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conquering Julien. He will give us—and all honor to him for it-Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart, with a colossal orchestra, and no clap-trap performance, but a genuine matter. He will interweave a lighter music so daintily, that our feet will insensibly glide from the solemn marches of the great masters to the airy pulsations of Strauss, and Lanner, and Julien himself. He will do all this at a cheap rate, and the cavillers at the two and three dollar reserved seats, will fall into charmed silence as Julien reveals his unutterable waistcoat, and proffers them Paradise for a shilling. We record our fealty in advance.

The French papers mourn over the small prospect at the Italian Opera. The engagements for the season are Cruvelli, Vera, and Bertrandi, for soprani, and Borghi-Mamo for contralto. The tenors threatened are Bellini and Negrini, and for basso, our old friend Belletti, Marini (who used to dress Bertram at Astor Place, like Mumbo Jumbo), and Valli. Of the names upon this list, Belletti is always sure and good, and Cruvelli, judging from foreign report, had a chance of the greatest success, which she seems to be squandering by carelessness and laziness. The Emperor Louis, to keep matters along, pays £4000 for his box for the season.

In Italy there is a new opera at Genoa, Fiorina, which is well mentioned. Barbiere-Nini is singing acceptably in Rome; and we learn from that city, that our countryman, Crawford, has received from Boston an order for a bronze statue of Beethoven, for the Music Hall there.

THE FINE ARTS.

THE utter extinction of the American Art-Union, by a decision of our courts, has had a temporarily depressing effect upon the cause of Art in this country. But so vital a principle as the love of art is not to be extinguished by the demolition of any institution. The love of art remains, and those who minister to it are not weakened in their energies. Pictures will continue to be painted, and statues chiselled, now that the Art-Union has ceased to exist, as they were before that institution was organized. We were never well satisfied that Art-Unionism was a healthy and sound principle; it was too direct an interference with the principle of laissez faire. which is as essential to a vigorous and healthy development of genius in art as in every thing else. So that we have no tears to shed over the destruction of the

Art-Union, while we are very far from approving of the means by which the ruin of that, our only institution for the encouragement of art in the United States, was ac complished. Our artists will now be compelled to depend upon chance visitor to their studios, and the Annual Exhib.tion, for purchasers of their pictures; and we do not much doubt but they will be better off in consequence. They will work better, and, generally, find more discriminating customers than they have done the past five years.

The pictures of the Art-Union, which were to have been distributed last year to the members, were sold, on the 15th and 16th. at auction, for the benefit of all concerned. We believe it has not yet been determined what use shall be made of the Art-Union Galleries in Broadway; but it would be a very great pity for such admirable exhibition rooms not to be employed in some way for the promotion of art. We believe that the managers of the Art-Union have entertained an idea of keeping the galleries open as an exhibition and salesroom for works of art of various kinds. This would be an excellent plan, no doubt; something of the kind is needed—an artist's exchange, or market-house, where their productions might be seen by the public, and purchased. It is a rather difficult matter for our Medici, who would be glad enough to act the part of patron. to discover all the "studios" and "ateliers" of our rising artists; and the National Academy opens its galleries but once a year. But a better use to which the Art-Union rooms can be put, is to make them a school of design for artists. There is nothing that we so much need as practical artists, to create designs for our fineart manufactures. Millions of dollars are annually sent to France, to pay for little artistic knick-knacks, which might easily be produced here. The English have opened their eyes to the importance of encouraging their fine-art manufactures, and. by the establishment of national schools of design, have already done much for the cause in all parts of the kingdom. The appropriation of one hundred thousand pounds, by Parliament, fifteen years ago. for the establishment of schools of design. has been ten times repaid by the benefit conferred upon their fine-art manufactures. Our Free Academy has made a small effort in this matter; but it requires the aid of the Government, either of the State or nation, to do any thing on a sufficiently liberal scale to be of any permanent benefit.

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