The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-11-16 00:00:00

our next

" We lament to observe, that the press in Liverpool is
doing much injury to the best interests of art, by a system
of remarks (not criticisms) upon the pictures in the present
Exhibition : we allude more particularly to the ill-judged
notices of the Standard and the Chronicle; the writers in
both these papers are evidently totally unacquainted with the
subject on which they profess to write. In illustration, we
need only refer to the blunderings of the Chrbnicle, both in
manner and matter, and the " fleshings" of the Standard,
coupled with a general vulgarity of style, eminently calcu-
lated to disgust the friends of art. We can assure their
editors, that Liverpool is the only town' in which such bad
taste is displayed, and we trust we may venture to hope that,
in future, these gentlemen will confine themselves to writing
upon subjects they may chance to understand, and not imi-
tate Sir Roger de Coverley, who deemed it his duty to make a
speech whether to the purpose or not."
Now, it must be quite clear upon whose authority the
above statement is made. The paragraph evidently emanates
from the " Liverpool Academy," perhaps indited by the
president himself, whose immortal work, No. 184, " Going
out with the Keeper," hangs in a very conspicuous corner of
the large room to the left of the entrance of the second
apartment. We noticed this picture in the following terms :
" 184. ' Going Out with the Keeper.' C. BARBER, Liver-
pool.' This work is by the President of the Liverpool
Academy. It certainly stands per se, as it is without doubt
the worst painting in the Exhibition. The bow-wows are
portraits of some in the possession of Mr. Eastee, our next
door neighbour, only his animals look the more natural."
In the Chronicle we find remarks upon the same work to
the following effect :

" 184. ' Going Out with the Keeper.' This gentleman
had better remain in with a keeper ere he venture to smug-
gle such a thing as this into any exhibition. Some one must
surely have imposed on the committee in this as well as in
others."

These notices have given great offence. Ours, we know,
has proved particularly vexatious. Whether our opinions
are correct or not we leave the public to judge. Let any
body inspect the picture. We certainly did not draw atten-
tion to the larger animal represented thereon, because we
were not aware of its class ; but as we have since understood
it to be a pony, we may as well call it so. We shall not here
notice this work of art any further, because we shall do so
at length in a few observations upon the Liverpool Academy
—its members, and their claims to public consideration and
favour.

The plain tale of the above paragraph in the Art Union is
this—wishful of giving the Art Union the intelligence that
the prize of the year had been awarded to Mr. Webster's
picture of " The Boy and—(not of)—many Friends"—re-
specting which award, anon—the writer of the paragraph
avails himself of the opportunity of dealing a heavy blow at,
the STANDARD and Chronicle for the pokes they have be-
stowed upon him, while dragging into notice a work which
should have been hung behind a door instead of by its side.
The Art Union, without inquiring into the matter—without
having seen, perhaps, the notices in either paper, relying upon
the authenticity of the authority, inserts the paragraph, and
the contributor is supremely happy.
We have never presumed to call or consider our remarks
criticisms. We have merely endeavoured to draw public at-
tention to such works as we have considered meritorious.
That we have been compelled to omit noticing many works
by the Liverpool academicians is a subject of regret; it is not
from want of inclination, but from the fact that many of their
works are not worth observation—and are best " left in the
shade."

That our remarics have " disgusted the friends of art" may

perhaps be true, if such person-s
can be called friends of art
who admire pictures of the quality of 184, but that we " are
doing it,jury to the best interests of art" we declare to be
false. We have been the means of bringing into notice several
very clever young artists—not academicians—and a reference
to our columns will show that we have been at all times ready
and willing to advance the cause " and best interests of art."
We may, perhaps,. have unintentionally and slightly
damaged the reputation of a bad painter, who he may be
esteemed a good teacher ; but how can a man inculcate
thoroughly the principles of an art which he knows only in
theory ? But this is from the subject. As to the Art Union
taking upon itself to denounce our notices, we shall say but
little, because we consider it has fallen into a snare which it
Would not have avoided, if fully acquainted with the subject.
We shall await
.patiently the appearance of next month's
number, when its own remarks upon the Liverpool exhibi-
tion will appear. If of no better quality than its usual
notices, we think we may court comparison, with a trifling
balance in our favour.

A word or two upon the adjudication of the prize to Mr.
Webster's picture of the " Boy and many friends." We
cannot see why this picture should have been selected " to
bear off the bell." It is a deserving and very clever one we
admit, but if we are rightly informed, it has long since passed
out of the painter's possession, and at a good price, and it
has been exhibited elsewhere! What encouragement is this
to the artists of Liverpool or any other place to compete for
a prize? Why, artists now will go back to those who have
paid them liberally for their works, and say, " Sir, lend me
the picture I painted for you last year, I want to exhibit it
at Liverpool, as I think it may carry off the prize." What
advancement is this to the " best interests of art." It is
positively ridiculous to award a prize to a picture that has
been sold and paid for. It is not ourselves but the academy
itself that is doing injury to the arts—if injury is effected,
which, however, we do not think is the case—it is not our
remarks, hut the vanity, absurdity, and exclusiveness of the
academy that will damage the " best interests," and disgust
the lovers of fine arts.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL

STANDARD

SlR,—The tide of conveniently assumed loyalty which
formerly manifested itself in the boisterous professions of
self-interested radicalism, has, as was confidently predicted
by every sagacious observer of the signs of the times. long
since arrested the commotion of its waters; and, with re-
ference to the " good old town " in which we reside, let
Clayton-square bear testimony to the fact, that the voices of
our liberal gentry have not latterly become hoarse, nor have
their throats been made sore, by dint of any very extrava-
gant professions of attachment to the throne. Rathbone,
the thrice-rejected, laments in solitude in his retreat at his
favourite Greenbank ; and Colonel Williams seems resolved
to keep snug in his retirement at Woolton, not having, since
the occurrence of the recent glorious changes, condescended
to favour the world with any proofs of his political existence,
if we except a few letters in which, through that veracious
organ of the radicals, the Mercury, (nomen ingens he has
recently thought proper to vent his spite upon our noble and
valued representative, who cannot, indeed, be said to be
otherwise than honoured in becoming the subject of the
coarse and vulgar abuse of such a man. But for loyalty,
truly, we must look to some other quarter, rather than to-
wards the votaries of a disappointed and furious radical fac-
tion. The general and thorough defeat sustained by their
party may, perhaps, in some measure, be admitted as an
apology for their wrath ; but can certainly form, on the sup-
position they are sincere, a most wretched palliation of their
glaring inconsistency in abandoning our gracious Queen,
without a sigh or a protest so far as she is concerned, to the
guidance of men whom they have, in time past, been assidu-
ous in maligning as the country's worst enemies, and as
royalty's determined foes,—men, in short, who could never
be permitted to hold the reins of authority, without the sa-
crifice of everything which a patriot should hold most dear.
Yet such is the fact, and it seems very clearly to expose the
real nature of those loyal and disinterested feelings which
are cherished by the liberal party.

But with all true conservatives, whom I shall take the li-
berty of characterising as the sole bond fide loyalists of the
realm, the elevation of the present ministry to power must
indeed form a subject of patriotic exultation. That a minis-
try who, at the commencement of their career, held forth
promises of peace, economy, and reform—a ministry indebt-
ed for their elevation to power to the unqualified pledges
which they gave as regarded these three particulars—should,
immediately on their inability to realise these engagements
becoming manifest, be exposed to the lofty indignation of a
discerning British public, and, ultimately, to all the odium
of a literal expulsion from their respective posts, is a fact
which redounds to the honour of the nation whose concerns
that ministry had so long and so grossly mismanaged. I
may here, Mr. Editor, be allowed to make the remark, that
there is one circumstance in connection with the general
election before adverted to, deserving of especial notice. It
is that those who had previously rendered themselves most
prominent by their vigorous advocacy and espousal of the
conservative cause, were invariably returned to parliament
by unusually large majorities, at the hands of their respec-
tive constituencies. Sir R. Peel, Lord Stanley, Sir James
Graham, our own noble and highly-valued representative
Lord Sandon, and others, will form apt illustrations of the
truth of this remark. Thus, therefore, has practical proof
been given of the fact, that the country viewed with appro-
bation the manly and independent line of conduct pursued
by the leading parliamentary champions of our glorious
cause ; and thus, in a word, is the conservatism of the great
bulk of the population of England made manifest beyond the
shadow of a doubt. _ _

The political and social amelioration of Ireland, I would
further remark, is a subject so important as to demand the
serious attention of our new administration. While no one
would be more prompt than myself to dis Courage any mode
of procedure at all savouring of persecution, I would yet
most strenuously contend that effectual measures should
with all promptitude be taken, with the view of securing
protection to life and property—a course of conduct the
adoption of which will he infinitely better calculated to pro-
mote the prosperity of Ireland, by offering inducements to
the resident landlord, than the truly absurd practice too
often resorted to, of declaiming against absenteeism as a
crime, when, in point of fact, many places, and especially in
the southern districts; have been so infested by the midnight
depredator and the lawless assassin, that no u.an, invested
with our common attribute of reason, could for a moment
seriously cherish the intention of residing on his own estate,
if in possession of any means of establishing his residence
elsewhere.
But better days, let us trust, are about to dawn, and to
extend even to the many benighted districts so frequently to
be met with in the south of Ireland. Under the auspices,
indeed, of a truly liberal and loyal, because conservative go-
vernment, very sanguine expectations may reasonably be

entertained that the whole of that beautiful and naturally-
productive country will speedily undergo an amelioration of
condition. The Irish are themselves, in many instances,
prepared for this. The writer of this letter had recently
occasion to pay a visit to Dublin, and, though it is well
known that there the arch-agitator has chosen to take up
his head-quarters, it affords him much pleasure to be ena-
bled to state, that while over too many, alas ! of the popula-
tion of that city that turbulent demagogue exercises an un-
happy influence, there are not a few who regard himself and
his conduct with a virtuous and richly-merited abhorrence.
Believing that the sentiments to which I have now given
expression will commend themselves to the sympathies of
yourself and the numerous readers of your valuable journal—
that you will agree with me that conservatives, who are at
all times ready to attest their loyalty by deeds as well as by
words, are the truly loyal, liberal, independent citizens,-1
venture to request the insertion of these remarks, and re-
main, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant and constant
reader, ANGLICANUS.
Nov. 13th, 1841.

MRS. CLARKE'S BENEFIT.—We perceive that this very
general favourite and clever actress has announced her bene-
fit to take place on Monday next. Those who wish to be
present must be quick in securing places, as the attractive
nature of " the bill," and the merits of the bene:ficiare, will
cram the house to the very ceiling.
PRAISEWORTHY CONDUCT.—On Sunday last, a boy, wbo
was probably amusing himself at the time, fell accidentally
into Canning Dock. Several men were passing at the time
and ran for the life buoy, but in the meantime policeman
389, hearing of the occurrence immediately ran to tha spot,
and without ceremony plunged into the water, and succeeded
in keepinE the boy above water until he brought him safe to
shore. We hope such meritorious conduct will be favourably
regarded by the Marine Society, as in all probability the
boys life would have been sacrificed but for the timely inter-
ference of the policeman. •

Vottrp.

SIMILES

(For the Liverpool Standard.)
When on the water's placid face _
Rudely the pebble's force descends,
The infant circlet you may trace,
As round its mimic life extends.
See how, at first, with youthful strength,
It widens its expansive sweep ;
And, weak'ning with its age, at length

Melts elowly in t

Ah! such is LIFE!
How short its span

3 manhood's day,

Now shines the glorious orb of day,
Diffusing beauty, life, and light :
Joyousness tints each playful ray—
Nature reflects that radiance bright !
How chang'd the scene! Yon teeming cloud
Hath cast its veil athwart the sky ;
And now the tempest, fierce and lou
Dispels those charms that pleas'd tb
Thus, HAPPINESS sheds smiles and sl
And now sad sorrow's tears bedew the

ne round

Rivers, wherever they may stray,
Whether o'er rugged rocks they swell,
Through urban scenes pursue their way,
Or beautify the sylvan dell,
All onward to the ocean roll,
Submiss to its authority :
They swell the vast, unmeasur'd whole—
Absorb'd in its immensity !
LOVE is the ocean of the mind ! And so
All feelings else into that ocean flow !

Look on that star! so fair, so bright,
Shedding its silv'ry rays around ;
Cheering the darksome, dreary night;
With beauty studding the profound!
Fairer and brighter still it seems,
Amidst its sparkling sisterhood—
Their lustre 'minish'd by its beams,
But only prov'd less bright, less good !
So VIRTUE shines, with rays of peace and love
Adorns the earth, and glitters, then, above !

There blooms the rose, the garden's pride'
In loveliest loveliness array'd :
No flow'r that gems the earth
More plainly tells the Hand that made
Alas! the heedless, cruel blast
Assails it with its vip'rous breath
Now, it lives only in the past,
Shrunk in the cold embrace of e

a besid

How like to BEAUTY Such its lasting bloom
It charms to-day ; to-morrow—in the tomb!
Liverpool, Nov. 13, 1841

LITERARY NOTICES

Smallwood's Magazine and Colonial Review. Smallwood

London

This periodical presents the greatest

ariety of perhar

of the magazines

The number for this month contair

less than seven tales, a continuation of the History o

nice, by Dr. Shepherd, five pieces of poetry, several reviews
of new works, and twenty pages devoted to colonial affairs.
The articles, as usual with this magazine, are above medio-