The Art Union of London has done itself great credit
by publishing Mr. Noel Paton's Illustrations of Coleridge's Ancient Mariner. Much of the weird and unearthly spirit of the original has been infused into those pictures ; witness especially No. 18, where the pilot-boat puts out to meet the strange vessel that has sailed into port without a wind—" Dear Lord, it bath a fiendish look ;"—and again the "naked hulk," with her spectral crew, Death and Life-in-Death, casting dice, No. 9. The subjects are well chosen, on the whole, and even without help from the letter- press fairly represent the course of the action. The more crowded compositions are expressive and skilfully arranged, and contrast well one with another. Thus the dull and idle monotony of the frozen sea (No. 4) is succeeded by the bustle and welcome labour that comes with the albatross and "the good south wind" (No. 5). Observe, too, how incidents which are only suggested by the poem are translated into the new pictorial language, so as to make one picture tell a fuller tale than it could have done if confined strictly to any one point in the narrative. Such are the polishing of armour and other preparations for the landing which seems to men just escaped from a labyrinth of ice already near, (No. 5), and the bucket (No 7) hauled up full of water (" yet not a drop to drink") and of "slimy things that crawled with legs upon the slimy sea." One would have liked to see what Mr. Paton could make of the dead men that rose from the deck, and "gan work the ropes" and steer the ship ; but this was probably beyond the capabilities of mere outlines, such (or but little more) as these illustrations are. The Ancient Mariner himself is a disappointing figure—so very insignificant. Yet this may be right in one who so lightly shot the friendly albatross. We know not why the "seraph band" have in Mr. Paton's hands changed their sex from masculine to feminine (No. 15), nor bow, with oars so short from handle to rowlock, even the Ancient Mariner (unless he were the fiend the scared boy thought him to be) could manage his boat.
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