deeply impressed as I was, with the kind interest which he took in my concerns, and convinced of the value of his counsel, it was impossible I should be either inattentive or ungrateful. "In the voyage of life," I added, " our vessel should not only be well prepared, but well conducted, and also our embarkation well timed; you, sir, who know all the requisites of equipment, know also exactly how to chuse the fortunate moment of commencement, the true course, and all that may be hoped and feared in that perilous navigation." "My counsel," said he, "be assured, shall not fail you.-Listen, sir, I beseech you. Far to the south, where the great Peninsula of Africa projects its lofty cape into the ocean, at some distance in the interior, the provident care of Government has assigned an extensive tract of beautiful and fertile land, expressly for the use of citizens under particular circumstances. To that far distant region let your ingenious son, when his studies in art shall be completed, transport himself; there let him dig; SIR, the earth, equally grateful and generous, will liberally reward his talents and his toil:-a return which neither will meet with from the soil on which he was born, with no better implement of cultivation than his pencil. There, I say, let him dig; there he may get wealth, and honour, and furthermore, he may be the happy parent of sons no less happy than their father: because they will neither be tempted by an unfortunate ambition to solicit the rewards due to merit, by occupations for which they may have no talents, nor by excellent talents, for which they will find no occupation." My venerable counsellor now concluded; and being suddenly called away on other business, he apologized and left me to meditate on the "decided answer" he had given to my last question. How far I thought it prudent to be regulated by his advice, I shall take an early opportunity to inform you. In the mean time, I am, Sir, your obedient Servant, BRITISH ART AND PATRONAGE. Letter Second. AT the close of my former letter, I promised to inform you what steps I pursued in consequence of my interview with the venerable person whom I lately consulted, respecting my son's desire to embrace the profession of an artist. The apparent inconsistencynot to say absurdity, of that gentleman's final instructions, must, I am persuaded, have reminded you of the well-known receipt for dressing a cucumber in perfection: the most remarkable particulars in that process being very similar, which was, that after carefully combining a given quantity of the sliced fruit, with due portions of oil and vinegar, salt, pepper, mustard, and other ingredients, the whole composition, so prepared for the table, should be thrown out of the window into the street. Indeed his royal receipt, for preparing and dishing up an artist, brought this cucumber-prescription so strongly to my mind, that I was restrained from smiling in the face of my obliging counsellor, only by the earnest and grave manner in which his recommendation was conveyed. That genius is more or less intimately allied to madness, has been long imagined; and although that notion may be wholly groundless, I confess the directions I had just received for the cultivation of talents, intended for the highest exertions of art, with their ultimate application, seemed to countenance the general opinion; and fearing that the respectable artist whom I had been consulting, was actually suffering under that calamity, I thought it advisable to try my fortune again, by applying to some other professional man, who, though not quite so great a genius, might have his intellects under better regulation. I accordingly waited upon a gentleman, whom fame reported to be the person exactly suited to my purpose. To him, therefore, I opened my case, produced many specimens of my son's abilities, as I had done before, and mentioned his passion for the arts, and anxious desire to excel in that department which was accounted the most honourable: on all which his observations were in the highest degree satisfactory. Perhaps I was blameable, but I thought it only fair to repeat the conversation I had just before held with another artist, and expressed my surprise at the singular conclusion of his instructions, in a way that intimated my suspicions as to the deranged state of his mental faculty. My new friend, however, seemed entirely to approve the advice I had received, with the exception of the turn which had been given to its conclusion ; to account for which," he said, "it was not necessary to suppose the artist mad; he had only taken that mode of discouraging your son's inclination to adopt a profession which he believed to have neither public nor private patronage in that species of art which the young gentleman seemed to prefer. That opinion," continued he, "was no proof of insanity; it simply proved an erroneous mode of thinking. If the misconception of a fact, or a false inference from it, be thought a symptom of derangement, nine-tenths of the world would be in danger of a strait-waistcoat. "When the gentleman consulted by you first presented himself to the public, it is well remembered that few men could produce stronger claims upon its favour and protection. Though his hopes were high, he was not presumptuous; conscious of talents which all acknowledged, he expected only that nourishing kindness which he conceived the country owed to its ingenious youth, and which alone was wanting to enable him to return the favour with immeasureable interest. Like many others, he had deceived himself with accounts of ancient patronage, and fondly anticipated no less from what was proudly called an enlightened and opulent nation; therefore, when the first tinkling of his bell failed to collect around him the legitimate patrons of art-the rich and great, his surprise and disappointment were exactly what might have been expected from his ignorance of the real state of national feeling towards the object in which he was so deeply interested. Disheartened by that neglect which he regarded as a proof either of public ingratitude, or a general insensibility to the higher works of genius, after struggling for a time without vigour, and consequently without effect, he gradually retired from the public eye, as if preferring that his excellent talents should wither and die, rather than bloom by any other means of culture than those which his own particular conceptions of the art required. "But, sir, though neither the great nor wealthy are here the liberal patrons to whom the arts must look for effective and permanent support, we are not therefore without patronage. Though in other countries, and other times, the chiefs of the state were, by rank and inheritance, the protectors of genius, here that duty is confined to no particular class of society; here every citizen, without distinction, male and female, young and old, is such a protector; and if, comparatively, but few of the number have their thousands to lavish on deserving merit, they each have their mite; and when great acts are proposed, what good, and indeed what evil, may not be wrought by numbers? If the man of genius may not here be honoured and enriched by the few, it must be owing to his own perverse and impracticable spirit, if he receive not those just rewards from the combined liberality of the many. And who shall say that the latter is a less honourable source of patronage than the former? When the arch-patronour country-is deceived in its legitimate agents, their duty reverts to the principal, to be performed not by delegation, but individually. Let your son therefore, my dear sir, proceed im mediately, and without fear, to the cultivation of his fine talents, agreeably to the judicious advice you have already received; let him have all that his own country can supply, and then let him enter the great schools of the Continent, and become, as it were, the pupil of the most illustrious masters of ancient times; nor fear that, on his return, rich in the stores of art, and anxious for distinction, he shall be compelled to relinquish both the art and his country, to dig the earth for a scurvy subsistence in the wilds of Africa." I could not help taking the advantage of a pause here, to express the pleasure which my friendly counsellor gave me, and the delightful hope his interesting communication inspired; but as he had not clearly explained himself concerning the nature of the patronage my son was hereafter to expect, I requested he would have the goodness to describe how, on the completion of his studies, he should proceed, so as to secure to himself those honours and rich rewards which an 66 approving and grateful country would doubtless be eager in some way to bestow. "That is the very point, sir, he replied, on which I am proceed ing to instruct you. I must confess, notwithstanding my eulogiums on the actual state of art, it were much to be desired that the extraordinary merit of your son should, by its own intrinsic excellence, command that deep respect and universal attention which it will certainly deserve, without other effort on his part than merely presenting his works to the judicious few, whose circulated reports might give the tone to public opinion; but when it is found that this high sanction, however estimable, operating only on a confined circle, and therefore leading to no productive glory, is in this case nugatory, means, more energetic, must be employed to move the general body, and turn the current of popular curiosity into the desired channel. If that passion for art which would of itself produce an efficient patronage be wanting, it is not the part of wisdom to repine, but to supply the deficiency by such expedients as our knowledge of the world may suggest. That important duty being, as I have just informed you, not confined to a class, but shared by the whole community, it is to the people in the aggregate that the man of genius, who expects either fame or emolument from his labours, must address himself; and the mode by which that appeal is made, will readily be conceived by you, sir, when I remind you of the practice of some artists of an inferior order, to whom you probably have often been a useful, though an unconscious benefactor. "An ingenious man, for instance, in quest of matter for his pencil, visits Constantinople, Venice, or any other renowned city; and wishing to produce an extended representation of it, he does not, however excellent his talents, wait until some grandee, or wealthy citizen, shall give him a commission for that purpose ;-no, he immediately paints his picture of an ample size, spreads it on the walls of a circular edifice, under the name of a Panorama, and invites all the town to view his finished work. Accordingly, all the town crowd to the new spectacle, and simply by dropping a slight fee at the door, are improved by his information, and delighted, or at least amused, by his genius; and thus, in a short time, his accumulated gains a mount to a liberal reward for his la bour, far exceeding what he could have demanded from any single patron. This, sir, is British patronage, a kind of protection suited to almost every purpose that can be imagined; but it is the life-blood of modern art, in that high class to which your son proposes to dedicate his talents. By this kind of patronage, you will remark, the artist is not only recompensed on his first appeal, but his work remains in his possession, to be either again exhibited after the proper interval, reserved for the gratification of his family, or presented by him to some public hall, church, or college, there to remain a lasting memorial of his ge nerosity. By this kind of patronage, too, the artist, after receiving an im portant benefit, is not burthened for life by the favours of a single protector; he is nobly rewarded, yet he is independent. 66 Formerly, hospitals, schools, colleges, and other useful establishments, were erected and endowed by the libe rality of certain well-disposed individuals; such effects no longer flow from that cause. Liberality, however, is not extinguished, it is diffused; public institutions are no longer to be regarded as monuments of the munificence of particular persons, but testimonies of the public spirit, actuated by various motives. Thus it is, sir, that our most celebrated artists are formed, and thus also are they ena bled to cover themselves with glory, even in the highest exertions of their genius; even in that elevated line which immortalized the names of Raphael and Michael Angelo. In our times, sir, no man desires to possess a work of this kind produced by his contemporary, but every man has just sufficient curiosity to take a passing glance at such works in a public exhibition, and just liberality sufficient to comply with the easy conditions on which that hasty glance is to be obtained, and thus what one man, or se veral, cannot be induced to perform, thousands, by a voluntary impulse, accomplish with ease. Do not fear, therefore, that your son shall, after giving his admirable talents all the perfection and polish of which they are capable, be compelled to bury them in an African grave dug by himself." "That would be a consummation, sir," said I, "much as I respect the laudable employment of the husbandman, I hope never to witness; nor indeed can I persuade myself that it could have entered into the views of Providence, after making him so rich a present, to place him where it must be for ever concealed from the world. There is nothing, as it appears to me, professionally dishonourable, nor derogatory to genius, either in the open appeal to public judgment, or the modest claim to public liberality, which you have described, although it is true, as you acknowledge, the rich meed of praise and profit might be conveyed in a more desirable form; but if the public feeling towards the arts allows of no alternative, the candidates for either must submit to the only conditions on which they can hope to gain them. Had the arts, as in ancient times, been interwoven with the sacred and civil institutions of the country, the artists might have prescribed their own terms; as it is, those who engage in a profession, neither popular nor necessary, must practise it as they find it, and as circumstances have ordered; all that is required of them, is to proceed honestly and fairly in the performance of that which is in itself fair and honest. It is on that point, sir, I am anxious to be satisfied; I would fain be informed," said I, "how a youth, whose talents are unknown to the world, shall be able to attract the favourable notice of those who are to be his future patrons. The "stream of popular curiosity," as you term it, is not to be directed into the "desired channel" without some previous steps, some active measures, and of what nature these may be, I own I am unable to conceive." 66 Nothing is better known," he replied, “nor more easily made, than that preparatory arrangement, with all the measures necessary to ensure the success of such enterprizes. You are an Englishman, sir, and therefore know that in this country a thousand channels are continually open, by which its whole population are informed of whatever is passing in the world, even to the most minute circumstances. By these channels, sir, on your son's preparing for action, means well known to the experienced in these matters, are taken, to inform the public of his return from his Continental studies; which notice must be accompanied with such highly wrought commendations as are best calculated to raise expectation and ensure applause. While this prelude is still fresh on the mind, the commencement of a great work' is announced, which promises,' it is said, in the opinion of the most accomplished judges, to be a prodigy of art-a work in which will be seen all the excellencies of the most excellent masters of forme rtimes united; and much more of the same kind of stimulating intelligence. These necessary preparations, judiciously varied, must be continued from time to time during the progress of the work, which should by no means advance too rapidly; for a production of this kind should seem to be a mountainous issue-the effect of a mighty struggle, in which the mind has to contend with all the toils and all the difficulties of a wonderful birth. A nice judgment will neither allow it to appear before the whole country shall be inflated with expectation, nor be delayed till that eager desire be tinctured with gall, which may ruin the project. "At this critical moment, sir, the great desideratum is notoriety, and to attain which, a variety of expedients will suggest themselves to minds that are active and acute. Among others, biography should not be neglected. The monotonous life of a student promises few materials of interest, yet, in the hands of an author expert in that department, your son's memoirs, graced with his effigy, might be made to produce a 'powerful sensation' in the pages of a periodical register extensively circulated. He might find no incidents, no events of importance, but many topics of panegyric-which is the thing most needful in the supposed emergency. "This, however, is only one of the numerous engines that, with more or less effect, the prudent artist will employ, as opportunities offer in the course of his labour; nor, indeed, should they be discontinued as long as fame and fortune remain the objects of his ambition. The great work is at length completed. A shower of notices dispersed through the town, immediately declares the day when it will be uncurtained and placed before the general eye. That momentous event takes place, whereupon, instantly, every journalist kindly, and, it must be supposed, disinterestedly, undertakes thepleasing task of describing the work, and its enthusiastic reception. All the world, but especially all the great world, are said to have been present, when the most rapturous applause dwelt on every tongue, and the most exquisite delight sparkled in every eye.' "But though the commencement has been aupicious and favourable beyond the most sanguine expectations,' the exertions of the ingenious author are not to stop here, lest the ignorant, if left to themselves, should mar all that had been done. The public opinion must still be supported, and liberally supplied with criticisms expressly suited to every class of visitors; so that none may be deficient, either in a perfect knowledge of the subject of the work, or in terms of appropriate praise. This critical aid, besides imparting instruction where it may be necessary, will have the further advantage of counteracting the mischievous influence of that envy and malignity which, although they prove its existence, continually follow to persecute superior merit. In addition to what is done by the vehicles of daily intelligence, the town must also be placarded in every part, and locomotive advertisements, in huge characters, mounted upon poles, must wade the stream of population, and continually move about from place to place, during the whole time the work is before the public, so that it shall be kept in perpetual remembrance. The wonderous novelty being in this manner incessantly proclaimed in every form and situation, an impulse is given to the general mind, which never fails, in these particular cases, to supply the want of native feeling for art so well, that it is impossible the effect of the reality itself should be more complete. "This hasty sketch, sir, while it explains the nature of British patronage, and shews the manner in which it is used by those who know how to employ it to the best advantage, will give you at least a faint idea of the noble resources of our art, and of its health and strength at the very time when most people imagine it to be at the point of death. We are a generous pcople, sir, and expend our money freely upon objects that have our affections. We love horses, and women, and wine, and conviviality, and hunting, and gambling, and fisty-cuffs, and some other praise-worthy matters-to these, sir, we have a natural attachment, and therefore need not be set upon them by artificial excitements; but of the arts of design we know little more than the name. Any carpenter may be our architect-painting and sculpture we neither feel nor understand; and therefore, had it not been for the admirable contrivances I have briefly enumerated, we should not, excepting those who chronicle our faces, or perpetuate the remembrance of our dogs and horses, have had an artist amongst us. But with these commanding advantages, all of which are the inventions of modern ingenuity, and purely British, I know not what may not be expected; especially when time and our well-known zeal for improvement, shall have developed all the capacities of the system concerning which I have something more to add. "Let us now, sir, imagine that the town-exhibition of your son's inestimable work is brought to a close, which must sooner or later, as circumstances shall ordain, take place. Not, however, without having frequently alarmed the public with the formal notice of that event, and as frequently announcing that it would be protracted in compli ance with the irresistible importunities of unsated multitudes.' But although no longer exposed in the metropolis; and though, if skilfully conducted, it must have been greatly productive both in fame and solid emolument, our patronage is not yet exhausted-the provincial cities cry loudly for the same indulgence, and insist upon sharing the felicity of the capital, in terms so flattering, that the obliging artist is utterly unable to refuse his consent. The great work being accordingly removed to its country destination, the same expedients which I have already mentioned, must be again resorted to; for although the example of the metropolis will do much, it will not do all. After congratulating the inhabitants on their approaching happiness, the same course of public announcement by the daily prints, and street-placards, must be attended to; and the same critical information distributed with a bountiful hand, for the benefit of the rustic circles; nor should anything be omitted that can either excite curiosity, or invigorate admiration. When the public ardour is observed to cool in one place, others must be selected; and town-halls, assemblyrooms, inns, booths, and even barns, are successively honoured in the tem |