G" 666 071 3388' Critical Guide to the Exhibi 
 oxon of the Royal Academy for 
 1796, by Anthony Pasquin, 
 
 By 
 
 '^ John Williains
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 AT LO'S ANGELES
 
 A 
 
 CRITICAL GUIDE 
 
 TO THE 
 
 ROYAL ACADEMY, 
 
 FOR 1796. 
 
 [ PRICE ONE SHILLING. ] 
 
 dDntereD at Stationers; J^aU-

 
 A 
 
 CRITICAL GUIDE 
 
 TO THE 
 
 EXHIBITIOJV 
 
 OF THE 
 
 ROYAL ACADEMY, 
 
 FOR 1796 ; 
 
 IN WHICH ALL THE WORKS OF MERTT ARE EXAMINED; 
 
 THE PORTRAITS CORRECTLY NAMED; 
 
 AND THE PLACES OF THE VARIOUS LANDSCAPES : 
 
 AN ATTEMPT TO ASCERTAIN TRUTH, 
 
 AND 
 
 IMPROVE THE TASTE OF THE REALM. 
 
 By a NT ho NT PAS^UIN, Esq.. 
 
 Fame is a Lyar ! I •J/.ly'^*| Usj %A'. 
 
 ILonuon : 
 
 Printed for H. D. Symonds, No. 20, Pater- nofter Row; 
 
 P. M'QuEEN, in Exeter-'Change ; and T. Bellamy, 
 
 King-Street, Covent-Garden.
 
 THE ROYAL ACADEMY. 
 
 On Saturday. April l^d, the Royal Academy ga-je their annual Entertainment, 
 at lihich his Serena Highiiefs the Prince St.idtkolder ivas prefent, together ivith the 
 folloiving Nobleinen and Gentlemen. dif.lng'AJhcd as Ltn'en and Patrons of the Jine 
 Arts, viz, the Lord Chancellory the Arehhijhop of York, the Lord Prejident cf the 
 Council, their Excellencies Baron Sil-uerhielm, Baron Je facohi, ( ount de Widel 
 yarijbergg. Count Bruhl, Baron de Hojlang, and Thomas Pinkney, Efq. ; his Grace 
 the Duie of Leeds; the Marquiffes Buckingham and Totvnfend ; Earls of Suffolk, 
 Carlifle. Afhhurnham, Harcourt, Spencer, Hardii. id, Fife, Carysfort, Inchiquin, 
 Darnley, and Morton ; Vifcounts Belgrave and Palmerfoivn ; Lords IValpole, 
 Mulgravc, Varborottgh, St.Afaph, Sheffield, Grey de I'ilton, Berzvick, Le^'ington, 
 and Paget ; the Bifhops of Durham, Salifhury, Rochefler, and Nor-wich ; the Right 
 Hon. the Lord Mayor ; Sir George Beaumont, Sir Henry Englefeld, Sir Abraham 
 Hume, Sir Robert Laivley, Sir W. W, Wynne, Sir Jofeph Banks, Sir John Sinclair, 
 and Sir Philip Stephens ; the Right Hon. C. J. Fox, Hon. Charles Herbert, Col. 
 Robert Gre-jille, and Col. Mackenzie; Alderman Boy dell, and Alderman Clarke; 
 R. P. Knight, Charles Toiunley, Edmund Malone, Charles Long, Price Campbell, 
 U'ueJale Price, John Hope, William Hope, Charles Greville, "Thomas Harris, 
 Samuel Lyfons, Edivard Lafcelles, Thomas Wallace, EdivardLocl,jun. fohn Penn, 
 ' Currey, Robert Udney, James Pye, Nat. Dance, William Steivart, George 
 Steevens, fofepb Boydell, and Harrifon, Efqrs.; and the Rev Mr. Peter:, 
 
 isfc. tr'c. 
 
 ^ In I few inftances, the Author has availed himfelf of the remarks c^ 
 
 others.
 
 
 u 
 
 ^ ROYAL ACADEMY. 
 -) 
 
 ^ 
 
 TWENTY-EIGHTH EXHIBITION 
 
 o, 
 
 N Monday the 25th of April the Twenty-eighth Exhibition 
 cr> was opened to public curiofity : there was an aeademic dinner on 
 uj Saturday, which was fo crowded, that Mr. Fox, the Marquis 
 of BucKi NGHAM, and the Prelate of Durham, were com- 
 cc pelled to eat their cates ftanding. The two firft commanded pity; 
 ^ but as it is the province of the latter to live by Providence, if he 
 £° gets his allowance, the qiiomodo is but of little moment ! 
 "* The Prefident and Council, it appears, make it an annual prac- 
 tice of writing to Mr. Pitt and Mr. Dun das, inviting them to a 
 participation of the piftorial gala ; but the Premier and the Secretary 
 have hitherto difdained to anfvver the meffage : how far this beha- 
 viour is congenial with their character as gentlemen, we fhall leave 
 the world to determine ; yet we cannot but regret that any body 
 of men fiiould fo far forget what is due to themfelves, as to fub- 
 00 fcribe to fuch intolerable arrogance ; efpecially when it is known, 
 •^ that if fuch z^ fungus as the City Prxtor but intimates a wilh that 
 CO they fliould eat his broth, they will all feud to the Manfion-houfe, 
 "^ from the Lord Chancellor down to George Rose : any circum- 
 cc ftance oi ferte in Mr. Pitt, we are accuftomed to regard without 
 ^ emotions of furprife, but that Mr. Fox fliouId negledl to anfwer 
 the invitation is really wonderful — but the leaven of ariftocracy 
 may operate to treat all fools and fcoundrels with contempt, beyond 
 the precinfts of St. Stephen's Chapel! 
 
 1 he Council, this year, have borrowed the motto, for their Ca- 
 talogue, from Cicero ; and though the authority be great, we do 
 not fubfcribe to its literal fignificance : 
 
 " Omnes tacito quodam fenfu, fine iilla arte aid rat lone, guajint in artibiii, et in 
 piduris et infignis., et in aliis operibiis, reSia ac pra'ua dijudicant.'^ 
 
 Cicero de Oratore, lib. iii, 1 ^O. 
 
 ^ The following embarralTments took place previous to the final 
 S arrangements of the pi (f hi res : Mr. Hoppner and Mr. West all, 
 ^ who were nominated as the hangriien of the year, difcovering there 
 •^ were too many pidurcs, the former wrote a card to Mr. Bel. c hey, 
 
 A 3 informing 
 
 ^Ji 
 
 y(JB^74
 
 ( 6 ) 
 
 informing him that if he would withdraw one of his whole-length 
 portraits, he would withdraw one likewife : extraordinary as it 
 may feem, there was no anfwer returned to this epiftle ; but the 
 meafure took place, and Mr. Beech ey was fo highly incenfed at 
 the prefumption of Mr. Hoppner, that he fent angrily to hare 
 all his pictures returned, but fent in vain — We have only to remark, 
 that Mr. Belchey was very much in the wrong to attach any idea 
 of prefumption to a Gentleman fo proverbial for modefty and good 
 fenfe as Mr. Hoppner; and, we truft, he feels abaftied for fuch 
 a mifappropriation of epithet. 
 
 The public vifion ought to have been gratified, this year, with 
 a whole-length portrait of the Princess of Wales; but that feli- 
 city has been denied, through an odd accident — Mr. Gainsbo- 
 rough DupoNT, it appears, had been honoured with the tafk of 
 making the pifture ; and, in confequence, wrote to the Hanging 
 Committee, to keep the beft place in the room for this portrait, 
 which he would fend at his leifure : the pifture did arrive, but all 
 the places were pre-occupied ! — Is it envy, or hatred, or malice, 
 that agitates thefe royal daubers on canvas, or are thefe awkward 
 inftances but the refult of ignorance, and unconnefted with the 
 impulfe of either ? 
 
 In the Hiftorical Department the Prefident has gone beyond him- 
 felf ; his defign of Opening the Four Seals involves fo much dig- 
 nity of thought, that it would not have difhonoured Rubens 1 — 
 Of his other hiftorical piftures, we cannot fay much ; but we (hall 
 give them due honour, in their rotary point and place — It fiiould 
 be obferved, that in an hiftorical pifture there is a field for fair 
 criticifm; — the manners of the age, the habits of the country, the 
 paflions which the fcene demands, difpoficion of the figures, choice 
 of the point of time, and a number of other etceteras^ either dimi- 
 ni(h or add to the merit of the performance ; — but in a portrait, 
 and poffibly the unintc^fting portrait of an uninterefting individual, 
 we have no right to expeA much more than a mere map of the face ^ 
 where, as in an adual furvey of a fterile foil and barren ground, 
 little is to be f und that will either entertain the eye, imprefs the 
 mind, or intcreft. the paffions. We do not mean to fay that this is 
 wholly the cafe with the piftures now fubmitted to public infpec- 
 tion, though they are principally made up of portraits; — the num- 
 ber of hiftorical pictures painted for the different gallerlfs, how- 
 ever imperfeft, have ditfufed a kind of poetic fpirit over the arts, 
 and we rejoice to fee {bme attempts at a delineation of the mind. 
 General approbation, the only approbation worth cntending for, 
 can only be had on the fame principle as at any other public Exhi- 
 bition. — Of the rcfembjances, few, except the intimates of the 
 perfons pourtrayed, can judge; and let it be remembered, that we 
 do not crowd a theatre to fee tke aftors who perform, but to con- 
 template the paffions they perfonify. 
 
 The
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 The prefent Exhibition furpafles that of laft year both in variety 
 and excellence. A juft application of talents and improvement, 
 obvious even to the obferver who is not critical, diftinguilhes the 
 Artifts. Of the Portrait Painters, Beech ey ftands confefledly 
 the foremoft : he is (if we may be allowed the phrafe) more honeft 
 and unfophifticated in his painting than his competitors : but it is 
 the vice of the times to encourage momentary deception, and give 
 impofture a broad eftablifhment ; hence arifes the poflibility, that 
 he may be lefs fplendidly fuftained, in his labours, than candidates 
 of meaner ability. 
 
 The Theatrical Pieces are this year very few ; and of them De 
 Wilde's reprefentation of the fcene in the Way to Get Married, 
 between Quick and Fawcett, and Zoffani's reprefentation of 
 Mr. Townfend in the charader of a Beggar, are amongft the beft. 
 
 Mr. Wyatt's defigns pofiefs their ufual excellence, particularly 
 the defign for a Maufoleum, which challenges the moft critical 
 
 infpeftion. No. 836, a model for the monument to the memory 
 
 of a daughter of Sir William Chambers, is well defigned : it 
 comes from the chifTel of Ba^jkb, and is highly favourable to his 
 reputation. 
 
 GUIDE TO THE EXHIBITION. 
 
 No, PORTRAITS. 
 
 12 Archbifliop of Canterbury, 
 
 43 Lady Bruce, ... 
 
 44 Hon. Miss Fitzwilliams, 
 
 45 Mrs. Callander, 
 58 Lieutenant-Colonel Herrles, 
 67 Mifs Peters, . . . . 
 77 Earl of Morton, .... 
 81 Mrs. Brounchtr, 
 85 Mr. Townfend, as the Beggar, 
 87 Mrs. M. A. Taylor, 
 93 Miss Roxby, .... 
 98 His Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales 
 
 lOz Lady Jane Long, 
 103 Duke of Leeds, 
 
 105 RcT. Mr. Smith, 
 
 106 General Donkin, 
 
 107 Sir Philip Stephens, 
 I jO Mr. Knight, as the Clown, in the Farce 
 
 of The Ghoft, 
 
 1 16 Mifs Ogilvie, .... 
 
 117 Lady Charlotte Campbell, 
 121 Alderman Clarke, 
 126 Lady Carnarvon, 
 130 Lady Balcarres, 
 
 138 Mifs Stavely 
 
 144 Dr. Arnold, .... 
 147 Bifhop of Durham, 
 158 MifsHadfield, .... 
 161 Mrs. Hamilton, 
 
 A 4 
 
 Artists. 
 IV. Hamilton, R. A. 
 S. Woodfordc. 
 H. Singleton. 
 J. L. Mofnier. 
 IV. R. Bigg, A. 
 y. Opie, R. A. 
 W. Hamilton, R. A. 
 J. Hoppncr, R.A. 
 J. Zoffani, R. A. 
 J. Hoppner, R.A. 
 W. Beechey, A. 
 J. Hoppner, R. A. 
 1". La-uirence, R.A. 
 Ditto. 
 T. Kirkby. 
 J, Keenan. 
 W. Biecbey, A. 
 
 J. Zoffani, R.A. 
 T. La-ivrence, R. A. 
 J. Hoppner, R. A. 
 J. F. Rigaud, R. A. 
 JV. Hamilton, R.A. 
 J. Nixon, A. 
 P. Violet. 
 
 Hardy. 
 
 T. Laivrence, R. A. 
 JV. Beichey, A. 
 r. Ktarjley. 
 
 162 The
 
 ( 8 ) 
 
 i63 The Artift, .... 
 
 163 Alarquis of Bath, 
 
 164 Mr. Farington, 
 
 173 His R. H. the Duke of Clarence, . 
 X74 The Rev. Mr. Clarke, 
 
 182 Matter Alexander, 
 
 183 Serjeant Shepherd, 
 186 Mis. Hindc, . , 
 188 Lady Voung, .... 
 202 Late Lieut. Col. Markham, 
 210 Mrs. Johnfon, .... 
 !Zi6 Arthur Young, Efq. 
 
 tzi Mrs. Stiley, .... 
 
 233 Lady Rous, .... 
 236 Rev. Mr. Douglas, 
 238 Lady Bligh .... 
 
 248 Duke of Bedford 
 
 25 1 Mrs. Jennings, .... 
 
 252 Mrs. Cope and Son, 
 ZS3 Mifs Lafcelles, 
 
 263 Lady Paget, . . . ' 
 
 267 Mr. Douglas, 
 
 277 Mifs Porden, 
 
 278 Mrs. Lambe, , 
 282 A^arquis CornwalHs, 
 
 387 John Adam, Efq. 
 
 ANTE-ROOM. 
 291 Mr. Pack, 
 294 Mr. Kearfley, 
 ■295 Mr. George Spcnce, 
 5197 Mr. Chinnery, 
 298 Capt. \^'illiam Earle, 
 3O1 Mrs Brown, 
 
 306 Air. Middicton, 
 
 307 Mr. Manners, 
 314 Capt. .!'.arle, 
 
 331 Sir William Tohnflone, Bart. 
 
 332 Maft?r Woodmafon, 
 343 Mifs W'allis, as Juliet, 
 352 A'.r Barrymore, 
 
 354 Dr. Homing, 
 
 355 Martha Green, 
 
 356 Mr. Eannifler, jun. 
 
 ANTIQL'E ACADEMY 
 371 John A'^itcalf, . . 
 
 37a Mifs Porter, . . . 
 
 373 >^ifs Heath, 
 385 Richard Ford, Efq. 
 
 388 '^ r. Wake, 
 402 Mr. Raper, 
 
 416 Dr. Browning, 
 
 417 CpI. Hall, 
 
 421 Her R. H. the Princess of Wales, 
 
 ^24 Mrs. 1 cmberton, 
 
 463 Lady ] awlcy, * . . . 
 
 46J 1\ r. Palmer, as Cohenberg, 
 
 469 ' r. Ramfdeii, 
 
 480 Rev. Mr. '^- .'glas, 
 
 IV. Owen. 
 
 T. Lawrence, R. A. 
 
 Ditto. 
 
 y. Hofpner, R.A. 
 
 y. Rujfel, R. A. 
 
 y. Hoppner, R.A. 
 
 T. La-wrence, R. A. 
 
 y. RiJ.ng. 
 
 W. Beechey, A. 
 
 T . Laivrence, R. A. 
 
 IV. Beechey, A. 
 
 y. Rljtng. 
 
 y. Northcoti, R.A. 
 
 IV. Beechey, A. 
 
 R. Midler. 
 
 y. Hoppner, R. A. 
 
 Ditto. 
 
 S. JVoodforde. 
 
 r. Philips. 
 
 y. Hopprier, R.A. 
 
 Ditto. 
 
 R. Muller. 
 
 IV. Sta-vcley, 
 
 T. Kearjley, 
 
 A. Devil. 
 
 y. S. Copley, R.A. 
 
 C. Pad. 
 
 r. Kearjley. 
 
 y.Ruffcl, R.A. 
 
 T Kearjley. 
 
 JV. Beechey, A. 
 
 H. Singleton. 
 
 A. y. Oliver. 
 
 y. Hoppner, R.A. 
 
 W Beeches, A. 
 
 S. Williams. 
 
 y. Northcote, R.A. 
 
 y. Graham. 
 
 Hardy. 
 
 y. Hutchijon. 
 y. RuJfel, R. A, 
 // . Beechex, A. 
 
 P. Reiiiagle, A. 
 
 T. Kearjley. 
 
 Ditto. 
 
 Mifs Booth, H. 
 
 S. IVoodforde. 
 
 — — — Green. 
 
 R. Muller. 
 
 H. Singleton. 
 
 £ Scott. 
 
 G. F. Jofcph. 
 
 7. Banks, R.A. 
 
 y. Saxon. 
 
 H. Edridge, 
 
 R Muller. 
 
 502 Mrs.
 
 ( 9- ) 
 
 joa Mrs. Parky ns, 
 
 504 Mr. Meux, .... 
 
 508 Mif» Smith, .... 
 
 516 Capt. Callard, . . . . 
 
 • MINIATURES. 
 
 523 Mafter Littler, Mr. Johnftone, Mr. Evans, 
 
 Rt. Hon. T. ConoUy, Earl Moira, &c. 
 
 524 Mr. Duval, Mr. Langdon, Mr. and Mrs. 
 
 Woodroffe, Capt. Dilkes, &c. 
 527 Mrs. M'atfon, . ... 
 
 534 Lady Heathcotc, 
 
 538 Mrs. .'mith, . ... 
 
 544 Mr. Leflie, the Venetian Ambaffador, 
 
 Lord Newark, Hon. Mr. Sanford, . 
 547 Biftiop of Hereford, 
 553 Capt. Macdonald, Mr. Burghall, &c. . 
 ^^S Dr. Edward Snape, 
 560 Lady Eliz. Rickets, 
 569 Madame Banti, 
 57Z MifsSanders, Mr. Irwin, twoMifsIrwins, 
 
 Captain Wells, &c. 
 581 Mifs Wallis, .... 
 
 5SZ Lord Petre, Capt. Duff, Capt. Burch, . 
 583 Col. Cirofvenor, Mifs De Vifme, Lady 
 
 Louifa Gordon, 
 588 His Royal Highncfs the Prince of Wales, 
 594 Late Rev. ^^'. Romaine, 
 597 Hon. Mr. Fortefcue, Col. Stanley, Mafter 
 
 Hail, Mifs Scott, 
 
 604 Mr. Heriot, .... 
 
 605 Signora Storace, 
 
 606 Sir Richard King, 
 
 611 Her Royal Highnefs the Princefs .?ophia 
 
 of Ciloucefler, 
 
 612 Mr. Picket, Mr. Armedon, &c. 
 618 Lady Elizabeth Lindfay, 
 
 625 Mrs. Heriot, . . . . 
 
 629 Capt. Riou, .... 
 
 630 Col. Crcville, Mr. Fawkes, Rev. Mr. 
 
 Ellis, Mr. Cordon, Mad. Du The, 
 Mrs. Smute, 
 
 637 Wy, alias Browri, a Native of Owyhee, 
 
 638 Mr. Satchvvell, 
 
 646 Lord William Murray, 
 
 COUNCIL ROOM. 
 662 Mif^ De Camp, 
 677 Lady C. Duncombe, 
 685 Mr. Fox, .... 
 
 687 The Lord Chancellor, 
 697 Mr. Duncombe, 
 717 Mrs. Charles Long, 
 
 LIBRARY. 
 723 His Majefty, ... 
 
 MODEL ACADHMV. 
 
 872 Marquis Cornwallls, ... a Buft, 
 
 873 Mrs. Siddons, ditto, 
 
 876 The late Sir Samuel Marlhall, ditto, 
 
 877 Sir Robert Lawley, .... ditto, 
 
 S. Drummand. 
 IV. Becchey^ A. 
 — — Green. 
 C. Hayter. 
 
 R. Bull. 
 
 T. Langdon. 
 W. Hay. 
 A. Plimer. 
 A. Smith. 
 
 T. Peat. 
 T. Arroivfmith. 
 J. T. Barber. 
 A. Smith. 
 H. Spicer. 
 J. Hopkins. 
 
 S. Shdlcy. 
 J. H. Hull, 
 y. Roberts. 
 
 H. Bone. 
 H. Sbiicr. 
 J. H'atts: 
 
 H. Ed ridge. 
 C. Sbirreff 
 
 I Aria ltd. 
 
 G. F. J of. ph. 
 
 Arlaud. 
 
 • Ferriere. 
 J. Nixon, A. 
 C. Shirreff. 
 S. Shelley. 
 
 P. Paiiroti. 
 
 E. Piigh. 
 
 R. IV. SatchzvclL 
 
 A. Taylor. 
 
 y. Hopkins. 
 
 H. F.dridge. 
 
 Ditto. 
 
 Ditto. 
 
 Ditto. 
 
 Ditto. 
 
 P. yean. 
 
 T. Banks, R. A. 
 Diito. 
 
 Peart 
 
 r. Banks, R. A. 
 
 The
 
 ( 10 ) 
 
 THE PRINCIPAL PERFOMANCES. 
 
 No. I — PaJloralCcurtJ/jip. OpiE. An interefting fubjed, poorly 
 treated. The painting hard, and the whole is deficient in harmony 
 of colouring. 
 
 ^o — Tke Condemned Calf. J. Ward. In this little painting 
 there is much of nature. The colours are blended with judg- 
 ment; but the calf is too large to bear any rational proportion to 
 the other parts of the pifture. 
 
 23 — Bathing of Hor/es. Sir Fr ANCis BouRGEOis. We were 
 furprifed to behold this effort of the Knight's pencil, which cer- 
 tainly furpaffes any picture he has before exhibited. The figures 
 do not outrage drawing, as heretofore, and the colouring is more 
 judicioufly managed. The horfes are drawn with fome fpirit, and 
 throughout the whole, Nature, and not extravagance, has been the 
 chief ftudy of the Artift. 
 
 86 — y/« Iceland Ha-jck upon a Bilteyn. P. Reinagle, A. 
 This is an excellent pidlure. The birds are drawn with much 
 fpirit, and the plumage is pencilled with infinite care and Ikill. 
 
 87 — Mn, Tajlor — by Hoppner, This is his befl portrait in 
 the prefent Exhibition. The figure is drawn with a free and bold 
 pencil, the harmony of the colouring is preferved with greater truth 
 and precilion than ulual, and the drapery is difpofed of in his beft 
 manner. 
 
 117 — LadtCharlotteCampeell, in the charafler of Aurora, 
 by the fame Artifl, reminds us, but little, of the chafte fimplicity of 
 the blufhing Aurora : the ruddy figure is inanimate. The back ground 
 is mifty, and the efFeft of the whole too fombre ; in the purp!e hue 
 there is a muddinefs that excites different fenfations from thofe 
 which muft arife from a felicitous view of the allegory. The right 
 arm is injudiciouily fore-fhortened, which gives it the appearance 
 of a defeftive limb — upon the whole, we do not think the Lady 
 very eminently obliged to the Artift : inafmuch as he has ingeni- 
 oufly contrived to throw an air of meretricioufnefs about the form, 
 which the moral part of fociety have not, as yet ^ thought it expe- 
 dient to recommend. 
 
 The Head of the Duke of Clarence, No. 173, is freely 
 painted ; but that of the Prince, No. 98, fo far from being in 
 Mr. Hoppner's happieft ftyle, may rather be faid, from its hafty 
 execution, and unfortunate pofition, to be a degradation both of 
 Prince and ^r///?.— No. 248, is unqueftionably a ftrong llkenefs, 
 but is not executed with due elTefl— it is a very fervile imitation 
 of Sir Jofhua Reynolds's latter f^yle of pencilling, and, like moft 
 imitations, rather declaratory of the intention, than the powers of 
 the artift. 
 
 \h%—Lady Toting. Beechy. This is an admirable full-length, 
 and is one of tht- b ft portraits in the Exhibition. In his other 
 pictures he is eruinently fuccefsful. 
 
 175
 
 ( " ) 
 
 175 — Mofes and Aaron before Pharaoh. B. West, R. A. Thii 
 great ftaring pi(5lure ^^ ont-Herods Herod." The figures are coloffal, 
 and if there is not an happy breadth of colouring, the Prefident 
 has not abftained from prefenting us with an immenfe breadth of 
 canvas. The colouring docs not harmonize ; that particularly of 
 the principal figure manifells a great deficiency of tafte, and a 
 total want of knowledge of good effeft. The pitture, however, is 
 of much benefit to the Exhibition, as it is an admirable yi?;7 to 
 other? which do not deferve a place in the great apartment. Mr. 
 West's drawings are, however, fpirited, and muft fnatch the meed 
 of praife from the moft faftidious critic. 
 
 A. Kauffman. — We are forry to find only one pidlure tranf- 
 mitted us this year from the claflical pencil o{ Ajigelka at Rome, 
 viz. No. zg, '* EuPHROSYNE, 'wounded by Cupid, complainhig to 
 Venus." — The figures of the two former are defigned, and ex- 
 ecuted by the pencil of fafcination ; but the Goddejs of Love is 
 not fo happily reprefented either in attitude, or featuralexpreffion: 
 the extravaganza of the G'^ecian models is happily avoided through- 
 out this pifture, and the colouring is after the chafteft ftyle of the 
 Italian School. 
 
 J. Farington. — In the limple fcenes of rural nature, this Artift 
 is, perhaps, without a rival. His landfrapes generally difplay a 
 fuperior glow of harmony. — E'vening, No. i8i, is peculiarly bril- 
 liant ; but the figures in No. 178 are unworthy a fituation in 
 fcenery fo beautifully pifturefque. —It is to be regretted in this Pro- 
 feflbr, that he will fo pertiuacioufly continue to make a harfli out- 
 line, to the moft delicate parts of vegetation, and thus compel the 
 judicious to deny him that portion of approbation which he would 
 be legally intitled to, were he more circumfpeft on this head, and 
 lefs a mannerift in an error fo palpable. 
 
 108 — Girl at a Cottage Door. R. We stall, R. A. There is 
 much natural fimplicity in this figure ; but neither in expreffion, or 
 general efFedt, is the pifture even equal to any of the drawings by 
 the fame able artift below ftairs. 
 
 102 — Portrait of a Lady of ^ality, T. Lawrence, R. A. 
 This is the firft time we have had cccafion to fpeak of Mr. Law- 
 rence this feafon. The figure of this lady, who is reprefented as 
 in rural character, is incorreftly drawn, particularly the right arm, 
 the upper joint of which is either much too Ihort, or it is injudi- 
 cioufly fore-lhortened. The colouring and general execution of 
 the whole is otherwife in this painter's beft ftyle. 
 
 103 — Portrait of n Nobleman. Same Artist. This is a 
 whole length of his Grace the Duke of Leeds, and an excellent 
 likenefs. It was painted at the requeft of the Gentlemen who be- 
 longed to the Secretary of State's Office for Foreign Affairs, at 
 the time of his Grace's refignation, and is a prefent from them to 
 the Duchefs, in token of their refpei^ and admiration for this 
 
 tolerating
 
 ( 12 ) 
 
 tolerating but amiable charafler while he was in office. This 
 piftuie, in colouring, partakes ftrongly of tliat gloffx-, glewy, 
 oflfenH'ng appearance, which charadlcrize^ all that ivlr. Lawrence 
 executes : it is evidently his vice, and vices that emerge from 
 oflcnfat'kon are not readily removed. The attitude of this figure is 
 fo awkward, and the drapery fo ill managed, that his Grace feems 
 as if he had been hurried into company betore he had completely 
 buttoned up his breeches ! 
 
 1 1 5 — Lady Elizabeth petitioning Khig Ediunrd JJ'th. J. F. Ri- 
 GAUD, R. A. There is nothing in this equal to what we iriight 
 cxpeft from an artift — the whole defign is tamely correct, and the 
 colouring is very inferior in point of brilliancy even to that which 
 nfually diftinguiflied the pidures of Mr. Rigaud eight or ten j-ears 
 fince. 
 
 Ill — Vieiv in Pembroke/hire. J. Ibbetson. Mr. Ibbetfon 
 has run into a contrary extreme of colouring from that which he 
 formerly adopted — his landfcapes have now a kind of brazea hucj 
 but we cannot fiiy they are in general the better for it — they 
 affuredly poffefs merit; but Mr. Ibbetfon would do well to forget 
 that fuch a man as Mr. Loutherbourg cxifted, 
 
 lOi — A Scene of Catharine and Fetritchio. R. SmiRKE, R. A. 
 Another of this gentleman's fportivc produftions. Few have hit 
 off more happily the comedy of Shakefpear. The charader of Pe- 
 truchio, however, is deficient in hlufler. Mr. Smirke, who appears 
 at all times to have an eye to the ftage, it fhould fecm never beheld 
 Woodward in the part. 
 
 152 — A Land/cape. Sir George Beaumont, Bart. With 
 all due deference to Meffrs. the Royal Academicians, this is the 
 mod mafterly landfcape in any of the rooms, and from a mere 
 amateur -Oh fie ! This pifture is certainly deferving of the moft 
 minute attention : the trees feem prominent on the canvas, as if 
 they afTumed the charafter of reality, and the lights and (hadows 
 are condufted with greac art and effect. — Sir George has in this 
 little pidlure caught a ftyle between that of the late Gainsbo- 
 rough and Wilson, whofe pupil he was. This pi(Sure is, we 
 underftand, to devolve to the younger Bannister, but whether 
 through the medium of cafh or amity, we cannot afcertain. Were 
 he a prufefiional painter, we could not however avoid expreffing a 
 wi(h that he would devote a little more time to finifhing. 
 
 141 — A Vifjjof the Lake of I^erni. E. G ARVE Y, R. A. "With 
 all the aids to boot," of Continental nature, compared with the 
 sbove, what a filthy fmear is this! — But comparifons are odious, 
 ...nd fo adieu, Mr. Garvcy. Under what pretenfion Mr. Garvey 
 laid claim t-; the diplomatic honours we know not : in what path 
 of the art he walks gracefully we know not : by what zigzag 
 movement he fucceeded we know not : we blufh when we think 
 a foreigner of tafte can recognize him as an Academician. 
 
 Wc
 
 ( 13 ) 
 
 We mean not to be illiberal ; but if be poffefles any merit, it has 
 never been manifefted to our fenfes. 
 
 1']% —d Land/cape. J. Farincton, R.A. Here the acade- 
 mical charafter is again vindicated ; the folldity of touch and 
 general management of this piftureare admirable. The fame may 
 be faici^of its companion at a little dirtance, which will be found in 
 the Catalogue, at No. 168. Before we quit this gentleman, we 
 mud admonifh him to forego that vile method he has acquired of 
 giving a rude outline to his foliage, which is not difcoverable in 
 nature— Mr. Farington has the fame vice in landfcape painting 
 that Mr. Weft has in hiftorical painting 
 
 \^i^—:-An Iron Fonndery, by Moonlight. A. Pether. This is 
 a charming pifture, fweetly coloured, and admirably managed for 
 effeft. A plealing ferenity pervades the whole, and the reflection 
 of the moon-light on the" water is extremely well managed. 
 
 144 — Dodor Aynold. Hardy. A good fmiling likenefs of 
 the original, but deficient in mellownefs. This eminent compofer 
 is attired in his doitorial robes, and looks as if in the ad of letting 
 off a pun. 
 
 iqG —Portraits of t-Mo Chilare?!, Opie. Cold and chalkey ; 
 but the heads are well drawn. 
 
 85; —Mr, Ttnvnfetid, the Comedian^ in the CharaBer of a Beggar. 
 ZoFFAM. This portrait is eminently charaderiftic, with a ftricl 
 adherence to xh^ minutie of the ftage drefs. The countenance 
 partakes of ;dl the mufcular whim of the original — the contour and 
 expreffion of this fupplicating vifage is fo like the Earl of Mans- 
 field, that many have fuppofed it the amiable Peer trying his 
 powers in a mafquerade habit. ^ 
 
 105 — Forirnit of a Ckrgyman. T. KlRKDY. This piclure, 
 we believe, is by 3 pupil of -Beechey's, and difplays all the bewitch- 
 ing filvery tone of the matter. From the want of intereft, we iup- 
 pofe, in the Academy, this pifture, though only a three quarter 
 canvas, is hung at the top of the room ; and another charming half- 
 length, which we have feen, by the fame artift, was not hung up 
 for want of fpace, though approved of by the Council. When it 
 is confidered that a young artift depends more on the public exhibi- 
 tion of his piftures than one whofe reputation is eftablillied, it is 
 furely fevere, after he is acknowledged to have (hewn any extraor- 
 dinary fpecimen of genius and abilities, that out of two piftures, 
 one fliould be fo negledled, white thirteen or fourteen pidfures of 
 an artift better'known, are fuftcred to monopolize a preference. 
 
 6 — A Litter of Foxes : the back ground by P. Reinagle. S. 
 .Gilpin, A. Thefe are as faithful portraits of foxes, as any we 
 have beheld from the graver oi Ridinger, and the fubtle charad;.er 
 of this prowling favage is fo well depided, that we think a hen 
 and her brood might tremble at the terrific effigies. The force cf 
 the back ground, in this pifture, is fuch, that it overpowers thoie 
 
 objcds
 
 ( 14 ) 
 
 objefts in cofour and efFe(fl, which ought to be primary. We have' 
 frequently obferved, when one artift paints the objefts in the 
 fore ground, and another the diftances, that the vanity of pre- 
 ponderance deftroys the required truth, and we have, as Shake- 
 fpear phrafes it, a Proteftor over the King - this error is fo evident 
 in this aflemblage, that it (hould be rather defcribed, as a back 
 ground with a litter of foxes. 
 
 465 — Mr. Palmer in the Charader of Cohenberg. J. Saxon. 
 This is a likenefs of the Comedian fo inveterately true, as cannot 
 be furpafled : and the markings about the eyes moft calamitoufly 
 denote, that he is rapidly defcendingi into the vale of years. 
 
 384 — Fortra'tts of a Lady and her Sen. Mifs J. Beetham. We 
 feel particular felicity, when it comes within our province, to fuf- 
 tain with candour the honourable aims of youth and beauty : if 
 Mifs Beetham purfues her ftudies with becoming zeal, we will 
 venture to pronounce, we fhall have an Angelica Kauffman of our 
 own; yet to accomplifh this fhe has much bad manner to unlearn : 
 the heavy attributes of her mafter are too prevailing in her labours, 
 and muft be forgotten or refigned. 
 
 784 — Faith fiippo) ting Hope, a Monument. J. Bacon, Junior. 
 This bajp} relies furnilbes a contrary opinion, and feems, to us, 
 like Faith aflaffinating Hojie : if the junior Bacon means to fupport 
 the new philofophy, by this effort, we know not ; but if that is 
 not the cafe, he is as unhappy in his labour, as the replicators to 
 Thomas Pa'ne. 
 
 291 Portrait of an Artiji, C. Pack. This is a very formi- 
 dable refemblance of Mr. Pack himfelf, and is one of the very beft 
 coloured portraits in the Exhibition, although it is invidioufly 
 affixed againft the cornice of the cieling : — this is an inftance of 
 the mifapplication of authority fo evident and fo infulting, that 
 we wifh, in common with all liberal perfons, that fcientific indi- 
 viduals fhould annually arrange the pidures, and not the R. A.'s, 
 who may be intereftcd in the fuppreffion of works of merit. 
 
 386 - One of the Society of ^takers, aged Eighty-three, ^y the 
 fame Artift. This is an admirable likenefs of the artift's mother. 
 
 As many artifts, it may be prefumed, have their circle of ad- 
 mirers, among whom may be the powerful and the judicious, is it 
 not hazarding the protection and encouragement of the Public in a 
 great degree, to treat all thofe candidates for renown, with ruin- 
 ous negleft, if not oppreffion, who cannot boaft an intimacy with 
 the hanging committee of the year ; or if they can, who are too 
 nobly minded to be indebted for that diftindion to their intreaty, 
 and their meannefs, which they fhould command from their abi- 
 lity? 
 
 490 — Portrait of a Lady. O. Humphrey, R. A. This is a 
 very ftrong likenefs, in crayons, of Mrs. Sheridan: yet we have 
 
 to
 
 ( »5 ) 
 
 to lament that it is fo afFededly ordered, as to throw the eyes into 
 that fort of (hadow, which cc«veys the idea of a mift ; and the 
 light falls fo forcibly upon the bofom, as to make it exclufively 
 vifible — nay we had alnioft faid, indelicately palpable : it is cer- 
 tainly managed, in every other refped, in a malterly ftyle — there is 
 to be a print in ftipple, publiflied by fubfcription from this pic- 
 ture ; the engraving is to be by Sixgleton. 
 
 243 — The Birth of Jacob a7id Efau, a Sketch for his Majejiy's 
 Chapel, Wind/or. B. West, R. A. Although there is a ftrong 
 fimilarity, in the grouping of this pidure, to others we have be- 
 held, from the fame fource, we cannot deny, that it is entitled to 
 fome admiration. 
 
 1^3 —Port I ait of a Gentleman, by the fame Artift, is an effort 
 fo miferable, fo inefficacious, and fo contemptible, that to furvey 
 it, is to imbibe a difguft for its author : the drawing, the colour- 
 ing, and the chara(^er,fhould be obliterated from human recollec- 
 tion. 
 
 J 97 — Wajhing of Sheep : I'Jlt Simeon tviih the Infant Saviour: 
 and 157, A Hav'-vefi Scene : are all of that negative order of merit, 
 which neitlier engender pleafure or repugnance — there is the fame 
 hard outline, as ufual ; the fame want of delicacy of tone ; and the 
 fame obtrulion of glowing colour in the fhadows, which is an in- 
 creafing error among all our hiftorical painters. 
 
 It is evident from the profeffional tendencies of Mr. West, that 
 he has preferred the French to the Italian fchools ; of the fober 
 dignity of Rafaelle he knows nothing, or, if he does, he either 
 difdains to praftife what he knows, or has not the grace of mind 
 to adopt his calm beauties : his manner participates of Le Brzcn, Le 
 Seiir, and Bourdon : and we do not think it harfli to aver, that it is 
 a hard imitation. 
 
 It was the obvious fault of Rubens that he made his figures too 
 grofs ; and it is the objedlion to Parmegiano that he made his figures 
 too lean : yet in both thefe matters has the art been fuftained in 
 fuch a degree as to ob-ain much and high commendation ; and the 
 failure of fuch great men, only proves, how fupremely difficult it 
 is, to imitate nature with becoming chaftity of fentiment. 
 
 253 — Portrait of a Lady. J. Hoppner. This is unqueftion- 
 ably the pureft and beft pidureby the Mailer in the prefent Exhibi- 
 tion : it has been executed with fewer of his tricks than ufual. 
 
 305 — Fijhermen at Sea. W.Turner. We recommend this 
 piece, which hangs in the Ante-room, to the confideration of the 
 judicrous : it is managed in a manner fomewhat novel, yet the 
 principle of that man.igement is juft : we do not hefitate in affirm- 
 ing, that this is one of the greateft proofs of an original mind, in 
 the prefent piftorial difplay : the boats are buoyant and fwim 
 well, and the undulation of the element is admirably deceiving. 
 
 651, 656, 687, 699, 701, 702, 711, 7 J 5, by the fame 
 
 Artift,
 
 { i6 ) 
 
 Artifl, are all ftrongly indicative of the fame inquifitivc mind, and 
 the fame force of acquirement. 
 
 475 — Death of Antinous : Homer's Odyffey, Book xxii. W. 
 Hamilton, R. A. 'Ihisis an elaborate drawing, in the manner 
 of Westall : it is curious that this gentleman (hould have fo little 
 reliance upon his own tafte, as he is continually changing his man- 
 ner, in conformity to the prejudices of others : he firft aflumed the 
 ftyle of Mrs. KaufFman, then that of Mr. Lawrence, and now he 
 has adhered to the fafliion of another — it is impoffible to urge any 
 thing too ftrongly againft this puerile dependency : the ultimatum 
 of every artift (hould be nature, and they who prefer the entire 
 ftudy of another mode to the prefentations of nature, cannot in the 
 - very paroxyfm of their hope, exped to be fuperior to that model 
 they {o unceafingly copy. — Mr. Hamilton, as a colourift, is very 
 deficient, and his ftiadows are as much marked by the force of 
 colour as the other parts, by which means the neceflary fubordi- 
 nation of tint is deftroyed. 
 
 366, 376, 390 and 397, by the fame Author, are marked by 
 the fame blemiflies of ftylc. 
 
 228, 231, 232, 239, 240, 254, 25;, 256, 257, and 
 262, are by J. Northcote, R. A. Thefe ten piftures are in- 
 tended by the artift, as defcriptive oS. the progrefs of rnoral iridujiry^ 
 and carelefs licetitiotfnefs : the general idea is openly ftolen from 
 Hogarth's very inftrudive and very ably told ftory of the Idle 
 and Induftrious Apprentices, with a collateral reference to Pamela ; 
 we doubt much if they will ever pafs (o current with mankind as 
 the one or the other, or meet with equal praife and effed. 
 
 Though this feries of domeftic pidures are a palpable imitation 
 of Hogarth, they are widely unlike him in fpirit, morality, 
 and application ; and it might be arranged as an inftance of pro- 
 fanation to note them together — in our opinion, the tendencies 
 of thefe pidures are diametrically oppofite to the declared inten- 
 tion of the artift, and that they rather operate to corrupt than cor- 
 re8 the youthful underftanding : to be brief, we retired from the 
 contemplation of this chain of motley incongruity, with fenfations 
 of difpieafure ; for the vicious part of the ftory is fo filthily ex- 
 preffed, and the virtuous part fo inefFeftually, that we felt a defire 
 to forget the image of the firft, and were uninterefted in the for- 
 tunes of the other. They are to be engraved by Mr. Gaugain — 
 they have been purchafcd for one thoufand guineas. 
 
 203 — Portrait of CavcndiJ/j. G. Garrard. This is a fpi- 
 rlted reprefentation of a favourite bloodhorfe : the artift has in- 
 troduced a proom in the fore ground, who feems fo much in the 
 aft of difputing with the noble animal, that it might properly be 
 termed a cou'verfatlon piece, though that would tend to the difcom- 
 fiture of the jockey, as the horfe appears to have the beft of the ar- 
 gument. 
 
 407
 
 ( 17 .) 
 
 407 — Portrait of a Centleman. G. Smith. This is a likenefs, 
 in crayons, of Mr. IFaraer, and certainly is entitled to commenda- 
 tion, on the fcore of handling, and to every encomium that car^ 
 be warranted from a ftrong refemblance. 
 
 478 - Portrait of a Gentleman as a Cricketer, by the fame Artifl. 
 Th'S is the portrait of Mr, Chapman, and poiTefles an equal 
 port on of fimilitude. 
 
 There are fome portraits in o'l, and fome mln'atures, from the 
 fame pencil, which involve conflderable merit. 
 
 2ib— Portrait of Arthur Touf/gi Efq. J. Rising. Though there is 
 much to juftify an elogy in this pidure, in general, we are com- 
 pelled to withhold our applaufe in particular parts : the artift has 
 given us an undoubted refemblance of the Secretary to the Board 
 of Agriculture ; but the introduft^on of the turnip-field in the 
 back ground, is, in our opinion, unneceffary and futile ; fuch merit 
 as Arthur Young pofTefT^s, is fufficiently confpicuous, without a 
 prompter on canvas. 
 
 214 - ''1 he Releafe of the Prifoners from Dorchrjier Jail, E. 
 Edwarws, A. This is loyally Intended by the worthy Affociate, 
 as an handfome compliment to the humanity and generofity of our 
 moft gracious Sovereign : the figures are defigned with much force 
 of likenefs, but are not too keenly fraught with that godlike fen- 
 timent, which animates the human vifage in an ad of fupreme 
 good : — the figure in the back ground, pulling the King hy the 
 (k rt of the coat, is too llrongly indicative of repugnance to an afl 
 of charity, for any to fuppofe, a moment, it could be intended by 
 the artill to reprefent Lokd Thurluw, whofe chaftity, piety, 
 liberality, humility, and beneficence, would give the lie to the 
 fatire, were it fo direfted. 
 
 45 - A Lady and her Son. J. L. MosNIER, R. A. This is a 
 rnoft elaborate effort, but uninfluenced by tafte : this artift has paid 
 all that rigorous attention to the management of trifles, which has 
 charaflerifed the French fchool, during the greateft part of this 
 century. Nicholas Pou/Jin, and even the difciples of his time, 
 would have difdained the pro'ecution of fuch littlenefs : the atti- 
 tudes are nearly as ftiif and ungraceful as the perverted ingenuity 
 of men could make them ; — how piteous it is that fo much labour 
 Ihould be thrown away upon points fo inefticacious ! yet it is pro- 
 bable that this pidure may pleafe the vulgar, in proportion as it 
 is abfurdly conftruded. Mr. Mofn er is correBly faidty, 
 
 59, 142, and 301, are all by the fame hand, and participate 
 ftrongly of the fame bad manner. 
 
 295 — Portrait of Mr. George Spence. J. RussELL, R. A. This 
 is the portrait of one of thofe tyrants of the teeth, vulgarly called 
 a Dentift : the handling of the crayons is in the fame method, 
 which we have uniformly noticed, whenever the profelfional off- 
 fpring of this R. A. came under our conuderation — they are chiefly 
 
 B calculated
 
 ( IS ) 
 
 calculated for the obfervance of thofe, whofe love of foftncfs and 
 finery govern their applaufe and proteftion. 
 
 The Portrait Painters, of this Exhibition, have hit upon a novel 
 method of allaying public inquiries, by affixing the names of the 
 parties depifted, in the Catalogue : and it is impoflible, that ^ve 
 can be too warm in our commendations of them, on this convenient 
 point, as it prev^ents all that buzzing and fidgctting about the room 
 now, which has been fo much prafliled heretofore, in the ardent 
 wifh to know who or what fuch a lady or gentleman is, or can 
 be, even from thofe, allied the moft nearly by the ties of confan- 
 guinity. 
 
 As the Fathers have afferted, that wlckednefs in a chriftian is 
 more vile than wickednefs in an infidel, fo is profeflional igno- 
 rance in an R. A. more intolerable than in thofe unblefled with a 
 diploma. Thefe remarks are the fruit of regret, not anger, as we 
 would rather make them blufh than bleed : and we truft Society 
 Will not juftify them in declaring pejjimus morbus eji medicus ! 
 
 li^—The Loiter of Virginia^ haratiguirig over her dead Body. 
 H. Tresham, a. Though we perceive a confiderable degree of 
 improvement in this gentleman's prefent attempt at hiftorical com- 
 pofition, it is not of that order which would juftify an exalted pa- 
 negyric : the figures are more imperfeftly drawn than nadequately 
 grouped, and it is evident that Mr. Trefham is better acquainted 
 with the tenor of his fubjeft, than the proportion-: of the human 
 figure. With the rules of beauty and gracefulnefs, he appears to 
 know but little, nor with the power of rejefting with precifion or 
 promptitude, what the imagination may unneceffarily or extraordi- 
 narily prefent to encumber and not illuftrate the fcene — of tliat 
 fubtle mingling of excellencies, which we fhall denominate by the 
 terra union of atiributes^ he feem^ nearly wholly ignorant; but 
 this fpark of divinity can be but rarely feen, as it is the refult of a 
 long and well-direfted ftudy, fublimed by an emanation, which 
 can be only natally derived ! — Hisftyle of colouring feems borrowed 
 from Mr. Rigaud ; it u-ants both brilliancy and relief: and does 
 not involve a due fubordmation of tint : to conclude, we do not 
 think thatMr. Trefliam is altogether equal to fuch an undertaking; 
 and without intending to be perfonal ©r illiberal, we believe that 
 Vanity is now more ruinoully prevalent with the young artifts of 
 this realm, than (he ever was with the antients, or the moderns of 
 any other fchool — every whipfter among us, is attempting to ufc 
 the bow of Ulyffes, though deftitute of fmew and intellcft. — To 
 make a perfed hiftorical pifture, requires greater powers oi mind 
 than any other fublunary purfuit whatever. 
 
 13 — Portrait of an Archb'ifhop. W. Hamtlton, R. A. This 
 is a fmall. whole length in oils, and in fcafire not diffimiiar to the 
 original, though we think there is a rubicundity in the vifagc, 
 not exactly correfpondent with the required felf-denial of a church 
 
 dignitary :
 
 ( 19 ) 
 
 dignitary : yet, alns! as Bilhops are but men, and their fphere of 
 deed more wide than a Curate's, it may be admitted, in candid rea- 
 ioRing, that their infirmities may be greater, without exciting any 
 extraordinary portion of amazement ! — The artift has indifcreetly 
 turned the face of the Archprelate towards Lambeth P.ilace, which, 
 after after atranflation to the See, we prefume to think abfurd, as 
 none can have need to figh for that bleffing they can command- 
 but it is podible that Dr. Moore, 1 ke Dr. Watson, may be de- 
 termined to fhew hie'^ical for the true Church, although Philofo- 
 phy, Truth, and Morals, were facrificcd in the fruitlefs offering to 
 vanity. 
 
 Off^^—A Poppy, from Nature. Mifs S. Fox, H. We recom- 
 mend to this Lady to fend her poppy as a prefent to Mr. Wind- 
 ham, to lull his metaphyfic prattling demon to reft, and thereby 
 relieve his jienjj affociates from the trouble of explaining away his 
 ideas. 
 
 356 — Portrait of a Comediayi. W. Beech Y, A. This is a 
 delicately imprefiive likenefs of \k^^ younger Banvijier^ and is the 
 beft male portrait, in oils, in the prefent Exhibition: why the hang- 
 men have placed it in the Ante-room, we cannot devife, unlefs it 
 arofe from an ariftocratic unwillingnefs to permit the fubjeft to 
 affociate with what 's termed the belt company. 
 
 342 — A Vie^iu of the great Water-fall at Tii'oli, feen through 
 the Ponte Lupo. T Barker. This landfcape is ably managed, 
 but we think it too forcibly participates of what we have heretofore 
 feen, from thd {lencil of Pynaker. 
 
 164. —Portrait of an Artiji, T. LawrENCE, R. A. This is 
 the head of Mr. Farikcton, the landfcape painter : the refem- 
 blance is ftrong, but the colouring and outline are too flafhy and 
 indecifive, and the attitude is fo extraordinary, that the depifted 
 R. A. feems, like the majority of his brethren, hard bound and 
 fettered in his powers of deliverance. 
 
 The head, in this portrait, is drawn upon a fcale too limited for 
 the common fize of the cranium ; although the R. A.'s are not pro- 
 verbial for having long heads, or too much brains. We have ob- 
 fcrvedit as the fault of modern portrait painters, that they make the 
 heads of adults in general fmaller than nature, and thofe of boys 
 larger, when they profefs to give us the true contour of exifting 
 truth : but this is a moft unpardonable error, as being entirely on 
 the wrong fide, as it Ihould be remembered, that every objedl is 
 diminifhed in proportion as it recedes from the vifion, and confe« 
 quently they fiiould be drawn upon a larger fcale, rather than a 
 lefler. 
 
 7 — Vie~jc on the Thames. W. Anderson. This is a clear 
 well-managed pifture : the handling is in a firm tone, and it pof- 
 fefies an airy tint, which is not commonly attainable. 
 
 10 — Entrance into Mecenas' Villa. R. Fa fee aiRN. This is, taken 
 
 B 2 altogether.
 
 ( 20 ) 
 
 altogether, one of the bed eiTays, of its kincf, in the prefinf annnal 
 difplnv ; indeci we do a ">: kiiow who could pourtray the interior of 
 a ruin with a happier efFedt : many of t'ue tints are fo admirably pre- 
 ferved, that it prefents to th.e moll unilliiminated perception, the 
 ideai-im of an nncieut damp rcccfs ; tlie humidity oi the wall may 
 be prefumed from the force of t'le accompanyi'g objccls - the hue 
 of tliC water does not exadtly c^jnvey the appearance of a cor. fined 
 ftreamlet, fplafliing as it runs, and the fore ground is fomewhat too 
 clean and japanny for the purpofes required. . 
 
 125 ■- tiyd rhe;^ on his MJ/ij'i to Lord Cornivallis, luith a VietM 
 of the Graiary ere8ed hy V/arren Hastings, Efq. at Pa.'na. 
 J. ZoFFA.Mi, R. A. This performance furnifhes a melancholy- 
 proof how far the human powers may decay, before the ag'-nt ;n 
 error will refign his weak propenfit;es : in fpeaking of the grouping 
 and the colouring, we know not which to condemn firfljia? b' th fo 
 irrefiilibly demanJ our fcorn. lo the management of this pifture 
 (as in that he exhibited Jaft ye^r, of the Parifians plundering the 
 King's Cellar*at Paris*), he has laboured hard to facnhce the dig- 
 nity of humanity, to the pride and parade of ar:ftocracy ; indeed 
 he feems fo familir.r with Qavery, and fo enamoured of its efFefts, 
 that we doubt if even the black catalogue of governing infamy 
 can furnifh a fubjeft equal to his hunger of degradation. 
 
 514 Jijfy'his' 1 omb, ruined Atle r,f St. Da'vid's, Pemhroie, 
 H. i)E CoRT, R. A. This gentleman poiTefres a complete knovy- 
 ledge of that tender tone of colour, which was fo prevalent among 
 the beft landfcape pa'nters in the Flemifh fchools, and fo much 
 admired by the connoiflfeurs of all nations ; and he has a nicety and 
 delicacy in the finifhing, that approaches to the manner of Lucas 
 de OInnda : there is a temperature and a moderation in his lights 
 and (h:ides, vvhich he carries fo far, as to make his p ttures, gene- 
 rally ipcaking, too cold. The tranfparency of his water is charm- 
 ing, and his portrait of Ely Cathedral, No. 30S, proves him ar» 
 adept in perfpeCtive. 
 
 2, 22, 41, 66i 97, 145, 431, 493, and 804, are varied in- 
 (lances of his great knowledge of his art. 
 
 22^3 — A Wharf near Londnn Bridge. G. Garrard. Wc no- 
 tice this performance with fatisfadion, as it affords us an opportu- 
 rity of adrainillering praife in confinance with our duty : yet, in 
 the grouping, the objeds are too much crowded, for any choice of 
 nature, unconnefted with a mob ; and there is not a fufficient por- 
 tion of relief, which gives the figures the appearance of being ftuck 
 together. In the material parts of the outline, the artift has foared 
 above his competitors, and has given us fomething very near the 
 truth of charafter : this is the more creditable to him, as every pur- 
 fuit in painting, unconnected with perfonal portraiture, is clogged 
 with numberlefs impediments. 
 
 * Vide the History of the Artists of Ireland. 
 
 Tlie
 
 ( 21 ) 
 
 The perplexities of our probationary artifts are rendered fo nu- 
 merous and fo imperious by the untoward circumstances of the 
 period, that they are compelled to fuffer their love of fame to be 
 fuperfeded by their love of money, and ded cate thofe ho'irs to 
 procure fuftenance, which fliould be confecrated to a nobler idea. 
 Few arts are promoted now but thofe of extrading faltpetre fn.m 
 muck and rottennefs, to charge our artillery with ruin ; and erect- 
 ing telegraphs on every eminence of our ifland, to convey the rapid 
 fignal for human deftruftion. 
 
 Il8 — A Boat going nut of Bo'ver Pier, i?t a Gale of Wind. R. 
 Clevely. Though we believe Mr. Clevely to be fuperlor to any 
 of our art fts in nautical knowledge, he has not been io happy this 
 year as Mr. Anderfon. The boat is well drawn. According to 
 Virgil, t^iere is a glafly colour congruent to the fea, which ib noc 
 preferved in this inftance. 
 
 773 — A Dravjing. A. Buck. This Is a fpirit;ed drawing of 
 figures fkating. It is executed on a new principle, with era) on 
 confolidated by wax : among the group we could eafily recognize 
 the features of Mr. Pack. 
 
 t-jZ — Scene in the Way to get Married. S. DE Wjlde. The if* 
 
 likeneffes, in this pitfiure. are faithfully preft:rved ; but it i.-. wholly 
 deftitute of rep^fe. The lower extremities, in Mr. f Awccix's 
 figure, are too fmall to fuftain the body with efFedl. This want of 
 accuracy, in the formation of the limbs, is even vifible in No. i8S, 
 by Mr. Beech ey, where the left arm of the lady is too finall ! 
 
 z^o^— 'Portrait. DeLongastre. This artift has improved much 
 fince the laft Exhibition. The portrait under confideration is in 
 crayons, and managed with more force and fire than any fimilar 
 production this year, excepting No. 490. 
 
 284 — A Land/cape. F Towne. This gentleman is fimilar iti 
 his pencilling to Mr. Abbott, and., like him, is too tender in his 
 tones, but efpecially for a multifarious exhibition, Mr. Westall's 
 drawings appear to more advantage in the Exhibition, than they 
 do out, which is derived from their gaudinefs of tinting. There is 
 nothing more certain, than that a pirture chaftely coloured, may be 
 ruined in charaCler by being placed next to a glaring compofition, 
 in fuch an aflTemblage. 
 
 We think if Mr. Towne ufed a camera occafionaHy, he would 
 corredl his prefent manner of colouring. The celebrated Fernet 
 was accuftomed to carry one upon a mule, which once ufing by the 
 fea fide, the peafants believed him to be a magician, and were con- 
 firmed in their apprehenfions, by a ftorm, which the painter faw 
 gathering, and wifhed to copy. In all its foaming horrors. We 
 much doubt if any of our artifts would be fo attentive, to acquire 
 the high attainments of a Claude : — our opinion of the eftabllfiaed 
 indolence of our ftudents in painting, is fuch, that we believe, were 
 the ladder of Jacob placed to the empyrean, they would not be at 
 
 B 3 the
 
 ( 22 } 
 
 the trouble of afcending to heaven, though immortality and joy 
 would crown the labour. 
 
 -723 — Portrait of his Majefiy. P. Jean. This whole length 
 (which is placed in the Library) was painted at the requell of the 
 States of the Ifland of Jerfey to the King, and is deftined to adorn 
 the Court-houfe of -that ifland. It is worthy of remark, that this 
 pifture is a complicated copy : the body being after Sir Jofliua 
 Reynolds, and the head after Gainfborough : but, to fpeak truly, 
 the whole is fo imperfeftly managed, that it were a fort of petit 
 treafon to offer any fpecies of adoration to objects fo equivocal. 
 
 As Mr. Jean's profefllonal ftrength is in miniature painting, we 
 conclude that t\ ^ t cjal figure -w&s brought forth through the in- 
 fluence of private eftcem, rather than any other caufe. His por- 
 traits, No. 587 and 635, are executed in a good ftyle. 
 
 127 — And the Augd of the Lord f aid imto Hagar, Behold, thou 
 art nuith Child. J. Down MAN, A. This is another of the innume. 
 rable inftances which occur, to prove that vanity, and not genius, 
 is the charafteriftic of our modern artifts. No boat-builder would 
 have the raflinefs to undertake the confttuftion of a firft-rate; and 
 yet every whipfter wlio can wield the pallet and brufhes, appears to 
 hold him felf qualified to embody hiftory on canvas, and be fub- 
 limely unintelligible. We entreat this gentleman, and, in his per- 
 fon, all infufficient artifts, to relinquifh fuch unprofitable illufivc 
 attempts, •without a due acquaintance with the elements of the 
 art;— they are fraught with vanity and vacuity, folly and ruin : 
 fimul orii'Jitur et moriuntury they are born and die in the fame 
 inftar.t, as Plutarch faid of the lightning. 
 
 382— Totv/ir Portraits, by the fame Arti-t. In this ftyle of 
 drawing likenelTes, it would be invidious to deny Mr. Downman 
 the poffeflion of confiderable talents ; it is not a manner that could 
 refult from a ftrong or great mind, but as it apparently agrees with 
 the frivolity of the age, he may^/^-^"/ juitified in its adoption. 
 
 412 — Vieii' in the JJle of IVight fcom Aflon^s Doiuns, looking 
 toivards Frejhnvaier. J. Grove, H. This is a drawing in em- 
 bodied water colours, which ftyle was rendered faPnionable by the 
 late Mr. Barret, and fince by Mr. Laporte, whofe works this 
 refembles. 
 
 This landfcape is very creditable to the performer, confidering 
 him as an Honorary Exhibitor; and though it does not poflefs all 
 that cunning fubordination of tint and objeds, which is fo charm- 
 ingly impreffive in Mr. Abbott's landfcape, it has a boldncfs and 
 decifion of ftroke which could not originate in a mean or little 
 capacity. 
 
 130 — Portrait of a Lady of polity, J.Nixon, A. It was a 
 neceflary inftance of civility in the artift, to inform us, that the 
 portrait in queftion was copied from a lady of quality ; but as the 
 term Quality is indefinite, this remark may be premature. 
 
 311
 
 ( n ) 
 
 ,11-^ SceneintheHighlandsofScotland', the Portraits by Mr, 
 
 rLWLcI the Animals by Mr. Gilpin. J. Ba r ret. 1 his ,s a 
 
 fervlxtrao dinary mela.ge oi manners and matters ; but the gene- 
 
 al effea is pleafing. a. neither of them have attempted to ftep out 
 
 f.W immediate province. We have feen a firailar view by Sey. 
 
 l"owt^-^^^^^^ thatwelhallmakeno ape 
 
 hiiher^than Seymour, the horfe-painter. He was the ftn of a 
 banker in Lombard-ftreet, who left him a confiderable fortune 
 which having diffipated in horfe-racing, he was compelkd to 
 make a profeffion of painting, which he had ongtnally 1 udied a, 
 ^n tmnfement Under thofe circumftances he was employed by 
 he kte Duke of Somerfet (who was fignificantly called The Pror^dJ 
 to decorate fome parts of his houfe (now called Northumberland 
 HouS being prompted by curiofity, he came to fee the parnter 
 ^ work,' whelleymour immediately claimed an alliance with his 
 f .^Ctheir names being fimilar. -l^-h^o offended his Grace, 
 that he ordered the painter -u oe inftantly cifmil ed. The 
 Duke afterwards finding no man - le to proceed wuh the job, was 
 obliged to fend his fteward to the dilcarded artift, -^o wun much 
 difficulty prevailed on the painter to confent to refume tae work , 
 he accordingly ordered the fcaffolding to be got ready, as it was 
 obHgedtobe^finiM a certain time, on account of a great 
 banquet: when he was informed all things were ready, he de- 
 manded to fee his Grace, which the fteward did all he could to 
 Sffuade him from, apprehending a frefh rupture ; but he urged he 
 necefllty for certain orders, in the progrefs of the work, jo enaole 
 Mm to proceed; which being told the Duke, after fome difficulty, 
 he replied. Well, well, tell the fellow I will come to him \^ hen 
 the p'arties' met, Seymour made a long -d mecaodical apob^^^^ fb 
 having claimed an alliance with his family ; Bat, add.d he, to 
 nro!e that I really am a Seymour, d-n me, if I do another ftroke 
 Kour vork~fo, Mr. g^eat, little Duke of Somerfet you and 
 
 vour flmiW may be d-n'd together. Nothing could excufe 
 
 fuch rudenlfsrbut a refleaion upon the titled blockhead to whom 
 
 " To t^tlo know what a proud man the Duke of Somerfet 
 was this anecdote will come with the moft rehfti-He difcharged 
 h'w X chandler for not bowing to him ; and as the man put him- 
 felfln his way to falute him, he took him aga.., on condition of 
 his never bowL to him more.-When with tradefmen,or people on 
 hnfinefs it^Tfaid, he always had a Icreen between them, or looked 
 •n a glas when^ fpok'e; fuch was the abominable arrogance 
 of this inaated afs !-He frequently met with fevcre mor ifica- 
 ^b^s on e a wag direaed a letter to His Grace the Duke of 
 , Wrfet, next d'oor to the cork-cutter's, Channg-crofs ; v^ th 
 
 ■o 4
 
 ( 24 ) 
 
 which he was highly offended — \^ hen any of his acknowledged 
 race died, it was common for the raifchievous to procure a ladder, 
 and daub the efcutcheon with excrement — Indeed, it is impoffible 
 for a human being to be more greatly curfed, than by the indul- 
 gence of fiich a bafe fpirit. 
 
 706 — Hfjiod infiniding the Creels in the Arts of Peace. R. 
 VVestall, R, a. This is fuch an effort, as no perfon, pofTelfrng 
 tafte and knowledge, can regard with fatisfaflion ; yet it involves 
 all that trickery and finery which is fo captivating to vulgar minds — 
 We profefs thehighefl contempt for fuch awkward fcramblings after 
 fuch fublime untruths — we cannot endure a folemn inipofition oa 
 our fenfes : we turn from Bruce's Travels with difguft, and cleave 
 to the Arabian Nights' Entertainments; becaufe one would circum- 
 vent our underilanding, and the other merely labours to fatisfy the 
 imagination. 
 
 6S8, 670, and 652, are drawiflgs, by the fame author, and of 
 which the laft is the molt perfeft and the moft interefting. — In the 
 Antique Academy is No. 415 ; the fubjeft is Shipwrecked Mari- 
 ners, a fketch ; the naked figure in which is hermaphroditical, as 
 the anatomy belongs to each fex in general, but neither in parti- 
 cular. There is likewife No. 427 : the intention, in this, is to 
 rcprefent the ftory of Finga! and the Spirit of Loda, but it is won- 
 drouily enigmatical ; the idea of the Spirit conveys but the pro- 
 penfities of rapine, it feems clawing eagerly with its hands, as if 
 it were the fcmblance of a Spirit in the National Treafury — as 
 for Fingal, we know not whence the Artifl borrowed the idea, 
 unlefs it was from the late Big Be??, in the afl of bullying a fupe- 
 ri&r pugilift — I'hofe who attempt to wield the bolt of Jove, with- 
 out adequate force, may awaken amazement in the firll inftance, 
 
 but muft infure ridicule in the iffue. No. 92, A Girl going to 
 
 fetch Water, and 10^, A Girl at a Cottage Door, by the fame 
 Artilt, are ineffcdlual f^ecimens of his powers in oils : the pofition 
 of the laft objf d is borrov.ed from Gainfborcugh's Girl and Pigs. 
 
 The decbration rriav a|pear harfn to unknowing perfons, but 
 it is certain, that we h.:ve no exifling Artift, in this country, who 
 has any competent idea of colouring — if a proper fpirit prevailed 
 in the Councils of the Royal Academy, they would purchafe forae 
 eminent ftandard for common imitation; there arc two c'limable 
 and noble examples now prefent themfelves : we allude to the 
 "Judgment of Paris, by Rub<:72s, from the Orleans Gallery, 
 the fkfh of which is tinted with fuch fafcinating accuracy, and fo 
 deluiively relieved, that a fpei'tator imagines the mufcles woyld 
 yield to the imprefiion of his finger! and The Woman undra-iKiing 
 the Curtain, by Rembraffdt, which exhibits the mofl clear and 
 wonderful effect of liglu and Ihadow ever produced by that con- 
 iummate maltcr. 
 
 Mr.
 
 ( 25 ) 
 
 Mr. Westall, as ufual, retains his felf-created and ephemeral 
 privileges of newfpaper idolatry : his drawings, generally fpeak- 
 ing, are fuperbly fallacious : — like his defigns for the illuftration 
 of M!lion, they are, to us, complicated without application, and 
 gaudy without truth — we conceive Mr. Westall to be among 
 painters, what a man milliner is among men ; he has all the frivo- 
 lous and callow part of mankind with him. — When Mr. Westall 
 labours to be clafTical, he is fo learned that we cannot underftand 
 him, and we are thoroughly perfuaded that he does not underliand 
 himfelf! 
 
 The latitude of adlion and opinion aflumed by our young Artifts, 
 is the caufe of their woful deficiency in their ftudies : they have 
 nor, morally or phyfically, a fufficient check upon their vanity, 
 but wander into error unqueftioned, merely becaufe they dare — 
 that narrownefs of refponfibility, which the gallantry of mankind 
 admits women to poflefs, is obnoxious to their neighbours peace 
 and their own, if they have not good fenfe to marlhal fuch libera- 
 lity, and affix proper limits to their ominous agency. 
 
 263 — Portrait of a Lady of ^lality. J. Hoppner, R. A. The 
 attitude of this lady is neither eafy nor graceful, nor is the colour- 
 ing in harmony — Mr. Hoppner is lefs perfedl this year than the 
 laft ; and the reafon is, that he has lefs of original principle : to 
 fpeak truly, this artift feems to have no manner of his own, and 
 his only hope to fucceed refts upon his ability to imitate another. 
 
 The love of indifcriminate imitation has induced our Portrait 
 Painters to introduce red curtains, in their pidlures, upon all occa- 
 fions ; which, if not managed with the greateft accuracy, deftroys; 
 the correfpondent reliance of one hue upon another — it is a prin- 
 ciple with us, that there fliould be what we term a rejloration of 
 colour^ to prevent the parts appearing broken or fpotty : that is, 
 when one very glaring and forcible tint is brought forward by the 
 artift, it (houKi be fo ordered, as to rife again, in another part of 
 the compofition, to harmonife the whole. — It is to be deplored, 
 that the numberlefs infeds who pretend to imitate Sir Jolhua Rey- 
 nolds cannot acquire any portion of his graceful fpirit: when he 
 violated truth, it was generally on the fide of attraftion ; and the 
 light is more indebted to his magic pencil, for the delightful forms 
 of beautiful women, than any modern painter of any nation : he 
 added a poliflied mien to the objed, which made us ready to for- 
 give his wanderings from a pofitive and phyfical faft. 
 
 The abfurd and unqualified praifes which have been given, in 
 various journals, to Mr. Hoppner, would be fuffered to pafs as in- 
 ftances of infufferable vanity in the painter, or uncommon predi- 
 lection in his adherents (as friends they cannot be), if they did 
 not, in the fame moment, combine an obfibilating zn6.Jiaiibi»g 
 farcafm upon competition, which no liberal mind could engender, 
 «nd no good man encourage — where they originated we know not, 
 
 but
 
 ( i6 ; 
 
 but they afforedly cannot be fufficiently difcountcnanccd — Mr. 
 Lawrence has, it is true, many profeflional failings, but he has 
 likewife many jjrofeffional beauties ; and even among his failings, 
 the mod malignant and envious of his brethren cannot include one 
 charge of ingratitude, or hate or fear of rivalry, or undutifulnefs 
 to an old friend or an old parent. 
 
 " Go, and do thou likewife." 
 
 In this Exhibition we have three Portrait Painters who deferve 
 particular notice, but not in the fame degree : the Academy has 
 not now a Reynolds, whofe genius, in this branch of the art, 
 towered far above any thing now in exilience : but if the Portrait 
 Painters of the prefent day be brought before the tribunal of fair 
 criticifm, and tried by the evidence before it, "jiz. their works 
 exhibited in the collection at Somerfet-houfe, the pre-eminence 
 cannot be denied to Beechey : Lav.'>^ence follows him; and 
 then, magno mtervallot HopPNER and Hamilton. This will 
 be, and is, the decifmn of the Artifts, and the more intelligent 
 portion of the Public, and nothing but the groffeft partiality can 
 difpute this fa*ft; as the motto of this year imports, it does not 
 require a great deal of (kill to diftinguifh a good from a bad pic- 
 ture : and all the mock-criticifms with which half the papers in 
 the metropolis may be fluffed, will not raife an artift of mediocrity 
 much above his level. 
 
 'i^Q-—An Hebre'w Woman carrying her PwiJicatioJi Offering to the 
 Temple, Mrs. CoswAY. Right happy are we to chronicle this 
 daughter of Ifrael, on the efpecial point of its being the produc- 
 tion of a lady — but the firft thing which moves our admiration is 
 the management of the bufinefs of the figure, which is calmly ele- 
 gant — There can be no violent gefture vifible in a fingle figure, 
 without conveying to the fpeftator an idea of lunacy : a figure in 
 a ftatc of ideal communication may be apparently writhed, with- 
 out violating the probability of conception as to the mental health 
 of the agent ; but it cannot be managed, in a folitary perfon, with- 
 out a concomitant fomething to warrant the feeming extravagance 
 of the deed. — This figure is at leafl decided in its contour, and 
 clean in its embellifhments : it has none of that convenient obli- 
 mation, which the ignorant difplay to envelope their want of 
 knowledge in drawing and colouring. 
 
 So low is the art funk at prefent, with us, that a defign of the 
 Tjud is fcarcely expefted : and the fitnefs of draperies is fo ill 
 ftudied, that none arc true who attempt it — even the Prefident is 
 fo deficient, on this cfTential head, that, in out idea, he never 
 clothes a figure, but incumbers it — in his large pifture of Mofes and 
 Aaron, there is this drav/back, with many others — he has unfuc- 
 cefsfuUy endeavoured to introduce in this pifture an air of fubli- 
 mity, grandeur, and knowledge of Egyptian coftume ; but the 
 
 deluflon
 
 ( 27 ) 
 
 ddufion vanilhes the moment the eye glances from the gigantic 
 Moses to the diminutive Pharaoh : thefe figures having nothing 
 to arreft the attention but their difproportion, our obfervation is 
 led to the figure kneeling, which, in order to make perfedly in 
 charader, Mr. West feems to have copied from fomeone of their 
 idols, which the Egyptians were fo expert in chopping out with 
 a few ftrokes from their hardeft blocks of granite. 
 
 I J.9 — Aflormy Night, the Wife waiting the Return of the Hufband, 
 W. R. Bigg, A. This praditioner is of that band of Artifts, who 
 feem born but to fatisfy the callow part of mankind : his fubjefts 
 are of a domeftic tendency, and come home to the bofoms of thofc 
 who efteem their houfehold gods. His drawing, which is not per- 
 fect, is better than his colouring ; and his colouring is fuperior to 
 his grouping : he has little intimacy with the chiaro ofcuro, bot 
 will remain in fome requeft, while there is a grandmother or a 
 nurfe in fociety. 
 
 682 — Vieiu of a Temple on the Grand Canal in China. W. Alex- 
 ander, This ingenious gentleman went officially as draughtfman 
 to the eftabliftiment, when Lord Macartney was deputed on the 
 puerile embafly to the Emperor of China ; a voyage which was 
 undertaken for the amufement, not improvement, of a beafily 
 Public ! 
 
 We have no doubt of the faithfulnefs with which the objefls are 
 reprefented, but they are fo fcattered over the furface of every 
 drawing, as to make them appear fpotty, and out of harmony. The 
 figures are drawn with more accuracy than is ufual in works of this 
 nature : his knowledge of aerial perfpe(ftive is very limited, and 
 . the parts feem to ride upon each other. 
 
 685, 68g, and 690, are varied views of the Chinefe and their 
 empire, by the fame Draughtfman. 
 
 653 — Landaff Cathedral, Glamorganfh'ire, M. A. RoOKER, A, 
 The drawings by Mr. Rookcr this year, are below his cha- 
 racter : they are executed with fuch ignorance of efFed, and fuch 
 offending littlenefs of manner, that they feem rather as the works 
 of a boarding-fchool fpinfter, than a veteran Affociate ! 
 
 666, 67 [, 684, 691, 705, and 710, are tantamount produftions 
 from the fame parent 
 
 6%\ — Warwick Cajilc. E. Da YES. This fuperb refidence of 
 the Nevilles and the Gre'villes, is drawn with the minuteft regards 
 to the laws of perfpeftive ; the tints are in unifon with each other, 
 and the point of fight is arranged agreeably to the laws of probabi- 
 lity. 
 
 758— Co-vfw/ Garden Piazxa. T. Malton. Thefe architec- 
 tural views are drawn with truth, but from making his points of 
 diftance fo ftiort, it gives an air of diftortion to the buildings ; 
 which, like the portraits of individuals, fliould be taken in as fa- 
 vourable a point of view as poflible : thefe failings prevail in all 
 his other drawings. 
 
 Before
 
 ( 28 ) 
 
 Before we terminate our remarks upon the Paintings, we beg 
 leave t- .uggeft to the ftudents, the abfolute neceflity of direncum- 
 bering the mind of all iis wedded prcjui ^ es in favour of error, 
 and that they fhould not be de erred from the racafure by common 
 beings.— When ».e begin to think independent of vuljai opinion, 
 that vulgar immeJiateiy finguJarize us as eccentric, which is a term 
 rather meant as reproachful to our difcreticn, than indicative of 
 particular merit: yet it that bafe and groveling horde could 'hem- 
 ielvcs refle t, they muil be convinced that genius is dependent on 
 that Angularity.— A c .How auditor appears amazed vhen he liftervs 
 to a document, which '^ehad never heard f romu'gated before ; and, 
 extraordinary as it may fcem, he wl o delivers that opinion fuffers 
 in t^e eliimation of fuch an audience, i>ntil the perfedion of the 
 idea is warrnnte.. by the gt Ger fenfes ! 
 
 The maj' rity of thofe persons, who prefume to judge of the 
 Fine Arts, in this hefotted country, are more ignorant than thofe on 
 whom they criticife ; and, being powerful, their patronage only 
 extends the dominion of error ; as feu' have the manllnefs to quef- 
 tion the defires ol him, who'e purfc is tributary to their neceflities. 
 The people of diftindion, here, are too licentious to appreciate in- 
 genuity with truth, and tco vain to be great. 
 
 To thdfe who may feel either mortified or difappointed, that we 
 have not taken c^grizance of their works, we {hall offer this apology, 
 that the lefs they are noticed, the more gracious i? their condition. 
 —The majcrity cf ihe Exhibitors, like th^ majoiity of the uni- 
 verfe, are the authorized and defignated f lod < r perdition! 
 
 The 
 
 Names of the Places from whence the Principal Views 
 are taken. 
 
 lO 
 
 15 
 
 22 
 5?8 
 
 34 
 38 
 4' 
 
 47 
 6"-' 
 £4 
 64 
 66 
 
 74 
 84 
 
 96 
 97 
 99 
 
 Ccrfe Caftle 
 
 St. Albi-i; s Abbey 
 
 The Thames 
 
 Mecsrnss's Villa 
 
 Carnarvon 
 
 Bridge I. oth 
 
 Wells Cataedral 
 
 Ifcrn^j 'Naples 
 
 Scene on the Anio 
 
 \'itw near Ver na 
 
 Aberddyilaes Bridge, Clamor- 
 
 ganlhire 
 f Orchard Bay 
 Rofs Caftle, Killarney 
 Artillery Bidgc, ditto 
 Hawarden Caiile 
 Conway Callle 
 I.imc Works, Puvfleet 
 Caitle Rork, Briftol 
 Pont Abcrglaflyn 
 L'f^fort Vale, Devon 
 Abcrdyllar's Mill 
 
 111 Buflater Pay 
 
 112 Coaft of SulTcK 
 
 113 Ccal-^rcoK. Dale 
 
 114 Hampiicad 
 ji8 Dover P.er 
 
 134 Bfckfield Lodge 
 
 141 I.ske of N rni 
 
 145 Darimart Hills 
 
 159 Miirop on the Tv^reed 
 
 168 Lodore Waterfall 
 
 198 Kilg.rien Caftle 
 
 • 01 Fordland 
 
 31O4 Breadwardine Bridge 
 
 aci3 NewcaiUe upon Tyne 
 
 too Grantley 
 
 308 Ely Cathrcdral 
 
 50^^ Llangollen 
 
 31 J Highlands, .Scotland 
 
 3 1 7 Grindt Iw aid, Switzerland 
 
 319 Chepftow 
 
 32Q River Lee, Ireland 
 
 3Z2 WcHminftci iiom Lambeth 
 
 3*3 Lower
 
 ( 29 ) 
 
 3^4 
 3 2:: 
 34» 
 345 
 349 
 359 
 383 
 389 
 304 
 406 
 417. 
 426 
 43i 
 436 
 
 414 
 446 
 
 453 
 4-,8 
 470 
 
 474 
 ^81 
 
 Lower Zee, Switzerland 
 
 Wik. :ii 
 
 Bale Pool 
 
 Tivo.i 
 
 St. Alban's 
 
 Con.v'ay 
 
 Lulworch Cadle 
 
 H- k Park 
 
 Hyd W'r.ter 
 
 Th',' Tower 
 
 Thr RhiiTc at Cleves 
 
 Ille oF Wight 
 
 V ew ill Cumberland 
 
 Gobole Cciibe 
 
 Orpington 
 
 i'hiiich near Geneva 
 
 Margate 
 
 Tvvic'senham 
 
 Dolgelly 
 
 Lan^ollen 
 
 Hjiighman's Abbey 
 
 Kilmainham 
 
 485 Wfrwick Caaie 
 
 500 Sc. Patrick's 
 
 513 Litcl !'eid 
 
 380 W> H Gat:. Canterbury 
 
 39? Pensiianmaur 
 
 393 Sohu'.n, Cambridge 
 
 400 Pe:rarch's Tomb 
 
 401 Wiiler's Ditto 
 43 I Pcntice Callle 
 434 Devil's B idge 
 441 Wakefield Biid;;e 
 
 44.5 3:irning ifiw things at Touloa 
 
 448 Conway 
 
 455 Newnnam 
 
 468 Henley 
 
 473 Salifbury 
 
 47'-> Carnarvon 
 
 484 Pontncath 
 
 489 Wilkes's Cottage 
 
 5O9 Dilton Church 
 
 519 Southampton 
 
 SCULPTURE. 
 
 The Sculpture, this year, is not admirable : yet among the ob- 
 jicftionable matter, the foil wing examples deferve fome confidera* 
 lion, 
 
 %-ll—A Bufi of Me:pomene. T. Banks, R. A. There is an 
 air of fohcr truth, and dignity of expreiTion, in this Buft, which is 
 charjftcriftic of the murderous Mufe ; it may be neceflary to remark 
 it is a caft from a model of Mrs. Siddons, whom it has been the 
 fafhion, in recent years, to call Melnomene, a compliment feldom 
 or never bellowed upon Mrs. Gibber, Mrs. Pritchabd, Mrs. 
 Yates, or Mrs. Crawford, although their individual merits, iu 
 the aggregate, were univerfally admitted to be of the very firll 
 ciafs. 
 
 85 — /^ Figure of Genius. P. Chenu. This figure is tolera- 
 bly well executed, but ill underftood. The fymbols are not ap- 
 propriate ; but on a more mature confideration, we know not where 
 Mr. Chenu could refort to a happy model, as we have had no 
 original genius among ps, fince the deraife of Hogarth and Kean 
 O'Hara. 
 
 'jg^ — Model of the Nil Gaiv Antelope from the Eaji hi dies, G, 
 Garrard. 
 
 796 — Model of Rein Deer from Lapland, by the fame Mafter. 
 
 iiach of thefe fpecimens refledls much credit upon their author ; 
 the proportions, mufcles, and ligaments of the animals are well 
 wrought. 
 
 We fliould think it unpardoriable to pafs unnoticed the Model of 
 F.ve, by Rossi, as dffcribed by Milton. He has happily embodied 
 the fpirit of that fublims pcet i and were our poets more generally 
 
 confulted
 
 ( 30 ) 
 
 confulted on fuch occaiions, we fhould at leaft have the fatistaiftioi: 
 of more frequently beholding good dcfigns — objefts unqueftionably 
 of great moment to all artifts. 
 
 492 — Scene from the Tijoo Gefitlemen of Verona , for Heath's new 
 Edition of Shakefpeare. J. Heath, A. 
 
 496 — Scene from Midfummer Night's Dream, by the fame Artift. 
 Thefe prints are two fpccimens, and executed from the defigni. 
 of Mr. St )DHART : as far as mechanifm is involved, thefe graphic 
 efforts poffefs much merit, yet, in efFeft, they are not all we could 
 defire : they have not a due force of tone, and are, in the language 
 of engravers, too grey — we think Mr. Heath was injudicious to 
 exhibit thefe proof prints, inafmuch as the furrounding concomi- 
 tant glare makes, what is in itfelf too faintly expreffed, appear 
 more fo : but if it is his idea that fuch a meafure may be profitable, 
 as a collateral advertifement, and he does it under that perfuafion, 
 we fhall withdraw our objeftion, and wifh him all the fuccefs he 
 may deferve. 
 
 We have the mofl direft propenfity to afford Mr. Heath every 
 aid within our power in this undertaking, from the conviftion of 
 the part folly of engravers, who have ftupidly, nay ruinoufly, given 
 birth to many vulgar, oppreflive reptiles, who call themfelves Pub- 
 lishers, that is, a body of worthlefs wretches, who rob the toil- 
 ing artifts of all the honey of their labour, and ftand between them 
 and the Public, as an intermediate purgatory : and, like the legend 
 of the Man and the Horfe, they coerce the animal who reforts to 
 them for afTiftance, and then proudly ride the manacled bead 
 through exiftence ! 
 
 We are led to thefe remarks, from the manifeft ill ufage which 
 the firfl Engraver in the ivorld has experienced from thefe blood- 
 fuckers : there is one of them, who is fo devoid of gratitude and 
 fhame, that he feizes every opportunity of injuring Mr. Bartolozzi, 
 although it is notorious, that he is indebted for all his unmerited 
 fuccefs in life, to the fine talents of that great man he decries ; and 
 the caufe of this rancour is ftill more deteftable, as it arcfe from 
 Bartolozzi's refufing to perjure himfelf, when the unworthy man 
 in queftion had pirated a print, in oppofition to the laws of the 
 land, refpedting the copyright of genius. — There is another unprin- 
 cipled mifcreant of the fame order, who was refcued from a ftate 
 of beggary and woe, in Venice, and brought to England, by the 
 younger Bartolozzi, and he recommended him to his Father, 
 who nurtured and protefted him, until, like the Viper in Efop, 
 when filled with blood and ftrength, he turned upon and bit his 
 benefaflor ! 
 
 Mr. Heath has now prefented the world with his long-ex- 
 
 pcfted print of the Death of Major Pierfn, for the engraving of 
 
 which he received three thorfand guiKcas., which is as much as 
 
 Mr. Bartolozzi received for the Df.ath of Lord Chatham ! 
 
 Speaking of Mr. Heath's print critically , we mull obferve, that there 
 
 is
 
 ( 3-1 ) 
 
 is more of mechanifm than mitid vifible in this graphic endeavour : 
 there is zjilknefs of totie which does not properly belong to fuch 
 an undertaking ; and fome of the ftroking is fo wide, that it ap- 
 pears as if a net had been thrown artfully over the drapery. The 
 drawing of the extremities is more perfeft than we expefted from 
 Mr. Heath's graver; and, though not correft, they are not dif- 
 gufting. There is an hardnefs in many of the folds, for which the 
 painter, Mr. Copley, is more refponfible than Mr. Heath. The 
 compofition of this pifture is far better calculated to aid an en- 
 graver, than the Death of Chatham ; it has all that dafhing oppo- 
 fition of tint and buftle of charafler, which is fo feducing to a com- 
 mon eye; and we have no doubt but the Bawd of the Arts 
 will carry it to a good market. 
 
 The engravers of this country are too fond of executing with, 
 what is termed, z/quare gra-vcr, inftead of a lozenge gra'ver, which 
 certainly gives their prints a clearer ftroke, but is very injurious 
 to them, if they wifti their works to be valuable, as to durable- 
 nefs. It is well known that Gerard Audran, Edclincky or any of 
 the great mafters of the graphic art, in the pureft age of the French 
 fchool, never ufed any but a lozenge tool ; and if the love of a 
 perifhable appearance with our engravers, is fuffered to overcome 
 their love of (lability, we may fliortly have plates in ftroke as pe- 
 rifhable as the works in mezzotinto ! — they have run mad with their 
 regards for mechanifm ; but let them look at Le Bnm's Battles of 
 Alexander, by Audran, and then refolve upon efFeft : the fadt is, 
 that the quoted inftances are works of the higheft order, but totally 
 unconneded with the little ambition of thofe, who would make a 
 regularity of lines fuperior to the force of truth, and harmony, and 
 greatnefs. 
 
 The lovers of the fine arts have been recently gratified by a de- 
 lightful print, from the celebrated pidure by N'uhdas PouJJin, of 
 the Holy Fa?njly, now in the pofTeflion of the Marquis of Lans- 
 DoWN : it is from the burin of the incomparable Bartolozzi ; 
 it is not one of his highly finifhed prints, but executed in that free 
 fpirited manner, which moft forcibly conveys all the beauties of 
 the original. We fhall here take occafion to remark, that the art 
 of engraving became fublimed in this country on the arrival of 
 Mr. Bartolozzj; his great example created a nobler fpecics of 
 ambition in the profeffors, and each laboured to be fomething more 
 perfect than he was before. 
 
 ARCHITECTURE. 
 
 The defigns in architefture are not, generally fpeaking, very 
 honourable to the profefTors of that branch of the arts : but from 
 this implicated difrepute we muft exonerate Mr. J. Wyatt, Mr. 
 SoANE, and Mr. Bonomi ; the latter gentleman has prefented us, 
 in No. 832 and 844, with two fuperb defigns for a manfion to be 
 built for Mr. Lamb ton in the county of Durham.
 
 ( 3^ ) 
 
 t37 — ^^^ Windo-iU Side of a Room, as executed in the Eajl Front 
 tfWtnd/or Cajile. J. Yenn, R. A. 
 
 840- Another fimilar Vie'w, by the fame Artist. 
 
 There is nothing in either of thefe drawings to attraft our regards, 
 nor fhould we have conJefcended to notice them, had not their 
 author been recently appointed, by the King, to fill up the office 
 of trcafurer to the Royal Academy, on the demife of Sir William 
 Chambers. Mr. Yenn is one of the make-nxjeight original members 
 of thiseftablifliment ; fince which luminous period, he has flept wrapt 
 up in his diploma, until the fomnific fenior was awakened by a 
 tooch of the royal talifman, and compelled to ftand centinci upon 
 his own public honour. 
 
 MINIATURES. 
 
 The miniatures in this Exhibition are of a higher charafter , 
 generally fpeaking, than we have been accuftomed to bel.old. The 
 enamels of Spice* and Bone are very nearly corre(fl in their way, 
 and to thofe who are fond of having a good enamel painting, com- 
 prehending an accurate refcmblancc, we would recommend them, 
 with all that warmth which a love ot truth and merit can infpire. 
 
 Among the water-colour miniatures, thofe of Ferriere are un- 
 doubtedly the mcft perfect, and executed with an uncommon por- 
 tion of relief: after him, we may arrange Smart, Grimaldi, 
 Shelley, Edridge, Paillou, Polack, Bull, Fava^.d, and 
 Taylor, in whofe works there is a boldnefs in the outline, and a 
 handling in the penciling, that is fuperior to mofl: works of art 
 done in this province : indeed, we would urge it to him, to enter 
 upon a larger field of pninting, as he feems to poffefs that I'igour 
 of imagination which entities him to make the attempt. 
 
 With the following calm remarks, we (hall take our leave of the 
 Exhibition for thi- year, and beg it maybe underftcK)d, that what we 
 have previoufly aflerted in loofe and general terms, as to attributes, 
 &c. may not be confidered as diredly applicable ; we allude to our 
 occafionally fuppofing a tendency in the mind of the artift, which 
 might not have had a being. If any of thefe ftridures have borne 
 the feature of feverity, it has fo occurred, that the artift whom we 
 admonifhed, had the addrefs to praife himfelf in the metropolitan 
 journals, and render what little {>erception we may poffefs utterly 
 nugatory. In this free country, every man has a right to compofe 
 a paragraph confonant with his particular vanity, and inform the 
 Public that he i& another RafaelU ioT Jix Jhilimgs. This, it muil 
 be admitted, is a lucky method of dealing a march upon Fame, 
 which the painters of the old fchools never knew. 
 
 FINIS.
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below 
 
 fiEC'O U 
 
 APR 19 
 
 ■URL 
 
 1975 
 
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 Form L-e 
 aom-l, '41(1122) 
 
 JAN 21 
 
 REC u URl 
 
 APR 
 
 APR 28 
 
 199T 
 
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 1993 
 
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 3 1158 00120 5326