MODERN EXHIBITION. 103 



68. Portrait of the Rt. Hon the Earl of Ahoy nc^ 6^c,8^c. — J. HoL 

 lifts. A mucli more creditable production than the former portrait; 

 but still far off what Mr, HoUiovS has achieved. 



69. Independent of a Vote, and 7^* Soliciting a Vote. — R, W, 

 Buss. Two pictures of election scenes, in the very broadest style 

 of — we had almost said — caricature, which they are not, but very 

 humourous and racy. The sly, low cunning of the lawyer's face 

 soliciting the vote ; the eager, anxious look of his companion, with 

 hand in pocket for the bribe, if likely to be accepted ; and the inde- 

 pendent, care-for-nothing expression of the elector, who gives a 

 sneering denial without so much as rising from his chair, are all 

 admirably characteristic ; — and the wife, eyeing the intruders with 

 a look of scarcely suppressed abuse, completes the story of the pic- 

 ture. The companion, 69, represents the chairing, or rather coach- 

 ing, of the member, among a motley group of boisterous and noisy 

 constituents. The execution of these pictures is careful and spirited. 



72. Malvei'n. — H. H. Lines. One of the gems of the collection ; 

 and a picture we should value, were it ours, as much as if it bore 

 the name of Gainsborough instead of Lines. The lane, opening 

 under the noble trees near the foreground of the scene, is perfectly 

 deceptive ; after gazing for a moment on its green and shady 

 hollow, you are thinking about strolling down it, and looking over 

 the stile, where the children stand with their donkey, into the gold- 

 en corn-field to the left ; beyond which, the church tower peers over 

 the trees, and behind it the rich, and swelling, and majestic hills 

 rise, knoll above knoll, till they commune with the upper air, — and 

 you wish yourself on the green summit to look around, and above, 

 and beneath : — around, on the mountain tops and the sailing clouds; 

 above, into the clear blue of the summer sky, where the birds are 

 merrily flitting and circling round ; and beneath, upon the busy and 

 seemingly happy world below, whose faint hum rises like music on 

 the ear. Stay — where are we } Oh ! at Malvern — Henry Lines's 

 Malvern. But in sooth, his pencil's magic had conveyed us in ima- 

 gination to the reality — for his picture is scarcely less than real. It 

 is the very poetry of painting ; and right glad are we to greet its 

 creator again in the Birmingham Exhibition. 



73. Greek Pirates landing their Captives. — C. H. Seaforth. A 

 fine and interesting composition ; the distant view of rocks and 

 coast to the left of the spectator, is very aerial. The figures are 

 spirited, characteristic, and well painted. 



80. Portrait of a Lady. — /. Phillips, R. A. Every part of this 

 portrait is exquisitely finished ; the head painted with a rich, yet 

 delicate, brilliancy, and most pleasing expression ; and the position 

 of the figure perfectly simple, easy, and graceful. The several parts 

 of the drapery are fac-si miles of the materials. The blond lace and 

 head-dress are most elaborately copied. 



86. The Chivalric Vow of the Ladies and the Peacock, — D. Mac 

 Clise. This wondrous picture is in itself an Exhibition. About 

 eighty figures are introduced, and though forming an infinity of 



