762 MONTHLY SUMMARY. 



courage the purchase of iron objects. Their oxidization is a strong 

 objection to them, which has not yet been conquered, although 

 very good palliatives have been suggested. So far as vases are 

 concerned, marble or terra cotta are as cheap and more beautiful. 

 Another recommendation of the Fine Arts Committee is in 

 making purchases to give a preference to works of modern art over 

 those of the antique. Every one is familiar -with the latter. 

 They meet us at every turn, and can be had at any time. With 

 modern works it is not so. Even the best have not been so 

 multiplied. There is more chance, therefore, of their offering 

 something new and entertaining to the eye of the visitor, and 

 there is no lack of beautiful modern subjects. 



The dispersion of the art treasures in the Exhibition building, 

 however, is not wholly without compensation. Some trickling 

 streams are finding their way from it into the garden — some of 

 the articles there exhibited are now offered to the Society either 

 on loan or as a gift. • Mr. Westmacott, nephew of Professor West- 

 macott, has lent it his lovely marble statue of the Peri at the Gates 

 of Paradise, and it has been placed in the conservatory. Mr. Shai^e's 

 model of *' Non Angli sed Angeli" has been placed in a niche in the 

 Council Room, where is also placed a marble statue of David with the 

 Head of Goliah, by Professor Westmacott* In another niche is 

 placed a model of Ariel released from the cloven pine, also by Pro- 

 fessor Westmacott, which he has presented to the Society. Near it 

 stands a terra cotta statue of Flora, which has been presented by 

 Mr. Blanchard, who manufactured it in that material. Now that it is 

 seen that statues can be so successfully manufactured in terra cotta, 

 as has been shown by this and other objects recently executed, it 

 is recommended by the Fine Arts Committee that some of the 

 models which have been or may be presented to the Society should 

 be executed in that material. Mr. Durham has presented the 

 model of his statue of Euclid. The bronze statue of Juno, 

 presented by His Eoyal Highness the Prince Consort, which has 

 been detained from its place in the Garden by being exhibited in 

 the Exhibition building, has now been placed where the Diana a 

 la Biche stood, alongside the Memorial, symmetrical with His 

 Royal Highness' other gift, the Ceres, standing on the other side 

 of the Memorial. Herr.Geiss has lent for exhibition a beautifully 

 executed group of a shepherd attacked by a lion and defended by 

 his dog. The Marquis of Campana has sent for exhibition a 

 number of articles executed in artificial marble. The marquis is 

 a political refugee from Rome to Naples, where he has utilised 



