his breast exhibiting truth with her eyes shut, and himself surrounded with books. Or reflect on Albert Durer's celebrated design of melancholy personified: this inimitable picture, by a genius of universal talent and the Homer of his art,' shows a sad woman leaning on her arm, with fixed looks and neglected habit, surrounded by the instruments of science, and occupied with their problems. Or go and search for Holbein's "Dance of Death," which exhibits a pungent satire on human vanities. After these peregrinations, surely no one would entertain the abominable thought of destroying the most inimitable works of art merely because they may appear mystical or allegorical.

"Let them go down the stream of time's historic page,

From clime to clime-record from age to age." CAMPBELL.

DECORATIVE HOUSE PAINTERS.

AMONG the decorative painters of ceilings, halls, and staircases may be mentioned Louis Laguerre, a native of Paris, who came to England in 1683. His works still remain at Hampton Court, Burleigh, Blenheim, and a few other places. The saloon at Blenheim is his best performance: the compartments represent the costume of various nations, and the ceiling a vast allegory. This artist was, in the first instance, chosen to paint the cupola of St. Paul's cathedral, for which designs were also offered by Antonio Pellegrini, who painted the stair-case and ceilings at Castle Howard with Marco Ricii, another artist of reputation in the same class.

The claim was preferred to a native painter, Sir James Thornhill, though his rank is rather that of a clever painter than an artist of genius. He stands alone among his compatriots as a successful follower of the Italian and French styles of decoration, and in the invention, readiness, and freedom of pencil requisite for distributing numerous groups over large surfaces, while in every qualification of an artist he is at least equal to any of his cotemporaries. It is to be lamented that Thornhill never visited Italy, but was content to form his taste upon the French school. There is much grandeur in the composition of the history of the apostle in the dome of St. Paul; but as there is an architectural defect in the frame-work, with all the merit, it is a defect upon the general aspect of the building. Many of his works have perished in the changes of the fashion. Among the best of those remaining are the halls at Greenwich hospital, and some at Blenheim, which display

many beauties of his own and all the defects of his age, which his talents were not able to surmount. Although he was much employed, he felt severely the unjust predilection for foreigners, which has ever been the bane of English art; and, while Lafosse had received thousands for his paintings at Montague House, Thornhill was forced to submit to be paid for his public work by the square yard: however, he enriched himself very honourably by his works, repurchased the estate of his ancient family, was chosen member of parliament for Weymouth, and died, universally esteemed as an artist and a man, in 1734. After his death this branch of painting went out of fashion. The valuable copies of the cartoons of Raffaele, now the property of the Royal Academy, were painted by him.

The close of the century brought forth one of the greatest geniuses in the art of design the world ever saw-William Hogarth. He, like the apostle of old, taught ethics with the engraver; with that simple tool, forcibly, but coarsely, directed by his inspired hand, he humorously portrayed the maxim, "Castigat Ridendo Mores,' "* with the most irresisti

ble effect.

His early humble efforts were displayed, or rather employed, (for he was only a copier,) in engraving family arms upon silver and gold plate; but the astonishing powers which nature gave him as a writer, engraver, and painter, soon began to develope themselves. He furnished plates for the booksellers, among which his illustrations of Hudibras, the greatest poetical satire of that or any other period, would alone have immortalized him. Here the very gods of mirth and satire might make a bow of devotion, and Silenus himself would smile with contempt at his own feeble powers. That volume, thus illustrated, combining at once the united powers of two such superlative geniuses, ought to have driven melancholy away from the face of the earth. No artist's works have afforded so much delight as his: the criticisms, essays, and descriptions of them are very numerous; and the following couplet, by Whitehead, are trite and expressive of his industry, and the genii over whom it was exercised:

"Load, load the pallet, boy! Hark! Hogarth cries,
'Fast as I paint, fresh swarms of fools arise.""

The following just and eloquent character of this great man is from the pen of his biographer, Mr. Allan Cuningham: "His character as an artist is to be gathered from numerous works at once original and unrivalled. His skill as an engraver spread his fame as a painter; and all who love the dramatic * The manners of the age are corrected by ridicule.

representation of actual life-all who have hearts to be gladdened by humour-all who are pleased with judicious and welldirected satire-all who are charmed with the ludicrous looks of popular folly, and all who can be moved with the pathos of human suffering, are admirers of Hogarth. That his works are unlike those of other men is his merit, and not his fault. He belonged to no school of art; he was the produce of no academy; no man, living or dead, had any share in forming his mind or in rendering his hand skilful. He was the spontaneous offspring of the graphic spirit of his country, as native to the heart of England as its independence; and he may be fairly called, in his own walk, the first-born of her spirit. He painted life as he saw it. He gave no visions of bygone things no splendid images of ancient manners: he regarded neither the historian's page nor the poet's song: he was contented with the occurrences of the passing day, with the folly or sin of the hour; but to the garb or fashion of the moment he adds story and sentiment for all time.

In No. 555 of the "Spectator " there is mentioned an academy of design of painting in 1712, with Sir Godfrey Kneller president: it soon fell into decay. The Royal Academy had their charter 1765: that soon broke up. In 1768 the present one was formed, which was about the last in Europe. The Edinborough Royal Academy was established 1754. recently been established in Dublin.

One has

MUSIC.

-The birds instructed man,

And taught him songs before the art began;

And while soft evening gales blew o'er the plains,

And shook the sounding reeds, they taught the swains,

And thus the pipe was formed and tuneful reed." LUCRETIUS.

"MUSIC is a kind of language," says Metastasio," and as such it possesses that advantage over poetry which a universal language has over a particular one; for this last speaks only to its own age or country, the other speaks to all ages and all countries." I think it will be universally admitted that a musical sound, when produced by a fine voice, a rich-toned violin, or a mellow horn, excites pleasing sensations. Ay, so powerful are the effects of harmony and melody, that it is said "a song may reach those whom a sermon flies."

It is stated by all writers down to the present time, that "the singing of madrigals was, in the time of Elizabeth, the

ordinary social amusement of the better classes after dinner and supper; and in the cultivation of music we are behind that period."

For the information of those of my readers who may not be musicians, perhaps it will be proper to inform them that a madrigal is defined to be "a little amorous piece, containing a certain number of free unequal verses, not tied together either to the scrupulous regularity of a sonnet or the subtlety of an epigram, but consisting of some tender and delicate, yet simple, thought suitably expressed."

Our sturdy ancestors discovered that singing after their hearty and solid meals was a way to health, and a great promoter of digestion. Armstrong, a poet and physician, strongly recommends this delightful art medicinally. He says:

-For whatever moves

The mind with calm delights, promotes the just

And natural movements of the harmonious whole."

The French have a maxim: "When the belly is full the music goes better.”

Dr. Rush, of Philadelphia, says: "I here introduce a fact which has been suggested to me by my profession; that is, the exercise of the organs of the breast, by singing, contributes very much to defend them from those diseases to which the climate and other causes expose them. The Germans are seldom afflicted with consumption; nor have I ever known more than one instance of spitting of blood among them. This I believe is, in part, occasioned by the strength which their lungs acquire by exercising them frequently in vocal music, which constitutes an essential branch of their education."*

At that period, if a person could not sing, or did not understand music, "it excited wonder, and the company inquired how he was brought up."

Heuxner says, "Elizabeth used to be regaled, while at dinner, with twelve trumpets and two kettle-drums, which, with five cornets and side drums, made her noble hall ring."

She probably was aware, being the head of the church, that "the concert of musicians at a banquet is a carbuncle set in gold; and as is the signet of an emerald well trimmed with gold, so is the melody of music in a pleasant banquet.”— Ecclesiasticus.

To those who have a crotchet in their soul, and who may be afflicted with indigestion, I would advise- (and I have, like them, been heir to that and other afflictions) to purchase "The Boston Glee Book," by Lowell Mason and George J. Webb: they will find it a good remedy. This book contains a "choice and extensive collection of glees, madrigals, and rounds, selected from the works of the most admired composers."

66

Though this loud and stirring music was heard in the large id lofty halls, yet Elizabeth knew and practised on more ..umble and lively instruments. The following passage from Melville's Memoirs will show her in her retirement: "The same day, after dinner, my Lord Hunsdon drew me up to a quiet gallery, that I might hear some music, (but he said he durst not avow it,) and where I might hear the queen play upon the virginal; after I hearkened awhile I took up the tapestry that hung before the door of the chamber, and, seeing her back toward the door, I ventured within the chamber and stood in a pretty place hearing her play excellently well; but she left off immediately, as soon as she turned her about, and came forward to strike me with her hand, alleging she was not used to play before men, but, when she was solitary, to shun melancholy;" for a merry heart is the life of the flesh."—Proverbs. D'Israeli says: "We have been a great ballad nation, and once abounded with songs of the people. They are described by Puttenham, a critic in the reign of Elizabeth, as small and popular songs, sung by those Cantabranqui upon benches and barrel-heads, where they have no other audience than boys or country fellows that pass by them in the streets; or else by blind harpers or such-like tavern minstrels, that give a fit of mirth for a groat.' Such were those 'Reliques of ancient poetry,' which Selden collected, Pepys preserved, and Percy published. Ritson, our great poetical antiquary, says that few are older than the reign of James I. The more ancient songs of the people perished, by having been printed on single sheets, and their humble publishers having no other library to preserve them than the walls on which they were pasted. Those we have are from a succeeding race of ballad-makers." "These

6

writers, in their old age, collected their songs into little penny books, called Garlands;' and a recent editor has well described them as humble and amusing village strains, founded upon the squabbles of a wake, tales of untrue love, superstitious rumours, or miraculous traditions of the hamlet.' They enter into the picture of our manners as well as folio chronicles."

"An ordinance, published by Oliver Cromwell against the strolling fiddlers, silenced the ballad-singers and obliged the sellers to shut up shop."*

Percy, in his Reliques, says: "We have more songs on madness than all other nations together."+

* Hawkins.

I have now before me "Hymns for occasional use in the parish church of St. Peter, at Nottingham," (1819,) by the Rev. R. W. Almond, M.A., In the preface he states: "The introduction of that on suicide was suggested by its alarming increase."

rector.