THE BRITISH INSTITUTION.

As we paced through the rooms of the British Institution on the pri- vate view day—glancing along that dreary length of what, with some few oasis-points, may, to all intellectual purpose be termed blank can- vass—our mind was made up to the conclusion that this year's exhibition is, beyond all its recollected predecessors, supreme in rampant mediocrity. But, being unwilling to do injustice even to the British Institution pic- tures of 1852, we looked back to the record of 1851; and, on striking a balance after thus freshening the memory, we think there can have been little in the way of superiority for the artists of either year to claim. We turn to oasis-point the first. Of the pictures of incident, by far the best is that by Mr. Scott, " Boc- caccio's Visit to Dantes Daughter " (435) ; where the poet's daughter, a sister in the convent of Santo Stefano dell' Illivo at Ravenna, receives from Boccaccio a present of ten florins, sent her by the Florentines. In fact, this is the only intellectual treatment in the rooms : and the indifferent position assigned to it is, if not exactly extraordinary, at any rate most hard to account for. The first thing that strikes one in this picture is the remarkable truthfulness of its light. Outside, it is hot day ; but within, shadow tempers it to coolness and quiet Beatrice Alighieri is teaching three of the convent-pupils to chant. As Boccaccio enters, she hushes them with a calm motion of the hand, and turns towards him with digni- fied composure. An attendant bearing the Florentine badge, who follows the envoy, fixes his gaze with seeming reverence upon her face—in which the features of the poet have been preserved. This personage is a youth : and it may probably have been the painter's purpose to indicate the love and respect for the great exile's memory and works growing up in mem- bers of a new generation. The head of Boccaccio himself, seems to us scarcely definite enough as a likeness or in expression; nor, unless there is some intention which we do not catch, do we understandwhy he should remain covered in the presence of the daughter of him he studied so lovingly and deeply. But the figure stands and moves with fitting manly grace. The accessories of the picture—the costumes and antique furni- ture, the sunny background, and the painted and curtained arches of the chamber—have been studied with evident accuracy, and contribute sen- sibly to the =strained and natural aspect of the whole. We seldom meet with a work by Mr. Hook in which there is so little to praise, or even to like, as in his "Olivia and Viola" (35) ; and the failure is the more to be regretted, as this, unlike others of his Shaksperean treatments, was a subject within the range of his powers, and of which he might have been expected to make something very graceful and sympathetic. The extreme earelessne.ss betrayed throughout, however, shows that he approached it in a spirit which could have no good result. Mr. Cruikshank produces a clever piece of devilry in "Tam o' Shaer" (421). The imp-peopled rafters, hellish owls, live-coal-eyed raven, and bibulous hog, are more grotesquely conceived perhaps than they could have been by any other artist in England ; and the grinning ghastly fascination of Tam's head peering out of the moonlight into the red devil- glare is excellent. But the whole is, naturally enough, a mere night- mare sketch, and of course, therefore, an inadequate illustration of a creation so " teres atque rotundus" as Burns's poem. The works of Mr. Glass are some of the most satisfactory on the walls. This gentleman has evidently a kind of real vocation towards episodes of launter and trooper life ; his men and horses seeming to have ase indissoluble an affinity as though they were actual centaurs. No. 70, "The Far West —a Gallop after Buffalo," contains simple and natural character, but with rather a wooden manner. The "Defeated Troopers" (186) has a good deal of variety in detail, while the general aspect of weariness and dis- comfort is well preserved, and the accessories are careful and appropriate : the least successful point is the chief figure himself; who looks insiplifi- cant ; but the horse is good. Another performance of some merit is the "Snake-catchers of Syria capturing a Cobra di Capello" (317), by Mr. Wines Maddox. Yet there is no promise here : the work is certainly not unworthy of commendation ; but there is nothing to be got out of it, no field for development ; all is barren, hard, and limited. Mr. Frith sends a pretty female head, which has been engraved—" Wicked Eyes" (95)—less painted up than what he does nowadays, but more natural and easy. Mr. Frost's diminutive "Galatea" also (373), has some tinge of that feeling of richness and the glow of beauty in which his more elabo- rate works are so signally deficient. Mr. F. Goodall's "Love-letter" (4) —with an attempt at a MuIready distance—is the old ware which we are so tired of seeing and describing, but which public and connoisseurs are not tired of admiring; and Mr. Le Jeune's contributions (91, 113) are the old bloodless Eastlakeisms and Raphaelisms.

Talking of bloodless Raphaelism, let us not forget bloodless Pre- Raphaelism—as recognizable in Mr. Rainford's " Hotspur and the

Courtier" (447)—an" unhandsome corpse" this, indeed, as need belooked for. But it is not a a slovenly" one ; and herein lies its only excuse. On the contrary, scrupulous painful industry is evident in it ; and doubt- less,. so far as correct, copyism goes, it contains some points of positive attainment. Even this is something, and something which there is no getting by other means. A well-earned claim to thus far is not to be despised, even when the sentence "no farther" has been irrevocably pronounced.

Mr. Nevrenham's "Princess Elizabeth examined touching her Religions Opinions" (57) and Mr. Gambardella's "Peace" (18)—a portion of a composition which was found "sweetly pretty" some years ago at West- minster Hall—are two of those obtrusive inefficiencies that will not allow, the critic to go his way in silence. The former artist's "Spanish Dance' 461is actually offensive in its coarseness : but his head of " Margaret " 270 —Faust

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's Margaret—is at least quiet. Mr. Brocky's " Whistle " 236 ; Mr. T. F. Dicksees wooden scene from the "Taming of the w (303), in which the only point at all characteristic is the broken nose of the pIaà4 classic bust; Mr. Gilbert's " Charge of Prince Rupert's; Cavalry at Naseby" (221)-not by any means equal to what he Can do- end his " Drawingroom at St. James's" (330) ; Mr. Naish's rather pretty

but iinventive fairyism (319) ; Mr. Peele's " Seamstress " (341), a creditable treatment as free from namby-pamby as the subject permits; Mr. Tiffin's "Delilah asking forgiveness of Samson" (465), a work not feeble, and with a feeling for colour ; Mr. W. 17nderhirs dexterous and attractive sketches (225, 311) ; and Mr. Mann's little domestic group (437), graceful in sentiment-are the remaining noticeable or not ex- pressly unnoticeable productions in this section. Among the single heads, the best is Mr. Woodville's " Syndic " (44)- carefully, solidly, but rather faintly, painted in the manner of the old Dutch 'portraits, and ranking with the most satisfactory works in the rooms. Mr. Phillips's female portrait-but a portrait is not a portrait in the British Institution, so the lady becomes El Suer's," (63)-has a pleasing gentleness in action and expression ; here however, the faintness of colour reaches a quite perverse excess. Mr. "Study from Nature" (78) is an innocent-looking and on the whole agreeable head of a young girl. The Academy is present in the person of Mr. Pickersgill, who ex-

hibits two truly wretched daubs (50, 151). Mr. Sant'a "Mother's Hope" (162) and "Music" (503) possess his usual cleverness, freedom of brush,

roundness of form, vividness, but not truth, of light, and general con- ventionality. A head by Mr. C. V. Foley (480) is handled with freedom, and in a practised style; and that by Mr. Gale (335) is fairly modelled. Of course the exhibition contains several good and some really superior landscapes : it would not be an English exhibition otherwise. The "Boar-hunt in England inthe Olden Time" (45), by Mr. Lismell, though it does not class with his very finest creations, is a work of manifest power : the mid-background, and massive windy heath-covered mound, especially impressive. Sir Edwin Landseer's "Deer-Pas" (58)-which is also more of a landscape than an animal subject-is quite extraordinary in slapdash execution. We cannot be content to call that facility in this great painter which in any one else -would be the most unpardonable slovenliness ; but his method is curious, and really amusing to witness ; and he does wonderful things with it, whatever it may he. There is not much snore work, more making out of parts, in any portion of this picture

-more particularly in all the scene, heath and rock, to the right of the herd of deer-than in the labours of a painter and glazier upon your

house-door. Yet the thing is expressed somehow, and felt unmis- takeably. To the left, the granite masses and the still mirror-like tarn are somewhat less sheer splash-work-though even the small apparent elaboration here is clearly not all obtained by what can be called paint- ing-and they are admirable anyhow : as, indeed, after all deductions, is the whole work considered broadly in its results. Mr. Creswick's two land- scapes are not remarkable ; though "The Drover's Halt" (146) is nice. Nor has Mr. Danby equalled his own best standard in the somewhat clammy sunset-dusk of "The Vale of Tempe" (109). Of Mr. T. Danby's two works, No. 133, "The Lake of Then," is exquisitely good. The laziness of sunlight-but a clear free laziness, with a bright open sky, the reddened snow-peaks seeming near in the luminous atmosphere and al- most equally distinct in the smooth lake-is most happily rendered; and

the two stranded -boats, with the luxurious sun-warm sleeper in one, keep up the feeling excellently. Perhaps the tone is a little too red : but the

work, though not highly finished, is especially well-drawn. Here too is the best picture we have yet seen from Mr. J. Danby-" Loch Lomond" (297)-in which the diffused light of the sun is managed with consider- able skill.

But the most decidedly poetical of all the landscapes appears to be- for it is impossible to speak with certainty of a picture hung above a door close to the ceiling-a "View from Ross, Herefordshire" (272), by a gentleman of whose name we have no recollection, Mr. G. Leftwich. Sunset goes downbeyond the waters, streaking and rippling the sky with pale crimson-not a mere studio sky. Opposite are deep masses of so- team tree and abaslow ; and a bevy of girls, disrobed for bathing, drift down the stream in a boat. Real power and insight, so far as we can judge, reveal themselves in this work : and we hope soon to meet Mr. Leftwich under conditions which will allow opinion to be something more than conjecture. Another meritorious work is "The Port of London" (157), by Mr. Dawson truthful in atmosphere and colour, and receding capitally in the distance. The style has some touch of Mr. Holland ; an artist who exhibits two or three of his always clever and telling, but sketchy, works. Mr. Lear, the talented Albanian journalist, displays his capabilities for a picture of large scale in No. 238, "The Acropolis of Athens, Sunrise: Peasants assembling on the road to the Pintas.' The figures here are as well drawn and introduced, and as picturesquely combined, as we ever saw figures in a landscape : the wide background wants character some- what ; but, te. at least a great extent, this is not the artist's fault. No. 28, by Mr. Robinson and No. 496, by Mr. F. C. Underhill, are palpable imita- tions of Mr. Anthony-both dexterous enough. Mr. Branwhite has fallen off this year. His works are all poor and flimsy: not only those which represent snow-scones, and where, having exhausted natural aspects pretty nearly, he seems to be trying unnatural ones. Mr. Oakes's picture, No. 141, "The Ogwiti near Pont-y-twr," dark and peculiar-looking, is the production of an artist who understands his subject well. A large-sized view, well painted, with bright agreeable greens and watery water, is Mr. A. W. Williams's "Summer Day" (511) : not far from which bangs out of sight an evidently originally treated and powerful "Sunset " (519), by Mr. E. T. Coleman. Messrs. Boddington and Percy exhibit a fair number of pictures, but none of them very important; the latter appearing to most advantage in the stormy gloom of No. 367. No. 239, by Mr. Bond ; No. 427, "London from the Old Kent Road," by Mr. R. Elmore-singular, but not untruthful ; a fresh landscape, No. 400, by Mr. Middleton, some- what between Creswick and Jutsum in style ; No. 466, by Mr. West;

No. 310, by Mr. Wilson junior-a good sea-piece ; No. 161,-b, Mr. Cob- bett-quiet, and with well-introduced figures, but wanting in colour; and No. 139, "Tam Samson's Grave," by Mr. Atkinson-should not be overlooked by the visitor ; neither should Mr. Rose's " Cairngoram Mountain" (510), for its amusing contempt of nature. In interiors,

there are two by Mr. Provis (23, 368)-nice, but over clean; a very brightly-coloured one (455), by Mr. Hardy; and "The Interior of a

Sindy " (433), by Mists L. hill-of dubious perspective, but evidently faithful and unaffected. " The Arbour" (87), by Mr. Cl. Smith, is a prettily-felt little bit ; and this gentleman has also a remarkably good candlelight effect in No. 149.

Mn An.sdell in animals sustains his reputation for ocereetnese and

knowledge; Mr. Horsing his for smoothness and imitation of Landseer. A Mr. Harry Hall, in No. 257, follows in Mr. Herring's steps with suc- cess about equal to his model, and a slightly less made-up aspect No. 261, "A Drove on the Downs," is by another artist comparatively tea- tried-Mr. H. Weekes junior. Here we recognize considerable natural cha- racter and a careful well-managed disposition of materials. The subject, not a very thankful one, could not easily have been made more of. Mr. Earl has some clever and cleverish studies; Mr. Dearman some nicely. toned pictures of small size; and Mr. Pocock's "Hounds running" (14) is a fair sportsmanlike specimen. There is truthfulness, but a deficiency of colour, in Mr. G. Landseer's "Common" (178), with donkies and ponies not tortured overmuch into composition; and a certain feeling for ele- gance-reminding one, of course at distance, of Sir Edwin-in the in- differently-drawn "Forbidden Fruit" (515).