FINE ARTS.

The English School of Painting and Sculpture ; a Series of Mi- niature Outlines, from the most approved productions of British Artists, with descriptive Notices. By T. HAMILTON.

The idea of this publication is excellent ; and its execution, consider- ing the extreme lowness of its price (Is. 6d. each number, containing six ;plates and descriptions) is very fair. But mediocrity in works of art is not only no recommendation, it is a fault tending to defeat their success with those most likely to encourage them. True lovers of art never pre- fer quantity to quality ; and we had much rather three plates were don well than six indifferently. This is a French work, though published in England ; hence its cheapness. It is one especially interesting to, artists and those who have seen the pictures therein delineated, because it assists the memory to a more exact recollection of the original, and also gives the design of the composition and an idea of the general cha- racter of the style. To those who are not acquainted with the pictures themselves, or with good prints from them, the outline engravings of this work convey but a feeble and imperfect idea of the originals, and very often an erroneous one. In respect of fidelity and spirit, indeed, we think the work not only susceptible of, but requiring improvement ; and there is a great inequality in the execution of the plates, as regards these particulars. The extreme and minute accuracy of the etching of STOTHARD'S " Canterbury Pilgrims," and the very faithful manner in which the spirit and character of the original, and the meaning of the much faces, are conveyed, prove how more might be accomplished than, but for this example, we should even deem practicable. The very comprehensiveness of the scope of the work, however, is one of its most prominent features ; and a collection of these little out. lines from the most striking or popular works of British artists, will be valuable as a record or work of reference, though not rendered so in a pictorial point of view. While we hope for its improvement, therefore, we still applaud the design on the score of its utility. The rough etchings which accompany Mr. OTTLEY'S Catalogues of the Angerstein, Stafford, Grosvenor, and Hope collections, are on a larger scale, and have more spirit; and their want of finish is more favourable to the concealment of occasional lapses of fidelity, than the exact minuteness of finish which characterizes these neat little outlines. At the same time, the delicacy of the latter is susceptible of greater nicety of delineation; deficiency in which is the fault of the artist, not of the medium he adopts. The most striking merits of the British school of art consisting in the general air of nature, the colour, effect, and vraisemblanee of their pictures, rather than in sheer beauty of drawing or grandeur of composition, their works appear to less advantage in this shape than the more imposing and classical designs of our Continental neighbours. And, this circumstance considered, it is no small praise to the truth and feeling of the British school, that their works show to so good advan. tage in this mode of representation, wherein the charms of colour and effect, and (incidentally) of sentiment, yield to the colder beauties of form and arrangement. Having been so didactic in our criticism, we have little space for description. Indeed, to open upon such a subject as " the British school of art, from Hogarth to the present time," would not be safe, even if we had a whole SPECTATOR to our share. We must there- fore content ourselves with a glance at the plates generally. Here are samples of poor BARRY'S classical affectations ; one of GAINSROROUGH'S natural pictures, reft of its charm of simplicity ; the " Ugolino" of Sir Josue/L. Res-Noses, giving a faint idea of the original; and his" Garrick between Tragedy and Comedy," looking worse than in the prints of it. Two of \rases large historical pictures, looking French in style and composition, and giving a finer idea of his talents than the originals would ; several of IVI LK 1E' S—" the Reading of the Will," "the Blind Fiddler," and "the Alfred,"—in which last he failed, as all must do who venture to paint a divinity for the sake of the weeds in which he is clad, and the abode of which he is the glory. Sir THOMAS LAWRENCE'S works are worldly disfigured. ML LREADY'S " Wolf and Lamb" is very well rendered ; NEWTON'S " Lovers' Quarrel" is spoiled ; Lssiax's " Sir Roger de Coverley" is better ; kLinsolves " Siddons' Family" is bad as regards the faces ; MORLAND'S picture looks well in its delicate dress, and the plate is well executed ; Feszsi, NORTHCOTE, WESTALL, &MICE, ALLAN, COOPER' BURNETT, and Dom'

an each supply a subs ,—

jectas do FLAXMAN, CHANTREY, BANKS, andIsToLLEmrs among the sculptors. The few specimens of sculpture, however, serve but to show the feebleness or exaggeration of the English school of modelling. The literary part of the work is of a very slipslop character. The descriptions of the pictures are meagre and unsatisfactory, and possess no value in the eyes of the artist. The principal object of introducing letterpress into a work like the present, should be to supply the defia cienciee of the plates, by giving an artist-like account of each picture ; describing the style of handling, finish, colourveffect,Ite The desc.rip.. tions would be not less interesting to the general reader, and would be- come valuable to the student and connoisseur. Instead of introducing the subject of the picture to our notice iu a formal paragraph, the writer should rather describe the action, position, and expression of the leading figures, and tell the story of the picture, introducing a few critical remarks as occasion required. The successive appearance of the future parts will enable us to give recollective accounts of those pictures with which we are familiar.

Illustrations of the Family of Psiltacidm, or Parrots. Drawn on Stone, from Nature, and coloured by E. LEAR. No..1.

The admirers of splendid colours, no less than the naturalist, will be pleased with this beautiful work, which on this account promises to be popular. The three specimens of these superb birds are as various as they are brilliant. The Stanley Parrakeet is a rich green and red, relieved with blue and yellow. The Pigeon Parrakeet is of a more sober hue. being of a dove-colour, with wings of a mixture of green and blue, and a slight streak of yellow in the tail. The Rose Ringed Parrakeet is a splendid bird, entirely of bright yellow plumage, with a pale crimson beak ; the Chinese would perform the Ko-tou before this bird, which nature has invested with their regal colour. The execution of the plates, both as 'regards drawing and colouring, leaves us nothing to wish for. The mock gravity and dignity of the physiognomy of these gorgeous birds reminds'one of some old booby justice of peace, with his big look and his " poll clawed like a parrot." Hence, perhaps, the origin of the flash term "beak," as applied to magistrates.

Views in Scotland, of Scenery described by Sir Walter Scott. Drawn from Nature and on Stone by F. NicnoLsorr. Nos. L to III.

Mr. NICHOLSON is a veteran lithographic draughtsman, and was one of the earliest to make trial of its advantages ; but while lithography has been improving under the hand of every fresh aspirant, Mr. Nicnonson'S style remains pretty much what it was when he first be- gan. It is picturesque, but wants force, and his effects are dim and foggy. The mistiness of his lithographic drawing is, however, less out of character with the scenery of the Highlands, among mountains, lochs, and falls ; and in the plates before us, we have some sweet bits of sce- nery and some fine natural effects. There is a wildness in Mr. NrcsoL- SON'S sketches, which charms us by its apparent artlessness and unso- phisticated stile ; while he evidently feels and -understands his sub- ject. Some views of Corie Linn and Castle are romantic and interest-. ing, as indeed are all the views to lovers of the picturesque.

Studies of the different Characters of Forest Trees. Drawn from Nature and on Stone by I. Powan,. No. I.

This will be a useful work for learners ; and, as such, it has the merit of neatness and imitability. The design of this publication is similar to one by Mr. H. W. Bisaszss, now landscape draughtsman to the King, entitled " Studies of Trees ;" and the style of its execution iSioM,ewhat similar,, but wants the force, breadth, and truth of -those 'Vitrid and masterly sketches. It is, in .truth, a cold and media/rim' version of TfuticiEss'i style, without those rapid touches and: fine natural effects which redeein the mannerism and carelessness of his drawing. It is a drawingmaster'S pattern-book of trees, cleverly made after a certain recipe but the 'specimens are destitute of feeling, and are much too mo- notonous for the variety of nature. There are no trees equal to HAR- DIN c's, for grace, freedom, and truth.

The Fortune-teller. Painted by WILLIAM GILL. Drawn on Stone by WILLIAU FAIRLAND.

A feeble lithographic print of a feeble picture. Mr. Gift's faces have a maudlin, melancholy air, a lack-a-daisically lachrymose look, or a sim- pering insipidity which is very uninteresting, though perhaps he may think otherwise. Were it not that she partakes of this prevailing fault, the old woman listening to the gipsy has good character. The faces of the children are distortions, and look silly and imbecile : the boy on the ass is an urchin Charles the Tenth. " The Orphan Ballad-Singers," another picture of this artist, engraved by J. ROMNEY, is equally faulty and mannered; and the feebleness is rendered yet worse in the engrav- ing there is no drawing in the faces.

Bacchanalian Group. Drawn by G. H. HARLOWE ; engraved by W. T. FRY.

There is nothing Bacchanalian about this group of naked little urchins but the grapes. As a design, it wants interest ; nor has it any particu- lar merit in composition. The drawing is not remarkable for either boldness or delicacy ; and the character is not striking. There is a cer- tain dash and spirit which show it to be the work of a clever artist, but beyond that it possesses no great excellence. The beauty of execution of Sir TIIOBIAR'S sketches gave them great value: HAUL OWE did things too much in a hurry ; and he has more flutter than grace, more dash than power.

The Faithful Playmate. Drawn on Stone by WELD TAYLOR, from a drawing by -DOUGLAS. Portraits of a-Child and a Dog—the latter much the best of the two. The child is very wooden, though it may be very like.

Twelve Sketches, illustrative of Sir Walter Scott's Dmmonology and Witchcraft. By GEORGE. CRITIKSHANK.

GEORGE CRUIKS n Aw K is" the Mast practical of laughing philosophers he "turns diseases into commodity"—he " creates a joke under the ribs of Death :" he is a licentiate, of the College of Momus, and his prescrip- tions shake the diaphragms of his patients until they dethrone their nightmares. His plates are the very cantharides of mirth, and tickle even the hypochondriac into a fit of laughter. He has, in this humorous and graphic commentary on Sir WALTER'S, anecdotes of visions and hallucinations, given us the antidote of fun to the bane of good spirits; and we will venture to say that this two shillings' worth of GEORGE CRUM- SHANK will be worth more than all the physic or reasoning in Christen- .dom towards the hypped and phantom-worried patient. He gives nirpietnie oe the prior man who Wei hattritedby-the'spettril figurantes in green: there he stands, a statue of blancmange, surrounded by a circle of facetious arm-chairs, kicking up their legs and rocking from side to side with broad-faced laughter ; while the visionary corps de ballet sets his brain whirling by the noiseless celerity of their piroitettings, as they exclaim in chorus, " Here we all are !" Then we have a terrified mortal transported through the air by a flight of elves, making driving- seats of his toes, from which, with "whip of crickets' bone and lash of film," and " traces of the finest spider's web," they drive four-in-hand ; some supporting with slings of gossamer the arms of the man-waggon, while others, as his cap falls off, hang it, en passant, on the peg offered by the vane of a church-steeple! The interior of a cavern, appro- priated to the elfin arrow.makers, affords the artist good scope for his phantasma-humour. The arch-fiend, with spectacles on nose, and a barbed queue (hence the term barbecue), is dighting the arrows, seated 'on the back of an elf, who performs the office of a bench; before him is another standing at ease as a candlestick, with an extinguisher tail, and his hair a blazing wick; while a sylph-like snuffers-elf flies to embrace him with open blades ! The vengeance of the elves, who, Adding a brown loaf and a cobb of herrings placed for their refreshment, instead of a white loaf and a bowl of cream, proceed to pull the grudging housewife down the stairs by the toes, is a rich scene. The elf-king is seated in the corner cupboard, with two sentinels, looking on mirthfully. The esprit de corps of all, whether fun or mischief be the order of the day, is capitally expressed. The roguish elf, who, disguised as a three-legged stool, glides from under the unconscious gossip, and runs away with a broad grin on his wooden countenance, is also excellent : it is the very personification of a practical joke. The fleet of water-witches, skimming the sea in their sieves—the fiend, huge as a haystack, heaving his thorn-back head above the wave, while his forked tail serves at once for ensign and rudder—is better than Mr. COOPER'S novel; while the ghost of Mrs. Leckie, bestowing a parting kick on the nethermost portion of the doctor's person, is rendered irresistibly ludicrous by the mingled terror and mortification expressed in the doctor's rueful visage. Let the readers of the Family Library buy this little laughter-provoking pamph- _ let, and have it bound up with Sir WALTER'S Anecdotes of Witch- craft; and let every M.D. have a copy laid on the table of his patients' waiting-room.

Landscape Illustrations of the Waverley Novels. Part VIII. The beautiful effects of the original drawings are well reflected in these engrayinge; which, however, will not bear close examination. Dumbar- ton Castle wants but a little more finish to become a fine plate. The others are unworthy the names of Messrs. Fla/Derr; who, we suspect, - touch their etd:and not the copper. Jobs and speoulations are the bane of too many embellished publications.

Elliot's Views of India. Part IV. The engravings of these highly picturesque drawings improve in the execution ; and, like those of Messrs. FINDEN, they are good enough to merit being better. •

Howard's Spirit of Shakspeare. Part XX. The plain belle the title of the work, for they waut,-spirit -both conception and execution. " Their tameness is shocking," as SELKIRK said in Cowrie..