We cannot bestow any praise on Mr. KIDD'S Illustrations of
Burns. The style of the artist is not congenial with the spirit of the poet, either as regards humour or pathos. The expression (if it can be so called) of. the characters is forced; their mirth is grimace ; their rus- ticity is mere decrepitude, and sentiment is altogether wanting. The designs, it must be allowed, appear to little advantage through the medium of Mr. Situav's engravings, which are bad in drawing, meagre in style, and mechanical in execution.
• By the same rule; we should be judging too unfavourably of Mr. FLEMING'S Views Of: the Lakes of Scotland, were we to pronounce an opinion of their merits as pictures from Mr. SWAN'S engravings. That they are faithful delineations of the romantic and beautiful scenes which they profess to represent, is their best praise. The engravings evince painstaking, but are not of that quality which would enable them to stand a comparison with the productions of first-rate engravers, to which our eyes have been so long accustomed, that any thing short of excellence fails to satisfy them. The publication, however, is not with- out merit and interest ; and it will doubtless circulate extensively among those who value picturet for their minute fidelity rather than for their beauty as works of art.
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