1818.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



101 



in any of the sections ; antl a prand saloon of reception on the 

 south side of tlie buildin<r, nliich foi'ms altogether a space of 80 

 feet by 50, but is so disposed as to assume the appearance of three 

 rooms thrown open to each other by means of three large arches 

 on two opposite sides of the central one. This saloon and the 

 " Galerie ' form the subjects of two most exquisitely-elaborate 

 perspective views, replete with a multiplicity of the richest and 

 most delicate details, all rendered with a precision truly marvellous. 

 The other perspectives are, a view of one of the new staircases look- 

 ing from the upper landing towards the " Salle des Cariatides," and 

 one of the old Staircase as seen from below. There is also a de- 

 tailed elevation of one end of the " Salle du Trone," showing 

 one of its chimney-pieces and the large caryatid figures, between 

 which is placed tlie spacious mirror over it. Unfortunately, we are 

 left to desiderate a perspective of the " Salle des Cariatides," which 

 would have been highly welcome, because, althougli it comes into 

 two several sections, it is on such a scale, that little more than 

 its general architectural design can be made out, and the effect — 

 which is of a peculiar kind — is left to the imagination. JNIany of 

 the plates are occupied by details and ornaments of both the old 

 and new portion of the edifice, and show how elaborately it is 

 finished up. 



One important apartment and architectural feature in the build- 

 ing, which we have not yet mentioned, is the " Salle des Elections." 

 This is on the ground-floor, immediately beneath the " Galerie 

 des Fetes," and of the same dimensions, except that it is somewhat 

 shorter, and, as may be supposed, considerably less lofty. The 

 columns here are of the Doric order, and are brought forward to a 

 greater distance from the walls than in the upper " Galerie." We 

 will now conclude this account — after all, but an imperfect one — by 

 saying, that not only is the edifice itself a most noble and tasteful 

 monumental work, but M. Victor Calliat's publication illustrates 

 it — if not altogether so completely as could be wished — witli ad- 

 mirable diligence and taste. We have no English work of the 

 kind that can compete with it, or with the similar splendid one by 

 Joly, on the " Chambre de Deputes" (1840). We ha\'e got a Royal 

 Institute of Architects, but architectural publication does not 

 thrive under its fostering auspices. And so wretchedly low is tlie 

 remuneration of architects in tliis country, that even those who 

 are most employed cannot afford to risk any of ther earnings in 

 endeavouring to promote architectural study and taste. We can 

 — or rather we will only say : Fuldc dejlendum est ! 



ARTS MANUFACTURE EXHIBITION, 



AT THE SOCIETY OF ABTs' KOOMS, ADELPHI. 



The Exhibition at the Rooms of the Society of Arts deserves 

 particular notice, because it shows that the workmen of this 

 country have taste and artistic skill, as well as mechanical profi- 

 ciency. This is the second exhibition of the kind, and it shows 

 very great progress, while it is most remarkable in this very good 

 feature — that whereas before, manufacturers had to be begged and 

 sought to send tlieir works, they have this year sent them freely 

 and with good will. This is going forward in the right path, for 

 it shows that the manufacturers now feel an earnest in the cause, 

 and that gives us another body of yoke-fellows. The artists and 

 workmen have likewise shown their feeling, by the greater care and 

 skill they have bestowed ; w hich is the more pleasing, as it is an en- 

 couragement to all those who have come forward in behalf of manu- 

 facturing art. 



We cannot however help saying, that so much has not been 

 done as ought to have been done in this w ay, and that still more 

 remains behind. It is pleasing to witness the skill which has been 

 shown ; but we are yet far from the goal, and leave foreign nations 

 ahead of us, while we have not means enough to enable us to beat 

 them. We are not yet even with the old Schools of Design in 

 France and the Gewerbe-Instituten of Germany, which we set 

 out to follow, while of late years they have made further way. 

 We call the Central School of Design a mockery ; and as for the 

 others, they are only good drawing-schools. The whole is a failure 

 as to quality and extent ; and we might just as well think to beat 

 the hosts of Prussians with the Lumber Troop, or set Tom Thumb 

 againt the Spanish giant, as to meet the French, Prussians, Bel- 

 gians, Swiss, and Italians with the paltry staff we have. Drawing 

 must be taught in all schools to the sons and daughters of working- 

 men ; there must be a high school for drawing in every town, and 

 there must be good schools of design in the great seats of manu- 



facture. The buyers at home must be taught as well as the sellers ; 

 we must have our people brought up to a knowledge of art, and 

 then we shall be able to go into the markets abroad on a fair 

 footing. 



This question of teaching design is one of trade more than of 

 anything else : we were pinched in our pockets before we thought 

 of bestirring ourselves. It was only wlien we found out how much 

 we were giving to the French for silks, flowers, fancy paper, 

 bronzes, and paper-hangings, — to the Prussians for iron castings and 

 embroidery patterns, — and to the Italians for objects of art, that 

 we began to set up schools for giving our workmen knowledge of 

 design. The tax we pay to foreigners for our lack of knowledge 

 is so great that it would hardly be believed ; we spend millions 

 yearly for goods that we ought to be able to make as well : nor does 

 the evil end here, for as we cannot make for ourselves, so neither 

 can we meet the foreigner in tlie market abroad. This loss falls, 

 too, upon those who have no need of a knowledge of design. 

 Because the French can bring out silks, satins, muslins, cottons, 

 and shawls with better patterns, the English spinner and weaver of 

 plain goods, the machinist, the drysalter, and tlie merchant, lose a 

 very large share of employment. 



It isgoodtliatit should be so, that there shouldbe a tiebywhich all 

 are bound to woik, for otherwise there would be no getting any 

 change, for many would give no help to bring it about^ Nothing 

 is easier than to show that the machinist, who deals with hard 

 and stiff forms, and who thinks taste is as much beyond as 

 beneath his care, — nothing is easier than to show that even 

 he, working largely for the manufacturers of this country, has a 

 share in the welfare of art. If more silks and cottons, fancy and 

 stained papers, carpets, shawls, furniture, and glass can be' sent 

 abroad, more machinery must be wrought for "their production. 

 Mr. Fairbairn and his brethren at Manchester, the machinists at 

 Glasgow, at Belfast, and in every manufacturing town, must and 

 ought to know that they have a fellow-feeling in the right growth 

 of the arts of design. If a School of Design be good for anything, 

 it ought to be good for making the trade of the town in w'hich it 

 is greater : it ought not only to better the goods now made, but it 

 ought to enable the town to send out goods such as we now take 

 from the foreigner, or such as we cannot now send abroad. 

 Therefore, we say this has as much to do with the machinist as 

 with any one ; but we say that art has to do with all. 



Pleased as we were with tlie Exhibition now open, we cannot 

 but see that what has been done as yet has not carried art down 

 among the people. The works in the Adelphi are either for the 

 higher or middling classes, those who are already cared for — and not 

 for the people. W^e have always held, from tlie first time that we 

 undertook to write about it, that art must not only bring fortli 

 good works, but cheap works ; that it must show itself in the 

 dwelling of the working-man, as well as in the drawing-room of 

 the rich. The eai-thenware, the glass, the paper-hangings, the fur- 

 niture in the smallest cot may be as well made as those in the 

 abode of a king, — while taste shown in them will do much more 

 good. If knowledge be power, it is so in the arts as much as in 

 anything else ; and we cannot have a people powerful in the ai-t, 

 unless they be well taught. The Society of Arts have the chance 

 of leading in this path — indeed they have given a few prizes ; but 

 we call out again, that more ought to be done. Many working 

 men and women and their children will, no doubt, see this Exhibi- 

 tion, but they wiU go away with the thought that such things are 

 not for them, and that the rich only are happy in being alile to 

 glad their eyes with such sights. Thus, the great teaching of the 

 Exhibition will be thrown away; for we hold that working-men 

 will have a greater feeling for the arts of design, as gi\ing a 

 charm to their own dwelling, than as a mere means of livelihood 

 at the will of the rich. 



Felix Summerly has taken upon himself a task which is truly 

 worthy in tliese days ; but we want a Felix Summerly for the 

 kitchen as well as the drawing-room : and we hope if he does not 

 take this further task upon him, that some one else will. Mr. 

 Cole, as Felix Summerly, by choosing this path in art, has made 

 himself a good name, as jMr. Hay has by choosing house-painting ; 

 and we wish that other men wlio have taste and skill would follow, 

 and take each some branch in which he can make his artistic 

 knowledge useful. !Sir Walter Scott spoke most wisely when lie 

 led Mr. Hay to follow house-painting instead of high ai-t ; for 

 although Mr. Hay's powers of mind cannot be doubted, we could 

 much better have spared a Landseer or a ^V^ilkie, than one who 

 by his works and his writings has done good to a whole trade, and 

 has taught hundreds of workmen that they may use their heads 

 ajid eyes as well as their hands. 



In the late free-trade speeches in the House of Commons, we- 



