The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-01-13 00:00:00

THE PERMANENT GALLERY OF ART

We have at all times expressed an attachment to the fine
arts. Pictures have been with us for many years a study,
and we never have omitted exercising the influence the
STANDARD possesses in endeavouring to advance the inte-
rest of the artist " who is native here," as well as attempting
to improve the general taste, stimulate a love for art where
it was wanting, and encourage it where it already existed.
We stood alone long ago the advocate of a permanent gallery
of art, and a reference to our columns will shew that we have
not taken the matter up coldly ; and if we entered upon it
warmly, it was not with an interested view. What we have
said at all times in favour of art has been for the love of art
itself—not to suit, please, or tickle the vanity of any man or
body of men. We have stood our ground upon the broad
basis of a love of art—and may fine arts flourish !
The establishment of a Permanent Gallery of Art in
Liverpool may be reckoned, amongst thinking men, an
era in its history; and it only remains with the people
to shew that they have a sympathy in what is good.
That they have that sympathy, none can deny : that there
is a curiosity, and a most laudable one, existing amongst
us, not confined to any order of society, will be ad-
mitted ; and the man who will visit the neighbourhood
of Colquitt-street on the first Monday of the month,
and observe the hundreds—we may say thousands—of well-
dressed mechanics and respectable persons who apply for
admission, and pass through the Royal Institution Museum,
will at once declare that it is not for the sake of merely
passing away an hour or two in looking at what is rare and
curious that these people assemble, but that it is from an
excited wish to become acquainted with the mysteries and
treasures of nature and the animal kingdom, that they con-
sent to deprive themselves of a day's earnings. Some of our
readers may inquire, "To what do you allude ?" We allude
to the privilege granted by the proprietors of the Royal In-
stitution of allowing every decently-dressed person to inspect
their museum free, on the first Monday in each month.
The inconvenience and disadvantage of mingling pictures
with objects of natural history has always been felt—so much
so in the case of the Royal Institution, that it was deter-
mined to build a gallery, in which the collection of the pro-
prietors of the Royal Institution should be exhibited, and
that their collection of casts from the antique marbles should
also be placed in the gallery. In consequence of a resolution
passed, and a sum of £1,200 being appropriated, the present
gallery was erected. The gallery, although abounding with
several capital pictures,must not be regarded with too critical
an eye as a whole. Be it remembered, that it is only a nucleus
for an extended and magnificent gallery, which we hope to
live to see erected. We hope to see the whole of the vacant
space of ground covered with buildings devoted to the fine
sits and painting, where the admirer of the works of the
great men of old may banquet his eyes, and satiate his men-
tal appetite—where the artist may linger and linger, till he
becomes imbued with the true spirit of those whose works
he studies, until he feels as if lie were incited to burst forth
into the street. shouting " Eureka ! Eureka ! "
(To be continued.)

CHESTER RACES.—There were 68 horses entered for the
" Tradesmen's plate," on Monday week ; 17 for "The
Marquis of Westminster's Plate;" 33 for the " Cheshire
Stakes ;" and 32 for the " Dee Stakes."

THE FUNDS: WEDNESDAY EVENING.—The speech of
the King of the French, which was expected with great
anxiety yesterday, and which was published in The:Times, of
to-day, has had a more favourable effect on the funds than
might have been expected from its very pacific tone, which
is completely in accordance with the disposition generally
assigned to the Royal speaker. The enthusiasm with which
he dwells on the present peaceful relations of Europe, and
still more the regret with which he alludes to the disturbances
in Spain, would seem to augur well fur the maintenance of
tranquility ; but, nevertheless, importance has heen attached
to the omission of Espartero's name in the reference to
Spanish affairs. Stocks are now at such a high price, that
many parties are anxiously watching the change of a decline,
and anything that in the slightest degree betokens an ill-feel-
ing of France to wards the Regent of Spain is seized upon with
avidity. At the same time, the advices from Madrid have
thrown a gloom over the Spanish market; and the cool re-
ception of Espartero on entering the capital is regarded with
an uneasiness, which perhaps co-operates with the least
favourable feature in the King of France's speech in lowering
the price of securities generally. Consols for money and the
account opened at 941 to /, but closed 941 to a; Three per
Cents. Reduced left off 95/ ; Bank Stock, 172 to 173; India
Stock, 262 to 263; Exchequer-bills, 655. to 675. premium;
Three-and-a-half per Cents. Reduced, 1011 to 102; New
Three-and-a-half per Cents., 1011 to +; Long Annuities,
121 ; and India Bonds, 575. to 595. premium. In the foreign
market the news of the dissolution of the Spanish Cortes had
an additional effect upon the value of the securities of the
Peninsula. Spanish Actives from 19 declined to 181, and
and the New Stock from 24+ to 231, which were the final
quotations. Portuguese Converted Stock closed 36 to ;
Brazilian, 724 to 734; Belgian, 102 to 5; Colombian, 23/ to
; Danish, 85 to 86 ; Dutch, 21 per Cents, 521 to 1; ditto,
5 per Cents., 1011 to j ; Mexican 5 per Cents., 311 to 21;
Russian, 1131 ; and Buenos Ayres, 24.
NOTTINGHAM UNlON.—Eight notices of marriage were
read. The number of persons in the house was reported to
be 872, and the cases of out relief 1,164, at an expense of
£l6B 15s 6d. The chairman laid before the board the follow-
ing calculation, in confirmation of the statements made in n the
address sent a fortnight since to Sir James Graham e
ums
number
theof
state of the mortality in the workhouse :—Average n
inmates in 1841, about 600 : ditto in 1842, b
in nine months, in 1841, 61 ; ditto in the saamlioeutpyt 725
n the
. Deaths
t 0
period of 1842,
122. 122. During these nine months, the Notting-
amounted, in 1841, to 309; deaths in 1842, IP-Ju
ham Journal.