§14. INSTRUCTION FOR THE PEOPLE. 193 



tions of individuals in forming annual exhibitions have done 

 good service ; but these laudable efforts are partial, and small 

 compared to the mass of the population, who have not the 

 same means of visiting objects of good taste that are afforded 

 to the working classes of Italy, France, Germany, and other 

 parts of Europe. Indeed, it would be a miracle if a people, 

 not naturally imbued with an appreciation of the beautiful, 

 should possess that quality, with so few opportunities of 

 acquiring it. 



These classes are by their employments debarred during 

 six days in the week from visiting our museums of art ; and 

 the Crystal Palace at Sydenham, which would be the best 

 means ever offered for instructing them, is closed on Sunday. 

 How then, with the British Museum, Sydenham Palace, Na- 

 tional Gallery, and every other collection closed, is it possible 

 for our people to obtain any knowledge of things they have 

 not the means of seeing? Nothing short of inspiration can 

 make them appreciate works of art so carefully kept from 

 them; and the eagerness with which they do visit such 

 objects, when they have the opportunity, is plainly shown by 

 the crowds that press to the British Museum at the Easter 

 holidays. But an occasional visit after long intervals will not 

 instruct the eye, nor accustom it to works of art ; and if men 

 who toil for their livelihood were to give up a day's wages 

 every now and then to study art, we should indeed look 

 upon them as more deeply imbued with the love of it than 

 any Greek of ancient, or Italian of modern, days. How they 

 are to arrive at this it would be difficult to explain ; but cer- 

 tain it is that no one can expect it to come to them by 

 inspiration, or that they will sacrifice their wages to obtain 

 it. In reply to this, some may answer, "Sunday is not a 

 day for sight-seeing ; it is a day of rest : " and so it is of rest 

 from labour; and those who have other six days to instruct 

 themselves and divert their minds, need not then visit any 



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