The National Register. — London, England, 1812-02-23 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. En. Q. FINE AID I'S. BRITISH INSTITUTION. " Dare nobly, then; but souscious of your trust. " As ever w.u•m and bold, be ever just." FOPS. • The rooms of the British Institution present therneelves to the eyes of an impartial critic under two points of view widely different from each o th e r. 'They are, at once, a National Stadium where candidates for praise run the noble race of emulation ; and a public repository where the disposable productions of artists arc literally sub basta, exposed to sale. In both, however, the benevolent intention of the Patrons and Governors is fully manifested and satisfactorily fulfilled. They consi dered that genius, emulation, study, tho', as poets sing, " heavenly born and immortal," are, in this sublunary world, cased in a frame which cannot be supported by aerial nectar or fancied ambrosia. They have provided for the laurels of glory, and. also for the olive of life. They give to every one an opportunity of acquiring at once honours and pro fit, and of supplying, with the indispensable oil of reward the disinter ested lamp of the Fine Arts.—These considerations are so just, so grati fying, that few individuals can attend to them without conceiving in vainly the generous desire of participating in the merit of the institution by becoming sub - scribers. Upon the mind of an impartial and well-intentioned critic, who wants to dust the sacred leaf without destroying the useful berry, these consi derations have a very different effect. If the performance which he. describes and analyses is looked upon as exhibited merely to show the. progress of the art and the skill of the artist ; animated with an impa tient zeal for the general good, he must arm his hand with the keen edeed scalpel of severity; he must remove the deceiving epidermis of colouring, and lay open to view the very fibres of design and the con joined limbs a . nd members of composition : indeed he ought not to spare the lash of correction, as long as he can chastise without discouraging. But how different is the other case ! When he has to dissect a piece of workmanship upon which its authyr relies for professional enioltt ment,—kow tender, how careful must not the critic be, lest he should sever the still throbbing arteries of life ; lest he should wound the very vitals of the artist whose productions he is called upon to anatomise ? Does he perceive glaring. faults, palpable defects ? he must either for give the sins or starve the sinner. The scales'of impartiality tremble in his scrupulous hands, for he knows that, although it. is often more dan gerous to attack and hurt the pride of man than his fortune, yet it is always with reluctance that an honest and sympathizing heart does re buke, with, even merited, severity, the supposed lucrative efforts of rising genius and assiduous industry. Having thus exposed the difficulties which attend the task we-have undertaken, we will continue boldly to speak the truth as far as it is not prejudiciable to-advancement, and keep an ebsdnate silence whenever our words might give unnecessary pain, and our pen lie convened into i ! a dagger; but we will hold the cup of flattery to the lips of t mar., nor try to blind any purchaser of pictures by the fumes. of- the iecense we burn on the altar of the chromatic muse we will rouse, if possible, dormant carelessness into action ; hold the mirror of taste to the eyes of self-conceited pride, and dash away the leaden pallet of sincorrigilrie dulness. " Stulta cst clententio." It is for improvement that the Governors and Directors have offered premiums; it is improvement which they lo , rlc up to when they open their rooms to the disposal of pictures ; and, if among the select, a tew objectionable ones show" their diminished heads ;" let us reinember that they have been admitted there on this sole recommendation that they evince a sensible and hopeful progress in their authors towards the focus of perfection. No. 9, Llannbar• Church, Nnrth Woks. Py G. Soars. The romantic scenery of Wales has been, for a long time, an inexhaustible fund of interesting subjects for the pallet and the pencil. The artist, who has ., painted this small picture, and adorned the walls of the Exhibition Rooms. with several other pleaeing and succe , :sful . efforts nf his -talent in the art, has been very industrious this year. His p , ciiiiar ability in repre senting the rugged cottage, the thatched house overgrown with. green and spontaneous weed;; the hail pelted glass of the old casement, the picturesque Well and shelving stories which diversify the Devonian /nines) will certainly assign a place,. for him, anion;yit our painters of Dear-scenes mad topographical subjects. His colours ; however.they nut • 125 be set upon his well-understood pallet, come out clear at his call, lie, unniuddled, on the canvas—lt is the stile of Mulready. But at No. 22. At Home, by the same Artist, and No. 28. Donumtie Ham'. ness, we find a'veiy different style of painting, and alsosan harmonious and pleasing one ; an evident proof of the versatility of that genth man's talents. Here he reminds us of the style of Smirlte in those small and. exquisite pieces which still decorate in well-executed prints the works "of Our classical authors. Warmth of colouring and an uncommon fe licitY I distributing the lights, accompanied with happy touches, cha racterise these two small performances; but we grieve not to be allowed to speak so highly of the Cottage Student. It Islay be a fac simile of nature, but nature is not to be copied at all times. She has her gala dress, and her neglige. No. 29. Judas selling the Blood of Christ. By G. TURNER.—The most distant idea of such a subject impresses the starting mind of a christian with awe mixed with horror. The eagerness of the designing Scribes, Pharisees and Priests, who bargained for the life of aim who. was the life.of all ; the scanting demeanour and low-cast features of the traitor, who had left him at supper with his friends, and, led by Satan, came to the slaughter-market to sell the lamb ofGod, these might fire the mind of a Julio Romano, a Gtiercino, and others 44 quibu.r awns divinior," but here what do we meet instead of all what we have a right to expect! we should advise Mr. Turner to leave the inferior knack at making Pastici of Rembrant to more fortunate ones, and to soar higher if he has' wings to bear himself pp. His painting of last year was not sucressfut ' and,..as . for.his Old Woman and her Cot—God save us from botli:' No. 30. Interior of a Cottage, by W. WITHERINGTON, and NO: 24, The Cottage Seamstress, by the same, exhibit to the eye a great deal of clearness and truth of colouring—but do not speak much tai the mind. Let the artist dare boldly soma interesting theme, and we doubt not but he will succeed in his'attempts. He knows well the principles of his art, but his modesty, or shyness, clips the wings of his natural abilities. His performances at No. 33, and 164 are subject to the same obser observations. - . , No. 19. Fruit Girl, a.:Scene from Nature. By G. G. Lteou si sr. There is really in this small picture a nicety of finishing, and a sweetness of 1 chiaro-osctiro which rem ind us of Gerard:Dow and Mieris. It is welt Ipainted, coloured with the hue of nature, and the light cf the lanthorn i is distributed upon the fruit and other parts of the scene with great•pro priety and effect. Mr. Has noN's .11faebeth,Mrs. AItiSLEY ' S Venus Anadyomene, Miss JAcx.som's itganicinnon, Mr. Jos it PH 'S Procetsion to Affil i tnt . Calvary, and Mr. RaGann.'s . Clytetencstra, with several others, in our next. • V HENItY WEST BETTY. TO THE EDITOR. • • . -- . Ste—After a retirement of four years, partly spent at College, and • partly in rural seclusion at his estate in Sisropshirkt, .Mr. Betty, the cele.• bi attd Yoking Roscius, (whoic.cariy tame w•s; so long the theme of it'd .versal admiratton, not- only in this cjtrapti the metropolis, belt throughout the united kingdom,) again appeared on the Ilarli •:t gemn the character or, ,0. .. ... the Earl oi Essex on Saturday. Never was eurio,iity mere stropgly excited than on this occasion, and the averuos of the Theatre were early crowded with anxious spectators, eager to witness - the matured effeCti of a per gormer,•whose infantit'e success bad been without a precedent. It was an arduou - s trial • criticism, which had be en formerl y disarmed by the • cons id era tion of 'his tender years, was row alive to scan his errors with all the rigour of impartial jostice., and freely.censtir in-the man those faults which had been left unneticed in the boy. The event, however, has afforded a full confirmation of his superior talents , : his performance'. of Essex, though by no•rnearis faultless, was replete with all the fire and— • ene rgy of true genius , a nd elicited reiterated bursts of applause from ode • . • lof the most elegant and crowded audiences that ever graced the benches: • of our Theatre. On Tuesday cvening'he performed Selim, in Berb aross a. I and was receiVed with- a warmth - of approbation, that seemed to call I forth every latent spark of genios, and to inspire him with impassioned • animation, hardly ever equalled: the glowing warmth of filial affection Ifor ea n afflicted mother, and the fire , ot youthful. resentment against the i. murderous Usurper of his. father's throne, were pourtrayed with all the - . truth of natural feeling ; and the loud acclamations from all parts of the '• •Theatte which•followed his dis • COvery of himself to Barharosra, and ie. veral other striking points of the character, bore ample testimony to his 1;• matured excellence. • . I I Bath, Feb. 10. : • L. S. It is determind. to proceed with the erection of the VauxToll Bridge, but to imike it of iron instead of &MCI w hich may be done 'at an expetise of about 900001. . , ~.a`.. . Pao' V EPP' ia ,th by by ~~ r 1112 ./fl