able, and because it is dear; you give gold at the door. The English appear to me to have more esteem than liking for the fine arts. Drawing is no part of men's education; and I hold it to be the first requisite for an amateur to be also an artist; although I am aware that the contrary opinion has been maintained. The object of painting is to represent nature; yet a good picture is far from being a copy of nature. It is no new observation, that very green trees and very blue water do not make a good landscape on canvas; although nature employs these very colours in their most vivid hues, with tolerable success. But nature spreads over her landscapes the luminous canopy of heaven; its brightness puts out terrestrial objects, and harmonizes the crude opposition of their colours. Artists have not the same resource, and, as they cannot illuminate their sky, they must obscure their earth; repeating on the lower key of the instrument that harmony which nature gives on the higher. As the brightness of natural light is unattainable, so in some degree is its faintness, when reflected by distant objects; the effect called aërial perspective cannot be wholly produced on the canvas, without giving to distant objects larger dimensions than they really have ;-mountains represented under their true angle would look like ant-hills. Historical subjects, and any others represented in

the interior of buildings, have not the difficulty of the sky to encounter, but they are not wholly -free from those of aerial perspective. There is a vigour and a distinctness in near objects so superior to those in the back-ground, that the artist is obliged to exaggerate lights and shades, in order to hollow out or to relieve the obstinate flatness of his canvas. The knowledge of the manner of producing the effect desired, might not, after all, be necessary to judge of the truth of that effect, if there was nothing arbitrary in it; but it cannot be disputed that the best picture does not make a similar impression on practised and unpractised eyes. I once found a servant mistaking the foam of a cascade for ladies and gentlemen walking up and down a hill, and another complaining that a white drapery was dirty on one side,-because it was in shadow. The practical skill displayed by the artist is another very considerable source of pleasure, which none but artists can feel.

As to the poetry of painting, the power it has sometimes of speaking powerfully to our imagination and our feelings, does not depend so much on the practical knowledge of the art, as the other sources of pleasure received from it do. Few, however, are susceptible of such feelings; and of those few there is no knowing how much of the emotion they experience is due to the in

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trinsic merit of the picture, or to their own overflowing sensibility. Some particular cast of features,—an attitude,—a look,—a distant likeness, -the very name of the artist,-the very time in which he lived,-may awaken in them feelings far beyond what the brush and canvas represent. Any picture which has some such effect upon most of those who are susceptible of it, has indeed a claim to superior excellence; but that is hardly ever the case. Few pictures are known to excite generally powerful feelings. Indeed, I am persuaded that painting has very little power of that kind, compared to music or poetry; and far the greatest part of the pleasure received is only the gratification of taste, and admiration of skill. Sculpture has not the same difficulties to overcome, and may venture on a literal translation of nature; yet it must not take painting for its auxiliary. A painted statue never was good for any thing; although I own I do not understand why it should not.

We had been told, that, to see the pictures of the Marquis of Stafford, it was sufficient to ask permission a few days before. But we received a printed answer, stating, that "it was necessary to be acquainted with the Marquis of Stafford, or recommended by persons that were so." A distinguished artist, Mr T., whose name cannot possibly be unknown, received, as I am inform

ed by himself, the same answer. Mrs D. hearing of our disappointment, has since obtained tickets for us, but they are for the next week, when we shall have left London. This fine collection of pictures was, I understand, bequeathed to the Marquis of S., on the express condition of opening it to the public. If, however, the public consists only of those who are acquainted with him or his friends, it certainly narrows the circle very much. Interest, more or less, is also required to see any of the other collections in London, and heavy donations expected at the door. To the charge of illiberality it is answered, that the public is so rude, ignorant, and vulgar, that some sort of selection is requisite ; and that, even as it is, it has been found necessary to exclude canes and umbrellas, for fear the pictures should be touched and spoiled; also the pickpockets might introduce themselves for the sake of the watches and handkerchiefs of the connoisseurs. I think a moveable balustrade might be placed, on shew-days, a few feet from the pictures; and as to pickpockets, numerous as they might be formerly, I have not met with any yet. The pride of rank and fortune is so circumscribed and checked in this country by the laws and manners; it encounters a certain equality of rights always so near it; and has, comparatively with other countries, so few personal advantages,

that whenever it can shew itself it does; and in whatever relates to property, it is unrestrained. The public has certainly no right to complain that those who have taken the trouble, and have been at the expence of forming collections, should impose their own terms; but the obligation is certainly less as the terms are harder; vanity and curiosity are mutually gratified; it is a fair exchange, and no obligation.

June 12.-Oxborough, Norfolk.-We arrived here yesterday, 91 miles in a day and a half, counted for 95 miles, the fractions being always in favour of the horses. We had heard a bad character of this part of the country for beauty; but the chalky heaths about Newmarket have been much inclosed of late years in very large fields; and extensive screens of larches and pines, planted for the sake of timber, and protection against the east-winds, besides answering these good purposes, are a great ornament. The easterly winds, which are cold and dry, are very apt to prevail on this coast, and are much dreaded; they have done a great deal of harm this spring. The first process of husbandry on a heath, con sists in peeling off the surface, which is effected in a very laborious and awkward manner, by men pushing before them, by jerks of the middle part of the body, a very large sort of spade, sliding under the thin turf or heath, which is thrown up