"Once a sketcher, never a painter," says Sir JOSIIITA REYNOLDS;

and the truth of the remark has been verified in too many instances. The dan- gerous facility of producing effects by a few touches of the pencil, belongs only to inherent talent; and it has such charms, not only for the artist, but for the spectator, that it is not to be wondered if genius be sometimes con- tent with the imperfect production of an hour, and evade the labour requi- site to make a finished picture. The sketch is lint the defined idea of the painter's mind, and should be to him only what notes are to the writer or speaker ; but the artist sees in it all the elements of a picture, and under his eye it becomes more beautiful to the imagination than the matured work could possibly be. The short time that he has occupied in making it, every moment of ;which has added some new and additional point of effect or resmblance, has just sufficed to make him pleased with the design. The admiring beholder, too, sees in the imperfect outline and the rapid toriches „ndications of beauty and appropriate effect ; he comprehends the scope and intention of the artist, and his fancy fills up the sketch until it ap- pears a picture to his "mind's eye," raised by the magic power of genius. Sketches form a principal part of the studies of every artist, and the truly industrious are indefatigable in making and collecting a store of them for use and reference; but he who is tempted to make a practice of finishing up the drawing and effect of his sketches, instead of painting pictures from them, muss inevitably come to a stand in his progress, and will never have the courage and perseverance requisite to toil through the elaborate compo- sition and finishing of a picture, in which the more he does, the more he sees necessary to be done to bring it nearer to nature. Mere sketchers "Keep the word of promise to the eye,

And break it to the hope."

Such, however, was not BONINGTON, who produced finished pictures commensurate with the talent evinced in his sketches. 114 splendid bud of promise was cut off "Ere it could ope its sweet leaves to the sun, And dedicate ita beauty to the world."

Had he lived to realize the well-founded expectations that were raised by his admirable and versatile talents as an artist, he would have emulated the excellencies of the master-spirits of Art. He looked at Nature with the eye of a painter and the feeling of an enthusiast: he was her disciple as well as a scholar of Art. Hence the great variety of character and effect in his pro- ductions. He portrayed the scene as it lay before him, preserving the iden- tity of resemblance in .outline an4 tone, which a strong and susceptible ap- prehension of Nature only could enable him to produce. All was harmony, completeness, and truth. It was not, so to speak, a translation of nature Into the dialect of the artist, but it was Nature speaking in her own lan- guage, and addressing not only the senses hut the minci. So unalloyed with the dross of art were his works, that they recal to memory those of the best masters in each different walk. Is it a "Lane Scene ?" you are reminded Of GamstionouGn, Is it a view of Venice it reminds you of CANA- LETTI : an historical subject ?--of PAUL VERONESE : a river scene ?— of BERGHEM : a marine view ?—of CALL COT T : a mouldering ruin F--of Pnour : the sketch of a female head ?—of AFRED CuaLost. Not that he imitated these different artists : his was not a Protean genius, it had only as many powers as he saw varieties in Naturethe scene or object which he beheld gave him the tone and feeling which' influenced his mind and per- vaded his canvass. Because those different masters individually accustomed themselves to study one class of objects, or loved to look: at one particular feature in Nature, they have excelled insthe representation of what they saw by long practice, and by acquiring knowledge and experience le their several departments. And hecause be looked with a clear, comprehensive, and un- derstanding eye, anctimitated with a facile and obedient hand, his sketches resembled theirs, • The leading characteristics of his style are breadth of manner, elasticity of touch, dazzling brilliancy of effect. The disposition of his lights and shades is often arbitrary, but eminently effective, and inclining to the sombre ; which, however, never degenerated into heaviness or monotony. His figures are graoeful, ample, and picturesque ; his draperies, voluminous and simple, yet varied ; his grouping remarkable for blending forms and bold contrast ; and amidst all this profusion of the resources of art, his masses were not frittered away, but well preserved, and the prevailing tone harmonized with the .subject. His loss to art can only be appreciated in the number, variety, and excellence of the sketches he has left behind him. The subjects which form the first two numbers of this work are well se- lected for variety, but are not of equal value and interest. They are litho- graphed in the very best style of the art by Mr. HARDING, who has suc- ceeded to admiration in gtviug the character and touch of the original itetrAes. Twelve Veads, front Original Studies of Rowitys. Drawn on Stone by 31 SCARIATT DAVis.

We cannot do better than quote, by way of introductory remark, from the brief and able preface to this highly valuable work. " The studies from which these are a choice selection were purchased a few years ago at Antwerp. The heads, which are somewhat larger than life, are painted on paper, and are all in remarkably fine preservation. i4 Artists will not need to be apprised, that to them studies of the great masters are not only equally valuable with their finished pictures, but even more so. They are necessarily more spirited, as being their first and moat vivid impression of the character or attitude, and have less alloy of inferior talent. They contain more of genius, though less of labour. They afford a light less dazzling, but by which we may distinguish their intention more distinctly. Rubens's mode of procedure is sufficiently well known. After having decided on a subject for a picture, he first slightly sketched the com- position. His next step was to make studies from nature of the principal heads, and the most prominent parts of the detail. These he intrusted to his pupils to transfer to the canvass. The final touch he was accustomed to give was rather an attempt to bring back the deviations of others to his own primitive conceptions, than a heightening of his, original ideas. The sketches which follow are as he left them."

These heads are characterized by all that wealth of corporeal beauty— that prodigality of fleshiness—that rich luxuriance of physical nature, which so eminently distinguished the works of RUBEN& The grandeur and boldness of drawing, and the force and breadth with which nature is deli- neated, are scarcely less effective, though wanting the relief of that flo- rescence of colour which he revelled in. The head of Ignatius Loyola is a fine study of character,—cruel, brutal, and haggard with restless subtilty. In that of Lazarus, the eye seems scarcely lit up with the light of returning life; and we fancy him to have ju,st resumed an uncorrupted flesh. A head of one of the Magi adoring the infant Christ, is in the grandest style of art. Each, bears the impress of an original and powerful mind, and in all is nature represented with a gusto which denotes the mastery of art and the sway of genius. The sketches are copied on the stone with a vigour of touch and breadth of effect that do equal honour to the works'of the great master himself, and the talent of the young artist who has lithographed them. They evince a fine feeling for and knowledge of the style and manner of RUBENS, and are admirable for the troth and force of expression. Unless we had been in- formed of the fact, we should not have conceived them to have been reduced copies of the originals, so completely is the drawing and effect of the master- hand 'preserved.

The Bower. Drawn on Stone by W. SHARP, from an Original Sketch by JOHN HAYTEg.

The portrait of a lovely girl, just past the age of childhood, and charac- terized by the simplicity and tinconscieusuess which adorn that period of innocence. There is a touching sweetness in the expression of her counte- nance; and a mild intelligence beams from her large dark eyes, veiled by their long lashes. A rich luxuriance of silky hair clusters in wavy folds round her full-formed face ; and its gracefully undulating outline seen Against the light under the over-arching bower' charms us into admiration. So completely has the effect of this beautiful sketch disarmed our critical judgment, that we can hardly bring ourselves to find fault with the drawing of the left side of the face, as too broad and flat. The drawing of the eyes and hair in the print is particularly good, and the entire abet evinces a feel- lug and discrimination which reflect great credit upon the lithographer.

Foxes on the Earths. Drawn from Nature and on Stone by S. MouNTJOY SMITH.

A print equally interesting to the sportsman, the naturalist, and the lover of art. The animals are drawn with great spirit and fidelity, and the artist evinces a strong feeling for nature, and that accurate knowledge and true perceptionof character which can only be acquired by close study and observation.

We remember to have seen the name of this promising young artist to a fine study of a Hawk, equally admirable with the present work for accuracy of drawing and boldness of touch. This print forcibly exemplifies the ad- vantages which lithography offers to the painter, who wishes to multiply his sketches and still to preserve his own peculiar touch. Messrs. LasinsEER should follow the successful example of Messrs. WARD and CnaLarr, whose vigorous delineation of animals in lithography are now rivalled in excellence by this specimen of talent in a rising artist.

The Lord Mayor's Dinner at Guildhall on the 9th November. Drawn from the Scene and on Stone by G. SCHARF. A very clever and faithful representation of this splendid, coup d'wil of civic grandeur, which ought to adorn the dining-roorn of every Alderman, Common Councilman, and Liveryman of the city of London. We trust the artist has been recompensed more substantially than by an invitation to the banquet in Guildhall. The Lord Mayor should c,oramission him to make a drawing of the a.nnual show, as a companion to this gorgeous dis- play. Mr. SCHARF has sustained his well-earned reputation as a draughts.. man in this difficult and effective performance. The print is well coloured, and forms a handsome ornament to a room, besides being admirable as a work of art.

Mr. T. P. COOKE'S Attitudes of Antique Statues at the Surrey Theatre.

This popular actor attempted to personify, for his benefit on Monday night, the attitudes of some of the most renowned works of antique sculp- ture,--Hercules, Atlas, the Belvidere Apollo and the Gladiator, in dif- ferent views. Both the intention and the performance merit praise; and had we not retained so vivid a recollection of Mr. Ducitow's representa- tions of some of the Antique Statues, as to force i comparison, with that strikingly effective exhibition' we should probably have experienced a higher delight and have been able to bestow more unqualified praise. Mr. COOKE, with the view, doubtless, of guarding against the charge of direct imitation of Mr. Ducnow, adopted a theatrical medium for his per- sonifications; and, moreover, appeared in the character of the living model, instead of the sculptured figure. In deference to the fastidious delicacy of the audience of the Surrey Theatre, also; he deemed it necessary to wrap round his whole body a crimson cloth, in addition to the flesh-coloured dress winch altlitai kit limbs. This costume had the effect of preventing the

display of muscular action, and rendered the performance a merely thea- trical exhibition. The recitations between the different personifications, and the frequent shifting up and down of the pedestal upon which the model took his stand, together with the action ;which introduced the dif- ferent attitudes being given on the floor of the stage, as in acting, had the effect of dissipating that identity of impression which such representations should produce on the spectator.

We think Mr. COOKE might, without doing violence to delicacy, throw aside the crimson cloth ; and we would also recommend the recital of the introductory verses by a person in the character of an artist, while the per- former remained on a pedestal as the living model, giving the attitudes suc- cessively as the artist directed. This would render the scene more charac- teristic, and preserve the performance more entire, or, as the artist would say, in better keeping. It would only be taking another good hint from Mr. Ducnow, and would avoid an exact imitation, as the one would still represent the living model, and the other the sculpture.

The Exhibition of Pictures at the Gallery of the British Institution in Pall Mall, opens to the public on Monday. We reserve our re- marks for next week.