Gainsborough's landscapes, that, during an illness, he had one hung in his chamber, that he might see it through the opening of his bed-curtains.

Gainsborough's earlier landscapes are imitations of the manner of Wynants; they have the same clayey and sandy grounds, and a similar arrangement of objects to that which is seen in the smaller pictures of that eminent master. He had a second manner, more original and more English, but rather heavy. His last manner may be seen in the Market Cart and the Watering-place, in the National and Vernon Galleries. The Market Cart was purchased at Lord Gwydir's sale, in 1828, for 1,1027. 10s. Lord Northwick possessed a duplicate of this fine picture in his gallery at Cheltenham.

GAINSBOROUGH AND LEE.

The appearance in Blackwood's Magazine of a critique on the Royal Academy Exhibition, 1842, the writer of which preferred Mr. Lee, R.A., to Gainsborough, drew from Mr. Ruskin the following admirable exposé of the critic's shortcomings in his craft. The controverted passage is: "He (Mr. Lee,) often reminds us of Gainsborough's best manner; but he is superior to him always in subject, composition, and variety.'

"Shade of Gainsborough !-deep-thoughted, solemn Gainsborough-forgive us for re-writing this sentence; we do so to gibbet its perpetrator for ever, and leave him swinging in the winds of the Fool's Paradise. It is with great pain that I ever speak with severity of the works of living masters, especially when, like Mr. Lee's, they are well-intentioned, simple, free from affectation or imitation, and evidently painted with constant reference to nature. But I believe these qualities will always insure him that admiration which he deserves— that there will be many unsophisticated and honest minds always ready to follow his guidance, and answer his efforts with delight; and therefore, that I need not fear to point out in him the want of those technical qualities which are more especially the object of an artist's admiration.

Gainsborough's power of colour (it is mentioned by Sir Joshua as his peculiar gift,) is capable of taking rank beside that of Rubens; he is the purest colourist-Sir Joshua himself not excepted-of the whole English school; with him, in fact, the art of painting did in great part die, and exists

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not now in Europe. In management and quality of single and particular tint, in the purely technical part of painting, Turner is a child to Gainsborough. Now, Mr. Lee never aims at colour: he does not make it his object in the slightest degree-the spring-green of vegetation is all that he desires; and it would be about as rational to compare his works with studied pieces of colouring, as the modulation of the Calabrian pipe to the harmony of a full orchestra. Gainsborough's hand is as light as the sweep of a cloud—as swift as the flash of a sunbeam; Lee's execution is feeble and spotty. Gainsborough's masses are as broad as the first division in heaven of light from darkness; Lee's (perhaps necessarily, considering the effects of flickering sunlight at which he aims) are as fragmentary as his leaves, and as numerous. Gainsborough's forms are grand, simple, and ideal; Lee's are small, confused, and unselected. Gainsborough never loses sight of his picture as a whole; Lee is but too apt to be shackled by its parts. In a word, Gainsborough is an immortal painter; and Lee, though on the right road, is yet in the early stage of his art; and the man who could imagine any resemblance or point of comparison between them, is not only a novice in art, but has not capacity to be ever anything more. He may be pardoned for not comprehending Turner, for long preparation and discipline are necessary before the abstract and profound philosophy of that artist can be met; but Gainsborough's excellence is based on principles of art long acknowledged, and facts of nature universally apparent."—Notes to Preface to Modern Painters, vol. i. second edition.

HENRY FUSELI, R.A.

BIRTH AND PARENTAGE OF FUSELI.

Henry Füessli (for such is the family name), the second son of John Caspar Füessli, was born Feb. 7, 1741, N. S., at Zurich, in Switzerland, which place had been the native place of his family for many generations. His father, John Caspar, a painter of portraits and landscapes, was also distinguished for his literary attainments. He married Elizabeth Waser, and by this marriage he had eighteen children, three of whom only reached manhood: Rodolph, who became a painter; Henry; and Caspar, well known for his able works on entomology.

Henry received his early education from his mother; and he profited much by the society of Solomon Gessner, the poet and painter, who was his godfather. Henry showed very early a predilection for drawing and for entomology; but his father designed him for the clerical profession. He discouraged the idea of his being an artist, probably from thinking that he would never excel in the mechanical part of painting; for in youth he had so great an awkwardness of hand, that when precious articles were shown to visitors, his father often said: "Take care of that boy, for he destroys or spoils whatever he touches." He always spoke of his age with reluctance. Once, when pressed about it, he peevishly exclaimed: "How should I know? I was born in February or March-it was some cursed cold month, as you may guess from my diminutive stature and crabbed disposition."

Notwithstanding sore discouragement, young Fuseli bought with his pocket-money candles, pencils, paper, &c., in order to make drawings when his parents believed him to be in bed. Some of these early sketches are still preserved; and among them is one of "Orestes pursued by the Furies," telling the story wonderfully for a boy eleven years of age.