The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-02-10 00:00:00

MEXICO.

The Trent brings news from this ill-favoured country
down to the Ist of Jaauary, being three weeks later than
that brought by the Stephen Whitney, vice New York. It
is still very disturbed, although on the departure of the
packet it was expected matters would be arranged with-
out much blood shed. Some few skirmishes have taken
place, and two or three lives had been lost, but not
more.

A PICTURE'S WORTII.--" And yet," responded 1,
" the best artists are always the most admired. Some in-

ferior ones may, from adventitious circumstances, obtain
patronage in high places, but they do not command, even
with this advantage, the popular voice. Whose names
are most familiar to the public mouth? The names which
the highest talent has made memorable. Around what
pictures in an exhibition are the largest and most admir-
ing crowds collected ? The pictures which high talent
has made glorious." " Fashion," r. turned Stiarpson,
" holds sway more or less in every thing, and crowds be.
get crowds. Besides, there are some kinds of power
which, employed on certain subjects, will always interest
even the dull herd. But rarely, indeed, save under the
influence of fashion and flock.following, do the dull herd
seek pasturage on the eminences of art. They prefer to
leave the fair mountain,' to ' batten on this moor,' where
their low spirits are quite at home. Of course they do
not go away without getting a glimpse of the pictures. the
frames at all events, to which great names are attached ;
because they are aware that in the cant of the `circle' in
which they move, be it wide or narrow, they are required
to take part ; and they are alive to the necessity of falling
into ecstasies, whether the present performances of those
leading artists be exquisite or so-so. But it is the com-
monplace that in reality enchants them ; the portrait of
a lady, the kitten with the hall of cotton, the intolerable
hamper of game, the detestable bunch of flowers, and the
execrable haket of fruit." " That such execrables are

yearly exhibited in sundry places is admitted, but you are
not thence to assume that they are admired - ' " I
prove it," interposed Sharpson, " when I prove that they
are painted. Artists, good an bad. work for the market.
The great painter, indeed, may find a liberal purchaser
for his work, but the profound incapable is almost sure of
a customer. Why, what becomes of the hundreds of
odious outrages annually set forth ! Do you think they
are burned? They are bought. Somewhere shines the
sun upon their horrible varnish, and some poor wretches'
eyes have daily to endure the sight of them." " Nay, if
they are bought," cried I, " they cease to he atrocious.
They instantly acquire a moral glow that gives a mellow-
ing tone to their flaring hue,; they are wrapped in a
• •

pnetry of sentimen

The act of purchase seals th• ir pretensions as valuable
works of art, and the thing o: beauty is a joy for ever,'
an heirloom on the walls of its owner." " You substan-
tiate the charge with which I s,arted ! exclaimed Sh iro•
son, upsetting his glass. " I said you judged of a picturt
by the wall on which it hung."—Lamun Blancharcn
Sketches of Life
WILY PROTESTANTS DISTRUST SIRRODERT PEEL.—

We are not insensible to Sir Robert Peel's great merit
as a finance minister, nor have we been

low to give t

him the cordial meed of our approbation. But no amoun
of financial prosperity can compensate for any deteriot a,
tion of moral weal ; nor does the hectic flush of fever
differ more from the glow of health, than a plethory o
wealth from the only sure indications of national great.
ness. A nation may be even oppressed and encumbered
undoubtedly she may be corrupted, by a superabundant,
of worldly comforts, if they be nut accompanied by