OOO OOOO EOE 
524 
it never fails to excite indignation in the 
mastif critics of our theatrical prizes, 
who, unlike to the benevolent genius of 
the British Institution, employ their ut- 
most endeavours to avert the public from 
the authors and the works of their own 
day; pitiable ia their mischief, because 
unconscious, that while they strive, as 
vainly as basely, to rob the labourer of 
his hire, the malice they diffuse may 
prove a poison to ingenuous effort, and 
prevent the maturity of that talent, whose 
absence they affectto deplore. Butsome 
other opportunity will serve for noticing 
the errors of critics : patrons are at pre- 
sent on the canvass. : 
It has been sarcastically remarked that, 
as the painters can now gain ample remu- 
neration for thew labour at the British 
Gallery, nothing remains for them but to 
shew that the want of patronage was their 
only deficiency, and to prove, by the im- 
mediate production of the most elevated 
works, that their abilities were at all times 
more ready than the eccasion for exerting 
them. 
Sach a remark might naturally enough 
have been made by a journalist, whose 
winged destiny permits him to assign 
only so many minutes to each successive 
subject, before the printer enters the 
room to convey his thoughts to the press : 
but toa less busy, or less rapid enquirer 
it is obvious, that many painters in Eng- 
land, before the establishment of the 
British Gallery, did indeed want victuals, 
who could not paint without them; and 
that, now that they can get food, they 
will paint. But, was food all that was 
wanting in them? Will the aimplest 
maintenance at once inspire refined 
knowledge? And is eating the only 
thing requisite to rouse and elevate di. 
ligence to professional eminence? 
So far then, the designs of the British 
Institution may be considered as imper- 
fect, or, to speak more candidly, as im- 
mature; for, as experience is the great 
instructor, why should not a hope sub- 
sist, that the admirable perseverance, 
evinced in the prosecution of its plan, 
will finally lead to the best and greatest 
effects? ; 
Bus it is time to proceed. Ifsuch an 
incompetent knowledge and estimation of 
painting subsists in the minds of the en- _ 
lightened and superior classes of society, 
lef us turn our attention for a moment 
to the vulgar judgment on the arts, and 
observe what a confused chaos is there 
the consequence of those higher erro- 
HEOUS SOUTCES, ~ : 
the Enquirer. —No. XAVIi. 
[May 1, 
Is it absurd to say that, within the 
walls of the great city of London, there 
will scarcely be found more than one 
individual of a thousand, perhaps of ten 
thousand, who has the least solicitude 
concerning painting, sculpture, or feels 
the least concern whether they exist, or 
are annihilated in the country? 
It is not designed to infer that, in this 
respect, the citizens of London are neg- 
lectful of a known duty, but that they 
are unapprized of the existence of any 
duty, with regard to the cultivation of 
the arts. Did they feel their cultivatien ~ 
to be incumbent on them, the Enguirer 
is proud to think (as one advantaged by 
the friendship of many among them), 
there is not a city in the world that 
would more strenuously concur in pro- 
moting their advancement. But what 
reason can they have for supposing the 
fine arts to form a necessary object of 
public attention? The government of 
England scarcely takes notice of their 
existence, sets no example of their pro- 
motion; and the citizens of London, as 
they emulate, so they follow in this point 
the steps of government without a ques- 
tion. The citizens of London are too 
industriously provident for the welfare 
of future generations, too busily planning 
the increase and perpetuity of England’s 
wealth, too hospitably attentive to the 
warmth and plenty of their generous 
boards, and too socially communicative 
of the joyous moments of relaxation, to 
seek any further refinement of delight, 
or to feel any great earnestness to en- 
quire whether any such exist. This 
sequacious disposition of the city of Lon- 
don, is discernible in the only instance, 
in which the state has afforded assistance 
to one of the arts of design, by the mo- 
numents which have been raised to the 
heroes fallen in the defence, or to the 
statesmen renowned in the service, of 
their country. The city consequently 
raises statues and. monuments to heroes 
and statesmen; ask her why? She points 
to Westminster Abbey and St. Paui’s, 
The jadgment of the vulgar without 
the walls of the city is next to be no- 
ticed. There the arts, painting, sculp- 
ture, are in the mouths of every one, 
The two first mentioned, indeed, have 
engrossed to themselves the very name 
of the arts; and if you mean that those 
words should be understood in their. 
more general sense, you find it necessa:y 
to explain yourself accordingly. . _-_; 
But, observe the difference of the 
judgment, that has arisen from the un- 
digested 
