"ART COMPETITIONS."
"Since these competitions were started, the public had been educated in artistic matters, and their judgment was almost equal to that of the members of the Royal Academy."—Mr. Poland's Speech in the "Missing Word" case.
Mr. Poland said, at Bow Street,
Choosing pictures thus imparts
Judgment good as that of those treat-
Ed as foremost in the arts.
Hitherto each paid his shilling
At the House of Burlington,
Gazed at pictures, feeble, thrilling,
Bad or good, and wandered on—
Stared with awe-struck admiration
At "the Picture of the Year,"
Gained artistic education
In a stuffy atmosphere.
Then all changed; he paid his shilling
And he sent his coupon in
To a weekly paper, willing
To discriminate the tin;
And be wisely praised or blamed, yet
He knew nothing of design,
The Bridge of Bow Street claimed yet
One more shilling as a fine.
Oh, rejoice, Academicians!
Learned Bridge knew what to do;
Artisans or mechanicians
Might have grown as wise as you.
Which would sadden any just man,
And might make an angel weep—
Dicksee distanced by a dustman,
Storey staggered by a sweep!
Boughton beaten by a baker,
Housemaids humbling helpless Hook;
Stone surpassed by sausage-maker,
Cooper conquered by a cook!
Crowe or Crofts crushed by a cow-boy,
Millais made by milkmen mad,
Pettie plucked by any ploughboy,
Leighton licked by butcher's lad!
It effected all you care for,
But Sir John has pulled you through;
Bold Bow-Street's Beak is, therefore,
No Bridge of Sighs for you
"A Note on the Appreciation of Gold."—Send a five-pound note (verified by the Bank of England) to our office, and we will undertake to get it changed immediately, and thereupon to hand over to the Bearer, in exchange for the note, two golden sovereigns, and one golden half-sovereign, ready cash. This will show what is our appreciation of gold.