The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-09-26 00:00:00

Why is the gallant Sir Charles Napier like a potboy ?
—Because he carried beer-out (Beyrout).

FRENCH POLYGAMIST.—Jacques, Nottier, an invalid,
aged 35, having lost his right leg in the service of the re-
public, appeared on the 16th Ventose (1805) before the
criminal department of the tribunal of the Seine, accused
of having married within the last eight months three dif-
ferent women—Marie Debaud, Marie Bertrand, and
Louisa Perrani, who were all present and proved their
acts of marriage before the 2d, 4th, and 9th, municipali-
ties of Paris. During the trial it came out that the pri-
soner had made it for years a regular practice to marry a
new wife wherever he went with his regiment, and to the
knowledge of his own brother he had already 14 French
wives alive, besides one Italian, one Swiss, and two Dutch
women, who had been married to him in their respective
countries,'w.benln.garrison or encamped in them. Be-
fore he was 19 he had been divorced according to the laws

THE EXHIBITION OF PICTURES OF THE

LIVERPOOL ACADEMY

We are glad to say, that as this exhibition becomes
known, its merits are more and more appreciated; and
the attendance both during the day and the evening has
been numerous and respectable. The rooms, indeed,
afford a delightful lounge for an hour or two, and such is
the variety of pictorial representation, in rural, maritime,
and city scenes, and in human character and stirring
event, real or imaginary, that all tastes 'nay be gratified,
and no visitor can depart, however fastidious, w •.out
some feelings of admiration ; and, if patriot c, of i ide,
in witnessing a display of talent so honourable to the
rising or already established artists of our country.
Amongst so large a collection of pictures, (nearly 600,
,ncluding water colours,) some of them introduced for
the encouragement of young aspirants, there are, of
course, some exceptions to the general standard of supe-
riority; but, as a whole, we repeat that the exhibition
may be considered one of the best, if not the very best,
yet brought forward by the Academy.
We resume our notice of such of them as, on a second
cursory view, more particularly caught our attention,—
beginning with the large room.
No. 49, " A Child Sleeping," (a study,) by J. Wood,
in a round frame, is soft and plea, :gig, but somewhat faint
in colouring. 65, by the sat, ist, is also good.
52, " A Girl reading a Ballad at a Bi 0,k," with a child
puddling in the water at her feet. is well conceived and
happily executed, both in the figures an' landscape.
We have before noticed 106, a portrait by Patten of
Elias Arnaud, Esq., the respected C. hector of the
customs .at this port. As a picture this is unexcepti m-
able ; but the likeness is not so f licitous as is generally
attained by this artist. It does not do justice to the ori-
ginal. The same may be said of the portrait of William
Jackson, Esq., (84,) by Midge. 134 is a spirited portrait
of a lady, by J. Wood. The attitude is animated and
life-like, and the colouring superior.
" Colebrook Mill, Devonshire," (155,) by F. R. Lee,
R.A., is one of the best landscapes in the room, and ap-
pears to have been finished without effort, every touch
telling, as that of a master. The mill, amidst tall woods,
is quite picturesque. The distances and perspective are
well maintained ; and a small span of the sky seen through
the branches, verifies the words of the poet, that
" Light, in unattained lustre clear,
Sends objects far away or brings them near."
180—A Scene in Bolton Park, by A. Vickers. A fine
large landscape. The foreground is well made out, as is
the vista " through embowering trees," and also the hills
in the distance. There are two figures, however, descend-
ing a slight eminence on a road, which appear to us to be
a little faulty. They are receding, and have apparently
gone only a few paces from the top of the height, yet
their legs are intercepted up the rise to the knee, as if
they were cut off, or had fallen into a hole. Are we right?
No. 173 is called " Innocence," by Dahziel. A female
is represented in a very awkward attitude, and of very
questionable virgin " innocence," in the water, and ano-
ther figure (the sex we cannot define) is lying down still
more awkwardly. We hold the committer, guilty of in-
discretion in giving a place to such " innocence" in the
collection.

185, " A Roadside Inn," by Boddington, is very ch...r
and pleasing, as are most of this author's productions.
" Windsor," with a canal lock, barge, figures, &c., and
a distant view of the castle, by Witherington, is
considered a very successful effort. 202 near it, " The
Bosom Friend," (an old man grasping a Bible,) is totally
devoid of the character and devotion purposed to be con.
vey ed.

We now pass to the second room. " The Translation
of Elijah," a large picture by Wood, is a good concep.
tion, and well painted. 217, " A Scent in Wales," by J.
Wilson, jun., is an effective effort, corn' ring the sterile
and stony with the partially verdant. ' ,e trees, and the
water from the mountains, are well de. ;ed.

214, " The Spirit of the Dream," Leigh,) a female,
with a glory, is apparently intended to represent stained
glass. This is by no means a hit. 245, a landscape with
figures, by J. Meabeth, is well designed and painted.
" Satan addressing the hated' Sun," (246,) a very
large picture, the subject from Milton, is not much to
our taste, anatomically or otherwise. It wants that fiend-
ish expression which belongs to his sable majesty, and is
moreover too youthful in appearance.
No. 260, " A Cottage in Kent," by Miss Nasmyth, is
a sweet little piece, showing much taste and talent. 267,
" A Coast Scene near Liverpool," by H. Melling, is
good, but too lightly and brightly coloured. The ship-
ping is well drawn. 275, " A Lady visiting a Prisoner,
is not happy. The lady should not have visited a prison
in so rich a silk dress, which overdoes the contrast with
the surrounding gloom.
272, " Peel Castle, from the Bay, Isle of Man," a
small long picture by S. Walters, has a good effect. 285,
" Dudley Castle," by Hunt, is also good. " Going to
Market, with flocks and herds crossing a river, (287,)
by Boddington, is very clever and pleasing. The trees
are beautiful, and the distant landscape soft and fine ; but
bow happens it that two of the sheep are drinking?
286, " The Sixth Age"—" the lean and slippered pan-
taloon," chuckling a pretty girl under the chin, is one of
the best in the room, both in character and execution. It
is by A. Solomon. The lights are well managed. 292,
" Scarborough," with its castle, the sea, &c., by Clint,
is a fine picturesque semblance of that remarkable town
and rocky promontory. 291, "An old Castle on Loch
Tyne, in Scotland," by C. Fielding, is a very pleasing
representation of northern lake and mountain scenery.
Amongst the portraits, many of which are very good,
is 326, " A Magdalene," by a lady, who (we beg pardon
if our justice overcomes our gallantry) would be better
employed in her household affairs than in wasting canvas
and paint.

"Pharaoh dividing the Spoil among the Tribe." (316,)
by Clater, has a good effect. 315, a landscape by a lady,
is a clever painting, showing considerable powers of corn_
position.

In the Third Room, will also be found some good spe-
cimens. " A Village Festival," (349,) is a fine spirited
picture—much in the style and character of Wilkie. 356,
Boys playing at Marbles," with rustic lookers-on, asses,
&c., is effective; but the faces have rather too much of
the minute miniature touch about them. " A Group of
Water Carriers"—men and camels, on the Syrian shore,
by R. Dadd, exhibits, in a favourable manner, the pecu-
liar genius of that unfortunate young man. n 343, the
drawing and proportions are, we think, altogether bad..
" The Skirts of a Wood. (367,) by H. J. Boddington, is
a fine landscape; and 371, by J. Stark, is also good,
though the artist might well have availed himself of a
stronger infringement of the light upon some of the pro-
minent objects. The Footway through the Marsh,"
(372) by A. Montague, pleases us much. The far extent
of the plain is well managed, as are the travellers and more
proximate objects. The " Portrait of Count D'Orsay,"
en profile, is one of the most beautiful of its kind ir. the
room, and is, we are informed by one who has seen the
" original," an admirable likeness. It is by John 'Wood,
who has contributed six excellent pictures to this exhibi-
tion, showing a rare versatility of talent. Amongst them
in this room, are 412, " An Adventure of Prince Henry"
(afterwards Henry I.),—visiting the forester's cottage,
after leaving the hunting party in which Rufus was slain,
to get the broken string of his cross. bow mended,—and
where he is saluted as king by an old woman. The figure
and countenance of the old female, who, having quitted
her spinning-wheel, holds up her hands in prophetic as-
tonishment and respect, and also those of the daughter,
who kneels in fealty and fear, are admirably designed and
painted.

" A Scene on the Rhine," (408,) by F. NV. Watts,
finished in fine smooth tints, is a clever production. "An
Old Mill," (422,) by the same, is also good.
" Devonshire Market Girls," (422,) by W. Shayer,
will be acknowledged to be of much merit. The girls, the
two horses, the child, and the dog, are characteristically
represented and well grouped, and the landscape (particu-
larly to the right) is altogether pleasing.
" The Castle of Indolence," (396)—from Thompson's
poem—and painted by A. J. Woolmer, has a good scenic
effect ; and (400) " Emigrants," by R. Farrier, making
their way to the shore,—the ship seen at anchor in the
distance,—is well conceived, and may be pronounced a
good painting. There is perhaps, however, rather too
"Thethe group,x p
Expatriated,"
r it whichatdratherould
much of a gloomy and impoverished character imparted
seemthanto
tovoilmunp
tlayrtyhat
and
htheoypew_eenre_
livened family about to proceed to " a land of promise."
But this is a mere suggestion.
There are many beautiful water-colour pictures in the
adjoining room and lobbies, some of them of large size
and unquestionable talent ; but these we must make the
subject of a subsequent notice. Meantime, we would
particularly point out 449, 472, 466, and 467.

NEW FRUlT.—Several small importations of new
Foreign fruit have lately taken place, a quantity of the
choicest of which, comprising every delicacy the Western
Isles and Spain produce, is now on sale at Mr. Chadwick's
in Ranelagh-place and Mill-street. Those whose palates
savour for such viands may here be satisfied.
MILITARY PitEAcnING,---Great crowds were assem-
bled on Saturday evening, at the Obelisk, near the Ele-
phant and Castle, listening to a private of the Foot
Guards, who harangued them, if not eloquently, at least
very energetically, upon religious topics. He was at-
tended by a brother soldier, who acted the part of clerk.
Both were dressed in their full uniform. During the
disturbance in South Wales, the late Major Armsti Jng,
of the 45th Infantry, then doing duty there, preached ;11
a similar way, until an order arrived from the Horse
Guards prohibiting him to do so. A similar prohibition
will, it is expected, be issued against the two privates
spoken of above indulging their propensities for o-

)en-air