The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-10-10 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

Cbt 7Lthrrpool &tanbarb.

TUESDAY MORNING, OCT. 10, 1848.

MOST probably before these remarks shall have
been submitted to our readels, the fate of the un-
fortunate gentleman, a few days ago upon his trial
at Clonmel, on an issue of life or death, will have
been decided. Whatever sentence may follow the
verdict of guilty, which has just been found against
him, we are confident will be submitted to by Mr.
Smith O'Brien himself with manly resignation.
But will the Government have added to their posi-
tion the slightest element of power, or prestige, by
the success of their efforts to procure a conviction ?
We answer, decidedly,—No. And we do not even
hesitate to go further, and to express our convic-
tion that nothing could have been conceived more
damaging to the honour of the British name, and
more destructive of the moral strength of British
rule in Ireland, than the policy of the Government
throughout the whole of these unhappy proceed-
ings, from their commencement to their climax, in
the ease of the gentleman in question. Let us
briefly trace that policy.
Twelve months ago—nay, long previously—it was
evident to all the world that the agitation for a
repeal of the union was culminating to the point of
violent rebellion, and a savage internecine war.
The moral force agitation of the O'Connells and of
Conciliation Hall had proved itself a humbug of
the first water, and a gigantic fraud besides. Pecu-
lation, hypocrisy, and sordid meanness stood con-
fessed as its leading attributes ; and it was jostled
from its place, spit upon and trampled upon, and
a bolder and a more in earnest set of men sprung
up to take upon themselves the leadership of a
struggle, towards which the promoters of that agi-
tation had only pointed, but durst not take a step
in advance. Intemperate sedition was openly
preached, in prose and in verse. Murder and mas-
sacre the most vile were advocated, and arming
and training in arms carried on in every quarter of
Ireland, without let or hindrance, directed and pro-
moted by incendiaries—rebels and "felons," by
their own boastful admission—both lay and clerical.
It is now clearly established that the Government
of Lord John Russell was intimately cognisant of
both the objects and of every detailed movement of
these men. They had their spies in every club and
in every midnight conclave. What would have
been the conduct of a bold and manly Government
in such a state of affairs ? Such a Government
would have crushed the hatching treason in its
nest. It would have trampled alike unhesitatingly
upon the rebel editor in his workshop of treason
and upon the priest preaching sedition and the
holiness of bloodshed from the altar. It would,
moreover, have studiously disconnected itself from
every man known to have been the most slightly
concerned in, or to have sympathised with the
Traceedings of either Conciliation Hall or Burgh
Quay ; from popish secretaries and popish advisers
of the Crown.

But this would not have been a Whiggish policy !
We must be " liberal" in an age of liberality; have
Popish attorney-generals and Popish solicitors and
secretaries ; and—strange fatuity !—we must allow
treason to arm itself, to lay the plans of its cam-
paigns, and even take the field, before taking a step
for its suppression. Vie must see the miserable
dupes of scoundrel agitators led on to the noose of
a halter, without issuing even a note of warning or
deprecation. "Be satisfied"—was the Whig reply
to every remonstrance by the loyal against their
suicidal forbearance. "Be satisfied; Lord Claren-
don and his Castle officials know every secret move-
ment, and are prepared to meet and punish the se-
dition, when it has gained a head sufficient."

The crisis came which every man foresaw; and
that it was less dangerous and appalling in its re-
sults than it might have been is attributable only
to the gross incapacity of those who had assumed
its leadership. The slight effort required for its
suppression only proved incontestibly with what
ease it might have been strangled in its birth, be-
fore so much that was lofty in talent and in rank
bad been allowed so fatally to commit their lives
and fortunes. The time for administering punish-
ment followed; and we beg to point to the whole
course of the trial of Mr. Smith O'Brien as exhibit-
ing the humiliating position of the Whig Govern-
ment. Who were the witnesses produced on the
part of the Crown ? Informers and spies, or mi-
serable wretches, dragged to give their unwilling

fore them of a future provision by the Government
in some of our colonies, or reduced to perjure them-
selves, as their only protection from the hand of the
midnight assassin. There was documentary evi-
dence, too, produced; but let us see how this was
dealt with.

it is well known that a trunk was seized, belong-
ing to Smith O'Brien, containing papers and cor-
respondence relative to the movement, which that
gentleman, with a fatuity only conceivable on the
supposition that he is either half an idiot, or in-
tended that the whole of his colleagues in crime
should share with him its punishment, carried about
with him in a part of his campaign, and finally gave
up, unsolicited, into the hands of the officers of the
Crown. Those documents implicated hundreds of
persons, previously unsuspected; and amongst the
rest, it is asserted, some of the Romish priesthood
and hierarchy of Ireland. We are told, however,
by a correspondent of the Dublin Evening Mail,
writing from Clonmel, that they have been tampered
with, for a purpose, and many of them suppressed.
" Much indignat. on "he says, ' exists here among those
well acquainted with the state of the country, at the course
now adopted by the government and their Popish Attor-
ney-General, whose great object is to conceal the part
taken by certain priests in organising and participating in
the late movement. Everything is done to prevent their
reverences conduct being made known to the people of
England ; therefore, every document affecting the loyalty
of the priests is submitted to a tribunal composed of Mr.
O'Ferrall, Commissioner of Metropolitan Police, Mr.
Redington, Mr. Baldwin, Mr. Lynch, of the Leinster
bar, Theobald M`Kenna, Sergeant O'Brien, and the At-
torney-General, all bitter and bigoted Roman Catholics
who take very good care that no document to compromise
the priests shall go beyond their conclave; and it is well
known here, many a document sent up to government,
clearly showing the views and intentions of the priests, is
no more heard of, even though essential on the pending
trials, as showing the extent and nature of the conspiracy.
Documents, letters, papers of all descriptions, clearly and
extensively establishing the guilt of the priests, have been
seized in all directions, and forwarded to government ; but
all suppressed, even when inquired for as corroborative
testimony on other points. The great object is, not to
injure, in any way the reputation of the priests, but to let
them appear as having saved the country. Lord Clarendon
fully adopts these views, and assists in this shameful fraud,
though well knowing the extent to which his proteges are
implicated in the rebellion—nay, he has actually written
to the lord-lieutenant of the county, urging the appoint-
ment of the farmers to put down the rebel movement, and
suggesting that he thinks the Roman Catholic priesthood
may be called on to co-operate and assist in this organisa-
tion, which he well knows some of them fomented to the
utmost extent in their power, not only assisting in the
formation of the Jacobin clubs, but warmly aiding all the
clans of the rebels."

We can well believe the truth of this statement,
damning as it is to the character of the Govern-
ment. We believe it from the evident anxiety
evinced throughout the trial to stop any expression
or fact which might have damaged the reputation
of these priestly pets of Liberalism. And we coin-
cide heartily with Mr. O'Brien's most able counsel,
when he says, with respect to the evidence produced
of the Ballot for a War Directory—
" If they expected juries to be the guardians of the
liberties of the country, let them have an impartial admi-
nistration of the law. Let the Protestant be convicted, if
guilty, but let not the Roman Catholic be screened from
punishment. He appealed to their honest nature, whether
one man was to be struck down, and a Roman Catholic
priest—nothing but a man—should be spared ? Was one
man to suffer for his crimes, like the prisoner in the dock,
and the other to be spared ? He acquitted the law officers
of the Crown ; he made no charge against them. He
acquitted the prosecutors, for they did not know and did
not believe that Father Kenyon was a member of an ille-
gal confederation against the Queen, and therefore they
did not prosecute him as a guilty man. Father Kenyon
had eight votes. Mr. O'Brien had not one, and yet he
was to be made responsible for that proceeding !"
We see the same spirit exhibited, too, in the
conduct of the Lord Lieutenant himself, in the
case of the rev. gentleman, who dared to propose
terms to him, and was permitted to negotiate for
Mr. Meagher, at that time a rebel in arms against
her Majesty. The law had attached the penalties
of treason against all persons harbouring or con-
cealing the place of refuge of any of these men.
There was a Government proclamation out against
Mr. Meagher, and if any poor peasant or farmer
had hinted any knowledge of his retreat, far less
proposed terms for his surrender to the Lord

Lieiitenant, we venture to assert that immurement

in the deepest cell in Newgate would have been his
reward. But a Romish priest is apparently above
all law, when administered by Popish officials and
a Whig Viceroy. The memory of the Lichfield
House compact sticks about their skirts.
The people of England undoubtedly will, and

ought to, demand the fullest enquiry into this part
of the proceedings of the Irish Government. Bri-
tish justice is outraged, and will stand forth a
mockery before the eyes of the world, until punish-
ment is meted out with an equal hand to the clerical
as well as the lay abettors of rebellion. But we do
not even hope for such a consummation. Unplea-
sant revelations of past transactions between the
Whigs and the priesthood might be consequences
of any attack upon the persons of their reverences.
Whig Governments have not themselves always
trod strictly in the path of the Constitution and of
order in their endeavours to promote the result of
favourite measures. The examination of Major-
General Sir W. Napier, touching certain passages
between Mr. Thomas Young, secretary to Lord
Melbourne, Mr. Parkes and himself, as to some
contemplated proceedings of a similar character to
those in which Smith O'Brien has been engaged,
might have had an awkward effect upon the minds
of.his jury had it been permitted to be given. It
was suppressed, however. Lord John Russell's
Popish Attorney-General—grateful man !—rushed
at once to the rescue of his patrons, and the court
threw its shield over the would-be Whig rebels of
1832. One of the letters, in the possession of the
gallant Major-General, from Mr. Thos. Young, has
since transpired, and we offer it here for the perusal
of our readers. The address, H. 0., we may pre-
mise is Home-office :

" H. 0., June 25, !32

" My dear Napier,—Sir H. Bunsbury told me of your
wise determination not to become a ' Parliament men,'
at least for the present. The offer was very tempting, and
you have the more merit in declining. I refrained from
writing to you while the matter was undecided, for I did
not wish to obtrude my opinion, but I felt that reason was
against your acceptance, as your health, your purse, and
your comfort would all have suffered by your attendance
in the House of Commons. The history must have been
laid aside. You could not, moreover, have been a calm
and silent member, but would have been exerting your-
self to push onward the movement faster than it probably
will march, or than, perhaps, all things considered, it is
desirable it should march.

" Let us go back a moment.

" The display of energy, and a readiness to act on the
part of the people when the Duke of W— was on the eve
of coming in, was greater far than I expected. I speak
not of the Cockneys, but of the men in the north, Glasgow,
Newcastle, Birmingham. Are you aware that, in the
event of a fight, you were to be invited to take the com-
mand at Birmingham. Parkes got a frank from me for
you with that view, but had no occasion to send it. Had
he written, I should have fired a despatch at you with my
friendly and anxious counsel and entreaty to keep you
quiet, and not to stir from Freshford. It is not well to
enter early into revolutions ; the first fall victims. What
do you think would have happened.
" The Reformers (Place, &c.) talked big to me, and felt
assured of success. The run upon the banks and the bar-
ricading of the populous country towns would have
brought matters to a crisis ; and a week they (the Refor-
mers) thought would have finished the business. They
meant so to agitate here that no soldiers could have been
spared from London, and the army is too small elsewhere
to have put down the rebels. In Scotland, I believe, the
most effectual blow would have been struck, and it seems
difficult to have resisted the popular movement. The
tories, however, say the duke would have succeeded. No
doubt the discipline under which soldiers live might have
proved a stronger element than the public enthusiasm, i.e.,
unless the latter was universal or extensive, and then it
would have carried all before it. The task would have
been to bring society to its former quiet state ! Thank
God we have been spared the trial; but, as a matter of
speculation tell me what you think would have been the
result ? Am I right in my conjecture that you would have
refused the Birmingham invite, and kept your sword in
its scabbard ?—Yours, ever truly, " T. Y.
" Thanks for your first volume : Jones has come back
better."

The Dublin Freeman thus explains the circum-
stances under which this extraordinary letter has
been laid before the public :
" Before we place this remarkable document before the
public it is due to the gallant, brave, and generous soldier
to whom it was addressed to state how its existence became
known, and the circumstances under which its contents
have been divulged. The gallant Napier returned au in-
dignant reply to Mr. Young, stating that he received his
sword from the hands of his Sovereign, and that against
that Sovereign he would never unsheath it. The Whigs,
through the secretary of their chief, applied to the loyal
soldier, requesting that the letter should be returned, in
order that this, written evidence of the 'conspiracy might
be destroyed. Colonel Napier's reply was worthy his
brave deeds and honoured name. He peremptorily re-
fused—stating, at the same time, that he would never
divulge its contents, or allow it to be made public, until
the Whigs should capitally prosecute a British subject for
the offence of which they themselves were guilty. But
the same soldier's honour that pledged him to secrecy
under certain circumstances pledged him to render this
letter and the conspiracy it disclosed matter of history
whenever the Whigs should dare attempt to deprive of life
a British subject, whose only imputed crime was to follow
glc.nuak, Ocilla ads ilteSt,
rators—has been made upon the life of Smith O'Brien,
and the gallant General has kept his word."

THE ALLEGED " FALLACIES OF RAILWAY
INVESTMENT."

We may fairly set down, as one of the causes of the de-
preciation in the prices of our leading lines of railway, a
suspicion on the part of the public, fomented by the writ-
ings of opponents of the system, that it has been the practice
of some boards of direction to pay dividends out of funds
raised on account of capital. One of the boldest of the
writers in question—Mr. Albert Smith, the author of a
work entitled " The Bubble of the Age"—goes thelength
of maintaining that our most extensive lines have never
yet even paid their working expenses. Mr. Smith has
just published an Appendix No 1, to the second edition of
his work, in which he gives some statements, with respect
to the London and North-Western line, of so startling a
nature, that we feel bound to give their substance, in
the hope that it will elicit from the company some expla-
nation which will be satisfactory to the public mind.
Mr. Smith, in a table marked No. 2, shews from the
company's own reports, that on the 31st of December,
1845, after the amalgamation by which the London and
Birmingham, the Grand Junction. Warrington and New-
ton, Chester and Crewe, Bolton and Leigh, the Li-
verpool and Manchester and the Manchester and Birming-
ham, were amalgamated under the present title of the
London and North-Western, the t0t9.1 amount credited of
capital was £12,457,341. The whole of the lines, in
length 288 miles, were then open and working ; and
might have been conceived to have been so far complete
that repairs, &c., would be met out of the ordinary in-
come. On the 30th June, however, the capital expended
had been increased to £13,090,000 ; on the 31st Decem-
ber, 1846, it was £13,456,198; on the 30th June, 1847, it
was £13,951,244 ; and on the 30th December, 1847, it had
risen to its present amount of £14,440,813. In a note,
he states, that this amount credited to main lines does not
include the £2,202,262 of fictitious capital, created under
the arrangement for amalgamating the companies, the
improvements at the Euston station, the extension into
Liverpool, or the improvement of the Liverpool station.
Hence, there has been an outlay of nearly a million a
year going on since 1845 upon the main lines, irrespective
of new projects. whilst the directors have been dividing
from 10 to 8 per cent. amongst the shareholders as nett
profits earned. In addition to this capital the company
has expended upon subsidiary lines. opened £3,504,303 ;
lines in course of construction, £3,568,348 ; making a
total capital of £21,513,464. The capital of the whole of
the lines, with which the company has connected itself by
purchases, branches, extensions, and subscriptions to-
wards the cost of construction, amounts to £59,632,274;
and the length is 1684 miles.
Whilst this addition of nearly a million per annum, to
the capital of the main line, has been going on, the nett
profits of the company from all their sources of income,
and upon the length opened of 3491 miles, has been, for
the half-year ending June 30th, 1846, £534,929; for the
following half-year £653,911 • for the first half-year of
1847, £514,697 ; and for the last half-year of 1847,
£647,855. The table No. 4 gives a summary of the ex-
penditure on capital account, and the profits of the two
years, by which we find that the amount credited to ca-
pital, as additional sums expended on opened lines, after
such lines had been working, and not including £562,789
expended on stations, is £2,491,629, whilst the total re-
presented profits of the two years have been only
£2,351,392, or £140,237 short of the amount which the
works have required. It must be borne in mind that this
extraordinary expenditure has not been for maintenance
of way, locomotive power, and other ordinary expenses
incurred in carrying, police, &c., which are charged in
each half-yearly account against the gross receipts.
Whilst we cannot go the length of the writer in his
conclusions that the concern is not a paying one, and that
the same additions to capital are likely to go on, we can-
not but suspect that the company has a little too early
treated it as a completed one. They have, no doubt, in
the first instance underrated the cost of the means and
conveniences required for the accommodation of an in-
creased traffic; and it would probably have been better if
they had devoted a portion of their earnings to the pay-
ment of these claims upon them. At all events, it would
be highly advisable, in the present temper of the public
mind, that some better explanation should be given of
this large yearly expenditure than that which is afforded
by the bare publication of their ordinary debtor and cre-
ditor accounts. The public would thus be enabled to as-
certain when it might be expected to terminate.

The extensive contract for water pipes for Liverpool,
which will amount to about £130,000, has been secured
by the founders of Glasgow, the contract having been
taken up by four firms. _ _ ._..

AN IRISH WITNESS'S IDEA OF A DISGUISE.—The
driver of the mail in which Meagher, Dillon, and others
of the Confederates travelled on their way to the scene of
the great Irish rebellion, was asked, in his examination
at the recent trial, if they were disguised at all ; and his
answer was, " No ; they were only disguised as gentle-
men." The question is whether he meant that being
dressed like gentlemen, or behaving like gentlemen, is a
disguise to Confederate Irishmen, or that the " gentle,
men" were disguised in liquor.

WHEN WILL FREE TRADE HAVE HAD A FAIR

TRIAL ?

The boasted system of Free Trade, which was to have
effected such wonders, reminds us of the Irish gorsoon,
who was " the illigant scholar intirely," the pride of his
doting parents, but who could never get hold of a pen
that could spell, or paper that was fit for a " gintleman"
to write upon. It has always to be spoken of apologeti-
cally. It would have done all that its friends predicted of
it; but it didn't because
up according to the ingenuity of the commentator. We
have one of its apologies before us in the following
paragraph from the " Notices to Correspondents" of the
Liverpool Mercury.
" FREE TRADE.— Indirect Taxation' knows very well that
Free Trade has not yet had any trial but in keeping the poor of
this kingdom from starving, which it has done in spite of lin-
gering monopolies. When we have had two average harvests,
potatoes included, then judge of Free Trade, if, indeed, it be
allowed to become really free. The exports of goods to the
United States have increased in consequence of its progress so
far."

---111;s is really amusing. Free Trade,—and particularly
free imports of Bread Stuffs upon the largest scale—has
kept the poor from starving.—(Qy. Has it even done
this ?) ; and, concurrently with our experience of its
working thus far, we have witnessed one of the most dis-
astrous commercial crises on record, and seen bankruptcy,
stagnation and want of employment pervading all classes.
There is hope for us, however. " When we have had
two average harvests, potatoes included," then we are to
see what this grand system will do for us. Id est, when
we can do without the foreigner's corn, and in proportion
to the extent that we can rely upon our own resources,
we are to be prosperous once more ! Verily, a Daniel
come to judgment ! But then, good Mercury, what will
become of the increase of our exports of goods to the
United States ? If Free Trade has had anything to do in
creating this increase, it has been by enabling America to
take our goods in part payment of the immense quantity
of breadstuffs she has supplied us with. When we no
longer need those breadstuffs, America, by our contem-
porary's own shewing, will have no inducement to in-
crease her purchases from us. The prosperity of the
native agriculturist is, after all, admitted to be the sheet
anchor of the national prosperity ; but it was not so in
the palmy days of Anti-Corn-Law agitation. Then, we
were told to turn our corn lands into grazing ; our
ploughmen into spinners and weavers and to buy all from
the foreigner.

THE GOLDEN DISCOVERY OF BROTHER

JONATHAN

The New York Morning Herald of the 27th ult.,
received yesterday by the steamer, under the triple head-
ing " Interesting from our new Territory in the Pacific"
—" Continuance of the gold excitement"—" Extraordi-
nary condition of affairs," with a supplementary line of
" &c., &c., &c.," gives a letter from San Francisco, of
June Ist, containing the following singular disclosures :
"The whole of this part of California is in the highest state
of excitement (and the southern part will soon become so) rela-
tive to the Placera, or gold regions, recently discovered on the
branches of the Sacramento river. Three-fourths of the houses
in San Francisco are actually vacated ; even lawyers have closed
their nooks, and taken passage, with a spade and wooden dish,
to make fortunes by washing out gold from the sands on the
Sacremento. Cooks and stewards have refused fifty dollars a
month to remain under their former employers. Clerks' wages
have risen to a thousand a year. Carpenters, blacksmiths, and
teamsters, who in April received three dollars a day, now refuse
ten ; a few still remain, making shovels, spades, and pick-axes,
and turning wooden bowls, who are making upwards of twenty
dollars a day. lam informed that one blacksmith makes ten
to fifteen small picks, and sells them as a favour at 36 each.
English spades and shovels will command $lO each, and by
taking them to the gold regions, yield a heavy profit by selling
again. There is not in town one new shovel for sale, perhaps
not a tin cup or pan. A boat requires four days to go from here
to Sutter's Fort. The fare has risen from at to Al 2, each pas-
senger carrying his own provisions. Wooden bowls, worth in
New York 10 to 15 cents, will sell here now for A 5.

The quantity of gold is said to be almost incalculable in
extent, the district in which it is found covering a large
area, which " can be worked by thousands for years to
come," each man being able to, obtain from 8 to la dol-
lars per day. As the present result, partly of the with-
drawal of the population from their ordinary industrial
and commercial pursuits, and partly of the plethora of
gold, every article of food or use is enormously enhanced
in price. Flour and meal, for instance, being quoted, at
8 to 12 dollars per barrel, the same quality being barely
worth 5.50 c. to 5.671 c. in the New York market. _ _

As a suggestion to the advocates of gold at a fixed
price as the basis of a currency, we may ask whether it is
not probable that this large increase of the stock of that
commodity is not likely to diminish its actual market
value per ounce ? It is the law, with respect to all other
commodities, that increased supply diminishes prices.
If diamonds could be picked up as easily as Scotch peb-
bles, or manufactured as freely as plate glass, we imagine
that they would cease to be worth so large a sum per
carat as they are valued at now; and when our Yankee
brethren in California begin to have their dish covers and
spoons of gold, the British sovereign will scarcely bring
quite so much as £3 17s. 10d. per ounce.

THE CHOLERA

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SIR,—Now that cholera is amongst us with all its viru-
lent character, I am sure you will coincide with me in
people properly instructed how to act when attacked by
the disease. For this purpose printed instructions should
be circulated through the local papers of a practical na-
ture for the guidance of the people. These should come
from the authorities, in order that they might be re-
garded with. confidence. Being myself a clergyman of the
Church of England, I have an opportunity of judging of
the peoples feelings on this important subject. All with
whom I am acquainted complain extensively of the great
apathy of our local authorities at this fearful crisis ;. they
feel as if they were left entirely unprotected to the attack
of this fearful pestilence. I myself feel that we are in no
way better provided against its approach than on the last
visitation,. when it decimated our population to such a
fearful degree. There is a work on choleras by Dr.. Haw-
thorne of this town ; obtaining extensive circulation a-
mong those able to purchase it ; and I am told by my
friends that they intend to be entirely guided by its
directions in case it happened they should be attacked.
Now, I feel concerned for the safety of my friends,and
not being a medical man myself, I am unable to judge of
the work in question. It may be very meritorious and
good, for aught I know, but the authorities should, with-
out delay, either sanction or condemn it, when it is known
to have such extensive sale. If the work be correct, the
more confidence that accompanies it the better.;: but, if it
is not, the sooner it is condemned the better. The im-
portance of this step must be apparent to all at a time like
the present, when every one is obtaining it, and especially
when it is the only work of the kind which is.to be bad..
Trusting that our worthy Mayor will take the matter up,
and himself take the lead in a subject where the lives of
the people are concerned, I am,—Your's, &c.,
A CLERGYMAN.

EXHIBITION OF THE LIVERPOOL ACADEMY

We were prevented last week from devoting the space
we intended to this interesting exhibition. We shall,.
however, endeavour to make up for the omission in the
length of our present and future notices. It was our in-
tention, last week, to have directed attention to one of
the most deserving paintings in the Exhibition—
No. 361. Scotch Fair, by J. Philip. There is a great
deal of character in this picture, and the grouping is. very
good. The substantial-looking farmer in the centre of
the foreground is a life-like sketch, for which the verita-
ble Dandie Dinmont might have stood ; and his steed,
only that it is a bay instead of grey, realizes our notions
of his " little hoss, Dumpling." There are several very
characteristic pieces of bye-play introduced into the pic-
ture very cleverly,
359. Portrait of a Nun of the Order of Mercy, by J.
Smetkana, is a very talented picture, and reminds us of
the force of Herbert's style. The nun is, in counte-
nance, not ene of the maudlin sentimental sort, such as
we are led to look for from the description of the class
which we meet with in our circulating-library novels, but
a masculine sort of character, qualified to carry out the
views of the modern disciples of Loyola. There are appa-
rently few human affections in her composition.

360. Interior Part of the Ruined Abbey of Holy Cross,
County Tipperary, Ireland, by H. M. Anthony, is a very
meritorious interior. The misty light is well managed,
and the details are in excellent keeping with the charac-
ter of the subject. _

345. Durhiim Cathedral, from Calvert Church-yard—
Evening. W. G. Herdnzan. This artist has four excel-
lent specimens in the exhibition ; and in selecting No. 345
for our first notice, it is perhaps because the object—
Durham Cathedral—is endeared to us by many recollec-
tions. The painting is, however, very clever in itself,
and the object of the artist very finely brought out. We
may remark, by the way, in compliment to the taste of
St. Cuthbert, that Durham Abbey, in all its aspects,
seems to be a very favourite subject for artists. There
are five or six paintings of it in this exhibition.

237. Vesseli in a Breeze off Burlington Pier, York.
C. Fielding. A very pretty marine piece, of which there
are many in the exhibition. The water is painted with
great skill, and is most natural in effect. The most ta-
lented marine piece, however, in our humble estimation, is
438. Dordt, from the Ferry. A. Montague. The water
is beautifully transparent, and the picture itself a perfect
gem.
439. T. Ahsolon, is a water-colour drawing, represent-
ing in three compartments a passage from " Tristram
Shandy." It is a most spirited composition, displaying
a fine appreciation of the genius and meaning of the
author, and, withal, very beautifully painted.
It is very pleasing, in an exhibition like the present,
and amongst the works of professional artists, to notice a
few, and those not the least talented, the production of
an amateur. In Room No. I. we have three very nice
little bits of painting, the work of Mr. James Ward, of
the York Hotel ; and we give our hearty meed of praise
to the Hanging Committee for the consideration and
judgment displayed in so dealing with the pictures in
question. Mr. Ward would, we have no doubt, feel in-
sulted if it were even hinted that he was favoured on any
other ground than that of merit, or if it was to be sup-
posed that his efforts were valued from the fact of the
uncongenial nature of his early avocations. We ourselves
do, however, value them the more on that account. They
afford to us a proof that a high sense of the beauty of
nature, and a love of the fine arts, may be maintained
under circumstances the most unpromising ; and the cir-
cumstance of their being deemed worthy of a place in the
first room ought to operate as an encouragement to non-
professional men generally. Mr. Ward's pictures—we
do not particularise theca—show great talent, and shame

the productions of many older and more strictly profes-
sional hands.

374. The Tomb of Shakspeare, R. S. Lander, R.S.A.,
might more properly have been styled " Sir Walter Scott
at the Tomb," &c. ; for no one can mistake the reveren-
tial visitor, who stands in the centre of the picture, gazing
upon the sculptured bust of a kindred spirit. There is a
fine and deeply poetical feeling thrown over the whole
scene, combined with some exquisite painting. The em-
bowered window, with the light struggling through, is
especially clever.
373. Fishing Boats off Dieppe, by C. Bentley, is ano-
ther very pleasing marine picture. The sea is very trans-
parent.
180. Cardinal Pole exhorting Henry VIII. against
the Divorce of Catherine of Arragon, by W. L. Windus,
is a very spirited picture by a clever artist. The face of
the voluptuous monarch is expressive of his character,
and of the struggle which is going on within his breast.
The best figure, however, is that of the cardinal. The
fine old chamber in which the interview is being held is
very cleverly painted. We are glad to observe that this
work has received the best tribute which can be paid to
excellence by being " sold."
193. Christian about to Turn Back for Fear of the
Lions, 87c., by W. Huggins, is one of those peculiar
subjects in which this artist delights, and in which none
that we know excel him. We cannot say that we altoge-
ther like his peculiar colouring. His treatment of the
subject, however, is very fine • and there is some excel-
lent painting throughout. The lions are splendid animals.
Mr. Huggins has two other pictures in the exhibition—
one a landscape, which is hung so high that we can only
perceive that, in its composition, he has supported his
high standard of talent as an animal painter. A cow ru-
minating in the foreground, and some ducks at the pond,
are beautifully given.