The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-05-29 00:00:00

THE WESLEYAN CENTENARY PICTURE.

This beautiful and highly interesting picture is now on
view in the, school-room of the Wesleyan Chapel, Mount-
pleasant. It has been visited by a great number of persons,
belonging or friendly to the Wesleyan connexion, and has
drawn forth the warmest encomiums on the merits of the
artist, for his faithful portraitures of one hundred of the
most distinguished members of that community.
Before noticing the picture in detail, it may be proper to
advert briefly to its origin and object. •
The Wesleyan Conference of 1838 will be fresh in the public
mind. It occurred on the eve of the centenary of Wesleyan
Methodism. As stated in a prospectus of the society, " One
hundred years, distinguished by manifold conflicts, trials,
and blessings, were on the point of closing, since the first
formation of the United Methodist Society, which took its
rise from an extraordinary revival of primitive christianity
in this country, and which had been the means. under God,
of spreading the light and influence of divine truth, through
no inconsiderable portiOn of our globe." It was accord-
ingly agreed to commemorate the centenary, with a view,—
first, to promote a thankful acknowledgment of the fa-
vours God bestowed on the Wesleyan Connexion, and, in
other communities, through its instrumentality ; secondly, to
exhort the members of the connexion to review the princi-
ples, tempers, and conduct of their venerated predecessors,
and to follow their example ; and thirdly, to encourage the
liberal promotion of pecuniary offerings to God for the sup-
port and enlargement of such institutions, and the adoption
of such other measures as might be deemed promotive of the
general objects in view.
The Rev. Thomas Jackson, who was president for the
year, accordingly called a meeting of the principal ministers
and gentlemen of the body, at the Oldham-street Chapel, and
a truly respectable and numerous assemblage was the grati-

fying result. The meeting was prolonged- for three days.
About £30,000 were cheerfully subscribed as an oblation to
the Author of all mercy. Other meetings of a similar nature
followed in various important towns throughout the kingdom,
and finally in places abroad.
The meeting at Manchester was composed of Christian
ministers, some of them of great age and long tried service,
of the oldest and most revered members of the society, who
had personally known its venerable founder, and his early
co-adjutors, and of j uni ors, both clerical and lay, who were at-
tached to the society.

It was thought that a representation of this interesting
meeting, ably executed, would be acceptable to the members
and friends of the Wesley connexion, both now and in future
times. Mr. Agnew of Manchester, undertook to supply the
representation. He engaged Mr. Du Val, an artist of ac-
knowledged merit, to take correct likenesses from personal
sittings of those who attended the commemoration, and he
also engaged the services of an eminent engraver, capable of
doing justice to the subject.
The picture is now completed. The place of meeting is in
the Oldham-street Chapel, within which are depicted faith-
ful likenesses of one-hundred members of the society. The
interior of the chapel, with the galleries filled with ladies, the
organ loft, &c., is excellently painted. The principal value
of the picture, however, is the exact delineation of the
numerous clergymen and
_laymen who occupy the body
of the edifice—the oldest Wesleyan Methodist Chapel,
and doubly interesting from its having been that in which
the amiable founder of the society was wont to pro-
mulgate his principles and doctrines. On a raised platform
in the centre are the senior ministers of the connection, in-
cluding the Rev. Jabez Bunting, who appears as if having
concluded an address to them present, and is conferring
while he yet stands with the chairman, the Rev. Thomas
Jackson, both excellent likeliesses. The other members
present are standing, or seated in front.
Of the merits of the portraits, we need scarcely say more
than that the spectators require no key to their individuality :
they are immediately recognized by all who knew them, and
who pronounce them to be admirable representations of the
originals in face, figure, and expression. We noticed
amongst them striking portraits of our townsmen, Mr.
T. Sands, Mr. Crook, Mr. Anderson, Mr. James Wood,
and Mr. G. Royle Chappell, of Manchester; the Rev. James
Dixon, James Heald, Esq., the Rev. Robert Newton, secre-
tary of the society, the Rev. Jos. Entwistle, Rev. R. Reece,
and many others. The artist has managed his counterba-
lancing lights to admiration, and the whole picture is worthy
of the important occasion. Considering the great number
of figures, it is considered by judges to be peculiarly well
arranged. It derives additional interest from the melancholy
fact that several of the respected originals have, since their
likenesses were taken, been numbered with the dead, namely,
Mr. John Marsden, the Rev. John Anderson, Mr. W. Fish-
wick, and Mr. John Serjeant, of Huddersfield.
Subscribers names for the engraving from this beautiful
picture are received by Mr. Agnew, at the school-room, and
by others, as will be found by the advertisement.

THE ORIGINAL TRINITY HOUSE PORTRAIT OF
HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON.

We had occasion to notice, a short time ago, Mr. Lucas's
fine picture of " our gallant Duke," in his robes of office, as
Chancellor of the University of Oxford. It is now our
pleasing duty to commend another, and also a signally suc-
cessful effort of the same distinguished artist on the same
subject, on view at Mr. Lacey's, 80ld-street.
It has often been stated that " comparisons are odious,"
but we trust that the adage properly applies as between the
works of different authors, and may without offence, be set
aside when a particular production of an author or artist, is
to be compared with another emanating from the same hand
and the same mind. Be this as it may, we shall scarcely be
visited by the displeasure of Mr. Lucas, or that of his ad-
mirers, as a limner, when we state our opinion, that in this
instance he has—splendid as was his University picture—in
the present portrait excelled himself. Both pictures convey
admirable likenesses, and we desire not to withdraw one
word of the praise we bestowed upon that already noticed :
we would but award a still higher mead of approbation on that
under review, as a less gaudy, a better ordered—in fine, a
more appropriate semblance (particularly as regards cos-
tume\ of the gallant veteran. The country knows the Duke
principally as the first military man of his age, and in
collateral connexion with that title, since the " Field
of Waterloo," as Warder of the Cinque Ports, as Con-
stable of the Tower of London, and as Master of the
Trinity House. The brotherhood of the latter esta-
blishment, desirous of doing themselves honour, by plac-
ing in their gallery a likeness of the Duke, mutually
suggested.the garb in which he should
.be depicts:A,. to be the
official costume of their Master, which is of a plain and be-
coming comixture of the military and naval, equally appli-
cable to the other two offices referred to. It is a suit of blue
faced with scarlet, and the only decorations worn are the
" Star" of the order of the " Garter," the Waterloo
Medal, and the Golden Fleece.
The portrait is a full length, with the arms folded on the
breast, an attitude of repose peculiar to the gallant Duke.
and recognized by all who have frequently seen him. The
countenance is admitted to be a striking likeness, both in
outline and expression. The artist hal the advantage of
numerous sittings of his Grace. It is well remarked of this
picture by the Times, that " most full length portraits of
this celebrated man represent him as taller and stouter than
he really is ; in this portrait his Grace is painted as he ac-
tually is, and every part of the representation depicts his
living attitude, manner, and appearance." In the other
parts of the picture the artist has exhibited his usual mastery.
The drapery appears to be veritable cloth, and even the boots
worn by his Grace confess the shining virtues of Day and
Martin, and show the various wrinkles of an easy fit. The
decorations even are thrown out in vivi-similitude to metal.
The furniture is also admirably painted. The vacated arm
chair seems to invite the beholder to feel the softness of its
cushioned back, and two books—an atlas, bound in old rough
calf, and another on the floor with gilt edges, appear as
though they could be taken up and perused. The table
cover, of embos'ed leather, is also excellent. On the table
lies a chart of the harbour of Dover. In the back ground is
appropriately seen a view of the Tower of London. The
accessories are wrought out with Mr. Lucas's accustomed
skill, and the whole may be placed amongst the list of those
works of art which do honour to the age in which we live,
and the high merits of which cannot fail to be acknowledged
by posterity.
It will be seen by an advertisement in another column,
that a splendid engraving from this portrait, by the cele-
brated H. Cousins, Esq., will shortly be published. A. large
number of subscribers have already been obtained.

INQUESTS.

Before P. F. CURRY, Esq. coroner.
DEATH FROM SUFFOCATION BY A FISH BONE.—On
Tuesday an inquest was held on view of the body of a female
child, of about one year and nine months old, named Dol-
man, at the house of her parents. It appeared that on the
afternoon of Monday the deceased was standing in a chair,
when she suddenly became black in the face. She was im-
mediately taken to a druggist in the neighbourhood, and after-
wards to the Northern Hospital, but died in about a quarter
of an hour afterwards. The deceased had eaten a little ray
fish at her breakfast in the morning, and had afterwards po-
tatoes and gravy for her dinner. On a post mortem exami-
nation by Mr. Arnett, who had previously attempted to re-
store animation without avail,—a fish bone was found stick-
ing in th e upper part of the windpipe, which was the cause
of death. Verdict accordingly.
SUDDEN DEATH FROM ANEURISM OF THE HEART.—
On Wednesday an inquest was held touching the death of
Archibald Stewart, a custom-house officer, who resided in
Rushton-court, Houghton-place. The deceased, who was a
temperate man, had been on duty night and day on board of
a vessel lying in the Waterloo dock, and on Monday even-
ing, at 8 o'clock, left home quite well, to go on board of her.
He returned about 6 o'clock on Tuesday morning, and did
not complain of anything being the matter with him. He
asked his wife to make him a cup of coffee ; but before she
could do so, he suddenly fell on the floor. His wife attempted
to bring him round, and a young woman went for a surgeon,
who came in about five minutes, but the deceased was dead.
Mr. Gaines, surgeon, examined the body of the deceased after
death, and found the right ventricle of the heart ruptured,
which was the natural cause of death. The jury returned
a verdict that the deceased died by the visitation of God.
DEATH FROM EXCESSIVE DRINKING.—Yesterday, an
inquest was held on view of the body of Turner Graham.
The deceased, who was 26 years of age, lived in Grenville-
street, and worked at the docks. On Tuesday evening he
was observed by a porter, named Campbell, who knew him,
in Burlington-street, in the act of falling, and who ran up
and prevented him from coming to the ground. He was
unable to speak, and breathed heavily. Campbell got a cart,
put the deceased (who never spoke) into it, and took him
home. His wife said he had gone out to go to his work that
morning in good health, and she did not see him again until
he was brought home quite insensible. She sent for a sur-
geon, who came, but the deceased was dead. She added that
the deceased had been in the habit of taking a little drink some
time past, but latterly lie had not done so. Previously to
being taken home, the deceased was seen, in Burlington-
street, by a woman who knew him, and he appeared to be in
drink, as he staggered a good deal. He stood against the
wall, as if unable to go further, and when she,spoke to him,
he was unable to reply• A coal-trimmer, named Reynold,
said, that in the afternoon of Tuesday he saw the deceased at
the Clarence Dock. There was a puncheon of whiskey
lying on the quay, and he saw the deceased sucking the liquor
through a cane, or something like it, out of the puncheon.
The witness could not tell how much he took as he left him
there. Mr. Ackerley, surgeon, who had been called to the
deceased and found him dead, said that he had made a post
mortem examination of the body. He found great effusion
of blood upon the brain and congestion of the vessels. The
stomach contained a good deal of fluid, and smelled very
strong of whiskey or gin. There was no appearance of food
on the stomach, and the other organs were in a healthy state.
It was his opinion that the deceased had died of apoplexy,
brought on by excessive drinking of ardent spirits. The jury
returned a verdict in accordance with that opinion.

NEW MAGISTRATE •—We understand that Thos. Cooke,
Esq., of Corse Field, Pendleton, has been placed upon the
commission of the peace for the county of Lancaster.
Charles Kean is announced at the Haymarket theatre for
Monday night after an absence of 12 months. Hamlet is the
play, and although it has been so frequently represented dur-
ing the present season, yet so great is the anxiety of the pub-
lic to greet this favourite actor on his return to England,
that nearly all the places are already secured for his nights of
performance in the ensuing week.— Morning Herald of
Thursday.
MANCHESTER AND SALFORD JUNCTION CANAL.—We
are glad to learn, from an advertisement which appears in
another column, that the canal connecting the river Irwell
with the Rochdale Canal, which has been closed for several
months past, on account of the imperfect manner in which
some of the work had been executed, is to be re-opened for
traffic on Monday next.