New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-11-14
FINE ARTS.

Leeds. England, is making preparations for
great exhibition of the Fine and Ornamental Arts, to
be held there in 1868. The art-treasures Of England
surpass those of any European State, excepting Italy,
both in number and value but the public has no
means of becoming acquainted with me greater part
of them shut up they are in castles palaces ana
private houses and scattered over lne mholo hIns
dom 1t is true that in no country IN the WOrid are
the owners of works of art titled or unttled 80 gen
erous as they are in England, so willing TO share
their enjoymens in these possessions WIN lner couh
trymen but the practical difficulties IN the way OF
bringing the people and the art together are very
great, and the experiment cannot often DO tIie o
any large SCALE 1t tried afew years ago III hai
chester but with only partial success, fOr tere was
a want of proper classification: and no measures
were taken to make the collection petnla,neht Vi
even temporarily telling influence IN the education
of the people 1t was n splendid show, and many
precious things were gathered together; but inc
crowd OF visitors looked at it only as show, so mat
when the Exhibition over, almost the only goOd
that could actually be traced to 1t was the ettng
people know how rich England is in works OF ATT OF
every description. Since then, there have been
several attempts TO make practical use of that
knowledge among which we may mention the
Picture Gallery Of the great Exhibition OF lsO;
and the Collections OF National f0Ltraits OIL wi e
the third is in preparation. These essays, now
ever have been confined TO pictures; the LEEDS
Exhibition of next year is to cover the whole held OF
the Fine and Decorative Arts and of Art Antiquities
and If the Committee perform only half what the an
nouncemcnt promises, there is no doubt tlat inc
result will be well worth crossing the ocean TO see
The third National Collection of Portraits to
which we have alluded above will be opened in the
Spring of 1863 1t will include not only the portraits
Of all the celebrated men and women Of England
from the year 1900 to the present time but also All the
portraits which should have been in the previous OK
bibitions but which from being overlooked, or from
whatever cause were not included in them.
1t is said that the celebrated tenor, Mario is
about TO send to auction his magnificent collection OF
pictures, armoT, manuscripts, and antiquities
" from
the gallery of the Ufiz at Florence. and was found
n few days after in curiosityshop the proprietor OF
which had bought it for two francs
The town of Salisbury, England, is about to
open to tho public collection OF antiquities of great
interest which has been presented to 1t by one OF Its
citizens a Mr. William Bllckmore, who has been long
establishedin business at Liverpool where he made
large fortune. lie had tasto for archaeology, ana
for that particular branch OF the study which reiates
TO the first vestiges Of human industry. III Io03
while travelling in America no learned that the col
lection Of objects discovered in the mounds OF the
Mississippi Valley when had Geeh ror d b Dy Tue vas
lying useless and almost forgotten heap OF lumber
in tho cellars of the New-io.k Historical Society
Building, in the City of New-lork. Ihey Were not
the property OF the Society, but were simply stored
waiting for q purchaser, as the Society would
not give the prco asked for them; Mr;
and carried il over 10 England, where 1t Is now
permanently placed, TO the additional shame OF a
city that to have no class OF men OF snclenl
cultnre TO recognize the value of any collection lit
erary scientific or artistic One Liverpool merchant
buys out Of his own pocket and presents TO third
rate English town collection OF antiquities that the
first city i'm America did not know enough 10 value.
and had not money enough TO spare from champagne
suppers carriages. aud hnery, 70 secure 1t for It's
children Mr. Blaokn0re has built for the preserya-
tion of the collection handsome building with we'll
lighted hall IS by IS feet and under his direction MIR.
Stevens has classified all the objects and Is preparing
an illustrated catalogue.
l~v,at anti nF
city, has invented and patented very compact
stereoscope-holder. which can be slipped into the
pocket or put into the valise while travelling, and
will be found very useful.