CHEAP PUBLICATIONS.
WE are not among those who think that cheap prints do harm to the public taste for works of art. Bad ones may ; but where they are good, the cheaper the better. Mankind are lovers of prints and pictures—of any thing, in fact, that is an imitation of a pleasing object. Young and old find equal pleasure in them. But certain it is, that the public, in their taste and judgment in these matters, are far behind. There are fewer persons, perhaps, who can tell a good picture or print from a bad one, or at least that know wherein consists the goodness or the bad- ness of the work, than in the case of any other article of luxury or ornament. We cannot stop to inquire why it is, but so it is ; and we are, therefore, always glad when we see good and cheap prints put forth, because they have a tendency to remove this ignorance. These are the days of cheap books ; they are also becoming those of cheap prints. There are several series of Views in England, Paris, &c. published in quarto size, at one shilling per number, each contain- ing four plates, two on a page ; and accompanied with descriptive letterpress. The execution of these works is very good ; and they are worthy of a place in a library. The engravings are not, as may be sup- posed, of the very first order, but they are neat and respectable, and do fair justice to the original drawings. These last are, in many instances, very excellent. Such artists as W. WESTALL, GASTINEAU, PUGIN, BAYNES, BARTLETT, SHEPHERD, and others, are employed, who are all skilful draughtsmen. The plates Wing engraved on steel, will furnish a vast number of impressions ; and, by an extensive sale, the publishers are enabled to make the speculations answer. We subjoin a list of these works in "shilling numbers," and recommend them to all who are fond of prints, as a very cheap and rational indulgence of their taste. They are not like Teens:ifs Views of England, which we noticed the other day ; though even as works of art they are not contemptible.
WESTALL S Views of England and Wales.
SHEPHERD'S Improvements in London.
JONES'S Views in Wales.
VERTUE'S Beauties of Great Britain (published in separate
Counties).
FISHER'S Views of Ireland.
PUGIN'S Views in Paris.
Another cheap work of a different kind, is "The English School of Painting and Sculpture," which we have noticed as its numbers ap- peared. Nos. XVI. to XIX. are now before us, each containing six neatly-engraved outline plates, from the best works of British artists, from HOGARTH down to the present time.
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