Register of the Fine Aria. 



1821. 1 



lieati, which is inferior to the president's 

 foi-nif-r portrait of this nobleman when 

 Lord Castlereagh, is a portrait worthy of 

 a situation with I lie best of the English 

 school. Sir Thomas's pencilling is also 

 firmer than it was, and he is almost a 

 solitary instance of bringing baek no 

 bad habits from a visit to Rome. No. 

 70, his portrait of the Princess Charlotte, 

 is an interesting work, and has an ap- 

 propriate air of pensive sadness, in ac- 

 cordance with the feelings of the spec- 

 tator. His other works — 106, Portraits 

 of Mrs. H. Baring and children, a 

 charming composition, — 171, Sir Hum- 

 phrey Davy, which has scarcely enough 

 of that profound chemist's habitual 

 thinking displayed in the countenance, 

 — 180, Lady Louisa Lambtun, an unaf- 

 fected specimen of English beauty, — 

 193, The late President West, a whole 

 length, in his usual painting gown, of 

 uncommon merit, — 208, Viscountess 

 PoUingtou and child — and 331, James 

 Palmer, Esq. the treasurer of Christ's 

 Hospital, bear the same chaaractcr, and 

 overtop in brilliancy all tlieir compe- 

 titors. 



The other portraits are as usual nu- 

 merous, and, with a few exceptions of 

 distinguished public characters, uuin- 

 teresting. Lord Bute, by Raeburn' ; 

 Sir Wm. Grant, and Z). Ricardo, Esq. 

 by Phillips; two or three forcible 

 heads, by Jackson ; one or two by 

 Lane; Aid. If^ood, Count f-'iassali, ana 

 Jf^ebb Hall., Esq. (an excellent whole 

 length) by Lonsdale, are almost all 

 that are worthy of notice. 



The historical department is almost 

 wholly supported by FUSELI and 

 NoRTHCOTE. — Fuseli is the same as 

 ever — unaltered in art as he is in per- 

 son, his vigour and extravagance do not 

 abate with age. Nokth cote's burial 

 of Edward the Fifth and hisbrolher the 

 Duke of York, is an affecting picture, 

 and exhibits the veteran's talents to 

 much advantage. — 217, the Marriage 

 of the above Duke of York to Lady 

 Aune Mowbray, only daughter and 

 heiress of the Duke of Norfolk, a sweet 

 chubby infant, is an original composi- 

 tion, and the gravity of the infant 

 bride and bridegroom happily express- 

 e<l. His original want of correct draw- 

 ing and skilful handling are very ap- 

 pureRt; yet the picture will please, 

 from its merits of expression, in spite 

 of them. 



The Murder of Archhishop Sharp on 

 Magus Moor, in lfi79, by Balfour of 

 liuriey, painfefl by W. Allan (No. 33.) 



465 



is excellently tohl, and equally well 

 painted. The character of the suffering 

 prelate, and of the blood-hounds who 

 are slaughtering him, are excellently 

 pourtrayed ; but w^e are not quite satis- 

 fied with the character of Balfour, who 

 had somewhat heroic about him, dif- 

 ferent from the mere ruffian of this 

 picture. 



The acre of canvass, called the Dis- 

 covery of the Regalia of Scotland, by 

 Geddes, No. 293, which we suppose 

 must be classed among the historical 

 pictures, is only fit for a tea-garden: 

 but Cooper's Aero/c conduct of Crom- 

 well at Marston Moor, No. 123, is in an 

 exquisite style, and admirably com- 

 posed, well told, and excellently 

 painted. 



The fancy, or jjoetical class, with 

 that of domestic life and minor history, 

 are this year well supported by Leslie 

 in his May-day in the reign of Queen 

 Elizabeth, No. 8, with the pretty 

 groups of characters, and impi-oved 

 style of painting. — f'ertuinuns and Po- 

 mona, No. 23, by Mrs. Anslev. — 

 Sttbrina, No. 62, and abeautiful Cottage 

 Scene. No. 53, by the Secretary How- 

 ard. — Sancho Fanza relating his re- 

 ception and conversation ivith Dulcinea, 

 to his master Don Quixote, No. 109, by 

 Stothard. — Disabled Soldiers in a 

 Cabaret, No, 122, by G. Jones. — Ly- 

 sander, Helena, and Puck, No. 127, by 

 H. Singleton. — Nature blowing bub- 

 bles for her Children, No. 128, by W. 

 Hilton, a picture replete with beauty 

 and infantine grace and character, ex- 

 tremely well coloured, and better 

 drawn than usual with this artist. — 

 Wilkie we leave till another year, 

 when his whole strength is put forth. — 

 Mulready shines, and shall be no- 

 ticed hereafter. 



The House of Morpheus, No. 159, by 

 H.Howard, R.A. — The Servants biting 

 their Thumbs, from Romeo and Juliet, 

 No. 252, by H. P. Briggs, a picture of 

 characteristic humour. — Cleopatra'' s 

 arrival in Cilicia, No. 261, by W. Etty, 

 as gorgeous, as resplendent, as replete 

 with magnificent and Eastern splendour 

 as can be expressed by the pencil. Mr. 

 Etty has but to proceed as he has pro- 

 ceeded, and the highest success must 

 attend him. The languid and luscious 

 beauty of Cleopatra, in the dress (say 

 undress) and character of Venus ; the 

 exquisite beauty of her attendant maids 

 and lovely cupids ; the splendour of the 

 purple sails, and precious gems with 

 which the whole is crowded, but not 



to 



