From the Literary Gazette.
MR. RUSKIN'S NOTES.

Notes on some of the Principal Pictures exhib-
iled in the rooms of the Royal Academy, 1855.
By the Author of "Modern Painters."
Smith, Elder, & Co.

94. The River's Bank. (T. Creswick, R. A.) This, like most other of the landscapes hung on the line, is one of those works so characteristic

of the English school, and so little creditable to them, in which everything is carelessly or ill painted, because it is in a landscape. Nothing is really done. The cows have imperfect horns and hides; the girl has an imperfect face, and It is very sad that an author with the re-imperfect hands; the trees have imperfect leaves; pute that Mr. Ruskin has in time past gained the sky imperfect clouds; the water imperfect for himself, should stoop to the publication of waves. The color of a heavy yellow with dim a pamphlet of such flippant impertinence and green, is worse than imperfect; for color must conceit as the present. Instead of an essay of either be right-that is, infinitely beautiful; or sound and honest criticism, such as one might and dead color is false color. wrong-that is, less than beautiful. All tame be led to expect from the author of "Modern Painters," it consists of merely a few pages of 120. Beatrice. (C. L. Eastlake, P. R. A.) common-place abuse of the works of the AcadAn imitation of the Venetians, on the suppoemicians written with an animus and feeling sisted in method: issuing-as trusts in method sition that the essence of Venetian painting conperfectly contemptible. Mr. Ruskin says that instead of fact always must issue-in mere negahe is so often asked by his friends to mark for tion. Sir Charles Eastlake has power of renderthem the pictures in the exhibitions of the year ing expression, if he would watch it in human which appear to him most interesting, either beings-and power of drawing form, if he would in their good qualities or their failure, that he look at the form to be drawn. But when, behas determined to place the circular letter, cause Giorgione and Titian draw broadly, and which on such occasions he is obliged to write, sometimes make their colors look broken, he supwithin reach of the general public. "Twen-poses that all he has to do is to get a broken ty years," he says, "of severe labor, devoted breadth; he ends, as all imitators must end, in a exclusively to the study of the principles of rich inheritance of the errors of his original, withArt, have given me the right to speak on the slight tendency to flatness; but Giorgione's G Titian and Giorgione have a subject with a measure of confidence." We Flat has accompaniments, Sir Charles's C Flat will select from his notes on the Academi-stands alone. cians:

78. The Wrestling in As You Like It. Maclise, R. A.)

(D.

Very bad pictures may be divided into two principal classes- those which are weakly or passively bad, and which are to be pitied and passed by; and those which are energetically or actively bad, and which demand severe reprobation, as wilful transgressions of the laws of all good art. The picture before us is of the last class. Mr. Maclise has keen sight, a steady hand, good anatomical knowledge of the human form, and good experience of the ways of the world. If he draws ill, or imagines ungracefully, it is because he is resolved to do so. He has seen enough of society to know how a Duke generally sits-how a young lady generally looks at a strange youth who interests her; and it is by vulgar choice, not vulgar ignorance, that he makes the enthroned Duke straddle like a village actor, and the young lady express her interest by a cool, unrestrained, and steady stare.

out its virtues.

149. Lear Recovering his Reason at the Sight of Cordelia. (J. R. Herbert, R. A.)

As No. 78 furnished us with an instance of the class of picture which is actively bad, we have here an equally important instance of the pas sively bad; which, had it been in a less prominent place, might kindly have been passed with out notice; but, since it is thus recommended to the public by its position, it must needs be examined.

In the whole compass of Shakspeare's conceptions, the two women whom he has gifted with the deepest souls are Cordelia and Virgilia. All his other women can speak what is in them. These two cannot. The Nothing my Lord," of Cordelia, and the "gracious silence" of Virgilia, are the everlasting seals set by the Master of the human heart upon the most sacred writing of its folded and golden leaves. Shakspeare himself could not find words to tell what was in these women. And now, cast down at her father's feet, the alabaster vase is broken-the house of life is filled with the odor of the ointmentall Cordelia is poured forth in that infinite "I Next to pass from imagination of character am" of fulfilled love. Do but think of it for to realization of detail. Mr. Maclise is supposed one quiet instant. to draw well, and realize minute features accu-ture, so long disallowed from daughter's word Think of the rejected crearately. Now, the fact is, that this work has and act; unsistered also-all her sisterhood every fault usually attributed to the pre-Raphael- changed into pale flame of indignation-now at ites, without one of their excellences. The de- last, in consummation of all sorrow, and pity, tails are all so sharp and hard that the patterns and shame, and thankfulness, and horror, and on the dresses force the eye away from the faces; hope long delayed, watching the veil grow thin, and the leaves on the boughs call to us to count that in those eyes, wasted with grief, was still them. But not only are they all drawn distinct-drawn between her father's soul and hers. Think ly, they are all drawn wrong. of it! As for imagining it-perhaps Dante

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And such is an

might have imagined it, with the winds of para-element is in it to the full. dise yet upon his brow. As for painting it- example of the criticisms on modern art which And yet, in the midst of the Royal Academy Mr. Ruskin affirms "have at least in them the Rooms of England, and in the midst of the 19th virtue of entire impartiality," and which he century, that profile of firwood, painted buff, with threatens to furnish every year, with the view a spot in the corner of the eye, does verily pro- of "guiding the public to the discernment fess to be a painting of it. and acceptance of those unobtrusive truths of which our modern Idealism has so long repressed the pursuit, and withheld the appreci ation.” Can the author of "Modern Painters" be in his right mind?

It is a thing not a little to be pondered upon that the men who attempt these highest things are always those who cannot even do the least things well. Around the brow of this firwood figure there is a coronet, and in the coronet four jewels. I thought that, according to the Royal Academy principles, in a "High Art" picture, this Rundell and Bridge portion of it should have been a little less conspicuous.

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The Modern Scottish Minstrel; or the Songs of Scotland of the past Half-Century. With Memoirs of the Poets, and Sketches and Specimens in English verse of the most celebrated modern It is nevertheless a fact that, although from Gaelic Bards. By Charles Rogers, LL. D., some peculiar idiosyncracy not comprehending F. S. A. Scot. In six volumes. Volume I. the passage in King Lear, Mr. Herbert has feeling; and if he would limit his work to subjects [This new speculation of Messrs. Black of Edof the more symbolic and quietly religious class, inburgh proposes to include in six volumes a sewhich truly move him, and would consider him- lected edition of Scottish songs whose authors self by no means a great master, but a very incip-lived within the present century. The arrangeient student, and paint every thing from the act and life, faithfully, he would be able to produce

works of some value.

201. Penserosa. (C. W. Cope, R. A.)

a

The young lady appears to be reading, may possibly be thinking, is certainly passing under Norman arch, and is very pretty. This ensemble is interesting, but had better have been put into the architectural room, as it may materially promote the erection of Norman arches in the gardens of the metropolis, for the better performance of pensive appearances to morning visitors. 594. Rome. (D. Roberts, R. A.)

ment will be chronological according to the lives of the authors; a memoir of each will precede the songs or song (in the case of only one popular ditty), often derived from original sources, and varying in length, we suspect, according to the nature of the materials rather than to the poetical eminence of the bard. A translation of the best Gaelic songs, or perhaps poems more properly, belonging to the same period will be published after the same plan; that is, lives of the bards, in chronological order preceding the poems. Dissertations by the editor, Dr. Rogers, will accompany the specimens.

We shall possibly have something to say on the This is a large architectural diagram, with the series during its progress or when brought to a outlines executed sharply in black, the upper close. Meanwhile, we may remark that a nahalf being then painted brick-red, and the lower tional feeling rather than a critical spirit seems green-gray. (Note to the distinctness of the likely to predominate in the selection. Six volmannerism in the outlined statues and pillars of umes of songs comprising little more than fifty the chapel in shade upon the right.) I can hard-years, argues greater lyrical richness than most ly understand how any man devoting his time to nations can pretend to, especially when some of painting, ever comes to suppose that a picture the most popular are contained in this first volcan be right which is painted in two colors! or ume. In strictness, the title is not sufficiently exby what reasoning he persuades himself that, be- tensive. Songs of Scotland seems properly cause seen under the red light of sunset, the limited to songs relating to Scottish manners or purple trunk of a stone pine, the white stucco of modes of life, expressed generally in the Scottish house walls, the scarlet of tiles, and the green of dialect: Dr. Rogers extends the meaning to anyfoliage, may all be of the same color. Imagine thing written by natives of Scotland, - as, for ina painting of a beautiful blue-eyed female face, stance, Mrs. John Hunter's once widely-popular by sunset, which represented its blue eyes, its song "The sun sets in night"- the death-chant nose, its cheeks, and its lips, all of the same of an Indian chief; and some poems of Montgomery of Sheffield, which in subject or treat. ment have no relation to Scotland.]-Spectator.

brick-red!

Mr. Roberts was once in the habit of painting carefully finished cabinet pictures, which were well composed in the (common sense), and fairly executed in the details. Had he continued these, painting more and more, instead of less and less, from nature, he might by this time have been a serviceable painter. Is it altogether too late to warn him that he is fast becoming nothing more than an Academician?

Of Mr. Millais' "Rescue," Mr. Ruskins says "It is the only great picture exhibited this year; but this is very great. The immortal

I DREAMT last night that by sickness consumed,
By the side of a pauper I lay inhumed;
But that, scorning to lie by a beggarman's side,
I order'd him off with a nobleman's pride.
"Begone," I exclaim'd, "go and rot thee else-
where,

Vile rascal! how durst thou approach me near!
"Rascal !" said he, "who art thou, I pray
Go look for thy rascals some other way;
All here are equal, I've nothing of thine,
That is thy dunghill, and this is mine."

From the British Quarterly Review.

1. The Life of Thomas Young, M. D., F. R. S., &c., and one of the Eight Foreign Associates of the National Institute of France. By GEORGE PEACOCK, D. D., F. R. S., Dean of Ely, &c. London: John Murray.

1855.

2. Miscellaneous Works of the late Thomas Young, M. D., F. R. S., &c. Vol. I. and II., including his " Scientific Memoirs," &c. Edited by GEORGE PEACOCK, D. D., &c.; and Vol. III.

was pitched upon a lofty and elaborate key. It materially delighted in what was scholarly and abstruse. The very amusements of his leisure might have passed for the toils of other men's lives. Most of the studies in which he distinguished himself lay remote from the beaten track of inquiry, and, comparatively speaking, but few had the disposition to follow him up along the difficult paths which led to the arcana of optics, or across the vague and shifting sands of Egyptian research. A single glance at the contents of one of the volumes of his Miscellaneous Works will be enough to scare some of the most courteous readers; WE shall not, perhaps, greatly impugn the and it is not impossible that others may feel general knowledge of some of our readers if disposed to sympathize with the criminal who we suppose them to inquire, Pray who was was sentenced to read Guicciardini's History, Doctor Thomas Young? We wish they could but chose the galleys rather than take out his glance at the portrait which greets us on punishment in literary labor. In volume two, opening the Dean of Ely's Memoir. Flatter- for instance, we have," Computations on the ed, as it doubtless is,-for the original painting Effect of Terrestrial Refraction;" a memoir came from the courtly brush of Lawrence, on the "Actual Condition of the Atmosphere;' it exhibits a fine, open, smiling countenance, an "Investigation of the Properties of the where power and sweetness, intelligence and Geodetic Curve;" a "Theory of Tides;" amiability, appear to be blended in such papers on the "Structure of Bridges;" on beautiful proportions, that those who look will the " Equilibrium and Strength of Elastic assuredly feel inclined to love, and those who Substances;' on " Covered Ways;" on the know nothing of the individual will be glad " Application of the Doctrine of Chances; " to learn something of his achievements. Then, with many others of the like appalling comif they could turn from this frontispiece to plexion. Indeed, Young's mind was of so what we may call his monumental tail-piece in erudite a tendency, that when a vat bursts in a Westminster Abbey, they would learn, that brewery, he honors the catastrophe by making though he died at the age of fifty-six, he was it the text of a profound mathematical dis "alike eminent in almost every depart-course on the "Pressure sustained by the ment of human learning who bring- Fixed Supports of Flexible Substances." ing an equal mastery to the most abstruse In the next place, it must be admitted that investigations of letters and of science, first he was not always a perspicuous or attractive established the undulatory theory of light, writer. His language, though correct, was and first penetrated the obscurity which had sometimes far from comprehensible. His veiled for ages the hieroglyphics of Egypt." reasonings were often elliptical and abrupt. This is splendid praise; but though sepul- He presumed too much upon the knowledge chral tablets are privileged to lie, and though of those around him, and as an inevitable conmost of them abuse that prerogative extrava- sequence, was considered obscure. Hence it gantly, we cannot charge the marble with happens too frequently in the case of Young's deliberate falsehood in the case of Thomas compositions, as his biographer remarks in Young. A little qualification may be required, regard to a particular memoir, that though but not much. Arago has stated, that his often " referred to, they are rarely read." On works resemble the Transactions of a number one occasion, having prepared a Report, at the of separate Academies, rather than the pro- request of the Lords of the Admiralty, reductions of a single mind. Humboldt ob- specting Mr. (afterwards Sir Robert) Stepserves, that there is scarcely a branch of ping's proposed improvements in ship-building, human intelligence which he did not cultivate by the introduction of diagonal beams, their with success, and that in every direction his Lordships appear to have been quite overtrack was marked by discoveries. How, powered by his erudition; for he received an then, does it happen that so little should be intimation, that though his paper was "much known respecting a savant who had Burke for esteemed by them, it was too learned." A his patron and admirer, Porson and Burney tutor, who was acquainted with him whilst at for his correspondents about Greek, Arago and Cambridge, observes, that he was worse calcuFresnel for his expositors in optical science, lated than any man he ever knew for the and Champollion for his rival in hieroglyphi- communication of knowledge; for, on asking cal lore? him to answer an objection to Huyghens's Certain good reasons may be readily as- theory of light, which he was then adopting, signed. In the first place, Young's intellect he attempted to explain himself in vain."

a man