BRITISH AND FOREIGN

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 443, 27 February 1909, Page 10

BRITISH AND FOREIGN

' CURRENT TOPICS. Mr. H. W, Lucy .quotes this incident, which happened "whim lie Was staying with Lord Rosobery At Dalmeny House, and Mr. Gladstone was also thero:—"Mr. Gladstone came dbwa h.ilf au hour late, and was rallied by our host upon his unpunetuality. Lord Kosobery reminded him of something he had once said s about punetUßhty at luncheon time. Mr. 'Gladstone took up tho point with as much energy as if it were ono of Lord Randolph's accusations in the Hous« of Commons. .Finally ho drew from Lord Rosobory the admission that ho had been in cii-Qr/tbat lie (Mr. Gladstone) had never said anything about bomg punctual at luncheon, but had recommended the desirability of absence of formality—that anybody should drop vu ,as they pleased and sit where they liked." Venezuela. "It is Holland that deserves tho thanks ef tho oivihsed world for having jiven the ~ pttsh that toppled over -the fabric ot Castro's potter," says the "Times." "But, while her- seiEitre of one or two-Yehezholnn -vessels was-the occasion of the, catastrophe, it can hardly have -been j the cause ' " Thero" wore othfer i factors, external and internal to ' Venezuela, at work, and perhaps an appreciation of their, number and force may not havbO'.beon entirely unconnected With tho voyago ( to Europe. He must have known of the deep hatred, that his rulo inspired amongst large classes of the nation, and ho must have been well awaro that, in times 'of "real stress and danger, the motives which impelled place-hunters and lufFians to attach themselves ~to him would, impel ihem with equal force to desert his cause." StatOEmsnsfilp. In.' the discussion at tho Headmasters' oil tho study of Greek, Dr. James, tho headmaster-Of Rugby, declared j that'ho was heartily tired of this perpetual s lontroyorsy. "It is ah old, old colltrovclsy, dating* back, in ono form or anothel, to tho ago of tho revival of lOtteis The pity of it;is that wo dO not seem'to bo a Whit if nearer to, its settlement. On tho olio hand, wo have "Dr. Jalnes declaring that 'he beieved. that tho decay Of statesmanship, oratory, ■ poetry, and oven fiction ill this country was dtlo to tho giadual decay Of classic.ll . studies.' There are periodic ebbs and flons m these matters," says tho "Times," "and to assfen a very disputable ofTect to a stiir / more "disputablo oauso is hot a convincing Sroof of the benefits to bo derived from ilassical studies." Picture Shows. For;on6o theto is no Old Masters Winter Exhibition'-at the Royal Academy (says the "Standard Of the Enipilo"). The galleiros of Burlington House, have been thrown opon 1 to a show Of masters who must bo called uis- . tmotivoly modern, seeing that many, of them are still alive, And others aro -very lccenlly deceased. The exhibition for -tho present year is devoted to tho gigantic collection of modern pictures biought together by the lato Mr. GeDigo-M'Culloch, or Queen's Gate. ' Tlus 'gentleman .was a citiisen'ot J.ho Oveisca States/ a -Scot, who'emigrated to Australia, and finally oegmred tho chief-interest in tho Broken Hill silver mines spent a largo portiOn. of his great .fortune, in blmng tho pictures, which, have-.been exhibited at the Royal Acadeniy during tho last twenty years or so; and his collection is probably tho most representative assomblage of contemporary painting in Britain - fhat- has over, been mdee'd, <■ 19 'over likely to bo brought—together. Anybody who wants to see Lcighton, Millais, Alma TadOnia, Orchardson, David Murray, M'Whirter, Leaded Parsons, Biott, and other recent masters at their best must sciae the opportunity now offered, at Builington House, There nro also two fine" baintings by Whistler, so that nere for- tho first time- 1 the great painter, who carried'on throughout his .life all irreconcilable warfare with tho Royal Acadomy, is now at length represented on tho \\alls of Burlington House. Time assuredly bungs revenges for all things, but one imagines that tho author of' "Tho Gentlo Art of Making Enemies" must turn in his grtivo on finding his canvases hung up for the gaze of tho admiring British public under the auspices of tho Royal Academy and alongside of BurneJones and Poynter and Dickseo. Another excellent exhibition, that is now ojen is-that called the Punoh Pageant in Leicester 1 Squftro, which consists of all tho treasures, that -can-bo-extracted--house of the- most fatoblis oSmio"-.periodioal in tho World. Hoio sro the" pasTglories of Mr. Punoh exhibited in the shape of contributions by Thaokoray, f Leech,. Keen,- Du Maurifcr, Tonnie) - Liuley, -Sambourno, alul other great artists in humour and in black and white, -_It is an \miquo thing of its Kind, &m\ n t most interesting memorial of. a , career which has not Only added io_tha gaiety of nations but has substantially enriched tho art of Britain in ono of its most'oharacteristic aspects.

:: : -'*.:,f,»*n™ ' l! Vfe of^P™*.- iorty»four.?yearSf.: with'Vall :; s ,vthe,eloquenq^that^htlm^iasto'caa giv©; v tind :7.r an,: earnestness; oEpuriJoso:,tbaV'«; ; Biiggest'ed :SiVfby:theygra*eSespression.sin;-ier l :tiou'rlitful> :H> thc^'higH'brow:thatis half: hidden. ■.'.:■?' »ya. ;ttea]thibf JjroWnVhafc -'.yDr; v Thekla' >'■'-'.' of*?™? 1 *? 3 -S.neof\the ! .ni'ost':dev'oteS Vbrkers' political■'refOriri -:. >; and-.woman.^shfl'rago:■ in : Finland r'she ■■:■■■■J^i^j^^pioU[ci:.ih^m6iMerii-'sii(xteii4 i ' '-<■. '-<■■<&$ ;'thSt:in;ost~- prominent* -'.Mi smM"re. : : Mtmibprs : >of/;the -DietfVof- which ythe V-vSOO, members-include ! no?feWor. thaw'tvveritiy- :; r• tf two: l4diesirypr. ; :ilulliih';*afteriSMeivin&vher • ;.•; early education .at l'Vederikshainnj-continued' wgief stndiefe:;at ; tlie;:,University, of ; Heleingfors,,;L,of^bdosopby:,n;lß97;7'Hei ; political'tastes. ; .;.and;affibitionS;led'.:her todevote :'horseif'fo ;;:j;oUrn^m^.;m::.Hu^in:'enterecl^t)i6 ; : public ;. ;v service-when;.' 'the;: Great r Strite'-Hihe . na-■: /;■-'■ WW^.i Protest -against'/.the! suppression'-of ; .;- ; ttte.-iOonstltutibtf^fiad'been carried to a.'suW :Jo-J 6^"! .''to" iv'^™^" r^u;,o/^nla : nQl ir f -^m : fWVhP^s- ; '#b ;4as<i:writton J iniichTlbn' ;;:s«ia];.and,j;bolitica|4::. subjects,!- and -'byv thai '.;.::P re t ,°;> T :M?:-.'pett;.-has-exercised great-in-:A'■;>■ ?uehce;;in, tne. r doyelopmerit,of,suoh political ; •..mdependeneo as Finlandhow onjoys "-'- ■■• i

■ ? election.'of Ahmed Riza Bey to ::• the.presidency,of the Turkish Chamber, the -^liT .pa".' s ,iP u f intne right place',!' says tho ;;>: HeV is among the --foremost ;:.; makere of modern-, Turkey,- and' vit--is,- inv;tho Houßef'that ''-tlie'" process of" fe- ■■■•- genoratipn has.now.to be carried on. It la, .-, .thereffirOnvtheinaTural arid-logical order of ')events,thai the"Presiderit of.Hhe Ottoman # d^M^^ s sllould become ;;..-tho,.PreSident.of ; the.Turkish• Chamber; Even V;,Moth6,:J3rrtisli ? House:of,Commoriß; with cen- ■'.■ turies, of tradition-and.;exporience behind it, ;j* n °*P«fsonality -at mi. -fencer •counts ■'• for /, a good deal.';;;; -In>.tho. case of 'tho' Turkish :; : Parliament, •rWhere-triditions.'. have'to be ../Breated,--the'effico.'6f President'mav be'all- ;, Mportaiit.^^The'whole world,' :;;Biw,.With-'.s';ftilness:of}trilth which does not , always to ;tho;.;'sayirig,... 'has its eyes :, ftrected'.upon tlieiTflrlcish';Parliament;'upon ; ,: its ■ discussions;.and;; 'political its de-;:-meanour.andimethods of:'business, will do- .■■.■■'•^ nd /^f-^e',infe^alVWorkiiie ; :of.the-.n6w :,, Cpnstitntioli. and;..the judgment .'and: attitude ; ;-°^^^^^^ tf^-it -'- ; .-.; which.Wie;,prosident returned thanks.-for his 16: marked, by these qualities ofreil straint and sound jUdgment;;which:havdcharaeteriscd this remarkable,man throughout his ' - and which have made the one I'of rthe most . wonderful in -history.*."'; r >'■ ■.:■.'■■:■■

Regius ,:•■,;.'.!./ .■ ,;; : ■■; "Mr: Gilbert .Murray..- has ■ -teen-""appointed .Regius /Professor ./Of ..Greek V Oxford, f in "succession'to / 'Mri' rlngram .'-'Bywater,'-' \ says the : '.'Westminster.-" ' " Araougst - the younger Greek scholars no one holds a place of prior distinction .to Mr. Murray. So : combines ■a' very lino/literary taste /with 'the soundest" of. scholarship^and^as^Wo'iieed '.'hardly, say) tlie-two. things ,by..no;;m'cans. always .gd'.to-Eetber-c-Tho'.TJnWersity'-of Oxford and'llr. Murray, are i both -to be congratulated on an: admirable appointment."