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Jtf U *fn >rc tth ((KtrtTrfrtttrtTTi>tr{Df ^JJtUU (tf UUU W IUU -4 UlUlUnUtf. ——?——
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yotir concurrence underneath upon two duplicates , one of which shall he kept b y each of us , will be a sufficient voucher of the ohligation ,- ^ JAMES Bostfeia . Xondon , June 7 , 1785 . " : . ¦ _ Reynolds was either not so punctilious a man or business as his fellow elubbist and social intimate , or , on the other hand , he nuist have maturely weighed Bozzy's proposal , for we find that he only endorsed his acceptance of it on the 16 th of September following . . '¦ ¦ ' . ' . "„ '' : ¦ of in
The collection of letters comprises others - terest from Dr . Johnson , Lord Erskine , the Bishop of London , the Princess Daschkau , and other persons of mark ; and the scraps of the critical journal kept by Reynolds at Rome , Florence , and Tenice will be esteemed by high-class virttiosi , and will go some little way towards supplying the profession with that information as to his particular practice and habits of study , when in Italy , which some have thought would be very acceptable . Messrs . Kent and Bogue , of Fleet-street , have issued a manual which will have a large circulation . Taste , or—if the high art men will not concede so much—fancy for the fine arts is now so universal
that the gentle and simple crowd who fill our exliibition-rooms take , almost to a man or woman , _ the liberty of being , or modestly desiring to be , critical . Hence the recurrent necessity for such handy books as Painting Popularly Explained , with Historical Sketches of the Progress of the Art , hy Thomas John Gullick , painter , and John Timbs , F . S . A . " We shall probably some day or other , after diligently perusing it , proceed to review this jointstock performance at length in another part of our columns , but for our present purpose this announcement of a novelty in immediate connexion with the fine arts is sufficient . The
preface is , at all events , ingenious . It answers the very probable query , why the literary coparcener to whose name " painter" is attached did not prefer , like and in the words of Annibale Caracci , " only to speak by works ? " and while showing the worth to the non-professional world of some knowledge of the mechanics of painting , contends , logically enough , against the inference that none but the high-priests of the art may impart its mysteries . The joint authors " appear to have collected rand put together in'a taking form—ad jpopulum , be it understood ^ -a great Dody ^ of information respecting painting in fresco , oil , tempera , mosaic , encaustic , water-colours , miniature ,
jnissal , crayon , or pastel j on painting materials ; and on legitimacy , illegitimacy , and pre-Raphaelism . This , far from ruining the profession , emptying the academical class-rooms , and driving the Gandishes to despair , will profit all of them , by stimulating the ardour and sharpening the acumen of drawing-/ Xoom students and , drawing-room critios , upon whose favour the material prosperity of art and artists must after all pretty much depend , and whose enlightenment the profession should watch with anxious satisfaction look favourabl
. We y upon the alliance to this end between a competent technical painter and a literary man of Mr . Tjnibs ' s acquirements and practice , and fully expect that the public also will be of our mind , , A series of very powerful drawings , by Alexandre Bida , are exhibiting at the French Gallery , in PalU mall . They are illustrative of Eastern life , and to isay that they are , on the whole ^ the most remarkable specimens of crayon drawing that have been exhibited in this country is , we believe , no
disparagement to our English artists , whq , pernaps , wisely considering the sensitiveness of such wx > rks to the effect of our humid p limate , have n ° t # until comparatively a recent period , followed with much energy , or in any numbor , in the footsteps of Grouzo ,, CHrodet , and Nattier , Men of much critical power differ , of course , as to tho legitimacy of M . Bida ' s practice . There are those , of courae , who allege that simplicity and truth are sacrificed by liis elaborate mechanism ; and others who agroe with Mr . Ruskin , that Turner ' s use of mechanical textures "was a precedent whioh may be followed with advantage , and-r-whon the resulting effect is successful— -without censure .
" The Wailing-place of tho Jews , " a resort of Hebrew pilgrims near tho supposed foundations of Solomon ' s . Temple , presents every variety of that race . The Turk , the German , and the Hungarian are all recognisable . Their attitudes afo admirably rendered , and their countonanoes finely expressive . The " Return of Modern Pilgrims from Mecca /' a work rioh in Eastern associations ; tho " Baaju-Bazouk Guard-room at Cairo , " tho " Maronite
Priest at liebahbn , " are all masterly m execution , as well as full of local colour and truth of sentiment . It should be well understood that the body of the press and the commission-riddett pubKc by no means niclude the staff of the Kensington Museum in their well-founded censure of the tyranny that persists in removing the national fine art property from the reach of seven-eighths of the metropolitan population . The officials in question are competent men , and work as enthusiasticall y in their several c allings as though the result of their labours were within the public ken . They have just commenced
a most valuable course of art lectures for the benefit of the select suburbs surrounding them , to which we are bound to call the attention of our readers who thereabouts do dwell . The first , " On Hindoo Art , " by Dr . G . Kinkel , formerly professor of the History of Art and Modern Civilisation in the University of Bonn , and illustrated by the history , drawings ^ buildings , and sculpture of the Hindoos , was delivered on Monday last . Next Monday the same scholar will treat of Mohammedan Art . On the 7 th of February comes Mr . Westmacott , of the Royal Academy , "On Sculpture in 1
Relief / Others follow , Monday after Monday , on Majolica and other Ceramic Wares , and seem to promise so much amusement , that as we write we become more jealous at the seclusion of the institution from the general public , and the classes whose art education is especially desirable from a national point of view . A story has obtained some currency that reminds us somewhat of the statue of Byron , that so long lay warehoused in this country , in default ^ of an appropriate site being vouchsafed to it . It is said that during a temporary fit of friendtiness the Archduke of Austria went so far as to offer the Emperor Napoleon III . a copy in bronze of Canova ' s statue
of Napoleon the Great . The courtesy being accepted , Signor Pardiani , of Milan , received a commission to cast , one on a somewhat reduced scale . The work has been for some little time completed , but the relations of the parties to the transaction having been in the interim clouded over , the work remains unclaimed and undisposed of in the sculptor ' s studio . Pardiani , thiuking perhaps that Napoleons ; , though at a discount in Milan , might be rising on the Turin exchange , recently waited on his Imperial customer to take orders ' on the subject . The political quidnuncs who just now watch the , flight of straws with such anxiety may be interested to hear the result of the conference . They can interpret as they please the archducal orders , which are reported to have been , " Wait
a little longer . A very fair specimen of the medallist ' s art has been produced in bronze by Messrs . Pinches , the artists to the Crystal Palace , in commemoration of the Burns centenary , Qn its obverse is a profile of the poet , composed— 'if we may use the wordin the absence of positive authority , from the Nasmyth portrait , the only one painted during his lifetime . On the reverse is the seal designed by Burns . The device on the shield consists of a shepherd ' s horn and orook , and a bush , with the motto " Better a wee bush than nae biold . " The crest is a bird on a spray . The legend is , " Jn commemoration of the first centenary of the birth of Robert Burns , 1859 , " and the work is , on the whole , creditable to Mr . Pinches .
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Law Amendment Society . —At ft meeting , on Tuesday , Sir R . JBethell , M . P ., in the chair , a report was unanimously adopted condemning the proposal of erecting the new courts and offices on the area now known aa Doctors' Commons , giving the preference to thnt site which was recommended , on the evidence of Sir Charles Barry , by the Select Committee of 1845 ; namely , an area of 71 acres situated between Carey-street and tho Strand , bounded on the east by Boll-yard , and on tho west hy Plough-court and Olemont ' e-4 ano . Tho purchase of that Bite would involve nn outlay of 076 , 074 ^ , but after deduoting tho value of tho present courts , as
ascertained by their sale , the value of tho materials on tho site itself , and other sums , would reduce the price to 172 , 224 ; . The cost of the now structure itself would bo about 800 , 000 / ., aqd should the House of Commons be unwilling to pass an estimate for a public work of auoh paramount importance , they might legalise tho application of a portion of the suitors' fee fnnd . and of tho fund arising from unpaid dividends in tlio Court of Ohancery , to' tho purpose required , and so let free as much as 088 , 884 / . 6 s . Cd . Tho Hon . Arthur Klonalrd hoped Sir Richard ¦ would himself bring the subjqct bofpro tlio House of Commons , and so ascertain tho Intentions of Government on tho subject . ¦
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st . james ' s hall . It is , perhaps , as well for journals professing to notice musical doings that St . James ' s Hall is not expansive . The general fitness for concert purposes to -which -we alluded last week seems so well recognised and so eagerly taken advantage of by concert givers , vocal societies , entertainers , and so forth , that we view with some apprehension the claims of the institution upon our reporting space ,-though we entertain , no fear of its over ^ flowing our advertising columns . On Monday evening the musical world , or a portion of it , was gathered together at the usual " Pofclah Concert" at which
Madame Viardot Garcia sang Pacini s "II Soave ebel contento , " and the Spanish airs as introduced by her in the Barber of Seville . She was rapturously applauded , as was also Mr . Sims Reeves , who , recovered from his illness , sang no less than five ballads in his best style . They were Hatton ' s " Good-by , sweetheart , " and " Phoebe ; " Mori's " Tell me , oh , tell me ; " II . Smart's " In vain I would forget thee ; " anil , to crown all , " Last Rose of Summer , " as arranged by Flotow for bis opera of Martha . " Mr . Brinley Richards gave -his own beautiful and popular pianoforte variations upon Weber ' s " last waltz , " and Miss Eyles was very favourably received in Macfarren ' s famous ballad " I've waadered by the . brookside . " .
On Tuesday The "Vocal . Association , essentially composed of amateurs who wisely avail themselves of Mr . Benedict ' s , great talent , and . to whom he returns enthusiastic devotion , gave the first of the six " undressconcerts" which are to alternate with six other " dress concerts " between this and the 8 th of Jane . The chorus being very numerous and perfectly welltrained , the great features of the evening were their performance of Meyerbeer ' s " Xiord ' s Prayer , " Becker ' s " Little Church , " Lachner's " Sunshine , " and Mendelssohn ' s two part songs , " The Wandering Minstrels , " and "lathe Forest . " " The Wandering Minstrels " is a light and gladsome strain which the ladies and gentlemen of the Society evidently take much pains with .
It . was zealously sung and conducted -con amore . The fine masses of the chorus were well brought out in the " Forest " part song , which , we might almost say , wa 3 as chequered With musical light and shade as the woodland itself . The extremely difficult trio by Mr . Benedict for female voices ( unaccompanied ) , as intricate as an instrumental trio , and demanding marvellous flexibility from the contralto , was wonderfully performed by Miss Saunders , Miss Chipperfield , and Miss Binckes . The vocal soloists of mark seem to be -Miss Harring- * ton , who gave " With verdure clad " with much purity , and who exhibited power and quality in the duct from Maritana with Mr . Suchefc Champion . This gentleman ' s voice is , to our thinking , well worth the notice of
tho numerous parties always on the look-out for tenor 3 . It has a delicious quality in parts , and if not strong enough for the stage , where tenors are most in . request ,, is destined , we imagine , to make a figure in chamber singing . Miss Binckes showed promise in " The Sleeper Awakened , " of Macfarreh , delivering tho recitative remarkably well , and Miss Gresham was truth itself in the . romantic reverie from the Freischtite , " Und ob die Wolke . " Tho instrumentalists were Herr Daubert , who played well an inferior arrangement of " The Last Rose of Summer , " and Miss Susan Goddard , a young pianist , who exhibited fair promise in a stately polka , a flowing melody by Schumann , and a most unintereating prelude by Chopin .
On Wednesday the Musical Society op London gave their first concert for tho soason . This is a reunion of more pretension , and the evening ' s programme * comprised much beautiful music . Madame Catherine Hayes , whom we grieve , while wo rejoice , to seo again in public , was imposing in the grand scene from tho Freischutz and in that from Gvillaume Tell , Signor Piatti performed in a masterly manner a concerto by Molique , and the band , under the excellent direction of that ubiquitous and seemingly indispensable conductor Covent
Mr . Alfred Mellon , who oamo express from Garden , were superb in Mendelssohn ' s beautiful ovorturo to Meluaina and Beethoven ' s C minor symphony . Tho grand feature of this concert was Maofurron ' s " May Day" cantata . This work was written for tho Inst Bradford Festival , and the groat and original composer has gone in it far boyond his previous excellency . Admirably playqd and sung , it was indeed a groat treat tothe non-professional part of tho audioneo , and wbh much appreciated by numbers of native and foreign miiriiolnns who wore present . , I f i . h ^ v v ^* .. ^^ wr n ^ pw ^ w ¦ . ¦ ^^ s m that h
Mr . Burnum , who announces , by tho way , o has rofueod an offer from Messrs . Routlodgo of 1200 / . for tho copyright of his lectures , writes us that h o » na added to his attractions a Bavarian Minstrel , who plays upon a certain whistle , pipo , or flfo smaller even than tho diminutive one played sometime by tho renowned Sardinian Picco , and , teate Bnrnum , cnpablo of producing " more peculiar ami startling- orohostrnl pfl ' nots . Our rapid transition from Mondolssohn and Mellon to Barnum and hla Bavarian may savour of tlio descent from tho flublimo , but somehow tho one entertainment draws aa well aa tho other . There aro fools from folly" ;
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3150 THE LEABEB . [ Nor 462 , January 29 , 1859 .
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Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 29, 1859, page 150, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2279/page/22/
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