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imagine that Claude Lorraine was a man of mild and amiable temper, both from the delicate manner of his execution and the exquisite purity of his colour. He seemed to delight in the soft effects of the morning, the brilliant clearness of the Italian midday, and the golden glow of the afternoon sun, all of which he represented with surprising truth. Ungenial weather had no charms for him. Notwithstanding the surpassing beauty and truth of his colouring, it is sometimes weak, and his compositions often tame, and never I think grand, as he had neither the feeling nor the science in this respect of Poussin, whose works I greatly prefer.

I am, &c.

MY DEAR SIR;

THE young artist may profit greatly by frequenting the various exhibitions in town, provided he studies the pictures in the proper way to benefit by them. In the first place, I advise him when he enters a picture gallery not to run up to a landscape and examine its details at first, nor to pass hastily from one picture to another; for this is not only a careless, but a perfectly useless mode of proceeding, arising chiefly from an idle curiosity. He should on the contrary, when a picture attracts his attention, retire from it to such a distance that the eye may conveniently command the whole of the subject; and then endeavour to trace the intention of the painter in regard to the style of the composition, the way in which the subject is

treated, and the general tone of colour that pervades the whole. In fine, to make every exertion to discover that which proceeds from the mind of the artist, and then to approach his work, and make a vigorous examination of those parts that depend upon a skilful and experienced hand. To try and try again to find out how the component parts are managed so as to contribute to the harmony of the whole, and never to quit the picture until he has acquired some practical information. I also advise him to write upon the spot in as clear a manner as he can the result of his observations, which will recal at a future time the impression the picture made upon him. I feel that it will be well for the student not to attempt to study more than three or four pictures at one visit, as a multiplicity of objects will be very apt to create confusion in his mind. He will, however, derive great improvement by endeavouring on his return home to compose a picture somewhat in the style of any one that has struck him as being excellent.

This will exercise his imagination, and naturally lead the way to invention, without which power of the mind we cannot expect any one to arrive at great excellence as a painter.

I am, &c.

LETTER XXI.

MY DEAR SIR;

THE National Gallery is the only public exhibition in London where the student is allowed to copy the works of the old masters, and some few that are there of the modern masters. For this purpose there are two days, Friday and Saturday, set apart for the use of the students, the public being excluded on these days. To obtain admittance to the gallery on the private days, the artist need only apply, by letter, to Mr. Seagar for a ticket, which letter may be addressed either to his residence in Sloane Street, Chelsea, or it may be left for him at the gallery. This exhibition affords a most valuable opportunity to the young artist to improve himself by the many fine specimens of art which it contains, and the perfect

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