warmly in favour of these
Banks, and repudiates the idea that any portion of
their funds can go into the hands of Government,
which, nevertheless, is security for the money. In re-
ference to their increase, since their establishment in
1817, he says, " the total sum of money invested by
these Institutions in England, Wales, and Ireland,
amount at this moment (1841) to upwards of.
22,000,000/. sterling while in Scotland, since 1835,
when the English law on the subject was extended to
that part of the United Kingdom, the progress has also
been very considerable, Savings' Banks having been
established in most of the principal towns ; while in
many places such Institutions still exist, and are
flourishing under the meagre and defective statute of
1819." In addition to several other miscellaneous
articles, the Part before us contains an Index
to the whole Encyclopedia,, which is one of the most
minute, copious, and satisfactory we have ever yet
met with, and must have cost the indefatigable com-
piler a world of time and trouble. By means of this
comprehensive index, every fact and argument intro-
duced into the work may be found without the
slightest difficulty a great recommendation, when
we bear in mind that the Encyelopaidia extends to
not less than twenty-one thick, closely-printed quarto
volumes ! Tlfe Editor's Preface explains in detail the
nature of this multifarious undertaking, its origin and
progress, and the various difficulties against which it
has had to struggle. He tells us it is now 70 years
since the " Encyclopaedia Britannica" first appeared,
during which period it has exhibited gretitgiid various
mutations. Consisting at first of three quarto vo-
lumes of moderate size, "it now," he goes on to ob-
serve, "appears in twenty-one, each, in quantity of
matter, equalling more than two of the original
prototype. Showing, in its earlier stages, no
literary skill above the level of decent abridgment or
compilation, it is now composed of treatises which in
no respect yield to the other original and finished pro-
ductions of the age. The workmanship, at first, of a
few comparatively undistinguished literary denizens
of its native place, its list of contributors now includes
a large portion of that learned host •by whom the
mental sovereignty of Britain is upheld." How-
ever laudatory these remarkS may be, they are not ex-
aggerated, for the Encyclopedia, does really and
truly possess all the recommendations which the Edi-
tor ascribes to it ; among its articles are to be found
essays of the highest literary excellence, and maps
and plates executed by the ablest engravers of the
day. Now, that it is at length brought to a. close, we
have no hesitation in' sving tba,t, as a work of refer
ence, the "Encyclopaedia Britannica" is beyond ail
question the most useful and sterling production of
the age.

FINE ARTS.
EXHIBITION OF 7HE SOCIETY OF
PAINTERS IN WATER-COLOURS.'

We attended a private view of this exhibition on
SaturdV, which were opened to the public yesserday.
It contains not quite so much variety as usual, and
landscapes, as a matter of course predominate. Still,
it is an exhibition by no means below the average, in
point of merit, and some of the paintings are of supe-
rior excellence. Many of them, we perceive, are
marked "sold," but these are not always the best.
No. 2, St. 0 nan, Rouen, gives a good idea of this
fine, old-fashioned city; the view is taken from
the Place Eau de Robec, whence we get a glimpse
of that cathedral whose interior struck one of
the finest of our living poets with the liveliest
astonishment and admiration. The colouring of
this picture has much breadth, and reminds us of
some of Prout's architectural sketches. No. 3is an
illustration of that passage in Marmion, where the
stern old English Baron is cowed by certain signifi-
cant hints let drop by the Palmer. .The dark,
swarthy countenance of the latter, who stands with
his keen, restless eye fixed on Marmion, is very
expressive, and we at once recognise the cha-
racter so strikingly pourtrayed by Sir Walter
Scott. The Baron's figure, however, is some-
what stiff and awkward, and he certainly does not
wear the aspect of a man who is in the slightest degree
cowed. On the contrary; he looks perfectly calm and
collected. The mailed figure by the table, directly in
front of the spectator, maintains a posture not exactly
in keeping with the stiff, cumbrous armour in .which
he is enveloped from head to foot. No. 17, The Cool-
ing .Room of an Egyptian Bath, is from the pencil of
Warren. The figure of the female who is reclining
voluptuously on the couch, fully realises our notions
of the character of Circassian beauty. No. 27, Valley
of Luchan Pyrenees, Town of Bagnere de Louchon in
distance, is chiefly remarkable:for the mastery over
space which the artist has exhibited. As a land-
scape, the sketch has exquisite picturesque beauty.
No. 28, The Moat-house, Ightan, Kent,. is a clever
piece of staid, sober, harmonious colouring. No. 43,
Juliet the Morning.after taking the Sleeping Draught,
is by Hicks. The figure of Juliet is geol, but that
of Paris, who is entering the chamber, is constrained
and clumsy, and the,Friar appears at least ten years
younger than Shakspere has represented him to be.
No.l-10, Scene from Romeo and Juliet, represents Juliet
in the act of awaking in the vault, after she bas reco-
covered from the effects of the narcotic. her Countenane
is deficient in that startling, alarmed expression which
it should wear under such circumstances. It is cha-
racterised by far too much composure. No. 157,
Windsor Castle surrendered to the Roundheads.
There is too much crowding and con lision of
figures in this picture, and the Roundheads cer-
tainly do not appear the stern, remorseless fana-
tics that history has shown them to have been.
The artist has missed the appropriate expression.
, No. 173, The Dairyman's Daughter, is an affect-
ing subject, simply and tenderly delineated. The
figure and attitude of the old Dairyman are com-
plete ; but we protest against the self-complacent,
simpering countenance of the clergyman who is ad-.
ministering consolation to the dying girl. No. 191,
Louis the Fourteenth, and Mademoiselle de la
Valliere, is thoroughly French both in sentiment, and
the style of its execution. The, artist is Rochard.
No. 205, Cornfield, Saffron Walden, "Morning,"
viewed as a piece of colouring, is one of the best pictures
in the exhibition. It is warm, arid glowing, without
being in the slightest degree overcharged. No. 77,
The Woman taken in Adultery, is in E. Corbould's best
manner. The figure of Christ is full of calm repose
and dignity ; there is also much benevolence of ex-
pression in the countenance, whose profile, however
—whether from design or accident, we. know •not—
looks a little too much like that of Macready. The
attitude of the guilty female is very touching and na-
tural. She is crouching on the floor, her averted face
covered with her hand, and looks as if thoroughly
subdued and soul-stricken by shame and remorse.
The design of thedifferent figures in this fine picture
is excellent; and indeed, as a whole, it displays great
merit of composition. It has been already purchased,
we understand, by Prince Albert. No. 58, A Scene
from Crabbe' s Tales of the Hall, represents a man in
prison, who is visited by a female friend. The force
of colouring in this painting is very extraordinary;
it shows indeed not unlike an oil-painting, so truly
effective are its lights and shades. The artist is a lady
named Setchell. There are several other good paint-
ings in the collection, but we have neither space nor
time to enumerate them. On the whole, the exhi-
bition may be pronounced to be a very fair average one.

A LEAF .FROM THE SLAVE'S
CATECHISM, OR A VERY SMALL SAMPLE
OF THE TORTURINGS OF THE INCOME-TAX
INQUISITORS.

(Copy. )

PRECEPT OF THE commlsstoNEas REQUIRING SCHEDULES.
To-, of the Borough of Leeds._

We, John Brooke, Charles Brown, and Thomas Ikin, being
three of the Commissioners appointed to cart y into execution the
general purposes of Acts passed in the 43d, 4.5 th, 46th, and 48th
Years of the reign his present Majesty, for granting to his Ma-
jesty a contribution on the profits artsing from property, pro-
fessions, trades, and offices, and for amending the said Acts,
and regulating the assessment and collection of the duties of
the hundred or division of the said borough of Leeds, do hereby
require you to return, or cause to be returned at our office,
situtte in Call-lane, in Leeds aforesaid, within the space of ten
days after, the (late of this precept, a schedule, containing par-
ticulars as hereunder required.
What sum or sums of money have you employe!). in your
trade of or in any other trade carried on by you during
the three last years ending the sth of April last, distinguishing
the amount employed in each year?
Whether such sum or sums so employed is belonging to each
of you in equal proportions ; or whether any part thereof is
advanced by either of you, or by any other person, at interest,
into your said trade, with the amount thereof, if any ?
The amount of the balance of your profits and gains during
such three years, distinguishing the amount int each year, and
the respective times when such balances were taken ?
The amount of any, and what losses during such year, dis-
tinguishing the nature and particulars thereof in each year?
The particulars of the deductions made by you during such
three years from such profits or gains, distinguishing the nature
and amount of such deductions in each year ?
Thereof fail not.
Givers under our hands this 16th day of Nov. 1811.
JOHN BROOKE,)CHAS. BROWN, Commmissionets."
THOMAS IKIN,
Now, if this was not satisfactory to the meeting; there was
another specimen which would follow after it:—
PRECEPT OF JOIIN BROOKE, THOMAS SKIN, JOHN WILSON,

CHARLES BROWN.
How did the increase arise in the sums of money employed
by you in your trade in the year ending sth of April, 1810 ;
and whence did the decrease arise therein for the year ending
sth April, 1811?
What was the amount of your stock in hand, including book
debts and all your partnership effects, in the several years 1808,
1809, 1810, and ending sth April, 1811, distinguishing the
amount thereof in each year ?
What was the amount of excise duties paid by you in your
trade in each of the above-mentioned years, distinguishing the
amount paid each year ?
How much mr-ney did each of you draw from the stock in the
several years 1808, 1809, and 1810, ending sth April, 1811?
Have you in your estimates of profits included any, and what
sums, expended by you, or either of you,
in support of your
respective families?