1805.] 



( 24D ) 



MONTHLY RETROSPECT OF THE FINE ARTS. 



The Loan of nil neiu Prints and Cemrnunlcathns of Ar ticks of Intelligence are reouefled. 



Compen'ion PrintSf engra-ved in the ekalk 

 manner, from Viflura by Mr, Simrkc 

 PLte I. ' His Blood he upon us and our Chil- 

 Jren.' Plate z. 'Behold, I foe the Heai:ns 

 tpaied, and the Son ef Man /landing on the 

 right hand of Cod.' R- Smii^e, R. A. finxit, 

 y. Murphy excudit. J. Goadby fculpt. 



TT is an unfortunate, though by no 



fimple fuUjei^s, which come home to the 

 bbfintf* and Iiofomj of us all, may be eafily 

 transferjeJ to the canvas and copperplate. 

 But vvhethtr we expect too much, in 

 thinking that the picture fhould intered 

 our feelings as much as the poem, or that 

 it is not in the power cf colours to cunvey 

 to the mind ideas confoiiant to the words. 



means an uncommon circumtJance, that ^g h^yg Scarcely ever leen any of them well 



men of genius can rarely form a proper 

 eftimate cf their own powers. That com- 

 pofinon wliich has given them the moft 

 trouble, they almoft invariably prefer to 

 that which they produce with facility. 

 I'hofe proJuitions which flow from their 

 colours like a river from its fource, they 

 cannot hold in equal ertimation with labo- 

 rioun efforts, where they ftiive againft the 

 bias of their own genius. Hogarth pre- 

 ferred his SIgifmunda to his other admi" 

 rable works ; and, in thi'; initance, dif- 

 played a lamentable proof of a giant not 

 knowing wheie his flrcngth lay j we have 

 been told, that Mr. Smirkedifplayed ano- 

 ther proof, in preferring ihefe cold unin- 

 tereftiiio delineations, to the inimitable 

 works of humour with which he enriched 

 the Shakcfptare gallery, and to many 

 other pi6\ures that he has painted in the 

 fame walk. From the recotlection of thefe 

 works, which w«re never excelled except 

 by Hogarth; we feel fome reluctance 

 in giving our opinion of the compofitions 

 now before us; in which, we aie forry to 

 fay, poverty of idea firjns a piominent 

 feature. Tlie heads fcem call in one mould, 

 ami are only varied either by having no 

 beard, by a rtund bufliy beard, cr a long 

 beard : clole-fliaved, the features would 

 be juft the fame. Though containing a 

 great number of figures, yet in both fub 



depicted ; io that all which can be faid of 

 Mr. Drummond is tliat he has not.c.'m- 

 plctely fucceed in an attempt, in which 

 almoft every artift that has preceded him, 

 has failed. I never have feen the two 

 fpecjes of madnels which mark tlie charac- 

 ters of Ophelia and CafiTandra delineated 

 with much inierelt, except in Mortimer's 

 two etchings of charafters trum Shake- 

 fpeare. But this great artiit, with all his 

 ability, was afraid of atremptinsr that 

 character (bexquifitclydefciibed m;he lines 

 ii)Oi hello: 



" My mother had a maid call'd Barbara, 

 " She was in love," &c, &c. 

 Right Hon, the Earl cf Moiia, Commander in 

 'chief of his ATjj.fy's Forces in No'tb Britain, 

 Fiotn a piSlure in the pojjejjion of his Royal 

 Highnejs George Prince of IVaUs. J. Hop- 

 ner, R. ji. pii.xit. S. 7'our.g, engra<ver to the 

 Prince, fculpt. 



This is a mezzotinto, whole length ; 

 but the effeft is rather dark and heavy. 

 Riajjt Hoi. Francis Razudon Hajlings, Farl of 

 Moira, Comwander in Chief cf bis Mafffs 

 Forces in Scotland. Dedicated by permi£ion to 

 bis Royal Highnejs the Prince, by G. Clint, 

 Martin Anhur Shee, R.A.finxt, G, Clint 

 f.ulpt. 



From the well earned popularity of the 

 nobleman, the well known abilities of the 



great numner or ngnrcs, yer m ooin luo... -^^j^,.^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^.,,t ^^ ^^^ portrait, 

 jedls the.e are not more than three or_ tour fj,;^ .j^^ i,;^^ f^j,. j^f havirg an extenfive 

 different pohtton, of tne hands, vyh>cn for „Vcuiatio... It is a whole-hngth mezzo- 



youth or age have the fame marking. The 

 figure of Cluiil in the firlt p:ate is mean 

 and uninterefting. But it is uielefs to 

 dwell on particulars, where the leading 

 impreflion nf the whole is regret, at feeing 

 the talent* of a great and originil genius 

 waited on fuhjeSts wlieie thofe talents are 

 u&lefs. The efFeil \>\ the engravings is 

 rather bordering upon mill and lieavii)efs, 

 with a fupeiabundance of lints and dots. 



Crazy fane. S. Drummond pinxit. Smith 

 fulpt. 



Painters fcem to think that thefe little 

 MONiiiLV Ma«, No. 13^.. 



tmto, in every point of view Uiperiur to 

 that noticed above it. 



His Royal Highnejs George Prince of H^is, L'c. 



&c : rcjpei'ffii.'ly dedicated by perniiffion 'o H. 



Wcp, Ejq- P. R. A. by the engratur, S. 



Bcnet, R. A. >f the Prujjian Academy at Rcr- 



lin ; from a pifiure painted by Sii ly. Bcichy, 



R. A. for the Council Chon.bcr of the Royal 



Academy of London. 



It is fo very unufual to fee any portrait 

 painted by Su- \V. Beechy that is not en- 

 titled to praife, that it is wiii) feme fiir- 

 priCe, as well as reluctance, that wc aie 

 I i coui- 



