204 OBSERVATIONS ON THE ARTS. higlicnlepartments of painting, what have we at present in this country to compare to the groat works of the sublime Buoitardtti, the poetic Ju- lio Romano, the graceful Raphael, Corregio, and Parrnegiano, the ele- gant taste or the learning of Annibnl Carrachi and Poussiu? In speak- ing of painters, 1 might mention the glowing tints of Titian, the silvery tints of Gtiido, the hi»h-finishin<r of Gerard Douw, Vander Hey- (len, Denner, John Van Iluy.sum, and Vandor Werf; the lightness of Rubens, the effects of Carravaggio and Rembrandt. In portrait, how inferior are we to Titian, Giorgi- one, H. Miers, Rubens, Vandyke, Velasquez, More, Frank Hall, Rem- brandt, Lely, Kneller, or our late countryman, Reynolds! In land- scapes, to Claude, and along list of the Dutch and Flemish painters ! In comic painting, how very far behind are our living artists, when com- pared with Hogarth ! The Caledo- nian youth* bids fair to be the next in rank tohim, though their styles are not quite alike. Some of Bunburv's efforts, though only sketches, class htm next, but at a great distance. In sculpture, we can produce no- thing equal to Le Sueur, Cibber (father to Colley Cibber), Gibbons, Roubillac, Schumaker, Rysbrack, or even to Read and the elder Ba- con ; nor to Bernini, or many other names on the Continent. In architecture, what are we to Palladio and a long &c. &c. in Italy, France, and other countries; or to our own Inigo Jones, Chris- topher Wren, or even Vanhrtigh.
- Wilkie.
We are sorry that we have not been able eccentric author of these observations, his letters in our possession. In engraving, can our prints gain the palm from Andran, Edelinck, Drevet, Maroon, or even Balechou Beauvarlet, Le Bas, or Volpato ? Can our engravers cut the copper as clean as V ille, or his pupil Bervic ? or for neatness and delicacy, make portraits like Fiquet, or equal what has lately been engraved by Mor- ghen or Schmid ? I would here take a crown of lau- rel and bind it on thy brows, Ra- phael Morghen, as the best engra- ver that now practises the art. Bar- tolozzi is the most powerful con- tender with the great master for that honour ; but he is now very old (this year 81), and, it is said, is following the fortunes of his friend, the Prince of Brazil, in South America. As I aim at bre- vity, I was going to omit the names of Woollett, Ravcnct, Ryland, Strange, and the great landscape engraver, who is no longer to be equalled in that department, Fran- cis Vivarez ; and also Sherwin, who, a few years ago, died in the prime of life; who, for drawing, was al- most equal to Bartolozzi, his master, and for freedom, is one of the best engravers that ever existed. Mr. Editor, I can't go on for want of paper; I have not got another sheet in the house : when I go out to itct some, I will put this sketch in your box. If you approve of the idea, as conveying instruction in the arts, it may be easily connected and enlarged, so as to bring in a va- riety of names, which being very general and short, may furnish a paper interesting and beneficial to students. 1 propose to sign what I wr itc J un in us. to allow more ri om for the ingenious and as ive have already upwards of twenty of
