The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-09-13 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL EXHIBITION.

On Saturday last we availed ourselves of an invitation to
attend the private view of the works of art now exhibiting
in Post-office-place.
From the accounts we have seen in the London papers,
and what we have heard from friendly sources, we candidly
admit that we went to the rooms with a misgiving as to the
merit of the works upon the walls. We had understood that
the London Art Unions had completely cleared off all the
good pictures, and that nothing but canvas and paint,
without talent or taste, were left for us to look at. We were
never more agreeably mistaken in our presentiments, and it
is passing, we think, no small compliment upon Mr. Egling-
ton, jun. to say, that there has not been so good an exhibi-
tion for years past as the present, whether we regard it in
point of quality or interest of the subjects of the different
works. We cannot but give the new secretary credit for his
perseverance and taste in the gathering, although the num-
ber of works does not reach the usual amount. Nevertheless
there are, between five and six hundred paintings, a few
being of a high class in modern art, many very good, a
sprinkling of mediocre quality, and but very few really bad.
In fact, the good pictures predominate, and the difficulty has
been where to place them all prominently. In the water
colour department there are some charming specimens. The
miniatures are few. The portraits are not so numerous as
usual—amongst them two or three are very conspicuous,
one by Patten, of the Rev. Hugh M`Neile, is decidedly the
best ever taken of the rev. gentleman, and another of our
contemporary Mr. Bean, who looks on the canvas as shrewd
interiors,.
depicting knowing as he does in propria persona. The nteriors,
depicting scenes of humour and pathos, are very numerous.
There are many exquisite landscapes. M'Clise has only one
picture—his imitators many. In the sculpture room there
are more subjects than usual. This apartment is so un-
suitable for the exhibition of this noble branch of art, that
any thing deposited in it is lost in effect.
The Liverpool Academicians display some tolerable pic-
tures, and the resident artists have
accaderny." Academies
contributed a fair share.
ofW We
art have
have butd small
tthleopoer thsni9naPnyg to advance painting. The
art-unions will, in our opinion, effect more in a few years
in every way. An eminent
painter,annot fait
for
than all the academies ever attempted. These associations
twohopsreovoemm beneficialon we have ahigh esteem, once cto encourage cheap pictures. We met these
con-
versing with us on the subject, objected to art-unions as
objectionsbeingbi high-priced
h .t
r
likelyiced b yworks affirming that they would encourage, rather,
. Of this we are more than ever con-

vinced ; for a young and unknown artist, on disposing. of a
£2O picture through an art-union, will not be satisfied to
exhibit one at the same price on the following year. He will
endeavour to produce a work that shall realise him £3O,
£4O, or £5O. Should he again be successful in finding a
purchaser, he will then labour on more assiduously to hang
up one still better. Thus art must be improved, while talent
is fostered and encouraged.
In our next publication we hope we shall be able to find
room to draw attention to the leading pictures. On looking
over the catalogue, we find, amongst many others, the names
of D. Maclise, R.A.,Henshaw, Mulvany, ILA., Seaforth,
Bishop, Walters, ington, Creswick, Boddington, W. G.
Herdman, George fatten, R. Ansdell, W. Havell, Linton,
the Hargreaves, Thomas Crane, F. R. Lee, 8.A., T. Sidney
Cooper, Miss Nasmyth, Copley Fielding, Midge, Clater, J.
P. Knight, Stephanoff, W. Etty, R.A., A. Clint, G. Lance,
T. Uwins, R.A., D. Williamson, Westcott, Egg, &c.

"THE PRINCE OF WALES" IRON STEAM-SHIP,

We yesterday visited this elegant vessel (Captain M'lsteil-
age), which, after having run a short time between South-
ampton and Havre, arrived here for the first time on Sunday
last from Cork. accomplishing the passage in the short space
of 22 hours and 10 minutes. As she is intended to run in
future between this port and Cork, some account of her may
be acceptable; and that need be but brief, inasmuch as she
resembles, in every point, her well-known sister iron ship
" The Princess Royal," and was built (as well as her engines)
by the same gentlemen—Messrs. Todd and M`Gregor,
engineers, of Glasgow.
Her extreme length on deck is 170 feet ; her beam 27
feet; her burthen 500 tons clear, and her engines (which are
what are called vertical) are of 260 horse-power. The latest
improvements in iron ship-building, as well as in the con-
struction of the engines, have been introduced, and no ex-
pense has been spared to render her at once speedy, comfort-
able, and safe. She is a remarkable handsome vessel in
outward appearance, sharp at the extremities, lightly rigged
as a three-masted schooner, and has a yacht-like and
mischievous appearance. Her figure head is a full length
figure of Britannia, resting on the British Lion, with an
infant on her knee; and the stern is correspondingly
decorated with carved work, with the " Prince of Wales's"
arms as a centre piece.
The interior decorations—as in the Princess Royal—are in
the old English style, but rather more plain, though equally
pleasing. The main cabin, at the entrance stern, and under
a slightly raised quarter-deck is a fine large apartment,
lighted by six stern windows, four side windows at the widest
' part, and a fine deck, or dome light in the middle. The latter
forms an oblong square below, with stained glass, on which
crowns, prince's feathers, shields, &c. are emblazoned; and the
top, or dome, is of an oblong round, or half-egg form, with the
glass stained to correspond, and terminating in an oval ven-
tilator. The walls are of polished oak, with carving of the
same material, in the antique English style, decorated with
gilded •knobs and other ornaments. It is also ornamented
in gilt panelled work, resembling antique picture frames.
The larger panels are formed of crimson damask, with emble-
matical figures and devices. The smaller ones are filled up
with beautiful paintings, in the richest colours, on papier
niachcf, from the manufactory of Messrs. Jenners and Bet-
teridge, of Birmingham. The roof is divided into panelled
compartments, and painted in French white, with gilded
mouldings and drops ; the whole having alight and agreeable
effect. On each side the folding-door, or principal entrance,
forming corner ornaments, is an antique-formed oak side-
board, with a marble top; and each surmounted by a hand-
some mirror, in three pieces. placed vertically, in gilded
frame-work, and forming a niche, or recess. The tables and
chairs are of fine polished oak, of old English pattern—the
backs of the latter forming heraldic shields. The stern-part
is sofaed round in a semi-circle, with oak arms; and these
sofas, as well as the couches and chairs, are upholstered in
figured crimson velvet. •
_ _

On each side the large cabin, forward (where it is slightly
contracted in width), there are commodious and well-
furnished state-rooms ; those on one side being for the ladies,
and those opposite for the gentlemen. From the former, a
passage leading direct, without entering the soloon, into a
handsome ladies' cabin, fitted up in an admirable manner,
with sofas round two sides, covered with crimson figured
damask, and bed places on another side. Adjoining the
gentlemen's berths, abaft, and immediately on the opposite
side, there is also a room well furnished, and with a number
of sleeping places, as a resting room for " the ruder sex."
The front, which is equally neat and commodious, and all
the subsidiary arrangements are of the best description ;
every thing being done to ensure neatness and comfort.
The structures on the decks are but few, and all of the
same style of massy Elizabethan architecture which cha-
racterises the general fittings of the ship. The engine-house
rises to a considerable height between the paddle-house, and
affords, without going below, a view of the working of the
machinery, which is as bright and highly-finished as a piece
of superior clock-work. On the whole, we have no hesita-
tion in saying, that " The Prince of Wales," from her
superior power and speed, will become a great acquisition to
all voyagers and shippers, to and from the Mersey and the
south of Ireland.

OPERATIVE PROTESTANT ASSOCIATION, ST.

MARK'S BRANCH.

Yesterday evening, the quarterly meeting of this branch
of the Operative Protestant Association was held in St.
Mark's School,'when (as announced.) a lecture was delivered
by the Rev. B. A. Marshall, 8.A., " On the Errors of
Romanism." The attendance was numerous, the room,
which is used as an infant school, was nearly filled. The
proceedings commenced by singing the 122 d Hymn, which
was followed by a short prayer.
The rev. gentleman named, (who occupied the chair) then
addressed the meeting, calling their attention to the objects
of the branch, as stated in a report of the general association,
from which he read an extract. Its purpose was not political
in the usual sense of the word, but to shew that their invete-
rate enemy the Romanists, were not, as they asserted, anold
church, but apostates from the original and pure doctrines
promulgated by St. Paul ; and, which were then held by the
Church of England. The subscriptions were but 6d. quar-
terly, and this entitled members to the use of select works in
the library. He then proceeded to say that the subject he
had chosen was the authority of the Holy Scriptures, and he
set out with the solemn reflection, that (as was even admitted
by a noted Romish preacher, as well as by the Word
of • God,) •the salvation of the soul was indispensable ;
that in tact, man could do without anything but that.
To obtain that salvation, they could .lone look to God
for help and directions—not to :men, sinful and ignorant
in themselves ; and he quoted various passages from Scrip-
ture in proof of his position, and showing that all man-
kind were called to read and judge for themselves in
language so pointed and strong that it could be called none
other than the voice of God. He then entered upon the
alleged infallibility of the Romish faith, noticing strongly
the language of Dr. Wiseman, who would persuade them
that thee were under an " illusion" in supposing that they
could be' saved by a reliance on the Bible ; but that to ob-
tain salvation they must throw themselves into the arms ?f
the Romish Church. He wished, however, that more indi-
viduals and families laboured under that blessed " illusion."
In adverting to the doctrines of the Romanists, he admitted
that the general and universal truths which some of the old
fathers adhered to, and others still professed, were good in
themselves ; but there were particular doctrines which
separated them from those fathers, and those universal
truths, and throw them upon dangerous errors, fallibilities,
and traditions. He regarded these new doctrines under
three aspects, but on this occasion confined himself to the
first only—the Scriptures as a revelation of salvation. The
Romish Church said they would not be able to know
whether .the Bible was the Word of God, only in so far as
the Catholic or Apostolic Church should direct them. God
was not, in fact, to speak to them direct. We were to
throw ourselves in that respect upon the guidance of man.
The Romish Church had not always, however, acted in this
respect with that unity which it assumed ; for while
some of the fathers and learned doctors had repu-
diated the Scriptures as of no value without the autho-
rity of the Church, and had thus incurred a fearful
responsibility ; others had considered them a light
and truth, which all men had a right to avail himself
of, and which, (as one of the fathers said) engraved that on
the heart of man which could not be written. On this point
and others lie quoted the recorded opinions of many of the
first Romish divines, and also many passages. He next
alluded to similar discrepancies in the edicts of the councils
of Trent, and Nice, &c., not only in this primary point, but
with reference to the Apochypal books, the most absurd and
contradictory of which were, by one set of Romanists, to be
received implicitly as true on pain of anathema (or damna-
tion,) and by another declared to be spurious. The general
doctrine of the Romanists of the present day was that the
Scriptures were not enough for salvation without tradition;
that they were obscure ; and that no versions of them were
to be put in the vulgar language, and read by the people—
opinions contrary to reason as well as to revelation itself,
and, indeed, little short of blasphemy. He next alluded to
thetranslation from the originalinto the Latin or "Vulgate,"
from which the Rhemish and Douay Bibles were rendered.
Two translations. had been made in Latin, and both were in-
accurate and contradictory ; and even the learned Cardinal
Belarmine had objected to both, and expressed his fear, not-
withstanding the Council of Trent, of trusting to any but the
original. He (the Rev. gentleman) could not see why a
labouring man, an artisan, a sailor, or a soldier, should be
debarred from reading the Scriptures in his own mother
tongue. But all the inconsistencies he had noticed in Ro-
manists, as well as the bull of the late Pope introducing the
use of the Bible, so as to put down Bible societies, had
their object. He considered the Bible sent as a blessing
to all mankind, and showed that it would be so, by many
promises which it contained, to all who searched it diligent-
ly. The Romanists had been raising Heaven and earth to
bring Britain to their arms; but they never would—they never
could renounce their bibles. Those who had it not had
neither faith, piety, nor good works, but were immersed in
sin, ignorance, and misery. He concluded by a powerful
and affecting appeal in behalf of that holy book, which, as
well as the rest of his discourse, made a strong impression
upon his audience, which they evinced by unequivocal de-
monstrations of respect and esteem at the close of the dis-
course—of which this is necessarily but a feeble outline.
An appropriate hymn concluded the proceedings, and, af-
ter a blessing was pronounced by the Rev. Gentleman, the
meeting passed to him a vote of thanks by acclamation.