A word or two upon the Lectures at the Royal
Academy. Mr. GnEEN's course on Anatomy is jUSL concluded ; Mr. Piin.mes's on Painting tool Mr. WiosTmacorr's on Sculpture follow. In these Lec- tures, similar subjects are treated of in a similar way, by the same pro- fessors, year after year. Surely it were better to publish thc lectures for the perusal of the students at home, than to have them read like a homily to a sleepy congregation. Their delivery dues not include one of the peculiar advantages of civil coca instruction : the ebarm of ora- tory and the freedom of conversation are totally wanting. Even the op- portunity afforded for illustration by examples is not rendered available to any extent. A few drawings, prints, or casts, are exhibited ; but they are Owed at too great a distance from the eye to be duly appre- ciated, or indeed understood. Every lecture ought to be a demonstra- tion. The lecturer-surrounded on one leoul leo a collection of original paintings or sculpture, or of pod copies (not paltry prints) or casts, where originals were not to be got ; and on the other by his pupils- should discourse upon the :,tyh, of sonic great master, or some principle of his art, pointing out exiono!es of beauties in oh defects, and of the observance or neglect of the prceepts iiictffisited ; commenting with ani- mation upon the genius of the imilocr and the capabilities of the sub- ject. This would be useful instrueci on, which cc: ld be acquired no- where else. It would stimulate tile sleogish, Want] the indiffiTent, and regulate the enthusiastic student. But such petct:ee sits not the cold, phlegmatic decorum aud 111(TM:ideal practice of ay:Mem:lc tuition.
The lectures oil Perspective, by ;lir. TURNER, and on Architecture, by Mr. SOANE, are not announced this year. It is fifteen years, we be- lieve, since Mr. So, xi: krtured. What becomes of the situdents' pro- gress all this while ? Well neo.- the President complain of remissness in the architeetural department. ho would study architecture in the Royal Academy, where there is no teacher ?-for he it known, that there is no instruction in architecture imparted in the Academy but what the lec- tures convey. Mr. So...NE is DOW old and iiirrin; but why is not
some other professor appointed? Would such omission be tolerated
in any other than the Royal Academy? Mr. TURNER has not resumed
his lectures since his sudden discontinuance of them two or three years ago in consequence of a difference between him and the President
LAWRENCE. He is not a good reader or speaker, but his matter is ex-
cellent ; and his two lost lectures were illustrated by numerous beautiful drawings, not mere diagrams. But is perspective, the painter's geo- metry, to remain untaught in the Academy? Truly we are not sur- prised that so many artists betray their ignorance of this the very groundwork of' their art. Mr. Got:ox lectures on Anatomy extempore, and with a skeleton and a liviog model beside him, to point out the bones and muscles : his style ids° is neat and perspicuous, but he too studiously employs the scientific nomenclature, even where popular terms would be equally efficient to convey his meaning, and would have the material advantage of being intelligible to his hearers. To under- stand him thoroughly, the student should possess the very information that is to be afforded him. These omissions and inconsistencies de- mand an efficient remedy.
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