The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-21 00:00:00

" THE VICTORY " AT GIBRALTAR.
[SECOND NOTICE.]

It was recently our gratifying duty, as among the
more humble it may be, but at any rate also among
the more watchful observers of the pro
gress
made in the National Schools of Art, to comment
upon the varied merits of this really remarkable
masterpiece—still submitted to public examination
at 23, Cockspur-street, by the Messrs. Agnew and
Sons of Manchester. Another visit to the room
in which the original painting continues to be "on
view"has enabled us to sit in judgment, as it were,
over the assumed accuracy of our first impressions.
Those earlier opinions in regard to the picture we
are now more than ever disposed to regard as v 4
indeed,,
far, from having been crudely formed,
hastily adopted, or founded merely upon what may
be termed, for want of some better phrase, histo-
rical partialities and artistic prepossessions.
Apart from the manifold prejudices resulting
not unnaturally, and, it may have been, at
the time quite unconsciously, from the inspirit-
ing associations connected with the subject
here treated with such consummate skill br
the hand of our great sea painter—apart from the
influence of those associations, we do believe that
this notable picture of " The Victory," as it ap.
peared on the evening of the 28th of October, 1805
(nearly half a century byegone), when towed, with
the body of Nelson on board, into the bay of Gib.
raltar, is a work of art in all respects eminently
worthy of Mr. Stanfield's reputation. It must be
regarded as such, we conceive, oven when consi-
de red—if it can, be so considered—apart from its
historical and heroical associations. Viewed, we
mean, simply as a representation of one of
the aspects of nature as a wonderful delinea.
tion of sea and sky' with a rocky headland
as the background, and the time selected, the
evening when a gale of wind has but very
recently subsided. . Regarded simply in this
light, the painting must, we conceive irresistibly
command our admiration. But, embracingi the
loftier associations of the picture in our examinse.
tion of its beauties, that admiration for it, so to
speak, in the abstract—as a limning from the face
of Nature—is marvellously and appreciably en.
hanced. Remembering, that is to say, that the
scene is the impregnable Gibraltar—the date the
morrow of the most glorious sea-fight of England
—the incident the towing of the " Victory"- into
shelter, the battered hull of the great war-ship
bearing on board the remains (literally the remains,
shorn of an arm, 'reft of an eye, and scarred by
a hundred noble wounds) of the darling hero of
Britain—Nelson of the Nile and Trafalgar ! The
promised engraving from this masterpiece has
already so far advanced under the hands of Mr .
John Cousen that an impression of the etching
may now be seen by those who visit the apartment
in which the original picture still continues on
exhibition. As an etcher, Mr. Cousen reveals in
this plate a skill in the handling of the needle truly
marvellous. The work, even as far as it has yet
proceeded, is worthy of an artist facile princeps
among the lino engravers of his generation. The
light and sparkle of the whole performance entitles
him to all commendation—whether it be in regard
to the drifting and scattering glories of cloud-
land, or to the undulation and transparency of
the billowing water. Scarcely anything is want.
ing to complete the illusion beyond colour,
and here and there even that is wonderfully
implied by the magical graduations of shadow, the
fluctuations or alternations of "shine and shade"
—not less ingenious in effect than the perspective
revealed through that diaphanous atmosphere.
Everything promises, indeed, that the genius dis•
played in the original picture by the great sen
painter will be emulated, as far as the limits of s
lessor art will admit, by that of the distinguished
line engraver to whom the difficult task of copying
the scene upon metal has, fortunately both for M.
J Stanfield and for the subscribers, been most udi•
ciously entrusted.

LITERATUBE.

Recollections of my Military Life._
^By Colonel

Landmami. 2 -vols. Hurst ind BLickett.

These volumes form the second part of the his-
tory- of Colonel Landmann's adventures ; the first
portion having been published some time since.
They are what their name implies—not a connected
narrative, and not personal memoirs, but recollec-
tions of striking or entertaining incidents, full of
variety and interest. There are anecdotes of peace
and war, and some narrow escapes and perilous
exploits. One of these occurred at a great powder
magazine at Rozier Bay. As the writer was passing
by he thought to his horror that he discovered a
smell of burning. Having aroused the store-
keeper, at the risk of their lives they entered, and,
after a few moments of terrible anxiety they dis-
covered a burning match actually in the magazine.
They were fortunately in time to remove it before,
an explosion, and had thus been the moans of
preventing a terrible calamity. Another anecdote
is the dilemma in which Colonel Landmann was
placed by dining on board a ship that was appointed
to sail for the West Indies with the first change of
wind. He was not aware of the strict regulation
that existed that no one was allowed to leave the
ship after the evening gun was fired. He was com-
pelled to wait that night on board, and was aroused
at daybreak by hearing that the wind had changed
and the ship was preparing to start for her voyage.
He was in despair, thinking his prospects were
ruined for life, when a small boat passing under
the stern of the ship, he swung himself over the
side, regardless of all rules and regulations, and
escaped the threatened exile. Those who find
amusement in these volumes will be glad to find a
promise at the conclusion that the third part, which
contains many details connected with Junot's army,
is in course of preparation.