of genius except what the ordinary sales by auction occasionally afforded."* As the arts of the country continued to improve by competition and general encouragement, so the national taste was observed to rise in proportion to the changes effected. "The history of our exhibitions," Farington continues, "affords the strongest evidence of their impressive effect upon public taste. At their commencement, though men of enlightened minds could distinguish and appreciate what was excellent, the admiration of the many was confined to subjects either gross or puerile, and commonly to the meanest efforts of intellect; whereas at this time the whole train of subjects most popular in the earlier exhibitions have disappeared. The loaf and cheese that could provoke hunger, the cat and canary bird, and the dead mackerel on a deal board, have long ceased to produce astonishment and delight; while truth of imitation now finds innumerable admirers, though com * The private collection of one noble individual did, however, contribute materially to the advancement of art. The Duke of Richmond, soon after his return from his travels, opened an admirable school for the study of painting and sculpture at his own house in Privy Gardens. It consisted of a gallery, fitted with every convenience for the accommodation of students, and furnished with a number of casts from the antique and modern figures at that time in Rome and Florence. To this elegant school young artists were invited by a public advertisement, and such as availed themselves of so desirable an opportunity acquired a purer taste in the knowledge of the human form than the artists of England had before enjoyed the means of cultivating; for the gallery of the Duke of Richmond was the first school opened to the country where the beauties of the antique could be studied. The arts have also been much indebted to the Dilettante Society, and the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, which, previous to the establishment of the Royal Academy, contributed greatly to the advance and encouragement of art. bined with the high qualities of beauty, grandeur, and taste. "To our public exhibitions, and to arrangements that followed in consequence of their introduction, this change must be chiefly attributed. The present generation appears to be composed of a new, and, at least with respect to the arts, a superior order of beings. Generally speaking, their thoughts, their feelings and language differ entirely from what they were sixty years ago. No just opinions were at that time entertained on the merits of ingenious productions of any kind. The state of the public mind, incapable of discriminating excellence from inferiority, proved incontrovertibly that a right sense of art in the spectator can only be acquired by long and frequent observation; and that, without proper opportunities to improve the mind and the eye, a nation would continue insensible of the true value of the fine arts. "The artists had now proved the efficacy of their plan; and their income, which exceeded their expenditure, affording a reasonable hope of a permanent establishment, they thought themselves entitled to solicit a royal charter of incorporation; and having applied to his majesty for that purpose, he was pleased to assent to their request. This measure, however, which was intended to consolidate the body of artists, was of no avail; on the contrary, it was probably the cause of its dissolution; for in less than four years a separation took place, which led to the establishment of the Royal Academy, and finally to the extinction of the Incorporated Society. "The dissolution of the incorporated body of artists was owing to the indiscriminate admission of members. At the period of the separation the number amounted to one hundred and forty-one; of whom a large pro portion were, necessarily, of a very inferior order. When the society was first instituted, due respect was shown to the eminent artists, who, by the propriety of their conduct, and the esteem in which they were held, gave dignity to it; and, by their excellent performames, contributed much to the popularity of the exhibitons. They were, therefore, for a while, considered to be the persons most proper to have a large share in the government of the society. While that sentimat prevailed, it proceeded with success. But it was notlong before ambitious desires began to operate; and the votes at elections, being equal, many of the member who had little title to confidence and distinction spired to the direction of the institution; and by comining together, they were by their numbers enabled o effect their purpose. They ejected twothirds of he respectable members who filled the offices of trust, and placed themselves in their room; and forming majority, outvoted those whom they had permitted to remain. The principal artists (of whom Reynolds vs one), seeing the impossibility of restoring order and proper subordination, after some vain attempts, so withdrew from this society, and without delay forme another plan, in which they avoided the errors whichaused the destruction of the incorporated body they ha quitted. It was now seen that no society of this kind uld be lasting, unless it were more limited in its number nd select in the choice of its members; and that it cdd have no national dignity without the avowed and nmediate patronage of the sovereign. Happily there were artists among the seceding members who,n the situations in which they were placed, had oportunity to state these sentiments to his majesty, o graciously approved the proposal submitted to hi and directed that the plan should be carried into execution; and thus in a short time the Royal Academy was established. "During the dissensions in the Incorporated Society, Mr. Reynolds took no active part; and his apparent neutrality caused it to be believed that he did not approve the proceedings of those who retired from it. On the subject of the disunion Mr. Strange, the celebrated engraver, published a book, in which he bitterly arraigned the conduct of those who had seceded; and, in his account of the cause and effect of the separation, he states that Mr. Reynolds said-' He would not exhibit with either society,' and he proceeded to reproach him with having given up this resolution wher tempted with the offer of the presidency of the Royal Academy then forming, and an assurance that he would eceive the honour of knighthood." It must be confessed that, on the face of his exparte statement, the conduct of Reynolds was not marked with that propriety by which it was usully distinguished. But if we look to the other ide of the question, it is clear that the government c the Incorporated Society of Artists was either vry badly or very loosely administered. It would seem that a party of interested and ambitious men, with o regard for the general welfare of the Institution or for the mutual good understanding of its memers, were suffered to disturb it with continual broils and to make the offices which they held, or the americal superiority which they possessed, the meas of increasing their power, to the detriment of the ret of the associated artists, and to the prejudice of e respectability of the society as a body. Occasiaal irregularities may be expected to occur in all insnces where men of opposite views and principles are brought unavoidably together, the most active an enterprising will generally be foremost, and unless they are restrained by salutary and effective laws, enforced with judicious discrimination, and with the necessary promptitude and decision, may be encouraged to take advantage of their favourable position, and to menace the independence of their associates. But, in the instance before us, the long continuance of irregular proceedings, often complained of but never redressed, seems to indicate that either the laws were inefficient, or that they were but very feebly administered. The same causes might be expected to operate, on all future occasions, on the same body of individuals, and the expulsion of one set of intriguing men would only serve to make room for another as dangerous. Reynolds probably foresaw that no essential improvement could reasonably be expected in the government of the society he belonged to, and that the arts themselves would be degraded in proportion to the weakness of those who were apparently unfit or unable to uphold them. The plan on which the new Institution was founded might be supposed to hold out better hopes of its rational government. Bit Reynolds could not be induced to become a member of it, although he had withdrawn himself from the rival society, till it was firmly established on a basis whch could not be shaken, and supported by royal encouragement and protection. When this was accomplished there were grounds for believing that the Royal Acadeny would be a national benefit, and he yielded to the pressing solicitations of its members in accepting the office of president. That the propect of knighthood, and the presidency of the Royal Academy, were not beheld by Mr. Reynolds with indiffrence, we are fully prepared to allow; but that these dvantages alone could have tempted him to abandona society of which he had professed |