and I refer the student who seeks it to the writers just named, I hope with no disparagement; to Waagen, and to Passavant, learned German critics, from all of whom he will glean much assistance. So my Hand-book is but a brief compilation of facts-correct ones, it is hoped. I could have wished more space to render due honour to Lord Liverpool, in whose ministry, in 1824,* the National Gallery was founded, by the purchase of the Collection of Pictures belonging to the rich banker, Mr. Angerstein, to hold up to public gratitude and imitation the many munificent gifts to the Gallery;† and to * A parliamentary grant of 60,000l. was proposed and carried unanimously in the session of 1825. The first trustees appointed in 1824 were The Earl of Liverpool The Earl of Ripon The Earl of Aberdeen Lord Farnborough Sir George Beaumont, Bart. The Trustees at the present time (June, 1842) are The Duke of Sutherland The Marquis of Lansdowne The Marquis of Northampton The Earl of Aberdeen The Earl of Ripon The Lord Ashburton The Lord Francis Egerton The Lord Colborne Sir James Graham Sir Martin Archer Shee, P.R.A. William Wells, Esq. An anecdote, which influenced the purchase of the Angerstein collection, is told of the munificence of Sir George Beaumont, who actually presented and gave up the whole of his fine collection, valued at 7500 guineas, during his life-time; "Buy this collection of pictures for the nation," said he," and I will add mine." He reserved but a little Claude, (No. 61,) which he begged to keep as a companion till his death, after which mournful event it was returned by his widow. Next followed the bequest of the Rev. William Holwell Carr, of thirtyfive pictures, chiefly of the Italian school. Here, perhaps, is a suitable opportunity to point out the incompleteness of the Gallery in representing either the history of art or the characteristics of many of the greatest painters. A gallery, to be complete, point out the unsuitableness of the present building, and its urgent want of proper ventilation. Poor Mr. Wilkins, fettered by an incommodious space, and by orders from one not to hide St. Martin's portico; from another, not to have a lofty ascent; from a third, to make a thoroughfare through its centre; had best have washed his hands of it. ought to possess original specimens or good copies of pictures, beginning at least with the revival of painting. The absolute merit or demerit of works of art," well observes Mr. Eastlake, in Kugler's "Handbook of Painting," ," "is not, in the historian's eyes, the sole ground of interest, and a gallery of painting should, if possible, contain specimens of every remarkable period of art. In our own country, even the works of the Italians before Raphael have been hitherto scarcely considered worthy of attention; but this indifference to the early progress of imitation and to the historical associations connected with it, is happily fast disappearing." We cannot have Cimabue's frescoes from the Church of Assisi, or Giotto's from the Annunziata dell' Arena at Padua, but we can at least have, what is next best, good copies of them. Who that saw the copy of Michael Angelo's Sybil, shewn by Mr. Philipps in his lectures at the Royal Academy, does not feel how much might be done for the benefit of all students by vigorous copies, and especially of those who cannot travel to Rome? How many artists know little beyond the mere names of Giotto, Masaccio, and Fra Bartolomeo, and a host of others? Sebastian del Piombo's Raising of Lazarus is the only picture of the highest class of art which the National Gallery possesses. Correggio, Titian, Claude, the two Poussins, and Rubens, are perhaps as well represented here as need be; but it is hardly possible to say as much of any other great painter, though there is certainly one good specimen of Raffaelle, Francesco Francia, and Paul Veronese. In the Dutch and Spanish schools the Gallery is positively poor: something might be done by judicious exchanges or loans from other galleries. A Claude or two might easily be exchanged for some Venetian portraits, some Holbeins, and Tintoret's Muses, or Queen Esther, from Hampton Court. The diminutive size of the rooms is a great obstacle to the possession of many of the finest pictures, detrimental to many which it already contains and to their suitable arrangement, and a great drawback to the full enjoyment of the pictures. The want of ventilation is really worth serious consideration. One of the attendants observes, "Many people when they come in, say, 'I do not know how you bear it, the place is wretchedly ventilated. When the crowds are great, the heat is extremely oppressive, when they pull the windows down it causes such a draught that it is enough to give everybody cold; we have almost always colds in the summer time."--(Ev. ut supra, 2659, &c.) Yet I must find room and take leave to say a word or two to a certain class of visitors here. Because you are delighted with Constable's "Corn-field," or Hogarth's "Marriage-à-la-Mode," which speak to your comprehension, do not assume that you are entitled to toss up your head in disdain at Sebastian del Piombo, whose mysteries you have not yet fathomed. Thank God, rather, you are able thus far to sympathize with art, and pray for grace and understanding to march a step further. Exercise a little modest forbearance towards works which some part of the world have looked upon with reverence and emotion for three hundred years. Believe me, too, you are not able to digest all that is in the National Gallery, in a single or even many visits. Come here at least a dozen times in a year. Begin with a study of the English painters; then pass on to Rubens; and then to Murillo. You will afterwards chance to find some beauties in Correggio, and even take an interest in Francisco Francia, before you have done with the Gallery. But above all, whenever you visit these works of creative genius, which make their authors more divine than mortal, come in a spirit of lowliness and reverence, and you will assuredly depart all the wiser and better for doing so. F. S. August, 1841. "He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, 'Loose him, and let him go."" (John, xi. 43, 44.) This, doubtless, the grandest Italian Painting in our country, is the conception, if not the drawing, of the great Michael Angelo-critics dispute whether the figure of Lazarus was not actually painted by him-and was completed about 1519, by S. del Piombo, as a competitor and fellow picture with Raffaelle's Transfiguration, a copy of which, drawn in chalk by Casanova, is at Hampton Court. Both these masterpieces were produced by order of Pope Clement VII., and placed, when he was Archbishop of Narbonne, in the Cathedral of that city. From Narbonne, the Lazarus' was removed to the Orleans' Gallery, out of which it was bought for 3500 guineas, by Mr. Angerstein, who afterwards refused £20,000 for it.-Angerstein Collection. C. 12ft. 6in. by 9ft. 6in. 2. Landscape-Reconciliation of Cephalus & Procris, Claude. This pair, the subject of one of Ovid's fables, were constantly attempting to test each other's fidelity. Procris was accidentally shot in one of these trials by her husband. Painted about 1645. Angerstein Collection. C. 3ft. 4in. by 4ft. 5in. Some think a Music-master and Pupils would be a fitter title. Waagen considers that it is the work of Giorgione; but as it was in Charles the First's Collection, and called a Titian, there is good authority for giving it to this master.-Angerstein Collection. C. 3ft. 2in. by 4ft. lin. 4. A Holy Family Titian. From Borghese Palace. Beq. of W. H. Carr. C. 3ft. 5in. 4ft. 8in. Claude. 5. Italian Sea-port at Sunset Painted about 1644. Angerstein Col. C., 3ft. 3in. by 4ft. 3in. 6. Landscape-Sinon brought before Priam, Claude. Sinon, affecting to have escaped from the Greeks, appeared before Priam, and by his cunning and perfidy induced him to admit the wooden horse, filled with armed men, into Troy. Some authorities describe the present subject as David at the cave of Adullam. Painted in 1658. From the Chigi Palace. Beq. of W. H. Carr. C. 3ft.9in. by 6ft.2 in. 7. Study of Heads Correggio. This and its companion No. 37 are said to be copies, by A. Caracci, of the frescoes in the Cathedral at Parma. From the Orleans' Gallery. Angerstein Collection. C. 5ft. by 3ft. 6in. 8. Michael Angelo's Dream - Michael Angelo. On the authority of an old Italian print by Bonasoni, of some rarity, the design of this picture is attributed to M. Angelo; but there is no ground for supposing it was painted by him. From the Barberini Palace. Beq. of W. H. Carr. W. 2ft. lin. by 1ft. 9in. 9. Christ appearing to Peter Annibale Caracci. Fearful of martyrdom, St. Peter, flying from Rome, meets Christ, and asks, "Lord, where goest thou?" "To Rome, to be again crucified"-is the reproof of Peter's cowardice. It is hence commonly called the "Domine, quo vadis?" From the Borghese Palace. Purchased of Mr. Hamlet for £1500. W.2ft 6in. by lft. 9in. 10. Mercury instructing Cupid in the presence of Venus, Correggio. According to one tradition Cupid was the son of Mercury and Venus probably the painter here intends him to be between his parents. After an absence of two hundred years, the present bewitching picture returns to England. Transported at the sale of Charles the First's Collection into Spain, it remained there, until Murat, King of Naples, purchased it at Madrid. From Murat it passed to his widow, who sold it to the Marquis of Londonderry, of whom a judicious Parliamentary grant of £11,500, in 1834, purchased |