cient regulations, and after diligently confulting and deliberat ing upon each question, regularly inform us of the refult. This ed'et and notification extraordinary we now publifh for general information and obedience. Khin-tfe." The British public will doubtlefs be gratified to receive fo much infight into the manners of that extraordinary people, the Chinefe, as is conveyed in this work. ART. II. Elements of Art, a Poem, in Six Cantos; with Notes and a Preface, including Strictures on the State of the Arts, Criticifm, Patronage, and Public Tafte. By Martin Archer Shee, R. 4. 8vo. 400 pp. 13s. Miller. 1809. ONE σε fhort effay," faid Sir J. Reynolds, "written by a Painter, will contribute more to advance the theory of our Art, than a thoufand volumes, fuch as we fometimes fee, the purpose of which appears to be rather to difplay the refinement of the Author's own conception of impoffible practice than to convey ufeful knowledge or inftruction of any kind whatever *.” For this reafon, as well as many others, we rejoice in this profecution of Mr. Shee's plan, announced in his Rhymes on Art," and in the lectures which now from time to time appear from the most able profeffors of the English fchool. In his preface, the Author tells us that he had meditated a much more magnificent defign. "In one poem, of four parts, he had intended to treat at large, of the rife, progrefs, prefent ftate, and principles of painting. The firft part was to have unfolded its origin, progrefs and perfection amongst the ancients. The fecond, its revival and advancement amongst the Italians, Flemish, and French. The third, its rife, progrefs, and prefent ftate in Britain; and the fourth, was to have been devoted to a didactic ellay on its principles and powers. Upon this plan however, the Author had not proceeded far before he discovered, that his ambition furpaffed his ability; and that he had neither learning nor leifure fufficient for the task which he had propofed. The fubject fo branched around him in all directions; fuch "a fwarm of topics fettled on his pen," that he fhrunk from his undertaking, contracted his views, and contented himself with attempting to erect a fmall didactic lodge on the fite of the poetical palace which he had projected. "The volume therefore, which he now prefents to the public, with that which preceded it, completes the project of his humbler * Quoted here, page 19 n. hopes; hopes; although the two, include but a small portion of his original defign." P. viii. * Thus we are led to conclude, that we fee in this volume the termination of Mr. S's. poetical labours on his art. We truft, however, that, from a writer who feels fo ftrongly and fo juftly on the principles and practice of painting, we fhall continue to receive Effays, Lectures, or Compofitions of fome kind, which may tend to diffufe right feelings on thefe fubjects, and to render found knowledge and taste on the imitative arts lefs rare among us, than hitherto they have been found. We fhould fometimes even prefer preceptive profe to didactic poetry. We fay not this in depreciation of Mr. Shee's poetical talent. Of this we long ago delivered our opinion in very favourable terms t; nor have we any thing now to deduct from what we then allowed; for though his prefent poem will not certainly be fo attractive to the multitude as the former, though the difficulty of fupporting his flyle and correctness through fix Cantos of preceptive poetry must be seen, and will probably by fome cenfors be invidioufly pointed out, yet ftill we fee the fame mind employed; the fame vigour and originality; the fame power of exprelling clearly what he conceives ftrongly, and of expanding and confirming his ideas by various and appropriate illuftration. But, if he poffeffes this talent in poetry, it is ftill more remarkable in his profe: the labour of conftru&ting verfe secms to operate as a check upon his imagination, the ftrength and excurfive activity of which is among the moft remarkable characteristics of his mind. Though he cannot literally bę faid to imitate his great countryman Burke, yet he has certainly felt and admired him, and he pours forth images with almost equal felicity and variety. He rarely quits a fubject without two or three epigrammatic touches of allufion, yet it can rarely be complained that his illuftrations are either forced or affected. They feem to flow from the abundance of his conceptions, and to prefs forward uncalled, whenever his mind has been intenfely employed on any fubject of dif cuffion. We could collect a fufficient number of these inftances to aftonish and even fatigue our readers; yet in their proper places they are by no means fatiguing; there they give point and liveliness to the reafoning, and after the drynefs of difcuffion, relieve and repay the attention. Thus *This is more explicitly declared in the conclufion of the Preface. +. See vol. xxvi. p. 283. Q & after after arguing against his great predeceffor Reynolds, for the general fuperiority of Raphael to Michael Angelo, as a painter, which he does with becoming modefty, he thus concludes the comparison. * of "Michael Angelo was, perhaps, the greatest genius which the hiftory of the Art can boaft; he was certainly the greatest artift, but furely, not the greateft painter; here Raphael rifes to our view, and in every quality of good tafte, except that before conceded, takes the lead of his competitor, If the one has imagined a race of giants, the other has dignified the race of man. Michael Angelo fwells his fubject to his conceptions; Raphael fuits his conceptions to his fubject; the first shoots farther, but the fecond hits the mark. The one is a racer that paffes all his competitors, and then runs out of the courfe: the other with lefs mettle is more manageable, and wins the race by regulating his fpeed." P. 196. Here alfo his abundance of matter overflows into a note upon his note. Pleading for the emancipation of tafte, in all departments of polite art, from the fetters of arbitrary rules, he contrives, in conclufion, to give a good lesson to the reftlefs fpirits of the time, by contrafling their conduct with that of Poets, Painters, &c. "But we are taught to difcredit the prefent with all its ac cumulating advantages; we diftruft our own impreffions in compliment to thofe of our ancestors, and make a voluntary fur, render of our faculties to the influence of time and place. We cast our metal in the mould prepared for us, and take the fhape of our age, our country, and our school. "This quiet conformity is, perhaps, in religion and politics, the duty of a good citizen, for unfettled principles in either, are dangerous, and may tend to fhake our loyalty as fubjects, and our morality as men. Experience proves alfo, that in these two great concerns of human fociety, it is a hazardous and hopeless operation, to tamper with ancient prejudices and cftablished fyftems. Yet, here it is, that we are ever reftlefs and disobedi ent-always fermenting in perilous experiments of civil policy, or diffenting in pernicious fluctuations of religious faith; but all is orthodoxy and fubmiffion, where free-thinking might be in "The rank which Michael Angelo holds as a painter, he may be faid to deserve by a double title: it is maintained not only by what he has done, but by what he has enabled others to do. His daring genius firft opened the path in which others. have travelled beyond him; and Raphael, perhaps, is indebted to him for the improvement of thofe powers by which he furpaffed his benefactor," dulged Julged without the evils of infidelity, and liberty enjoyed with out the danger of licentioufnefs.” P. 238. Yet he cannot conclude without accumulating other illuftrations. "In Tafte, in Literature, and the Arts, there is surely, no good reafon why we fhould refign our charter, and preach up paffive obedience; in thefe tranquil purfuits, every man might reafonably be allowed to think for himfelf, without creating a fect or a faction, to disturb either the peace, or the devotion of fociety. Thefe are tracts, in which we might hope to roam at large, without being hedged in by authority, or reftricted to turnpike roads. Yet, we travel timorously through thefe de-. lightful regions; forbidden to deviate from the common track, however alluring the profpect; and carefully hoodwinked by the critic at every stage." P. 239. On the extravagance of those who rant upon the fublime, without any real conception of it, he thus writes. "Of all the qualities of Art, the fublime is that which appears to be the moft vague, irregular and undefined; fcarcely two writers are agreed as to its properties or powers: for inftruction, they give us declamation-for fettled principles, they produce difputable examples. It may be faid to be in fome measure, the intoxicating fpirit of Tafte-the infane point of the critical compafs; for thofe who talk rationally on other fubjects, no fooner touch on this, than they go off in a literary delirium; fancy themselves, like Longinus," the great fublime they draw," and rave like methodifts, of inward lights, and enthufiaftic emotions, which, if you cannot comprehend, you are fet down as un-illumined by the grace of criticism, and excluded from the elect of Take." P. 193. Similar allufions occur certainly in his Poetry, but not with equal fpirit and variety; and there, in one inftance at leaft, we find him almoft repeating himself. In page 12 he fays, "For as rich heirs who fquander without fenfe, So, genius without judgment ftill we find But fquanders wit, a prodigal of mind," At page 306 in Canto 5. "Flies, like a fpendthrift heir, from part to part, The following allufion, which concludes the third Canto'. is happy. "In Turkish ftate, immured from public view, 24 Where Where Painting's beauties fhine, fhut up with care, He allows, in another place, the liberal exceptions lately made by a few great collectors, the Marquis of Stafford, Earl Grofvenor, &c. But it is time to come to the plan of the Author's Poem, and the more particular character of his whole volume: yet though we think it due to our readers to, give fome view of the contents of the work, we find fo many higher objects of attention in it, that we shall be as brief as poffible in this defcription. Mr. Shee modeftly announces that the chief defign of his prefent work, to inftruct the young painter, and to point out to his inexperience the legitimate objects of his ambition, "Concerning the contents of his prefent volume, the Author has but little to obferve: as the title announces, they refer principally, to thofe early periods of ftudy, for the direction of which, former writers, have in a great meafure, neglected to provide. His work has no pretenfions to be confidered as a re gular treatife on painting; nor does it aspire to inftruct the enlightened Connoiffeur, or the accomplished Artift. To the un-. difciplined tyro of Tafte he would addrefs himfelf: he takes up the ftudent in the weak and helpless moments of inexperience, when, an infant in the nursery of Art, he begins to feel his feet, and moves in tottering apprehenfion: when all is doubt and indecifion-eagerness without object, and impetuofity without force or direction. He would, in fhort, furnifh the young painter with a guide, of which, at a fimilar period of study, the Author himself experienced the want: a guide, which though it may not fecure him from error, or conduct him to excellence, will at least tend to open the country to his view, to lead him. in the tracks of common fenfe, and ftimulate his powers, if it cannot ftrengthen them." P. X. We fhall fee, however, that the honeft ardour of the. artist has not been able to confine itself within these bounds; but has occafionally endeavoured, with patriotic ardour, as well as with enlightened fentiments, to improve and direct the general tafle of his countrymen, and to plead the cause of Genius against the mifcalculated eftimates of economists and politicians. Taking the most general view of his plan; Canto 1, explains the utility and operations of Tafte, Genius, and Judgment; the danger of partial views directed to any one branch of excellence, to the exclufion of others; and the means of acquiring a true taste. "Canto 2, notices the fludies fubfervient to the Art of the Painter, Anatomy, Perfpective, Architecture, and directs the ftudent to the study of Nature, and to the examples of a true |