The National Register. — London, England, 1813-02-21 00:00:00

F FAL FINE ARTS. BRITISH INSTITUTION. i" iniimommor•w _ every reason to hope that believe, that under these circumstances, I s : 1 ,111 not offend the public at large, by ire: king their support and pro- Warne—and while I f. el that I pmseas aose, I shall patiently submit to that specks of tatmanly per,ecution. which a female, so peculiarly situated, rnim always be slioject to Ever ready to acknowledge my deficiencies in every reTert, I trust I toss add . that I shall utter be found wanting in ca!,:lotir and gratitude—star forgetful of the venera tion that every individual sf.oold reel f3r the good opinion of the Pub lic. I remain, Sir, your intuit obliged humble servant, D. JORDAN. No. 10. The happy Village Family, by T. KIRKBY.— I Wherever we turn our eyes sit the rooms of the British In- stitution, we find pleasing and interesting, proofs of the wis dom and liberality of the Governors and other !rations, who ,1 have opened their piecious repositories of ancient paintings to the view and study of artists. Nature, we allow, is the hest Exemplar to copy after, yet no one denies that, to see her through the eyes and hands of the best masters in the art, is a great advantage to young performers, anti even to those who have long practised the mysteries of the pallet. We arc able to trace, through the veil of imitation, several 1 1 of the prodoctions, now hanging in the gallery, so far as their 1, original-sources in the Marquis of STAFFORD'S and other col lections, and it must be truly gratifying to his Lord-hip and others - to see their liberality so soon and so hopefully i epaid. Meconas made Virgil, Horace, and Ovid what they are, and he still breathes among ui in thcit works. Raphael and Mi chael Angelo, with the numerous phalanx of their imitators, have immortalized the Popes who employed their talents, I much mote efficaciously than the Vatican-thunderbolts have ever been able to do. Thus the fostering spirit, which ani mates our wealthy cotemporaries, wilt live for ever in the performances of those whom they will kave protected, en• couraged, and rewarded. If this is flattery, let us burn, on the iron altar of apathy, the guilty pen of gratitude. In the pretty interior now under consAcration, we cannot help finding an eager and not unsuccessful attempt at imitating the style of G caw RD Dow, as exemplified in that admirable picture lately engraved and in the poseession of the Noble Marquis above mentioned. We do not pretend to conrpare the one with the other, but.the tone of colouring, the effects of light and several agreeable passages, have kept our eye,. fused for some time upon a painting which affords us hope that the • manner of REmBR ANT. - ()STADE, Dow, and others arf the Flemish and Dutch Schools, will find, in thin island, many decent imitators and finis. - - No. 168. •Landscape, a composition, by A. AGLIO. , --It is, wish us, an undecided question, whether an artist is more en titled ;to praise for composing, than for copying nature in the bx.anch of landscape painting. This last require!, it lieetn4,4no more than the general power• of imitation, the other supposes invention, and consequently genius. The compo eition tis like an historical performance, the landscape re sernlales a mere family picture. The landscape after nature is.truth:as seen upon the spot; the composition is fancy 'brOught,to the likeness of truth. But the landscape will please every one w►ho knows the site, and even these who hive fret seen it, whilst t)le greatest claim of the composition tip only with the Connoisseurs and people of tryed taste and stirs knowledge. _ However- .the. Picture of Mr- Acta°, LER. 505 it beginning •of the fainoui roem sure t knowleuge. _ However, ADC. 'imam g i n vra •riupla W. F the Company, recartuiautlis 41/ auc s..‘. - - vihichAreminds us of the respectable name of CLAupz, is suit from the proposed extemion • and another Petition re• coOtled to a considerable share of aduar4tion. lative to the financial claims of the Compat) W3S also read; X 10.53 . • Love disarming the brave, by H. HowAltx A.A. it ' when, after a couvertaation of some length, in ad jou. n meet classical visitor Las forgotte* the lii4Otitul passage. in via* agreed to. THE NA. ; II6NAT, , REIM the address to Venus at t. of Lucretius ; it runs thus: ----suspiciens tereti cervt-e repcsta, Pascit amore avit'os Mi+jails 114 14 D.sa, virus, Lquc tuo peudet rest:polo spiritus ore. • De Nat. Rer. lib. 1 36. , . Oft, on thy beauteous breast, with head sApioc.4 Arid amorous c es fix's! on thy charms divine, In rapture lost, the (loci, whom Love bego:iles, things at thy lips and lives upon thy runes. . Z. Although 11Ir. 110'.% AID did not intend to make a fict simile of the scene as described by the Poet of Native, yet this performance reminds us . ef it. his outline is elegant and flowing ; his group well set, and the flight of (Avid gives animation to the lest, since it c:-.uses the exceLont attitude of the di , armcd wart ior. The colouring is in the best man ner of this well known Academician. No. 57. DeteCinga criminaleorrespadenrc, by L. Coss} . .. —if we read %veil the story here told, a suborned rascal of a Valet has been accessary to the guilty conduct of his mis tress, whose playing with the fan, and well-expressed embar rassment arc powei folly imlicative of her confusion and . shame. This at ti-.t is one of Mr. NV t LKt n's followers, but he must say a loci g- ireAligia aduro. His high finishing is laboured; his perspective not always congenial to the eye; and his colooriug generally too red. His powers are great. and 4.ppou them we have measured our criticism, persuaded that he will profit bv mar hints and forgive their severity. No. 55. the bagpiper, by D. WILKIE, B.A.—This small bijou deserves the strictest and nicest attention of the public. It iS not the style of REM RR ANT, Of OST ADE, of I)ow, or of t; It EUSE ) it is Mr. WI I. g.I E . S own, and the whole, as well as the detailed part, is touched with so much freedom and truth, that we do not wonder at several persons having said loudly in the room that " it is one of the best, if not the best of the excellent productions of his extraordi nary.hand." It is truly, admirable, and has, of course, al ready found - a man of real taste to purchase if. No. 116; Death 'of Eli, by EDWARD BIRD, A.R.A. —Once the rival of the Academician whom .we have just mentioned with so much pleasure, this Associate has lately abandoned the narrow sphere of " conversation" pieces, the company of " boors" antr" card players," even the draw ing-room where " the will" was read. Historical themes are now the sole study of his muse, and indeed he seems to be a sworn favourite with her. His last year's exhibition of " Chevy-chace" was justly admired, and his id Death of Eli" stands forth as a proof that be does not intend to lag on the toad to perfection. After this merited encomium, we hope. he will give us leave to observe that his drawing of one of the hands of Phineas's wife has been accused of incorrect ness ; that the horrid situation of this unfortunate 'woman might b;ive been placed less conspicuously, with much more advantage, and we must add, that she resembles too , much the principal female in his " ClrevY-chaee." It is reported that the Marquis of STAFFORD purchased it fur 500, guineas, (To be continued.) Miss PERROTT comes forward at the Haymarket for her mother's benefit. Report speaks of her as a lady. of consi derable pi oinise. Wednesday a Court of Directors and Proprietors was held at the India House, at which a draft of a -Petition 91 great length was read, giving a .view of the origin and progress of the Company, recapitulating all the grievances likely to re-