only surpassingly beautiful but truly wonderful. They are drawn by Turner and transferred to the steel by Goodall, who has given a force depth and clearness of color to the engraving that we should have almost thought impossible. Yet what is impossible to genius? We are every day startled by fresh instances of its power.

We believe, but very few copies of this work have reached India, and we therefore strongly recommend such of our readers as are desirous of securing copies of so fine a specimen of modern art, to lose no time in forwarding their orders to their booksellers. We venture to say that any expectations of excellence, that our remarks upon it may have excited, will not be disappointed. Calcutta Literary Gazette.

SUN-SET IN INDIA.

There's a charm and a glory in Indian twilight,

When the sun has gone down, and the rays which surround him, Are ling'ring in splendour, and modestly bright

The moon in full majesty smiles on the night

As he gathers his mantle of shadows around him.

The breeze which has stray'd all the day over flowers,
Returns, like a rover, to lavish its sweetness,
And breathe its cool freshness on gardens and bowers;
But the hues in the west, and these mild dewy hours,
Are fading, to leave but a sense of their fleetness.

Oh, dead is the heart! if this scene cannot waken
Remembrances dear of the home of its birth;
Remembrances, too, of the friendships forsaken,
And hopes which the changes of fortune have shaken,
And lov'd ones, who linger, still linger on earth.

Could I from the past rescue one youthful day,
When light was my heart, and my eyes ever tearless,
Its heavenly moments! O, would they but stay!
Might brighten the rest of life's desolate way

Now flowerless and withered, deserted and cheerless.

And if I would fetter one hour such as this,

Old time might fly on with his months and his years,
My bosom its sorrows and cares would dismiss,
And hope spring again, and the sunlight of bliss
Shine on 'till eternity's splendour appears.

P. M.

SONNETS:-BEEJAPORE.

BY R. CALDER CAMPBELL.

I.

High from the top of this imperial dome,
I view with wond'ring gaze the City round,
Where robed in splendid ruin, strew the ground
The regal hall, the Temple, and the Tomb!
The setting sun contrasts with deeper gloom
Those tamarind groves that speck the eastern space,
And gilds those glittering spires with richer grace
That decorate the western prospect ;-some
Tinged with a blush of purple !—Oh, there steals
Over the heart an awe!-a soothing tone
Of pensive feeling o'er the mind is thrown,
Which revels in the joy of grief' it feels,
To think that all this wilderness sublime
Should glean such beauty from the hand of Time!

II.

For oh! methinks that now, ev'n when they fall
In clustered groups, these edifices grand
Have more of beauty, than when here the hand
Of power and population ruled o'er all!

For now the hum of men, the shout, the cry,
The rush of horsemen, and each various sound,
Have ceased to vex the ear; and sweetly round
Falls, with a mellow cadence echoing by,
The voice of the Muezzin,-who below
Calls, vainly calls, the Faithful' to their rites;
For oh! the humble train he now invites
Are few and all regardless :-thus decay
Attends all human things, which gleam and glow
In worldly pride-but glow to fade away!

ADVERSITY.

When a great mind falls,

The noble nature of man's gen'rous heart
Doth bear him up against the shame of ruin;
With gentle censure, using but his faults
As modest means to introduce his praise;
For pity like a dewy twilight comes
To close th' oppressive splendour of his day.

Joanna Baillie's Basil, A. 5, s. 3.

PICTORIAL MEMORANDA;

OR NOTES ON VARIOUS PAINTINGS, AND DRAWINGS SEEN AT BRITISH

PICTURE GALLERIES AND EXHIBITIONS.

PAINTINGS BY THE OLD MASTERS.

BRITISH INSTITUTION.

In this exhibition there are five allegorical pictures from the life of Constantine, by RUBENS. They are all extremely spirited, but "The Battle between Constantine and Maxantius," is pre-eminently striking. It is merely a rough sketch, and is in a tone of colouring by no means pleasing; but the bold and vigorous handling excites immediate admiration. The grouping is clear and appropriate. In a throng of warriors in deadly strife, there are no undistinguishable masses to puzzle the spectator, and no extraneous episodes to divide and weaken the main interest. The chief actors catch the eye at once and enchain attention. Constantine and Maxantius are conspicuously opposed to each other in the centre of the picture and the battle. In the muscular figure and tiger-like ferocity of Maxantius, there is a life and energy which nothing but consummate genius could breathe into its creations. Desperate eagerness and boiling rage are expressed with prodigious power. He is panting forward to the mortal combat as if every moment of his opponent's life were to him an age of pain. His whole appearance is finely contrasted with the Roman dignity and calmer heroism of Constantine, who is seated on his fiery charger with an easy yet commanding air. There is amazing spirit and variety in the whole scene; every living being is hotly engaged, and the slain that are trampled under the horses' feet are grouped and delineated with force and fidelity. It is very remarkable, however, that all the figures, whether on horseback or on foot, have their swords in their left hands; but, notwithstanding this circumstance, and the coarse and unfinished touches of the pencil, with the exception of the left arm of Constantine, there is not a nerveless limb, nor an appearance of constraint or awkwardness, in a single figure.

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Landscape with Cattle," HOBBIMA and a. vandervelde.—If we are still within the walls of the close and noisy city-if we are not actually in the open air, and approaching the small nest-like cottage on the road-side, these wonderful old painters have so held the mirror up to nature," and flashed back its image on the canvass that we have all the freshness of feeling, and all those delightful associa. tions that would be awakened by the scene itself. How cool and moist are those verdant fields! The clouds are floating over the heavens and breaking the light into sudden gleams; a burst of brilliant sunshine has fallen on the trees, making their green heads glitter, and deepening their shadows on the ground. A group of figures and cattle are loitering on the road. The cows are inimitably drawn and coloured, and give a quiet and rural aspect to the landscape.

"Head of an Old man," REMBRANDT.-A wonderful portrait. It has a calm penetrating eye, that follows you from one end of the room to the other. We had been quenching our thirst of beauty at a delightful picture on the other side of the Gallery, and, in turning suddenly round upon the portrait, we were conscious the old gentleman had been watching our proceedings. There are also some extraor dinary portraits by VELASQUEZ, in this Exhibition, which it is almost impossible to gaze upon without feeling ourselves in the presence of living beings.

"The Shepherd's Offering," N. POUSSIN.-This picture is worthy of the artist― a commendation of the loftiest nature. The scene is a stable. The infant Saviour is exposed by the delighted Mary to the wondering shepherds, who are admirably grouped before him. They almost hesitate to approach the holy child, as if their presence were intrusive and irreverent. The foremost figure, with folded hands and bended knee, is gazing on him with eager admiration. The countenance of

the man immediately behind him is full of deep tenderness and piety. Near him is a kneeling woman, with her hands crossed upon her breast, and with the restrained air of one who is dumb with adoration. A shepherdess is just entering, with an offering of fruits and flowers. Joseph is leaning forward from his station behind the Virgin, and observing with delight the fervent worship of the shepherds. The composition and execution of the whole picture must gratify the most fastidious critic.

"Flowers," and "Fruit," VAN HUYSEN.-These are the most beautiful representations of still life that we have ever met with. It is almost impossible to have anything more perfect in their way than these exquisitely-finished works. Of the two pictures, though painted with equal skill, we prefer the "Fruit." The peaches, plump, rough, and juicy-the bunch of red grapes, and the fine ripe plums, with the bloom, Occasionally rubbed off from the glossy skin, are miraculously true to nature. If the picture were exposed in a garden, the cheated birds would dart their beaks into the

canvass.

"The Spanish Courtezan," by MURILLO.-A young girl is leaning over the edge of a window, and is looking out with a bold and expressive smile. Her appearance, however, though sufficiently characteristic, is not offensive. A woman is standing near her, and is also looking in the same direction. She is half retreating behind the shutter, and stifling a hearty laugh in the piece of drapery which she holds to her mouth. There is wonderful truth and expression in both these figures. The spectator, on suddenly gazing upwards at the picture, is startled by two living beings, and has a momentary impression that he is the object of their broad mirth and pleasantry.

Landscape, with Cattle and Figures," CLAUDE.—This is an exquisite little scene. It is full of that aerial softness-that tender pastoral tranquillity, which this artist seems to breathe so deliciously over all his works. On the left foregound is a quiet piece of water, with cattle picturesquely grouped about the margin; a few figures are introduced upon the right; between these and the cattle two graceful trees up. rear their green heads against the sky, and beautifully divide the landscape; on their left, in the far background, is an old romantic castle, and on their right is a broad stream falling occasionally over small declivities. In the extreme distance are a few grey hills that complete this delightful picture.

"Landscape-Morning,” and “Evening," from the same magic pencil, are almost equally attractive. The cool fresh morning is finely expressed, and the landscape is beautiful. Over a rural bridge, skirted by trees at either end, we have a pleasant view of distant hills; and the foreground is enriched with green foliage, a waterfall, and various figures. The Evening scene is also fine. The warm hazy atmosphere is hanging over the sea like a delicate veil, and everything is fraught with serenity and repose.

66

Landscape, with Cattle and Figures," CUYP.—A most delightful picture. The scene is bathed in the rich light of a summer sun-set. The figures and cattle are disposed with exquisite judgment, and drawn and coloured with the truth of nature. Even the least obtrusive details are elaborately, but not laboriously, finished. The wild weeds in the foreground, for example, are in themselves a picture. The aerial tints through which everything is seen, are as fine and transparent as were ever wrought by the hand of genius.

GALLERY OF THE HUNTERIAN MUSEUM, GLASGOW.

One of the first pictures that caught our attention was an exquisite little gem, by GUIDO," The Lady at her Toilet." The face of the Lady is lovely and intelligent and her attitude and general appearance are peculiarly graceful, light and airy. Her female attendant is explaining something to her mistress (perhaps the novelty or appropriate beauty of a particular ribbon) with extraordinary earnestness. There is a smile on the countenance of the Lady, that is not only expressive of gaiety and good-humour, but a certain consciousness of her own charms; her vanity, however is neither obtrusive nor disagreeable: she is, in fact, one of the pleasantest of co

quettes. The maid is, very properly, far less lovely than the mistress: so that the gazer's admiration is concentrated on the latter. The colouring of this little picture is at once brilliant and harmonious. Just above it is" A Landscape View in Holland," by REMBRANDT. The prospect is not particulary pleasing. It is a plain of great extent, intersected by winding streams. As far as the eye can reach there is not a single piece of rising ground to vary the monotonous aspect of the scene. The only object of interest is a small town or village in the right mid-distance, on which a partial light is thrown from the cloudy heavens. On a close inspection the colouring appears coarse and unnatural but when the picture is viewed in a good light and at a proper distance, its truth, breadth, and vigour are recognized in a moment. The distances are wonderfully preserved, and there is a literal nature in the general effect that reminds us of a wonderful Landscape in the British Institution by Hobbima and Vandervelde.

The next picture that attracted our attention is one of a very different description, and is entitled "The Anatomist," by HOLBEIN. We cannot say that this artist is a favourite of ours. His figures have the air of dwarfs, and his small pictures look as if they were worked in mosaic. They are, nevertheless, the productions of a man of genius, and have always some marks of excellence. The head of the Anatomist, in the present picture, has that diminutive appearance we have alluded to. It is not too small in proportion to the body, but the whole figure seems somewhat Lilliputian. It is not the miniature of a man, but a man in miniature. There is an acuteness and an actual life in the eye, however, that rivet one's attention. It is impossible to doubt its purpose: he is explaining with serious zeal the anatomical wonders of the human frame. The naked dead body on the table before him is delineated with horrible fidelity. Every limb and muscle has the coldness and rigidity of death. We can hardly behold it without a shuddering consciousness of our own mortality; for "to this complexion we must come at last.”

We turned from this clever but unpleasing picture to a delightful View of Venice, by CANALETTI. It is in this artist's very best manner; clear, bright, and cheerful. We felt, in contemplating it, as if we had just escaped from a charnel-vault, and stood beneath a sunny sky in the gay streets of Venice. This is the only Canaletti in the room, but it is worth a dozen we have met with in some other collections.

There is also a small picture by REMBRANDT here of great value. It is entitled “The Entombment of Lazarus," but evidently by mistake: it is the entombment of our Saviour. The body is supported by three figures, and the light proceeds from it in a miraculous manner. At a little distance from the body, at another corner of the picture, is distinguished a number of persons almost hid in gloom. The way in which these figures are slowly discoverable by the observant eye, is a proof of the extraordinary genius of the painter. His dispositions of light and shadow are truly magical.

We must not forget a Boy's Head by MURILLO. It is not one of his best productions, but it is well worthy of notice. The boy seems dull and stupid, and hangs his head awkwardly on one side; but as a proof of the cleverness of this painter in transferring an expression of real life to his canvas, this little picture (of less than a foot square) is valuable. We noticed also a Head of Saint Peter, by RUBENS, which, from a hurried glance, we thought coarse but powerful; and an excellent picture of "The Hunting of the Stag," by WOUVERMANS, that is full of his usual spirit. The stag has dashed into a stream, and is followed by a large party male and female, on horseback. There is a reckless gaiety in the figures, and an animation in the whole scene, that are quite exhilarating.

PAINTINGS BY LIVING ARTISTS.

THE SIXTIETH EXHIBITION OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY.

"An attempt to illustrate the Opening of the Sixth Seal," F. DANBY, A.-This is a composition of great power, and is by far the most striking picture in the present exhibition. If it be not a perfect illustration of the Scriptural account, of which there are passages too shadowy and sublime for the painter's art, we discover fewer