THE PICTURES AT HAMPTON COURT: THE CARTOONS.
A CORRESPONDENT, signing himself " AN A nTIsT," tells us that the pictures at Hampton Court are to be open to the public, without fee or gratuity, on the first four days of the week ; artists only being ad- mitted for the purposes of study on Fridays and Saturdays. This is a liberal concession to a prevailing desire ; and is also ac- ceptable as an evidence of a wish on the part of the Queen and the Ministers to promote the public taste for the arts. It is to be re- gretted, however, that this privilege will be no boon to the multitude ; inasmuch as the pictures will not be visible on Sunday, as heretofore. On that day, more visiters were gratified by the sight of them than on all the other days of the week put together.
So far indeed RS the Cartoons are concerned, the new arrangement is disappointing ; for it seems to negative the proposal for their removal to the National Gallery. Now there are three grand objections to the Cartoons remaining where they are: the first, and all.suilicient one, is, that they cannot be properly seen; the second is, the danger accruing to than from damp and the risk of fire ; and the third—which, though least, is not inconsiderable—is the distance from town. This last will operate to prevent artists making much use of the two days assigned to them.
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