The Press.
London, England, 1857-10-24 00:00:00

verse argument. As to the concluding line of
the above extract, it is true enough, not how-
ever because negative is more " suitable " than
positive proof to matters of taste, but because
no other can be had in the present state of
our knowledge. If Mr. Wilkins can demon-
strate the beauty of a picture, the world will
be very much obliged to him to show it the
way.

He has, by the way, gone so far as to " de-
monstrate " the " line of beauty," which he
does after the following fashion :
Now the forms which are acknowledged by common
consent and the criticism of ages to be the most beautiful
are those found in a perfect human figure, and the ocean-
wave.

Reduced to its simplest elements, I have found this form
in the opposite arcs of two equal circles continued in one
line, the arcs being formed from either end of any lino
with a radius of one-sixth of the circumscribing circle.
This line so formed I regard as the true line of beauty ;
it runs through the whole of nature, and will always be
found in every object of a beautiful character, speaking of
course with reference to beauty of form only—hence its
name.

You wiil, therefore, do well to note the frequency of this
line in a picture; and be assured that where it is not to
be found naturally, the ugly (or lumpy) will predominate.
This is not expressed with much accuracy,
and it would be puzzling to construct the line
of beauty from such a description. How can
part of a circle, which must necessarily be
a curved line, be a radius? and why take
one•sixth of the circumference, when bisect-
ing the diameter would save all the trouble of
measurement? What Mr. Wilkins probably
means to say is, " the line subtending the arc of
" one-sixth of the circumference "—which is a
more exact account, but still a circuitous
method. However, his diagram on the frontis-
piece will make the line of beauty, we must
not say plain, but intelligible enough.

The most valuable part of the book is
the portion relating to vehicles and pigments,
and wo give some extracts, the information in
which may be new to our readers:

I shall conclude this letter with a brief detail of the
principal substances, permanent and deleterious, which
enter into the composition of the majority of modern
works of art, affecting their durability and consequent
value.

The first of these is " permanent white," a finer pre-
paration of the common white paint of commerce.
This being the representative of light in Nature, enters
into every colour more or less in a picture; the can-
vas ground of the picture, also, is usually of this sub
stance.

Now lead has the property of absorbing carbon and
hydrogen from the atmosphere and oil in the painting, so
that this preparation from the acetate of lead has the ten-
dency to return to its metallic base. Hence one chief
source of the after-darkening of all works prepared with it.
Lead also turns dark when excluded from the light,
which retards this darkening ; so that a picture so painted
will not admit of being shut up.
You may have often noticed the dark patch on a wall
painted with lead on which a picture or other object has
been placed for some weeks ; this is owing to the same
cause.

All works, then, painted with lead or its preparations
must be fugitive, unless when kept under thick and strong
varnish (also objectionable, as I will hereafter show), or
in strong light and air perfectly free from carbon or hydro-
gen, restrictions which obviously exclude such works from
our cities and apartments.

But supposing the picture to be under the most favour-
able conditions as regards lead, if it contain a particle of
vegetable and animal pigments, such as the lakes, gam-
boge, indigo, or Indian yellow, common daylight alone
will be sufficient to alter it in a few years.

Works, then, painted with lead or its preparations,
vegetable colours, Prussian blue, and those from copper,
can only be valued as scene-paintings ; and any excellence
they may possess can, unless under rare and peculiarly
favourable circumstances, only be of temporary duration,
no matter by whom executed.
Those who have seen Turner's later works
will recollect how many of them are beginning
even now to exhibit the pernicious blackness
which results from the uses of these legiti-
mate vehicles. It is said, indeed, that ho
once painted an oil picture in great part with
body colour, which picture the unfortunate
purchaser was for some reason or other in-
duced to wash. Of course it was ruined ; but
Turner would not repair it, and only Raid,
" What business had you to wash my (!j pie-
" ture ?" If Mr. Wilkins saves any connois-
seur from being taken in by painters who
have Turner's -- well, emoutrieity --
without his genius, ho will have (toile some
good servioo,