§ Mr. ALDENasked the Junior Lord of the Treasury whether he can state the rule regulating the admission of modern portraits to the National Portrait Gallery; and whether any exception has been made to that rule?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI am informed that the rule is as follows:—"No portrait of any person deceased less then ten years shall be admitted, if so many as three of the Trustees shall personally, if present at the meeting, or within one fortnight by letter, state their dissent." Exceptions are occasionally made in the ease of specially eminent persons, or where portraits 583 would be lost altogether to the nation if a decision were not made by the Trustees at once.