A view of the Exhibition of the Works of Ancient and Mediæval Art has
convinced us that fame had done no more than justice to its merits and
interest. We dare not attempt to enumerate one tithe of the gems in
Glass, Enamel, Metalwork, Carving in Wood and Ivory, Porcelain, &c.,
now gathered together in the Adelphi to justify the enthusiasm of the
antiquary, and to show, in the words of Marlowe,
"Oh! what a world of profit and delight,
Of power, of honour, of omnipotence,
Is promis'd to the studious artizan?"
and how small, after all, is our boasted advance. We must therefore
be content with recommending our readers to visit, again and again,
this matchless collection. Mr. Hailstone, the originator of the
exhibition, must be highly gratified at the manner in which, thanks
to the liberality of the owners, and the zeal and good taste of the
committee, his idea has been carried out. If, too, at this time, when
there is so much unemployed labour among us, this exhibition should
have the {343} effect of creating a demand for articles which can be
produced by the hand and mind of a skilful workman only, and not by
machinery, however costly and elaborate, an enormous benefit, beyond
that originally contemplated, must result from the exhibition--namely,
that of supplying fresh fields for the labour and ingenuity of our
workmen.
It is with great satisfaction that we are enabled to announce that
there is at length a prospect of our seeing the monument which
Nicholas Brigham erected, in Poet's Corner, to the memory of Geoffrey
Chaucer properly restored. Arrangements are making for collecting
subscriptions for that purpose, to be limited to five shillings each,
that more may have the pleasure of assisting in the good work. We hope
to give further particulars of this right and necessary step in the
course of a week or two.
We have received John Petheram's (94. High Holborn) Catalogue of Old
and New Books, No. 109., being No. 3. for 1850;--from Thomas Cole (15.
Great Turnstile, Holborn) his Catalogue of Cheap Books, No. 25.; and
from John Russell Smith, (4. Old Compton Street, Soho) Part 2. for
1850 of his Catalogue of Choice, Useful, and Curious Books. We have
also received from Messrs. Puttick and Simpson, of 191. Piccadilly,
a Catalogue of a Six-Days' Sale of Miscellaneous Books, chiefly
Theological and Classical, but comprising also much General
Literature, which commences this day (Saturday).
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