REVIEWS OF PRINTS AND ILLUSTRATED WORKS. 129 



Stanfield, &c, &c., and in addition to the engravers of the British Scenery, we find 

 Goodall, Finden, R. Wallis, Woolnoth, Heath, Higham and Cooke ; these names 

 alone are sufficient evidence of the excellence of the work. 



" The National Portrait Gallery of Distinguished Americans^'' Part X. New 

 York. London, O. Rich, 12, Red Lion Square. (Monthly.) 



Following our example the Americans have put forth their " National Portrait 

 Gallery," a work honorable not only to the distinguished individuals whose features 

 it pourtrays, but infinitely creditable to the efforts of the American hurin. Issued 

 under the superintendence of the Academy of the Fine Arts, it appears with considera- 

 ble tclat -• the portraits are three in number, J. S. Johnstone, former representative 

 of the state of Louisiana, by B. Longacre, from C. B. King ; Dr. Beck, from R. W. 

 Weir, by E. Prudhomme ; and Louis Mc. Lane, Secretary of State, by T. Kelly, 

 from G. S. Newton. The first two are clever stippled prints ; the last is a clear, 

 masterly line engraving, with great brilliancy of stroke, reminding one of Wille or 

 Bervie, and alone well worth three times the " 75 cents" charged for the whole. 

 Autographs are annexed, and well-written biographical sketches complete the 

 attraction of a National Gallery on which our Transatlantic brethren have reason to 

 congratulate themselves. 



« The National Gallery r Nos. XXXV. and XXXVL Jones & Co., Finsbury 

 Square. 



An undertaking deserving encouragement as affording tolerable glimpses of the 

 master-pieces in the National Gallery ; indeed when the " shilling a number" is 

 considered, the plates must be admitted to be of remarkable merit. The present 

 numbers contain " The death of Earl Chatham, from Copley, by F. Walker ; « Eu- 

 ropa," after P. Veronese, by H. Fernell ; Annibal Caracci's " Hunting Scene," by 

 J. C. Varral, and " St. Jerome," from Guido, by J. Fuseli. Of the descriptions we 

 say nothing. 



" Illustrations of the Bible ;" London, Bull and Churton. Part V. 



Four very magnificent designs by Martin are included in this part ; " The passage 

 of the Red Sea ;" « The seventh plague ;" " The fall of Dagon ;" and « The stranger's 

 sacrifice accepted ;" these are, indeed, sublime illustrations. " The infant Moses •" 

 " Moses receiving the tables ;" " Balaam and his ass ;" and " Jael killeth Sisera " 

 form the contributions from the justly-celebrated pencil of Westall. A slio-ht 

 meagreness of design and drawing, and a probable tameness of expression, may be 

 obvious in one or two of these ; but their general merits counterbalance that triflino- 

 inequality which is, in fact, a sort of Mephistopheles ever lurking in the train of a 

 long-continued series of efforts. Even the cartoons of Raffaelle are not uniform in 

 excellence. 



" The Botanic Garden, or Magazine of Hardy Flowering Plants cultivated in 

 Great Britain ;" by B. Maund, F. L. S. London, Simpkin & Marshall, &c. &c. 

 (Bordered edition.) 



We have received the 116th number of this singularly beautiful pubhcation ; the 

 illustrations are judiciously arranged, and of extreme interest. " The dark purple 

 lubinia" is superbly coloured ; '' the ivory-coloured centaury" presents a contrast 

 of tender emerald and the faintest amber : these, with " the Italian toad-flax" with 

 its golden flowers, and "the wind-herb" of lilac hue, compose the present specimens. 

 The letter -press is particularly pleasing and instructive ; we cannot refrain from an 

 extract, a microscopic description for which our readers will, assuredly, thank us. 



" On examining the deep crimson petals of the lubinia, under a magnifier, we observed a 

 number of minute pearl-like substances, spread over their whole interior surface. Its crim- 

 son filaments were also similarly gemmed. They appeared as grains of farina, fallen from 

 the anthers, but a comparison showed them to be evidently brighter. This induced the ap- 

 plication of a more powerful magnifier. The result was gratifying. The inner surface of 

 the rich-coloured petals, and the filaments also, were now seen to be adorned with prominent 

 glands— each a little globe, on a cylindrical pedestal. On the sun's rays being fully reflected 

 on a small portion of a petal, it instantly became a most dazzling object — a ground-work of 

 fine crimson studded with brilliants. The most apathetic must exclaim ' wherefore this 

 labour f wherefore this great splendour and beauty ?' That these glandular appendages have 

 certain uses in the economy of the plant, none dare deny, but what they are all are equally 

 ignorant." 



