The Sun.
London, England, 1829-06-23 00:00:00

WEST'S GALLERY,

This sale throughout has caused a sensation very credit-
able to the lovers of the Fine Arts ; it is a demonstrative
proof of reverential feeling which the proud testimonials of
the late venerable President of the Royal Academy have
every where inspired. The finest and most celebrated of
his works were included in the splendid Exhibition sold a
month since, the proceeds of which amounted to about
25,000 guineas. The sale, which terminated yesterday,
consisted chiefly of the unfinished works of the immortal
West, including a few of his early efforts. In introducing
them to public competition on Saturday, Mr. George Robins
(who has been honoured by the disposal of the whole), in
a concise address said that most of the precious gems (the
labour of a long and laborious life) having already passed
into other hands, he invited those present not to neglect
the opportunity which now offered, to secure and to hand
down to posterity even the smallest records of a great man,
who had the courage and good feeling to relinquish the
most profitable part of his professional pursuits, and devote
himself entirely to Historical Painting. Almost all the
Academicians were present, and the prices obtained afforded
the best proof of the estimation in which even his unfinished
works were held. We subjoin only a few of the prices :
Lot. Gs. Lot. Gs.
46 A Drawing after Rubens 140 66 Damon and Musidora 80
47 A Proof Print of Wolfe 45 77 The Israelites 45
51 The Cartoons, small size 40 83 The Golden Calf
53 The Angel Sheathing 87 The Resurrection 2O
the Flaming Sword... 45 95 Venus and Adonis l7O
68 The Institution of the 104 Destruction of the Batte-
Order of the Garter... 300 ries before Gibraltar 55
We have not space for the result of yesterday's sale ; not
a circumstance occurred worthy of being recorded. At the
first sale Mr. D'Olman (a gentleman of fortune) purchased
the picture of Abraham and Moses Sacrificing, for 60
guineas, but discovered that the place he had appropriated
for it was not sufficiently large, and therefore determined
(with the permission of Mr. West's Representatives) to
have it re-sold. He did so with great reluctance, and
doubtless expecting to suffer some diminution in price; it
however sold for 110 guineas to Colonel Camac; Mr.
Strutt, the great Artist of Derby, being a bidder at 105
guineas. This fact sufficiently indicates how great was
the anxiety of Connoisseurs to obtain memorials of the late
venerable President. At the conclusion of the sale Mr.
Robins intimated that the extensive assemblage of Mr.
West's fine Drawings, and his private collection of Pictures
by the Ancient Masters, are reserved for sale early in the
ensuing Spring.

On Thursday two gentlemen waited on Lord
MELVILLE, to acquaint his Lordship with a circumstance
respecting the foundation of one of the piers of Waterloo-
bridge, which they deemed worthy of inquiry, not only
with respect to that bridge, but that the experience might
be used with respect to the other works of a similar de-
scription, in which Government might be concerned. It
had come to the knowledge of these gentlemen that a short
time ago some workmen, who were digging for the for-
mation of some works close to the abutment pier on the
Surrey side of Waterloo bridge, had struck against the
piles of the foundation of that pier, and to their surprise
discovered that the parr against whichithey struck was
completely rotten. One of the communicants went to the
place, and, as far as he was able, inspected the piles, when
he found them in the condition reported. He exhibited
to his Lordship a specimen of the wood. It was so
rotten that it might be rubbed to pieces with the
finger. How far the foundations of the other piers
might be affected in a similar manner it was impos-
sible to state. His Lordship thanked the gentlemen for
the information which they had given him, and stated
that it certainly should he attended to. It is a cu-
rious fact that, when one of the walls of the Penitentiary
gave way, it was found that the piles upon which the
wall had been built were completely rotten, and crumbled
to powder on the slightest touch. It is, we believe,
known that timber under ground in dry and moist situa-
tions often decays with great rapidity, whilst it has beets
generally found that timber which has lain completely
under water, and excluded from the action of the atmo-
sphere is perfectly durable. The piles which formed the
foundation of those piers of the old London-bridge which
have been removed, were found to have acquired extreme
hardness. No unfavourable presumptions can be made
.with respect to the condition of the foundations of the
piers of the Waterloo-bridge which are under water, from
the condition of the piles of the abutment pier, which are
not similarly protected.—Morning Paper.