and their Illustrations. 173 



for, to a certain extent, they are works of luxury, rather than mere 

 science. These plates have, nevertheless, many faults ; as, even 

 so recently as the period when they were produced, lithographic 

 printing had scarcely attained its present certainty of equal suc- 

 cess. There is also another defect, not dependent upon the 

 imperfection of the printing : a coarseness in the work of the 

 lithographic artist, which is very offensive to the eye, as it pre- 

 cludes the possibility of obtaining that transparency of colour, 

 which is so desirable in depicting flowers. Some of the plates 

 are, notwithstanding these defects, very beautiful ; and I cannot 

 but particularise, though there are some still better, the one of 

 that inconceivably splendid tree, Amherstm nobilis ; to see which, 

 growing in all its native luxuriance, is really almost worth a 

 pilgrimage to the East. Another fault in this work is derivable 

 from the stiffness of the original drawings, which, being almost 

 entirely the work of Indian artists, are wanting in that freedom 

 and elegance of outline, which is only to be acquired in a more 

 advanced school of art. 



The present rage for the collection of orchideous plants has 

 led to the publication of two works, the first numbers of which 

 have just appeared, laying claim to greater splendour of illus- 

 tration than any similar works which have as yet appeared in this 

 country. I allude to Mr. Bateman's Orchidacece of Mexico and 

 Guatemala^ and Dr. Lindley's Sertum Orchidaceiim. The first 

 is really a magnificent work ; got up, regardless of expense, with 

 every aid that the arts in various branches can afford. The 

 beautiful woodcut vignette, the ornamental capitals and illustra- 

 tive tail-pieces, are most admirably executed, and form ati ele- 

 gant feature in the work ; but the titlepage, which afforded still 

 greater scope for similar excellence, is clumsily designed, and 

 lithographed. The idea is good, being to form a composition from 

 fragmental remains of ancient Mexican sculpture ; but there is 

 neither delicacy of touch or feeling in its execution. Such a de- 

 sign might have been made just as well from a few of the 

 pretty impressions which are used to decorate furniture, &c., in 

 what is called the " Egyptian style." The plates, at first glance, 

 are brilliant in the extreme, and really convey a good idea of the 

 dazzling beauties of the subjects themselves. These are well 

 chosen, and the task of the artist, Miss Drake, gracefully ac- 

 complished : they do great credit to her talent in that beautiful 

 branch of watercolour painting. But the works of the litho- 

 grapher and colourer have not been so successful ; for, upon a 

 closer examination, many faults are obvious. These plates, 

 though possessing great brilliancy, want the beautiful and care- 

 ful accuracy which distinguishes some earlier works, particularly 

 the Pimis, which I have mentioned ; and all the advantages 

 which lithography offers to plates of this description have, to a 



