230 
ftrugtors and the mode of inftruétion can 
be entrufted with fo little probability of 
abufe as with the parents. And as for 
any undue influence which the temptation 
of gratuitous inftruétion may give to the 
catholic religion, the only juftifiable means 
of counteracting this is, by opening. pro- 
teftant feminaries on the fame liberal foun- 
Gation. Let the nation awaken to a fenfe 
of duty. Let us recollect, that the chil- 
dren of the people are the pofterity of 
the ftate ; and that civilifed fociety owes 
infirnétion, at leaft, to all its offspring, ws 
a compenfation for thofe natural rights 
which its neceflary inititutions havé taken 
away. 
In the chapel are fome valuable pic- 
tures ; but by what matters, the fervitor 
could not inform us, and we were not con- 
noifleurs enough to difcover. The altar- 
piece (a Beatification of the Virgin) is ina 
ery grand ftile, both in defign and execu- 
fion ; with exception, however, to the fi- 
Nery, and, according to our conceptions, 
the incongruity of a part of the drapery. 
This incongruity rendered the fubjeét al- 
moft unintelligible to our Proteftant ima- 
ginatiens. The beautiful female in the 
centre, indeed, from her emblems, and 
meodeit matronly appearance, we immedi- 
ately concluded to be the Virgin. Nor did 
the {carlet mantle, or the fceptered hand, 
throw us into any perplexity about the 
perfon of Jefus Chrift. The manly beau- 
iy, the inexpreffible mildnefs, and divine 
benignity of his countenance were {ufficient 
characterittics. Indeed among the beft 
artifts, there is a fort of traditional por- 
traiture of this perfonage, fo that the ob- 
fervant eye can fcarcely ever be at a lois 
upon this fubjeét. But who that venera- 
ble old gentleman could be on the other 
fide, with “his beard of filver, his triple 
crown, and pontifical robe, embroidered 
all over with gold and flaring colours, we 
could not conceive, and with great fimpli- 
city I inquired of the fervitor, ¢ which of 
the popes it was meant to reprefent?” 
Alas! I had forgotten, that in the Rozz2/b 
mythology, the Son is King, but the Father 
is the Pope of Heaven. ‘There is another 
Affumption of the Virgin, at the other end 
of the chapel, in ftile and execution fupe- 
rior to the former. She has a branch of 
palm in her hand, and feven ftars in a ra- 
diant circle over her head. Angels are 
hovering round with crowns of palm and 
laurel: —fit reprefentations, it may be 
faid, to encourage that lonely enthufiafm 
which renounces all the duties and confo- 
lations of this life, with a view to obtain 
the rewards of another. ‘The other pic- 
Pedefirian Excurfon through England and Wales 
[April r, 
tures are a Chrift crowned with thorns ; 
a fmall landfcape, with a St. Cecilia, and 
cherubim—very beautiful! and the Mar- 
tyrdom of St. Therefa. This lati at- 
traéted our particular attention. It is in © 
a confiderable degree allegorical. The 
point of the dart, which is aimed at the 
martyr’s brealt, is metamorphofed into an © 
amaranth ; and {pirits and confoling angels 
appear above. The principal figure is” 
very interefting, even to fuch heretical 
feelings as ours; and her attitude and 
aged countenance exprefs the utmoft fub- 
limity of fortitude and refignation: In 
this the moft fublime province-of the art, 
even more than all other, appears the {fu- 
periority of the old Italian to the Englith 
{chool. We have had portrait-painters in 
abundance, whofe excellence cannot be 
queftioned. Several of our artifts defign 
with correctnefs and even dignity. Weft - 
can difplay his fcience in the anatomy of 
the human form; Barry has indnbitable 
fkill in compofitior ; the groups of North- 
cote are elegant and expreffive ; the in- 
vention of Fufeli has no fault but its ex- 
ceffive fertility ; Stodart can captivate 
with the magic diftribution of lights and 
fhades; Wheatley and Morland are able 
delineators of ruftic life; and Smirk is 
truly bappy in the ludicrous and the gay. | 
But Reynolds and Opie are the only artilts 
of the Englith fchool who have any preten- ° 
fions to the delineation of the fublimer 
paifions: and I think I fhall not be ac-° 
cufed of antiquarian prejudice, when I fay, 
that even thefe have produced nothing that, * 
for impaffioned fublimity, rivals the pro- > 
duétions of their Italian mafters. Now I 
am upon the fubject, it is but juftice to co- ° 
temporary merit to fay a word or two 
more on the- peculiar excellence of Opie. 
His figures, it is true, are always clown- 
ifh, and his limbs, not unfrequently, mere 
blocks of wood ; but his countenances and» 
attitudes atone for every defeé&t ; and by 
his fingular management of the latter, he 
has the exclufive art of expreffing the 
ftrongeft paffions without difplaying the 
features. I fhall inftance, in particular, the 
armed head that hangs over the infant Per- 
dita, in his large picture from the Winter’s 
Tale,and the figure of Britomartis, in com- 
plete mail, releafing Florimel from her en-*” 
chantment. He who does not fee the 
tear dropping under the helmet in the for- 
mer inftance, and the fterm countenance of 
the Amazon, frowning annihilation upon. 
the vanquifhed necromancey, in the latter, 
is deftitute both of imagination and feeling. 
The number of the religious in Amef- 
bury House, we were informed, weré about 
fifty 
