~ 
430 Painting in transparent Colours on transparent Bodies. [Dec. 1, 
most sacred laws of morality with too 
much indulgence. When they them- 
selves are attacked as traducers and de- 
famers, it is surely not only justifiabie, 
but laudable, to offer some considerations 
in their vindication, now that they, as 
well as the subjects of their historical 
censure, are no longer able to defend 
themselves. If the revival or continu- 
ance of such a controversy be invidious, 
the blame falls. solely on the too zealous 
and injudicious advocates of the Scottish 
queen, who absurdly attempt to represent 
a woman, abandoned to her passions, and 
remorseless in her crimes, as a paragon 
of innocency and virtue. It reasonable 
concessions will satisfy this class of ro- 
mancers, we will most cordially joia them 
in admiring the beauty and accomplish- 
ments of Mary; in celebrating her heroic 
courage and fortitude in scenes of the 
deepest distress; and in compassionating 
her miserable and untimely fate, the too 
natural result of her early education in a 
court unexampled for its atrocities in the 
_annals of guilt. 
Bedford, 
Your’s, &c. 
Oct. 13, 1807. 
W. BetsyamM. 
SE 
Lo the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
HE mode of painting in transparent 
colours on transparent bodies, 
having become an object that claims 
the attention of the public, inso- 
much that a work bas been lately pub- 
lished on that subject, induces me to 
make not only a few remarks on what I 
believe to have been its original intro- 
duction, but also to add my testimony, 
to that of others, of the grand effect that 
may be produced by able practitioners 
in this sublime branch of painting. 
That excellent amateur artist, Mr. 
Taylor of Bath, I was once informed by 
the late Mr. Thomas Sandbey, of Wind- 
sor, shewed him examples of it above 
forty years ago, which he conceived to 
be the first introduction of it in England ; 
but as his works have been but liitie seen, 
it got into few hands, and was only ap- 
plied to common purposes, and at last 
was degraded to the oifice of embellish- 
ing the lottery-shops’ windows. 
Of a sudden however, it was not many 
years back the object of attention to 
young ladies, deficient in other methods 
of designing; and, in consequence of their 
demands, gave birth to representations 
the most despicable, and. absurdities the 
most ridicuious, until at last 1 became 
the almost only vehicle, by means of 
wretched prints, of conveying to. the - 
minds of grown babies the puerile super= 
stitions of the German ballad-mongers. 
Yet all this while the art was destined 
to. survive prejudice, and its value was 
properly felt by one genuine artist, who, 
whilst he could not but lament the dis- 
grace into which it had been destined to 
fall, cherished its beauties under the 
forstering influence of alandscape-painter 
of the greatest eminence, his relation ; 
and who, having caught a mere spark 
from the original source, soon augmented 
it ta a pure flame, by executing from the 
conceptions of a mind experienced in 
the appearances of nature, designs wor- 
thy of any period, generalizing her effects, 
and adopting them to suitable and par- 
ticular scenery, with masterly ease, and 
genuine enthusiasm. ‘ 
Such, to my great surprise, IT became 
acquainted with a few years back, being 
invited to see their effect on a group of 
charming children, the family of the ar- 
tist, for whose amusement at his country 
seat, 1 was then informed, they were ex- 
ecuted. The mode in which they were 
exhibited was also very ingenjous, and 
the only one, as I have since found, pro- 
per for this kind of art; for it excluded 
all light but that which came from the 
picture itself, and by means of marks in 
the back, the wick of an argand lamp 
was adjusted to the point of light most 
proper for each interesting subject, 
These effects which a modest man of ~ 
genius had produced for his children, 
did indeed procure the most vivid admi- 
ration in them, and the loudest exclama- 
tions of delight ; but what he least calcu- 
lated upon, when for hisown amusement 
he began to study this fascinating part of 
the art of painting, took place, which 
was, that all the grown part of the com- 
pany vied with them in expressions of 
pleasure, and that their admiration was 
in the exact ratio’ of their knowledge of 
art in general. : 
Such a result could not but inspire the 
author of the pictures with satisfaction ; 
and accordingly I remember having the 
pleasure of soon after seeing at his tawn- 
study many large views of Windsor and 
the adjacent country executed in a style 
so truly grand and rich, that neither of 
the Bapsans, or any artist of the Venetian 
school, would have heen ashamed to own 
them; while they contained such close 
touches of nature, that all who viewed 
them were filled with the sweetest sensa- 
tion that her most perfect scenes at 
morning Or evening produce. 
Thegs 
7 
