ON THE GENIUS OF JOHN MARTIN. 31 



His temper, his patience, his health, and perhaps his income, 

 would not much longer have held out against the daily importa- 

 tions of visiters, consigned to him through the medium of those 

 moving lazar-houses, the Turnham Green stages, carrying only 

 six inside; and he began to think of stealing a mile or two lower 

 down the road. One morning at breakfast, while Rufus was 

 reading the Morning Post, Mrs. Wadd and Jemima were alarmed 

 at hearing a sort of rattling sound in the good man's throat. The 

 paper had fallen from his hand, and a piece of toast was sticking 

 in his mouth : he was within an ace of choking, but their atten- 

 tions presently revived him. He spoke not, but pointed to the 

 paragraph which had so fearfully affected him. It ran as follows ; 

 " We are happy to learn that four Omnibuses, each carrying six- 

 teen inside, will run daily between the City and Turnham Green." 



It is supposed that Mr. Rufus Wadd is gone with his family 

 to reside at one of the most distant settlements on the Swan River. 



New Monthly Magazine. 



ON THE GENIUS OF JOHN MARTIN. 



WHEN, from among the ranks of a distinguished body of artists, 

 there steps forward one, in whom all the ennobling qualifications 

 and attributes of genius that can adorn and raise the character of 

 art appear proudly pre-eminent, it becomes the duty of those, 

 who are interested in raising the standard and watching over the 

 interests of art, to enquire into the artistical qualifications of such 

 an individual to weigh justly his merits as an artist of no com- 

 mon attainments, and if in proportion to these, he be found, 

 after an accurate examination, to be worthy of that high award 

 of eulogium, which is, if we may so speak, the true birthright of 

 genius, to grant it to him in its richest and fullest sense ; but if, 

 on the other hand, he be weighed in the balance of merit, and 

 found wanting in those high qualifications in which he had robed 

 and plumed himself, the just reprobation and censure of all men 

 should be employed against him in punishment of his pretension 

 and audacity. 



We presume there are few readers of our magazine, (artistical, 

 literary or scientific) who are not acquainted with the name of 

 John Martin, and to whom that name is not as "a household 



