REPORT. 



The twenty years which have elapsed siace the opening of the Institution 

 have marked a period of unexampled progress in the country generally, 

 and probably no where more than in Liverpool. It has been the object 

 of the Committee, so far as practicable, to aid the cause of intellectual 

 and educational advancement by providing for public use the best works in 

 every department of literature, science and art. The success has, on the 

 whole, fully borne out the most sanguine anticipations of the founders. 

 The career of such an institution, steadily pursuing its course of useful- 

 ness, presents few incidents of a sensational character to record. Its best 

 eulogium is the fact of its quietly carrying out the objects for which it 

 was established. At the same time, every year affords some variety of 

 operation, and some feature worthy of a passing notice. 



During the past year the Schools which have been carried on by the 

 Corporation for nearly half a century have been handed over to the 

 School Board. This Committee has therefore ceased to have any con- 

 nexion with their management. 



In last year's Report a statement was presented respecting the 

 Exhibition of Pictures which had been held in the galleries of the 

 building. The experiment has been repeated during the past year with a 

 very satisfactory result. The particulars are as follows : — 



Number of Pictures Exhibited ... ... ... ... 944 



Sculpture ... ... ••. ••• •■• —. ••• 15 



Number Sold 242 



Amount of Sales £6,214 4s. 6d. 



Number of Visitors exclusive of Season Ticket holders ... ... 22,894 



Number of Season Tickets ... ... ... ... ... 333 



The surplus from last year's Exhibition (£600J has been expended in the 

 purchase of two pictures for the Permaneat Gallery — 



The Fall of Rienzi, by F. W, W. Topham. 



A North Devon Glen, by J. W. Oakes. 



It is expected that after the payment of all expenses a considerable 

 surplus will remain for the further purchase of pictures from the next 

 Exhibition. 



At the close of the Exhibition a very pleasing tribute was paid by a 

 number of the exhibiting artists to the Mayor, Edward Samuelson, Esq., 

 and Mr. Philip Rathbone, to whose exertions a large portion of the success 



