We transfer from the Art-Union Bulletin a notice of the Game of Chess, a picture of great merit, recently painted by Woodville in Paris. It has been purchased by the Union, and is now in its Gallery. "This is an exquisitely finished cabinet-piece, which in technical qualities is probably superior to any thing he has done excepting the Old Captain. It represents the interior of the sitting-room of a noble mansion in the days of the Tudors. On the right rises the immense fire-place, with its frontispiece of variegated marbles, supported by statues and richly carved in the style of the Rennaissance. On the right of this, in the immediate fore-ground, is a lecturn, upon which rests a book and a lady's 'kerchief. Standing with his back to the fire, before the chimney, is a portly gentleman—probably the father of the family about going forth for a ride, as he has his cap on his head, wears high boots of buff leather, with spurs, and an outer-coat of velvet trimmed with fur. He stands with his hands behind him in an easy attitude, overlooking a game of chess which a visitor is playing with the daughter of the house. The visitor is on the left of the picture, and sits with his back to the spectator; and in front is a table which supports the chess-board. On the other side is the young lady, whose eyes are fixed upon the game, while the cavalier is lifting a piece with his hand and looking toward the father as if for approbation of his move. The mother, and a page, complete the group. This is a tranquil, pleasant picture, in which the characters of the personages are very nicely indicated. It places the spectator in the very midst of the domestic life of the times it portrays. It is, however, in the distribution of light and shadow, and the wonderful fidelity of its imitations, that the work is most remarkable. The effect of the light upon the carved marble is done with wonderful skill, and the representation of violet, fur, satin, and metals, worthy of a Micris or a Metzu."
Powers, writing from Florence, thus describes the statue of California, upon which he is engaged: "I am now making a statue of 'La Dorado,' or California, an Indian figure surrounded with pearls and precious stones. A kirtle surrounds her waist, and falls with a feather fringe down to just above the knees. The kirtle is ornamented with Indian embroidery, with tracings of gold, and her sandals are tied with golden strings. At her side stands an inverted cornucopia, from which is issuing at her feet lumps and grains of native gold, to which she points with her left hand, which holds the divining rod. With her right hand she conceals behind her a cluster of thorns. She stands in an undecided posture—making it doubtful whether she intends to advance or retire—while her expression is mystical. The gold about her figure must be represented, of course, by the color as well as the form. She is to be the Genius of California."
Mr. Whitney, the projector of the railroad to the Pacific is now in London to urge upon Government to undertake the construction of the road through the British possessions.
Mr. Gilbert, Member of Congress from California, himself a printer, has presented to the Typographical Society of New York a double number of the Alta California newspaper, printed upon white satin in letters of gold.
The Philadelphia Art Union has contracted for an original painting by Rothermel, which is to be engraved for distribution to its subscribers the present year. It has likewise provided a portfolio of sketches from which subjects for commissions may be selected. The plan of this Association differs from that of the Art Union of this city, in that it distributes prizes, not pictures, allowing those who draw the prizes to select their own subjects.
Chilly McIntosh, head war-chief of the Choctaw nation, has been ordained as a clergyman, and is now preaching in connection with the Baptist Board.
Sir Charles Lyell has delivered a Lecture before the Royal Institution on Impressions of Rain drops in Ancient and Modern Strata. These impressions were first observed in 1828, by Dr. Buckland. A close analogy was discovered between the impressions on the rocks, and those made by showers of rain upon soft mud. In conclusion, the lecturer remarked on the important inferences deducible from the discovery of rain-prints in rocks of remote antiquity. They confirm the ideas entertained of the humid climate of the carboniferous period, the forests of which we know were continuous over areas several miles in diameter. The average dimensions of the drops indicate showers of ordinary force, and show that the atmosphere corresponded in density, as well as in the varying temperature of its different currents, with that which now invests the globe. The triassic hail (indicated by indentations deeper than those made by rain-drops) implies that some regions of the atmosphere were at this period intensely cold; and, coupled with footprints, worm-tracks, and casts of cracks formed by the drying of mud, which were often found upon the same slabs, these impressions of rain clearly point to the existence of sea-beaches where tides rose and fell, and therefore lead us to presume the joint influence of the moon and the sun. Hence we are lead on to infer that at this ancient era, the earth with its attendant satellite was revolving as now around the sun, as the centre of our system, which probably belonged then as now to one of those countless clusters of stars with which space is filled.
John Chapman, Manager of the Peninsular Railway Company in India, has published a pamphlet on the supply of cotton which India may be made to furnish, in which he undertakes to show, that cotton of a quality which can be used for three fourths of the manufactures of England, such as is worth there from three to five pence a pound, can be produced in any required quantity for from one and one-fourth to one and three-fourths of a penny per pound. He says it is the difficulty of transportation which prevents the extensive culture of cotton in India.
M. Eoelmen, the director of the National Porcelain Manufactory of Sèvres, has succeeded in producing crystalized minerals, resembling very closely those produced by nature—chiefly precious and rare stones employed by jewelers. To obtain this result, he has dissolved, in boric acid, alum, zinc, magnesia, oxydes of iron, and chrome, and then subjecting the solution to evaporation during three days, has obtained crystals of a mineral substance, equaling in hardness, and in beauty, and clearness of color, the natural stones. With chrome M. Eoelmen has made most brilliant rubies, from two to three millimetres in length, and about as thick as a grain of corn. If rubies can be artificially made, secrets which the old alchymists pursued can not be far off.