30 JANUARY 1841, Page 10

BRITISH INSTITUTION.

THE private view of the exhibition of pictures by modern artists, at the British Institution to-day, was very numerously attended, notwith- standing the unfavourable state of the weather. Among the visiters of distinction was the Duke of Wellington—looking very well, and making Lady Burghersh's picture of his Grace writing the despatch of the battle of Waterloo appear more uncharacteristic than the print of it, The Directors have by their offer of premiums succeeded in getting together one of the worst collections we have seen, even of late years ; we suppose the painters were afraid of being thought desirous of getting the prizes ; certainly many have been determined not to deserve them But though the display on the walls is poor, the returns are rich ; more than three hundred having been rejected for want of room—almost as many as have been accepted. If the character of the unseen may be inferred from that of the mass of those exhibited, we only wish that the rooms were smaller, and that the three hundred had been five.

The prettiest subject picture in the gallery—indeed the only striking one—is STONE'S of a handsome page playing with a hawk, to the utter neglect of a lovely damsel standing by, who eyes him with a look of jealous indignation, her pouting lip slightly curled with scorn of his indifference—which must be coquettish, for it cannot be real. There is not a fine head in the room ; but a peacock shows a very fine tail—finer indeed than Nature herself has furnished, for Mr. LANCE has gilded it afresh.

Of Landscapes, there are two by TURNER that may be looked at with- out blue glasses : one, an alpine scene with an avalanche, an inundation, and something more which we take to be an embodied gust of wind : but the painting of this and its companion, "Blue Lights to warn of Steam-boats," is marvellous ; though the sea in the latter is a little too much like a mess of boiled endive. Between these two wild wonders hangs a picturesque peep of Cairo, by ROBERTS ; a bit of daylight truth, and quite as bright. CRESWICK has several delicious green spots of sun- lit solitude, at Haddon, and elsewhere ; a brook-scene with rocks and foliage ; a river-scene ; and a sweet evening twilight, with a black- smith's shop,—which is put down on the floor, that worshippers of sim- ple truth and beauty and delicate art may kneel to it. EDWARD COOKE has several marine subjects : a bright coast-scene with a team, and a tumbling sea with a fishing-boat—though the waves look as if they would cut your fingers ; and best of all, a charming little beach-scene, "Burning Vraie, Jersey," which hangs over the mantelpiece of the middle room between a verdurous " Garden-terrace at Haddon," by CRESWICR, and a "Birch Grove at Redleaf," with a bright sunset, by LEE; who has besides several cold fresh glimpses of wood and water, with rain-clouds. LINNELL'S ruddy embrowned old-world scenes, and a fine reminiscence of GASPAR POUSSIN by Mr. SCROPE, put out of countenance a host of crude, hard, flaunting pictures ; not, however, in- cluding STARK'S timid yet truthful woodland-scenes, and a few other modest touches of the homely. We bad nigh forgot among other huge enormities, two of MARTIN'S sublime teaboards—" Nineveh," and the " Eve of the Deluge."