to go one step further,-nor have we been altogether mistaken. The periodical literature of the present day, though of a much higher order than that which had delighted former generations, still seemed to us to have a tincture of much that was objectionable. Idle tales and ridiculous inventions were introduced with much miscellaneous matter, that was neither calculated to afford information or to improve the mind, by instilling sound principles of morality or good taste. Besides this, every work of the kind referred to, seemed to make politics, or some other subject, the predominant object, and to place the Arts, if they noticed them at all, very low in the scale. Yet the Arts had flourished among us to a degree that would have excited the astonishment not only of those foreign philosophers who had been pleased to think there was something in our northern latitude to depress them, but even of our own most sanguine compatriots, who had hoped, though not so effectually, that our undoubted native talent would soon prove the fallaciousness of those theories. In every department of Art, England can accordingly produce names superior to those of any other school now existing; and in some, as in landscape especially, masters equal, if not superior to, any that the world ever saw. There was only one circumstance wanting to complete the triumph of Art; and that was, to have some means of bringing it, and keeping it so before the public, as to teach every order of the people to appreciate it justly, and become enabled to judge of it correctly. These means seemed to be offered by the system of periodical literature; and the only question was, whether that patronage, which was, as it was asserted, but niggardly afforded to Art, could be expected to be more liberally bestowed upon a work which treated of it in somewhat dry detail, without possessing those recommendations which often even compelled reluctant wealth to give way to its fascinations. But the careful observer might perceive that wealth and rank were not the only, and not even the best patrons of Art, any more than they were of literature. The people, in the best and widest acceptation of that term, were in fact the true patrons; and, if their means allowed, would have cast far into shade the protection which the Arts have received from the aristocracy. Of the hundreds who constitute our titled aristocracy, there are scarcely one in ten who have shown their devotion to Art even so far as to become subscribers to the British Institution; and the same observation applies equally to the untitled possessors of wealth. The people, however, have shown a more unequivocal proof of their regard for Art, and ability to appreciate it. A love for ornament and decoration of every kind we possess, as a principle of human nature, with the most savage na

tions: the only difference is, that as we become more civilized, we abandon the grotesque for that which a more cultivated taste pronounces preferable. The people then, though they cannot, from the circumstances of their situation in life, become the purchasers of those elaborate works which are produced by our astists, yet press with delight to view them at our Exhibitions, and to possess them at secondhand as it were, when they come within their reach by the means of engraving. The more that they are enabled to see of Art, the more they are enabled to appreciate it; and wherever excellence is found to exist, there they are ready to bestow their admiration. In the cottages throughout the country, a few years since might be seen the walls pasted round with wretched wood-cuts, and plaster cats and monkeys glazed with the most extraordinary colours:-now, very excellent engravings, as to design and execution, are in the reach of the humblest votary of taste, and casts from the sublimest conceptions of ancient and modern genius are brought, for the very smallest trifles, to our doors. Convinced that there was this innate and awakened feeling in the minds of the people, we determined to the utmost of our humble abilities to take advantage of it, and endeavour to improve public taste still more by teaching the principles by which alone excellence is to be attained, either in practice or judgment. In this, however, we never professed to make this work exclusively, or even primarily, a work only for artists. It would have been absurd in us to attempt to teach these the principles, and still less the practice of their profession. But we are not now for the first time to observe, how much the nature of a commodity depends upon the demand for it; and if the world would be satisfied with, or would insist upon showing favour only to inferior performance, it is evident that we might scarcely ever hope to see developed the higher capabilities of genius. We need not here repeat the numberless instances familiar to every one who is at all acquainted with the subject, to show how often fashion and folly have run after empty pretension, to the neglect and discouragement of real merit; nor how different in many cases is the estimate of posterity to that of an artist's own cotemporaries. Excellence must eventually compel the world to perceive it; but it may be, like light travelling from some of the heavenly bodies, many a long year in making its way known to us; and when it does reach us, has lost all power either to warm or to irradiate The only way to remedy this evil is to improve public taste, and keep public attention constantly bent upon the fact, that the interests of the English School, and so far the honour of the English character, are the same. To show the people how much the most lasting and truest glory consists in those

pursuits which minister to the arts of peace, which heighten the enjoyments of private life, and improve the condition of national industry by imparting to its manufactures the advantages of their own peculiar excellence. The principles of taste are or ought to be common to both the people and the profession; and these may be successfully taught and repeated in all their varieties, which are as numerous as the minds which reflect upon them, and may therefore always save the repetition from neglect by novelty in treating it, if not by novelty in substance.

Another way of answering the same end is by bringing forward, as far as attainable, all that is commendable or deserving of being known in the histories or characters of those who have distinguished themselves in the Arts. The world is too apt to judge of pursuits by the character of those who are engaged in them; and it only requires to be convinced that there is a certain class of men entitled to their admiration and regard, who have been wilfully misrepresented to them by others, to be ready to bestow that admiration and regard accordingly. In many of the pursuits of civilized life, habits are engendered which must be revolting to every well-regulated mind; but in those which relate to the Art of design, we may confidently assert that there is every means of promoting the improvement of the mind, and consequently of making the professors of it the best and most amiable members of society. It is true that men of a different description may be found who practise the same profession; but it is the fault of the men, and not of their studies. There are such beings in every walk of life; there are such even, with reverence be it spoken, in the sacred callings of religion. Beyond these, there may also be found men who follow the Arts not from that strong capacity, which is the only just reason for their choice, but in the spirit of trade, and as an easy profession. These are the persons who from some knack of hand are enabled to make some show of proficiency, but who, not being imbued with that mens divinior, the true inspiration of genius, affect to sneer at principles they cannot understand. Whether to be master of the pen or the pencil, much thought as well as much practice is necessary; and that much thought is only attained by communing with other minds as well as our own;not only in the busy haunts of every-day life, but in studious seclusion, and amidst the varied scenes of nature. Those who have best succeeded in obtaining for themselves the admiration of all time, have been such men as have given themselves up with unalterable fidelity to their art, proof to the temptations of society, and content to "find and make their world of their own thoughts." We may go further then, and add, that not only have the Arts this tendency, but also that they have

attained this end. In no other profession, notwithstanding all that certain unworthy members of this may have put forth, is there to be found less of that " envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness," which may be found to pervade other classes of mortals. Here we find men pursuing a profession in which all is dependent upon the preservation of faculties subject to the commonest every-day accidents, with a singleness of purpose which seems not to imagine the existence of a rival; and, what is more, are intent upon giving the benefit of their knowledge and experience to another race, who are springing up with youthful ardour and increased alacrity to contest with them the enjoyment of public favour. If such be the fact, and that it is so cannot be denied,‚—are we wrong in asserting that we are only furthering the interests of Art, by bringing forward their private merits, and exerting ourselves to the utmost to keep the public fully aware of the duty they owe to those who, the possessors of undoubted genius, have devoted their talents to promote the glory of their country, as much as to promote their own interests? Few even of the most fortunate of these are enabled to realize a decent competency; and the Government, as well as the people, are equally backward to assist them in obtaining that which is the object of every thinking man who has not been blessed at his birth with the gifts of fortune. When Government determined to establish a National Gallery, the interests of certain possessors of pictures and others were much more thought of than the interests of Art or the encouragement of native genius. Even when the Royal Academy was founded, no provision was made for those who, having given themselves up to the Arts as a profession through life, with more devotion than success, might be doomed at the close of it to find that they had laboured in vain. Even the little means that were afforded at the formation of the National Gallery, of appointing the Officers from those who had distinguished themselves in the pursuit of Art, were never thought of; and these were left to struggle with fortune in the bitterness of neglect,-while others, with no pretensions whatever to those offices, but private interest, were appointed to fill them. We need say nothing here of the anomaly of founding a National Gallery which shall be national in nothing but the name and the cost; nor the outrage upon all good taste and good sense, to encourage a system which only enriches picture-dealers, while it leaves real existing merit to neglect. Other nations may form collections of works of art, but they also pay due respect to native genius. They give their artists the means of compensating themselves for the paucity of private patronage, and they give them places and titles of honour. In England alone, rich as she

boasts herself to be, is to be found the most chilling neglect; and we hear, unmoved, of pensions granted to everybody, and for every service, but for that of promoting the glory of the Arts, and through them all the elegancies of civilized and social life. Entertaining these feelings, the projector of this work believed he would be performing a service of the first importance to the country, by establishing a publication, which might in the event of moderate success induce the public to pay that regard to Art, which neither the Government nor the aristocracy as a body were inclined to afford. That this publication could meet with any great success was an idea that no reasonable mind acquainted with the little predilection for the subject in this country could have indulged for a moment. In not meeting then with more success he has not been disappointed, especially as, in addition to other circumstances, the public mind has been so completely engrossed with a question which has thrown into shade others of even almost greater importance. The alarming state of the country, the depression of all property, and the despair of all the labouring classes, would seem to require that all parties should unite in devising some means of alleviating public distress, rather than of canvassing theories of government. But these interests have been so long neglected, that the people seem determined to repose them in other hands; and it is much to be feared that those Arts which miniter to the social habits, must give way still more to the circumstances of the times. We could not, therefore, expect to fare better than those whose interests we took upon ourselves to advocate; but we feel rejoiced to think that, notwithstanding every "untoward" circumstance, we have had our labours not altogether unappreciated; that we find our subscribers becoming almost daily more numerous, and the warmth of their congratulations and friendly assurances more fervent. If the utmost anxiety and endeavour to deserve success were the surest means to attain it, we feel proud to say that we should be fully entitled, notwithstanding that we might fall short in the expectation of some of those who were too sanguine in their affection for Art, to see what was practicable, and ought therefore alone to be attempted.

The public are already aware of the folly which induced our forefathers to neglect native genius for the dubious works of foreign masters, who, though certainly men of great ability, had, no doubt, in most instances, received a homage even beyond their merits. Inferior works of their hands were eagerly sought for, and even wretched copies bought up at prices which would have rescued from many difficulties half of our native artists. In the mean while, those artists were producing works which were neglected because they were original; and the handi