668 
the State of the Arts, Criticism; Patro- 
nage, and Public Taste.” By Manrin 
Ancure SHER, R.A. The aenek 
polish, and energy, of Mr. Shee’s muse 
already so well known to the Sehr 
hie, by his former poems, modestly called 
“ Rhymes on Art,” is here exerted con 
amore in a heavenly cause. The notes 
which accompany the verses, are vigo- 
rous, original, and, in some places, most 
piquantly seasoned with the true salt of 
satire, delicately tempered with good hu- 
our and gentlemanly language. Though 
occasionally severe, he never degenerates 
into vulgarity or abuse. We shall pre- 
sent our readers with the following ana- 
lysis of his poem. After a preface of 
considerable humour and vivacity, in 
which he has considered the present state. 
of the Fine Arts, Criticism, Patronage, 
and Public Taste, which subjects, he has 
discussed more at large in his notes; he 
modestly acknowledges,. that “ though 
not aregular trader, he hopes he will not 
be found to have gone much out of his 
course; and in taking leave of a service, 
mn which he is canscious he must appear 
as 
**A lounging landsman, awkward at the oar,” 
he shail think himself fortunate if his 
goods be not condemned as contraband 
of taste, and his owners should be no 
Josers by their speculation.” —-To continue 
the simile, Mr. Shee has not only proved 
himself to be a fair trader, but has fur- 
nished his customers with excellent goods, 
and his lading corresponds honestly 
with his invoice and former samples. 
The first canto commences with an allu- 
sion to his former publication ;—an invo- 
cation to Taste,as the presiding power 
that directs the operation of the poet 
and the painter ;—contrarieties of taste 5 
—the Ee ON, Ge IE to beware ae 
the opinions of those wha recommend 
extremes of art, and such like important 
didactics. The second canto enume- 
yates the subservient studies necessary 
to the formation of a painter ;—the com- 
prehensive character of painting, as In-. 
cluding and commanding all the depart- 
ments “of taste ;—origin of Grecian ele- 
gance in sculpture ;—description of their 
inost beautiful statues;—address to the 
spirit of ancient Greece, &c. &c. The 
third canto is apprppriated tothe student’s 
review of his progress ; ;—cautioned not to 
be too sanguine, or to presume too much 
on premature talents;—some exeellent ’ 
exhortations ;—the history of the different 
schools, and character of their greatest 
supporters, The fourth canto recom- 
Retrospect of Domestic Literature—Fine Arts. 
mends the student to visit the schools: of 
Ttaly;—alludes to'a few, of the old mas- 
ters who were most conspicuous for their 
general knowledge, and to Sir Joshua 
Reynolds, as a more modern illustration 
of the advantages of a highly-cultivated | 
mind in an artist;—and, a pathetic allu- 
sion to his loss of sight and death. ‘The 
fifth canto refers to the discourses of 
Reynolds, and the lectures of Fuseli and 
Opie ;—points out some of those defects 
in painting, which operate to counte- 
nance the critic, in his contempt for mo- 
dern art ;~-satirises the triflers in taste :—~ 
affectation of travelled artists ;—the pro- 
cess hunters of the palette ;—-enumerates 
and cautions the student to avoid ex- 
tremes, and other faults. In the sixth 
and last canto, he acknowledges the dif- 
ficulty of avoiding extremes 1n art;—ad- 
vantages resulting from the candid opi- 
nion of friends, and even the severity of 
foes ;—weakness of allowing ourselves to 
be irritated by the malevolence of criti- 
cism ;—apostrophises public judgment as 
the final and impartial tribunal of taste ;— 
the student counselled to beware of aim- 
ing at premature reputation ;—warned 
not to disgrace the character of an artist 
by the low passions of envy ;—alludes to © 
the various glories of Britain, her sages, 
heroes, and bards ;—expresses his hope 
that Britain will not allow herself to be 
surpassed in the pacific glories of the 
arts, &c. &c, This analysis is not a 
tithe of the important subjects treated in 
this poem, they are selected at random 
and intended to exhibit a sketch of some 
of the principal features. The following 
extracts are given, as specimens of the 
styleand powers of versification of 
‘¢ This truant from the pencil to the pen.” 
Of his didactic style, this is a faint speci- 
men, in which the poet recommends the 
pencil and the portcrayon as correctives 
of each other : 
«© Ply then, the bright portcrayon, till you 
find 
Correctness with facility” combin’d ; 
Tul the firm Outline flows at your com~ 
mand, 
And forms become familiar to your hand. 
Nor idly fear, should youthful ardour firey _ 
To seize the palette, and in oil aspire, © 
The pencil plunge in Nature’s richest dyesy 
Aad glowing bid the gay creation rise. 
Design, the grammar of the Se “may 
claim ~ 
High rank amidst the rudiments of Sane “a 
But still the pencil plays the nobler part, 
For ae isthe language of your art.” — 
Caate1, 7: 317 to 338. 
The 
