The Sun.
London, England, 1828-04-25 00:00:00

LITER.kTURE.

FOREIGN REVIEW.—No. IL

This is a spirited and intelligent number; which,
however, would have been considerably improved if
not a few of the articles, especially the one " On
the Papal Dominion in Spain," had been condensed.
The " History of Italian Painting" is reviewed in a
style of pleasant, sketchy criticism. There is little
novelty about it—few profound remarks that indi-
cate any enlarged acquaintance with the subject, but
just enough vivacity of manner and strong assump-
tion to render it amusing. We quote the Reviewer's
analysis of two well-known painters, as a specimen
of his light and superficial mode of cativassing their
claims to celebrity. The reader will see in it nothing
but what he has known before. Nevertheless the
criticism is an agreeable one :
" At some distance, in point of time, followed Salvator
Rosa; a man of very various and vigorous powers, who
had a spirit wiid and dark, and loved savage woods, desert
nooks, eaverned shores, ruined castles, and, indeed, all
places where nature appeared in distress, dilapidated, and
dishevelled. No one knew the art so well how to 'teach
light to counterfeit a gloom :' his very sunshine had some-
thing terrific in it. In all his works, and they are many,
he displays singular freedom and dashing ease of execution,
harmony of colour, and sense of effect. His picture, by
his own hand, in the Chigi gallery, marks the man. Be
is sitting amidst a savage landscape, with a Satyr by
his side.

" Gaspar Poussin was the companion of Rosa, but only
resembled hint in rapidity of execution : they would
imagine a landscape, paint it vividly out, and decorate it
with figures—all in one day, Poussin selected,' says
Lanzi, the most enchanting scenes, and the most beauti-
ful aspects of nature; the graceful poplar, the spreading
plane trees, limpid Istintain.s, verdant meads, gently un-
dulating hills, villas delightfully situated—calculated to
dispel the cares of state, and add to the delights of retire-
ment. He composed ideal landscapes in the same way
that Tasso, in describing the garden of Armida, concen-
trated in his verses all the recollections of the beautiful
which he had observed in nature. Notwithstanding this
extreme passion for grace and beauty, it is the opinion of
many, that there. is not a greater name amongst landscape
painters. His genius had a natural fervour, and, as we
may say, a language, that suggests more than it expresses.'
We have little to deduct from, and nothing to add to, the
judicious praise of Lanai. A more eminent name demands
our attention—Claude Lorraine. He was the prince of
landscape painters, and had
a poetic feeling for all that
was beautiful, and calm, anti lowly. His pictures refresh
our very sight as we gaze upon them ; and the suns which
he admits to lighten up his trees and his fields, and Lis
running streams and quiet lakes, seem to love to shine for-
their sake."
" Goethe's Helena is a very superior review,- and,
whoever be its author, shows at every page the master
hand. It sets forth and concludes in a high
strain of elogium towards the venerable author of
Faust, and ranks him—whether justly or not, we
will not take upon ourselves to say—among the
very first spirits of the age. The specimens of trans-
lation with which the analysis of Helena is thicklyhatel
ai.
studded, are rendered w ith c
briand's Latest Productions" is a pungent sa •
tirical comment on the flimsy trash (in the shape
of morals, travels, and books of devotion), of this
arch-quack—the Corypheus of maudlin senti-
mentalists : those who wish to have a proper idea
of the Viscount's mind, should read the article with
attention. The remaining criticisms—more parti-
cularly the smaller ones at the end of the number—
are well worth a more minute analysis than our
limits will allow us to bestow on them. Indeed the
whole number, as we observed before, is highly cre-
ditable to the taste and diligence of the Editor.