as the universal penny-postage for letters will be another. greatest
and happiest heroes of English freedom, NM and HAMPDEN. The greatest, not only for their own intrinsic abilities, REMARKS ON ANCIENT AND MODERN ART. but for the successful vigour with which they contended against the genius of STRAFFORD, the power of the Crown, and all the IN the dearth of publications on the arts of design, we gladly wel- real difficulties and risks which beset the Reformers of those -come the appearance in a collected form of these sensible remarks, days : the happiest, as dying before the anarchy that followed by a writer who, though only an amateur, thoroughly understands the triumph of' the cause they had spent their lives in supporting. his subject, and has a fine and vigorous sense of the beautiful undIn the present volume, as in its predecessor, Mr. FORSTER picturesque. In the department of architecture, indeed, his know- aims at combining history with biography ; and we think sue- ledge of the principles and practice of design would seem to imply ceeds better than before, although his heroes are sometimes lost a professional course of study; and the essay on this subject is sight o: in the events with which they were connected, and (a therefore the most full and original, less excusable fault) little but living heroes are improperly
The volume is divided into three heads,—Architecture, Sculp- stuck in complimentary niches at the foot of his pages. lo ture, and Painting ; under which are arranged, in a more con- what may be called the leading incidents in the public lives of nected shape, the substance of remarks that have appeared at either statesman, nothing new can of course be added, for the various times in some of the Edinburgh periodicals. Each section salient points are always visible to the first comer; but the en- commences with an historical and a critical view of ancient art. thusiastic industry of the author has enabled him to bring. forth from their hiding-places a peat many details respecting the ex- nese of the Dutchess of Kent then of the young Princess. The ertinns of PYM, and has happily discovered (in the British features are like, but the face is lifeless and inexpressive. The corn- and justifies the reports of the effects it produced. In point of fire A miniature by COLLEN, engraved in the stippled manner by Wooe. nd tiow—" the lava flood a "—Pvm was inferior to DEMOSTHENES; air, but the Princess's form is fully developed for her age. Still it is and both the shaping of his matter and the style of hi3 manner not characteristic : the attitude, too, is strained, and the style is over were dashed by the fashion of the age ; but he was unrivalled for smooth and bard. powers weight, and gravity, and perhaps for aptness. If it were p , The most recent is a lithographic drawing from the life, in profile, by only fox the quotations from PYM'S speeches, this volume should LANE. The features are very strongly defined ; the eye has a fixed be in the hands of every lover and every student of powerful old and vacant stare; and the drawing is precise and rigid, giving the im-
English. pression of a cold formal character, and a person of mature age.
A perusal cf it will also be useful to the politician ; not merely The common fault of all, in short, is a want of animation and for the full picture of the Parliamentary history of the times it gracefulness : they are deficient in the very quality which is most will furnish him, but for the strong contrast it offers to the Pasha-strongly characteristic of the original—an interesting simplicity.
mentary practice of the present day. And this difference, by the by,
portrait of the Heiress Presumptive to the Throne, worthy of the obtains throughout our history. When the prerogatives of the Crown country and its future Queen. Yet we scarcely know where to point were unsettled, the liberties of the people ill-defined, the country to a painter who is likely to do justice to the fair original. We have accustomed to exercises of arbitrary power, the nobility strong in no eminent painter of female beauty. Mrs. CARPENTER is the only opinion and an unshaken prestige, and not altogether weak in artist of the present day who has successfully portrayed feminine deli- their command of physical force,—whilst bonds, or ruin, or death cacy and sweetness; giving an air of ease and natural grace to the per. itself, might await the bold opponent of the Court, and even son, and a pleasing, life-like expression of the character, in the counte- attend upon freedom of speech,—then the Representatives of the nance. She might most fitly be commissioned to paint a picture of People were energetic, active, and resolute ; up and doing against the Princess: we commend her to the choice of loyal Liberals who the intrigues of the creatures of the Crown ; brooking not the may desire a true and agreeable resemblance of the Nation's Hope. slightest appearance of interference from the Lords, and never submitting to their checks. Now, when the right and might of OLD PICTURES AT THE BRITISH INSTITUTION.
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