Want of room compels us to decline the offer of
a communication from Mr. Acuo, on the now almost exhausted subject of the Royal Academy. Mr. Aocio contends, that the Academy, being a private body, have a right to do as they like ; and recommends those artists who are aggrieved to withold their pictures. This advice would have been very good twenty years ago, if the artists had been unanimous; but now, that the Academy have been strengthening their influence and consolidating their power by getting the elite of the painters into their ranks, such a course, even if followed by the great bulk of the artists, would be useless : and well the Academy know it. But the fact is, the artists have no community of feeling or interest, else they would unite together to obtain redress of grievances. While they are silent, or only grumble in private, what tangible grounds has the Legislature or the Crown to go upon in reforming the Academy? It is vain to advocate the cause of any set of men who will nut exert themselves to get rid of the tyranny they groan under.
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