rich tints of Rembrandt, the classic elegance of Poussin, and the spirited expression of Lodovico Carracci.

They who take a pleasure to inspect collections of paintings should endeavour to be accurate in their observations upon the works of celebrated masters, and try to discover the cause of the pleasing effects produced on their minds. A refined taste raised above the unmeaning gaze of admiration, can only be formed by studiously examining the whole of a composition, by exploring the truth, elegance and grandeur of the design, the grace of the figures, the resemblance to nature in the colouring, and the magic touch of the pencil which gives warmth and spirit to every part.

One principal requisite on which to found an accurate judgment in painting, is to be conversant with sacred and profane history; particularly the former, as many subjects of the finest pictures are taken from the bible. Another requisite is to study nature, so as to have fixed in the memory exact and beautiful images of every object that can enter into a composition, and to accustom the eye not only to what is graceful and elegant in the human form, but what is striking and natural in trees, rocks, and rivers, as well as the different appearances of light and shadow which agreeably diversify the face of nature. By examining the peculiarity of colouring, we may in many instances discover what constitutes the manner of the great masters. Every one is remarkable for some predominant tint. Black prevails in the pictures of Carlo Dolce, Caravaggio, Spagnoletto, Manfredi, and Valentino; in some a paleness, as in Vouet and Niccolo Poussin ; the purple in the Bassans, and in Teniers the grey. There are other characteristic circumstances; Correggio and Titian are known by the beauty of their car

nations, Rubens is remarkable for the grandeur of his figures, and Vandyke for the delicacy of his flesh colour, and the beauty of his hands and arms. Holbein painted his larger portraits upon a green, and his smaller upon a blue ground. There are many other peculiarities which an observer, attentive to the beauties of this delightful art, cannot fail to notice.

Portrait painting may be justly regarded as a very pleasing branch of the art, particularly as it is carried to a considerable degree of excellence by the most admired artists of the present times. It may indeed be employed to raise many monuments to vanity and ostentation, but it likewise pays such respect to affection, to friendship, and to gratitude, as cannot fail to excite the most pleasing emotions of sensibility. By the aid of the pencil is preserved the resemblance of the parent we revere, the child we love, and the hero we honour. Although separated from the objects of our regard by extensive provinces and vast oceans, their lively portraits place us still in their company, and even though they are cut off by death, and are mouldering in the tomb, their beloved forms still retain the semblance of animation, they still bloom in the expressive colours of the ingenious artist, and their features excite the recollection of their dispositions, manners, and characters.

While, therefore, it is our wish to inculcate the principles of true taste by recommending an attention to the works of the old masters; it is by no means intended to depreciate the works, or discourage the exertions of the painters of our own age and country. It may indeed be apprehended, that as they confine themselves so much to portrait painting, and are so much engaged in copying individual nature, and the

subjects taken from common life, they cannot reach the highest degree of their profession, and excel in historical painting. But it ought to be considered, that as they are obliged to follow the current of the fashion, they have rarely an opportunity of putting their abilities to a full and fair trial. For what they can effect we may appeal to several excellent pictures which adorn Windsor palace, the Shakespeare, the Milton, and the Macklin galleries, as well as several private collections. If there be instances in which they have failed in their efforts to embody with adequate force and spirit, the conceptions of a Shakespeare and a Milton, we must consider how impossible it is to express by colours the efforts of the imagination, and to bring into one point of time the successive particulars of description. A failure in this respect is rather the defect of the art, than of the artist..

Instead of lavishing immense sums upon the continent in the purchase of more pictures by the old masters, would it not be more honourable to the national character, to foster the genius of our own painters, and give a new incitement to their exertions. These purposes might be effected, if the noble and the opulent would follow the example of the illustrious founder of the royal academy, and patronize eminent artists. The field for their exertions is extensive and fruitful, and they possess one decided advantage over the great masters; as they are not confined by the superstitious fashion of the age to one particular description of subjects. Subjects indeed are so far from being wanted, that it is rather a difficult task to select, than to discover them. The choice might rest with the artists themselves, who are the best judges of their own powers of execution. The history of our

own country considered not merely with a view to war, but the arts of peace presents a wide range of topics. Let the public patronise the execution of a series of pictures to form a national gallery, let each eminent painter be well remunerated for the picture he under takes, and a fair experiment might be made to convince the world whether British genius, fostered by British liberality, was not capable of producing such works of art, as would confer distinguished honour upon our age and country.

III. POETRY.

As eloquence differs from common narrative, by the use of figurative and metaphorical expressions, and a greater conspicuousness of style; so poetry is distinguished from oratory by words and expressions still more vivid and more ardent.* And what more strongly marks the line of separation between poetry and eloquence, is the ornament of verse. This gives to it a specific character, and adorns it with peculiar graces; and it is this, which, by the harmony and variety of numbers adapted to every subject, affords so much delight to the ear. To the different kinds of poetry custom has assigned various kinds of metre; to the epic is appropriated heroic, and to the ode unequal verse; and this custom is so firmly established, that

*The characteristic distinctions of poetry, eloquence, and history, are touched with his usual spirit, judgment, and taste, by Quintilian, lib. x, c. 1, sect. 3. lib. xii, c. 10, sect. 4. Reynolds's Discourses. ૧.૩

any violation of it would offend the public taste, and raise such strong prejudices against a writer, as an exalted genius only could overcome. The Fairy Queen of Spenser maintains its ground among the first poems in our language, although written in the Italian stanza: but who ever reads the heroic poem of Gondibert, written by Davenant in elegiac verse?

Assisted by the observations which we have made in different parts of this work, upon the poets of various countries both ancient and modern, sacred and profane, we may form some notions, and it is hoped such as are not inaccurate, of their respective merits. The more we examine into the nature of genuine poetry, the more traces we shall find in its productions of that transcendent genius, which we have endeavoured to delineate, and which reigns supreme in all the provinces of poetry, painting and music. To ascertain poetry by its effects may come within the sphere of the critic, and the man of taste: but to describe its extensive powers, and its potent influence and to mark its raptures and flights, "in thoughts that breathe, and words that burn:" when soaring on eagle wings" it ascends the highest heaven of invention," belongs exclusively to the poet himself. Let then the votary of the muses develope the mysteries of his charming art, and speak for himself: and let me, to supply my imperfect description, refer my readers to Horace, when he addresses Melpomene in the most exquisite of his lyric strains ;-to Gray, describing the progress of poetry ;-or rather let me call for the assistance of Shakespeare.

"The poet's eye in a fine frenzy rolling,

Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven,