PICTURES AND ARTISTS.
LANDSCAPES and portraits are found to be the most interesting and satisfactory species of illustrations, not only of travels and histories,
but of novels and poetry. The cleverest designs of the best artists
but too often fail of embodying the .person and expression of the ideal characters, as described by the writer, and depicted in fancy by the
reader. But the scenes which have called forth the powers of genius —which imagination has invested with its golden light—which its crea- tive power has peopled with human beings, with whose inmost nature we are made acquainted, and with whom we sympathize as strongly as with our own flesh and blood—scenes around which History has
wreathed her richest trophies, or which Nature has delighted to adorn with the prodigality of beauty—these, delineated In, the skilful painter,
with all the charm of his art, form the most agreeable and intelligent
illustrations of the " thoughts that breathe and words that burn." A true portrait, too, of a person in whom we are interested, is a va- luable document, containing that species of information which can be conveyed to us in no other manner. Nor is this focus of a ray of truth destitute of the halo of fancy and feeling. We take a far more
intense interest in the humblest portrait of the individual, than in the best fancy sketch that an artist can produce. We turn to look on the still features at different points of the history or the character of the. individual, and imagination readily supplies the expression of the face under the various circumstances of his life.
We have been led to make these remarks by the appearance of the first part of a series of Landscape and Portrait Illustrations of Lord Byron's Works, to be published simultaneously with the monthly issue of Mr. Murtaav's beautiful new and complete edition. Each volume •
of the work will be embellished with a frontispiece and vignette, proof impressions of which are added to the large paper edition of these plates
for the portfolio. The small paper copies of the Illustrations, which are intended to be bound up with the work, contain four landscapes and a portrait in each number, which is published at the very small . price of 2s. 6d. The plates in the current number are illustrative of the corresponding volume. Those in the first number are from the vivid and faithful pencil of STANFIELD. We have first a sweet view of the romantic scenery round Lachin-y-gair, so beautifully alluded to - in some retrospective hues in BYRON'S early poems. Next a spirited marine picture of the picturesque castle of Belem, at Lisbon ; isolated
and rising out of the sea. Then we have Yanina, with its cupola, minaret, and cypresses, darkly relieved against the calm glow of sunset, and mirrored in the tranquil waters below ; a scene of repose and
beauty that forms a striking contrast with the bloody acts of which it was so often made the theatre by that "man of wars and woes" who earned himself an immortality of infamy, Ali Paella. Lastly, we have a view of Corinth, with its Acropolis cresting the rocky mountain that towers above the city. But the "gem of purest ray serene," which modestly greets the eye with its gentle beauty, is a portrait of Theresa, the original of the far- famed " Maid of Athens." What painter's fancy could have depicted a fairer creature to embody the ideal picture of the poet, or a worthier illustration of those beautiful lines? With how much more delight and interest do we contemplate this lovely countenance, with the know- ledge that it resembles the original ! We will not attempt to describe or expatiate upon the charms here represented, but refer the reader to the picture itself. It is a treat to look forward to the appearance of the successive numbers of this delightful series. No sooner had the Waverley Land- scapes closed upon us, than those of Byron open to our view. It would be unjust to withhold our unqualified praise of the execution of the engravings by the Messrs. FINDEN. It is enough to say, that they are in the very best style of the artists, and in all respects worthy of the work.
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