NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY.
The completion of the Third Volume of this popular series of Portraits of distinguished Persons of the Nineteenth Century, and the appearance of the first number of the Fourth Volume, afford us an opportunity of referring again to the work, with' a view to estimate its comparative merits as regards the execution of the plates and the selec- tion of the portraits ; and it gives us pleasure to bear testimony to the increased excellence of the engravings, and the improved value of the collection with reference to the original works from which these plates are copied. Indeed, for beauty, cheapness, and interest combined, this work may bear comparison with any other of its class. It is now wor- thy of being ranked with LODGE'S Portraits of Illustrious Personages, of bygone years, to which work it forms an appropriate sequel. The portraits are mostly re(tticed copies of engralAngs from the finest por- traits, by our best painters, many of theintafter-LawaEncz. It will in- clude all public characters of whom good portraits are attainable; and the proprietors acknowledge the liberality with which they have been favoured with original pictures, for the purpose of their being engraved expressly for this work. The portraits in the new number (37) are— The Queen, by DAWE : the likeness is similar to most others of her Majesty, excepting that the countenance strikes us as being altogether too large. The " Princess Victoria ;" a pretty but somewhat tame por- trait, by STEWART. "Lord Brougham," from LAWRENCE'S picture, of which we have before spoken. " Dr. Brewster," by RAEBURN ; who, if the engraver does not belie the picture, has made the learned Pro- fessor look all agape like an idiot.
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