BRITISH INSTITUTION.
THE private view, to-day, of this the first exhibition of the season, was but thinly attended, owing to the bad weather and the influenza. The South Room is now the lightest of' the three ; and we should not have thought there was a dark corner in it, bad not our attention been at- tracted by the most intemestieg picture in time exhibition, which is placed there as usual. How keg is this disgraceful system to prevail ? The picture we allude to is " Time nmexpected Return" (437), by C. W. Cora, a young artist of the highest promise. A soldier is inquiring of his own children, who have opened the door of his cot- tage to him, for their mother. The incident is told with the utmost simplicity, and a delicate truth of 'expression that is touching in the extreme.
There are several large pictures, but no grand works. None of the great men of the Academy contribute, except Tue?aat and STANFIELD. TCRNER has a blaze of sunlight illumining a Ci.auna-like composition of palaces and shipping; and STANFIELD a beautiful view in Venice, its the chaste style of CALLCOTT ; as is poor VICKERS'S posthumous pic- ture. EDWARD COOKE has several marine pieces, rich in colouring and exquisitely finished, with all the freshness and truth of nature, LEE,, STARK, HOLLAND, WILSON, ROGERS, &c. have also pleasing land- scapes. Another young painter, J. C. HORSLEY, exhibits for the first time a picture of rare excellence, painted in a beautiful and pure style, of an interior with figures, called " Rent-day at Haddon Hall in the Six- teenth Century " (182). J. P. liNicirr has another forcible picture of wreckers ; ROTHWELL a Calisto — a delicious piece of flesh colour; and Mrs. CARPENTER, JOSEPH NASH, HART, UWINS, BOADEN, WOOD, PARTRIDGE, GRANT, WEBSTER, LANCE, CLATElt, &C. also have each clever performances. On the whole, the display is less remarkable for talent, and has fewer striking features, than is usual even here. We shall find room for a full account next week.
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