better answer the design of the benevolent founder.

The British Mineralogical Society was established in 1799, for the express purpose of examining gratuitously the composition of all specimens of minerals and soils, sent for that purpose by the owners of mines, agriculturists, or others interested in the inquiry.The science of entomology will probably be much forwarded by the institution of the Entomological Society in 1806, and which chiefly directs its attention to such insects as are natives of the united kingdoms. The London Architectural Society has published â volume of Essays. The Horticultural Society was founded in 1804.-A Geological Society is established in Lincoln's Inn Fields, who have published an interesting account of their Transactions. It is proper to remark, that the number and variety of lectures which have been read in these societies, have proved highly beneficial to science, by exciting inquiry, and investigating facts by experiments. Few public lectures were delivered, till the establishment of these institutions. The following are the names of some of the distinguished lecturers:-Sir H. Davy, Dr. Roget, Dr. Crotch, J. M. Good, esq., E. J. Singer, esq., Dr. Shaw, F. Accum, esq., Samuel Westley, esq., Mr. Hardie, Robert Bakewell, esq., Dr. Brande, James Quin, esq., J. Pond, esq., and William Haslitt, esq.

Fine Arts, and Exhibitions of the Works of Art in the Metropolis.

LONDON is the centre of the fine arts in England, and the fountain of excellence. Here all the eminent artists of the country either originate, are educated, or terminate their career, All the great masters reside here-the best instruction is to be obtained-the most celebrated productions to be seen and studied, and annual exhibitions to be displayed to the public. In the rooms of the Royal Academy at Somerset House, in those of the British Institution, Pall Mall, at Spring Gardens, and in Bond Street, there are annual exhibitions of paintings, drawings, sculptural and architectural designs; and a careful examination of the works here exhibited will furnish a foreigner with ample means to appreciate the individual and aggregate merits of English artists. Besides these public exhibitions, it will be expedient for the critic to visit the galleries of Mr. West, Mr. Turner, Mr. Wilkie, Mr. Lawrence, and some other painters; for in these will be found some of the most meritorious works of the age. The best productions of the modern sculptors will be found in the Cathedral of St. Paul, and in Westminster Abbey; while the true talents of the architects can only be appreciated by a personal examination of the buildings which they have erected.

At the Royal Academy, Somerset House, is an annual exhibition of paintings, drawings, sketches, models, and proof-prints. Sir Joshua

Reynolds was its first president in 1768; and to this great artist's talents as a painter, conduct as a man, and writings on art, the Royal Academy is essentially indebted for its prosperity and reputation. His fascinating productions, engaging manners, and luminous discourses on painting, attracted the attention and patronage of many persons of distinction, and at the same time roused the zeal and emulation of the junior artists. Since Sir Joshua's time, Mr. West has occupied the president's chair, with little interruption, and has honoured the academic exhibitions with a continued succession of new pictures, in the highest branch of art. Some of the lecturers have been famed for great professional science and general knowledge. Fuseli has lectured on painting-Soane on architecture Carlisle on anatomy-Turner on perspective and Flaxman on sculpture.

The British Institution, in Pall Mall, was established by the liberal contribution of several noblemen and gentlemen, in 1805, for the exThis press encouragement of British artists. institution is devoted to the exhibition and sale of pictures, and to the use of young students for copying from and studying old paintings.

The Society of Painters in Oil and Water Colours was established in 1804, since which time they have annually exhibited a large and interesting collection of drawings. Another society of Artists have made an annual exhibition in Bond Street.

Private Collections of valuable Pictures.

THE Collections of pictures in private houses in London are numerous, and many extremely valuable. The most celebrated of these are,the Marquess of Stafford's, at Cleveland House; the collection at Buckingham House; at Northumberland House; Earl Grosvenor's, Grosvenor Street; Mr. Thomas Hope's, Duchess Street; Mr. H.W.Hope's, Cavendish Square; Mr. Anderson's, Spring Gardens; Mr. West's, Newman Street; Earl of Suffolk's, in Harley Street; Duke of Devonshire's, Devonshire House; Mr. Angerstein's, Pall Mall; Sir Abraham Home's; Sir George Yonge's, Stratford Place; Lord Northwick's, Hanover Square; Mr. Weddel's, Upper Brook Street; Lord Ashburnham's, Dover Street; Baroness Lucas's, St. James's Square; Sir Geo. Beaumont's, Grosvenor Square; Mr. Wm. Smith's, Park Street; Mr. Knight's, Portland Place; Mr. Jeremiah Harman's, Finsbury Square; Mr. R. P. Knight's, Soho Square; Lord Radstock's, Portland Place. Besides these, there are many other collections of fine pictures in various parts of the metropolis.

British Museum, Great Russel Street.

THIS is a grand national depository of antiquities, manuscripts, and books, with various natural and artificial curiosities. It was established by act of parliament in 1753, in conse quence of Sir Hans Sloane having left by will

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his museum to the nation, on condition that parliament paid 20,000l. to his executors, and purchased a house sufficiently commodious for its reception. Since that period many valuable collections of manuscripts, books, &c. have, at different times, been added, besides innumerable presents from our own monarchs, foreign princes, the boards of admiralty and longitude, the East India company, the various literary societies of London, Edinburgh, Oxford, Cambridge, and Leyden, the royal and imperial academies of Brussels, Lisbon, &c. &c. and a long list of private individuals, too numerous for insertion. The vast variety of articles which this Museum contains, its extent and value, entitle it to be considered equal to any in the world, and especially since the recent addition of the Elgin marbles to its former inestimable stores.

The Museum is open for public inspection from ten till four o'clock on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, in every week, except in the Christmas, Easter, and Whitsun weeks, on thanksgiving and fast days, and during the months of August and September. Persons who wish to see the Museum will apply on one of those days, in the antiroom of the house, between the hours of ten and two, where they will be required to inscribe their. names and places of abode in a book to be kept for that purpose, upon which they will be conducted to the apartments, as soon as the first rooms are sufficiently cleared for their admission. No children, apparently under ten years