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standing these objections, one little alteration would have rendered it an extraordinary production, viz.-simply erasing the figures from the canvas, and the misnomer of " Macbeth, and the Weird Sisters," from the catalogue; leaving the spectator to assign to it what sentiment seemed most just.-His "Sadak" (exhibited some years ago) was a true offspring of legitimate terror; but excited little or no attention.-Joshua had very great merit.-I never saw his Sack of Babylon; but I was satisfied of its general demerits by a panegyric on it, written, I was told, by a Flower Painter, who teaches at an Establishment for Young Ladies! Is it not dreadful to think that an artist's bread may hang on the fiat of such necessarily unskilled, incompetent, and generally uneducated folks, with their little confined notions of art? I have always been a warm, and, I trust, judicious advocate of Martin's fair-fame, and never till this present have I either written or spoken one word detracting therefrom; but the mischievous, hyperbolic trumpetings of his friends (not one of them, I verily believe, values him half so truly as myself) have forced from me the foregoing observations; and if the ensuing shall prove equally distasteful to him, he must lay the sin to their account, not to mine. I shall not go about to describe it, that has been done to satiety in all the public prints ;-suffice it to say, that the whole scene seems to me rather a theatrical pageanta presentment of unknown fire works, before a barbaric Prince, (a king of Ashantee for instance) of which the old black figure standing on the table, like a speaker at the Freemason's, is showman-than the arena of a real courage-blasting portent. There is too much bustle, noise, hubbub, and screaming, for any real supernatural awe. It is either common affrightment, or mere simulation. The groups are only groups in the last scene of a melo-drama. These gaudy minions have self-possession enough to hurry, and scamper, as if from a mad ox or dog. Belshazzar himself stands in an imposing attitude firm on his legs; but what says our weighty, majestic translation of Daniel. Then the king's countenance

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bled him so that the joints of his loins was changed, and his thoughts trouwere loosed; and his knees smote one against the other." Has Mr. Martin any thing in his whole picture, which harmonizes with this noble passage? Does it not at once render his women, Bartlemy dolls, and men, wire-strung puppets?-Now let us consider the tone (colour Martin never had, and it would be useless to upbraid him with the want). His forte lies quite another way; which is a knack of including a multiplicity of small parts, animate or inanimate, in some enormous area, natural or artificial. The tone then is most decidedly inappropriate and unfeeling; more befitting a gala passing off pleasantly, than the scene of a soul-chilling prodigy. Instead of dimness, a bloodless pallor, a mental blight visible, as it were, to the corporeal senses,-(often seen in the magic visions of Van Ryn and Fuseli) ornaments of gold, crowns, and circlets, losing their richness,-emeralds and rubies their colour and glow, and diamonds their sparkle-instead of this, I say, which would have shown the genuine poet;

the possessor of "that power which draws all things to onewhich makes things animate and inanimate, take one colour, and serve to Ophir has poured forth her gold, one effect:"-instead of this, and "the farthermost steep of India" its jewels, to blaze out with their most dazzling effulgence in the very face of the fiery warning; mating themselves with the sunbeams, mocking the watery moon. Mr. Martin may even now mend all this much, by embrowning the foreground with a solemn, dusky glaze, through whose mysterious veil his laboured argentry may "gleam without shining." Better still would it be for him if he could make up his mind to paint out all his little abortions, and renounce the ambition of becoming an historical painter; for which his professional education has in no ways qualified him, as his futile attempts on the human figure lamentably show. There is something more: the prophet says, "In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man's hand-and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote!" Did not Mr. Martin see that the omission

of this circumstance was fatal to his power of conveying the story? Can he fancy that his illuminated range of windows (meant for the dreadful MENÉ, MENE, TEKEL UPHARSIN) ren ders it evident ?-A foolish suggestion, I am told, is hazarded in the Literary Gazette, viz. that none saw the hand but the king; but granting this, what has it to do with the spectator of the picture? The poet can let you know, that there was an invisible hand; but the painter, who works with very different materials, must show it, or let the story alone. The Bible says, that the Satraps were astonied at the king. This chain of terror is exactly similar to the idea in Poussin's landscape, with the man who catches fear from the counte

nance of the woman at the spring, without beholding the object of her horror. This mode of treating Belshazzar's visión would have a grand and impressive effect; not, indeed, novel, being adopted by Shakspeare into his Banquet scene with the ghost in Macbeth.

The magicians and soothsayers may be supposed to see the awful letters through the powers always poetically admitted to them.

Chaldea's seers were good

And Babel's men of age

Are wise and deep in lore.

I have now done with finding fault; an odious task at all times: it curseth doubly, the finder and the findee. If these honestly-meant strictures meet the eye of Mr. Martin, let him consider me not as a discourager, but as one who earnestly wishes to guide his genius into a safer track to the temple of honour. I wished to have indulged myself in descanting on the accuracy of his perspective powers, and the shadowy beauty of his distance-but, gentle reader, 66 my pen is at the bottom of the page," as Beppo says, and I dare be sworn thou art glad of it. Be it so the critic must be criticised-but be thy judgment pronounced in the same spirit in which mine has-for be assured of it, pleasure has waited on my praise, and sorrow mingled with my censure." Judex damnatur cum nocens absolvitur," as the blue and brimstone cover on the back of the Edinburgh Review has it; but, still though as a judge I must pass sentence, my heart often weeps while I pronounce it-the hill of fame is steep and rugged, and foul befall the wretch who would unnecessarily encumber the child of genius as he toils up its acclivity.

LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. Thorvaldsen, Canova, Flaxman. Extract of a Letter from Rome."Thorvaldsen is returned, full of honours and commissions; the latter are a matter of regret to his admirers, as they are mostly of the portrait and monumental class. In such subjects, though on a great scale, his genius must be cramped, and his imagination stagnated. They may be popular and durable, profitable they certainly are. But what credit will they do him? What kind of reputation will they secure him in after ages? He cannot avail himself of that style of Greek purity by which he is so distinguished here. Canova has produced a greater number of beautiful Inventions, and perhaps has gone farther (he is an older man ;) but I do not think him so near the right road. The French prefer Canova; and say, if he be not so much of a Greek, he

is more original; and is not an eternal repetition of the antique. But is he not, with all his success and merit, a disciple of the modern French? His obtrusive costume, his hardness, niggling of hair, drapery, and accessories-his gilding, staining, and polishing, are gingerbread and trick.He has just finished another great horse, which he is very proud of: they say the tail is a most elaborate piece of modelling; but such curious high finish often spoils the general effect, and one cannot help wishing so much time and assiduity were bestowed on the whole, either there or in some other work. He has a great reputation; but it does not rest on those peculiarities which are what his followers imitate only. His last figure, of a nymph sleeping on her face, is freer from manner than usual. If Haydon could bring up a sculptor

among his pupils, he ought to distance both the Dane and the Italian. Flaxman has doue so, beyond comparison, as a designer; but he has never been employed on marble, except to make tomb-stones, or he must have been the first man in Europe."

Fine Arts in Spain.-A museum or gallery of paintings has been formed at Madrid by the government, who open it to the public one day in the week. It consists solely of the works of the most eminent Spanish masters, from the commencement of the sixteenth century down to the present period. The number of pictures is already 332; but the collection will be still farther augmented by the addition of the productions of the Spanish school, now scattered through the various palaces and royal seats; and the spoils from the suppressed religious houses, of the first class, will be far from inconsiderable. Señor Ensevi, miniature painter to his Majesty-an artist thoroughly well acquainted with the style of each school and master, is appointed director or keeper of the museum. According to the description which has been published, it appears that the collection contains forty-three pieces by Murillo, forty-four by Velasquez, forty-two by Melendez, twenty-eight by Ribera, (Spagnoletto,) fifteen by Joannes, eight by Cano, and a number of others by early Spanish masters; besides twenty-four by modern painters, who have had this distinction conferred upon their productions. Among the living artists (of whom Spain possesses several distinguished by superior talent) the most celebrated are Goya, Lopez, Velasquez, Aparicio, Madrazo, Parra, Lacoma, &c. in painting; Ginez, Agreda, and Alvarez in sculpture; and Perez, Aguado, Velasquez, and Moreno in architecture. She has likewise some good modern engravers; for instance, Carmona, Esteve, Amulleer, and Blanco. Lithography has been introduced there; and there is now an establishment of it under the direction of Señor Cardano, an artist who has executed some very excellent hydrographic charts.

Painting and Sculpture at Stockholm.-Considerable progress has of late been made in both these arts. Falcrantz, who has acquired the honourable distinction of the Swedish

Claude, has just completed two wonderful landscapes, executed upon a very large scale. They are painted for the King, who had given the artist a commission for them. Another painter, named Sandberg, has also recently completed a very capital performance, which is allowed to be one of the best productions of art that the north has ever produced. Fogelberg is employed in modelling two immense colossal lions, intended to be placed beside the pedestal of the statue of Charles the Thirteenth; which consists of a stupendous block of granite. This monument is situated in what is called the King's Garden, at Stockholm. Byström, another Swedish sculptor, is actually engaged at Rome ni the execution of statues of three of the Charleses: viz. Charles X, XI, and XII. The Academy of the Fine Arts have announced a public exhibition which it is expected will contain works that will not fail to raise the character of Swe den to a rank in art which it has not hitherto attained.

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Russian Literature.-Many German and Russian literati, residing at Dorpath, have recently formed a reading society, which circulates a number of works in both languages. This place has for many years past been the residence of the celebrated Russian poet Schukowsky. writer was born in the district of Tula, in 1783: he received his education at the University of Moscow; after having finished which, he entered into the military service at St. Petersburgh; and subsequently, in 1808-10 became editor of the Russian journal entitled the Announcer. Upon relinquishing this employment, he lived without any other occupation than that afforded by a voluntary application to the sciences, more especially to poetry; the Emperor having assigned to him a yearly pension of 4000 rubles, not only as a mark of his esteem, but likewise in order to secure to so eminent a writer the independence he so well merited. Schukowsky is well acquainted with the literature of France; likewise with that of Germany and England, to which he is particularly attached. His lyrical productions form an epoch in Russian poetry. Among the finest of his compositions may be reckoned his Epistle to the Emperor Alex

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ander, The Bard among the Warriors of Russia,'--and, The Bard on the Ruins of the Kremlin.' Among his translations from foreign authors are many poetical pieces from Schiller and Göthe.

Lobanow is another Russian poet, who is a great favourite with his countrymen: one of his most esteemed productions is an Elegy at the Grave of Prince Kutusov Smolensky.' The dramatic literature of Russia has of late been enriched by several very valuable translations: among these the most eminent are Lobanow's Iphigenia, Tancred, by Gneditsch, Esther, by Katenin,-and, The Misanthrope, by Kökoschin. A translation has likewise appeared of Delisle's beautiful poem of The Gardens. It is from the pen of Alexander Woikoff, Professor of the Russian Language and Literature at the University of Dorpath: this writer, who is eminently distinguished for his intimate acquaintance with the classics, is now employed upon a translation, of the Georgics of Virgil. Woikoff has, moreover, attained no little celebrity from the elegance of his musical compositions; nor is he less estimable for the amenity of his manners, than admirable for the brilliancy of his attainments.

By way of remark respecting the state of literature-not in Russia generally, but in the two foci of this immense empire, which extends half over both Europe and Asia -it ought to be observed, that authorship is confined, almost exclusively, to the members of different academies; and that physics, natural history, mathematics, and history, are the departments most cultivated. Many works belonging to the latter class have appeared of late years; among these the most remarkable are Professor Kaidenow's Elements of Universal History, and Professor Orlow's voluminous work, entitled, Events in the Russian Church and Empire. Important materials for a general history of Russia are to be found in the Annals of the Moskow Society for Russian History and Antiquities;' likewise in the first volume of the Russian Memorabilia.' The historical work of the late academician Lehrberg is also highly deserving of attention. The first volumes of Karamsin's long expected History

of Russia are now about to make their appearance. Professor Strojeev has given to the literary world, A View of the Mythology of the Russian Sclavonians. Another recent and interesting publication is the Essai Critique sur l'Histoire de Livonie, by Count de Bray, the Bavarian Ambassador. The learned and munificent author has presented the whole edition to the University of Dorpath, in order that the profits accruing from it may be expended in procuring historical works for the library of the University. Among those works which, although not professedly historical, nevertheless contain much important information respecting recent public events, may be noticed Feodor Glinke's Letters of a Russian Officer. The most remarkable among the books of travels that have of late appeared, are Captain Golownin's Journal, and Ricord's Narrative of Golownin's Liberation from Captivity. Nor ought we to forget the towards a picturesque Tour through North America,' by Swinjiv, the travelling companion of General Moreau, on his return from America to Europe.

Essay

Denmark.-In this country there are, according to Professor Olufsen's Statistical View, 1,630,000 inhabitants on 964 square miles; a population that he affirms might be extended to 2,200,000, or 2,800,000. Among these 1,630,000, there are 56,000 paupers, or every twenty-fourth person; and Copenhagen and Altona alone contain 12,000 of these latter.

A Copenhagen Journal, entitled Skilderien, (Pictures,) gives the following examples of the vicissitudes experienced by ancient dwellings, and of the singular contrasts which many present between their former and their present occupants. A mansion in Copenhagen, formerly the residence of a Danish minister, is at present inhabited by a sadler: that once belonging to a nobleman of high rank is tenanted by a carter; while the building, which was once the proud palace of the mighty Sigbritt and Dyvecke, has been converted into a shop. But similar changes are experienced in other countries; thus it is not many years ago since a chairman occupied, in the Old Town of Edinburgh, the house formerly belonging to Lord Drummond. A coach

maker that of the Duke of Douglas; and a stick-maker, the Marquis of Argyle's. A sheriff's officer tenanted the room that once possessed Cromwell as its inmate while in Calmar, the hall in which the Union was concluded, is now used as a kind of prison for criminals. Many an impressive lesson, and much interesting instruction, might be derived from studying these minor revolutions, which mark the changes of manners and habits in a nation. At the same time they powerfully inculcate that mutability of human events, from which not even the palace and the princely castle seem exempted Oudevos a Tuxns is an expression of which we feel the full force, while contemplating such marked but not instances of the very uncommon transitoriness of human grandeur. Bibliomania.-Judging from recent symptoms we may assert that this literary disease does not rage with so much virulence as it did some few years since. The very same edition of Caxton's Faytes of Armes, which sold in the Roxburgh Collection for 3501. fetched but 0 at the sale of Lord Spencer's duplicates, by Mr. Evans; and at ore by Mr. Sotheby, last month, prodigious to relate, a copy was knocked down at so low a sum as seven guineas! Is this a proof of the declension of Literature; of a recovery from a morbid taste; or of the poverty of purchasers, and the distressed state of the country?

New Volcano.-Another of these natural phenomena has appeared in Portugal, where it has burst out in the loftiest summit of a ridge of mountains near Leiria: in regard to latitude, therefore, it is nearly midway between Vesuvius and Etna. It first occurred at the high rise of the Douro, and, when the latest accounts came away, was raging with full violence; but had fortunately taken a direction in which it will occasion little damage. This tract of sterile country is that through which Wellington passed when pursuing the French under the command of Mas

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Chios, the object of which will be the diffusion of popular instruction. The inhabitants have been strenuously urged, by Ambrosius Argentis, a youthful student at the Great College,* to direct their attention more particularly to maritime commerce, as the most permanent source of their future opulence and prosperity. Extraordinary energies are putting forth in the same island for the advancemelt of literature; and much encouragement is given to the press, regently established there. Professor Koumass, of Smyrna, has produced an elementary work on philosophy, which has been received with considerable enthusiasm.

A Dictionary of Ancient and Modern Greek, intended to occupy six large folio volumes, is now printing at Constantinople; the first has already appeared. Another useful project, now carrying into effect in that Metropolis, is a fund for the support of indigent students.

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Clennell's Battle of Waterloo.-The committee of Noblemen and Gentlemen who undertook the cause of the family of Clennell, the painter, have announced that the engraving of the Charge of the Life Guards at Waterloo is now ready for publication. print executed with more energywith more artist-like feeling and effect, has rarely appeared; and the committee do not doubt its success. They rely on the taste, patriotism, and humanity, of the British public. The mental disorder with which poor Clennell has been so long afflicted, still continues without abatement or change. On the extensive circulation of this print must mainly depend the support of his bereft and helpless little ones.

Living English Authors.-M. Jacobsen, of Hamburg, who was some time since in this country, for the purpose of collecting materials for his work, has published an account of the living poets and prose writers of both sexes, in Great Britain, illustrated with portraits, of which a German journal speaks in terms of high commendation, describing those of Byron, Scott, Lady Morgan, &c. as very characteristic.

* This institution, containing nearly 500 students, may be considered as a species of university. A rich Greek merchant, named Varvati, has presented to it a collection of books from Paris, and a sum of 30,000 francs.

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