48 
ON SKETCHING FROM NATURE. 
[Nature and Art, July 1, 186(5. 
tinsel by way of external adornment. Objects of 
nse or ornament, according to tlie taste of the 
family, were often placed amidst the bandages. 
Now a papyrus or religions book, then a dagger 
or toilet vase, or the comb with which the beauty 
curled her flowing locks. Often the long hair of 
ladies was cut from their heads, made into a 
separate packet, and carefully deposited at their 
feet. The dead, in fact, were made as gay and 
artistic as the beads, bugles, tinsel, and colours 
could contrive to render them. 
After all these decorations the labours of the 
embalmers were by no means ended. The mummy 
required a case, a description of which, as well as 
of other portions of the funereal accompaniments, 
will be given in a subsequent number. 
ON SKETCHING FROM NATURE. 
By Aabon Penley, Professor of Landscape Painting- at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. 
No. II. 
S lid, — The accompanying drawing is taken from 
the entrance of Gienflnlas, near the Brigg of 
Turk and the Trosachs. I have selected it as my 
second subject in your magazine for its extreme 
simplicity of character, and because I see in it 
a great variety of broad masses of form, combining, 
as it does, mountain, moorland, and a rudely 
picturesque Highland hut. I have given the scene 
exactly as I saw it, without addition or alteration. 
Indeed, there was no need for either, as every 
object was calculated to compose agreeably, and to 
produce a pleasing result. Nothing can exceed 
the charm of colour frequently found on old thatch. 
The patches of different grasses growing to seed 
upon it exhibit every description of tint ; 
while the weather-stricken thatch itself assumes 
indefinite compounds of russet, brown, and purple 
greys. It is from such little “ bits,” that the 
artist gleans much knowledge of harmonizing and 
natural blending, enabling him to bring the force 
of h is pallette into action, and yet keep clear of 
unpleasant or crude brightness. The lines of the 
cottage are broken by the position of several poles 
leaning against the roof ; and as these have neither 
similarity in direction, nor equi-distance from one 
another, they present no stiffness or apparent 
design. There is also great diversity in the sloping 
roof ; not only as regards colour, but also in its 
several layers or demarcations, which help to make 
up an agreeable, although broken, whole ; while 
the chimney, with its slaty top, gives a point of 
darkness and intensity. The peat at the side of 
the cottage is well placed for giving depth of shade 
and warmth of colour. Such scenes as this the 
amateur should seek for his pencil ; because, the 
component objects being few in number, there is 
little difficulty in dealing with them without con- 
fusion, oi- in tracing the manner in which the 
combinations of colours are effected. A far-off 
mountain, backed by light and flying clouds ; a 
middle distance of broken and undulating moor- 
land ; a cottage by the roadside, based by patches 
of grass ; a large fragment or two of stone ; a stone 
wall ; and three small trees, compose the whole of 
the scene before us ; with the exception of the 
horse and cart, which I introduce to convey action, 
force, and interest. The mountain is beautiful in 
form, and its rugged outline desirable, to prevent 
formality. It is also so placed with one of its 
sides warm, and the other cool in tone, as to receive 
a breadth of light and shadow. The lines of the 
middle distance, being curved in different direc- 
tions, assist very naturally to give elevation and 
dignity to it ; and the warm citrine yellow tone, 
with purple and laky heather, serve to send it far- 
away into aerial grey. There is often much 
difficulty in giving expression to a large mass of 
moorland or hillside, unless the surface is extremely 
irregular ; and, even then, we are not made cog- 
nizant of those features of character so requisite to 
portray, until some sudden gleam of sunshine 
lights up the more prominent parts, or, on the 
other hand, some passing clouds produce dark and 
telling divisions by their cast shadows. 
I would deeply r-ecommend all whose pencil is 
employed on mooi'land scenery, to notice whence 
the several undulations spring, in what direction 
they continue, and where they terminate. It will 
be upon a correct disposition of these lines that 
distances will depend ; for it is not unusual that 
several miles of sp>ace have to be expressed upon 
■ what would appear to a casual observer, nothing 
more than a flat surface void of interest. When 
alluding to the charming and varied effects of moors 
and downs, I would recall to memory the exquisite 
productions of the late Copley Fielding; because 
many of them are truly beautiful, and exhibit a 
most poetic and refined feeling for nature and art. 
In the present drawing, there is, in point of 
colour, great simplicity, harmony, and contrast, 
with a broad effect of daylight. The sky and 
clouds are cool and light in tint. The distant 
mountain rises with much tenderness of tone, 
deepening towards- the extreme outline. Opposed 
to this is the citrine or yellow-tinged moorland, 
with its delicate markings and shadows of warm 
russet purples; the yellows causing the greys to 
appear more aerial, and the half-toned shadows 
throwing the mass far into distance. The local 
tones of the motley-coloured roof, poles, and stone 
walls, give a soft appearance to the mass of moor- 
land, placing it at once in the middle distance. 
