have arrived at wonderful excellence. The higher order of landscape composition is but little patronised, and, therefore, but little cultivated. The muster of so many Worcester contributors is greatly to the credit of their industry and honourable to their talents, although it cannot be expected that all are equal, and there are a few very inferior, such as we meet in all miscellaneous collections. Several of these candidates have already deservedly acquired a local reputation, and many are on the advance with a very favourable promise of speedy success. Their names, with the amount and class of their works, will be an interesting document for future reference, and I here insert it as such, without space, time, or health to notice particular excellence. S. Cole has one portrait (large, in oil); J. Clements six ditto in miniature; J. W. Slater four ditto, some tinted on paper; Jos. Taylor one ditto, in enamel; T. Edgcombe three local views; Henry Hill nine ditto, and one landscape study; H. H. Lines two Baronial halls, and twelve local views; J. Oldnall one ditto; Jos. Powell one landscape composition and nineteen local views; Wm. Wood six ditto; John Wood three ditto; J. Wood, Jun. two ditto; E. L. Williams one ditto; H. Whiting one landscape composition; J. Pitman a magpie entrapped, a buck's head, and four of horses and dogs; H. Eginton two architectural designs; J. Riches one ditto; J. Varden four ditto. J. Stephens (I believe the only resident sculptor) four busts. An impartial examination of these 104 performances is well worthy attention to show the state of the arts in this part of the kingdom. I think they will afford an unprejudiced amateur a fair opportunity of selection, and he will probably agree with me that the specimens of excellence are far beyond what might be expected from the patronage which the vicinity affords.

This cursory general notice is by no means intended or offered as a review of the pictures. Neither my present very severe indisposition, which renders any close application dangerous, nor my limits, restricted to this single communication on account of the change of "The Analyst" from a monthly to a quarterly publication, leave me the power to do more than furnish a brief record of the whole in the forthcoming publication for July. Under other circumstances, I would gladly point to the works of every exhibitor, as I did last year in my letters under the signature of Lorenzo; but as it is impossible for me to enjoy a similar gratification now, these few critical observations are written to draw the attention of the public to the splendid merits of the exhibition, and to promote the general interests of the arts as a great national concern, and not from any personal feeling for the artists mentioned, or against those whose works I am necessitated, sorely against my will, to pass in silence.

The "admirable Creswick" has two local transcripts; "No. 9-A distant view of Battle, Sussex," is every way worthy of his distinguished reputation. The force and spirit of the fore and middle grounds, the tender gradations in the going off of the distances, the truth of the local colouring, and the beautiful breadth of light and shadow, render this a model for a young landscape student. The touch is everywhere firm, and the definitions marked with delicacy and spirit. The group of cattle which a man is driving near the foreground, would not discredit the taste of Berghem, or du Jardin, and three figures sitting on a fallen tree, are happily introduced and painted with freedom. If there could be any addition to heighten the attraction of the effect, it would be a tall massive tree or cluster of trees on, or near, the foreground, to present a rich mass of shadow against the wide extent of sky.

"121-Near Bedgellart, North Wales," by Creswick, has merit, but

is mannered. A grey, wheyish hue extends over the greater part of the sky and landscape, and enfeebles the effect. Indeed, there is nothing like an attempt at truth of local colour or freshness in the whole. It was by the light, sweet, tasteful handling I, at once, recognised the

master.

Charles Landseer has three admirable fancy subjects-" No. 176, Bribery and Corruption."—" And so if you will promise to come alone the next time."-"May be I will, and may be I winna,' ," said Jenny-" but if ye get the dollar ye'll like it just as weel."- "I'll be d-n'd if I do, said Halliday, taking the money however." This is the scene where Edith Bellenden and her maid Jenny Dennison are applying to ranting Tom Halliday, the trooper, who is centinel over Henry Morton in the tower of Tillie-tudleim, for leave to have a stolen interview with the prisoner. Jenny is slipping the piece of silver into the trooper's hand. Her eyes are fixed on him, scrutinizing his features, as if not quite satisfied to trust him; at the same time there is a demure sly touch of quiet coquetry on her handsome countenance. Halliday is a tall powerful fellow, with his steel head-piece, and all the offensive and defensive costume of a life-guardsman in the time of Charles II. ready, on the instant, for boot and saddle, to do the bidding of his officer. He is leaning against the inside of the porch, listening to Jenny, and eying her with the eager look of free-quarters, while he takes the bribe.

Edith Bellenden stands aside, with one hand resting on the massive oak door, and the other drawing close the plaid in which she is disguised as the kinswoman of Jenny. The artist's refined discrimination is marked by the modest concern expressed on her features. Her eyes are not directed either to Jenny or the centinel, but rather lowered, as a listener awaiting the issue. I cannot in any words give an idea of the exquisite expression of gentle trouble in that very lovely face. Although in the ordinary plaid of a waiting woman, her chastened air, and the mild dignity of her demeanour, indicate her superior rank. Jenny is a handsome buxom young woman, with an intelligent look, and nothing vulgar or rustic in her manner, yet her inferior grade is, at once, discernible when the eye passes from her to her mistress.

Perhaps no scene from any of Sir Walter Scott's novels has been better painted than this, or the characters better sustained. The whole of the picture is highly finished, even to the table cloth and other accessaries. The carnations are warm, clear, and mellow, and the tender, delicate bloom of sixteen in Edith's complexion has the transparency and glow of flesh and blood, heightened by the agitation of her spirits, when the life of her lover hung by a thread liable to the doom of military law at a moment's notice.

66

In pages 265 and 266 of "The Analyst" for November, I reviewed '182-Glad Tidings," and "183-Sad Tidings," by Charles Landseer, which have been sold in this present Worcester Exhibition. I therein went so fully into the colouring, character, and expression of these two charming pictures that any similar notice here would appear wholly unnecessary. They were exhibited last year in Birmingham, and are included in my critical notices of that exhibition.

Constable, the R. A. has five landscapes, painted from nature; 50A Lane Scene-Harvest Noon ;""62-A Heath Scene;" "68-A Water Mill:" "171-The Glebe Farm" "185-The Valley of the StourMorning." This artist's power is here seen to great advantage. Those pictures have little of his spotty manner, and any amateur, who wishes to possess a very capital specimen of his pencil, has here a favourable opportunity to make a selection.

"No. 2-The Installation of Captain Rock," by Daniel M'Clise, a very young Irish artist, has, during many months past, excited a more general and intense sensation than any British work of art within my memory. During its exhibition in London, last year, it was the chief attraction, and formed a subject of conversation in the leading circles of fashion. The young artist became almost at once, like his celebrated countryman, Sheridan Knowles, one of the leading lions of the day. Report, not always to be trusted, and generally mixing fiction with truth, states him to be in his twenty-fourth year; that he received his first lessons in drawing in the Dublin Academy, and afterwards perfected himself as a student in the Royal Academy of London. I give this as a hear-say, which I have no particular reason to doubt or affirm with certainty. The great size of this picture afforded a wide field for his copious invention, which he has displayed in an astonishing variety of incident, character, attitude, and expression. An amateur, who has taken the trouble of counting, has declared there are seventy-eight figures in the various groups. To enter, therefore, into partial details, in this brief communication, would be an injustice to the artist, as any thing like a due notice would extend to a handsome octavo volume. I can, therefore, only offer a scanty outline of the subject.

Although it is termed "the Installation of Capt. Rock," it is also "the Wake" of his predecessor in command, who has fallen in a recent skirmish. The body of the deceased is laid out on a bier, with his daughter's arms clasped round the neck in an action of natural and forcible pathos. A "Wake" in Ireland is always a scene of festivity in honour of the dead, to which the neighbours and, country-people for miles round flock. The widow, the daughter, sister, or any very near relation, may, without offending against the settled notion of decorum, give way to tears and grief; but the decency and spirit of the scene are considered to consist in mirth and enjoyment of refreshments, in which the glass is never forgotten. This explanation is necessary to account for the merriment of some of the groups contrasted with the fierce gesticulations and furious threatenings of those, who are attending the installation and joining with the newly-elected Captain Rock, in an oath to avenge the death of his predecessor.

The reader will therefore perceive that there are two actions represented, the Wake" and "the Installation," and with this clue for his guidance he will be better able to enter into all its contrasted varieties, and to understand them more clearly. But there is also an episode of interest introduced. The place of meeting is in the ruins of an abbey, and a group is seen descending through a high breach in the walls, bearing in one of their companions supposed to be mortally wounded in an attempt to begin the work of vengeance on those by whose hands their yet unburied captain had fallen.

As a work of art this picture displays not alone any one particular high power, but a climax of high powers, and M'Clise may be truly said to have broke forth on the world, in this and his few preceding exhibitions, as an artist of copious invention, an able draftsman, a splendid colourist, and a genius capable of undertaking any class of subject, and, with due application, of succeeding in whatever he may choose to attempt. John King exhibits three pictures; "1-Abraham and Isaac in Thanksgiving after the Deliverance;" "184-Cordelia and King Lear ;" and a three-quarter length portrait of F. Danby, A. R. A.; the first is one of his best sacred subjects;-in 184, the head of Lear appears rather large; but this is more than atoned for by the simple grace and pathetic expression of Cordelia;-the likeness of Danby is said to be very true; the

picture is well coloured, and painted in a broad, mellow style. Miss Emma Jones's favourite Pup, and her Girl and Grapes, are well drawn and coloured, with much good taste, vigour of pencil, and forcible effect. The Orphans, by J. G. Wood, are two whole lengths, well grouped and drawn, with a simple expression of imploring sorrow; the mellow breadth of style with which the light and shadow are massed, does great credit to the artist. The landscape background is also successfully studied. There are three pictures by T. Barker, of Bath; "189-Four Sand Boys," and "159-The Mower," both the property of Mrs. Denham Cookes, and "160-The Cotter's Family" the first is a fine specimen in his last and most powerful style; the second in his middle style, and the third in his early manner, about the time he painted the Woodcutter, which spread his reputation all over the kingdom. Handcock's Pet and Recovered Sailor have much merit; but the former would have a better effect if on a canvass of half the size. There are several other pleasing fancy subjects, which the visitors, I hope, will duly appreciate.

The London landscape exhibitors, and others at a distance, the two Fieldings, Baker, Lee, and Vickers, the two Laportes, Starke, and Prout have a number of precious gems. Canella has four very small street views in France, crowded with figures, painted with the correctness and spirit of Canaletti. "No. 65-A Scene on the River Tamar, careening a Vessel by Night," is a most admirable specimen by P. H. Rogers. The lovely gradations by which the moonlight and firelight are insensibly blended into one solemn tone, produce an effect not inferior in stillness and beauty to the finest moon and firelight by Vernet. There are two clever three-quarter-length portraits by R. Evans; the one of the Rev. Professor Lee, of Cambridge; and the other of Miss Harriet Martineau. The portraits and characteristic studies of Mrs. Joanna Cox, of Bewdley, display much agreeable taste and a high degree of practical excellence, with some inequalities. "No. 41," her half-length of Miss Montgomery, is a very attractive specimen of her style, which, if duly appreciated, cannot fail to crowd her sitting-room with commissions. The increasing pressure of severe indisposition renders me unable to hold the pen any longer, and compels me to shorten my communication, leaving the names and works of many clever artists unnoticed. This is a source of great regret to me, and I must only hope that what I have endeavoured to write, in hours of pain and debility, may, in some degree, contribute, with other advocates, to draw the attention of the public to the works of art in the present exhibition.

It would be a vain attempt to disguise or conceal the fact, that the first ten days have not been favourable, or at all encouraging. The number of visitors has been few, and only four pictures sold. If these circumstances could be concealed by my silence here, there are some persons who would deem concealment prudence. But when the broad facts are known to the few visitors, and spread by them, in the course of conversation, through the city, any exaggeration from me, however well intended, would not be of any avail, but it would cast a discredit on the whole of this communication. There are in every part of England persons whose vanity is flattered by having it to say, as a boast, we have an exhibition in our town or city,"-and they conceive that to be a proof of their own taste and public spirit, and of the taste and public spirit of the vicinity. But the interests of the British school require that the truth must be told. I have seen many of those pretenders to taste and liberality confine their patronage to paying a shilling for their admission, and, with an economy a little out of place, save a shilling by borrowing

a catalogue from any other visitor in the room. I have known many of those patrons consider themselves discharged from all further exertion by paying five shillings for a season ticket; as to their buying a picture, a thought of the kind seems never to have entered their heads. They have supposed that these things passed unnoticed. But nothing can be more true, that an exhibition cannot have a negative issue—it cannot leave those whose education and rank in society render it their duty to promote every intellectual improvement of their fellow citizens, on the same ground of public estimation as before. If any such exhibition be well attended by visitors and purchasers, the local character will be raised, and with it the character of the higher orders. The success will be an honour to both. If, on the contrary, an exhibition of British excellence fails to produce a due impression upon the public, the failure will be a discredit to all; but more conspicuously to those who affect to lead the public on all other occasions.

Monday, June 22nd, 1835.

ORNITHOLOGICAL QUERY.

To the Editor of the Analyst.

SIR,-I observe with pleasure that you have several Ornithologists among your correspondents, and to whom I would beg leave to ask the names of two small birds which I am perfectly well acquainted with, but entirely ignorant of the names by which they are known in books. They are both summer birds, arriving soon after the swallow, and after breeding depart some time in the autumn.

The first I have always considered to be a kind of lark; at least it has a very striking resemblance to the tit-lark in general colour and markings, but differing much in size and manners. In size and shape it is more like the wood-lark; the tail being as short, and rather more bulky about the breast. It is a mute bird; having no kind of song, and its call, very seldom uttered, cannot be distinguished from the weak chirp of a young hedge-sparrow.

In the year 1823 I watched the manners of a pair of them which nestled in a piece of summer tares by the side of a foot-path along which I had occasion to pass and repass several times daily. The cock bird usually sat on an elevated tuft of the tares near the nest; and on my approaching near the place would fly and perch on a low branch of a hedge about twenty yards off, but very seldom on the topmost sprays.

My regard for the strange birds, and wishing to see as much of them as possible, prevented me examining the nest, nor from the same feeling did I see the eggs: but they brought out their brood before the tares were cut, and were seen for a few days afterwards walking among the stubble as larks usually do, though seldom on the wing. They were scared from the field at last by the plough, and were not seen by me afterwards.

This bird is certainly scarce in this country; as though I am acquainted with all our summer birds which breed in the southern counties of England, I do not remember. to have noticed this above three or four times during a period of forty years. I imagine their usual summer habitat to be on the western shores of the European continent; but that a few stragglers occasionally cross the English channel. I may ask, however, is this the Red Lark said to be common in Yorkshire?