31 DECEMBER 1853, Page 12

Ant Arlo. .

• THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND ART.'

Gore House is opened to a free exhibition of the works of:the students of the Schools of Art in the elementary stages of instruction—practical geometry, perspective, ornament, the figure from prints and models, flowers from nature, &b. The self-supporting schools, all 'of which "have been established in 'the .cciurse of the past year, and several within the last six months," contribute, as well as those subsidized by Government —the old Schools of Design. We understand that, according to the prize- list, the self-supporting_ show as not only equal but even superior to the subsidized; and that, among the latter, the average of attain- ment is in directly inverse relation to the amount of Government pecu- niary aid, the most richly endowed coming off worst, and the most poorly best. This result tells strongly in favour of the prieeiple with which Mr. Cole started in his management of the department, and which he has been engaged in bringing into practice ever since, more and more widely. To verify, for our own satisfaction, the justice of the awards, would have demanded opportunities of examination far more systematic, careful, and leisurely, than can be obtained by seeing the several specimens hung more or less in juxtaposition along the walls; but, as far as our observa- tion could extend, we found several instances to confirm the general in- ference. However this may be, the average merit of the specimens is certainly not inconsiderable ; almost all are painstaking, many accurate, with evidence of good training, not a few in quite the right taste and feel- ing, and altogether satisfactory of their kind. We should except the copies after figures, especially from the round; among which we did not notice any that could be called more than moderately good. Balhis is only natural, and should not, in the stage of progress to which the schools have as yet attained, be cited as a discouragement. Twenty-two subsidized and fifteen self-supporting contribute.