We might be, in all, about 150 sail. The wind being tolerably fair, and the morning rather hazy, we lost sight of Old England about half past twelve. We anticipated a speedy and triumphant return, but—

ROYAL INSTITUTION-MANIFESTO OF THE DIRECTORS.

An embarkation upon so large a scale (the number of ships in the Downs amounted at one time to about 500, the number of soldiers on board might be 20,000) was new to me. The shops at Deal were filled, Sunday and Saturday, with greater throngs than on the busiest market days. The streets were filled with officers of all ranks and descriptions, moving about with all the bustle of the Stock Exchange. Castlereagh was there gazing callously at the departure of the holocaust about to be offered up to his inveterate self-will and incapacity. The beach was crowded with parties of every appearance, from the nobleman to the cit in his Sunday clothes, gazing upon the forest of masts, and cheering the soldiers as they embarked. The gallant fellows responded with loud and hearty hurrahs. The feelings excited within me by such a scene, were not a little heightened by the consciousness, that I was for the first time an actor, though a very subordinate one, in an affair of such moment. The expedition was highly popular; and well it might be so, for braver and healthier troops never sailed from Britain. People of all ranks resorted from great distances to witness the embarkation. The cheering which I heard ring from shore to ship as I stood witnessing the embarkation of the German Legion, and a part of the Rifle Corps, has scarcely yet ceased to vibrate in my ears. Even the Deal boatmen, a daring race, whose fine manly weather-beaten countenances and athletic forms I have often contemplated with pleasure, but who are accused, not undeservedly, of rapacity and extortion, caught the spirit of the moment. When it was resolved that the embarkation of the regiments I have just named should take place at Deal, and the boatmen were asked for how much they would take the troops to the transports, their answer was-" For nothing, or not at all."

At last the troops were all embarked. They consisted of five divisions-each of two brigades; a division of light troops, of three; and the reserve also of three. Lieutenant-General the Earl of Chatham was, as I have mentioned above, commander-in-chief; Sir Eyre Coote was second in command. Sir J. Craddock commanded

the first division; the Marquis of Huntly the second; Lord Grosvenor the third; Lieutenant-General M'Kenzie Fraser the fourth; and the fifth.

The light troops were under the Earl of Rosslyn; and the reserve under Sir John Hope. Sir R. Strachan had the command of the fleet.

On the 26th of July, several ships of war, and the greater proportion of the transports, sailed round to the Gull Stream, off Ramsgate, where they again dropped anchor. The landsmen on board were edified during the remainder of the day by the manoeuvring of a frigate, who fired her guns in different numbers, gave several broadsides, tacked, veered, and concluded the raree-show by displaying the English flag above the French. Our officers regarded the whole scene with intense interest,

and finally retired to their berths, voting it "mighty

ridiculous."

At last we weighed anchor about eight o'clock on the morning of the 28th, with the other ships containing our | division, and some men-of-war. The squadron contain

We are not in the habit of noticing articles which appear in the columns of newspapers: but some remarks upon our article of the 29th ult. (under the flippant and rather vulgar title-" More Wisdom-The Royal Institution Pictures") having appeared in a respectable journal of this city, proceeding, as we are given to understand, from an official quarter, (we suspect, from the antiquarian research shown in it, from the pen of the ingenious gentleman who discovered that G. A., on an old Italian picture, stood for "Giorgione the Artist,") we break through our rule for once. If the article in question do indeed come from a Director, we are glad of it; for it shows, in the first place, by his arguing the point, that he has some regard for public opinion; and, in the second, by his angry tone, that he is in the wrong.

In one respect, we admit with pleasure, that the writer has conducted himself fairly and like a gentleman. He has given the whole of our article, and thus enabled his readers to judge betwixt us. We wish that the same spirit had taught him to refrain from such innuendoes as the following: "We wish we could persuade ourselves that the above article had been compounded in perfect innocence, but we can scarcely think it possible that any gentleman connected with the Edinburgh press could have known so little of what has been going on for these last few years in Edinburgh, between the artists and the Royal Institution," &c. Now, if the author of this knew any thing of the gentleman who wrote the article to which he alludes, he must know that he is as little likely as himself to do any thing unworthy of his station in society, and is, on the present occasion, without any possible temptation so to degrade himself. If he did not, the insinuation is equally unwarrantable. In an after part of his paper our opponent says, "If there be any reason to suspect the accounting for the balances of the different exhibitions carried to this fund of relief, (for decayed artists and widows of artists,) let the artists fairly and honestly say so, and, if necessary, demand the intervention of a court of law." If by this he mean to insinuate a suspicion, that any artist had a share in the article he is commenting upon, he is mistaken. advise our friends, the artists, however, to attend to his hint.

We

Prefixed to the criticism of our article, is a brief history of the Board of Trustees and the Royal Institution, which, as it is more complete than any thing we have seen elsewhere, we here insert :

tees.

"It may, perhaps, be agreeable to our readers to be put in possession of the rise and progress of the Board of TrusThe following short history will not detain them long, and by it they will find that that Board had its origin before the period when any of the estates of Scotland were in the unhappy predicament of being forfeited. It was at the time of the Union that this Board was first instituted, among the paltry equivalents granted by the English gevernment, as a compensation to Scotland for an additional imposition which was laid on the excise and custom duties. This compensation amounted to L.2000 per annum, and the manufactures of the country. was appointed to be laid out in promoting and improving Twenty years elapsed before Commissioners were appointed, under letters patert from George the First, in whom were also invested, to be appropriated for the same purpose, the surplus receipts of malt duty over L.20,000. The accumulations from 177 were then paid into the hands of the Receiver-General, who was appointed cashier to the Board, and was directed to

report annually to the Lords of the Treasury.

"Under George the Third another munificent grant vas made to the same Board, for the express purpose of enouraging the growth of flax, the manufacture of fine linen, and the improvement of the requisite machinery.

"But this is not all; the accumulations mentioned above had necessarily thrown into the hands of the Trustees considerable funds, which were partly laid out in purchasing the ground and forming an establishment for a set of weavers, who were driven out of France by religious persecution, and were located in a lane which some of us can remember, now occupied by Picardy Place. This proved an immense accession to the funds of the Board, as did also a fortunate investment in the public funds, when they happened to be at a very low ebb. It is not our business, nor is it necessary for us, to enquire into the management of this Board. Suffice it to say, that its accounts must be made up and passed annually, and the grants from its funds must receive the warrant of the Lords of the Treasury, before one shilling can be disposed of; and we have no hesitation in saying, that were any part of a sum, so religiously the property of Scotland, which has had no great reason to boast of the liberality of government, while compared with the other two portions of the empire, to be diverted to any other purpose than the improvement of this country, we conceive a manifest injustice would be done. "Now, with regard to the Royal Institution, one would think, from the language of the Literary Journal, that it was public property, over which every commissioner of police had a control, and who was answerable to his ward for the due performance of all its functions. But what is the fact? The success of the British Institution in London, and the delight which the annual exhibition of old paintings, belonging exclusively to the members of the Institution, afforded to the public, suggested to the late Mr Oswald, that something of the same kind, though certainly on a much humbler scale, might be got up in Edinburgh. A meeting was in consequence held on the 1st February, 1819, which was attended by most of the influential people in Edinburgh, and subsequently joined by many of the nobility of Scotland. Mr Andrew Wilson was appointed to take charge of the details; Sir John Hay was appointed treasurer; Mr Oswald, secretary; and such was their alacrity, that on the 11th of March in the same year, their first exhibition of ancient pictures was opened in Mr Raeburn's room in York Place. In March 1820, there was a second similar exhibition. So far the Institution strictly adhered to its original object, that of forming an exhibition similar in all respects to that of the British Institution in Pall-Mall, London, which is quite distinct and unconnected with the Royal Academy, whose annual exhibitions take place in Somerset House."

We trust, now that our friend has ventured to reveal some of the secrets of his prison-house, he will continue; and in his next rescript, favour us with the subsequent history of the Institution. In regard to his statement, we have only two comments to offer. Firstly, it is true, regarding the Board of Trustees, that “its accounts are made up and passed annually;" and it appears from a Report lately published by order of Parliament, that considerably more than onehalf of the funds at its disposal were expended in the management of the remainder. Secondly, we did not expect at this time of day to hear any person gravely affirm that the Board of Trustees had ever been of any advantage to our manufactures; or that any man in Scotland, not a pensioned officer of the Board, would feel his pecuniary interests in any way affected by its being to-morrow struck out of existence. If we were as ready as our critic to shoot poisoned arrows in the dark, we might say :-" this is our opinion at present; to be sure, if we had an eye to the reversion of the secretaryship, we might see things in a different light."

We now turn to the argumentative part of this essay. The writer attempts to make out that the Royal Institution "is a private establishment, just as independent of the public, and perhaps a great deal more so than any of the chartered banks of this city." What we said was, that the L.500 per annum paid by the Board of Trustees to the Institution was public money, and that an incorporation receiving such a sum was in duty bound to account to the public for its expenditure. Now, what is the story told by the writer himself?" Government, through the influence of Sir Robert Peel, bestowed upon this Institution the sum in question, for the express purpose of encouraging the Fine Arts in Scotland." And in the passage we have quoted above, he tells us that

"the grants from this fund must receive the warrant of the Lords of the Treasury before one shilling can be disposed of." He does not, indeed, tell us that Sir Robert was thus generous in consequence of a suggestion from a member of the Board of Trustees, or of the Institution, or of both; but, as little is got in this world without asking, we do not risk much in assuming that this was the Our friend's story is, therefore, essentially the same as our own, only a little more particular in the details. The justice of our inference he has not called in question; and the correctness of our data he has not succeeded in disproving.

case.

But there was another ground, besides the fact, that the Institution was intrusted with the expenditure of a portion of the public money, for advising the public to request from the Directors some account of their plans and resources. In the preface to their Catalogue of Pictures, they speak of their present collection as the foundation of a National Gallery of Paintings, and anticipate that their efforts "will be favourably received by the public, as well as substantially seconded by those having the power to advance its completion." If this last clause be not lugging out the begging-box, to all intents and purposes, there is no meaning in plain English. And do the Directors think that the public is likely to contribute one farthing, while those details of their previous proceedings are withheld, which would enable it to judge of their competency for the task they have undertaken? Besides, "a national collection" is surely a public concern,-the establishment conducting it can scarcely pretend to be "more independent of the public than any In their public of the chartered banks of this city.” capacity they implore assistance; in their private they refuse to account like the German who, in his character of landlord, overcharged his guest, and in his character of magistrate of the district, adjudged him to pay it. By the way, our friend says, "The Royal Institution is a private establishment to all but its own members, and to none but them are the Directors responsible." We have heard it whispered that even to them they are rather chary of their information.

The next point which the writer of this paper labours to establish is,-“ The Literary Journal has the hardihood to assert, that this fund-the surplus receipts of the exhibitions of modern artists-forms the principal source out of which the Institution has been enabled to purchase the magnificent pictures now exhibiting in its hall." We beg the gentleman's pardon; but we had not the hardihood to assert any such thing. Our words were, -"Part of the funds of the Institution was collected by exhibiting the works of Edinburgh artists, and these gentlemen are entitled to demand an account of its disposal." This the writer himself admits. It is true, we may have said that the Institution did at no time derive its funds solely from the contributions of its members.

The

expenses of the modern exhibitions at least, and the outlay rendered necessary for the tear and wear of the rooms, were disbursed out of the proceeds of these exhibitions. We asserted in general, that its expenditure, in the cause of art, was not met exclusively by the contribuWe are answered, that a particular item of expense was disbursed from that source alone.*

tions of members.

In the printed report for 1827, the Directors say," Notwithstanding the large sums drawn from the Exhibitions, the expenses of the year have exceeded the receipts, in consequence of necessary extraordinary expenditure in painting, decorating, and furnishing the Rooms; but this has been done so substantially and effectively, that no farther outlay to any great extent will, it is hoped, be required for many years to come." Here, be it remarked, we find the receipts of the exhibition of modern (as well as of ancient) paintings, applied not to defray its own expenses, which might be fair, but to defray the permanent expenses of the Institution. The receipts of the two ExWhat was the amount of hibitions of 1827 amount to L.1286, 18s. members' annual subscriptions, when such an eke was wanted? Besides, the Directors made a little money in the same year, by letting their Rooms to Mr Galli as a sale-room, such an object being (as they phrase it)" within the scope and original intention respecting the building." We have also in our hands a MS. Account, furnished in 1828 by the Directors to the Artists, entitled "Charges against the

Macready's re-appearance as William Tell, with all his original success. Kenney's translation of Victor Hugo's "Hernance," and a new old English drama, with Macready as the hero of each, are said to be the next novelties.

Not to be distanced in the race of novelty, Covent Garden produced two new dramas on two following evenings, the first of which, "Married Lovers," by Mr Power, the performer, details the loves, jealousies, and intrigues of three couples at Paris, in the "olden time:" a certain Colonel O'Dillon and the Marchioness de Meneville, most admirably played by Power and Miss Taylor, being particularly conspicuous in first entangling and then disentangling the plot. As a first attempt, this petit comedy does infinite credit to its author's talents, and was as completely successful, as it well deserved to be. The next night's novelty was an operatic drama, called "The Romance of a Day," by Mr Planche, with music by Bishop, in which Bartley, Abbott, Blanchard, Keeley, and Wilson, with Misses Ellen Tree, Harriet Cawse, and Taylor, all had prominent characters, which they did ample justice to. Most of the songs were encored, and one of the concerted pieces was sung three, times over—so, of course, the composer was delighted; and our friend Planche must be fastidious indeed, if he be not satisfied with the complete success of the whole drama. Miss Inverarity still continues to fill the house to her Cinderella twice a-week, and “ Inez de Castro" will be produced in about ten days.

The Adelphi is nightly overflowing to witness Yates's imitation of his partner Mathews, in a translation of Raimund's "Der Alpenkönig," first done into English by Lord Stanhope, and then made actable by Mr Buckstone. Mathews's performance of John Rappelkopf, the Misanthrope, and Yates's personation of him are, indeed, both most excellent, and will, we doubt not, fill the house for the remainder of their season; and thus transfer all the protracted popularity of the original German drama, at the Leopoldstadt Theatre, Vienna, to the Strand, London.-Madame Vestris and her Olympic are still quite as attractive as at the commencement of her dramatic reign; and as she generally produces two novelties per week, she must certainly be admitted to exert herself. The Queen's Theatre, with Messdames Glover and Humby amongst its stars, and some really superior singers from the Royal Academy of Music, opened promisingly on Thursday last. It has been so improved and re-decorated throughout, as certainly to merit the patronage its new manager so confidently expects, and which we shall be exceedingly happy to record he is rewarded with. Mrs Chatterley's resignation of the part of Aldabella, in “Fazio," now much better played by Miss Taylor, was in consequence of a long previous arrangement with the managers, and therefore, neither fine nor dispute have ever been mentioned, excepting in those veracious chronicles, the newspapers. The pantomimes at both houses are now to be played but four times weekly, and Covent Garden has underlined a new afterpiece for Friday next, to be called "Comrades and Friends, or Life for Life" from the French, of course.-The Italian Opera opened with Rossini's immortal" Barbiere" on Saturday last, in which a Madame Vespermann appeared for a first time in England as Rosina, with tolerable success, though, as she is neither young nor young-looking, a more preferable part would not have been very difficult of selection. Lablache and De Begnis were both in "excellent fooling,” as the Barber and his Master; and, for a first night, the house was tolerably well attended. Peregrine Somerset,

circumstance which we believe to have been entirely owing to a want of sufficient previous announcement. This is a piece of neglect rather unlooked-for in the Manager, who lately took care to announce in his bills"SECOND NIGHT THESE TWO YEARS OF HIGH LIFE BELOW STAIRS!!!" The opera has, however, like all really good things, forced its way into notice, by the attractions of good music well executed, and the pleasing and splendid character of the dramatic part of the entertainment.

The opera, we believe, is the same that has been acted at Covent Garden. It contains all the best and most striking parts of the music which belongs to Rossini's opera of the same name; and whatever has been superadded is, with the exception of one song from Cimarosa, and another from Bellini, to neither of which we can have any objection, taken from the William Tell, Armida, and Mahometto of the same author. The music, therefore, although patched, is by no means unnatural or disjointed, for it possesses the uniform character-mannerism, we might say which distinguishes this composer's style. The story of the piece has been somewhat altered, as well as the music, chiefly by the introduction of several individuals from our own early and dearlyloved nursery version of Cinderella. We have the transformation of the rat into a coachman, (excellently executed—we are not sure at this moment that it is effected by ordinary and allowable means) we have the three lizards, turned into running footmen, (with their tasteful and elegant liveries, and last, and most wonderful of all, we have the pumpkin and mice changed into a gorgeous car, with richly caparisoned horses. It has always struck'us, that in Rossini's opera, which has none of these fairy changes, there is rather a want of incident; and with all due deference to persons of more classical taste, we think our new version of it by Mr Rophino Lacy, infinitely more lively and amusing,

Miss Turpin makes a very pretty Cinderella-she looks the gentle, timid, and persecuted creature well. It is delightful to listen to the sweet, liquid tones of her mellow and well-tuned voice. There is sentiment in her perfect intonation alone. To hear a note, neither flat nor sharp, but precisely what it ought to be, is of itself a source of exquisite gratification, to a well-organised ear-the more appreciated, perhaps, from its extreme rarity. Miss Turpin showed herself possessed, moreover, of the two qualities which her part most requires-delicacy and volubility of execution. We may, however, observe-not by any means with a view to disparage her talents, but, on the contrary, as a circumstance which serves to heighten our estimate of them that the part of Cinderella was composed for a voice of a lower pitch-a contralto; and, as Miss Turpin's is a soprano, a want of brilliancy in the general effect was the inevitable consequence. We are aware of only two drawbacks attending this young lady's vocal powers. The first is, that her style is too purely English-not merely for Italian songs, but for every species of melody. It possesses, no doubt, purity, accuracy, and expression, but it is too tame—too unimpassioned. The other is the delicacy of her constitution, which prevents her from giving full scope to that delicious organ with which nature has gifted her.

The

THE EDINBURGH DRAMA.

The part is

too high for him: in consequence of which, he is obliged to make the best shift he can with his falsetto, unhappily none of the best. The confounded break between that and the natural voice, was perpetually reminding us of the two notes which issue from the tin horn of the guard of the London mail. The best thing we can say of him is, that he had studied his part, which is commendable. Reynoldson gave Cimarosa's song, and indeed the whole music belonging to his part, well. His loutish figure and inexpressive motions are terribly against him. The overture was excellently performed; the different movements were given with great accuracy in regard to time, and with more energy and force than we have been accustomed to hear from that quarter. During the opera, however, we could have willingly dispensed with a little of this fire. It domineered occasionally over the performers. The whole power of Reynoldson's capacious lungs was put in requisition to obtain a hearing. As for Miss Turpin-to whom as a lady some deference might have been shown-her case was past praying for. Mathews somewhere or other describes an unhappy wight, seated behind a giant too tall to be overlooked, and too athletic to be knocked down, and at last obliged humbly to request the gentleman to inform him what was going on upon the stage. Now, if we had had the good fortune to be seated immediately behind Mr Dewar this week, who knows but we might have learned from him more than-was allowed to meet the ear? This gentleman's taste and experience should, we think, by this time, have taught him that more true honour is to be gained by teaching the orchestra tastefully to contribute its due proportion to the general effect, than by converting his whole band into one huge "first fiddle." He must rule his subs with a rod of iron. The great potentate with whom he at present stands in alliance, is a splendid example of the beneficial tendency of a pure despotism-in theatrical matters.

The region of my birth

Was 'mid those rocks of earth, That, in convulsions of her central caves, Were from their parent shore Rent off, in wild uproar,

And left in desolation on the waves ;

Within whose endless sound—

(My walks an island's bound)— What marvel-since 'twas mine long years to beThat now, where'er I dwell,

My heart, like ocean-shell,

Is haunted by the sound of the deep sea?

LITERARY CHIT-CHAT AND VARIETIES.

Missionaries, which is intended to form part of the Family Library. Mr James, author of Richelieu, is about to publish a new historical romance, which is to bear the name of Philip Augustus,

MR CARNE has nearly ready, a volume, entitled Lives of Eminent

Mr Galt is engaged on a new novel, to be called Bogle Corbet. Mr Banim, author of Tales by the O'Hara Family, &c. &c., has announced a new publication, under the name of the Smuggler. Mr Dugald Moore, author of the Africans, has a volume ready for the press: it has been purchased by a house in Glasgow, and will be published immediately.

The third volume of the Cabinet Library of Messrs Oliver and Boyd treats of Egypt, We understand that the successive numbers of this valuable work are to appear at convenient, but not at regular,

intervals.

A new periodical has been started at Glasgow, under the title of

The Play-Goer. The title seems to have been suggested by that of the theatrical article in Hunt's Tatler, now publishing with eminent success in London.

MAGAZINES AND PAMPHLETS.-The Pamphlet trade has been all but annihilated by the progress of periodicals. There are at present on our table only four pamphlets. Two on the subject of the Edinburgh Improvements; one by the venerable Sir John Sinclair on Farliamentary Reform; and A Letter to the Lord Advocate. Great part of the occasional essays which used to be published in this form, are now engrossed in Reviews, Magazines, and Newspapers, The second number of the New Monthly that has appeared under the auspices of its new editor, has just come to hand. It seems to us both more spirited and readable than it used to be. There was something imposing in the name of Campbell, but in all that regarded the efficient management of the Magazine, it was but a name. The contents of the present number are-an able article in defence of the Ballot, which we would call convincing, if we could fancy any person entertaining a doubt upon the subject-an amusing article, entitled Vicissitudes in a Lawyer's Life-a sketch of Sir Edward Sugden-a peppery notice of Moore's Life of Byron, &c. &c. A finely engraved, but rather theatrical-looking portrait of Mrs Norton, accompanies the number.-The Edinburgh University Magazine continues to be carried on with spirit; we cannot but augur well of the future distinction of those who are engaged in it. We have just received Nos. I. and II. of a new religious Magazine for youth, entitled" The Youth's Christian Guide," published at a low rate, and the contents apparently well selected.

MEETINGS OF LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES DURING THE WEEK COMMENCING SATURDAY, 12TH FEBRUARY.-Royal Antiquarian Society, Monday 14th, at 8 P.M.-Phrenological Society, Thursday 17th, at 8 r.м.

MR MACDONALD'S DINNER.-Much though we rejoice at any tribute to one whom we so admire as an artist, and love as a man, we incline to hail the public dinner given to Mr Macdonald on Saturday last, as was well said by Mr Francis Grant during the course of the evening, still more gladly, because we regard it as a tribute paid to art. The meeting was a delightful one; animated by the eloquence of Cockburn and Wilson, and delighted by the musical powers of some of our best amateur singers. We trust that such a meeting may impress upon our artists the dignity of their profession, and encourage them to aspire to eminence by the only sure methodreliance upon their own talents and industry. For our friend, who was the hero of the evening, we have only to wish that his success in the new field he is about to try may equal his merits.

A public dinner was given at Paisley yesterday to Mr James Peddie, a worthy teacher in that town, upon his completing his fiftieth year of dominieship. Professor Wilson, formerly one of the old man's pupils, was in the chair. We almost envy the feelings both of him who received such a homage, and of him who had it in his power to pay it.