The Press.
London, England, 1853-07-23 00:00:00

Edinburgh Review for July, No.CXCIX. London

Longman and Co.
THE " blue-book " of parliamentary literature is
proverbially dull to general readers, though very
useful and necessary to those who examine social
questions. This current number of the Edinburgh
Review is all " blue-book" without any " buff" in it,
and it is, we think, the dullest number that has ever
appeared of that celebrated journal. The recent
editorial change has been decidedly for the worse ;
and in the ill-chosen subjects of discussion, and the
heavy manner in which they are treated, we see
something like the symptoms of " a decline and fall"
in this noted party organ. One of the great merits
of Lord Jeffrey's editorship was his giving variety to
its articles, and infusing a spirit of novelty and fresh-
ness into the discussion of standing topics. How
differently things are managed now Books so long
"out" as "The Lives of the Devereuxes," and
" Lord Grey's Colonial Policy," are the subjects
for three long essays, and there is no literary
merit of any kind in the style in which these
works are discussed. Nor do the very heavy and
inconclusive treatises on " India" and " China"
sustain the reputation of the journal. " The Aus-
trian Court in the Eighteenth Century" offered a
good theme to a reviewer, but the essay is as heavy
as if it were written by an alderman. There is one
very readable article on account of its subject—" The
French Navy"—in which the "Enguite Parlementaire
sur la Marine Militaire," printed but " not published"
by the late National Assembly of France, is examined
at great length. In another part of our journal we
may discuss this subject, and in the meantime we
may express our hopes that the Edinburgh will not
decline in talent. We like seeing the standard of
literary merit kept high, and we would sooner see
the Edinburgh Review cease from publication alto-
gether than continue to expose itself to contemptuous
criticism, us in the present and some recent numbers.

How do I kno►n that the Bible ix True? By W.
Bramston. London: Wertheim and Macintosh.
A TRACT of four pages—plain, sensible, earnest, and
likely to do good.

ART PUBLICATIONS.
The Fairy Library—" Hop o' My Thumb " and "The
Seven-league Boots." By George Cruikshank.
London: Bogue.
Wno says 6. C. is washed out? To our mind 6. C.
is stronger than ever; and here, where he works on
a smaller canvas with a theme which allows him
play for his fancy, he is absolutely unrivalled. Take
the row of little night-capped heads on the frontis-
piece, the grotesque forest in which " Hop o' My
Thumb " and his brethren are abandoned by their
excellent parents, the visage of the Giant Ogre at the
discovery of these small specimens of " fresh meat,"
the respective locomotion of the giant and Hop o'My
Thumb in the " Seven-league Boots," and the
respectful obeisance of the said " Boots " when pre-
sented to his Majesty, a touch of diablerie worthy
of Thomas Ingoldsby; and we can say that, taken
together, these illustrations are among the happiest
services of art to the great nursery interest. We are
happy to see that this is but one of a classic series,
of which the next specimen will be the immortal
"Jack and the Bean-stalk."

BOOKS RECEIVED SINCE 01'11 LAST PERLICATION.
lAN At liirsog. By tt..l. t'a hy. B. Bentley.
One rulitit History 1,, I$Z,2. C. and .1. Adlard.
It in the Idol. By the 1•003 es.
1101. Virtue, and Co.
.ldrenturtaol a Lady in Tartan,. My Mrs. Hervey.
Hope and Co.
11-ilfroi de Lisle. Hope wad Co.
rang/meg /farrow Xrriamm J. W. Parker and Son.
t 'hands of SeoHand Mayazate, July. llwll, Virtue, and Co.
Series oJ French Literature. No. 1. .1. Croekford.
Wallachia and Moldavia. A Pamphlet. A. Ireland and Cv.

THE PRESS.

JULY 23, 1833.

Sint istts.

phis pictures that Sir William fears danger to art, I
especially at the present moment, when a certain
school are endeavouring, by their scrupulous attention
to detail, to revive the practice and ias they hope)
the excellences of the early masters.
Now, in spite of the labours of this school, we beg
to observe that we think there is as yet little danger
that over-finish should become a common defect in
our exhibitions. The tendency of the public taste is
to admire " generali-af ," as far as it is consistent
with tolerable truth ; and on the part of the artist
there must always be a strong bias (especially when
his fume is established and orders multiply) to em-
ploy as little labour as will satisfy the public.
As to the degree of minuteness with which► the details
of nature may be copied, there has always been, and
always will be, among artists a difference of theory
and of practice. While different schools admit the
same general principles of art. in the application of
those principles, there is a wide debatable field open
for discussion. We do not see that the dispute is in
the least affected by photography.
We have not heard that the school to which we
have alluded have derived any fresh impulse from the
study of photography; nor do we see how they can
quote its results in their defence. The minuteness
of detail given by even the host photographic view
is far less distinct than that of Nature herself; nor
can we see any objection to copying the forms deli-
neated by the lens which would not apply to drawing
from the natural objects.
An artist who should habitually and systematically
substitute for the study of nature the study of pho-
tographic views, imperfect as they are now, and im-
perfect as in some respects they must ever remain,
would, indeed, commit a blunder which we need not
qualify till we hear that some one has actually eom-
, miued it. It is only as an auxiliary in the study of
nature that we think photography, whether with a
well or ill adjusted lens, can be of service to the ar-
tist.

APPLICATION OF P HOT OG RAPHY TO ART.
Is acknowledging a communication from Sir William
Newton, last week, on the application of Photography
to Art, we promised to give a further consideration
to his method of taking studies for the use of the
artist with a purposely ill-adjusted lens.
Sir William seems a little displeased with our hint
that he would have done well to reserve for his
brother artists the explanation of his plan, and he
reminds us that he expressly stated his remarks were
addressed to artists alone. Undoubtedly he did so
state ; but as they were read to the Photographical
Society, and published in their journal, he must not
be surprised that his photographical friends, as well
as ourselves, paid more attention to what he did than
to what he said, and that, accordingly, his meaning
was misunderstood, anti the time of the society was
wasted in discussions foreign to their main object.
If the reader wishes to form an idea of the view
of nature which Sir William's method would present,
let him take his opera-glass without adjusting it to
his sight, and look round his apartment, or let him
adopt a simple device well known to all who sketch
from nature, and, half shutting his eyes, let him
look through his eyelashes. He will thus obtain a
general view of the light and shadow, undisturbed
by sharpness of outline and complexity of detail ; in
fact, by a sort of practical abstraction, he will le
able to divert his attention from all other elements
of the scene before him, and to concentrate it on
what is technically termed the " effisct." But it
must not be forgotten that the view thus obtained
will not be identical with the picture produced by Sir
William's ill adjusted lens till the art of photography
is brought to absolute perfection. In its present
state, aerial perspective is (generally speaking) en•
tirely defective ; and we have, in our former remarks,
explained how the different degrees of intensity ADELP II I TI I EAT RE.
possessed by the differently-coloured rays, and the
Os Wednesday evening a travestie of Sardanapahis
excessive power of sunlight compared with that of
was produced at this theatre. Like its prototype at
the local colour and the reflected light, combine to
the Priucess's, it is excellently got up, with clever
make photography a very imperfect guide in chiaros-
curo. We must not without the greatest caution dances, =militias and countennarchings, brilliant
new dresses, and scenery sufficiently well painted.
admit a photographic picture as evidence in any dis-
Of the author's merits we cannot speak favourably.
Anted point of light and shadow. We cannot, for in-
He has given us a certain sprinkling of tolerable and
stance, allow that photographic views of inteiiors jus-
intolerable puns, but nothing else. The story of the
tify Rembrandes strong lights violently contrasted
original is not followed, and that which is substituted
with deep shadows, which are hardly relieved by any
is meaningless; and, except in MissWoolgar's " dream"
reflected light at all. It is true that such are the effects
of an encounter with a cabman, and in the car of
these views present, but this result is solely owing to
Sardatuipalus, which is drawn by two of those cylin-
the imperfeetion of the art. The highlights are over-
drical steeds dappled with round red wafers, and
done by the action of the lens on the sensitive surface,
with tail and mane of rabbit-skin, hallowed in the
while the variations in the shadows are scarcely
memories of infancy, there were no bits of genuine
marked. Now, none of the deficiencies we have men-
burlesque. it was posvely painful to see Mr.
tioned are obviated by Sir William's method ; and
Keeley struggling to be amusing in a part, which
though we are quite willing to admit, on his judg-
defied even his power. We are bound to say that
merit, that the pictures he produces by it are highly
the audience appeared greatly pleased with the
suggestive to the artist, wo must object to their
piece ; and it is quite possible that the manner in
being quoted as authority, or considered as the
which the burlesque is got up, as well as the popu•
faithful transcript of the chiaroscuro of any actual
rarity of the subject. held up to ridicule, will ensure a
scene. considerable success.
In outline we presume Sir William does not pro-
pose to derive any advantage from his method. The PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
universal indistinctness of a view purposely thrown Os Wednesday last a new farce entitled Chesterfield
out of focus may, indeed, resemble some of Turner's Thinskin was produced at this theatre. In the Ilia-
later pictures, but it entirely contradicts the truth of logue of this piece there is a certain quaintness, but
nature, which is equally violated by too much outline the utter absence of anything like a plot or motive
and too little. It is, indeed, a common fault, espe- for action is quite curious. A most, patient mid in-
(gaily of young artists, to present too distinctly the dulgent audience, with every disposition to be amused,
boundary lines of every object—a fault which gives listened during three quarters of an hour in the ever-
to their most finished pieces the effect of a mere battled hope of something or another happening upon
sketch. Bat we do not see how it can be corrected the stage ; but as nothing did happen, except two
by studying nature when reduced to a general haze kicks vigorously applied by Mr. Harley to two ser-
by a defective optical arrangement. If we wished vants. after the time-honoured fast ' of the Christ-
to convince the young student how much of the out- mas clown, the curtain fell to very faint applause and
line is confused and lost in every natural scene and considerable expression of disapprobation. All praise
in every truly artistic representation of that scene, we is due to Mr. Harley for the unflagging spirit and
would not refer him to Sir Edwin Landseer's "Chit- energy with which he did his work ; indeed, but for
dren of the Mist," where the accidental effect of fog his exertions, and that respect which a London
is so admirably rendered, by an universally-blended audience invariably pays to an old favourite, the
and softened outline, but rather to the pieces of still piece must have come to an untimely end. In a
life by the Dutch and Venetian masters, who have theatre like the l'rincess's, where so much is said
so wonderfully portrayed Nature under her ordi- and written about the representation of plays with
nary aspect, by faithfully painting all that they saw "proper dramatic effect," it seems, to say the least,
and nothing they could not see. On the other hand, we extraordinary that all the pieces lesser importance
do not see how photographic views taken in the usual should be so carelessly dressed and put on the
way can injure the study of art by the sharpness of their stage. This habitual neglect breeds a suspicion in
outlines. lf, indeed, the outlines which are blended the minds of unprejudiced observers that no trouble
and lost in nature were given clearly and distinctly or expellee is bestowed unless Mr. and Mrs. Kean
by a well-adjusted lens, too mach could not be said themselves enact the principal parts, or unless the
against the use of such a lens by the artist but no line production of the piece with elaborate dresses and
can be strongly defined in a photographicistudy which decoration is deemed likely to put money into the
is not so defined in nature; and, if the detail sometimes manager's pocket. Mr. Kean so ostentatiously relies
appears too sharply drawn (especially in pictures upon his reputation for correct stage costume, that we
taken in sunlight), this must be attributed to the assume, as a matter of course, that he personally
imperfect chiaroscuro, and the want of demi-tint supervises the whole department. If, therefore, he
which we have already remarked. has not sufficient "esthetic" power to observe his
We apprehend, however, that it is chiefly from the fellow-men, let him for a while abandon the inven-
minuteness of the detail exhibited by photogra- tion of hypothetical antiquities, and, by a very small

'At puma.

tunount of research into the widely disseminated met
of " Moses and Son," clothe Messrs. Meadows and
Chester in dresses which have, at an events, ROMP
approximation to the ordinary garb of Englishmen
of the present day. Were these gentlemen to appear
out Aide the theatre in the daytime as fantastically
attired as they were on Wednesday night, they would
speedily be attended by so large a retinue of " young
oxford-street" as would probably consign them to a
police-station for refuge. The wig, too, with which
Mr. Addison's head was decorated bore no reaem..
blame to any human scalp, si►d must have been
bought at the sale of the effects of some insolvent
manager of a penny theatre.
_ _ _

GERMAN PLAYS.
SINCU our last report the German company have
continued their performances to good though not
overflowing houses. Donnas Diana is borrowed in a
great measure from the comedy, Isl Deaden eon el
Deaden, written by the Spaniard Moretti. The per-
fonmince of this play, upon the whole, produced but
little impression; for the acting, though in some re-
spects very remarkable, was too conventional to
secure the audience from the feeling* of weariness
whteh the want of action and excellence of construc-
tion brought upon them. Schiller's Wilhelm Tell
was a litel' more satisfactory performance as regards
all parties concerned. This play is, in our judgment,
the best of the author's dramatic works, and though
it is open to the charge of a certain heaviness and
dulness inseparable, perhaps, front almost all plays
of the class, its representation is nevertheless full
of interest to those who hold the drained.' art in high
estimation. Devrient's performance of the hero's
part was very fine. This character suits his pecu-
liarities and his personal appearance, and it would be
difficult to find a more efficient representative of the
part. On Wednesday Hamlet was performed, and
last night Othello. The Shaksperian performances
of the Cowman company are of so much importance,
and deserve such attentive consideration, that we
shall reserve our notice of them until next week.

gtusit.