18 OCTOBER 1845, Page 19

FINE ARTS.

MACLISB'S ILLUSTRATIONS OF MOORE'S IRISH MELODIES.

hy a preface to a very elegant drawingroom edition of his Irish Melodies, just_ published by Longman and Co., Mr. Moore says-" To complete its national character, an Irish pencil has lent its aid to an Irish pen in ren- daring due honour to our country's ancient harp." The poet and the painter are well mated in point of talent and congeniality. The exube- rant imagination of Mediae has enriched the leaves of this splendid volume with fanciful ideas in prodigal profusion. Not only has each song its ap- propriate illustrations, but every page is differently adorned. Border- ings of rustic trellis-work entwined with flowers, wreaths of foliage, trophies, and other devices in an endless variety, enclose the words of the songs; and blend with the bold and spirited vignettes that open visions of romance, seen, as it were, through the lattice of a fairy bower. Such is the beauty and playfulness of these borders-composed of the simplest materials, converted into the most elegant forms with exquisite taste and fertile invention-thatif the book had no other claims to admiration their attractions would.sufr®. to make it acceptable. Though subordinate to: the groups they enclose in point of effect, they are superior in grace, delicacy, and felicity of style; and we cannot but regard their framework as the most successful portion of the designs. Maclise's genius evidently takes the direction of ornament: not only in this instance but in others-even in his great pictures and his cartoon-the predomi- nance of sumptuous accessories, and the gusto with which all the rich de- tails of costume and furniture are depicted, evince the material tendency of his fancy. We cannot refrain from expressing our conviction that Mr. Maclise would attain a higher celebrity as a decorator than he has achieved as an historical painter. There is now a grand opportunity for an artist of prolific invention and mastery of hand-we need such a man: and we would fain hope he may be tempted by his success in this little parterre to enter upon a wider field, where his great and original powers would have ample scope for their exercise.

To return to the volume. The fecundity of ideas and the lively sense orphysical charms and enjoyments evinced in the designs, coupled with clever and dexterous draughtsmanship, afford much that is worthy of ad- miration in the groups and scenes portrayed, in spite of a mannerism that detracts from their beauty; The artist's perception of external character- istics is stronger than his conception of the sentiment of the subject; and he lays a stress upon corporeal attributes that overpowers the spiritual feeling: the persons all look like actors, and the scenes have a thea- trical air in consequence of this and the obtrusiveness of the details. The hardness of the delineation also gives a rigidity to the limbs and a fixedness to the features that preclude the idea of motion and animation: the groups remind one of stage tableaux nieces. Thus, the ranks of war- riors that follow " Brien the brave," and the steel-clad host in " Oh the sight entrancing," seem turned to stone. At times the action of the figure and the flutter of the drapery suggest the idea of rapid motion, while the face is still; as in " Nora. Creina," and the dying minstrel, whose coun- tenance expresses repose and abstraction while his hands vehemently tear asunder the strings of his harp. The " chiefs and ladies bright " listen to the harp in " Tara's halls" with looks of wonderment rather than of re- sponsive emotion; and the minstrel reclines " in death " so very calmly that no one would suppose his soul were parting. Erin bends over her harp like a tired model half asleep; the knight taking leave of his lady does not look- at her; but stands listlessly gazing on vacancy; the lover inviting the maiden to "Come o'er the sea," shows no greater earnestness than if he were inviting a friend to take a sail on a lake; and the fair one clasping her beloved in her arms with " Come rest in this bosom, my OWE stricken deer," evinces no greater sympathy than a fond wife would feel for her husband come home with a headache. Even the revellers quailing " one bumper at parting," and those who " wreathe the bowl with flowers of soul," have but a vacant aspect of sensual enjoyment; and the painter's ideal of happiness in the " sweet vale of Avoca" is not complete without the claret-jug and wine-cooler. So with the beauties, they have all more or less of consciousness and affectation. The attitudes of both dames and cavaliers are often constrained and contorted, to the destruc- tion of grace ; and the feeling of the moment is not diffused through the groups: each person seems isolated; rarely do we see reciprocal glances of tenderness exchanged. Maclise's pictures are alike deficient in moral and Filarial atmosphere. Yet with all these defects, there is much to admire in the vignettes: the masterly drawing-occasional slips we attribute to the engravers-ought to be appretiated, especially in these days of de- flesent knowledge of form; and whenever we feel disappointment at a fall- ing short in the artist:s expression oP the song, we turn to the tasteful orna- ments in the margin; and are delighted. The engravings are in several instances executed by Mr. Maclise him- self; but the majority are necessarily the work of other hands. They arc „tubs:Pull in execution, as well as different in effect; some being little more !Fru outlines, while-others are highly wrought. The text of the melodies is engraved by Booker's process for producing typographical letters on metal plates.