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336 pallet Hamilton, and other Papers. By JOSEPH Wright. Edinburgh : R. and R. Clark. In this little book there is no pretension to literary style. Judged by conventional standards it is even deficient in this regard. It is a plain story of reminiscences of an extremely remarkable woman, told by one who knew her intimately, and who appre- ciated her thoroughly. There is perhaps no more pathetic figure in the history of literature than Janet Hamilton laboriously learn- ing the rudiments in her old age, after she had composed almost since her youth genuinely inspired verse. The story of the visit of John Bright, and the other personal notes of Janet's character and surroundings, render Mr. Wright's essay of really permanent value as a bit of authentic literary history. Messrs. J. and W. Guthrie have just completed the two stained-glass windows — one, a two-light window, to be placed in Hyndland's Church as a memorial of their father, and the other, a large window containing the coats-of-arms of the Incorporated Trades, which has been presented to the Trades House by the Deacon Convener, Mr. John L. Tullis. The first is an excellent example of church decoration, and the second, though executed under limitations imposed by the necessity of incorporating the armorial bearings into the design, is an effective piece of work. The development of new minor exhibitions around the Academy one in Edinburgh, as in London, is to be heartily welcomed. Mr. Peacock's eighth annual exhibition, in his pleasant little gallery in Hanover Street, Edinburgh, is quite worth a visit. It is tastefully arrayed, and on the whole well lighted, and contains a number of pictures worthy of notice. One of Millais' charming little girls will probably be the favourite with most visitors, but there are several other good English pictures ; a landscape by Edwin Ellis struck us as specially strong in colour and bold in execution. From the Netherlands we have several excellent works of Artz, several slighter works of Josef Israels, and a noteworthy sky by Maris. The exhibition is, however, to our mind considerably marred by the undue proportion of Munich pictures of the second class. From this school of art there is no doubt much to be learned ; but its inferior products at any rate are too positive in their artificiality and too negative in their colour and expression. The first of a series of lectures under the auspices of the Haldane Trustees was given in the Corporation Galleries, Glasgow, on February nth, by Mr. William Morris. The subject chosen being ' Gothic Architecture,' and on February I2th, at the annual re-union of the students of the Glasgow School of Art, the same lecturer treated the subject of ' Arts and Crafts.' The second of the series of practical demonstrations in art, projected by the Haldane Tnistees, was given in the School of Art, Corporation Buildings, Glasgow, in the second week of March, the subject being ' Modelling.' The demonstrator was M. Lanteri, modelling master at the National Art Training School, South Kensington, and the subjects chosen were a bust, a piece of drapery, an ornamental design, and a study from the life. The aim of the demonstration, namely to show the absolute necessity of good technique in the execution of works of art, received splendid illustration in the result of each day's work. It is expected that Mr. Walter Crane will give the third lecture of the series of demonstrations in the last week in April, the subject chosen being 'Decoration and Design.' The initial step towards placing before the public practicable illustrations of decorative art applied to buildings in Glasgow has been taken with regard to the Jiall of the Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society in Duke Street, now being prepared for work. A number of our younger Glasgow artists have been interested, and each one has undertaken the execution of a panel to be painted in distemper. Among the recent sales of pictures by painters of repute was the sale of pictures by Mr. Joseph Henderson. The works exposed realised a total of ,^^2046. A 7I:/' Taj^^ar/ Sale, comprising 131 works by William M'Tag- gart, R.S.A, took place on 23d March, in Messrs. Dowell's Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh. The pictures exposed were altogether water-colour, many of them being studies for larger pictures by the artist. We shall subsequently make more extended reference to this sale, and also to another of quite special interest, viz. that of Mr. J. Lawlon Wingate, R.S.A., a collection of whose charming landscapes was sold in Edinburgh last month, and realised the sum of ;^I726. Mr. John Lavery is making progress with the large picture he is painting for the Corporation in commemoration of the Glasgow Exhibition of 18SS. He has recently had a sitting from the Queen, the first she has given to any artist for a considerable time. Sir Frederick Leighton's great picture is of Greek maidens playing at ball in a landscape of ideal loveliness. The scene is taken from the Isle of Rhodes, which a few years ago Sir Frederick Leighton visited, and where he sketched the beautiful scene he has now painted. The sun shines on white buildings of perfect harmony of line, on the blue sea, and amidst groves of trees. The young girls, in fluttering garments of saffron and white, are the embodi- ment of joyous grace and abandon. The central figure seems arrested in the act of running, the wind still seems to be blowing her delicate yellow tunic in clinging folds about her form. A charming picture is that of a fair girl, with uplifted face standing before a golden tripod, at the foot of which she has deposited some white flowers. The golden hair, the white drapery, the pure young face, are all in a delicate harmony of colour and sweetness of line and suggestion. A sorceress, clad in misly garments of lilac hue, sits brooding, her dark eyes lost in meditation, her cheek resting against her hand. The work strikes a graver, stronger note of colour and intention. A portrait and a study of a beautiful young face, with head crowned with oak leaves and eyes cast down, make up the principal sum of Sir Frederick Leighton's work. In Edinburgh the Social Union, whose decorative work was outlined in our December issue, has been undergoing new developments. A large committee has been formed, including not only most of the leading painters and designers, but also architects and decorators of the city, and each task the Society has at present in hand has been placed under the superintendence of one or more of its skilled members. Thus in addition to the work already known to our readers, a commemorative mural painting for the hall of the Board School on the site of old Milton House is being designed by Mr. T. Bonnar ; and the execution of Millais' ' Parables ' for the Robertson Memorial Hall, Grass- market, is to be carried out under the supervision of Mr. W. S. Black. Mr. Vallance is also preparing a scheme of decoration for the Free Tolbooth Mission Hall, which has been already painted by Mr. Hall, and for which Mr. W. S. Black has designed the mantelpieces. A plan for improvements in James Court is in the hands of Mr. S. H. Capper. Messrs. Sidney Mitchell, W. Mac- farlane, and W. B. Hole, R.S.A., form a sub-committee to select and superintend the execution of a series of designs commemora- tive of the worthies of the University, with which it is proposed to decorate the dining-room of University HaU. In decoration, however, our city fathers will need not only good will, but good guidance. Thus we note that Sir William Muir, the Principal of the University of Edinburgh, when lately pre- siding at the meeting of the Association for its better endowment, deeply bewailed the architectural deficiencies of the north front of the old College building, and entreated the liberality of the public to harmonise it with the architectural beauties of the other side of Chambers Street ! That Adam's cliff-like facade is monotonous, indeed even grim, must of course be allowed. But it is none the less in every aspect deplorably to be regretted that our highest representatives of academic culture should, in all the simplicity of their hearts, admire and even covet Mr. Chesser's new front for the Heriot-Watt College, for which the other high educational authorities of the city are of course responsible, this being, without even any exception, even in Princes Street, notoriously the most exhaustive and harmonious compilation yet extant of architectural and decorative vulgarisms. The absence of any artistic education- say rather the prevalence of completely inartistic miseducation — is indeed the hardest obstacle which the contemporary art movement has to reckon with. For who will educate our educators? It is with extreme regret that we record the death of William Carlow, R.S.W., in his forty-second year. Edinbtirs:h : T. and A. Constable, Printers to Her .Majesty.