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ly by the disciples that he himself has formed.

But

I should never have done were I to enumerate the various artists of the British school, who now claim an eminent degree of merit in the imitative arts.

Nature having thus belied the prophecies and fine spun theories of the French dictators in philosophy and science, they also have now altered their tone, and instead of attempting to prove, as heretofore, that Britain was incapable of producing a tolerable painter of any sort, they now discover that Britain possesses advantages beyond any other nation; and clearly demonstrate that the British school must of necefsity rise to a supreme excellence in this art, which none other could ever hope to reach. Whether their prophecies in this respect will prove more true than their former afsertions, we pretend not to say; but it is certain that our countrymen will be very willing to believe them in regard to this particular. For their satisfaction the following extract is selected from the last work on the fine arts published in France that has come in our way, not doubting but it will give very general satisfaction to our readers.

Extracts from the DICTIONAIRE des ARTS de PEINTURE, &c. par M. M. Watelet et Levesque.

The different Schools of Painting characterised. A NEW School is lately formed in England. Though yet in its infancy it has acquired reputation by its succefs; it deserves the applause, and ought to excite the emulation of its seniors, because it is disVOL. Xiv,

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April 24. tinguished by an attention to the noblest branches of the art, excellence of composition, beauty of figure, sublimity of idea, and truth of exprefsion. It is hitherto known to us only by engravings; but artists who have seen the paintings produced in it, have afsured us, that some of its masters unite excellence in colouring with the more sublime parts of the art. Their colouring is lefs glaring than that of the Flemish and Venetian painters, and resembles that of the Lombard school. Sir Joshua Reynolds is well known by his discourses on the arts; and the print engraved from his picture of count Ugolino is universally admired. The lovers of the fine arts have also been enabled, by means of prints, to form some estimate of the talents of Mefsrs West, Copley, Gainsborough, Brown, &c. It is said that the Englifh school has produced excellent painters of horses.

In each school the distinguishing character may be traced to its cause. In the Roman school it must be ascribed to the excellent education of its first artists, and the beautiful productions discovered amid the ruins of ancient Rome. In the Venetian school to the splendour introduced there by the commerce of the east, to the frequency of festivals and masquerades, and to other circumstances which obliged artists to paint persons magnificently drefsed. In the Dutch school it may be attributed to the sphere of life in which their artists chiefly conversed; they frequented mean public houses, and the work fhops of the lower clafs of mechanics, where they saw vulgar grotesque figures, and were ac

customed to the effect of a limited light, whether natural or artificial, in confined places.

Beauty must contribute towards the character of the English school; because it is so common in England, that it must certainly meet the eye of the artist ;-if this beauty be not exactly that of the ancients, it is perhaps not inferior to it. The English school will be distinguished by truth of exprefsion, because the liberty of the nation allows no restraint on the natural influence of the pafsions; and it will preserve simplicity, and will not be perverted by theatrical affectation, nor by the foppery of artificial graces; because the English manners themselves retain the simplicity of nature.

If we examine the portraits of Frenchwomen painted by Frenchmen, instead of exprefsion we generally find a forced smile, in which the eyes and forehead do not participate, and which exprefses no affection of the mind; but if we examine the portraits of Englishwomen painted by Englishmen, we most frequently discern a natural exprefsion of countenance that indicates the character of the person represented.

On drapery by the same.

VANITY is fond of ornament; true greatness is simple; and it is true greatness which a good painter should represent. The physical and moral beauty of nature constitute the objects of his imitation. The perfection of art consists in making an Helen, not rich, but beautiful. The lefs a figure is charged with foreign ornaments, the more beautiful it will be, if the artist has true genius. A beautifu

woman, gracefully clad in simple drapery, will appear much more noble in a picture, than if he were loaded with embroidery, gold, and jewels. Sometimes, indeed, we see a king endeavouring to enforce his dignity among his people by the splendour of his attire; but in the art, the greatness of a king consists in his personal majesty; and this is what the painter must endeavour to exprefs. Ahasuerus is lefs splendidly adorned and attended, but he is infinitely greater in the picture of Poufsin, than in that of De Troyes.

ANECDOTES OF DISTINGUISHED BRITISH OFFICERS WHO FELL IN THE RUSSIAN NAVAL SERVICE DURING THE LAST WAR WITH SWEDEN. BY ARCTICUS. For the Bee.

As my anecdotes (vol. viii. p. 201.) of a seaman of the last century have been so well received, pofsibly a few of some distinguished countrymen of this, may be equally acceptable, who met a premature fate, with a lustre that reflects honour on Great Britain.

I am more especially prompted to offer this little tribute to their merit, from the consideration that pofsibly many of these brave men may never have any other monument erected to their memory, than the volume of the Bee where these fhort notices may be inserted.

The writer knew personally, for a number of years, all the gentlemen mentioned here, one excepted, who went almost streight to meet his fate in the Russian fleet, without making any stay in St Petersburgh, as will be taken notice of in its place;

281 and he had the additional advantage of being informed of their respective actions and death from their surviving companions, eye witnesses of both. Britons, Russians, and foreigners, all joined in the same story, with the trifling variations which their different positions in the battle must ever occasion; so that on the whole the facts are likely to be as authentic as most of the kind.

I fhall conclude this little introduction to my anecdotes with observing, that although I agree with your right Christian correspondent Thunderproof, in preferring peace to war, and even in reprobating all but such as are undertaken for self defence, leaving the balance of power to be held by Old Nick, if he pleases; yet till that happy period fhall arrive, and the temple of Janus be nailed up effectually, which I am afraid will not be in our days, I fhall be always happy to see gallant actions, even in foreign service, meet with their deserved reward; a great. part of which, to the honourable soldier and seaman, is public applause, particularly that of their country and friends.

First.

SIR SAMUEL GREIG, Admiral and Commander in chief of the Russian fleet in the Baltic.

I AM not prepared, nor is it my intention to do more than merely name at the head of this list, our distinguished and amiable countryman admiral Greig, who fell a victim in the career of victory (so well begun in a former war,) to that indefatigable zeal and anxious care of the fleet intrusted to his well known courage and conduct, which

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