253. The reader may perhaps recollect a very beautiful picture of
Vandyck's in the Manchester Exhibition, representing three children in
court dresses of rich black and red. The law in question was amusingly
illustrated, in the lower corner of that picture, by the introduction of
two crows, in a similar color of court dress, having jet black feathers
and bright red beaks.
254. Since the first edition of this work was published, I have
ascertained that there are two series of engravings from the Bible
drawings mentioned in the list at p. 50. One of these is inferior to the
other, and in many respects false to the drawing; the "Jericho," for
instance, in the false series, has common bushes instead of palm trees
in the middle distance. The original plates may be had at almost any
respectable printseller's; and ordinary impressions, whether of these or
any other plates mentioned in the list at p. 50, will be quite as useful
as proofs: but, in buying Liber Studiorum, it is always well to get the
best impressions that can be had, and if possible impressions of the
original plates, published by Turner. In case these are not to be had,
the copies which are in course of publication by Mr. Lupton (4 Keppel
Street, Russell Square) are good and serviceable; but no others are of
any use.--[Note of 1857.]
I have placed in the hands of Mr. Ward (Working Men's College) some
photographs from the etchings made by Turner for the Liber; the original
etchings being now unobtainable, except by fortunate accident. I have
selected the subjects carefully from my own collection of the etchings;
and though some of the more subtle qualities of line are lost in the
photographs, the student will find these proofs the best lessons in
pen-drawing accessible to him.--[Note of 1859]