270 BRITISH INSTITUTION. 



Middleton, is spoilt by the crude and interfering back ground ; the head and 

 upper part of the figure are tastefully executed. Wilson improves in his 

 marine subjeccts ; to look out upon his rolling seas, shining in the sun is the 

 next best thing to visiting the coast itself. In No. 197. Shakspeare's 

 Cliff Stanley has not let in air enough upon his picture ; there is a tendency, 

 though a slight one, to hardness in his outline and crudity in his colour. 



The Burial of Sir John Moore (W. BROCKEDON). The painter of this 

 picture has certainly mistaken his talent he never could have intended that 

 it should have excited risibility in the spectator, and yet it certainly does. 

 The same effect is produced upon us by Medea meditating the Destruction of 

 her Children, painted by H. HOWARD, R. A.. The total want of meaning in 

 the countenance of the principal figure, assures us that such a subject is 

 beyond the painter's powers. Near this are two very clever landscapes, by 

 CONSTABLE, R. A. ; the Dell Scene, No. 156, in particular, is perhaps the 

 finest bit of landscape painting in this exhibition Ruysdael's, admirers would 

 relish it as a true treat. HANCOCK has two nicely finished pictures, No. 

 158, The Keeper going round his Traps, and No. 444, The Forester. The horse 

 in the last mentioned is well drawn, but if the man is a deer stalker, such 

 a spirited animal would assuredly mar his purpose. This artist is striding at 

 a prodigious rate after Landseer, who will no doubt create a school of animal 

 painters. 



No. 163. The Mourner (C. LANDSEER). Great practice and knowledge 

 of his art may be discerned in this little subject it represents a girl sinking 

 with the torture of grief upon a newly made grave. We should have pre- 

 ferred a concealment of the face: such a treatment would be more refined and 

 poetical. 



No. 236. The Spanish Refugees (J. P. KNIGHT) is coarsely drawn, and 

 imagined in a common-place manner. Blindman's Buff- (W. GILL). The 

 Fair Connoisseur, 297 (T. M. JOY). No. 305. Landscape (J. CRUISE) 

 are deserving of admiration. Over the door in the middle room is a painting 

 by George Cruikshank, which we have no doubt will be considered as a 

 curiosity, and appreciated as a work of art ; it is called An Attack on Bruce 

 by the Lorn Highlanders. We beg to congratulate the artist upon his ac- 

 cession to the honours of the palette, and hope it will prove as potent and 

 prolific as his pencil. 



In the picture of MoJcanna revealing his features to Zelica (Me. CLISE) 

 there is much to admire in the skilful execution and color; the Zelica also is 

 beautifully imagined it is the figure of a sweet girl trembling with the fear 

 of encountering a dreadful revelation ; but we object decidedly to the 

 prophet : in this part of his subject the painter has missed the poetical 

 feeling which should have inspired him he has shewn too much something 

 dreadful, half seen, would have awed the imagination as it is, the mystery 

 is torn open and we are disappointed there is nothing but an ugly raw head 

 and glassy eyes, which any body could have) done -.besides this, the whole com- 

 position is too crowded the_ female is interfered with by curtains and all 

 sorts of furniture, and the other figure is too near her, they seem to have 

 been put away in the corner of a broker's shop. In Puck disenchanting 

 Bottom, No. 511, there is a vulgarity about the fairies too much akin to the 

 character of the weaver himself, though in the execution of the whole 

 subject we observed great force and cleverness. 



One of the best pictures in the exhibition is, the View of Greenwich 

 Hospital, from the river (J. HOLLAND). There is a great simplicity in the 

 taste the effect is natural and striking the colouring chaste the scene 

 not crowded, yet well filled up the style altogether reminds us of Guardi. 

 All the historical pictures, unfortunately, are destitute of any novel or 

 attractive qualities ; and the exhibition, on the whole, we should characterise 

 as rather more deficient than usual in sterling works of art. 



