The National Register. — London, England, 1809-03-26 00:00:00

MARCH 26. FIRE ARTS. THE MONUMENT Oi SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE, EXECUTED ' BY WESTMACOTT, R. A. To perpetuate the memory of illustrious actions as well as the ' tames of Mose by whom such actions have been performed, has been esteemed the province of the arts, ever since the arts have been in existence. Statuary claims particularattention in this re spect, because the materials it employs promise the durability of ages, and the apparent difficulty of its labours awakens astonish ment and fix attention. The defects under which all the per formances of Statuary seem principally to be depressed, are a want of distinct light and shadow. The glare of white marble will not permit those delicate hollows which give animation to features, and expression to a whole figure, to be perceived, at any considerable distance ; and again the general effect is com pletely lost, if these nice touches of the chissel are too closely contemplated. It is, therefore, manifest that very great atten tion ought to be paid to the position of any piece of statuary. The light should be contrived so to fall upon it as to give every possible advantage to the chief prominencies ; and if a strong shadow from any part of the building, in which it is erected, can generally be thrown upon the sides or inferior parts of the com position, such a shadow ought not to be neglected. Indeed there seems to he a great deal of this sort of light and shade, which the artist ought to tegard with as much attention as the architect undoubtedly did in the position of the windows and columns of the building. I am led to these reflections, on the position of pieces of statuary, by the subject under contemplation. No shim tion could have been more unfavourable to it than that in which it stands. In front the whole effect of it is entirely lost ; and if the spectator moves towards his left hand in hopes of placing his eye in a more commanding point, he soon finds himself wedged into a corner whence his expected coup d'eeid is contracted into a miserable side peep, which affords him a very weak conception of the whole. The window directly behind the monument throws a dingy light upon the backs of the heads of the princi pal figures, and renders them as flat and lifeless, as the profiles that are instantaneously performed by the new patent machine. Yet all this is no further the fault of the artist than as the situation may have been left to his choice, or as be may have been compelled to conform himself to an appointed place. No monument ever owed less to its position than does this labour of Mr. Westmacott. Placed in such an unfair point of view, this magnificent group will scarcely meet the justice of such critics as look for general striking appearance. Its merits are obscured; and, whatever deficiencies it may possess, those deficiencies are strongly height ened by its situation. The figure of Sir Ralph, which is every where intercepted by that of the Highlander who i• receiving him in his arms, is still more obscured by the light being imme diately behind it. The features of the magnanimous Gen°ral, when viewed from a small distance, are strongly marked with that expression of resignation and victorious joy that elevates the man of patriotic courage ; the features of the Highlander also are exquisitely touched with regret and warlike ardour; but when the spectator endeavours to unite these sentiments to the whole group, as it entirely is presented to him at any point of view he may endeavour to obtain,' he tinds no rF3ible assimilation of ideas : the whole, as he sees it, no where corresponds with its parts. But, whatever may be allowed for so had a position, I feel myself obliged to say that a front-view of this monument could in no direction of the light be good. The back of the High lander meets the eye too prominently and destroys the interest, from the very spot at which a judicious critic will be the most eager to observe it. It is not but at a considerable distance, w here every thing except general effect :!; entirely lost, that the figure of Sir R. Abercrombie rises sufficiently above thegroup his charger then dw 'tllest ato a Galloway runt, or seems to be 205 intended for oue of the short steeds of the desart on which we are told the Mamelukes were used to make their ferocious excur- lions: the hoisc gives us therefore the idea of a conceit or misc.. rable allusion to the country in which the great Unintnancler terminated his honourable career: I can hardly believe that Mr. Wegtmacott condescended to consult Theodore }Wok !---1 hope the reins and bit, hs well as the spurs of Sir Ralph are under the chissel of Mr. W. for the leathern bridle and ru4ty hit, as well as the painted spur now attached to the figures have a miserable appearance. The naked figure beneath the horse is a piece of admirable sculpture. The fore-part of the left ara' is however not so well finished as the rest of the body. The extended hand upon the ground,and the indentmeot of the muscles on the shoulder, are of themselves expressive of the agony of intense pain ; while the hand that still grasps at the fallen standard finely displays the tenacity of military resolution in the moment of painful death. This figure, were it original, would do the sculptor the highest honour. It is however a copy. On account of the execution, it would be unseemly to regret the want of uniformity in the costume. Why is the dying French soldier naked when the British General and the Highlander are correctly clothed in their proper garb ? surely it is not the custom of the British army to strip the slain ! —Or does the artist mean this for an allegorical figure of Gallic power thus conquered and compelled to Lite the ground? In no manner whatsoever will it agree with the rest of the group : though I must acknowledge that the worst that cam be said of it is, that it is too good for the rest. The Highlander's left hand might surely have been better placed than under the thigh of the General. The animation of sentiment is lost in such a regular method of helping a wounded man from his horse. A common servant would assist his master in that manner, but an affectionate servant, a warm-hearted Highland soldier, would clasp his commander with less cere mony, and would thereby impress the beholders with more com miseration. The sphinxes are clumsy, and are perhaps designed to be spee cimens of Egyptian sculpture. They do no accord with the group above them. Indeed the pedestal dues not sufficiently elevate the monumental group above them, and they have the appearance of something more than mere auxiliary figures. The pedestal ought to have had more of the Egyptian character. With all its faults, this is nevertheless a finely wrought per formance. With respect to secondary considerations, such as the turns of limbs, the ttow of drapery, the markings of features, and corporeal muscles and sinews, it is highly finished, and must he regarded as a piece of workmanship almost unrivalled in modern (lines. But as a whole, as a massive and interesting piece of sculpture, ns a group which the pathetic powers of ge nius might have exhibited to the feelings of a British public, it is certainly very defective. Whatever sensibility the sight of this monument may awaken, that sensibility will be inure due to the melancholy and never-to-he-forgotten occncion that gave it rise, than to any pettims emanating from the mind of the sculls tor. CH I RON. The Life of the Great John, Duke of Marlborough, which Bonaparte has sent to the present Duke, is perhaps the only remaining - example of a few.copies printed upon vellum paper, and bound in a most superb manner, by or der of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, in order to' be presented to the different monarchs of Europe. Ore of the ornaments, on which much expence and labour had been bestowed, was transmitted by the Duchess to the King of France; and as this original and splendid edition is now extremely scarce, Bonaparte has returned to the family of Marlborough the copy which was deposited in the French National Library. The work was written by Mallet. the Poet, who received mow. from the Duchess of Marlborough, as a reward for his labour. THE NATIONAL REGISTER.'