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species have been first shown alive in these Gardens. The Monkey-house, in the form of a conservatory of iron and glass, and the Antelope and Zebra sheds, are very popular; but the great attractions of the Gardens have been a pair of Hippopotami, presented by the Viceroy of Egypt, the first ever brought to this country, the Elephant Calf, the Apteryx from New Zealand; and the Vivarium, or Aquarium, of living fishes and other marine and freshwater animals, is a very interesting exhibition. The collection of living snakes is the largest ever formed in Europe. The band of the Life Guards is to be heard here in summer on Saturday at 4. The lions and tigers are fed at 4 P.M. The annual expenditure for Gardens and Museum amounts to 18,000l. the income exceeds 20,000l.; in the Exhibition year 26,000l.; of this, about 5000l. is derived from subscribers, the rest adinission fees.

THE GERMAN GYMNASIUM, OLD ST. PANCRAS ROAD, KING'S CROSS. A spacious hall for the practice of Gymnastic Exercises, upon the system of the German Herr Jahn. It was built in 1866 by a company for the use of a private association.

XXI.-LEARNED INSTITUTIONS.

The ROYAL SOCIETY, in BURLINGTON HOUSE, PICCADILLY, was incorporated by royal charter in 1663. King Charles II. and the Duke of York (James II.) entering their names as members of the Society. Like the Society of Antiquaries, and many other institutions, this celebrated Society (boasting of the names of Newton, Wren, Halley, Herschel, Davy, and Watt, among its members) originated in a small attendance of men engaged in the same pursuits, and dates its beginning from certain weekly meetings held in London, as early as the year 1645. The merit of suggesting such meetings is assigned by Wallis (himself a foundation member) to Theodore Haak, a German of the Palatinate, then resident in London. The Civil War interrupted their pursuits for a time; but with the Restoration of the King, a fresh accession of strength was obtained, new members enlisted, and the charter of incorporation granted. The Society consists at present of about 766 "Fellows," and the letters F.R.S. are generally appended to the name of a member. The present entrance money is 10l. and the annual subscription 4l.; members are elected by ballot, upon the

nomination of 6 or more fellows. The patron saint of the Society is St. Andrew, and the anniversary meeting is held every 30th of November, being St. Andrew's Day. The Society possesses some interesting portraits. Observe.-Three portraits of Sir Isaac Newton-one by C. Jervas, presented by Newton himself, and properly suspended over the President's chair-a second in the Library, by D. C. Marchand-and a third in the Assistant Secretary's Office, by Vanderbank; two portraits of Halley, by Thomas Murray and Dahl; two of Hobbes-one taken in 1663 by, says Aubre, "a good hand"-and the other by Gaspars, presented by Aubrey ; Sir Christopher Wren, by Kneller; Wallis, by Soest; Flamstead, by Gibson; Robert Boyle, by F. Kerseboom, (Evelyn says it is like); Pepys, by Kneller, presented by Pepys; Lord Somers, by Kneller; Sir R. Southwell, by Kneller; Sir H. Spelman, the antiquary, by Mytens (how it came here I know not); Sir Hans Sloane, by Kneller; Dr. Birch, by Wills, the original of the mezzotint done by Faber in 1741, bequeathed by Birch; Martin Folkes, by Hogarth; Dr. Wollaston, by Jackson; Sir Humphry Davy, by Sir T. Lawrence. Observe also.-The mace of silver gilt (similar to the maces of the Lord Chancellor, the Speaker, and President of the College of Physicians), presented to the Society by Charles II. in 1662. The belief so long entertained that it was the mace or "bauble," as Cromwell called it, of the Long Parliament, has been completely refuted by the original warrant of the year 1662, for the special making of this very mace. -A solar dial, made by Sir Isaac Newton when a boy; a reflecting telescope, made in 1671, by Newton's own hands; MS. of the Principia, in Newton's own hand-writing; lock of Newton's hair, silver white; MS. of the Parentalia, by young Wren; Charter Book of the Society, bound in crimson velvet, containing the signatures of the Founder and Fellows; a Rumford fire-place, one of the first set up; original model of Sir Humphry Davy's Safety Lamp, made by his own hands; marble bust of Mrs. Somerville, by Chantrey. The Society possesses a Donation Fund, established to aid men of science in their researches, and distributes four medals: a Rumford gold medal, two Royal medals, and a Copley gold medal, called by Davy "the ancient olive crown of the Royal Society." The Society removed from Somerset House to Burlington House in 1856.

ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS, TRAFALGAR SQUARE, under the same roof as the National Gallery, constituted 1768.

Its principal objects are-1. The establishment of

a well-regulated "School, or Academy of Design," for the gratuitous instruction of students in the art; and, 2. An "annual exhibition," open to all artists of distinguished merit, where they may offer their performances to public inspection, and acquire that degree of reputation and encouragement which they may be deemed to deserve. It is "a private society, supporting a school that is open to the public." The members are under the superintendence and control of the Queen only, who confirms all appointments; and the society itself consists of 42 Royal Academicians (including a President), 20 Associates, and 6 Associate Engravers. The Royal Academy derives the whole of its funds from the produce of its annual exhibition, to which the price of admission is 1s., and the catalogue 1s. The average annual receipts are about 60007.

The annual Exhibition of Pictures by Living Artists opens the first Monday in May, and works intended for exhibition must be sent in a month before. No works which have been already exhibited; no copies of any kind (excepting paintings on enamel); no mere transcripts of the objects of natural history; no vignette portraits, nor any drawings without backgrounds (excepting architectural designs), can be received. No artist is allowed to exhibit more than 8 different works. Honorary exhibitors (or unprofessional artists) are limited to one. All works sent for exhibition are submitted to the approval or rejection of the council, whose decision is final, and may be ascertained by application at the Academy in the week after they have been left there.

Admission of Students.-Any person desiring to become a student of the Royal Academy presents a drawing or model of his own performance to the keeper, which, if considered by him a proof of sufficient ability, is laid before the Council, together with a testimony of his moral character, from an Academician, or other known person of respectability. If these are approved by the Council, the candidate is permitted to make a drawing or model from one of the antique figures in the Academy, and the space of three months from the time of receiving such permission is allowed for that purpose; the time of his attendance is from 10 o'clock in the morning until 3 in the afternoon. This drawing or model, when finished, is laid before the Council, accompanied with outline drawings of an anatomical figure and skeleton, not less than two feet high, with lists and references, on each drawing, of the several muscles, tendons, and bones contained therein, together with the drawing or model originally presented for

his admission as a probationer: if approved, the candidate is accepted as a student of the Royal Academy, and receives in form the ticket of his admission from the hand of the keeper in the Antique School. If the specimen presented be rejected by the Council, he is not allowed to continue drawing in the Academy. The rule for architectural students is of a like character.

The first president was Sir Joshua Reynolds-the present president is Sir Francis Grant. The 10th of February is the day on which the vacancies in the list of Royal Academicians are filled up; November the month for electing Associates, and the 10th of December the day for the anual distribution of prizes. The Royal Academy possesses a fine library of books of prints, and a large collection of casts from the antique, and several interesting pictures by old masters. The library is open to the students. Each member on his election presents a picture, or a work of art, of his own design and execution, to the collection of the Academy. The series thus obtained is interesting in the history of British art.

Observe among the Diploma pictures.-Portraits of Sir Wm. Chambers, the architect, of George III., and of Reynolds in his Doctor's Robes, by Reynolds (all very fine); Boys digging for a rat, by Sir David Wilkie. Works of Art in the possession of the Academy.-1. Cartoon of the Holy Family, in black chalk, by L. Da Vinci; executed with extreme care, the Holy Virgin is represented on the lap of St. Anne, her mother; she bends down tenderly to the infant Christ, who plays with a lamb. 2. Bas-relief, in marble, of the Holy Family, by Michael Angelo; presented by Sir George Beaumont. St. John is presenting a dove to the child Jesus, who shrinks from it and shelters himself in the arms of his mother, who seems gently reproving St. John for his hastiness, and putting him back with her hand. The child is finished and the mother in great part the St. John is only sketched, but in a most masterly style. 3. Copy, in oil, of Da Vinci's Last Supper (size of the original), by Marco d'Oggione, a scholar of Leonardo, and is very valuable, perhaps representing more exactly Leonardo's grand design than the original itself in its present mutilated state at Milan. This was formerly in the Certosa at Pavia. 4. Marble bust of Wilton, the sculptor, by Roubiliac. Admission to view these pictures, &c., is obtained by a written application to the keeper.

The Royal Academy is about to remove from Trafalgarsquare either to Burlington Gardens, or to S. Kensington, a

site having been offered by Government. George III. gave room to the R. A. on its foundation, 1780, in his Palace of Somerset House, which they quitted, 1834.

ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC, 4, TENTERDEN STREET, HANOVER SQUARE. Founded (1822) by the late Earl of Westmoreland, who confided its organisation and general direction to Bochsa, the composer and harpist, at that time director to the Italian Opera in London. This is an academy, with in-door and out-door Students, the in-door paying 50 guineas a-year and 10 guineas entrance fee; and the out-door, 30 guineas a-year and 5 guineas entrance fee. Some previous knowledge is required, and the students must provide themselves with the instruments they propose or are appointed to learn. There is a large Musical Library. Four scholarships, called King's Scholarships, have been founded by the Academy, two of which, one male and one female, are contended for annually at Christmas.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, in PALL MALL EAST, corner of TRAFALGAR SQUARE, was built by Sir R. Smirke, for 30,000l., and opened (25th June, 1825) with a Latin oration by Sir Henry Halford. The College was founded by Linacre, physician to Henry VIII. The members, at its first institution, met in the founder's house in Knightrider-street on the site of No. 5, still (by Linacre's bequest) in the possession of the College. From the founder's house they moved to Amen-corner (where Harvey read his lectures on the discovery of the circulation of the blood); from thence (1674), after the Great Fire, to Warwick-lane (where Wren built them a college, pulled down 1866), and from Warwick-lane to the present College. Observe. In the gallery above the library seven preparations by Harvey, discoverer of the circulation of the blood, and a very large number by Dr. Matthew Baillie. The engraved portrait of Harvey, by Jansen; head of Sir Thomas Browne, author of "Religio Medici; " Sir Theodore Mayerne, physician to James I.; Sir Edmund King, the physician who bled King Charles II. in a fit, on his own responsibility; head of Dr. Sydenham, by Mary Beale; Dr. Radcliffe, by Kneller; Sir Hans Sloane, by Richardson; Sir Samuel Garth, by Kneller; Dr. Freind; Dr. Mead; Dr. Warren, by Gainsborough; William Hunter; Dr. Heberden. Busts.-George IV., by Chantrey (one of his finest); Dr. Mead, by Roubiliac; Dr. Sydenham, by Wilton (from the picture); Harvey, by Scheemakers (from the picture); Dr. Baillie, by Chantrey (from a model by Nollekens); Dr. Babington, by Behnes. Dr. Radcliffe's gold-headed cane,

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