I. THE LEGend. 1. The King's Messenger. 2. The Message. 3. The Modern Schools. 1. The Antique. 2. The Renascence. III. BLESSING THE CORNFIELDS; OR, LANDSCAPE ART IN POETRY. I. Ceres. 2. The King's Garden. IV. SEEING THE INVISIBLE; OR, THE USE OF THE SUPERNATURAL IN ART. 1. The Sons of God. 2. The Unknown Quantity. 3. Men and Angels. 4. The Son of Man. 5. Kissing Carrion. 6. Witnessing Again. "The manfully-stated hypothesis or 'argument' of the book_would alone make it valuable as an appeal from spirit to spirit. Mr. Bayliss does seem to have faith in Art still, as the gift of God to man, in order that man may be drawn nearer to Him by the sight of beauty, which is the symbol of His unknown perfection. . For it may do some hearts good, at least, to have a man of ripe experience in Art, and wide range of knowledge, who will give God the glory in it, and set his word to the belief that it is not merely ornamental. It is a work which must give sincere pleasure to those who believe in spiritual things, and reckon Art among them."-Contemporary Review. "A book suffused with a genuine artistic spirit, and which shows that Art is a witness to truth and righteousness."-British Quarterly Review. "The legend of Beauty and the Beast has been turned to good account. The ethics of æsthetics is certainly a subject with a very scant literature, especially when we consider how important a function the King's Messenger Beauty' performs in the world; and how closely related she is to those other messengers, Virtue and Truth. The idea of the legend is well worked out in glancing over the history of Art, and the terrible lapse it underwent in the dark ages: and the chapter entitled 'The Message' is a very pleasant discursive roam through some of the phases of the art influence of Mythology. The chapters on the Antique, the Renascence, and the Modern Schools are well worthy of an attentive perusal. Kissing Carrion,' is a thoughtfully-written criticism on the debased use of the supernatural in Art; and the vigorous and trenchant onslaught on such productions as some of the Ingoldsby Legends,' when viewed from a true artist's point of view, is deserving of high commendation."-Spectator. "How exquisitely this is worked out must be left for the book itself to show; partial quotation would give no adequate notion of the subtlety of the idea. 'The Witness of Art' will be a welcome friend and companion."-Morning Post. "We cannot pay a higher compliment than to say that it is worthy to have thoughtful readers."-Scotsman. "Mr. Bayliss's work will be a welcome guest in every studio where the English language is understood, and in every drawing-room where poetry and art are understood."-Whitehall Review. "We have found unusual pleasure in the perusal of this book. Its writer possesses a correct, thoughtful, and exquisite taste, and is gifted with a style that is at once striking and poetical.”—Literary World. "The book must be read from the first word to the last. Read it will be by all people of taste, and we affirm that it cannot be read without profit."-Reliquary Quarterly Review. "A charm which would render it difficult for anyone to lay the book aside, till the last page is reached."-Art Journal. "We heartily welcome a second edition. It is impossibe to peruse this book without the keenest pleasure."-Magazine of Art. 66 Richly imaginative and full of eloquent and frequently highly poetical thought."-Standard. "A curious and deeply interesting work. The author has eloquence of expression, and a keen sense of humour, and he uses both."-Echo. "The book will interest not merely Art students, but also readers of all classes, for there is little that is technical about it."-Daily Free Press. "Mr. Bayliss is one of the few artists who can think as well as paint, and write as well as think. His pages teem with terse and practical criticism on well-known artists."-Liverpool Daily Post. "With the great mass of Mr. Bayliss's brilliant criticism we heartily agree. Art is the ideal element in human life, and he has said so in a truly worthy and artistic form."-Literary Churchman. "A work which will fully repay a careful and intelligent perusal, and serve as a pleasant companion to the Art student."-Record. "Under the title of Ceres' there is a really cleverly-drawn distinction between the limitations of the painter and the poet-perhaps the best that we have ever read."—Nonconformist. "We cannot but welcome this contribution to the literature of an important and interesting subject."-The Rock. "May be greatly welcomed; it is the work of an artist who does not talk Art, but Nature; who does not write only for brothers of his craft, but for mankind generally."-The Inquirer. "A clever lecturer might pick more than one chapter as a good bit for evening readings."-Graphic. "Good books on Art are not too plentiful. A most welcome addition to the literature of Art."-North British Daily Mail. "A difficult and very interesting subject is treated with considerable critical insight and some novelty of illustration. The main conclusions are not only true, but such as are to some extent overlooked."-The Builder. "Such books as this give us a new hope."-Edinburgh Daily Review. THE HIGHER HIGHER LIFE IN ART, WITH A CHAPTER ON HOBGOBLINS BY THE GREAT MASTERS. BY WYKE BAYLISS, F.S.A. Contents: I. MY LADY THE PROLogue. II. THREE SUNSETS. III. A WINTER'S TALE. IV. ART FOR ART'S SAKE. V. LEAVES FROM A SKETCH- VI. THE WARS OF THE HOB- VII. SEEN THROUGH A CLOUD. IX. THE STORY OF A Dado. X. XI. XII. HOBGOBLINS BY The Fount of Tears. "Mr. Wyke Bayliss is at the same time a practical artist and a thoughtful writer. The combination is, we regret to say, as rare as it is desirable. . . He deals ably and clearly-notably so in this present book-with questions of the day of practical and immediate importance to artists and to the Art public. We prefer to send the reader to the volume itself, where he will find room for much reflection."-The Academy. "The writing is that of a scholar and a gentleman, and though the critical faculty is often evinced in a subtle and discriminating form, all allusions to individuals are made with so much of the kindliness of true good-taste, that we are almost conscious of a reluctance in disagreeing with the author."-The Spectator. "It is almost impossible to forbear continual quotation of definitions such as these, which are scattered broadcast over this volume. In point of definition, of clear-cut epigrammatic statement of thought, in mastery of a certain rounded perfection of expression, Mr. Bayliss has a special and marvellous facility. Over and over again he sums up his thought in a sentence that may be recognised as the most entirely fitting expression into which his thought could shape itself. The effect is exceedingly striking. The idea which has been carefully elaborated through, perhaps, an entire page is suddenly summed-up into a line in which a fine thought is married to noble wording, and the definition clings to the memory by reason of its aptness."-Literary World. "Mr. Wyke Bayliss is already favourably known as an author by 'The Witness of Art,' and 'The Higher Life in Art.'"-Daily News. "One of the most humorous and valuable of the general articles on Art, is Mr. Wyke Bayliss'' Story of a Dado.'"-The Standard. "The style has the grace which comes by culture, and no small share of the eloquence bred of earnest conviction. Mr. Bayliss writes as a man who, having seen much, has also read and thought much on fine art questions. His views are therefore entitled to that respectful attention which the pleasant dress in which he has clothed them renders it all the easier to accord."-The Scotsman. "This book is written wisely, and well."-The Literary Churchman. 66 Altogether this is a very fascinating and delightful book, and one which every one should read. The style is singularly eloquent and attractive; and, as we remarked of its predecessor, a lecturer could easily find two or three chapters which would form a highly-interesting and instructive reading."-The Graphic. "We have heard happiness described by a bookish man to be the reading of Charles Lamb by the light of a good fire. Beside such a fire this work of Mr. Bayliss would be a very good substitute for Elia in the hands of the art-student. The chapter on Literary Hobgoblins is laughable in the extreme. The great aim of the book, however, is to inculcate breadth of view in Art. It is full of a tender, catholic, artistic, sentiment, exhibiting sympathies not merely with pencil and paint, but with everything that the human soul can call beautiful. Every page contains delightful thought."-Glasgow Herald. "Mr. Bayliss is a determined and resolute champion, who can write a good sonnet, make a good drawing, and lay vigorously about him in a great variety of directions in prose."-The Guardian. "We do not quote at greater length because we wish our readers to .ead the book, as a whole-for themselves. As a genial, considerate, appreciative message from the artist to the non-artistic public, it is likely to be of especial value; and we prefer interesting our readers in the book itself, to interesting them by extracts from it."-The Inquirer. "Those who have read Mr. Bayliss' work entitled The Witness of Art,' will not need that we should describe to them the peculiar charm of style which is again so conspicuous in the book whose title is given above; to those who have not read the former work, it is, we think, impossible to describe that charm. But if anyone, having an interest in Art, reads one chapter of either of these books without reading all the rest, he will be, we think, strangely insensible to that subtle element of beauty in writing which makes some men's prose close akin to poetry."-The Artist. "Mr. Bayliss is versatile, ingenious, suggestive, and we have read his clever book with not a little pleasure and profit.”—British Quarterly. Review. "His admirers are many, and amongst many schools."-Liverpool Albion. "Mr. Wyke Bayliss has nobly achieved a noble object, and his work is one which the world will not willingly let die.”—Morning Post. |