New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-04-17
NEW-YORK TRIBUNE.
Foreign Correspondence of The Tribune.
Gambling Notes on the OLD tporIo.


the people. The opening Of the Picture and Soup
ture Galleries of France free to all classes has had
it's effect upon Britain, and elsewhere Here in
London we have the British Museum, combining
With its treasures OF earth ocean, and air Paintings
enough 10 form an unique asI splendid gallery
the finest Sculptures in the world, vide Elgin
Marbles and host OF Libraries both in print and
manuscript, Of unequaled magnitude and variety,
beside National Gallery Of pictures, by the Mas
ters-a rare collection at Dulwich, in the suburbs
and Raphaes Cartoons, with other glories upon
canvas at Hampton Court, just far enough out from
the city TO free one from the odious smoke and fog
and all these are free certain days TO the
tire public. And there is still another collection
at the Pantheon. embracing the chief of Haydon's
paintings, also free, beside the fine pictures and
statuary stained glass and carvings of the Churches
and Abbeys sufficient in themselves to satisfy and
tire the most devotional love for the Fine Arts or the
most intense curiosity. The influence exerted by
these dumb but eloquent agents Of civilization is
beyond all statistical calculation. Not only be-
cause they are means OF turning the multitude
from lower exctements and vitiating pleasures,
but for the critical taste they establish, and the
education they impart AS in Spain the masses
Of people become initiated into the mysteries OF
music from childhood by having it constantly
trilled into their ears so here, the herd catch a
grace of thought and sentiment beyond the
reach of Art, from the creations of the Arts which
hail them at every turn. There are yet some i'm
Projections attending this Government benefaction
10 wit the closing of these free exhibitions upon
holidays, the very time when the pent and op-
pressed multitude most need them-and, in my
opinion, also upon the Sabbath. There is no CUES
sipn but thousands--who, in a thronged metropolis
hike London, bowed down with toll for six long
days during which their circumstances permit
little no recreation, seek to relax themselves on
the Sabbath by trips out Of town in social vsitings,
and grog shop festivities where the bottle is the
presiding deity-might be drawn TO such places as
the British Museum the National and other gale
Fies, If they were opened. And put 1t to all
lovers Of humanity, and Christianity, whether,
since there are multitudes who Will not visit the
Church-who feel no imperative conscience ON the
score Of stated preaching 1t would not be
morally and religiously better to turn them from
drunkenness and debauchery by the allurement OF
ehaste, innocent and exalting arts, than leave
hem where they bow are. put 1t TO the statute
makers, who may be supposed to act upon prlnci-
pies of Christianity in making laws for the people
who everywhere in His universe invites man to
contemplation and alteration by images OF beauty
or more discreditable to themselves, to open the
galleries of sculpture and painting the COLLECTIONS
OF natural curiosities and even a musical coHser-
pokoire for the benefit of the crowded poor than to
tcepse some forty thousand gin palaces TO
omen their ports at one O'Clock p. Nj. on the sab
bath 10 debauch society and manufacture criminals
and paupersl l know it would not conserve so
well toward securing that ten millions OF pounds
sterling per annum, equal to the expenses OF our
Government derived from taxes and duties upon
bouors guzzed down the throat OF Britain, but
would il be less just toward God and man Speak
out, you Reverend and other Statesmen who op
bosed Joseph Hume's motion TO open the free pub
lie galleries to the poor on the Sabbath so bitterly
crying that the kingdom Of Heaven was invaded
You fox hunting Bishops and wine-cellar keeping
holders of fat hvings under Church and state
svstern which makes public religious conscience
vpid--with your lawn robes and carbuncled noses
YOUR stipends and Parliamentary privileges, do
YOU ever feel guilty for opening factories TO make
beasts of menhoes hit TO typify the lungs OF that
Tophet so hoiy and eoquently described by Tertul-
Ian 7 Whence then this sudden horror, that the
shadows Of that beauty which God has lavished
throughout creation in sunshine and shade-calm
and storm--rolng thunders and ripping brooks
the nusic of leaves and birds, and the grace and
glory of flowers, that open their odorous eyes on
the Sabbath as well as on the midweek day are
heresy-creating and matchmaking to the poor
Do Won really think men will reverence the Sab
bath, or any of Gods DAYS less, for beholding the
fruits which God. given genius has reaped In imita
tion of its Creator by toll and sacrifice that never
entered into the account OF your Catechisms and
Confessions They can find no beauty IN your
temples, beyon the beauty OF art-they see you
corrupt and oppressive, and turn whittier they may
70 CLEAN some light of Heaven, and you drive them
from Nature and her sister Art into the reres dens
on earth. VIII these grand paintings OF Rafaele,
the TRANSPORTATION, or the Head of Christ, majes
tic and innocent even in agony-make men rude to
beauty, or irreligious TO God Are Caracas
Saints. pale and glowing with the resignation OF
heroic marty rdom-so carnal or devsh ss TO excite
r'dicale or scornl Does the Nativity. by Rubens,
a. IL hangs against the wall eloquent almost as
me-more eloquent than volumes OF your sermons,
ok unsanctifyiDsl Are you fearful that Reynolds
beautiful children. or Claudes landscapes, like
Mature 10 swoon-will corrupt the common
heart WIN those monuments OF the wisdom or
folly OF past ages in the British Museum-those
anwritten volumes Of Nature which sneak for God
with irresistible torce the beasts of the field fowls
Sf the air, fishes and shells OF the sea. and ores
dug from the earth are they dangerous to reli-
zion Will their combinations and colors rival
ing the prism, abase the character Of their Crea
tor 7 Fear you the Theseum and Uyssus Of Phi.
dias which could soften even the barbarian into
admiration for beauty Then Danish the Uni.
verse. in which man is let loose for ak days
Add which yol would shut out as dangerous
on the seventh II the axiom for virtuous, inno
cent pursuits, be not 1.-The better the day, the bet
ter the deed" then must believe In total deprsv
ty--but ask you, O God-professing society guard
ing Legislators and priests. when you close the
doors of Picture and Sculpture Galleries on the
Sabbath. not to forget the g forty thousand rum
holes. aud innumerable iorges and railway trans
where you permit men to court infsmy, or iorce
them 10 toll. II you came to me with your sane
sinonious cry. and were your Judge would say
70 you in the language Of James V, OF Scotland
70 the Catholic heresy hunting deputaton,-"Psck'
yt joggers Get we to your charges, and re-
ium your own lives or l vow TO God, shall re-
'osn you--not as the King OF Denmark, by I'M
piisonment-nor as no of England, by bcheading
and hanging-but yet by more severe punish
mem, II ever such motion proceed from you
again Yet it must be confessed that these exhi.
DEions in their limited sphere do a vast deal OF
good: They repay the Government ten times over
'or all expenses by lessening the crime and vita
aon OF the Metropolis. Nor is the opening OF them
gratuity in fact though the indirect tax by which
hey are supported is scarcely felt by the classes
VINO enjoy them When shall we make the first
move toward establishing National Museum, and
palenes Of Sculptures and Pictures. Shall we wait
81 H. L. n I'll.