And Literary Museum:

OR, WEEKLY MISCELLANY OF FINE ARTS, ANTIQUITIES, AND LITERARY CHIT CHAT.

No. XXXIX.]

By Ephraim Hardcastle.

A stamped Edition for Country Circulation, postage free, Price Tenpence.

BRITISH MUSEUM.

ON Monday last, we were gratified with a sight of the Sketches of Claude, which are now by the bequest of the late Richard Payne Knight, Esq. become national property. The fortuitous circumstances which led to their discovery, and the history of their passing to the hands of this distinguished collector, were detailed in a former number of the Somerset House Gazette. These treasures of art are now in the custody of Mr. Smith, in the Print Room at the British Museum, to whose kindness we are indebted for the interesting treat; not only that furnished by this late valuable importation, but of the entire collection of studies by that incomparable landscape painter, which Mr. Knight had procured by his liberality and research, during a period of more than forty years.

The first part of this collection, contains principally compositions, and memoranda of pictures which he had painted, drawn on paper, mostly in brown, with an occasional mixture of grev, and heightened with white, but all by Claude himself. Many of these are masterly, and others are valuable, even though it be from the associations inseparable from the certain knowledge, that we touch the very paper, that had delighted his intelligent mind, under his living hand.

Many of these have been engraved, and are familiar to the collector. In the same volume, which is a large folio, the drawings lately purchased are inserted, and have been cut out of the book, in which they were brought over, carefully laid on coloured paper, and herein arranged by Mr. Payne Knight.

We have seen many of the original drawings, which are engraved in the Liber Veritatis, and several of the same character, in various private collections, which are also equally authenticated, as the works of Claude; but we have seen very few that can be compared with these, or capable of creating that interest which we felt on this visit to the British Museum; for here we beheld the studies of the painter, as he wrought from nature, with that pictorial identity, and severe truth, which alone can be inspired upon the spot.

We may infer from many of these studies, that Claude sketched the general proportions of his groups of trees, particularly, and other objects commonly, in a loose manner that he next washed in the general masses to obtain the chiaro scuro, and that he then with a pen, defined the branches and the leafage, with that grace and elegance, which he transferred with so much truth to his finished pictures.

[SIXPENCE.

leaves of this treasury of talent, on reflecting upon the daring attempts at style which certain gentry affect, in their imitations of this master and of that, when they thus behold the sedulous care with which this accomplished landscape painter copied the very markings of the bark of a tree, with every individual leaf of the ivy that clung to its protecting bulk-Even, as it is obvious, long after he had spread his reputation over Europe, as the greatest painter of the age.

In turning over the leaves of this volume, the professional student in landscape will be confirmed in the utility of his practice in going to nature for precepts in the pursuit of his art. These studies will not only serve as examples of the steps by which so great a painter obtained his celebrity, but also show how he maintained his reputation, by a constant recurrence to that unexhaustible fountain, from which genius is supplied with an originality that surpasses all inven

tion.

We could not but indulge in pleasing reflections, whilst dwelling on these delightful emanations of the faithful pencil of Claude, on perceiving that so many of the finest of his studies, reminded us of the nearness of resemblance which they bear to the sketches of certain masters of our own school: for, we know that no English artist could have seen his mode of practicehence, we have now a demonstration that our painters have, in common with this illustrious painter of old, the same correct perceptions which lead to the highest objects of art.

In illustration of this, we refer to the studies of Turner, of Callcot, of Constable, of Ward. These by Claude are full of intelligence, so are those by our ingenious compeers. We could name many others, who sketch with no less spirit and truth from the prototypes which they select--and we may predict, that, hereafter, some munificent collector may be found to offer eight hundred pieces of gold for a book of sketches of an ancient English landscape painter, and discover that he is too late, by stepping upon the heels of another, who has just made them his own for double the sum !

Amongst other chit chat relating to this book of books, we heard it whispered in the Print Room, that the late Mr. Richard Payne Knight had intended to bequeath his collection of works of art, to the library of the Royal Academy, under the trusteeship of the members of that institution; and that his will was deposited in the iron chest at Somerset House. But, that on Mr. Knight's being subsequently elected a trustee of the British Museum, he made another will, LONDON, JULY 3, 1824.

Dilletanti vanity may well blush in turning over the

VOL. II.

Mr. Wilson Lowry was born at Whitehaven, in the year 1762. His father was a native of that town, and followed the profession of a portrait painter. With what success, we know not. He however was at one period much em- He now had made his election, and began to pursue the ployed at Lord Pigot's, who was his principal patron. arts with a determined resolution to create himself a name. When but four years of age, Wilson Lowry was taken by He became a student at the Royal Academy, and evinced his parents to the North of Ireland, and there remained no mean powers in the drawing of the human figure. Here until his family returned to England,, and again became his anatomical knowledge was the main spur to his imresidents of his native town. This, however, was some provement. He found leisure too, by occupying all his years after. The father, it appears, resided subsequently hours with diligence, for the furtherance of his matheat distant periods in other towns in Shropshire and Wor-matical studies; the rapid progress he made in the most cestershire. abstruse departments of which, supplied the foundation The son, removing to the city of Worcester, whilst yet a of that scientific knowledge and mechanical perfection on

which he erected his lasting reputation. The magnificent Encyclopædia of Arts, published by Messrs. Longman and Co. will go down to the latest posterity, the record of his wondrous powers in the engraving of machinery. To the liberality of this greatest, and highly esteemed firm of publishers, Mr. Lowry owed the best days of his practice; and to them and to him conjointly, the world is indebted for a work that will remain a lasting honour to our age!

REVIEWS.

Six Months' Residence and Travels in Mexico; containing
Remarks on the present State of New Spain. By W.
BULLOCK, F.L.S. Proprietor of the late London Museum.
London: John Murray, 1824.

The evenness of texture, clearness and precision of exe- WE might fairly take advantage of the publication cution, added to the mathematical accuracy which are of this work, to express our censure of a system which manifestly displayed in the works of this artist, with such surpassing excellence, in great measure resulted from meis very prevalent amongst booksellers, authors, and chanical aid, derived from machinery invented by himself. reviewers, and which we regard as being most injurious About the year 1790, he completed, principally with his to the interests of literature. A bookseller who has own hands the first ruling machine. The second, with some share in a periodical, takes especial care to furgreat improvement he constructed in 1805. The extraordinary merit of these, and their utility has been long acnish his editor with a copy of all the works he is about knowledged by the principal members of his profession. to produce, two or three weeks before they are circuIn the year 1791, he invented the diamond points for etch-lated amongst the public at large. An author does the ing, which have since been in general estimation among the

engravers. He contributed much to the improvements of of trattic, nothing is given without the expectation of same to his friend the reviewer. Now, in these days various kinds of compasses now in use. His machine for drawing ellipses on paper and on copper, was constructed a return, and the attention of the bookmakers is to be in 1801, and was the first that was applied to these pur- compensated by the liberality of the critic. The conposes; its principle being the same with that of the oval lathe. Among other inventions may be noticed a very sequence of all this is, that criticism degenerates into We simple instrument for drawing parts of circles, of which the a system of hired praise, or causeless censure. radius is so large, as to preclude the use of even beam com- could point out innumerable instances of this dishonesty passes; and two perspective instruments, one of which he in reviewers, where the bad faith of the opinions is employed in making a complicated and very accurate draw-poorly redeemed by the virtue of gratitude in the ing of the west front of Peterborough cathedral.

writer. It is one of the miserable results of book

Mr. Lowry's talent as an engraver, however, was not confined to the representaion of architecture and ma- sellers being proprietors of critical journals. They use chinery. He was an excellent engraver of landscape, and them as instruments to puff their own books, just as we may judge of his capacity in another department, if we can speak upon what should not appear questionable autho-brewers buy the leases of public houses in order to get rity, namely that the fine head of John Hunter, the cele-rid of their own beer. Parliament is breaking up the brated anatomist, from the painting of Sir Joshua Reynolds,|| latter monopoly, and we wish the public had sense and is in great part the work of his hand, whilst he was em- firmness enough to destroy the former. ployed by Mr. Sharp.

Some of the finest etchings for the topographical work of Hearne and Byrne, were by Mr. Lowry; among others, the view of Holy-rood House, and the Round-tower of Ludlow Castle, which are said by some of the profession to be equal, if not superior to any similar works of that period.

Mr. Lowry's extensive knowledge of many branches of natural philosophy was acknowledged in the coteries of science, and his acquaintance with mineralogy in particular, ranked him among the most acute judges of the

value of the precious stones.

• This impression from an engraving on the lid of a tobacco-box, is said to have been executed by Hogarth during his apprenticeship with Ellis Gamble, a goldsmith in Cranbourn Street, Leicester Fields, for a Captain Johnson. It was a humorous subject, entitled "The Frolic, or the Search-Night." At the sa ne sale, of the

Mr. Bullock's book, though published only within the last few days, has been completely gutted of its contents during the last five or six weeks, by a leading periodical, whose editor chances to be the author's friend. We do not object to the interchange of friendly offices between friends, but we have a right to except to the injury which such friendship does to the general interests of literature, and the unfair preference which it gives to particular publications.

Mr. Bullock has for some years been the proprietor of a Museum in Piccadilly, and having sold off the curiosities of his old establishment, he turned his attention towards Mexico, as a rich field where he might gather a new harvest. The present volume contains the result of his observations whilst engaged in the property of Mr. Gullstone, a distinguished virtuoso and collector, business of forming his collection. It was in the this print sold for ten guineas, and another print, an impression from a very poor engraving, also by Hogarth, on the lid of a plain gold earlier half of the year 1822, that he undertook the snuff-box, fetched a still more extraordinary price, the sum of thirty-expedition-at a time when the rage for travelling in three pounds!

Will it be credited by posterity, that these wealthy blockheads who thus fooled their money away in an auction-room, for such worthless relics, the early efforts of their idol Hogarth, were all living in his-Hogarth's day-and that they suffered a plain, honest commercialist to purchase, at a public auction too! whilst Hogarth lived!! the six pictures of Marriage Alamode," which we are now pompously told by our great encouragers of art. are destined for the NATIONAL GALLERY, erecting at the British Museum, for only thrice the sum paid for this print from a snnff-box! and that this outrage upon the memory of Hogarth, this violation of common sense. and insult to the fine arts, was perpetrated, within twenty years of the death of that great moral painter !

that part of the new world had not reached its actual height, and before the cause of independence had become completely triumphant. Our remarks on the literary character of Mr. Bullock's volume, must be deferred to the end of this article. We shall now give a passage describing the first appearance of the Mexi

can coast:

"On the afternoon of Monday, the 24th of February, we expected to see the coast of Mexico; and our anxiety

zaba is between us and the sun.' On a sudden, its towering peak, black with its own shadow, and appearing in the mid heavens, became distinctly perceptible to our naked sight, whilst its base, and three-fourths of its height, were invisible from the distance. Enveloped in clouds, one of the most solemn effects I ever beheld, was produced by this giant atlas."

The height of this mountain is estimated at 17,000 feet above the level of the sea, and the distance at

objects. The journey was particularly pleasant, as may be conjectured from his description of an inn, the best he met with on the road :—

increased as sunset approached. All crowded to the deck, and every telescope was in requisition; distant mountains had been in sight some hours. It was not, however, till a sudden clearing of the mist, that a general cry of Orizaba' burst from the quarter deck. I called to my son, who was looking out from the mast-head, to observe it, he replied reeds, partly enclosed, like a bird-cage, and freely admit"The Posada, is a large shed thatched with leaves or he had been viewing it with the same wonder as ourselves; but on directing his eye more to the west, he observed a part ting the air-so little barricadoed as to allow whatever of the sun that was considerably above the clouds, obscured passes within to be seen from without;-and the roof proby something that gave it the appearance of being eclipsed,ecting very considerably over the sides. Under this prowhen, with a tone of astonishment, he exclaimed, Ori-jection, and in the open air, several travellers had laid themselves down for the night. Our baggage was placed in the interior: and when we inquired where we were to lodge, we were conducted to the same place, and told that unless we had beds of our own we must repose on the floor; indeed nothing was furnished but shelter from the with difficulty procured some planks on which to place our rain, and Indian corn for the cattle. For ourselves, we mattresses, and after making a scanty meal of what we had brought, for bad water and a little bread were all the house afforded, we prepared to go to rest, hoping that the fatigue we had gone through would act as a soporific. which they saw it was about 150 miles. Mr. Bullock Several persons of both sexes, with some children, were in landed at Vera Cruz, and finding the pier at which he the same room with us, in a sort of gallery that projected disembarked paved with pigs of iron, which had forover the enclosure. Our mules and those of other tramerly been part of the ballast of an English frigate, belonging to the house, as well as those attached to the vellers were fastened on the outside, while numerous dogs he observes:" Thus the first step an Englishman takes different conveyances of the travellers, were mingled in New Spain is upon what what was once English with their masters, and kept up such a barking as to property. May this be an auspicious omen of the render sleep impossible. We had horses close to our heads, future good understanding and commercial intercourse eating Indian corn; the mules kicking and fighting; the between the two countries." The wish might haveing of asses; singing and stinging of mosquitos, and the muleteers cursing; intolerable and suffocating heat; braybeen made without endeavouring to make it spring out biting of myriads of fleas completed the comforts of what of such a trifling and accidental circumstance. has been called an inn. How did I pray for a glass of Mr. Bullock's first remark is one of a very melan-long for an English barn or hay-loft; either had been a water to moisten my parched and feverish lips; how did I choly character. He expresses a woful disappointment Paradise to such an infernal spot. To leave it, however, at finding that " of thirty letters of introduction which would have been to have run the risk of being devoured he carried out, not one procured him even an intro- by the surrounding dogs. Day-light at length brought us duction to dinner." A stranger would form a shrewd relief, and, clearing our persons from the deposits of the poultry that had roosted over our heads, we reloaded our guess at Mr. B's country from this single remark. But carriage, and proceeded on a better road than heretofore, Mr. B. builds upon the incident a complete character having in some parts been carried, at considerable labour for the Spaniards, and infers from it their dislike to and expense, over morasses which would otherwise have the English. Vera Cruz though the capital of the been impassable." empire, does not appear to be a very tempting residence. It is in the midst of a desert country-topa, strangers expensive, and to all unhealthy. The following class of citizens would not be very welcome, and do not speak highly of the city :

The first halting place of our traveller was at Xalaor Jalepa, (our stomachs heave at the name,) a very pretty city, formerly the great mart of New Spain for European goods. Mr. Bullock's description of the city, its trade, the manners and characters of the in"One class of the occupants will excite some surprise habitants is very superficial. He has unhappily a in those unacquainted with tropical regions, I mean the tendency to generalize, and one fact is quite enough carrion vultures; they are as tame in the streets as domes-for a theory. If he see an old woman with a cigar tic fowls, and like the dogs from the mountains at Lisbon, act as the scavengers of the place, very speedily clearing away whatever filth may be left. Their senses of sight and smell is [are] very acute: whilst I was preserving some fishes in an apartment at the top of the Posada, the surrounding roofs were crowded by anxious expectants; and when the offal was thrown out, it was, with much contention, greedily consumed. They are on good terms with the dogs, and the two animals may be frequently seen devouring the same carcase. They pass the night on the roofs of the churches, where I have sometimes observed several hundreds, but never saw them breeding."

After a short sojourn at Vera Cruz, Mr. B. set out for Mexico. The intermediate country was occupied by parties of the Republicans and Royalists; the former expressed a great desire to further and assist his

in her mouth, he concludes that all the ladies of Xalapa smoke; if one man be rather ill informed on the affairs, then all men are in a state of the darkest ignorance; the opinions may be true, but the facts as alledged by Mr. B. are not numerous enough to justify them.

From Xalapa, Mr. B. proceeded on to Puebla, a very considerable town, founded by the Spaniards in the sixteenth century. It contains about 90,000 inhachurches and other religious edifices, and in the richness bitants, and is distinguished for the splendour of its of their endowments. Mr. B. says:—

"The antiquarian will here feel a peculiar gratification;

--he will find himself removed to the period of our Henrys || peace-offerings of the poor Indian, by whom the place was and Edwards, not only in the style of building of those crowded, as mass was celebrating at the time. The fertimes, but even in the similarity of customs and manners, vent piety and decent behaviour of this little congregation the same religion and ceremonies, the same observance of would have formed a fine contrast with the gaily dressed holidays, with the religious processions that at once were bustling assemblages in some of the churches of France the solace and amusement of our ancestors. In the and Italy. Before the building were two noble cypress churches he will see (as if the work of yesterday,) the trees, of great size and antiquity: at the top of the steps same profusion of sculpture, painting, gilding, now only to of the entrance is a rich-sculptured cross, of stone, with be found in the fragments of our most ancient temples. the date 1666 inscribed on it, and near it a short hyinn in The statues, balustrades, candlesticks, candelabras, &c. Spanish, to the virgin, is engraved on a tablet. of massive gold and silver, which have long disappeared in "We descended with reluctance the side of this pyramid, England, are here in daily use, and the very dresses and whose base is more extensive than that of the great pyraaccoutrements of the country gentlemen strongly remind || mid of Egypt. It is covered with trees of great variety, us of the period of the discovery of America, the costumes some of which I had not seen before, but they had evihaving undergone very little alteration from their first dently been planted there. On our descent to the plains introduction by the Spaniards: the same high fronted we visited two detached masses, constructed, like the great military saddle, with its defensive cantlets and covering pyramid, of unburnt brick and clay. The one to the for the horse, that was worn by Cortez, and the enormous north-east had been cut or taken away; its sides were spur of our Henry the Seventh, are now in constant use broken, and so perpendicular as to prevent access to its by the paysanas, or country gentlemen." summit, on which a cross had been erected. The other was easy of ascent, and appears to me to have been a But this gentleman has a great fancy for comparing fortified place, with a ditch and a wall on the top, forming every thing novel to the past ages of English history. an enclosure nearly resembling in form the figure 8, and A catholic ceremony reminds him "of our Henrys about 100 feet in length: here I found among the loose and Edwards;" an ordinary Mexican party carries him and fragments of obsidian-the knives, spears, and arrowearth many human bones; pieces of red earthenware; back to the days of good Queen Bess;" and a col-heads of the ancient Mexicans. An excavation of this lege with its halls and libraries, reminds him strongly pile would probably prove an object of high interest to the of Oxford. This is but a poor way of illustrating antiquary." national customs, and yet we doubt if Mr. B. have any better mode of doing it.

Puebla, even in the description of our traveller, appears to be a wealthy and fine city, but we cannot meet with any passages suited for quotation. He talks of the musical service of the "Tenæbræ"—of the church of "la Santo Spiriter," of "Brittanicos," and sundry other points of learning equally correct.

About six miles from Puebla is Chollula, one of the ancient Mexican capitals, and famous for its sanctity and idolatrous worship ::

|

The approach to Mexico, is through a desert and solitary country, which gives no idea of the magnificence of the city. The suburbs are mean and dirty, and their inhabitants poor and ill clothed. But the vastness and grandeur of the interior, amply compensates for the apprehensions excited by the exterior of this celebrated town. Spanish oppressions have stripped the palaces of their costly furniture, but their lofty and superb outsides still remain, and Mr. B. anticipates under the new order of things, a restoration of all their ancient grandeur. At present the churches alone shew any considerable marks of opulence :

"The Teocalli or Temple is composed of alternate layers of clay and sun-burnt brick, forming an immense "The cathedral of Mexico is far famed for its splendour pyramid, divided into regular strata stages, or platforms; and riches, and deserves its high reputation. It is about but time, and the growth of the prickly pear, the tuna, 500 feet long, including a building behind the altar, and or nopal, and other vegetables, have left but little of its stands in the great square, occupying the site of the grand original form visible, and it now resembles a natural hill; temple, or Teocalli, of the ancient Mexicans; and most of the high road from Puebla is cut through a part of it, their idols or gods, which were of stone, and of considerwhich serves to show its internal structure. Some writers able size and weight, are said to be buried under its founhave conjectured that it was used as a cemetery or burial-dations, below the pavement of the square. The exterior place; others, that it was intended as a place of defence, is far preferable to that of the cathedral of Puebla de los or for the performance of public worship. We ascended Angeles, but is rather heavy, and the architecture of the by a steep winding road, partly cut into steps, to a level mixed kind. area of 140 feet long, on which stands a pretty church, "On entering I felt something like disappointment, 90 feet in length, with two towers and a dome: from this notwithstanding the extent and magnificence of the inteexalted platform, the spectator enjoys a most lovely land-rior. The centre is nearly filled by the ponderous erecscape. The city of Chollula, its great square, or market- tions which entirely obstruct its otherwise fine appearance, place, crowded with Indians (resembling what it was in and the high altar is, as well as that in the cathedral of the time of Cortez), with its numerous churches, gardens, Puebla, too large for the place it occupies. Like most of &c. lay at our feet, and as the delighted eye ranged over the churches in this country, it is loaded with a profusion the extensive plain, countless churches, haciendas, plan- of massive carved and gilt ornaments, pictures, and tations of aloes, and corn-fields, met the view, which was painted statues. Many of the smaller paintings appeared bounded by the blue mountains, among which arose the to be of value, and works of the old Spanish and Italian gigantic Orizaba, and the majestic snow-crowned Pepo- masters; but they are so placed, and in such an obscure cataph. After enjoying this delightful scene as long as our light, that it is not possible to judge decisively of their time would conveniently permit, we visited the neat merit. There are in the apartments adjoining the catheplace of worship, built in the shape of a cross, and kept dral, allegorical and sacred subjects, pictures of a prodiremarkably clean. Its silver and gilt ornaments were gious size, and of considerable skill in their composition surrounded by a fine display of living flowers, (amongst and design, though few of them are executed by masters which the carnations were the finest I had ever seen,) the held in estimation in Europe.