FINE ARTS. • A TETE-A-TETE WITH OUR READERS ON CONVF:RSAZIONE,

MODELS OF SHIPPING, HARDING'S SKETCHES, AND noo.A.ar.u.

CONVERSAZ IONE are the order of the day : let us therbfore enjoy a gossip with our ,readers, before the exhibitions begin to open, when we require to be " like Cerberus, three gentlemen at once," in order to be- come " spectators" of all the " sights of the season." We have at this present writing no new work of art to criticize ;'for we suffer no arrears, like good men of business, keep our critical balance of opinion close up. -What a delightful sensation ! superior to that enjoyed by a Lord Chancellor in the holydays, or a Judge at a maiden assize. There are two societies for conversation now holding their meetings in-London during the season,—one called the " Artists " the other the " Artists and Amateurs ;" a third also is talked of; and as the numbers of each are limited .(why, we know not any more perhaps than the so- cieties themselves), and.there are candidates for admission who are not only eligible but covetable company, we think such a society will be an acquisition. The members have the privilege of introducing a friend occasionally ; and artists and literary men are thus brought into a con- tact mutually agreeable and beneficial. There are also folios of sketches by modern and ancient masters, books of engravings, studies in oil, miniatures and busts, pleasant to look at, and provocative of discussion and remark, anecdotical and critical.

Why don't the Academicians hold Conversazione in their great room, in emulation of the scientific soirees at the Royal Institution ? They would promote the amenities in that cold region of rule and formality, and without being at so much expense for a dull annual dinner. That dinner, by the way, seems an odd combination—cookery and painting—turtle and TtritsrE a—venison and LasinsEEti—claret and ET TY : we had rather see beauties in satins and jewels annihilating whole lengths, at an evening party, than a set of painters feasting and getting fuddled like so many citizens in company with lords. But as it is not as we like, but as they like, the dinner carries it. What, however, with the Societies we have mentioned, and the private soirees of Mr. MARTIN and other artists, there is no lack of opportuai- tjes for the meeting together. of artists and amateurs. At a private coaversazione of Artists, given on Tuesday by Mr. Hum.- mai- oat, a novel andstriking addition to the usualmodes of entertainment avaa introthi-eed.. It consisted of a variety of models of shipping and craft, from thefelucca and the gondola to the fishing-smack and jolly-boat, with the accessories of anchors, buoys, nets, mill Agues, &c. grouped 4:0 a beach with a wharf and castle, all constructed with technical accit. .racy, and coloured ,so as to represent actual nature, with a scene for a back-ground, The models were entirely the work of the host's inge-

nuity, and were highly beautiful. The effect was a coup de

theatre, and drew forth universal admiration from the numerous com- pany of artists present. A sketching party was formed on the spot, and various effects of composition and of light and shade were tried. This elaborate toy of art is susceptible of endless changes, by the different corn. binations of the vessels, &c. ; • and affords really valuable lessons to the young student in the art of making a picture,aaa regards perspective, light, and shade, composition, and colour. The success of the experi- ment proves the idea to be susceptible of extension ; and the method promises to become a new feature in the study of landscape, and a very convenient one also, as the student is independent of weather. We had here also another opportunity afforded us of !oohing over /Le splendid sketches made by Mr. HAROING during his 'late tour in Italy. As sketches, we can conceive nothing finer. Their com- pleteness of effect and brilliancy of colour leave nothing to be desired. The drawing is as emuisitely delicate as the effects are forcible and beautiful ; the scenes are selected with so much taste and judg-

ment, the objects indicated with so much skill, and time treatment is so masterly, that we cannot admire them enough. It must have been as gratifying to Mr. HAaniNo's feelings as it was honourable to those of his brother artists, to see them crowding round his folios, vie- ing with each other in their appreciation of their beauties. The ve-

terans TURNER and PROUT were among the most hearty admirers of the productions of their younger rival. These sketches are to be engraved for the Landscape Annual of next year ; for which purpose they have been expressly taken.

It is fortunate that we had nearly finished our gossip, for here conies a claimant on our attention. Let us see what it is—Ila !—HouAitru,

in a cabinet size, for the library and for the pocket—and by IMIAJou too, Good. This is a desideratum that has been often attempted, but never before supplied. The engravings are excellent ; and possess the rare

and essential merit of faithfully representing in miniature the spirit, ex-

pression, and meaning, as well as the style of the originals, even to the manner in which the engravings are executed. UntiCnow, we despaired of seeing this point attained ; but since it is so completely made out in

the work before us, let us give the artists Messrs. WORTI INGTON' &e., the praise due to their skill in executing, and the publisher the applause

due to his taste in planning and superintending the work ; neither let us forget to congratulate our readers upon their being able to possess themselves of Hoomern in one volume of a portable size, either by purchasing him monthly in twelve number's, or quarterly, in four parts.

0 !. all " ye who go down to the sea in ships"—yo who make the grand tour to revive classic recollections, and feast on the wonders of ancient art, and ye who make those more profitable tours, to revive printed cottons or force sales of woollen goods—ye who promote your biliary secretions at Cheltenham, or who rusticate in-the treeleSS deserts of Brighton—all—old and young—sick or well—serious or gay—at home or abroad—idle or occupied—buy Major's Hogarth.

But why, Mr. MAJou, "Hogarth Moralized ?" why 'Dr. Thu sr.un's sermon on such a text ? Is not every one of Hoo.urrn's plates in itself

" a moral lesson ?" Do we not "read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them ?" We do not undervalue morals, whether appended to songs or fables ; but let the reader apply the moral himself. If some grave and siisibledivine were to preach from the pulpit a series of discourses on

Heilman, taking for his text the first plate of the " Harlot's Progress," and so on through the series, great good might be done ; and, in such a case, this cabinet edition of HOGAUT,I, bound in purple morocco, with gilt edges, might be tucked under the sinister arm of John, the footman, and conveyed to the church in order that the hearers might follow the preacher in his comment.

110(1AR:ries pictures were, on their first production, voted "irregular" by the artists of his day ; they were not " Academical," any more than

wit and satire are "Parliamentary" Sir JosucA observed a dignified silence on this subject, in his lectures - and the rest of the artists grew jaundiced with admiring envy. People who did not measure genius by geometry, or estimate originality by the standard of proportion, but by that truer one—Nature, looked at his works with delighted eves, and the ingenious artist grew rich as his productions gained popularity.

It would be superfluous in us to enter into a detailed examination of the merits of HUGARTII, after the masterly criticisms upon his works by ELIA and the late Mr. HAZIATT. We may remark, however, that Ho.. ciAieru, as agraphic humorist, satirist, and moralist, equally distinguished for wit and sense, ought not to be confounded with caricaturists, as is often the case. Itsmum. delineated ideal, HOGARTII actual Nature ; and-it is curious to trace the similarity between some of the more homely persons in the Cartoons and some of HOGARTR'S figures.

TROMAS loon and GEORGE CRUIESHANIC haVe been compared with Iloomern ; but they differ as humorists and satirists in kind as

well as in degree, the styles of both partaking of caricature. Hooanru's

portrait of Wilkes was hardly caricature, though it bordered closely upon it, and was more than character, strictly speaking. But

the ludicrous in individual nature verges on caricature. The

style of HOGARTR'S drawing was so bold and identical, and pos- sessed so much of integrity in its character, partaking of his con- stitutional serenity and quick and sound sense, that the manner of the artist never stands between the spectator and the scene. In CRUM-. MANX, you must see with his eyes, and are well contented to do so : it is

not merely the picture, but his style of delineation, that you admire ; you think as much of the artist as the subject ; and the latter often owes much of its value to his manner. This is not the case with

Hoomfam's pictures; and this, we think, constitutes the peculiar value of his works. How has much of the Hogarthian quality in his_percep- Lions ; but he is too flighty, and seizes rather single and eccentric points than the whole of a subject. His pictures (if he could paint) would be

broken and unconnected, and deficient in keeping ; he would insist equally upon every part, or unduly perhaps upon the least impbrtant .and striking features... They would be to Hoo.tarta's What electric sparks are to 'the sun's rays : CanizsuArE's glancing, angular style, we may be allowed to compare to the lightning—the applause of his admirers will supply the thunder.