ideal landscape-painting, which he united in a singular degree with the realistic tendency. "Of all the English painters at the period of my first visit to England I knew least of Turner, having seen very few of his works, and those almost entirely of his later time. In my two last visits, 1850 and 1851, I endeavoured to repair this omission, and, having succeeded in examining a number of his pictures and drawings of the most various periods, I feel myself qualified to give my deliberate opinion upon them. It appears to me that Turner was a man of marvellous genius, occupying some such place among the English landscape-painters of our day as Lord Byron among the modern English poets. In point of fact, no landscape-painter has yet appeared with such versatility of talent. His historical landscapes exhibit the most exquisite feeling for beauty of lines and effect of lighting at the same time he has the power of making them express the most varied moods of nature-a lofty grandeur, a deep and gloomy melancholy, a sunny cheerfulness and peace, or an uproar of all the elements. Buildings he also treats with peculiar felicity; while the sea, in its most varied aspect, is equally subservient to his magic brush. His views of certain cities and localities inspire the spectator with poetic feelings such as no other painter ever excited in the same degree, and which is chiefly attributable to the exceeding picturesqueness of the point of view chosen, and the beauty of the lighting. Finally, he treats the most common little subjects, such as a group of trees, a meadow, a shaded stream, with such art as to impart to them a picturesque charm. I should, therefore, not hesitate to recognise Turner as ' the greatest landscape-painter of all times, but for his deficiency in one indispensable element in every perfect work of art, namely, a sound technical basis. It is true that the pictures and drawings of his earlier and middle period overflow with an abundance of versatile and beautiful thoughts, rendered with great truth of nature," but at the same time Kis historical landscapes never possess the delicacy of gradation and the magical atmosphere of Claude, nor his realistic works the juicy transparency and fresliness of a Ruysdael, while many of his best pictures have lost their keeping by subsequent darkening, and with it a great portion of their value. In his later time, however, he may be said to have aimed gradually rather at a mere indication than a representation of his thoughts, which in the last twenty years of his life became so superficial and arbitrary that it is difficult sometimes to say what he really did intend. Not that I overlook event in these pictures frequent extraordinary beauty of composition and lighting, which render them what I should rather call beautiful souls of pictures. The raptures, therefore, of many of Turner's countrymen, who prefer these pictures to those of his early period, I am not able to share, but must adhere to the sober conviction that a work of art, executed in this material world of ours, must, in order to be quite satisfactory, have a complete and. natural body, as well as a beautiful soul,' mor 7 to 10 Jonod at J the Let us hear him also on another of our great men, on whom there was no difference of opinion, and who, lived and died as true a painter as this world ever knew. 'SIR DAVID. WILKIE, as the greatest subject-painter, not only in England, but of our time, stands first on the list here, taking a similar place in the English school to that occupied by Hogarth in his time. In the most essential particulars Wilkie has the same style of art as Hogarth. With him he has great variety, refinement, and acuteness in the observation of what is characteristic in Nature; while in many of his pictures the subject is strikingly dramatic. Nevertheless, in many respects he differs from him. He does not, like Hogarth, exhibit to us moral dramas in whole series of pictures, but contents himself with representing, more in the manner of a novel, one single striking scene. His turn of mind is also very different. If I might compare Hogarth with Swift in the biting satire with which he contemplates mankind only on the dark side, and takes delight in representing them in a state of the most profound corruption and of the most frightful misery, I find in Wilkie a close affinity with his celebrated countryman Sir Walter Scott. Both have in common that genuine refined delineation of character which extends to the minutest particulars. In the soul of both there is more love than contempt for man; both afford us the most soothing views of the quiet, genial happiness which is sometimes found in the narrow circle of domestic life, and understand, with masterly skill, by delicate traits of good-natured humour, to heighten the charm of such scenes. Also, as true poets, whether in language or colour, must do, they show us man in his manifold weaknesses, errors, afflictions, and distresses, yet their humour is of a kind that never shocks our feelings. What is especially commendable in Wilkie is, that in such scenes as the Distress for Rent he never falls into caricature, which often happened to Hogarth, but, with all the energy of expression, remains within the bounds of truth. It is affirmed that the deeply impressive and touching character of this picture caused an extraordinary sensation in England when it first appeared. Here we first learn duly to prize another feature of his pictures, namely, their genuine national character. They are, in all their parts, the most spirited, animated, and faithful representations of the peculiarities and modes of life of the English. In many other respects Wilkie reminds me of the great Dutch painters of common life of the seventeenth century-for instance, in the choice of many of his subjects, and particularly by the careful and complete carrying out of the details in his earlier pictures, in which he is one of the rare exceptions among his countrymen. If he does not go so far in this respect as Geraid Dow and Mieris, he is nearly on an equality with the more carefully-executed paintings of Teniers and Jan Steen. His touch, too, often approaches the former in spirit and freedom.' Nor need we hesitate to introduce another great name-still, we may rejoice, in fullness of life and power among us- -whom the Continent has long enthusiastically acknowledged, and in the honouring of whom future generations will rival, but can never surpass us. It is pleasant to have his encomium thus registered, while we know that we have himself as well. 'SIR EDWIN LANDSEER takes the first place in this branch of art. He He distinguishes himself from other animal-painters, both of earlier and of present times, by his presenting to us his favourite animal, the dog, in those relations in which this animal exhibits a certain likeness to man, and even as playing a human part. This is exemplified, for instance, in his picture Laying down the Law, in which not only all the varieties of race are observed with the utmost delicacy, but also such traits of expression in which the canine and the human nature are found to agree, most humorously and shrewdly given. Next to dogs, horses and stags are his favourite animals, which he also presents to us with a variety of aspect and with an analogy to human nature which I have met with in no other animal-painter. In order to accomplish this with the more success, Sir Edwin has so carefully studied the human race, that, but for the circumstance that animals, properly speaking, constitute the chief subjects of his art, I should have assigned to him a distinguished place among the subject-painters of England. With this style of conception he unites the most admirable drawing, by which he is enabled to place both animals and men in the most difficult and momentary positions; his pictures also exhibit a finely-balanced general effect. His feeling for colour leads him both to choose his unbroken colours of a cold scale, and also to aim at a prevailing cool tone. In his earlier pictures the execution of every detail evinces a thorough love and understanding of nature. In those of his later time the touch is much broader and freer, and, when closely examined, every stroke will be found to express what he intended. After these few remarks, it is unnecessary to add a word as to the exquisite delicacy with which the physiognomy of both dogs in High Life and Low Life (No. 44) are expressed. Highland Music also is most admirable, not only in the different expressions of the dogs, but in the masterly keeping. If these two pictures may be said to exhibit him in his higher department as the historical painter of the race, the Spaniels of King Charles's breed (No. 90) show him as the portrait-painter-these little creatures being rendered with a love and correctness such as Leonardo da Vinci may be supposed to have exercised in the delineation of the Mona Lisa. Finally, we see him in his full dramatic power in the picture of The Dying Stag (No. 94): the expression in the head of the noble animal is quite touching.' Our other living painters also receive the tribute of Dr. Waagen's experienced discrimination, their leading merits and characteristics being defined in brief, sincere, and simple words, which, in many instances, we apprehend, will pass into a text. And it is a pleasant parting conviction, after all the treasures through which we have conducted the reader, that the Englishman, while feeding his eye and filling his house with the productions of other periods and nations, has not become indifferent, nor even affected indifference, to the excellence of his own living countrymen. The time will come when we shall hear where all the Mulreadys, Stanfields, and Landseers are dispersed; meanwhile such collections as those of Mr. Sheepshanks, Mr. Bicknell, and others, may justly make us proud of their owners as well as of their contents. ART. ART. VII.-1. Correspondence relating to Turkey presented to Parliament. Parts I. to VII. 1853-54. Tome II. Par M. A. Ubicini. 2. Lettres sur la Turquie. Tome II. Paris, 1854. 3. Armenia: a Year at Erzeroom and on the Frontiers of Turkey, Persia, and Russia. By the Hon. Robert Curzon. London, 1854. 4. A Year with the Turks. By Warrington W. Smyth. London, 1854. 5. Journal of a Residence in the Danubian Principalities in 1853. By Patrick O'Brien. London, 1854. 6. The Greek and the Turk; or, Powers and Prospects in the Levant. By Eyre Evans Crowe. London, 1853. 7. Travels in Turkey, with a Cruise in the Black Sea. By Captain Slade, Admiral in the Turkish Fleet. London, 1854. 8. Communications respecting Turkey made to Her Majesty's Government by the Emperor of Russia, with the Answers returned to them: January to April, 1853. AFTER many months of doubt and hope, the Speech from the Throne on the opening of Parliament announced to the country that peace was about to end, and that the nation was preparing for war. The terms of this announcement were still vague and unsatisfactory, and, in our opinion, neither worthy of the occasion nor calculated to call forth an earnest and unanimous response to the appeal thus made to the people of England. It is true that in the House of Commons, during the debate upon the Address to her Majesty, Lord John Russell, in a speech characterised by a straightforward and manly expression of the true policy of England, removed any doubts which might have prevailed with regard to the course the Government were bound to pursue; but Lord Aberdeen, and those known to be immediately connected with or inspired by him, have used language, if not directly opposed to, certainly at variance with, that held by the leader of the House of Commons, and those who are supposed to think with him. It is this state of things, showing a very great divergence of opinion in the Cabinet, that has chiefly given rise to that uncertainty which has prevailed throughout the country, and which, we do not hesitate to say, has contributed greatly to the increase of our difficulties, to the embarrassment of our allies, and to the encouragement of Russia. All these doubts are now removed. The sword has been drawn, and the issue of the great struggle has been left to the fate of war. To justify their policy, and to prove to the world that this mighty contest is one not lightly entered into or wantonly pro 976 26 T 11 voked, her Majesty's Ministers have presented to Parliament the correspondence and various state-papers connected with the recent negotiations between this country and Russia. The, tine is now almost gone by for any criticism of these state-papers,, ; buta me cannot refrain from adverting to them with spine satisfaction as a complete corroboration of the views upon the Eastern question put forward in our previous Number, We now have the admission of the Russian Government itself, that Count Leiningen's mission was one of the causes of Prince Menschikoff's embassy to Con 01orr stantinople. Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, in a despatch of the 9th Recla that it had reached him from more quarters than one that among the motives of Russia for increasing her influence in Turkey was the desire of repressing Protestantism wherever it appears, The moderation shown by the French Government, and its readiness to withdraw any demands, however just, incon sistent with the claims or even pretensions of Russia, and which might tend to embarrass the Porte, is most fully proved, whilst the communications of the French Ministers afford the most convincing testimony of the honourable and straightforward conduct of the Emperor himself and his desire to give effective and speedy support to Turkey. At the same time it is impose sible to rise from the perusal of these papers without being deeply impressed with the fatal effects of a vacillating and unde cided policy, and without a solemn conviction that, I had the British Government adopted in the first instaned a firm and Vigorous tone, in dealing with Russia, England would have been spared the terrible necessity of a war. Had, doubts nemained upon this point in the mind of any man after perusing the two volumes of correspondence first published, they must surely have been removed by the supplemental or fifth part subsequently added to them, and containing the communications respecting Turkey made to Her Majesty's Government by the Emperor of Russia during the early part of last year. The first déspatch in the collection (Sir G, H. Seymour to Lord John Russell, January 11, 1853) gives the clue and key to the whole Eastern question, and shows beyond a doubt why the moment was chosen for base tening a crisis which might prove fatal to the existence of the Ottoman Empire. The supreme direction of the affairs of this: country had, from a series of most unexpected occurrences, been confided to the Earl of Aberdeen, Unfortunately it was especially upon his foreign policy that his, character as a statesman both at home and abroad was founded. He had raided the Emperor of Russia in striking the first great blow against Turkey in 1829. He had in 1842 done his best to hand over to Russia the importants Turkish province of Servia; he had been duped by Erance in thel HWXXXI).OA ✓ questions 1 " |