which he wrought; his colours seem, as it were, dabbed on the canvass; and one might suppose them to have been worked upon it with some coarser instrument than a painter's brush, Many painters indeed when they represent any striking effect of light, leave the touches of the pencil more rough and strongly marked, than the quality of the objects themselves seems to justify; but Rembrandt, who succeeded beyond all others in these forcible effects, carried also this method of creating them further than any other master. Those who have seen his famous picture in the Stadthouse at Amsterdam, may remember a figure highly illuminated, whose dress is a silver tissue, with fringes, tassels, and other ornaments, nearly of the same brilliant colour: it is the most surprising instance I ever saw of the effect of that rough manner of pencilling, in producing what most nearly approaches to the glitter and to the irritation which is caused by real light, when acting powerfully on any object; and this too with a due attention to general har

mony, and with such a commanding truth of representation, as no high finishing can give*.

* The following anecdote of Sir Joshua Reynolds, which a friend of mine heard from a pupil of his who was present at the scene, will serve as a further illustration of the subject; and I trust will not be unacceptable to the reader. This pupil going one day into Sir Joshua's painting room, found him in a state of perplexing contemplation; he had been endeavouring to produce a glitter on a piece of splendid drapery, which occupied a very interesting situation in the centre of the eye of his picture, and never could do it to his mind: he tried again and again; rubbed it out; took snuff with unusual energy, but all would not do. He now looked for some time despondingly on the picture, playing with a large hog's brush which he held in his hand at length he began to move backwards towards the chimney with his brush behind him, till his heel kicked the fender; when stooping sideways, he thrust the brush into the ashes and cinders. His face then assumed a look of hope mixed with exultation, and having just wiped off a portion of the cinders on the carpet, he advanced towards his work, and grouted on the remains of them upon the part where he wished the brilliancy to be produced, crying out with a triumphant air, "that will do."

His object, which was accomplished by a kind of instinct, seems to have been this; to lay on such a ground for the reception of the proper colours, as by facing the

Rembrandt, it is well known, had scarcely any idea of beauty or elegance; and as little of that grandeur in the human form, which results from correctness and fulness of outline, added to nobleness of character. He had however a grandeur of his own of a mixed and peculiar kind, produced by the arrangement of his compositions, and even by the form of many of the objects themselves, when set off and partially concealed by the breadth and the disposition of his light and shadow. In that branch of his art in which he is so pre-eminent, he often produces a mysterious solemnity, which impresses very grand ideas, and which I am persuaded would add no small degree of grandeur to the figures and compositions of the higher schools. Rembrandt has great variety and truth of expression, though seldom of an elevated kind; one figure of his, however, the Christ

light in a number of different directions might produce such a flicker, as could not be given by putting on the co lours in the common way upon a smooth surface,

raising Lazarus,--for the simple, yet commanding dignity of the character and action, is perhaps superior to that of any painter who has treated that awful subject. I do not recollect any other figure of his in that style equally striking; but should the Christ be a single instance, it still may shew that genius was not wanting, though early education and habit, and all that he saw around him whether in nature or in art, had given a different bias to his mind. That bias seems to have been towards rich, and picturesque effects, especially those of light and shadow; and the figures, dresses, buildings, scenes which he represented, though they occasionally produced grandeur, were chiefly chosen with a view to such effects. What was his opinion of studying the antique, may be inferred from an anecdote mentioned in his life: he carried one of his visitors into an inward room, and shewing him a parcel of old fashioned dresses, and odd bits of armour, "there," said he, "are my antiques."

Rubens, though he set a just value on ancient statues, and though he endeavoured to gain a more chaste and correct outline by copying, and, as it is said, by tracing the outlines of drawings that were excellent in that respect, could never overcome his original bias. Indeed it may ad. mit of some doubt whether a strict attention to such excellencies be compatible with that peculiar spirit and effect which his works display; and whether he might not have lost more on one side, than he would have gained on the other. Much certainly may be done by early and constant practice, but correctness and purity are allied to caution and timidity; and to be in a high degree correct and chaste in form, spirited in touch, rich in colouring, and splendid in effect, is a combination of which the art of painting since its revival, can hardly be said to have given any perfect example.

As the most exquisite of the ancient statues are the acknowledged standards of grandeur and beauty of form, combined with purity and correctness of outline, so