CONVEESAZIONE. 
131 
CONVERSAZIONE. 
(Held January 12th, 1871.) 
The Institution conversazione was largely attended by the mem- 
bers of the society and their friends. The walls of the Athenseum 
were hung, according to custom, with paintings and water-colour 
drawings. The collection was not so large as in former years, but 
the quality fully made up whatever was deficient in the quantity. 
Among the paintings was Dingle's ''Cornfield," after Constable. 
Mr. Dingle also shewed some smaller paintings, and Dingle, jun., 
had a couple of little pictures — one a scene off the coast, and 
the other a bit of rural landscape. Mr. F. Lane was represented 
by three portraits — one of the late Dr. Yonge, a second of the late 
Dr. Cookworthy, faithful and lifelike presentments of bygone 
worthies; and a third of Mr. Isaac Latimer. Mr. H. Luscombe 
had two marine pieces — one of the Cambridge, and the other Off 
the Dockyard." Mr. W. "Williams sent a cliff scene. Another 
and younger artist of the same surname — Mr. Harry J. Williams, 
of Plymouth — shewed a ''Winter Sunset at the Lizard." A 
couple of clever figure compositions were shewn by Miss Cum- 
min g, the young "Fisher Girl" and the head of Ophelia. Colonel 
Cummings contributed a painting of a shipwreck. There were 
also a couple of large landscapes by Horlbr, and a portrait of the 
late Mr. Prance by Paterson. The chief contributors to the water- 
colour department were Mr. Philip Mitchell and Mr, W. H. Pike. 
Mr. Mitchell was never represented to better effect. The two 
principal drawings shewn by him were " Horndon Woods" and 
"At Willsworthy." Each landscape is characteristically Devo- 
nian, alternating mountain, wood, rock, and river ; but the former 
is the more rugged of the two. "On the Lyd" — the boulders 
and the waters tumbling over them depicted with wonderful vrai- 
semhlance — and a complete contrast to the wide-reaching moorland 
landscapes, " Roborough Down " and "Black Down," by the same 
artist. Mr. Pike sent a number of drawings of coast scenes on 
the north coast, notably from Trebarwith. The most important 
was "Sand Gathering," which displays all that breadth and quiet 
force of colour and form for which he is remarkable. The "Gull 
