EXHIBITION AT THE ROYAL INSTITUTION. H7 



Saw the picture of the Black Cocks, which was put up there for 

 public inspection. I know that the birds are composed and 

 drawn as well as any birds ever have been ; but what a difference 

 exists between the drawing of one bird and the composition of 

 a group, and harmonizing them with a landscape and sky, and 

 well-adapted foreground ! Who that has ever tried to combine 

 these three different conceptions in a single picture has not felt 

 a sense of fear while engaged in his work ? I looked long and 

 carefully at the picture of a stag painted by Landseer ; — the 

 style was good, and the brush was handled with fine effect ; but 

 he fails in copying Nature, without which the best work will be 

 a failure. A stag, three dogs, and a Highland hunter are intro- 

 duced on the canvas ; but the stag has his tongue out and his 

 mouth shut ! The principal dog, a greyhound, has the deer 

 by one ear, while one of his fore-paws is around his leg, as if in 

 the act of fondling with him. The hunter has laced the deer 

 by one horn very prettily, and, in the attitude of a ballet-dancer, 

 is about to throw another noose over the head of the animal. 

 To me, and my friend Bourgeat, or Dr. Pope, such a picture is 

 quite a farce ; but it is not so in London, for there are plenty of 

 such pictures there, and this one created a great sensation 

 among the connoisseurs. 



" Captain Hall invited me to take some of my drawings to 

 show Lady Mansfield, who is his particular friend, and who 

 expressed a desire to see them. Unfortunately she was not 

 at home when we called ; but her three daughters and several 

 noblemen who were present examiaed them. The ladies were 

 handsome, but seemed haughty, and wanting in that refinement 

 of manners and condescending courtesy I had seen in the 

 Countess of Morton ; and the gentlemen evinced. a like lack of 

 good breeding. This did not disturb me, but I was troubled 

 and pained for Captain HaU, who is so instinctively a gentle- 

 man, because I saw that he felt hurt and mortified. He re- 

 quested me to leave my drawings, which cost me so many days' 

 labour, and of which I am so jealous, and I would not add to 

 his pain who had proved so kind a friend to me by denying him. 

 Lunch was already on the table, but I was not asked to remain, 

 and I was truly glad of it, and I went away almost unnoticed, 

 and hurried to meet an engagement at the Wernerian rooms. 



