ARTICLE. ORIGINAL PAPERS. PAGE. I. British Galleries of Art, No. II. The Marquis of Stafford's at Cleve- 97 107 III. The Physician, No. IV. General Rules for attaining long Life 108 112 VII. Peter Pindarics: The Poet and the Alchymist. The Astronomical 118 XIX. Miss Hebe Hoggins's Account of a Literary Society at Houndsditch 160 XXIV. Letters on a Tour in Switzerland, No. VII. XXV. On the abuse of Words XXVI. Exchange no Robbery XXII. The White Rose, or the Lament of the Year 1745 XX. Nouvelles Messéniennes, par M. Casimir Delavigne Dotice. THE Number for January last begins the fifth volume of the NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE, and the third year of Mr. CAMPBELL'S Editorship. Subscribers who may wish to begin with the Series commenced by Mr. CAMPBELL, will be supplied with the Work, in neat half binding, without an additional charge on the subscription price of six dollars a year. The volumes contain about six hundred pages each. The Numbers of this Work will be forwarded by mail to any part of the United States, on the receipt of a year's subscription by the Publisher, OLIVER EVERETT, No. 13, Cornhill, Boston. BRITISH GALLERIES OF art. NO. 11. The Marquis of Stafford's at Cleveland House. THE present paper will be devoted to the above inestimable collection, which forms, upon the whole, perhaps the richest private Gallery in Europe. On entering the handsome hall of Cleveland House, and mounting a short flight of stairs, we find ourselves in the midst of a noble suite of apartments, partly lighted from above, supported by columns, and in every respect admirably adapted for the purpose to which they are chiefly applied. Before proceeding to notice the principal objects in detail, it may be not amiss to take a general glance at the different departments of this distinguished collection. The grand centre apartment (which is the first you enter) is entirely filled with works of the Italian school-chiefly by the Carracci and Raffaelle. At one end of this apartment, to the left of the entrance, is another large room containing four exquisite Claudes, a few portraits by Titian, and a rich treasury of smaller gems of the cabinet size, and chiefly of the Italian school. To the right of this room is a small ante-room, leading to another large apartment containing two splendid Titians, and a few other large Italian pictures. The small ante-room also contains a few which are among the most exquisite in the collection; particularly a Venus rising from the sea, by Titian. Passing to the opposite end of the centre gallery, we enter a small apartment containing a series of seven grand pictures by Nicolo Poussin, on scripture subjects; and then reach the Flemish department of this collection. There we find a grand Rubens, two almost unrivalled Teniers, Ostades in a rich abundance, some admirable sea-pieces by Vandervelde and Backhuysen, numerous exquisite landscapes by Cuyp, Both, Berghem, Wynants, Wouvermans, &c. some portraits by Rembrandt, and one of his inimitable cabinet works; in short, a choice and finished selection from the most admired masters of the Flemish and Dutch schools. Let us now return to the Italian department; beginning our observations in the grand centre gallery-to me the chief point of attraction, if it were only in virtue of three pictures which it contains-I had almost said, one alone: I mean the Raffaelles. Numbers 9,* 10, and 46, are, taken as a whole, and with reference to the manner in which they bear upon and illustrate each other, the most valuable and interesting specimens I have ever seen of the easel pictures of this master. The largest of them (No. 9) is a Holy Family, painted in his first manner, the outlines being somewhat dry and hard; but expression (which was the intuitive attribute of this divine painter, and the characteristic of all his works from the first moment that he became one) breathes from every part of this picture, and seems to emanate and stand out from it, like a halo. The mother, without being what is called beautiful, is a model of eloquent sweetness, and quiet majesty. Her profile is turned to the spectator, and she is holding (in her hand, not her arms) the infant Saviour, who is springing forward to take some flowers from the hand of Joseph. The child seems, as it were, to float on the air-being sup * The numbers refer to corresponding ones attached to the pictures. VOL. V. No. 26.-1823. 13 ported only by one hand of the mother, and by a light drapery which passes round its body, and also round her neck, she having one finger twisted in it, to keep it from slipping. The child, for sweet intensity of expression, is a counterpart of the mother; and the picture is altogether a treasure of grace, elegance, and beauty-that beauty which springs from, if indeed it be not identical with, truth. There is a very curious story attached to this picture, which I the rather relate, because I believe it is not generally known, and has not appeared in print at all. The picture, before it came into the possession of the Duke of Orleans (from whose gallery it was purchased by the late Duke of Bridgewater) had, in consequence of a death, become the joint property of two persons; who, not being able to agree about either the sale or the possession of it, actually came to the determination of dividing it between them; and the picture was cut in half accordingly! On a minute inspection, the join may be traced, passing from the bottom of the picture right through the body of the child, and close to the forehead of the Virgin; which, however, it has fortunately left untouched. This is a fact as truly french as can well be conceived. Unlike the story which gave rise to the Judgment of Solomon, I am afraid neither of the parties in this case had a sincere and natural love for the object of their so obstinate claim, or they would rather have lost it for ever, than seen it thus sacrificed. However, it so happens that the work was susceptible of repair, without any injury to its general character; and it has thus acquired an adventitious interest and value, which it would not otherwise have possessed. The next of these Raffaelle's which I shall notice is No. 46, hanging to the left of the foregoing, and in contact with it. It is delightful to see these two lovely works together, and they should never have been separated, so sweetly do they set off and illustrate each other. This is a Virgin and Child only, and in a style that may, perhaps, be considered as at a medium distance between his first and his very finest. But what is remarkable, the virgin and child, in each picture, are the same faces. Though a considerable interval must have elapsed between the painting of each, they must either have been copied from the same model, or the second must have been copied from the first-for no ideal in the painter's mind, however vivid and distinct it might have been, could have enabled him to paint, at distant times, two faces at once so highly characteristic, and so identically the same. It is most interesting to see these sister births of the same divine mind, after having traversed Europe separately, now met together, it is to be hoped never to part again. The taste and good feeling of the present noble possessor will probably induce him to make them one heir-loom in his family; so that what a happy chance has at last joined, "no man shall put asunder." The third of these Raffaelle's (No. 10) is probably as pure and perfect a specimen as exists of his very finest manner. In fact, for elegant simplicity of composition, graceful purity and truth of design, and intense sweetness and propriety of expression, this lovely work never has been, and never can be surpassed. The picture is a small upright one, representing a Holy Family in a landscape. In the centre of the foreground is the Virgin, radiant with that delicious beauty which results almost entirely from intellectual causes, and in which mere external form has little share the beauty of expression. She is holding the arm of the Sa viour, who is leaning a little forward to receive the endearments of St. John. The two children are represented of that delightful age when the mind begins to gain an ascendancy, and visibly to transfuse its influence throughout the external frame; accordingly, both are clothed in intellectual attributes appropriate to their different characters: the St. John is bending before the Saviour in an attitude of deep and adoring humility, at the same time lifting up his lips and eyes in token of intense fondness and love; the Saviour is receiving this greeting with the sweet frankness springing from a reciprocal human love, mixed with the mild majesty of a descended God. The nobility of our nature-the godhead that is within us was never more finely depicted than in this glorious boy it is the boyhood of him who already felt himself to be the predestined Saviour of the human race-who felt, but did not yet know himself to be so. I conceive this figure to be fully equal, in its way, to the Apollo Belvedere, and that no other but that is equal to the one before us. The St. John, if not demanding an equal degree of genius to produce it, is no less perfect it is the living symbol of a sentiment, as the other is of an imagination. The Joseph is evidently intended to act a subordinate part in the scene. He has quitted the group in the foreground, and is retiring behind some trees in the left of the picture-casting back a look of reluctant delay. But there is a somewhat scowling expression in this face, which I cannot admire; and, in fact, I cannot believe that Raffaelle placed it there. It may possibly have been the effect of some repair which was rendered necessary by time or accident; though the picture is in the most perfect state that I have ever seen any by the master. I must not fail to remark, that the landscape part of this exquisite work is not unworthy the subject to which it is made subservient. The horizon (as is usual with Raffaelle) is placed very high in the picture; and there is a clearness, a harmony, and a finish about the scene, which his landscapes did not often possess. In particular, the mass of foliage on the left, behind which Joseph is seen retiring, is painted with great depth and force. Before taking a reluctant leave of this picture, I will mention a peculiarity in the colouring of the St. John. Though the children are both nearly of an age, and have been brought up under exactly similar circumstances, yet Raffaelle has given to the flesh of John a tone nearly as deep as that generally used by Poussin-a rich sunburnt tone; while he has painted the Christ in clear bright carnations. This must, perhaps, be regarded as a slight sacrifice of truth to expression and effect; which sacrifice Raffaelle did not scruple to make, when the occasion seemed (as in the present instance) to at least excuse, if not justify it. Commending to the unmingled admiration of the lovers of art, these beautiful emanations of, perhaps, the divinest mind that was ever allied to humanity, I must proceed to notice a few more of the distinguishing features of this department of the collection. On each side, and immediately above these Raffaelles, hang three splendid specimens of the Carracci: the Descent from the Cross (11) by Ludovico, and St. Gregory with Angels (6), and Danaë (7), by Annibale. The Gallery is extremely rich in the productions of these masters; but the foregoing, and the Dream of St. Catherine (25), by Ludovico Carracci, are perhaps the best. The Descent from the Cross is a fine specimen of Ludovico's vigorous design, force of expression, and solemn depth of colouring. The expressions of the Mary and of the Dead Christ are highly wrought, without being in the least degree exaggerated; and the whole scene is deeply affecting and impressive. The foreshortening of the body of the Saviour is very natural and fine. -St. Gregory (6) by Annibale Carracci, is also in many respects a noble picture. Nothing can be finer than the air, attitude, and general character of the principal figure, who is represented in the centre of the picture, kneeling at his devotions, attended by numerous angels. He seems to kneel upon the air-to be lifted up from the earth by the mere intensity of his prayers and aspirations. But the angels are far from being treated in a corresponding manner. They have little of either delicacy of expression or elevation of character; the designing of them is neither grand nor graceful; and the colouring of the whole of this part of the scene is heavy, monotonous, and singular, without having that supernatural air which is evidently wished to be conveyed by it; it is un-natural, without being super-natural. This is unquestionably a noble picture, if it were only on account of the head and attitude of the Saint; but it is far from being a faultless one.-The Danaë (7), by the same master, is worthy of particular attention, as well on account of what it does not accomplish, as of what it does. The next picture I shall notice in this room is a very singular and valuable one by Titian. It is called in the catalogue, The Three Ages (24); and in the catalogue of the Orleans Gallery, from whence it came, it was designated La vie humaine. I question whether either of these titles is appropriate; but I am not prepared to offer one that is more so. In fact, as a single subject, the picture is not very intelligible, unless there is some key to it of which I am not aware. To my mind the value of the work consists chiefly in the force and truth of the separate delineations and expressions, and the general harmony of the colouring particularly of the landscape part of it, which is incomparably fine. The picture represents, in the left-hand corner, a group of infants, some sleeping and one playing; in the right, a man and woman, apparently abstracted from every thing around them, and dwelling only upon their own and each other's thoughts; and in the centre, at a distance, an aged man is seated, contemplating an emblem of death. These are the three ages-Childhood, Manhood, and Old Age. I think the sleeping infants, in this picture, are the finest parts of it. Nothing can exceed the truth and delicacy of the expressions that breathe from their compressed lips and closed eyes, unless it be the exquisite purity and sweetness of the colouring. They go nearer to depict the true character of this age of human life than any thing I have ever seen, except Chantrey's sculpture. The one that is awake is no less charmingly given, and casts a light and life over this portion of the work that it would otherwise want. The pair of lovers, in the opposite corner, are the least striking and intelligible parts of the picture; they have, however, much truth and simplicity of character, without any affectation, and with little of either elegance or grace. The centre figure, Old Age, is exceedingly expressive and fine. It is altogether indistinct in finishing and design; and yet the general character and effect are perfect. Perhaps, after all," Human Life" is the best name that has yet been, or that can be applied to this singular work; for, in this view of it, there is an air of solemn mystery shed, as it were undesignedly, over the whole, that at once stirs and perplexes the |