And Literary Museum: OR, WEEKLY MISCELLANY OF FINE ARTS, ANTIQUITIES, AND LITERARY CHIT CHAT. No. XXVII.] By Ephraim Hardcastle. A stamped Edition for Country Circulation, postage free, Price Tenpence. ROYAL ACADEMY EXHIBITION. A group of two children. COLLEGE LIBRARY [SIXPENCE. Hays fá, Lord Stowell.-The others undetermined when we viewed the gallery. M. A. Shee, R. A. also contributes the ultimate number Sir Anthony Carlisle, a fine half length, and a most faith- The Right Rev. Alexander Macdonell, Bishop of Rhoe- THE approaching annual exhibition at Somerset House, as usual at this season, begins to excite general public interest as the great national depository of the various labours in the different departments of art dur-ful ing the preceding year. We have been favored with a private view of many of the pictures prepared for exhibition; and from what we have been able to collect, the lovers of art may expect an interesting display of talent in every species of composition excepting the epic, for the absence of which the public cannot reasonably complain, as the general apathy for such elevated pursuits still prevails, to the reproach of the good taste of the British nation. On Tuesday and Wednesday last, the metropolitan chairmen were in general requisition, and all the streets and avenues north and west of the Strand were pouring in their tributary streams to the great graphic reservoir of Somerset House. When we look retrospectively, and recollect the same scene passing half a century ago, when our late venerable sovereign enquired with parental interest what was preparing for the honour of the national school which he founded; and awaking as it were from the fond reverie, and look about us and behold the active porters bearing to the old consecrated spot new tributes of genius, wrought by those who were then unborn, and from streets and squares then not existing, we sigh and think of our grey hairs and the friends of our youth. The great Reynolds lived to see the rising sun of that genius which now sheds its splendour from his illustrious chair. We may fancy that the spirit of the neglected Wilson would be appeased at the shrines of Turner and Calcott, and that of Hogarth would be seen serenely gliding from the study of Wilkie to that of the no less admirable Leslie; and how many genial spirits might not imagination invite from their sacred dormitories, alike fitting to many who fill the seats once filled by the venerable founders of our native school. W. Hilton, R.A. has sent to the Somerset House exhibition a beautiful and chaste composition, partly built on classic story. THE MUSES INSTRUCTING CUPID TO SING. SIR THOMAS LAWRENCE, P. R. A., as heretofore, patriotically supports the institution by the full compliment prescribed by the laws of the Royal Academy: eight pictures, (portraits) selected from the works of the last year, will appear in the catalogue: Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester. A child of the Marquess of Londonderry. VOL. II. The infant Bacchus, (a composition.) Miss E. Hornby, a very beautiful and interesting portrait. A Young Gentleman in a vandyck dress, a countenance of sweet expression. Henry Moffat, Esq. A Young Gentleman in a Spanish costume, the son of J. Jackson, R. A. contributes eight portraits:- Lady Normanby, the wife of the son of the Earl of Mul- The late Sir H. Blosset, Chief Justice of Bengal. The Bishop of Winchester, Prelate of the Order of the Garter. A most faithful resemblance, the head finely coloured. His Lordship is painted in the clerical robes of the Order. The Hon. General Phipps in regimentals. The brother Painted for the Sub-committee of that institution, to be Sir B. Hobhouse, Vice President of the Literary Fund. The Rev. Mr. Rawes, Master of the Kepier Grammar School at Houghton-le-Spring, Durham. This spirited their worthy preceptor in testimony of respect by the genhalf-length portrait is a subscription picture presented to tlemen who have been educated at this academy. The scholars have also raised a fund for an engraving from this picture in mezzotinto, by Mr. William Ward. We noticed in Mr. Jackson's gallery a portrait in progress of His Grace the Duke of Wellington, and do not remember to have seen so faithful a resemblance of this greatest general of the age. We believe it is intended as a head study for a whole length. We also saw three portraits, which it is to be regretted could not be completed in time for the ensuing exhibition, as they could not fail to have been regarded as a feature of particular interest at this epoch. These were the three scientific and enterprising captains, Parry, Franklin, and Lyon the latter, a most picturesque composition, in his dreadnought northern costume, a rough blue sea coat, and] Esquimaux gloves. We moreover recognised the faithful resemblance of Ca LONDON, APRIL 10, 1824. 16 nova, which Mr. Jackson painted con amore in Italy, and could not contemplate the benignant expression of his countenance, but with feelings of veneration and respect for the memory of so great and good a man. PORTRAIT OF COLONEL SIR JOHN FLEMING LEICESTER, BART. VALRY, ON THE SANDS AT LIVERPOOL. BY JAMES WARD, The colonel is in full uniform on a favourite grey charger, and the corps is represented skirmishing in the back ground; his aid de camp, a lancer, with his red and white standard, on a chesnut horse, is introduced with effect in connecting the principal figure with the distant group. The portrait is faithful. It is a cabinet picture, one of Sir John's late commissions, and is finished equal to the works of the Flemish school. masterly picture in any other gallery than that of the best animal painter in the world-yet unsold! To those, however, who feel sensibly for the honor of the British school, what must be the measure of their regret, on beholding, in the same gallery, that magnificent cattle-piece, with the bull the size of life, a work which no collection can match, thus left on the painter's hands? How strongly such a circumstance enforces the necessity for the establishment of a National Gallery, is too obvious to need further illustration. D. Wilkie, R. A., will not make a great figure this year. Two small pictures and a sketch, are the amount of his contributions. One, a very interesting composition from Allan Ramsay's unique pastoral, the "Gentle Shepherd," the passage where Jenny and Peggy are at their rustic toilet. There are two incidents of light in this highly finished little picture. One the morning grey, throwing a cool light on the two maidens, who are attiring before the window, the other in the back-ground, where old Symon, scated in the nook, receives a warm glow from the effect of the fire. This composition is beautifully illustrative of the poet. We understand that it is a commission picture, painted for his Grace the Duke of Bedford. SMUGGLERS ASKING SHELTER. Mr. Ward contributes his full compliment too, and the exhibition of 1824 will be enriched with some of the finest portraits of horses and other animals from his incomparable pencil that have ever added to the splendour of an ancient or modern picture gallery, among which the first in interest is indubitably that of old Copenhagen, the famous charger, who bore the Duke of Wellington through the perilous field of Waterloo-that long day. fifteen hours on his noble back. His Grace did not even alight for the first THE Scene represents a cottage, wherein is a man, his eight hours. This gallant animal, the battle ended--but wife, and a boy, whose consternation and embarrassment is not until then-ran away from the field. An hundred worvisible, on the sudden appearance of these dangerous inthies would have pursued; but no, his still more gallant truders. The characters are sustained with Mr. Wilkie's rider, to show his blood, pursued and caught old Copen-tation on the part of the cottagers, but the faithful dog, wonted discrimination. The spectator may imagine a hesihagen by the mane with his own martial hand. THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER! what a subject for a group in bronze! A CELEBRATED NEWMARKET RACER, THE PROPERTY OF HIS There is a composition of three brood mares, racers, belonging to the same stud, in Mr. Ward's gallery, which it is to be regretted could not be finished for this exhibition. It would have been a valuable acquisition to the collection of this year's works. Another most interesting portrait of an old hunter, the property of Unwin Heathcote, Esq. who for many years headed the field is intended for exhibition. This admirable painting has been made to perpetuate the memory of an aged servant. It was brought to London expressly to be pourtrayed by the pencil of Mr. Ward; and being entirely worn out and in misery, it was shot. RABBITS PURSUED BY FERRETS. This spirited little composition describes the burrows in a warren. A rabbit pursued by one of these ferocious vermin, is bounding with an energy, that is scarcely short of actual motion. The scene is truly characteristic. The sky seen through a sand-hole, is a happy trait of art. who holds no terms with unwelcome strangers, is disputing their entry. This, too, is worthy the pencil of this great observer of life and manners. There is also a sketch of Commodore Trunnion, on coloured paper, which is replete with character-it is the very personification of that singular and truly original commander, drawn with the pencil of Wilkie, from the prototype by the pen of Smollett. Mr. Wilkie may be well excused for contributing no more to the general fund of art this season, when it is recollected works, which are in a forward state of progress. One, His that he has been so ardently engaged on two elaborate Majesty George the Fourth, receiving the keys of Leith, in August, 1822, on his entrance into Scotland. A picture of great interest, from the number of distinguished portraits which it contains, as well as its being a magnificent graphic record of an event, that will be long proudly remembered in Scotland. The space for the sovereign is yet unoecupied. We understand his Majesty, with his usual consideration, desirous that Mr. Wilkie shall have sufficient opportunities to make the resemblance of his person at his ease, intends sitting to him as often as his studies may require. The other picture, in an advanced state, is John Knox, preaching his memorable sermon in the cathedral of St. Andrew. These works cannot fail to augment the reputation of this original artist, nor of adding new honours to the British school of art. SANCHO PANZA'S INTERVIEW WITH THE DUCHESS. BY MR. LESLIE. WE have been favoured with a view of a picture by this We dwelt with renewed pleasure on Mr. Ward's admirable gentleman, which, as a work of art, is greatly superior to portraits of the Esquimaux dog, that was brought from the any former productions of his intelligent and improving pennorth by Captain Parry. And we felt a renewal of our in-cil; and were we not restrained, on this and other occadignation, at the folly, not to say phrenzy, of the wanton sions, from saying all we could say, from having been adsacrifice of this rare animal, for the sake of his skin. The mitted behind the curtain, we would with pleasure go into picture, however, representing the interesting creature in a minute detail of its individual and collective merits. We so many positions, will perpetuate his resemblance, long may, however, describe the scene, and reserve our critical after the moths have destroyed the hide of this stuffed spe- notice to the opening of the exhibition. The Duchess is recimen of official Tom foolery at the British Museum. clining on a sofa, Sancho is seated before her on a stool. The Duenna is standing by her side. He is the very San We could not help secretly wishing that we had seen this cho of Cervantes. She is the Duchess which he drew. The treasure. Mr. Pickersgill, has finished a beautiful, novel, and very interesting composition, A Lady interpreting an Oriental Love Letter. These elegant epistles are composed of the treasures of Flora, each symbolic of some chaste thought, passion or sentiment, only to be developed by the inspiration of Cupid, from the whisperings of Hymen. The portraits are, His Grace the Duke of Norfolk, Lady Belgrave, Lord Belgrave, Evelyn Shiley, Esq. Arthur Stanhope, Esq. and Mrs. Delafield. Mr. Collins has sent four compositions, one Purchasing Cherries, a group at the door of a cottage, at Turvey, in Bedfordshire. A View of Stirling Castle. A Group, of Portraits, tending to some tale, and another subject, which bas escaped our memory, having mislaid our memoranda, which was furnished by a friend. fellow labourers in the same vineyard look up to him with an especial reverence, and speak in no measured terms of the malignant motives and the perverse taste which have hitherto suffered his works to languish, save within their own narrow circles, unnoticed and unknown. These works (at least all that we have heard of) are, "Gebir," a strange wild fantastic poem; "Count Julian," an elaborate, undramatic tragedy, and a volume of Latin prolusions, the title of which we forget, though the bigotry, severity, and exclusiveness of the opinions we well remember. The truth is, that Mr. Landor is a scholar and a man of talents, whose abstraction from the world has left him unacquainted with the predominating notions and taste of his age, and whose prejudiced attachment to a particular sect has rendered his talents and his acquirements almost entirely ineffective with the generality of readers. This is the character which fairly belongs to Mr. L. from his former publications, but the present volumes deserve very considerable praise for their knowledge, liberality, and acuteness. For some years past, Mr. L. has been residing in "lettered ease at Pisa, and the volumes before us we must regard as the production of that studious retirement. They are a collection of imaginary dialogues between different persons who have gained notoriety or fame in past or present times for their achievements or their knowledge. They relate to all kinds of subjects; and form a sort of experiment to shew how the author beMr. Etty has sent an elegant composition, Vulcan show-lieves such persons would have written or spoken had ing Pandora to the Gods, from Hesiod. Mr. Newton, The Malade Imaginare, a doctor feeling the pulse of a plethoric hypochondriac. A surgeon with his lancet, about to breathe a vein, is repulsed with great vehemence and terror. We have not seen this picture, but report speaks highly of its originality and merit. Mr. Calcott contributes a fine topographical subject,|| Rochester Bridge. Mr. Mulready, a composition on the subject of Courtship. Mr. Brockedon, The Piferari, playing before a picture of the Virgin at Rome. These pipers are usually natives of the Apennines, who descend to the Italian cities, particularly to Rome, during the Advent, and perform their hymn to the Virgin, before her shrine. they actually discoursed upon the identical subjects. There is a slight attempt to give something like dramatic character to the dialogue; but it is not very consistently persevered in, nor always very happily effected. It is the world, and when well done, forms a pleasant class an ingenious way of delivering one's own opinions to of reading. There is one feature of the work which is rather amusing. The characters of the dialogue are Arundel Castle, the seat of His Grace the Duke of Nor-made occasionally to indulge in prophecy. Now these The Long Ship's Light House, off the Land's End, Corn-prophecies in every instance come to pass, so that they Mr. Daniell, (of Cleveland Street,) contributes his full complment: A View from the Park at Arundel, the seat of His Grace the Duke of Norfolk. folk. wall. look very wise and sagacious in the utterance, though in reality they are nothing more than transcripts from historical records. It is easier to write down what has been done than to foretell what will happen. Mr. L. has adopted the easier part. But there are other points in which our author has turned the freedom of dialogue to better account. He has made his personages the vehicles of much sound and useful instruction. He has made them deliver very acute opinions, and take very sagacious views on various subjects of politics and morals. In the colloquy between Franklin and Washington, there is a great deal of profound practical disquisition on the policy of England. It is too sober for our columns, and we will only extract the following humorous illustration of the conduct of England towards America. It is put into the mouth of Franklin, and is not unlike some of his homely and forcible illustra. tions: "The conduct of England towards us resembles that of |