After having been in existence twenty-four years, the National Gallery possessed 44 British pictures, of which 35 were gifts. Of these several were common-place portraits. The ignorance, and the contemptuous indifference of foreigners respecting British art, has often been complained of ; but how could foreigners be expected to take any pains to acquaint themselves with what was treated with such supreme neglect at home / If British art were worth anything, it might fairly be supposed that the nation would not keep it so carefully out of sight. The effect of a public collection of the works of the leadiug English painters in correcting the low opinions prevalent of British art was well shown in the Manchester Exhibition of 1857. The great French painter Ary Scheer we are told, " was scarcely less astonished than enchanted with the spectacle which that collection afforded him. I had no conception,' said ha. how rich the English school was ! There have lived great painters among you ; that is unquestionable I ... The power of dealing with colour, especially, possessed by the English artists, fills me with admiration, &c.'" (Mrs. Grote's ' Life of Ary Scheffer,' p. 117). And what Scheffer felt was felt more or less by every one, native as well as foreigner, who visited that remarkable collection.
The first actual attempt to provide a permanent gallery of national art was made in 1847, when Mr. Robert Vernon presented to the country his collection of 157 pictures, all but two being by British painters. For the most part the pictures were of a cabinet size, of homely and familiar subjects, and by living or recently deceased painters; though among them were 3 small works by Reynolds, 4 each by Wilson and Gainsborough, and I by Romney. Of our more eminent masters of a later date, the Vernon gift included 6 specimens by Stothard ; 5 by Wilkie (all of second-rate quality); 6 by Hilton; 9 by Callcott ; no less than 11 by Etty ; 4 by Turner ; 1 by Constable; 2 by Collins ; 4 by Mulready; 3 by Eastlake (including two of his best works= Christ Lamenting over Jerusalem,' and the Escape of the Carrara Family); 2 by Leslie (` Uncle Toby and Widow Wadman,' and 'Sancho and the Duchess,'); 4 by Stanfield ; 2 by Roberts; 2 by Lee ; 7 by Sir Edwin Landseer (including his large picture of 'Wellington at Waterloo," High and Low Life," Peace and War,' Highland Music,' &c.); 2 by Maclise (the 'Play Scene in Hamlet.' and ' Malvolio and the Countess); 2 by Webster (` Going to School,' and the Dame's School,'); 2 by Newton ; 3 by Lance; 2 by Ward; and others by Creswick, T. S. Cooper, Bonington, Muller, Denby, Linnell, Uwins, Herbert, &c. They were pictures purchased by a private gentleman of plain tastes, for the decoration of a private house of moderate size.
They were, therefore, not works of a kind that would, either in respect of size, subject, or pretension, have been chosen for a public gallery; but strictly cabinet or parlour pictures—pictures for quiet home enjoyment. Their presentation to the nation was. an afterthought. While, therefore, they may be taken as very fairly representing the popular phase of British art, they are not to be received as adequately representing the school in its highest efforts, or even what it has actually accomplished. But though not great works, the collection included specimens—and most of them very excellent specimens—of the major part of the more eminent painters of Mr. Vernon's day. In short, it was a very admirable private collection ; and it formed, in truth, a noble gift—so noble a gift, indeed, that it ought to have stimulated the nation, or its rulers. vigorously to carry on and com plete the formation of a gallery of native art, so large an addition hav ing been made to the means already possessed for the accomplishment of that object. Nothing, however, was done even towards providing a suitable place for the reception of so munificent a gift. Mr. Vernon's donation took effect during his lifetime, and the pictures were in the first instance exhibited to the public in his house in Pall Mall. From thence they were removed to the vaults underneath the National Gallery ; and in 1850 they were taken to Marlborough House, where they remained till 1859, when that building was required for the residence of the Prince of Wales. A brick building was then ereJted for their reception adjoining the South Kensington Museum, and open ing into it. It comprises seven spacious and well-lighted rooms, in which are hung the whole of the British pictures belonging to the National Gallery. One addition only, but' that a worthy one, has been made to the British pictures in the National Gallery, since the gift of Mr. Vernon. This was the bequest in 1S59, already referred to, of 19 pictures by Mr. Jacob Bell. Among these pictures are seven by Sir Edwin Landseer--including some of his best works= The Defeat of Comus," Sleeping Bloodhound,' `Dignity and Impudence," Highland Dogs,' `Shoeing,'' Tho Maid and Magpie,' ; Leslie's' Uncle Toby and Widow Wadman'—being the third copy of this picture now possessed by the nation ; Ward's James II. receiving news of the landing of the Prince of Orange ; three pictures by Charles Landseer ; and one each by Etty, Lee, Cooper, Douglas, and G. O'Neill ; also Friths' Derby Day' and Rosa Bouheur's Horse Fair,' though the last two, as well as one of Landseer's, are at present retained for engraving by the purchasers of the copyright.