S 6 1 R^yal Acadcmij . 



In the corrse of the evening;, Dr. Letsom apologized for 

 the absence ot Dr. Jeniicr, who was prevL-nled iVoni altend- 

 inobv indisposition. 



KOYAL ACADEiMV. 



The exhibition of this year is, upon the whole, highly 

 <:rcditable to the artists of Great Britain. It is true, that in 

 the higher walk of painting the specimens are not nume- 

 rous : Ihat deficiency is not, however, to be attributed tn 

 vv-ant of talent in the painters of ovr country : at different 

 times they have evinced, that if proper encouragement were 

 given, we have more than one artist capable of rising to ex- 

 cellence as an historical painter. ' This is not the place to 

 point out the causes of this want df encouragement, which 

 damps the ardour of British genius, and compels it to 

 '• skim the midway air," while it feels all the energy which 

 the boldest flight demands. That ardour tlic artist is forced 

 to restrain ; for it requires no great discernment, nor length 

 of tin)e, to discover that a man may exist without fame, 

 thou2:h i\e cannot without hredd, and he is aware that he 

 has achance to paint a thousand portraits before he can find 

 one eniplover for one historical composition. What follows ? 

 He must cat, and therefore nuist paint pnrtra'tis. 



We have observed for many years past, that attempts 

 have been made bv several individuals of theBritish school, 

 at what may be termed, in this political age, a coalition be- 

 tween history- and portrait-painting. Of this attempt, v.- hen 

 kept wilhin proper bounds, we highly approve. Sir J. Rey- 

 nolds was often successful in this way. He possessed an 

 elegance of mind, a delicacy of taste, arid soundness of judg- 

 ment, which rendered this attempt successful in his hands. 

 He did not, if VvC remember well, carry this coalition be- 

 yond one or two figures. Others followed him in this line 

 with more or less success ; but, if we are not mistaken, those 

 productions which have exhibited a mob of portraits on 

 the historical canvass, though they have generally suc- 

 ceeded as to profit, have not obtained the ubprolatlon of the 

 true connoisseur. Fettered by the unpicturesque lines of 

 modern dress, and pestered by every person he \\'as to re- 

 present, to make him a prominent figure in the picture, the 

 artist was obliged to sacrifice every rule of consposition, and 

 succeeded accordingly. From this general censure we must 

 except The Death of 'Wolfe, by Mr. West. 



We now pass to a few observations on the pictures of this 

 year. 



The President, No. 30. Destruction of the Beast and 



falic 



