15 FEBRUARY 1908, Page 3

Mr. Humphry Ward gave a very interesting lecture at the

Royal Institution yesterday week on "Napoleon and the Louvre." The Muse° Francais at first only contained the works of art which had belonged to the Crown, but three years later, during the campaign in the Low Countries, the Republic formally adopted the policy of seizing and annexing any masterpieces in the invaded countries. This policy had a humorous side, for the spoliators justified their action on the ground that masterpieces existing in countries ruled by tyrants had "too long been sullied by beholding servitude," and could find their only proper home in the possession of free men. The same policy was carried out with amazing thoroughness by Bonaparte in Italy.