28002}; 
opening, it has been enriched by the fol- 
lowing additions + 
Afs and Children, frova Gainfborough ; 
The Gleaner, from Weftall; and the Por- 
' trait of Mifs Linwood, from Hoppner, are 
perfect and incomparable imitations of 
the ftyleand manner of the artifts ; and, in 
colouring, fuperior to any thing that has 
been hitherto done in this branch of the , 
arts. The head of Lhe Woodman, from 
Gainfborough, is in a new walk, being 
- copied iz wool, and has the effect of 4 
forcible and well finifhed picture.. 
‘Gainfborough’s Woodman is with great 
propriety: now placed in a room alone; ~ 
and the reom is very happily appropriate 
to the figure and {eenery. To defcribe it 
is not eafy; to be properly conceived, it 
muft be feen.. It is a fort of grotefque 
cottage, furrounded with fir-trees ; and 
the little light introduced, is through 
what ‘appear like cafements, made of can- 
vas that cafta gloomy light on the rultic 
feats and other accompaniments, which in 
this piace have a very happy and pic- 
tureique effect. - 
Fitteen numbers of Boydell’s Shake- 
Speare, containing feventy-two large prints, 
and feventy-fix {mall ones, are now pub- 
lithed. ‘I’wo more numbers, whiclvare in 
great forwardnefs, will complete this very 
iplendid and national undertaking. 
The Alderman has alfo publifhhed, and 
‘ dedicated to the King and Queen, the five 
prints engraved fromthe pictures which 
(with many others) he prefented to the 
City of London, to ornament the Common- 
council-room. They are emblematical 
reprefentations of Providence, Innocence, 
Conjugal Affection, Wifdom, and Happine/s, 
and made choice of to fhew the utility of 
the arts in improving the mind as well as 
pleafing the eye. They are publifhed at 
three guineas the fet to fubfcribers. 
In this work the Alderman has evidently 
the double view of encouraging the arts, 
by extending the circulation of prints,and 
improving the morals, and ftimulating the 
induftry of the rifing generation, by pla- 
cing before them fuch fubjects as are like- 
ly to tend to this falutary purpofe. An 
explanation delivered with the prints, is 
concluded with the following note: 
«¢ Emblems, though not generally un- 
derftood, are made ufe cf to explain di- 
vine or moral fubjects : by the ingenious 
allufions that each require, to expref$ their 
meaning in a familiar way, they pleafe 
both the eye and imagination, and cannot 
be fo well expreffed in any other manner, 
The connoifieur, andthe public in general, 
wiil receive equal pleafure by the inftruc- 
| Retrofpedt of the Fine Arts. 
AB3 
tions and advice that are contained in 
thefe, which are arranged in a manner ne- 
ver before attempted (to my knowledge). 
They begin even before our births, and ' 
proceed gradually through the different 
ftages of life, to the clofe of our exift- 
ence.’ 
All this applies very well to the em- 
blematical fubjeéts ; but No. III. enti- 
tled, Conjugal Affection, or Indufiry.and 
Prudence, painted by, Mr. Smivke, in a 
great meafure explains itfelf, 
It is- fuppoled to be the’ family of a 
merchant, or-tradefman, whofe perfonal 
exertions in his proteflion) (aflifted by the 
co-operation of a wifeof congenial mind) 
have railed him, even in the prime of life, 
to fenatorial importance ia the councils of 
his fellow-citizens. A father, mother, 
and three children are introduced. The 
time is {uppofed to be juft when the father’ 
is quitting, for the bufinefs of the morn- 
ing, a family, who fhare and return -his 
affection. The youngeft, an infant fe- 
male, is {eliciting his carefles; an elder 
boy, witha ledger, requeting intrusions 
from his father, defcribes his future de- 
ftination ; and the other, leaning on his 
mother’s knee, appears, by a book in his 
hand, to have been under her tuition. 
The accompaniments of the group are 
intended to explain and illuftrate the fub- 
ject. . On the back ground, on the top of 
the efcritoire, is placed a ftatue of Sir R. 
Whittington, whofe induftry and good for- 
tune have become proverbial. Its pedeftal | 
is formed of feveral Reps; at each end of 
the loweft ftands a bee-hive, to thew that 
indufiry is the bafis of profperity, asthe - 
fteps intimate that it is by gradations the 
man of bufinefs rifes to honour and wealth. 
A clock is introduced, to thew that a ftriét 
attention to the progreis-of time is effen- 
tial to regularity and promptitnde in every 
profeffion; and its embellifhments, the 
cock, the owl, and fhe cornucopia, dé- 
note that the dawn of the morn, and the 
fhades of the evening, begin and terminate 
the labours of an induftrious man. ~The 
two pictures, which ornament the apart- 
ment, reprefent Commerce and Agricul- 
ture. 
Through the opening of a window is 
feen the {pire of a church, intimating 
that religion crowns the exertions of ine 
duftry, and the full enjoyment of its fruits ; 
for, without the bleffing of Heaven, the 
utmoft efforts of man, and all his hopes of 
repofe and happinefs in fociety, would be 
delufive and-vain~ 
Meffers Boydells intend publifhing a 
large print, reprefenting the Review in 
Hyde 
3Q2 






page= 
SSS 
“= 
wa 
aes 
: ne 
