This Morning with my Wife to the Exhibition of the Royal Academy, where
611 Paintings, besides Miniatures and other Drawings, and Pieces of
Sculpture, making altogether 1341 Works of Art, and methought it would
be strange if there were not some Masterpiece among so many. The Whole
to be seen for the small Sum of 1s., and the Catalogue cost me 1s. more,
but should have known all the old Hands as well without it. To see how
easy it is to distinguish them by their Styles after two or three Years'
Experience: as one by his Dogs, that might be expected to bark, or to
talk rather, with their Looks and Ways like Human Creatures. Then
another by his Colouring that do resemble a Mash of sweet Omelet with
all the Colours of the Rainbow and many more; which methinks is a
strange Fancy; but now he hath a Picture out of his trite Fashion; done
after the Manner of the antique Masters, and a good Imitation. A third
also by his unadorned Beauties with their glowing Eyes and Cheeks and
plump swarthy flesh, and a fourth by his never-ending Perspectives, and
Gulfs of Darkness, and Mountains of Blue. But this year I do mark fewer
of these old Acquaintances, and more of the Works of younger Men,
wherein there is less of Knack and more of Freshness, which I do esteem
a hopeful Sign. The Exhibition at large I judge to be a very excellent
middling one, many Pictures good in their Kind, but that Kind in very
few Cases high. The Silks and Satins mostly painted to Admiration, and
the Figures copied carefully from the Model; but this do appear too
plainly; and the Action generally too much like a Scene in a Play. In
the historical Pictures the Characters dressed strictly in the Fashion
of their Time, but in the best of them a Lack of Fancy and Imagination,
though seeming original through a certain Quaintness that do smack of
Church-Window Saints and illuminated Missals. The Landscapes better, and
a most brave Morning on the Lake of Zurich by one that hath the right
Stuff in him, and some sweet melancholy Shades and solemn Groves, and a
Solitary Pool that did please me mightily, and my Wife do say that the
Artist should be Commissioner of Woods and Forests. Some Pictures of
common Life pretty enough, and a little Crowd before a pleasant
sentimental one called the Duet. One or two droll ones, as the Slide,
and Drawing for the Militia, did make me laugh; but to think how many
Woodcuts as good as the best you can get in a little Miscellany
published weekly, cost you 3d. Fewer silly Portraits of Gentlemen and
Ladies than formerly, which is a Comfort. The Pictures fairly enough
hung, and strange to see a dead Lion between MONSIEUR GUIZOT and PRINCE
METTERNICH, as though to represent absolute Monarchy, and seemed meant
for a Joke. Some Pictures in the Octagon Room, which could not tell
whether they were good or no for Want of Light, and the same with all
the Sculptures in their Lumber Hole. This is how we treat Art in this
Country, and with Paintings presented to the Nation buried in a Vault,
but sorry Encouragement is given to Genius; and no Wonder that Artists
do Pictures for Furniture to sell to the great and small Vulgar, and so
produce the Kind of Works that make up the greater Part of the
Exhibition.
[Illustration: _A VIEW OF EPSOM DOWNES ON YE DERBYE DAYE._