The National Register.
London, England, 1814-05-15 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

MAY 15.

TINE ARTS.

ROYAL ACADEMY. SOMERSET-HOUSE.

No. 177. T. M. W. TURNER, R. A, has presented the

ptibiic with one of the finest landscapes we have ever ad-
mired since the days of Claude ; it is called in the catalogue
jrneas and Dido, but this historical transaction is entirely-
subordinate to the grand composition to which it gives a
name. One of the most beautiful objects which nature has
conceived and brought into existence for the admiration of
men, for the delight of his eve, and the grateful vibrations of
his heal t, k undoubtedly the rising of the sun, the majestic
ascent of the fiery b above the half enlightened horizon and
the beautiful accidents iight which :tenet ally accompany this
glowing and splendid scene—of all the Fine Arts, painting
alone has dared, and indeed alone can attempt to exemplify
it. And we are not saying too much in praise of the
academecinn, when we assert that this production will secure
him a plate tot ever in the temple of the chrom2tic
muse. Were we to leave aside the composition of the land-
scape—the distances so harmoniously blended with the
kissing lips of the horizon ;" the richness of architectural
fibrics, of bridges, or temples, of scattered cities with their
pyramids and towers and spires ; the skies alone with their
fold ft inged clouds, the expanse of light bursting upon the
creation, ere the majestic god of day appears in the fulness
of his splendour, would certainly be sufficient to call forth
- zinceigned tokens of admiration—and we are enthusiastically
prompted to say with an ancient poet,
"The topaze sky, tinged with the roty hoe,
The saphire hilts, the pearly drops of dew,
'the flr‘er log, fleecy clouds that flee apace
Bi.fore the bright, lovely fare
Of him fi om whom the whole creation craves
Both light 41:d life "
all are here and ,!tine in a most masterly manner. We would
Le but the echo of others if we wet e to find fault with the
very exceptionable figures on the foreground—a parcel of
leaves, or flowers, or high coloured broken logs of wood would
have had the same etrec!, without being liable to censure.
D..WILKIE, R. A. The. Refusal, No. 118.-133, by the
same, the Letter of Introduction.—We are sorry, very sorry to
say, that this eminent anti-t in these two pieces, fallen
very short indeed of what we expected from him. But !he
moon has her phases, the •on his sPots, • and we doubt not
but the next production f!om this master will make full com-
pensation for what the public seem to lack here.
J. NO ItT 116). T is., R. A. The fudgement 3f Solomon, with a
song biblical quotation, No. 183. Ilad Solomon knoWn our
friend Norrheote, he never would have expected to be
caricatured by him in such a vub4ar peisbnification. •
(To -le rontinut

The Duke of Wellington at rived on Wednesday sc'nnight
at Paris ; and in the eveping Was present at a grand ball given
by Sir C. Stewart. Tlie Emperors eif Austria and Russia,
the Kings of Fr: nee and Prussia, honoured the fete with
their breSence. liesitie's these illustrious personages, the
company consi,tPAl of nearly 700 persons, and comprised the
individuals of every country, assembled'at the time in Pa-
ris, who were must distingui,lied fn; their rank, talents,

and services. %Viten the Duke entered, the dancing
:instantly ceased ; be'becaine the exeusive object ofattrac-
tion ; whithersoev4 he in-61, cd, the company follbwed in
crowds, atixi.us to view the great man, whose genius had
chiefly raised the continent from the rn6st abject state of
servitude, to the suprenie* independance it enjoys at present.
Grace walked for a considerable time through the apart-

317

meats, accompanied by Marshal Blucher and Count .Platoir,
who laid hold of his arms The Fiend) Marshals, who
were present, pressed round the Duke of Wellington with
the strongest marks of respect, and seemed anxious to 'hew
that all recollections of former hostility were extinguished
in admiration of his transcendant abilities. His Grace and
h. Duke dc Berri went to the Opera the next day. On
entering the house, shouts of VivelVellirean .1 were min.
gled with those of Vivent les Bauriteln.s and when they
i ed, the ‘t Hcro of England" (these a'e the words of the
Paris papers) was conducted to his carriage amid the ardent
and univrasal acclamations of the pnoplc.