FINE ARTS. 423 



is mannered. A grey, wheyish hue extends over the greater part of the 

 sky and landscape, and enfeebles the effect. Indeed, there is nothing 

 like an attempt at truth of local colour or freshness in the whole. It 

 was by the light, sweet, tasteful handling I, at once, recognised the 

 master. 



Charles Landseer has three admirable fancy subjects — "No. 176, 

 Bribery and Corruption." — " And so if you will promise to come alone the 

 next time." — "May be I will, and may be I winna," said Jenny — *' but 

 if ye get the dollar ye'll like it just as weel." — " I'll be d — n'd if I do, 

 said Halliday, taking the money however." This is the scene where 

 Edith Bellenden and her maid Jenny Dennison are applying to ranting 

 Tom Halliday, the trooper, who is centinel over Henry Morton in the 

 tower of Tillie-tudleim, for leave to have a stolen interview with the 

 prisoner. Jenny is slipping the piece of silver into the trooper's hand. 

 Her eyes are fixed on him, scrutinizing his features, as if not quite 

 satisfied to trust him ; at the same time there is a demure sly touch of 

 quiet coquetry on her handsome countenance. Halliday is a tall power- 

 ful fellow, with his steel head-piece, and all the offensive and defensive 

 costume of a life-guardsman in the time of Charles II. ready, on the in- 

 stant, for boot and saddle, to do the bidding of his officer. He is leaning 

 against the inside of the porch, listening to Jenny, and eying her with 

 the eager look of free-quarters, while he takes the bribe. 



Edith Bellenden stands aside, with one hand resting on the massive 

 oak door, and the other drawing close the plaid in which she is disguised 

 as the kinswoman of Jenny. The artist's refined discrimination is 

 marked by the modest concern expressed on her features. Her eyes 

 are not directed either to Jenny or the centinel, but rather lowered, as a 

 listener awaiting the issue. I cannot in any words give an idea of the 

 exquisite expression of gentle trouble in that very lovely face. Al- 

 though in the ordinary plaid of a waiting woman, her chastened air, and 

 the mild dignity of her demeanour, indicate her superior rank. Jenny 

 is a handsome buxom young woman, with an intelligent look, and 

 nothing vulgar or rustic in her manner, yet her inferior grade is, at once, 

 discernible when the eye passes from her to her mistress. 



Perhaps no scene from any of Sir Walter Scott's novels has been better 

 painted than this, or the characters better sustained. The whole of the 

 picture is highly finished, even to the table cloth and other accessaries. 

 The carnations are warm, clear, and mellow, and the tender, delicate 

 bloom of sixteen in Edith's complexion has the transparency and glow of 

 flesh and blood, heightened by the agitation of her spirits, when the life 

 of her lover hung by a thread liable to the doom of military law at a 

 moment's notice. 



In pages 265 and 266 of " The Analyst " for November, I reviewed 

 " 182 — Glad Tidings," and "183 — Sad Tidings," by Charles Landseer, 

 which have been sold in this present Worcester Exhibition. I therein 

 went so fully into the colouring, character, and expression of these two 

 charming pictures that any similar notice here would appear wholly un- 

 necessary. They were exhibited last year in Birmingham, and are in- 

 cluded in my critical notices of that exhibition. 



Constable, the R. A. has five landscapes, painted from nature ; " 50 — 

 A Lane Scene — Harvest Noon;" " 62 — A Heath Scenes" " 68 — A Water 

 Mills" *' 171— The Glebe Farm s" '* 185— The Valley of the Stour— 

 Morning." This artist's power is here seen to great advantage. Those 

 pictures have little of his spotty manner, and any amateur, who wishes 

 to possess a very capital specimen of his pencil, has here a favourable 

 opportunity to make a selection. 



