SOCIETY or BRITISII ARTISTS, SUFFOLK STREET.

OUR second visit to this exhibition, while it confirmed the impression left by the first as to the fewness of its prominent attractions, made

us more intimately acquainted with its numerous minor excellencies. Notwithstanding that the interest and character of an exhibition are materially lessened by a deficiency of subject pictures, successful repre- sentations of objects afford considerable pleasure, which if not of the highest kind, is generally most free from alloy. Havnox's pictures, in proportion as they excite attention, provoke criticism. " Christ Raising the Widow's Son" (149), has the appear- ance of a proceession stayed for the performance of some ordinary

ceremonial rite : the widow embracing her son looks as if she were mourning over him, and the eyes of the dead-alive glare like a maniac's ;

the face of Christ is feeble in character and insipid in expression, and his form is strangely inivropartioned. The black man seated on the foreground is admirably painted ; but what does lie there ? We may

suppose him to be one of the bearers of the bier, but as regards the event lie is "to let." " The Discovery of Achilles disguised in girl's clothes, by Dioined and Ulysses" (220, is more naturally and vividly iinagined ; and the attitude of Achilles conveys the idea of a young warrior in the pride of youth, impatient of his woman's disguise, and burning with ardour for the tight when he sees the arms. The looks and action of Diomed and Ulysses are also dramatic ; but their heads and that of Achilles are not of the noblest heroic character. Surely the body of Achilles is too long ; the shield he grasps, too, is more ponderous than elegant. The confusion of the women is elaborately but not felicitously represented. There are sonic fine bits of drawing in both pictures, but the manner of painting is heavy and unpleasing. HAYDON sltould repaint his Falstaff (287), which is a stroke of genius; he might then add a beard to complete his portrait of the "old white- bearded Satan," and make the Prince less like a courier. Bardolph smothering a laugh with his hand, over which his nose glows like a live coal, is capital. HAYDON also exhibits a little caricature sketch of John Bull at Breakfast (438)-a plethora of beef. HURLSTONE'S "Peasant Girl of Frescati " (185), and " Peasant Boys of the Abruzzi Mountains" (205), reflect the case, frankne s, aud careless gayety of Italy, and the dirt as well as the picturesque cos- tume of the peasants. If this artist paints muddy flesh to imitate Murtisso, he is doubly in error, for he follows neither the Spanish painter nor nature. In these peasants it is in keeping ; but why should not " Pipino, the Roman boy, as Eros" (314), have clear skin, to match his bright eyes ? This is a gracefully-natural figure, with a Guroo-like air. What a charming little picture too is this of a "Girl and Dog" (56); it has a REYNOLDS look about it. With so healthy and pleasing a perception of nature as HuitssToNE has, we regret the snore his slovenly manner of painting. His portraits of two young ladies (340)-short ones, by the way-are painted with much more clear- ness and force ; and in his whole-length portrait of Lady Goodricke on, the complexion is fair; the lady's husband, Sir Francis Good- ncke (125), is no more bronzed than becomes a sportsman. These two pictures are of sterling excellence. CLINT'S portrait of the Earl of Egremont, with his Granddaughter at his knee (77), is an unaffected and agreeable picture, but smooth and tame, which lessens the vigour of character in the countenance of this venerable nobleman and munificent patron of artists. Above it, too high to be seen to good advantage, is an admirable portrait of a Lady (76), with a very pleasing expression, painted with clearness and in a rich tone of colour, by S. LAURENCE, a young artist who bids fair to do honour to his name. LONSDALE'S portrait of Nollekens the sculptor (137)-apparently one of his early works-we much prefer to his recent likenesses, which have a commonplace, vulgar look, as if the painter saw no deeper than the surface of the character, and was content to portray the most obvious features of the face ; they are painted also in a.tea-tray style. HOLMES'S full-length portrait of a Lady (106), has ment that promises better things in futtue. Among the portrait-paintresses, Mrs. CARPENTER, as usual, takes the lead ; vide 216; and Mrs. Pk:ARSON, as if by prescriptive right, im- mortalizes Sheriffs Salomon& and Lainson-Raphael has been immor- talized in a far less enviable manner. Mrs. JAMES ROBERTSON (must we say it?) does not improve in the colour and texture of the flesh tints of her portraits, which are otherwise clever,-vide 28 and 144. Mrs. GOODMAN (late Miss SALAMAN) Las painted an admirable like- ness of a sister artist, Miss Fanny Corbaux (117). Miss F. COL. BAUX herself exhibits a very delightful study of Children (308), and a group of two lovely Girls planning " une espi4lerie " (324) : both are painted with a clear freshness that denotes practised skill in the execu- tive part, and vivid perception of character and expression. BOADEN'S " Pastorella " (38) is not quite innocent enough to become her name; his " Spring " (326), though slightly painted, and as cool as the other is hot, is very &aid and nymph-like. Wvarr exhibits one of his clever studies of female character, " La Solitaire" (194) ; in which, however, the drapery is a little too conspicuous, and the flesh too ivory- like. Close to it is a boldly-painted female head, " Ellen " (195), by CLAXTON-a name that is new to us. INSKIPP does not exhibit here as he was wont. MIDDLETON, whose sweet portrait of Miss Mor- daunt (104), we noticed last week-is a living resemblance, with a speaking expression of mouth and eyes-has also a forcibly-painted Portrait of a child, called " Morning" (161); and CHATFIELD, whose excellent portrait of Dr. Epps (15), we also noticed-and it deserves mention for the clearness and power of the painting as well as its charac- teristic expression-also exhibits a spirited study of a little boy at play (241). Jov's portrait of Mrs. Honey (234), is more like her in man- ner than in feature : the dress is clearly but crudely painted. Buss's portrait of Robert Graves the engraver, appears strikingly individual. His theatrical portraits of Mrs. Nisbet as Zurek (463), and a Mr. Rogers (218), are among the best of their class. ELLERBY'S portrait of Gibson the sculptor (411), we have surely seen before : it looks as if it were a strong resemblance. Among portraits should also rank " A Musician of Calabria " (378), by Poose ; " Uncle Bowling" (420)-a characteristic and highly-wrought study of an old sailor, by STEADMAN ; " A Greenwich Pensioner" (313), by PIDDING; and " Smuggler Resting " (355), by PARKER. The " Smuggler Looking out " (395), also by PARKER, is a bold attempt to bring a figure out o, the picture : the fellow absolutely leans over the edge of the frame, and looks so alarming with his pistol that one hardly feels safe. We don't like these tricks of art, however, even when successful : the end of painting is not illusion. Let us turn to " The Oyster-woman " (449), by the same artist ; between which and the " Home-brewed " (113), by PIDDING, we may make a relishing pictorial luncheon. " The Calf Disturbed," when going to drink, by a duck maternally anxious for the safety of her brood (356), also by PIDDING, is ludicrously true, even to the tip of the agitated tail. " The Drum-head Court-martial" (348), a delinquent cat tied to a spade, and about to undergo the punishment awarded for the killing of a canary, having been tried by an Uncle Toby of an old soldier, with a Corporal Trim for his play- fellow, is one of Buss's broad comic extravaganzas ; and " The-! " (337), an old bachelor and his maid-servant frightened out of their wits by a wig dressed in a sheet, with a phosphorus face and a stag's head, is another it is impossible to help laughing, so they serve the object. Fannuat's drolleries are too bard and forced : his " Master Bowling " (245), is a repetition of his pictures of urchins playing at soldiers ; and the servant reading the letter over the lady's shoulder, in 464, is merely making an ugly face. Let us now turn from gay to grave. " The Wife" (54). by Pm:Ns:is-a wife watching by the sick bed of her sleeping husband-is a touch of domestic pathos, literal in conception, minute in execution, and feeble in expression ; yet it has its effect by the force of verisimilitude : " The Daughter" (42), is a companion-picture of a young woman reading to her aged parents ; but the painting is more meagre and the subject has less of interest than the other. " The Young Mother" (450), by Miss KEARSLEY, is a very pleasing picture of the domestic class. " The Nabob's Daughter" (523), by FISK, is a scene of modern elegance and splendour cleverly painted in the "still life" style ; of which (79) "A Painter's Studio, by R. 1'. LoNsDALE, is a good specimen. As there are so few subject-pictures in this exhibition, those of higher pretensions among them ought not to be passed unnoticed, even though they are not quite successful. "Newton Discovering the Loss of his Papers" (316), by GOBLET, is a creditable attempt to delineate the well-known anecdote of Sir ISAAC NEWTON coming into his study from chapel, and finding that a manuscript treatise on light and colours, which had cost him twenty years' labour, was accidentally burnt by a spark from a candle that he had left burning ; but it is not a subject for a picture. "Charles the First Returning from his Trial" (425), by L. B. ADAMS, is too feeble for history painting. "The Revenge" (240), by ELMORE, is a murder in Venice represented something after the manner of HERBERT ; but though cleverly drawn, it wants dramatic force, and the painting is slight and dirty ; it exhibits talent, however. We poiat out .Mr. Dawe's scene of a Wreck (204), as a specimen of the vulgar melodramatic style of painting; the representation of horror and suffering is made ludicrous.

LANDSCAPE.

PYNE here takes the lead : his views of Windsor (276 and 394), are admirable for purity of tone, clearness of local colour, and brightness of atmospheric effect, and they are also elegant in composition. We pre.. fer 276, not only because it has some cattle introduced, which are ex- quisitely painted by SIDNEY COOPER, but for the sunny glow of the sky and the sparkling freshness of the grass and trees. It is a lovely effect of bright sunny morning ; as the other (394), is of cool gray. The handling in the distant castle is perhaps too evident ; though, being slight, it does not lessen the effect of distance. COOPER'S landscape with cattle, " Bingley Gate, Canterbury" (381), is most masterly, as far as the cattle are concerned; but the green landscape is too cold and heavy for the warn, tone of colour of the animals. CHAMBERS'S marine pictures leave us nothing to wish for; they roust be equally satisfactory to the artist and the sailor. "Swansea Har- bour" (211), is the most finished and elegant ; but the vivid truth of the representation, and the masterly facility of the handling, are equally admirable in the rest : " Queenborough" MIN "Greenwich'! (455), " Shipping after a heavy storm " (459)-though this is too black, and wants air-and another of" Swansea Harbour ' (506). Wri.soses sea-pieces want vigour and variety ; vide 27 and 58: he should look more at nature and less at the Dutch pictures. TENANT has greatly improved in his landscapes ; which are more freely and forcibly painted than before, and with equal vividness and freshness. His two views near St. Omer (207 and 225), are very sunny and bright ; in 347, " Distant view of Cassel," he is somewhat hard ; the effect of sunlight at evening in 513 is beautifully represented ; and the " River scene " (180), is pure and silvery, like CALLCOTT. The thin, meagre, hard style of his pictures last year has been imitated too successfully by ALFRED CLINT in his two views of Dover (17 and 210). ALLEN, too, has made an advance : his " Italian Landscape " (107). is bright and sparkling with sunlight, and is a charming picture, elegant yet natural : the trees are rather. hard, however. " The Water-mill" (152), is a very pretty rural scene. SHAYER has likewise greatly improved in distinctness mid the out-door look of nature ; though we still desire more daylight in his pictures, and his touch of foliage is solid and mannered. He not only gives the scenery but the people, which gives a living interest to his pictures. The children with their mothers before his " Cottages at Clovelly " (118)," The Water-carriers" (143), and the group before the " Fisherman's Cottage " (468), are very charac- teristic and cleverly painted. CRESWICK does not quite come up to our expectations this season : his painting is too slight and loose ; but there is a richness and freedom in the pencilling of the foliage and a pearly tone in the sky and distance, and a look of nature in all; vide " Bardon Tower" (202), and Aiklow " (519). STARK is very Dutch and petite, but truthful in his imitations of nature : the trees in his "Grove scene" (172), and "Near Hastings" (199), are hard, but the minute fidelity of the resembance will be recognized. So in the view on " Cromer Beach" (541), the meagre literal style seems to add to the local verisimilitude. LiNToN's lake-scenes are all element ; the build- ings and ground are unsubstantial ; vide 37 and 330.

A. PRIEST exhibits three pictures,--a green landscape with water,

"Water-mill at Reading" (1); a silvery gray "Beach Scene" (6) ; and a Thames fishing-boat (416),--which evince a nice feeling for nature, and varied executive powers. ROGERS is still hard and petite in his land. 'capes; vide 181; and WATTS heavy and loose in his painting ; vide 18 and 280; there is so much of truth in both their landscapes that we wish they would improve. We can only enumerate the following pic- tures, which have each some striking imitation of natural aspects to recommend them : "Old Draining-mill, near Langley, Norfolk (190), H. BRTGIIT-a powerful effect of evening twilight; "In the Shepherds' Fields, Hampstead" (16), L. J. WOOD-only too darkly- coloured for daylight ; "Near Loch Katrine " (7), Miss NASMYTH ; " Dolbadern Castle " (200), C. R. STANLEY; " Sandown Bay" (175); and other equally truthful though mannered landscapes, by A. VICKERS; "Cattle and Figures" (460), J. DEARMAN-a Cuyp-like picture ; "Landscape, with Bathers" (527); O'CoNsma - fresh and cool ; "Recollections of a Scene in Sr. James's Park "-skaters, &c. (208), J. B. PINE; "River Scene-Moonlight" (260), E. CHILDE-a pow- erful piece of truth; "Sunset" (215), by J. BRENNAN-had the re- flection of the light in the water and the shadow on the field been as perfectly true as the lurid clouds, this would have been a marvel of art ; "A brisk Gale" (454), G. IV. RUTLAND ; "Twilight" (39), '1'. W. DAGNALL. Sonic others, by BARNARD, M'IAN, T. WILSON, J. WILSON junior, POTTS, and PARKER, have merit, but our space pre- cludes the mention of them individually. There are also two of ROBERTS'S masterly architectural pictures (217 and 252),-a clever view of Duke Humphrey's tomb in St. Alban's Abbey (203), by H. HAwaiNs ; and a lively but literal representation of" The Pope giving his Benediction at Rome on Easter Monday," by Acuo (388). R. B. DAVIS exhibits several capital hunting scenes and portraits of horses and riders, that are sure to meet the eye ; there is also one similar scene by FE/WELLY. DAvrs's portraits of horses are equal to any, excepting only LANDSEER'S ; vide 136 and 336. Portrait of Master Chimpanzee (295), by WATERHOUSE HAWKINS, will be regarded with a melancholy interest, since this darling of the ladies is, though not dead, in a dan- gerous state of fever. "Natives of the Black Forest" (530)-a couple of wild-boars, by ZEITER-are, we doubt not, faithful portraits.

WATER-COLOUR Room.

The water-colour paintings and drawings are very attractive. The

principal landscapes are " Lago di Garda," a lovely scene, with glowing colour, by D. Fowmt-only the second picture exhibited by this young artist, but sufficient to stamp him a rising genius of a high order. "The Massoco" (753)-a mountainous scene of striking character, and "Sepulchral Remains on the Via Appia," (853)--a very interest- ing view over the Campagna of Rome, by R. L. GALE, a fellow stu- dent of FOWLER-both powerful pictures, the last especially. "Como" (616), and " Arona, Lego Maggiore" (782), by G. BARNARD-bright and aerial, but hard and deficient in keeping. These three young artists are all pupils of HARDING. "Sunset on the Coast" (577), "River Scene" (630), and " Park Scene" (840), are slight but vividly natural scenes by PHILLIPS. "Windsor Castle" (816), by J. W. ALLEN, is beautifully fresh and aerial. " The Arrest of Lord Hastings at the Council, by order of the

Duke of Gloucester" (642), by J. GILBERT ; " The Minstrel" (.583), by J. TENNIEL junior ; and a Knight (636), by H. CORBOULD, display promising talent. A picture by Miss SETCHEL, representing the effects of music on a grief-worn spirit (625), is powerfully painted, and has fine expression. Some studies of Children by Miss LOUISA CORBAUX (834), are admirable for forcible execution and sweet infan- tine character. " Dolce far niente " (600), and " Bryony " (822), are charmingly natural pictures of girlhood, by Miss LUCY ADAMS. Mrs. HARRISON'S Fruit piece (848), and "Wild Flowers" (618), are admirable for truth.

Among the miniatures, those by TWEY, DURHAM, ROOM, PRESTON, and COLLEN, struck us most. TIDEY'S likeness of Ellen Tree (736), is excellent both as a painting and a resemblance. Miss E. COMBE'S sketches are remarkable for that best quality in a likeness, expression ; vide 698 and 727. E. CoanouLy's portraits are bold and clever, but a little hard and mannered.

The Sculpture-room contains some good busts, but nothing very remarkable. CHALON'S RECOLLECTIONS OF THE ITALIAN OPERA, 1835.

WHEN Der Freischutz was the rage, one of the band, named GEAR, who has a talent for seizing likenesses, made sketches in the or-, chestra of Tom Cooke as Adolphe, and Charles Horn as Caspot. He lithographed them ; and being ludicrously like, as we say, they sold by hundreds. What GEAR did by Cooke and Horn, ALFRED CHALON has done by the principal performers at the Italian Opera. There is this difference between the artists, however,-GEAR is a self- taught sketcher, and lithographed his portraits himself; whereas CHALON is a fashionable painter, and a Royal Academician, and has employed LANE to lithograph his sketches. We are sorry we cannot say that the difference between the two productions is at all commen- surate with the superior rank, reputation, and advantages possessed by CHALON. They certainly will not increase his fame ; and we stisFect he will himself wish these " Recollections" were consigned to obli- vion. ALFRED CHALON is a mannerist, and his style is affected to a fantastic degree; but there is an elegance, artificial though it be, in all that he does ; and his worst productions-which these certainly are- occasionally display the accomplished artist, if it be only in manner. The sketches of Rubini and Tumburini in I Puritarti are the best of the series : the resemblances in face, figure, attitude, air, and cos- tume, are capital-ludicrously like: some of the others are as lu- dicrously unlike. He has not been successful in catching either the features or the expression of Grisi. As Desdensona, playing on the harp and singing, she is made to look like a school-girl' affecting the heroine. As Anna Bolena, she resembles a shrew in- s passion : her dress, too, is empty, and appears as if propped on a pole with an arm hanging out of one sleeve. As Elvira, her expression of eager and anxious listening is not felicitously given. And then what a figure Lablache is made ! there is a general resem- blance to him ; but if ever there were an unconscious caricature, this is one. In this character Lablache looked like one of VANDYKE'S por- traits, as in Marino Faliero be seemed an embodied picture by TITIAN; but here his head is too big for his body, and his dress hangs loose, as if there were no form in it,-a notion which the appearance of the right boot favours, for it looks as if the foot had been cut off at the in- step. The dress of the Doge is less faulty, though it does not do jus- tice to the breadth and grand simplicity of the original, and the head looks like that of a commonplace Shylock. Taglioni, as La Sylphide, is by no means the worst of the series; but what a column of neck, and what a stream of left arm ! Like Rob Roy, she might garter below knee without stooping. We have only adverted to a few of the most glaring defects of drawing ; to enumerate all, would be a disagreeable task, and might seem invidious. Making every allowance for the slightness of sketches, the evidences of carelessness are too numerous to be passed by un- noticed. But that LANE is a skilful draughtsman, we might have been disposed to attribute them to the lithographer. Why were these de- fects not corrected in the copying? As lithographic drawings, these certainly do not add to the reputation of LANE those of 'famburini and Rubini are also the hest in this respect.