FINE ARTS. 341 



fro, and numerous figures all busily employed, render it a faithful 

 transcript of Caernarvon as it is. In Cattermole's grand and roman- 

 tic picture, the moon is partially tinging the towers and battlements 

 of the Castle, and gleaming on the steel morions, glittering spears, 

 and heavy armour, of the warrior train entering the gateway, with 

 their rich banners unfurled, and trumpets sounding shrilly in the 

 quiet night, as the stone steps of the bridge ring with the tread of 

 the mail-clad host. It is a glorious imagining of the by-gone time. 

 •^ The Trifaen Mountain," and " Llanilltyd," are very accurate 

 and good pictures. '^ St. Asaph" is a pretty landscape, of the Cres- 

 wick school ; but the artist (Mr. Wrightson) would do well, when 

 he finds so many jackdaws spotting the view, like a lady's sprigged 

 gown, to thin their ranks somewhat, if not murderously , at any rate 

 artistically. '^Penrhyn Castle," by Cox, is a most lovely scene * of 

 wood, vale, and mountain, crowned with the lofty trees of the mo- 

 dern-antique castle, and giving us a refreshing peep of the opposite 

 shore of Anglesey, and the intervening Menai Strait, all basking in 

 the quiet sunniness of a summer's day. ^' Conway," by Cox, is a 

 distant view of the Castle, but a very effective one, with one of the 

 strong, tower-Hanked gateways of the towm-wall in the foreground. 

 These remains of the ancient fortifications, once so jealously guard- 

 ed with gates and portcullises, now form merely picturesque en- 

 trances to the town ; and greatly do they increase its romantic 

 beauty, as the spirited plate before us bears ample testimony. Of 

 the wild rocky pass of " Nant Frangon," we have a fine effective 

 view, by the same talented artist. The detachment of foot-soldiers 

 winding along the Simplon-like road, adds greatly to its living and 

 picturesque appearance. The distant mountains, the torrent spring- 

 ing down their rocky sides, and the cattle browsing in the valley, 

 make altogether a very lovely picture of true Welsh scenery. In 

 the three numbers, now before us, of these pleasant w^anderings, we 

 meet but one of Creswick's delightful landscapes; it is his view of 

 " Bettws y Coed :" we look, and might almost rvalk, down the vil- 

 lage-street, and, passing the stage-coach now stopping at the inn- 

 door, wend onwards a long ramble among those grand heaven-point- 

 ing mountain-ranges, piled, crag above crag, into the very clouds, 

 and receiving, at the same time, sunlight and showers. There is a 

 most happy feeling pervading all Creswick's landscapes ; they are 

 all nature, but nature in her happiest moods and expressions ; he 

 paints her often like a young beauty, with the tears glistening in 

 her eyes, yet radiant with a sudden smile of triumphant joy. Here, 

 the passing shower has just swept over the village, and every tree 

 is sparkling in the gleamy sunlight poured on its dropping leaves. 

 Nor is this effect in any degree diminished by the engraver, who 

 has " done his spiriting" most gently, and succeeded in retaining in 

 this, as in most of the other plates, the grace and individuality of 

 the master. It is, indeed, evident that all the talent engaged on 

 this admirable work, is of a very high order. 



