94 



rude and mindless efforts and those which have enriched his 

 imagination and confirmed his taste. The patronage of art 

 in Liverpool is greater than any town in England, London 

 only excepted. 



With respect to the revival of historical art in England, it may 

 not be amiss to quote the observation of Eichardson, made in 

 the year 1720 ; he says, "I am no prophet, nor the son of a 

 prophet; but considering the necessary connexion of cause 

 and effect, and upon seeing some of the links of the fatal 

 chain, I will venture to pronounce, as extremely probable, 

 that if ever the ancient, great and beautiful taste in painting 

 revives, it will be in England." Since that period, this pre- 

 diction has been fulfilled in every department of art but 

 history; and even in history, we have seen, that if the lever 

 was properly applied, this also would take place. Although 

 we have nothing to compare with Phidias, it would be an act 

 of injustice not to mention the names of Flaxman and Chantry 

 as men possessing exquisite taste united to a refined judgment. 

 Chantry has created a new era in the art of Portrait and Monu- 

 mental Sculpture : he had the courage to banish the mytho- 

 logical and allegorical characters with which it was previously 

 encumbered, and instead of the Eoman Toga, he has dressed 

 his figure in a garb nearly resembling that of his own country ; 

 in this he has not violated a single principle in art, but simply 

 taken a pure and chaste costume instead of an inappropriate 

 and obscure decoration. With Chantry's dresses our associa- 

 tions are increased, instead of being destroyed. Look, for 

 instance, at the statue of George III. in the London-road, 

 where we look in vain for the truly British monarch ; but in 

 the statue of the celebrated James Watt we see with pleasure 

 and pride that he is our countryman. 



Eaphael's great works in this country are the Cartoons at 

 Hampton Court, which are admitted to be his best produc- 

 tions ; and such is their merit, that they have received the 

 willing and free homage of ages. When we refer to the lives 



