The National Register.
London, England, 1811-12-01 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

SlR—Your having already done me the honour of inserting
several communications made by me on various subjects of Art,

emboldens me to suppose that you will perhaps not think the
following altogether unworthy your observation, at least as far
as it may tend to lead your attention to a subject which some
how or other seems to have escaped your notLe ; the subject I
allude to, has appeared in a Weekly Paper of the 17th of this
month, under the title of " Fiue Arts;" or a Monument of
Lord Nelson, now bringing forward byßenjaminWest,Esq. ; and
perhaps you will pardon me, when I inform you, that I thought
it right to communicate my ideas in a letter to the Editor of that
Paper—first, rather than to you, because I could not suppose
that curious article could possibly be produced from the pen of
any Editor, and I considered it fair that lv should have an op-
portunity of correcting so erroneous and singular a description
as was given of that work ; and as I took some pains to set
that Gentleman right, with respect to the history of the origin
and progress of that wonderful performance, I did imagine he
might have deigned to notice that hint, especially as I asked
for correction, if I was in error.

What, Sir, can it be true, that the President of the Royal
Academy is doing that, which, if it is to have the effect which
is placed to its account in that Paper, must tend to sap the
interests of the Arts in this country to their very vitals ?
Had I ventured to give my orinion on the late work of that
Gentleman, so celebrated in public prints, I should presently have
been favoured with the old hint, " Shoemaker stick to your
Last." But as the President of the Royal Academy, by profes-
sion a Painter, has ventured on the Sculptor's art, I am sure
that the same indulgent public will glow me all the favour I
ask, that is to say, read me and condemn me if I deserve it.
The chief fault I find with that beautiful description is, that
it is not true, and therefore I am not willing to suppose that
it comes from the comptrollership of Mr. J. Sealy, the ge-
nius of Mr. West, or the art which I know is possessed in an
eminent degree by Mr. Panzetta, and in order to your forming
a proper judgment of the merits of that performance, I shall
beg leave to submit as much as I know to be fact, relating to
that Prodigy of Art. A small model of a Basso Relieeo, for one
of the pediments of Greenwich Hospital, was made by a genius
of the first rate, who has, / will not say fur want of encourage-
ment, lately le ft this country, I mean that excellent Sculptor,
Mr. De Vare, the person who executed the Frontispiece of the
Life Insurance Office, in Lombard-street. From the above-
mentioned model, a large Basso Relievo was undertaken by Mr.
Panzetta, who is a regular Sculptor, and a man who has had
very extensive practise in all the branches of that principal Art,
that 41.1 which Painters in vain attempt. How much, there-
fore, of the merit of that work belongs to Mr. West, I shall
leave for some more able pen than mine to record, and am con-
fident, that the description given of it in the Paper alluded to,
is altogether erroneous. I shall not intrude further at present,
than merely to state, that as we have lately been honoured by the
attachment of a Professor of Sculpture to our Academy of Arts,
I believe the only Gentleman who bears that title in Europe, I
trust the Professor will condescend to favour the public, and
particularly us Artists, with his sentiments on that undertaking ;
but if that should not fortunately be the case, and that no other
person will undertake the task, I will venture to trouble you
again with a few remarks, should I observe that this hint is
thought worthy of filling a place in your useful Paper.
I cannot perceive that my name will be of the least conse-
quence. but as I am not ashamed, neither will I withhold it if
you should deem it at all necessary.

But for the present chaff beg to subgeribe myself your obliged
lilervnut, an ENGLISH SCULP TOR.

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