1827.] T/ie Car /I on- House Pictures. 41 



complete general effect produced at all. The only kind of subject by 

 which Paul> Potter produces all the effect that he is capable of producing, 

 'is such a one as the following, for example: a broken fore-ground, with 

 a horse looking over the paling of a little farm-yard on the right ; a cow 

 or two feeding on a bit of rising ground beside a shallow water on the left; 

 with a few pollard willows standing along this first division, and throwing 

 their shadows, distinctly and slantwise, towards the front, so as to mark 

 out the bright sunshine that would otherwise cover the whole picture. 

 Then a middle distance of level pasture-land, green as an emerald (as 

 perfectly level land which is always more or less marshy must always 

 be), and extending all across the picture; with a road running through 

 part of it, with one traveller on it, and a few cattle feeding here and 

 there, but so distant as to be seen as part of the landscape merely, and not 

 to attract the attention from it to themselves. Then, lastly and most dis- 

 tant, a dimly-seen village, with its church-spire pointing to the blue sky 

 above it, and, on either side, a faint line of open country, scarcely dis- 

 cernible from the horizon into which it fades. In a scene of this kind, 

 however elaborate the finishing of the fore-ground may be, it will not 

 attract an undue share of attention or admiration from the rest, because 

 each portion will have its peculiar charm, and each will balance the others, 

 and they, together, produce but one impression. And it may perhaps be 

 laid down as an axiom of art, that wherever several distinct and striking 

 impressions are produced however we may admire, or wonder, or feel 

 disposed to praise, we are never thoroughly pleased ; and, on the contrary, 

 whenever we are perfectly and entirely pleased, we are never much disposed 

 to waste our feeling in the empty and equivocal testimonials of admi- 

 ration and applause. Paul Potter's best pictures of the above class are 

 the most pleasing ones in the world; and that we are disposed to covet 

 them more than any others, is proved by the enormous prices which they 

 obtain. And, after all, there are no other such satisfactory testimonials 

 of merit, as pleasure received, and money paid for it : we mean, of course, so 

 far as the taste and judgment of the parties paying and being pleased are 

 of any value. 



There are two other pictures by this master admirable, and indeed 

 perfect in their way. One consists of Travellers stopping at the Door of 

 a little rural Alehouse. The scene is completely shut in by trees, &c. ; 

 and the horses of the two travellers are remarkable for the extraordinary 

 truth and distinctness of character which are given to them. The other is a 

 much more elaborate scene ; but less perfect in its execution, because other 

 things are attempted than mere natural and ordinary appearances and 

 expressions. This picture consists of a stable on the left, with two horses 

 inside, and a boy at the door running away with a puppy from its mother 

 while the latter is chasing him, and has caught hold of the tail of his 

 coat. The boy is hallooing with fright, and squeezing the puppy, which 

 is squalling too ; while a woman milking a cow just by is enjoying the 

 hit of fun. Near this cow there are other cattle, &c., occupying the 

 middle of the picture ; and the left opens to a distant landscape, through 

 which a man is riding on horseback. The scene altogether is elaborate, 

 and, in many respects, admirably executed. In particular, there is a cock 

 scampering out of the way of the frightened boy, and a blind puppy crawl- 

 ing along the ground, which are capitally done. But we cannot help feel- 

 ing all these extraneous and accidental matters to be out of place in a 

 work of Panl Potter, which should exhibit Nature under her most ordinary 



M. M. New Series, VOL. IV. No. 10. G 



