PEEPS AT PRINT SHOPS.
AMONG the novelties in Engravings, are a pair of mezzotints, drawn and engraved by Mr. W. WESTALL, who is following the example of Mr. MARTIN in engraving his own works. They are two views of Clif- ton and Bathwick Bridge ; and it is almost superfluous to observe, that as views they are clever and artist-like ; though we cannot say much for the mezzotint, which is dull and meagre,—but Mr. WESTALL is yet a novice in that art, and although it has been said that a man may scrape a mezzotint walking up and down his garden, it requires a little initi- atory practice. We wish that we could persuade Mr. WESTALL that his foregrounds look like rocks covered with sea-weed. Impressions from his engravings and lithography seem as though they had been taken from tin-plates,—so thin, wiry, and flat do they appear.
Another of Sir. THOMAS LAWRENCE'S Sketches, a Study of a Female Read, drawn on stone in Mr.' SHARP'S _best style, forms a beautiful Companion to the head of Master Wynne, of which we have before spoken so highly.
The Portrait of an English Lady, by JACICSON, engraved in mezzo- tint by REYNOLDS, is a good specimen not only. of English beauty, but of English art. The natural style of the painter and the sterling merit of the picture harmonize well with the unaffected loveliness and inter- .esting cguntenance of the fair original. The mezzotint is, as may be *apposed, excellent ; but we think the etching of the accented parts is too coarse for an engraving otherwise so delicate. The Evening Hour, designed and engraved by J. SARTAIN, is a very graceful composition, with a pleasing effect. The mezzotint is very good, but the face of the young lady is unmeaning. We regret to see soliretty a design and so much taste thrown away. Mr. Mitts's Eve, designed and engraved in mezzotint by himself, is a direct imitation -of MARTIV'S styki- without any originality in the attitude. We seem to have seen it in every edition of Milton that has been embellished, from BASKERYILLE'S to MARTIN'S.
A neat lithographic drawing, by O'Coxxon, of the new London Bridge, will be very acceptable just now. It is very well drawn as an. elevation, and makes a good print. We have also seen a slight lithographic sketch of the 44 monster mag- nifico" and giant buffo LABLACHE, which is a good likeness of the man. Mr. HUFFAM has put forth a pretty little mezzotint illustration of Moons's song, " The Young May Moon." It is a clever design, re. presenting a pretty young lass, looking out from her vine-leafed window-- and we may suppose her lover below, singing the air to which the words of the song belong. The effect is pretty, and the mezzotint brilliant. A very attractive series of plates in mezzotint for Scrap-Books, &c. is publishing by Messrs. HOLLYER and DAWE ; and we purpose taking'an early opportunity of examining their merits, and those of some other cheap and tastefully got up works, which are so numerous and deservedly suc. cessful. Good and cheap works of art, by fostering taste among the mul. titude, will do more to promote the interests of art, and raise it upon a broad and permanent basis, than all that Academies can effect.
In the absence of new works of importance, we shall occasionally take a retrospective view of those works which have not received a due share of our attention ; and in particular, Views of the Scenery of our own Country.
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