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the same vestibule , the catalogue describes Lawrence s portrait of Kemble in Coriolanus , as a ' Dance m the Ooen Air at Sans Souci ; ' the picture which really has that title being introduced as the veritable Lawrence . There are , perhaps , minor matters , but they betray carelessness ¦ they will doubtless be remedied , but they ought never to ' hare existed . Here is another example of the same careless editing . Nos . 17 and 25 , in Saloon D , are both scenes from the ' Beggar ' s Opera , ' by Hogarth . The former ( which belongs to Mr . Willett ) is in the original frame as designed by Hogarth himself , with a por trait of Gay , colours , on the top ; but the note indicating that fact is appended to No . , of which it is not true and is omitted from No . 17 , of which it is . In
many cases the descriptions given in the catalogue are to the highest degree unsatisfactory . Thus , No . 32 in the Hertford Gallery is described as ' Cardinal Fesch , ' from which one would imagine that it was a portrait of that worthy ecclesiastic , but certainly not that it is a charming example of Greuze , representing a Nymph upon her knees before the altar of Love , offering up the toys of her innocence and virginity . The only way of explaining this curious fact is by supposing that the picture once formed part of Cardinal Fesch ' s collection . Equally unsatisfactory is the definition of Lord Hertford ' s beautiful Poussin , as ' Mythological Subject : ' somewhat
vague , it must be admitted , for an admirable composition of Old Time play ing to a band of Nymphs dancing before a Terminus , with the Hours flying overhead , and Cup id blowing bubbles in the foreground . Surely some such a title as * The Bright Season of Youth' would have been muc ' u better than the bald and meaningless one ' Mythological Subject . ' About the worst specimen of this insufficient naming , however , is also in the Hertford Collection : " No . 43 , ' Exterior '—Decamps . " Exterior of what ? Of a church , a cottage , or a pigsty ? The picture , in fact , represents a public execution of criminals outside the walls of Tunis . It is well known , and has
been engraved . The figure of the wife of one of the unfortunate wretches is celebrated , and that of a boy who is suffering a beating at the hands of a horseman . Yet the catalogue has nothing to say about it , but simply' Exterior !' Another capital fault in the catalogue is the absence of any means whereby to discover what examples of any particular master are to be found in the collection . A painful search through the whole volume is the only means of effecting this . How that might have been contrived we have already pointed out ; and here we would suggest that the space which has been ostentatiously tilled with biographical notes upon the old masters might have been profitably employed for that purpose , leaving it to the visitors to look up these not xery
recondite facts there imparted in their Lanzis and their Pilkingtons , at leisure and at home . It scarcely needs an argument to prove that the most serviceable function of a catalogue ia to show distinctly and at once what is and what is not in the collection . Suppose , for example , an amateur pays a hurried visit to the Art Treasures Palace : he has but an hour to spend and wishes to examine two or three pictures of world-wide celebrity . Say that he has set his mind upon Lord Ovcrstonc's splendid Murillos , the " Three Maries" of Annibalo Caracci , Kubens ' s " liaiubow Landscape , " and Gainsborough ' s " Blue Boy . " How will the catalogue assist him in discovering them at once ? Not at all . He must search « iuite througli the volume for each of the desiderata ; and the more hurried he happens to be , of course the less likely is lie to gain his object .
An obvious inconvenience in the arrangement of the collections is perhaps not attributable to the executive ; we refer to the manner in which the works of tlie same master are scattered about the building . This is ( we are given to understand ) mainly due to the pride of ownership which some of the contributors have exhibited by insisting that their collections should be kept all together . In the disposition of the Hertford Gallery this is very obvious , for nothing cun be more incongruous than to find Murillo in juxtaposition with Grousie , llobbemu with Philip do Champagne , Velasquez ; with Rubens ,
Vandyke with Watteau , Kembrandt with Lancrct and l ' atorro . In tho Museum ot Ornamental Art the same defect is to be - deplored . Against the . south wall , for example , we find somo cases containing a magnificent series of carvings in ivory , but tho Mayrick Collection of armour ( at tha north-cast corner of tho transmit ) contains what is perhaps the curliest known specimen of ivory carving , a specimen perfectly unique . This is u box , or casket , of tho sixth century , and it would have beon certainly much moru in its place at tho hoad of the collection of ivory tlinn in tho middle of daggers , toledus ,
und cuirasses . Hut although tho executive may ho fairly held exfii . sable in thin matter , there is another objection which touohos them moro nearly ; whioh in , that in this , which |> rofunHOs to bo n collection of Art Treasures ( it title which requires much for its fuininient ) , there id iar moro rubbish than can bo defended upon tho excuse that it was desirable to illuslruto every school of Art . . Tho collection of pro-ltaphuojifco M nut era in . uniformly excollunt ; indeed , we doubt whether that intcrewting era was ever no riohly illustrated in any other collection ; but when we got to Kuphaol himself there ia a manifest , falling oil ' . Perhaps it in not too much to any that there ia not a
I single chef d ' atuvre by this master in the whole Exhibition ; yet , in one batch , the catalogue sets , down twentynine pictures under that honoured name , some of which are of more than doubtful authenticity , and others have been obviously retouched . The Titians , again , are numerous and inferior ; one of tberix ( Lord Darnley ' s " Europa ") ought certainly to be never exhibited . Both Tintoretto and Paolo Veronese are very badly represented : so is Salvator Rosa . But of all the old masters , perhaps Rubens is the most hardly dealt with , for why should such real treasures as the ' Rainbow Collection , ' the portrait of himself and wife carrying fruit and game , the Prometheus" ( with the vulture by Snyders ) , the " St . Martin , " be shamed by such positive trash as is entered under his name ? The names of many other masters suggest similar observations . The masterpieces of Gainsborough are put to flagrant shame in this manner ; so are those of Reynolds ( and even Sir Joshua perpetrated a daub sometimes ) , so Laurence , so Turner , so Landseer , and so a greater number of our living artists than we care now to specify by name . Suffice it to say that , in most cases , not only the treasures of a master are illustrated upon the walls , but representatives of his failures are not absent . Let it be distinctly understood , however , that We do not Avish this criticism as to inequality to apply to the British Portrait Gallery . Where the object was to get a portrait ( and the plan of this collection is not only laudable , but is well carried out by Mr . Cunningham ) , the quality of the work became a matter of secondary importance . One more objection to a matter of arrangement , and we have come to the end of our catalogue of defects : the engravings might have been much better displayed . This is , perhaps , the richest collection in that branch of art that has ever been brought together . Under the name of Marc Antonio Raimondi we find catalogued eighty-nine masterpieces . It may serve to give those who do not happen to be iconophilists a notion as to what this means when we say that the price of good proofs of this master varies from fifty to eighty pounds sterling . Under the head of Albert Durer there are thirty-three specimens , uuder that of Raphael Morghen eighteen , under that of Rembrandt seventy-nine . The specimens are , for the most part , good 7 and in main ' cases excellent in quality ; but here also , as in the pictures , things quite the reverse of treasures are admittedbanality ' s of the modern French and English schools that no one having any pretensions to taste would deem worthy of a frame . The consequence is , that many of the masterpieces are hung in such a manner as to be quite inaccessible for the purpose of examination . The Marc Antonios and the Albert Durers are placed altogether , occupying a space upon the screen between the level of the foot and three to four feet above the level of the eye . More than half of them are , therefore , practically lost , and , for the purpose of intelligent examination " , might just as well have remained in the portfolios of their owners . As an example of the general want of judgment which pervades the arrangement of the engravings , it may be noticed that Sir Charles Price ' s splendid impression of Rembran It's " Hundred Guilder Piece , " a proof on India paper , is hung in a corner considerably below the line . It may be some compensation , however , to the bafllod amateur to find that instead of a satisfactory arrangement the editors of tho catalogue have treated him to an essay upon the Art of Engraving , of which the following luminous sentences will serve to give an idea : — Among those arts which contribute largely as well to tho use as to the gratification of mankind , the practice of taking upon sonic material impressions from surfaces prepared by
sidcrablo importance , and in the galleries of this Kxlubition , which have been appropriated Tor the purpose , the visitor will Hud himself surrounded with specimens illustrative of the progress of that art from its earliest , invention to tho present time . In speculating upon tho origin of this practice , wo may well imagine that the Conn of even a lallon leal' loft casually in tho . soft ground , the markings thero ol tho foot of uiiiui : tU or of man , would at lirst naturally only present to tho mind tho notion of tho contact wiih the pnhshiw individual . 1 A few lines , however thoughtlessly perhaps traced witli tho finger in the sand , may have given rise to iho idea of copying these impressions , and their originals , orol
as well a . s of ornamenting surfaces of stone or of metal , wood , or of clay , as in tho instance of the most primitive pottery , with ti ' sucrv , by means of cutting instruments , and thus wo nro prepared for tho very oarly appearance or engraving upon those substances ; und some such mark from tho hand of man , or ovon tho Indentation of a- tooth , soon became associated with tho idea of tho u « o or property of tho marked thing being in a person , whence came the invention of the engraved Mgu or stamp , ami tlie cutting ol gems in intaglio— tho striking of coined money bearing designs or characters —tlio cutting in relief or in cameo , and oilier processes of kindred natures .
Of course , we do not moan to deny tho advantage that might have boon derived from clour , succinct statements , briefly and intelligibly explanatory of the origin and progress of tho various arts illustrated by thin exhibition ? but tho reader will judge as to what kind of , and how niueh , benefit ; is to bo expected from Mtcli a lucubration au that which we have just , quoted . From Iho gemtral tenor of the above observations , it will be gathered that ( lie Art Treasure * Exhibition has many defects in form and detail ; fiomo of which were , perliii ) . H , unavoidable , some of which have amen from causes out , of tho roach of tho executive committee , and some of which ( if fairly chargeable against the olucinlsj aro moro than atoned . f « y by the excellent 8 , 'Wlce which
they have rendered in other respects . A more logical arrangement of the works of art would certainly have rendered them more available for educational purposes ; and if that had Tjeen found absolutely impossible , a wellframed catalogue would have gone far to amend the evil . The latter is not yet impossible , for we perceive that the word ' provisional' stands upon the back of the edition originally issued . This , however , we tell the editor frankly : that the whole work must be entirely remodelled , and each part thoroughly revised , before the catalogue can at all equal what the public has a right to expect .
Let it not be supposed , however , that fault is the only thing that can be found in the magnificent Art Palace at Old Trafford . On the contrary , it teems with excellencies and beauties of which it will be our pleasure to give a brief account in the next section of this sketch . In the present article we have fairly stated all that appears objectionable to us in the organisation and working out of the scheme , and we have done our utmost in that respect ; deeming that , in a great national scheme of this importance and magnitude , severe criticism , if honestly applied and without malice , is likely to be of better service than fulsome , undiscriminating praise .
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STATE OF TRADE . The reports of the trade of the manufacturing towns during the week ending last Saturday show no alteration . At Manchester , the dulness has been increased by the firmness of the Liverpool cotton-market , which further diminishes the relative profit on manufactured goods , and induces a limitation of production . The Birmingham accounts describe steadiness in the iron trade , and confidence with regard to its prospects . For the general manufactures of the place , the foreign and colonial orders are in most cases satisfactory , and there is also a fair home demand . In the woollen districts there has been a slight increase of activity ; but the Irish linen-markets are without change . —Times .
The general business of the port of London still remains very inactive . This is owing to the easterly wind . A large number of vessels are now overdue . The total number of vessels reported inwards during the week ending last Saturday was 131 , being 18 less than in the previous week . These include the American ship Swallow , with a cargo of 2 H , OS 1 packages of tea . The number of ships cleared outward was 135 , including 12 in ballast , showing a decrease of 19 . The total number of vessels on the berth loading for the Australian colonies is 47 , being 5 less than at the last account . Of those now loading' 4 are for Adelaide , 3 for Geelong , 3 for Hobart Town , 3 for Launceston , 1 for Melbourne , 4 for New Zealand , 12 for Port Phillip , 1 for Portland Bay , 15 for Sydney , and 1 for Swan River . Of these , 1 was entered outward in January , 2 in February , and 9 in March . —Idem .
Certain persons connected with the London General Omnibus Company , called horsekeepers , whose duty it was to attend to the horses every morning and night , have struck on a question of pay . This put the drivers and conductors to some inconvenience , but they groomed their beasts for themselves , and so matters went on . The strike was not general , though the disaffected tried to make it so by goiny about to the various yards , urging their brethren to join thorn . None of those on strike will bo again received into the company ' s service .
The pitowners in the neighbourhood of the Lundhill Colliery have resolved to enforce on their workmen the use of the safety-lamp . The colliers , however , cannot get through the same amount of work with the guarded as witli the naked li ^ lit ; and , as the masters will not make a corresponding advance in wages , the pitmen struck . Tho masters , contrary to tlie usual custom , have offered to supply lamps and oil at their own expense . At a meeting of the men , it was unanimously resolved to resume work , and give the lamp a . fair trial . The . shoemakers at Kotherham have also struck . Tho
cause is thus stated iu tlie daily papers . --- " Owing to a pressure of business , one of tho master shoemakers at liotherhain a day or two ago hired some men who wore not connected with tlm operative union of that branch ol ' trade ; whereupon tlie union hands immediately struck work , and refused to resume their employment until tho non-union men \\ er < i discharged . A meeting of the masters was subsequently hold , at which it was resolved to support their brother tradesman in tho course he hud adopted , and also to discharge , every union hand in the town unless hi , s men went back to their work . This wad refused , and tho refniutory workmen were all discharged , the inurtlurrt adopting iv resolution never in future to employ any workman oqniusoted with tho Journeyman Hoot and ( Shoemakers' Union . "
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IRELAND . A Madman in a Coach . —A person nniiiud Wilson , while travelling > n <» coai'h near Fermanagh , suddenly drew a nv / . or , bi-uiulialicd it about in a menaciujjr manner at a young lady will * whom he mm riding , and would have stabbed her had she not warded off tlie luiitfos wifh a bosket , ttho Bcreimuju loudly , and a militia captain who was on tho box . « out , coming to her assistance , removed her in safety , though not , without rceoh •/¦!« several wounds himself
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May 16 , 1857 . 1 THE LEADER . 461
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Leader (1850-1860), May 16, 1857, page 461, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2193/page/5/
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