The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-08-20
Treasures of Art and Science In London

In graphic article published some
years ago Mr.. Henry Cole described
(what 1t Is almost impossible for the
Londoner of to-day to realize) the con-
| dition of this metropolis at the beginning
OF the century. The only institution
which then existed for preserving any
object of art or science was the British
| Museum, which was founded in 1853, III
| which year sum of G39O,0O0 was raised
| by lottery to purchase certain collec-
| tions-as that OF Sir Hans Sloane, and
| the Cotton MSS.-oyer the drawing of
which lottery 100000 tickets at three
pounds each), at Guildhall, the Lord
Chancellor, the Speaker of the House
of Commons, and the Archbishop of
Canterbury presided! But this sole in
stitulion excited the smallest interest
| in the country, and so late as forty years
auo Crooker jeered in Parliament at
Bloomsbury as u terra incUgnlta, and
Carlyle's brilliant friend and. pupil,
Cha les Butler, wrote an article descfib-
ing voyage of exploration he had made
to- that region, with some account OF the
curious manners and customs OF the in
nabitants. "ADout " hundred visitors
day on an average" says Mr.. Henry
Cole (there were nearly 100000 visitors
to the British Museum in 1874 "n par-
ties of five persons only, were admitted
TO cape ut the unlabeIed 'rarities and
cufiosities' deposited in Montague
House.
The state Of things outside the British
Museum was analogous. Westminster
Abbey was closed except tof divine
service, and TO show a closet of wax
work. Admittance TO the public monu-
ments in st. PauPs and other churches
was irksolne to obtain, anu costly; even
the Tower OF London could not be seen
for less than SIX shillings. The private
picLure-gaileries were most difficult OF
access, and, for those not belonging to
the upper ten thousand, it might be
work OF years to get sight OF The Gros-
venor and Stafford collections.
No national gallery existed, and Lord
Liyerpoofs government refused to .ac-
cept the pictures offered by Sir Francis
Bourgeois, now at DulWich, even on con-
dition of merely housing them. The
National Portrait Gallery, the South
kensingJon MUSEUM, and the Geological
Museum were not even conceived. Kew
Gardens were shabby and neglected,
aud possessed no museum. Hampton
Court Palace was shown, BY afee to the
housekeeper, one day in the week.
No public schools OF art or science ex.
listed in the metropolis or the seats of
manufacture. The Royal Academy had
It's annual exhibition Oh tho FIRST and Sec
ond floors oil Somerset House, in rooms
now used by the Registrar General,
whose functions Then mad no existence.
1t was only at the British Institution or
at Christie's auction rooms that IL youth
llll artist like Mulready could chance 10
see the work of an odd master, us he has
often told lis.
DR.. Birckbeek had not founded the
D, esent Mechanics Institute IN South
ampton Buildings, and the first stone Of
the London University, in Gower street,
was not laid. Not a penny Of the public
taxes was devoted to national educa-
ton. Hard drinking was as mucu
qualification for mem bership OF the Dile-
tanti Society as the nominal one Of tour
in Itaiy. Mems minds we're more anx-
iously engaged with bread riots and corn
laws, TnisJlewoOdsf conspiracy and
Peterloo massacres, Catholic emancipa-
tion and rotten boYoughs, than with the
arts and sciences, Tor the advancement,
of which, IN TRUTH there was hardly any
liking, thought, "a opportunity"
This being the condition of London, the
state of things in other parts OF the
United Kingdom may easily pe inferred.
There are now fifteen. important public
museums and ait galleries in or near
London. The ancient buildings ot'inter-
est are shown without\ fees. Nearly a
million people visited single one of
these museums last year. There are
seven large schools for art training in
LONDON alone, and lz5 in the whole coun-
Try, while tie official report for 1874 gives
l2,SI1 as the number OF schools in which
arr IS taught, 2ol,94O as the number OF
art pupils, and 157,635 as the number OF
works thai issued from them in the same
year.-M. ID. Conway, in Harper's Maga-
zine Tor September.