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Institutions: Royal Aaademy-MisceUaneous. 
ally a sinecure. Mr. Poynter has no- 
thing whatever to do with the London 
School and its 6000 works. The real 
and practical results of the Country 
Schools are brought before and reported 
on by the head-masters, and Mr. Deverell 
has the duty of looking after all the 
financial business.  The examples for 
the Country Schools are bought by the 
head-masters, &c. What then, it may be 
asked, is there remaining for Mr. Poynter 
to do, when he leaves his official duties 
in the Metropolitan buildings in the 
Adelphi, and, inspecting the Schools of 
Design, takes them as "he is about to 
proceed to the county of Durham" (vide 
p. 50), probably on a private professional 
visit?  He writes reports certainly for 
his 5001. a-year, in which he reports the 
Schools, particularly the larger and more 
important, as being in a most satisfac- 
tory state. Thus (p. 21) " Manchester 
School is in a flourishing condition." 
Sheffield "continues satisfactory" (p. 29); 
again, "continues to be conducted in the 
most satisfactory manner" (p. 31). But 
notwithstanding   these  complimentary 
generalities, the dry, hard facts of the 
tables already mentioned shew that there 
were no proofs of teaching in " drawing 
round ornament," or "Anatomy or Flow- 
ers from Nature "-" no painting - and 
of course no designs" in Sheffield. The 
Potteries are also "most satisfactory" 
(p. 34). Glasgow    "has the greatest 
success," &c. Mr. Poynter finds a satis- 
faction in the Schools, but he continues 
his old grudges against the manufac- 
turers, who will measure them and their 
management by their practical results. 
He speaks in his Manchester report of 
" the vulgar and pernicious error so gene- 
rally entertained by manufacturers as to 
the immediate effect of the School in be- 
coming a market for patterns as wearing 
out." Again, speaking of the Norwich 
School, he says, " The prospect has not 
improved, and such little connexion as 
there was between the manufactories and 
the School has nearly ceased; nor is it 
any matter of surprise that this should 
be the case, when manufacturers at the 
head of the shawl trade and members of 
the Committee are at this period of the 
existence of the School expressing their 
disappointment that it cannot furnish 
them with designs better and cheaper 
than they can obtain from their old de- 
signers." Mr. Poynter's statement, if not 
his logic, appears to be, that the longer a 
School exists, the further it should be 
from enabling its pupils to furnish de- 
signs better and cheaper. And the Board 
of Trade still hear patiently this non- 
sense from an inspector in return for 
his 5001. a-year ! We hope the Norwich 
manufacturers will have a word to say to 
Mr. Poynter when he visits the School at 
his professional convenience. 
THE ROYAL. AcADE    r.-Mr. Eastlake 
has been elected President of the Royal 
Academy of Artists, in the room of 
Sir Arthur Martin Shee, deceased, and 
the opportunity is now    presented to 
him, by using the advantages of his 
present position, to review all that is 
faulty in an institution, originally in- 
tended to benefit the general body of our 
artists, and to raise its character to a 
point which shall command the esteem of 
the public and the confidence of his pro- 
fessional brethren. With Mr. Eastlake's 
capabilities as an artist I have nothing 
here to do, but he will scarcely find the 
chair of President of the Academy strewed 
with roses, should he fail to aim at much 
higher and more extended views than 
that of merely becoming a means of com- 
munication between that body and a few 
fashionable patrons. Struggling merit, 
even though it should not have been fos- 
tered within the walls of the building in 
Trafalgar Square, claims a better oppor- 
tunity for annual notice. This is merely 
one of the many reforms necessary. It 
is only by a strong exertion and a con- 
scientious exercise of the means afforded 
to him, by the presidential influence, that 
whatever is a grievance in the polity of 
the institution can disappear, and that 
which is useful be retained, the common 
interests of his fellow-artists properly 
asserted, recognised talent admitted, and 
the society, of which he is at present the 
head, be prevented from becoming effete 
and morally defunct.           VIGm. 
-MiscelIaneous. 
EXHIBITION Or 1851.-A charge of 5s. 
is now made to all who apply for en- 
trance to inspect the works; any fund 
arising from this charge is to be applied 
to the funds for the sick, or disabled, work- 
men. As one of the indications of the in- 
tereot which the forthcoming Exhibition 
in 1851 is already producing, we may 
mention that Messrs. Day and Son have 
already issued 2500 copies of the litho- 
graph executed by them of the "Palace 
of Glass." Many of the makers of fancy 
white-wood boxes, and other goods of 
that class, have received numerous or-