had observed, that the present Exhibition contains many work of art which may contend with the Roman school in point of compo sition, and with the Venetian in point of colour.

According to our usual practice we shall cominence with the historical subjects:

The Death of Lord Nelson, or the Naval Victory of Trafalgar.-By B. WEST, P. R. A.

The subject of this picture being heroic, the artist has considered it under the head of the epic. He has kept his attention constantly fixed upon the hero, aud made every thing subsidiary to his thumph. The dying Nelson is exhibited lying upon the quarter deck of his ship, surrounded by his officers. By this groupe the painter first appeals to the feelings of the spectator. Here is the hero, and, in the language of poetry, here is his story.The wounded and the dead form the episodes of the pece, and the whole raises a noble climax up to th dying Admiral.

The poin

and the victo; of time is the death of the bero

The cou most nobl dignified

dey united.

motenance of Nelson expresses a are resignation, a steadfast piety-a fa consciousness of having done his duty his great trust. In the countenance of elson Mr. West has shown his power of Exhibiting the most difficult and composite passions with the most natural and moving correctness. In Nelson there is no affectation; every thing is as simple as was the character of the man: there is a serene and saintly heroism in his countenance-the courage and composure of a dying martyr. This head can never be too much admired-it is inestimable considered merely as a portrait of the man; for we do not hesitate to pronounce it the best

we ever saw.

In the retiring parts of the picture, and in the perspective, are seen all the rage and fury of a sea fight.-Here every thing is terrible and awful: here is sublimity in the fullness of horror. The groupes in the picture are composed of nearly eighty figures, and more than fifty are portraits of officers actually engaged in the battle.

Mr. Heath, according to his engagement with the public, has finished his engraving from this subject, and is now, we understand, about to publish it. A proof print is placed in the Exhibition. We have only to say, that the engraver has shewn himself worthy of the painter. The print is engraven in a manner which unites great boldness and vigour, with clearness, simplicity, and softness. It ought, and we trust it will be, the most popular print ever published in this country.

The Flight of Lot and his Daughter.—BY B. WEST, P. R. A.-This subject, from divine history, is one of those in which its venerable composer has most approved his great powers. It is the heroic landscape, and is fully equal to any thing which was ever produced by the learned pencil of Poussin.-The figures consist of Lot, his daughters, and two angels, who are hurrying them away from the devoted city.-The wife of Lot, who is in the centre of the picture, is seen turning back to look upon the flaming ruins of Sodom-Her figure, and her attitude, are very grand-In the back ground the city is seen in a blaze, and the sky is illuminated with lightening and fire.-Nature herself seeins suffering, and the earth is parched beneath the feet of the fugitives.

This subject which has been often painted before, has never been treated with so much true dignity and feeling as in the present composition ―The landscape is truly grand, and the colouring appropriate.

Onnia Vincit Amor.-By the same Artist. This is a very pleasing poetical subject. The idea seems taken from Lucretius. Love is shewn subduing every thing under the domination of Sense.-Cupids are exhibited in the air, bestriding vultures and eagles, and riding lious and sea-horses with silken reins-Venus and Ilymen are likewise preparing the yoke for the human race.

In this picture the figure of Veuus is extremely beautiful-the air of the head, and style of the countenance, are equal to any thing which the Grecks have produced. The colour||ing is very happy.

Nos. 12-27-204.-These three works by Such is this picture, of which, independently || Mr. FUSELI are not all of the same merit. It is of its merits as a work of art, we may truly the ambition of this artist, who is certainly say, the circumstances which produced its a man of great genius and imagination, to perfection cannot occur again. It will be im- strike the spectator, rather by a peculiar and possible again to collect into the painting-characteristic singularity, than to please upon room of the artist those various groupes of men the sober and admitted principles of truth and whose portraits are here given, and whose innature. dividual likeness was necessary for the fidelity A mind of vigorous, we may even term it of a composition which aspires to be consider-gigantic, extravagance, is carried throughout ed as a work of historical record,-a work of all his works,-a sort of heroical and splendid truth, and not of fancy. caricatura, which, with the clearest design aud

intention on the part of the artist of being || solemn and grave, produces an almost contrary impression upon the judicious mind.

by the present exhibition-His Orpheus and his Damocles are two beautiful compositions, and contain more strength and energy than we commonly find in the works of this artist.

In his Orpheus, the beasts are very finely drawn and beautifully coloured; the colouring is chaste, without being cold and unnatural, there is a peculiar softness and fleeciness in the tone of colour which we rarely see excelled. The whole is harmonious,

The pictures of Fuseli, like the heroes and dwarfs in the old romances, stir up and agitate the mind without impressing the feelings; they have, in all and each of them, such a compound of true and false sublimity, that the pathetic and the ridiculous are in a constant struggle for a mastery over the feelings; they have such a compeund of greatness and little-poetical, and pleasing. ness, that it is a sort of fatigue and difficulty to determine what is the particular emotion they express.

Mr. Fuseli deserves much credit for the daring character of his genius; but, after all, it is much easier to be singular than to be original -to be striking and effective, than natural and just.

Mr. Fuseli's picture of Macbeth and the Witches is certainly the best in the present Exhibition. It has a sobriety about it which can scarcely be called his own; it has a just expression, and conveys just so much horror as is necessary to grandeur, without verging upon extravagance. The composition is very impressive; the action of Macbeth is natural, and the figure is exquisitely drawn. The colouring of this picture is better than most of the compositions of Mr. Fuseli; the light and shade are justly combined, and skilfully distributed. There is not that gloom and blackness which we often find in his pictures. It has a good and suitable tone, which is very appropriate to the character of the subject.

Sarpedon slain in Battle, carried home by Sleep and Death H. FUSELI, R. A.-In this picture of Mr. Fuseli's there is a beautiful part in the back ground-it is the Vision shooting into the skies. This is extremely poetical, and produces a very pleasing effect (without owing any thing to juggle) upon the eye of the spectator. As to the figures in the foreground, there is no understanding their action or character.

No. 204. Richard the Third starting from the Apparitions of those whom he had assassinated. By the same Artist -This is another of Mr. Fuseli's pictures; but there is no point in it. He has gained nothing in character, and very little in art. The anatomy and drawing of the figures are bold and just, but there is no intelligible action, or marked discrimination. The character of this picture is the same with the great majority of those in which Mr. Fuseli bas failed. It is genius without the impression of truth, or direction of judg

ment.

Mr. Westall has done himself great credit

In the character of Orpheus, however, Mr. Westall has not been so happy. Orpheus is not distinguished merely by his harp; he is not a dancing Apollo-His harp is meant to be emblematic of the harmony which he introduced into the world by framing Savages into social communities, and assuaging the ferocity of a wild and barbarous nature by the concord of justice and equal laws. Orpheus, therefore, as the first (perhaps a fabulous) legislator of mankind, should maintain the high ground of an Epic character, and should have been expressed (as Mr. Westall's pencil could have expressed him) with more sobriety and grandeur. He falls rather into the class of a Minos and a Solon, than into that of a fiddling coxcomb.

In Mr. Westall's picture of Damocles there is a great vigour and most happy expression. We never saw any thing finer, or convey a more expressive sentiment, than that of the two soldiers looking through the doors. The colouring is rather overcharged.

The Reading of the Will concluded.-E. BIRD. -The attention paid to this picture by all persons who visit the Exhibition, proves it to be a favourite, and as such, entitled to particular notice. The subject is one of those dramatic occurrences in private life, which calls forth the expression of various passions and traits of character, and is therefore particularly suited to the talents of Mr. Bird, whose former productions, in common with those of Mr. Wilkie, have fully established the superiority of English Artists over those of the Flemish School, in that great requisite of painting, the union of morality with the accurate snd lively representation of domestic

scenes.

With regard to the execution of this attractive picture, any detail of criticism would be superfluous. In addition to the inventive genius displayed in the story, Mr. Bird exhibits the usual characteristics of his pencil, with a still higher degree of improvement in the colouring, light and shade, and general' effect.

(To be continued.)

LORD NELSON'S MONUMENT IN GUILDHALL.

THIS monument was opened for public || ously endowed him with the transcendent talents Inspection on Friday the 26th ult.

Illustrations of the Graphic Art;

EXEMPLIFIED BY SKETCHES FROM THE NATIONAL MUSEUM AT PARIS.

It seems in many instances to have been the pride of the Flemish painters to render even the most disgusting subjects matter of admiration, as samples of their art: this in-templating deed they have carried to an excess which makes us often wish that their genius, or at least their talent, had been exerted for other purposes; yet perhaps much of their peculiar excellence depends upon the principle of con