contribution. If any one evinced a disposition to become a chronic visitor, it should be hinted to him that the situation of subscriber would become him better. But this does not apply to the British Museum; and we confess we have often thought with pain upon what the ideas of foreigners must be of our practices in these matters.

Our correspondent concludes his letter with a very few words on French politics-we wish he had sent us a few more of them :

"I have not left myself any space to speak of French politics. I may mention, however, that M, Chateaubriand is stated to have obtained leave to return from Rome to Paris; whether to remain or not is unknown, but all idea of his being the new foreigu Minister is, I hear, abandoned. Prince Polignac's speech has satisfied some and dissatisfied others; an effect by no means uncommon in politics as in other matters. I really think he is honest after all. The policy of liberality has decidedly gained much strength in France lately. The law relating to the communes, which you, doubtless, have seen, placing the election of mayors and other officers more immediately in the hands of the people, cannot fail to strengthen the liberal party, and has given general satisfaction to the country."

25th. Mode of obtaining Signatures to Anti-Catholic Petitions. The following is taken from Mr. Pendarves' admirable speech last night. on the subject of the Anti-Catholic petitions, from some places in Cornwall. He reads it from a letter he had received from a magistrate of that county, for which Mr. Pendarves is member.-" To give you an idea how eagerly signatures have been caught at, I cannot refrain from mentioning a circumstance which came within my own knowledge, and for the truth of which I can vouch. Two men were brought before me, as a magistrate, for turnip-stealing, which they had been doing on a large scale, and were convicted on the clearest evidence. The case was heard in the attorney's office who acts as the clerk to the magistrates of this division, by whom the anti-Catholic petition was prepared: and these two men were solicited, and actually signed the petition immediately after their conviction." (Loud laughter, and cries of " Hear.")

This is admirable. The suspicions which have been lately prevalent concerning the mode in which these signatures have been procured, must now amount to conviction.

Every thing must seem an anti-climax after this-but we cannot resist giving, from Mr. Pendarves' speech, one or two more instances of how these petitions were signed.

"He had now a few words to say upon the mode in which signatures to those petitions had been obtained. At Bodmin, while the sessions were being held, the bellman was sent round the town to call the people to sign the anti-Catholic petition, and he had no doubt that every person of the county who happened to be then in the town, and who was opposed to the Catholic claims, signed the Bodmin petition. (Hear.) Another mode was the diffusion of inflammatory pamphlets, one of which, the most infamous and disgraceful he had ever seen, he then held in his hand. It was called "Look about you;" and at the head of it was a picture representing the Catholics of Ireland

burning a number of Protestants. (Hear, hear.) At Truro, the table at which the petitions were signed was covered with these pamphlets. (Hear, hear.) Nor was this all;-pictures professing to represent scenes in Queen Mary's days-the burning and torturing of Protestants by the Catholics-were also put into the hands of the people. These pictures were furnished, he understood, by a Pater-noster-row Society (loud cries of "hear"), and by them sent into the country. These pictures, together with Lord Winchilsea's letter (hear, and a laugh), were distributed about at Launceston.

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Mr. Pendarves also gives one or two very instructive anecdotes about the manner in which some of these petitions were got up. "At Penzance," he says, " only one day's notice of the meeting was given, and the mayor positively refused to put the petition to the vote, because he knew there was a majority against it. (Loud cries of Hear.") At Launceston, the meeting was exclusive: those only were summoned who were known to be opposed to the Catholic claims, and many of his friends who went to it were told that it was not a meeting called for the purpose of discussion. (Hear, hear.) At Truro the meeting was under the direction of a noble lord who possessed great influence in the neighbourhood, and the day fixed upon for the meeting was that of the opening of the sessions at Bodmin, at which all the magistrates and professional men of Truro were obliged to attend (hear, hear), so that little opposition to the petition could be expected. Another meeting was advertised for the following Tuesday, at which there were present one farmer, two clergymen, the vicar, and his curate. (Hear, and a laugh.) After waiting for some time, and no one else coming, the two clergymen signed the petition, and went away. (Hear.) Another meeting was held at Newlyn, at which there were present only four persons. (Hear.) Now what could be thought of the unanimity of the people of Cornwall, which they had been told of, on this subject? There was doubtless unanimity between the two clergymen (hear, and laughter,) but there was nothing of the sort generally."

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The gentlemen who call the meeting to be "all one side," remind us of a meeting in the city during the queen's business, where the first resolution was, Resolved, that there be no discussion." Truly it is a pretty way to judge whether the majority of the inhabitants of Launceston be for or against emancipation, when you will let no one who is for it come to the meeting.

The

It seems that these doings are not confined to Cornwall. Duke of Sussex, in animadverting last night upon a petition from Bristol, says, that he thinks" it right to state, that he had been informed that whole schools were sent up to sign this petition; that the utmost exertions were made to induce individuals of all descriptions to come forward; and that placards were exhibited of so extraordinary a nature, that he would not disgust the ears of their lordships by alluding more particularly to them. Some of those placards he had seen, and he understood that steps were taken to prosecute the printer and publisher of them. Besides, he was informed that several persons had over and over again signed the same petition; and he possessed, in his pocket, a letter from an individual who witnessed persons at the Guildhall, where there were three tables, going and

signing their names at each table. He stated these facts, because it ought to be known how the names to this petition had been procured.' Such statements made on such authority, with regard to different places, tend to throw no very good odour on the tactics by which these petitions are got up. With regard to the placards which are alluded to, we believe them to be carried to an excess which we can well understand prevented his Royal Highness from doing more than merely alluding to those of which he spoke. We have not ourselves seen any, for such things have scarcely at all been posted up in London. We have heard of some on Saffron-hill!

Above all, it is to be remarked that the Anti-catholics have not been able to get up any meeting in the metropolis-for we will not be so uncandid as to designate as the meeting of a party, in which there are certainly many eminent names, that assemblage which took place at the Crown and Anchor, some short time back, altogether got up by persons wholly unknown, and the character of which may be estimated by the fact that the first resolution given from the chair,-" That the Constitution is in danger," was beaten by an amendment moved by Hunt, substituting the word tithes for Constitution, by a great majority. And this is the only meeting that has been held in the metropolis against Catholic Emancipation!"-No, no-the days of No Popery in London are passed for ever!

27th. A meeting of the Common Council of London took place yesterday, at which a petition in favour of Emancipation was carried by a majority of very nearly two to one (105 to 54). We thought we did not over-rate the feeling of London.

NOTES ON ART-THE BRITISH INSTITUTION.

LOOKING to the posts of honour and distinction in the British Gallery, and comparing the works of lofty pretension now filling the principal places with the productions of a similar class which figured in the same situations last year, there can be no doubt that the parallel is in favour of the exhibition of 1828. Not that we mean to represent the decline as striking enough to have required notice in His Majesty's gracious Speech on opening the Imperial Parliament! But still it is striking.

In the place of the "Presentation of an English Roman Catholic Family to Pope Pius VII.," painted by J. P. DAVIS, a picture of more than ordinary power and effect, is now hung the "Adoration of the Shepherds," by MR. NORTHCOTE, a respectable work from an octogenarian, bespeaking, indeed, a cultivated taste but a feeble hand, and certainly not in any wise comparable with the painting to which it has succeeded. The post of "Hilton's Amphitrite," a successful display of poetical invention and pictorial skill, is occupied this year by MR. JONES' "Battle of St. Vincent," a popular and attractive subject it must be conceded, and the representation of a most noble and gallant exploit ; but as a work of art entitled only to very qualified commendation, and open to much just animadversion. The substi

tute for "Fort Rouge, Calais," by STANFIELD, a most spirited production, by an artist completely master of the subject and of his pencil, is the " George III. and Lord Howe" of MR. BRIGGS, a picture superior in pretensions to its predecessor, but much below it in merit, remarkable, indeed, for its insipidity, and as an instance in which a clever artist has been cramped and overpowered by a subject out of his line. There are few either who will place the single figure of MR. PARTRIDGE'S "Satan," in respect to its general importance as a work of art, on a level with the "Judith and Holofernes" of MR. ETTY. Last year, likewise, the gallery possessed a real treasure, from a foreign contributor, in the much-admired picture, "the Execution of Marino Faliero," by DELACROIX, the place of which is now occupied by a "fruit-piece," by MR. LANCE. Lastly, besides minor works by the deservedly-lamented BONNINGTON, we had last year his splendid picture of the "Ducal Palace of Venice."

On the other hand, the collection of 1829 possesses two valuable works from the pencil of DANBY, who on the former occasion was not an exhibitor.

From this view of the progress of the art during the year, we proceed to the notice of a few of the pictures now in the gallery which most attracted our attention. In so doing we have to regret that the want of space enjoins such numerous exclusions, and beg leave to protest, most earnestly, against being supposed to pass any judgment by our silence.

No. 1. "The Adoration of the Shepherds," by JAMES NORTHCOTE, R. A. The frequent treatment of this subject by some of the most powerful pencils ever exercised in the art, forms the ground of a comparison disadvantageous to almost any artist. To this account, perhaps, as much as to the age of the painter, is to be ascribed the perception of a want of vigour in this picture. The "Madonna" is deficient in elevation of style. MR. NORTHCOTE's "Virgin Mary" has much more the character of an amiable English grand-daughter, escaped unsophisticated from the trainings of governesses, regarding with kindred affection a sister's first-born, than that of the mother of the Saviour.

Nos. 62 and 156 are works painted by commission from the British Institution, to be presented to the Royal Hospital at Greenwich, and the merit of the antecedent works of the two artists charged with their execution, amply justify the choice made by the directors of the objects of their patronage and encouragement. The former is by G. JONES, R.A., and represents an incident in the battle of St. Vincent, the Capture of the San Josef by Nelson, who led his men to board her from the San Nicolas which he had taken, and which lay between his own ship (the Captain) and the San Josef. The time of action is the moment when the English alight on the deck of the enemy's ship with impetuosity so overpowering, that the Spanish captain on the quarter deck seeing resistance hopeless, by tendering his sword and raising his hat gives signal of submission. Lord Nelson is a conspicuous figure in the picture, but be can scarcely be said to be foremost in the fray. He is dressed in full

uniform, such as he would have worn at a levee ;-the whole drapery without a spot-the figure undisordered and unbesmeared by tar or chain-rust, powder or smoke. Had Nelson danced across the broad crowded deck of the San Nicolas, or had he passed it combating against a host of enemies? or had the hero of the Nile gone below to dandify between the capture of the one ship and the assault of the other? In other parts of Mr. Jones' picture there is much bustle and activity, and considerable power of colour.

The

The subject of the companion commission, No 156, is "George III. after the victory of the 1st June 1794, presenting Lord Howe with a sword," H. P. BRIGGS, A.R.A. The scene is laid on the deck of the Queen Charlotte off Spithead, and the King is attended by his Consort and Court. This picture is lamentably deficient both in general and individual expression. The personages want character and dignity, the royal pair are the most tame, stiff, and unmeaning figures conceivable ;-that of Lord Howe with a head somewhat less insignificant, exceeds all in awkwardness. colouring in general wants depth and power; and the production altogether must be regarded as a disappointment to the admirers of Mr. Briggs' former works. Here and there a head presents itself invested both with character and expression, and in several parts of the picture may be traced the strokes of an elegant and fanciful pencil sufficiently marked to encourage the hope that, the commission finished, Mr Briggs will resume with undiminished success the line of art which the bent of his talent would lead him to follow, and which he has hitherto so happily pursued.

MR. DANBY'S productions in point of size rank below any we have yet noticed. They are of equal dimensions. 3ft. Sin. in height, and 4ft. 7in. wide. Their subjects are "The Moon rising over a wild mountainous country," No 56, and "Sunset," No 67. Both works bear testimony to the high poetical imagination of the artist. In the former, the moon full orbed rises over the rugged heights of a mountain chain; and the valleys and defiles, the sharp-edged ridges, and the pinnacled summits, the rude rocks, the waterfalls now precipitous-now more gently gliding downward, are perceived dimly however, and in mysterious obscurity beneath her pale light. The stars are not yet eclipsed by the perfect brightness of our satellite. A volcano in the distance equalling in height the surrounding mountain summits, throws its flame uprightly towards the sky with a tranqllity finely in harmony with the rest of the picture. This is the most successful attempt to give a pictorial representation of moonlight we ever remember to have seen. In No. 67, a gorgeous 'sunset' throws its deep tints on a bank of clouds collected on the horizon, and on the ocean already freshened by the evening breeze. On the bosom of that ocean floats a gorgeous ancient galley, its gilded prow rendered doubly golden by reflecting the rays of the setting luminary. A pair of lovers in oriental costume are seated on the sandy beach, contemplating the glorious spectacle, in position and attitude full of sentiment, and participating in the loveliness and harmony of the scene before them. It is a picture which we have derived real delight from regarding. It improves by being dwelt on by those whom, at the first glance, it may not have captivated.