ie ee Oe ri 
MONTHLY RETROSPECT or true FINE ARTS: — 
The. Use of all Néw Prints, Communications of Articles of Intelligence, &c. are 
requested undér covER to the Care-of the Publisher. 
The Lady of the Lake; a Pocm by Walter Scott, 
Bigs illustrated with Engravings from the 
Designs of R: Westall, Esg. R: Ay Publish. 
ed'by Fobir Sharpe, Piccadilly, 
FALTER Scott may justly be 
VV. called the poet of painters, 
few modern poets, abounding more’ in 
high-wrought’ descriptions and’ interest- 
ing situations. Mr. Westall has avail- 
ed himself of the popularity of the 
Lady, of the Lake, to make a series of 
designs similar to those from Marmion ; 
but with an inferior degree of success. 
There is more of the mannerist in this 
series, than any other of the works of’ 
this master, whe is'so decidedia@ manner- 
ist, that he need not place his name 
to any “of bis works, it being written 
in’ legible characters, in every: nose, 
mouth, eye, and foot, of his: figures: 
Mr. Westall has too long given up, the: 
study of nature for the ideal world of 
Riis own creation; not so furious indeed: 
23 that of Mir. Fuseli, but equally. mono- 
tonous, and that of a worse description=— 
eloying or insipid. The designs appear 
done in much haste, and not in the best 
manner of the’artist; who can, when he 
will, produce pictorial loveliness:and!lux~ 
uriousness in all its splendor; as some of 
his best works, particularly his: Marriage 
Procession, from one of thecompartments 
of the shield of Achilles; exhibited in his 
gallery last spring, fully evinces, The first 
print (Ellen in her Boat) is decidedly 
the best: the attitude is appropriate, 
the figure charming and lovely, and is 
the very Ellen of the poet, But can- 
dour impels us. to: say, that, comparing 
the drawing with the print, the draits- 
man is under infinite obligations to the 
engraver, (the younger Heath,) who has 
produced one of the sweetest prints 
that has emanated from the, burin of 
modern art. It cannet be spoken of 
too highly, or admired too much. The 
other prints, are Ellen and Allan Bane, 
by Englehart; the Elevation af the 
Fiery Crossyby Raimbach, a print of great 
excellence; Ellen, Allan Bane, and 
the Knight of “Snowdon, by Anker 
Smith; Roderick Dhu discovering Hime 
self and his Ambush, by Noble; and 
Elen claiming the Promise given with 
the Ring, from king James, by Golding. 
Nor ‘should we forget mentioning with 
much commendation the beautiful vig- 
nette by Pye, 
The Sixth Exbibition of the Works of British 
Artists, placed in the Gallery of the British 
Institution, Pall Mall, for Expibition and’ 
’ Sale, 1811. _ 
“The British Institution has removed 
ohe great cause of lamentation, which’ 
every admirer- and’ practise® of art in 
England’ most feelingly deplored; (the 
want of a good'school of colouring) by 
opesing: their: gallery during: the -sum- 
mer and autumn to British stadents, in 
which they are permitted to study some 
of the finest’ specimens’ of painting 
which can be obtained from the- most’ 
magnificent colleetionsin this country: 
and’ their patriotic wishes of seemg a 
new school of historic painting’ rising. 
within tle walls: of their® institate; is: 
certainly fast approaching: to acousum- 
mation. Among the advantages arising: 
to the country fiom proper encourage~ 
thent' to the arts generally, anc from 
the British Institution particularly, (al- 
though, they feelingly’adminthat itis not 
suitable to the. wealth, thepower, and 
the dorainion, of the United K ingdom,) 
niay be enumerated, that our artists are, 
not now entirely confined, to, portraiture; 
that to portraiture is given a poetic cha- 
racter; that they can study the best of 
the old masters without difficulty; that 
a good school of colouring, (additional 
to the-one of drawing in the Royal Aca» 
demy,) is annually opened for thems; 
that they are encouraged by premiuma 
to a laudable emulation, and have a 
constant marc for the sale of warks of 
merit. This society is happily on the 
advance, although the government, (to. 
its disgrace be it spoken,) have refi- 
sed the trifling boon solicited by them ; 
and gratified are we in a high degree 
to see the names of every member of 
the Royal family, male and female, 
among thenames of the governors of anin= 
stitution, which, as they infarm us in their 
introduction to the present catalogue 
has for its object a just appreciation of 
the Fine Arts, Wot merely as sources 
of revenue, or as means of civil refine- 
ment, but have been revered and ha- 
ngured for a nobler and more useful pur- 
pose. When directed to intellectual 
and national objects, and whilst their 
character is’ neither degraded by vulgar 
subjects, nor sullied by licentious images 
they ave calculated to raise the standara 
of morality and patriotigm; to pice 
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