place figures in the same situations, with the same costume and the other accessories, the peculiar light and time of day agreeing also,—thus analysed, it would be found in many instances different to the performance of P. De Hooge.

With a light such as governs the nearer figures, there would be far less depth of local colour, there would be more of detail in the character and folds of the drapery and the rest of the accessories. Other aids might be pointed out, which the artist has brought to bear upon his subject, that are not strictly true. No rules however can be given for painting such pictures; if there could, they would oftener appear, and would not in that case be of much worth.

It is evident that Monsieur Grenet, in his Interior of the Chapel', has adopted similar expedients with those of P. De Hooge, though with something less of the calculated system; but, excellent as this performance is, it does not offer to the artist or the amateur the pleasure which the more picturesque character of P. De Hooge's Card-players' does. The formality of Monsieur Grenet's subject has been skillfully combated by the artist; but it is still a picture of too much architectural regularity to please a lover of the picturesque.

Like the 'Interiors' by De Neef and other artists who excelled in church and cathedral perspectives, a single example like this is sufficient for a collection; while subjects like that of P. De Hooge need only to vary in scene, and they might be repeated often with little or no diminution of enjoyment in contemplating them. It may be further observed, that in the executive parts as well of Monsieur Grenet's performance as that of P. De Hooge, there is no extraordinary attention to finish. The style in both is broad and efficient, rather resembling that of Jan Steen than any others.

The 'Interior, with the Woman paring Turnips,' by D. Teniers, in point of execution is a superlative example of excellence. It is impossible to examine the objects which compose this striking performance but with the greatest delight. In the detail character of the several parts it is as if the artist had concentrated all his powers in their representation. It is certain that D. Teniers, as well as others, brought together articles of a kind and character foreign both to the place and the occasion. Accordingly, in this picture there are vegetables and fruits, old bellows and vinegar-bottles, with odds and ends of every sort, piled in picturesque confusion, outraging all housewife-like feelings; but housewives are neither connoisseurs nor purchasers of paintings, and have the same feeling for Art which is said to characterize the people called Friends, who prefer the thing itself to the most perfect imitation.

Few, if any, of the paintings of D. Teniers present anything to the imagination, if we except his 'Incantation' and 'Temptations'; and these are so entirely grotesque, that they excite no other feeling than disgust, except for the technical skill with which they are executed, which at all times, and in all he has done, is the powerful charm by which the artist and the amateur are attracted to his works. Pictures like this under our notice must be seen in order to appreciate its merits; no words can convey an idea of what his pencil has executed. The 'Woman paring Turnips,' which gives the title to this clever performance, though skilfully painted, is but an apology for the introduction of his objects of still life, into which he has thrown the whole power of his execution; not merely by individuality or fidelity in the detail, but he has surrounded them as it were with an atmosphere of art. It must be evident to every one conversant with the principles of painting, how much depends on the character and colour of the ground by which objects are relieved; it must harmonize and balance as it were the several parts, partaking by reflection or refraction of the surrounding colours. Thus there is often seen, what may appear to some, an exaggerated dispersion of the prismatic colours on objects and in places where we should not have expected to find them: this is eminently the case in this painting of D. Teniers, and the system is carried further in it than in almost any other of his works.

'A Village Fête, with Portraits', painted for the top of the artist's harpsichord. As the last-mentioned performance of D. Teniers may be considered the finest example of its class of subjects, so may this of the 'Village Fête' be ranked in his style of landscape: it partakes of every quality that distinguished the pencil of this truly admirable artist. The execution or penciling of D. Teniers may be described as quick and sharp, without being hard or cutting: there is in it little of softness or blending, which manner is too apt to fall into the woolly and insipid.

This admirable collection is not exclusively that of the Flemish school: it appears to have been selected with a view to conformity of style and subject; as we find examples from the Italian, Florentine, French, and English schools.

In the painting by Greuze, A Domestic Scene,' the artist has given the entire character of his country: the female and the boy are perfectly French, and the style that of his period, in which the flutter rather than the folds of drapery was given. Greuze, however, may be said to be an exalted painter of domestic life. His subjects, though all of them taken from the middling and lower class of society, are never vulgar : there is a sentiment that elevates even his cottagers above their sphere;

and those who remember his 'Malediction Paternal' (from which there is a print) will agree, that no characters, however exalted in station, or decorated in the most splendid costume, could exhibit on canvas, as a subject for painting, more deep and touching pathos than the cottage scene of 'Malediction Paternal', presents.

The tragedy, where kings and emperors are the actors, never exhibited so powerful an energy as that which appears in the old man, who, with hands extended, is attempting to rise in the act of uttering the tremendous curse about to fall on the head of his son. The subject throughout is replete with character and expression, all in connexion with the principal event in the affecting drama :-the mother attempting to restrain the wrath of the old man; the children clinging to the females; and the still angered and vindictive character of the offender, are marked beyond the power of pen to describe.

The little domestic scene which gave rise to the foregoing remarks is of a very different character, yet with equal truth in the treatment of the subject; which is simply a mother with a child at her breast, another beside her asleep in a cradle, and an urchin of a boy with a toy trumpet, who is with-difficulty restrained by the angry menace of his mother from giving utterance to sounds that must disturb the sleeping infant. All this is so quietly and naturally expressed, that it cannot fail to interest. Besides which, there is great beauty in the Female Cottager', and a clearness of colouring, with a lightness of pencil sufficient to arrest the attention, contrasted as this picture is by the deep-toned paintings by which it is surrounded.

"The Young Gamblers', by Le Nain, (another French artist,) is in a style altogether different, agreeably to the dark and vicious passions of the young aspirants in fraud; it is deep and sombre, the masses of light and shade broad, the colours few and simple, and altogether free from the flutter of French drapery as practised by Boucher and others of the time already alluded to. Le Nain's manner or style is certainly of the best period of French art, and inferior to neither Le Seur, Le Brun, or N. Poussin. In character and expression this artist is equally excellent; and the future assassin, the robber, and the galley-slave may be traced in the features of the Young Gamblers. It would be remarkable (did not every day's experience show it) that talents of so much power and excellence should have left few or no traces of the life and works of such a man as Le Nain: his paintings are seldom met with; yet the practice requisite to produce such pictures as The Young Gamblers' must have been of long continuance, and attained by many and repeated efforts. Certain it is, that half the excellence displayed in

this performance has placed artists high in the ranks of fame; and it is wonderful what could have been the fate of this painter, that so little is known of him*.

There is no reason, however, to think this a solitary instance of forgotten talent. Contingents must come in aid, or merit may struggle long, and lose at last: yet, when any glaring instance of neglect occurs, there is an aptitude to wonder, much as we do when the days shorten or lengthen.

A Lady writing a Letter', by Terburgh.-With this artist you are always in good company. If the character of his subjects do not excite any great interest or occasion any powerful emotion, you are never offended by being introduced to a broil or a brothel. In his compositions Terburgh is simple; his groups seldom exceed three figures. His forms are elegant, and evidently belong to the higher classes of society. In the management of chiar'-oscuro great attention is paid; and, it may be, much sacrifice of truth is made in deepening and spreading his dark masses, not merely to support but to force out his principal object. This method of producing effect by strong opposition may, in the hands of a skilful artist, be rendered agreeable to the eye; but it is often false, and of too common-place a character in the practice of art to be frequently resorted to. In Terburgh, however,-whose object it was to show off his draperies, whether of silk or satin, to the best advantage,— the practice of dark masses was skilfully if not always justly applied. We cannot look upon a well-executed picture when the subject is not obvious, or, as in the case of this performance, where more appears meant than is warranted by the title, without wishing to know the parties introduced, and the occasion that gave rise to the painter's choice. In the group under notice there is much to excite curiosity, and an ingenious writer would readily weave what seems to be going forward into a tale or story of some interest.

Artists are frequently as much at a loss to give a title to some of their pictures, as many people are to find a title to an estate or other property; and if the artists of the present as well as those of former times were questioned as to the reasons for their choice in bringing such subjects into the market, the answer in all probability would be,-to sell. But the charm by which the amateur is held has often little to do with the subject or story; it is enough if the colouring is harmonious, the composition well regulated, the execution fluent, and the drawing

The style greatly resembles the best paintings of Velasquez, and the treatment of the subject isequal, if not superior, to most of a similar class by Murillo.

tolerable. Above all, Is it a favourite master, or one that happens to be in fashion? is no unimportant question; for, strange as it may appear, there is a fashion even in picture-craft, without gaining which, Genius may often struggle in vain,—but with the aid of which, many inferior artists are enabled to tower above all their competitors.

ON ETCHING, AND THE SEVERAL STYLES OF ENGRAVING. No. I. PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS.

..... In sum, it were to be wished that all our good painters would enrich our collections with more of their studies and ordonnances, and not despise the putting of their hands now and then to the graver.

“We have given instances of great masters who excelled in both: and the draft, if it be good, does sufficiently commute for other defects, or what may be wanting in neatness and accurate conducting of the hatches."

EVELYN.

'ETCHING' has very frequently been applied to works altogether without this character of execution on copper, and where the graving-tool has had the larger share; this has been the case more especially in the early examples of engraving, many of which have a stiffness and hardness quite incompatible with the freedom and spirit of etching; where the needle passes over the surface of the plate with the same ease as the crayon or the pencil. On the contrary, the burin or graving-tool requires great practice and many repetitions of the lines to give lightness and freedom.

There is a style of etching, which, for the sake of distinguishing it from any admixture with the graver, may be called the painter's style, which requires little, besides the hand of a master, more than the knowledge of the character and form of the figure or group, and is in fact nothing more than the artists drawing upon copper, which, emanating from the mind of the painter, often possesses a spirit and character equal to the first thoughts, or the sketches, of the master. In this practice, most of the eminent painters indulged both in the Italian and Flemish schools; and these performances have been highly and deservedly valued as well by the amateur as by the artist. In the mean time, the estimation in which they are and have been held by collectors and others, has given rise to much fraud and some prejudice.