The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-11-27 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL MECHANICS' INSTITUTION

LECTURES ON PAINTING.

On Wednesday evening, B. R. Haydon, Esq. the cele-
brated historical painter, whose productions and lectures
have excited so much admiration in this town, commenced a
course of eight lectures upon the Art of Painting.
Genius is the Thundation of excellence, and whatever Sir
Joshua Reynolds may say to the contrary, it can never be
acquired. Indeed, Sir Joshua Reynolds, upon this point,
contradicts himself whenever he speaks of it. If' you have
great genius, industry can only prove it, but if you have it
not, although industry may be exerted ad infinitum, it never
can replace it. Industry can teach no man how to invent.
Dr. Johnson says that genius is nothing but a mind of great
power accidentally turned to some peculiar object, and
Madame de Stael says that it is some faculty of the mind
turned to account. Reynolds says that a man must have no
dependence upon his own genius, but it was not by this that
Alexander conquered the nations on his travel to India, that
Buonaparte carved his way to fame, or that Wellington sub-
dued Portugal. The confidence which a man of genius feels
in his own powers is not the impudence of conceit; and it is the
duty of every state to encourage genius,•whether manifested
by the poorest of the poor. or the richest of the rich.
It is impossible to fix any date for the invention of any art.
In all probability, poetry, painting, sculpture, and music,
were severally called into existence by the first genius that
appeared in either after the creation. To represent objects
as they really appear in nature, constitutes a painter of the
highest class. A deep knowledge of the human form is the
basis of all other artistical knowledge. In consequence of
the art being allowed to pursue its own course in England,
unassisted by state support, and dependent only upon the
patronage of liberal individuals, the highest walks have been
neglected, and in that respect we have gone behind the con-
tinental schools. It has been contended by many, that this
is a national result, as from the nature of the climate, and
habits and dispositions of its inhabitants, the English school
could not be otherwise than a bad one; but excelling as the
English do, in every art where encouragement is given them,
this cannot be a rational argument. One reason why art is
in a low state in England is because artists get money before
they get knowledge. Let the genius of a painter be what it
will, the first patronage which he receives is that of painting
the forms of the family of his patron. Suppose a child mani-
fest any skill in drawing, his juvenile efforts are directed to
the painting of portraits. When more advanced in life he
goes to London, by good fortune paints the likeness of a
chief justice from his native town, and a gallery is formed,
and can it be wondered that our hero looks with contempt at
Michael Angelo, who spent 12 years in dissection, whilst he
has got on without it. He sneers at high art at the dinner
tables of the rich, makes a large fortune, and wonders how
any individual can be found to say there is not any encou-
ragement for art. This class of artists have had all the en-
couragement for the last 70 years, and we have not had a
first-rate historical work of art during that time to grace the
London exhibition. A man has no more right to intrude
upon the public who cannot draw, than a man of letters who
cannot spell, or a surgeon who cannot dissect. In the reign
of Edward 1., English painters drew as well as any painters
on earth at that time. An English exhibition now is a mass
of mis-directed talent. It is impossible that a people so in-
tellectual as the English could be behind their neighbours in
art, if their efforts were properly directed, any more than
they are behind them in any thing else.
In his youth, the lecturer was much struck with the beauty
of the human figure, and soon became convinced that by
analyzing its composition he could easily depict the inferior
animals of the creation. He found that every part of the
human body varies, in action and in repose, that the opposite
contours of each limb always varied from each other, whilst
the sides of the human figure are the same when the man
stands perpendicularly. It was an attention to these and
similar principles by which the Elgin marbles are the finest
productions which the world ever beheld. Ware the Elgin
marbles destroyed, there would be as great a gap in art as
there would be in astronomy, had Newton never existed.
There is no difference of style in the Elgin marbles, but there
is a difference in execution, because in a vast work of this
kind Phidias was obliged to employ different pupils. The
fish of Phidias were so excellently formed, that the poet
Martial paid them this exquisite compliment—" Adde aquam,
et natabunt." Add water, and they will swim. In the
Elgin marbles the eyes of the horses are represented as pro-
jecting and yet sunken like the human eye. Prior to the
discovery of these marbles the eye of the horse was repre-
sented, even by Michael Angelo himself, as sunken. The
ancients never placed the human eye below the centre of the
head, and Sir Walter Scott and Hippocrates had their eyes
below the centre. This, however, does not add to the beauty
of the human face.
It has frequently been asked how the Greeks attained their
faultless perfection. They were men subject to the same joys
and sorrows as ourselves. Did they dissect? All the great
modern masters dissect. The early Greek masters wrote
learned treatises upon their art. Genius is the base of excel-
lence,—from the base of art,—and dissection the basis of
form. There are, however, many artists who say that dis-
section had nothing to do with the excellence of Greek
sculpture, and they ground their belief upon the strong
veneration which the Greeks paid to their dead, and the
severe laws which existed against dissection. To this it may
be answered that there were, until recently, laws in this
• country against dissection : still we know that dissection took
place every day. All the superstition and laws in the world
would not prevent men of genius from pursuing their own
course. It is of great importance-to know whether the Greeks
knew anything of anatomy. John Bell thinks they did not,
but that they succeeded by a surer and an easier rule. This
cannot. be the case : indeed, there is more knowledge of
anatomy required in those parts which do not shew so much
action as in those which do. It must be admitted that many
Greek artists must have seen animals skinned, and if they
did so they must have associated the movements beneath the
skin, when the animals were alive, with what they had seen.
The very arguments which are now used to prove that the'
Greeks did not study anatomy, might be adduced 2,000 years
hence to shew that we (lid not study anatomy. One of the
most powerful arguments in favour of the study of anatomy
by artists is the celebrated letter which Burke wrote from
Italy to Barry. Barry, however, never had the courage to
attempt anatomy, in consequence of which there is not.one
of his figures anatomically formed. • he deepest knowledge
of the human figure must Le the corner-stone of our future
progress; if not so, every school of art will end, as the Bri-
tish Academy has, in the formation of honourable situations
for a few individuals, and in a system of jobbing. The lec-
turer had much better hopes of the country during his late
progress through it, as he had everywhere seen a desire to be
instructed in the art.
The lecturer illustrated this lecture with an anatomical
drawing of a lion and a man in erect positions, and pointed
out the different structures of each. He likewise shewed
that the opposite contours of the human limbs were different
when an individual is standing erect, whilst those of the body
are similar.

IMPORTANT SAVINGS IN SEED WHEAT.—It has been
stated that if dibbling wheat, as practised in Norfolk, Suffolk,
and some other counties, was generally adopted, full
10,000,000 bushels of seed 'might be saved on the 4,000,000
acres of wheat grown annually in England and Scotland;
and allowing eight bushels to each person, would support
1,250,000 persons, who, if employed in weeding the crops,
might double them.—Null Times.
THE CORPORATION NUISANCE OF BIRMINGHAM.—At a
meeting of the anti-corporation committee, held last week,
the Birminyhanz Gazette says, " We understand it was unani-
mously resolved to oppose the charter by every constitutional
means. Its deviations from the provisions of the act under
which it is professedly granted, in the opinion of many pro-
fessional men. render it illegal and ineffective. The borough
lists, which were last week published, have the reputation of
containing the names of many hundred unqualified persons,
but whether objections have been made to any extent we are
unaware. We have heard of no proceeding of the kind from
any body of individuals of either party."
SAFETY GUARDS ON RAlLWAYS.—Speaking of the North
American railways, Mr. Stevenson, in his interesting work
i
on the civil engineering n North America, lately published,
says:—" From the unprotective state of most of the railways,
which are seldom fenced, cattle often stray upon the line,
and are run down by the eugines, which are in some cases
thrown off the rails by the concussion, producing very serious
consequences. To obviate this, and render railway travelling
inure safe, an apparatus, called a guard, has been introduced.
The guard consists of a strong framework of wood, fixed to
the fore-axle of the locomotive carriage, and supported on
two small wheels about two feet in diameter, which tun on
the rails about three feet in advance of the engine. The
outer extremity of the framework is shod with iron, slightly
bent up, and comes to within an inch of the top of the rails.
The upper part of the surface
of the guard is covered with
wood, and the lower part with an iron grating. The appara-
tus affords complete protection to the wheels of the engine.
1 experienced the good effects of it on one occasion on the
Camden and Amboy railway : the train in which I travelled,
while moving with considerable rapidity, came in contact
with a large waggon loaded with firewood, which was lite-
rally shivered to atoms by the concussion. The fragments
of the broken waggon, and the wood with which it was loaded,
were distributed on each side of the railway; but the guard
prevented any part of them from falling before the engine
wheels, and this obviated what might in that case have proved
a very serious accident." This apparatus might be intro-
duced with much advantage on the railways in this country,
on which repeated accidents have happened from similar
causes."

A NOBLE INCIDENT OF HISTORY DISPUTED.—Rear-Ad-
miral Griffiths has thus written to the Sun:—" Since the pe-
riod of Lord Howe's victory, on Ist June, 1791, the story of
the Vengeur French 74 gun ship' going down with co-
lours flying, and her crew crying "Vive la Republique !
Vive la Liberte!" &c., and the further absurdity that they
continued firing the main deck guns, after her lower deck was
immersed, has been repeatedly declared, and has been very
recently re-asserted by a French author. It originated, no
doubt, on the part of the French, in political and exciting
motives—precisely as Bonaparte caused his victory at Trafal-
gar to be promulgated through France. While these reports
and confident assertions were confined to our neighbours, it
seemed little worth the while to contradict it. But now,
when two English authors of celebrity--Mr. Allison, in his
history of Europe during the French revolution, and Mr.
Carlyle, in his similar work—give it the confirmation of Eng-
lish authority, I consider it right thus to declare, the whole
story is a ridiculous piece of nonsense. At the time the Ven-
geur sunk, the action had ceased some time. The French
fleet were making off before the wind, and captain Renaudin
and his son had been nearly half an hour prisoners on board
H. M. S. Culloden, of which ship I was the fourth lieutenant,
and about 127 of the crew were also prisoners, either on board
the Culloden, or in her boats, besides, I believe, 100 in the
Alfred's, and some 40 in the hired cutter, commanded by
Lieut. (the late Rear-Admiral) Winne. Vengeur was taken
possession of by the boats of the Culloden, Lieut. Rotherham,
and the Alfred, Lieut. Deschamps; and Capt. Renaudin and
myself, who were, by Capt. Schomberg's desire, at lunch in
his cabin, hearing the cries of distress, ran to the starboard
quarter gallery, and thence witnessed the melancholy scene.
Never were men in distress more ready to save themselves.

THE MORECAMBE BAY SGHESIE.—The following letter
has been addressed to the editor of the Railway Times:—
"Sir,—As the practicability of an embankment over More-
cambe Bay is no longer thought visionary, and Mr. Hague's
estimates, and the numerous details that have been published
in the Lancashire and Westmoreland newspapers, have pre-
pared the public mind for this gigantic undertaking, far sur-
passing all Greek or Roman fame,' a few hints respecting
the value of the preserved land may probably prove of ser-
vice to some of your numerous readers. lam a native of the
latter county ; but considerably interested as a landowner in
both ; and tt e idea has frequenily occurred to me, that if a few
spirited individuals, with the assistance of the Earls of Bur-
lington and Lonsdale, and the members for the counties,
were to step forward, form themselves into a company,
and obtain an act of parliament for the formation of the
railway, with a proviso, that all the land saved as far
up as the present embankment at Castle Head, Lindal,
and, in fact, where the tide flows, should become their
property, I am convinced that the sale of the land would
more than amply pay for the embankment, with all parlia-
mentary, engineering, and law expences, &c. Mr. Hague
estimates the acres saved at £23 ner acre on 52,000 acres,
which amounts to £1,196,000, Now, lam of opinion, that
the land, if put up to public comretition, would fetch more
than £23 per acre, more like £3O, or even a higher sum, and
that the number of acres would exceed 52,000; in Lancashire
most people say 80,000 acres; and, if I mistake not, the
latter number are what Mr. Stevenson calculated. This land
would be the finest wheat and crop land in the county, and 1
have 'no doubt great part of it has some time or other been in
a state of cultivation ; but having no protection or breakwater
from cliffs, and being nearly on a level with the sea, as well
as lying directly in the teeth of the south-westerly winds, the
strong spring tides have gradually overflowed, and eat the
soil away, so that when once it becomes dry, and protected
from the salt water, its richness will be astonishing, and
more than thrice repay the labour of cultivation."

LIVERPOOL AGRICULTURAL MARKET, N0v.24.
s. (1. s. d. . s. d. a. d.
Old Hay 0 10d1 1 tr2olb
CPotatoes
New Hay OB 1 0 -Cattle Ditto.. 242 6 -
Clover Hay .. 0 8 0 9 - Turnips 26 02% Oper ten.
Straw, Wheat 0 9 010 - Carrots 45 050 0 -
Straw, Oat ... 0 7 0 9-. Manglewurzle 0 0 0 0 -
Straw. Barley 0 7 0 8- Manure 7 0 9 6 -
Clover --

LATEST DATES AT LIVERPOOL.
Direct. Indirect. From Direct. • Indirect.
Calcutta .
Bombay .......Sept... 12 Maranham
Mauritius
Lima
St. Helena.
Rio.
Bahia .... Sept. 23

TIDE TABLE.

Dire. Br- n. I 111.
14. ls:H. M. F. I.
Tuesday 27 .1 4 737 14 5
Wedne.3. 28 S 7 836 35 7
Thursday 29 9.2 926 t 16 8
Friday 36 951 10 15 18 1
Saturday 1 10 38 11 2 18 8
Sunday 2 H 25 11 48 18 5
Monday 3 - . 0 1.1 18 1.

Length of night 16h. Om.
Monn in Perigree Ilh. even,
Venus it, con. with Saturn,
St. Andrew. [Oh. 15w. e
Shturn rises.
Advent Sundi

Saturn sets 3h: 26m. even,

PACKET BOATS.—FALMOUTH STATION
GENERAL ,POST-OFFICE, Nov. 23.
Maas made Last Packets Next Packets.
DESTINATION. up en Sailed. Due.
London.
.___--- — --
Holland Tues. & Fri. - Mon. & Thurs.
Hamburg & Swed Tues. & Fri. Tues. & Satur.
Lisbon
N Liverpool, Royal Tar,
Madeira ...
..
Nov. 19. Nov. 25.
Spain &ibralt.
Malta and Greece.. 2nd Saturday Tagus, Nov. 12.
Egypt and India .. 4th Saturday Braganza, 0ci.29
'Madeira - Opossum,
Brazil & B. Ayres each month Nov. 9. Nov. 23.
America ...... ... Ist Wednes. Reindeer,Nor 10 Skylark,Nov.lo
rJamai L'wrird
/ Isl. & Hayti.. Ist day of Lord Melville, Lord Melville,
each month Oct. 3. Dec. 26.
Laguira
Mexico nd lla- 1 l‘th day of 11.M.8 Petrel, Swift.
vans...
r Jai-nal L'ward 15th day of H. M.B. Tvrian, Magnet,
I Isl. & Hayti. each • Dec. 10.
Carhtagena ) month. Nov. It
PREMIUMS OF INSURANCE AT LLOYD'S.
•
LONDON & LIVERPOOL, Outward. Home.
(Sailing before 12th Jan.) — —
to •••• •• " •• • • •• •
Jamaica .
Leeward Isl. Deme. & Berbice 2O 0 0 0 40 0 0 0
Honduras
50 0— 0 0 105 0 —147 0
New York, Boston
Charleston, Savannah ......
New Orleans
-Havana
Canada
British North America Bl 0— 0 0 00— 0 0
Newfoundland 0 0— 0 0 40 0— 0 0
Brazik
[liver Plate
East Indies 35 0— 40 0 35 0— 40 0
Company's Ships 45 0 0 0 50 0 0 0
Batavia
New South Wales
Cape of Good Hope
Africa 3O 0— 0 0 126 0_ 0 0
Gibraltar
Limn, Valparaiso, &c.
Malta, Sicily. &c.
Smyrna iind e3onstantinople
Malaga - 0 0
!Madeira
Western Isles, Cape de Verds oo— 0 0 00— 0 0
Lisbon
Cadiz
France
Rolli-id
Hamburg, Bremen, &c.
Gottenburg. Stockholm
Petersburg, Riga. &c.
Oporto 25 0 0 0 20 0— 0 0