His Grace the Duke of Hamilton, somewhere about fifteen years back. To expatiate upon the absurdity which parted with it from Gopsal, in strong terms, would seem like a regret that it is, now in the metropolis; a feeling that I cannot entertain, since otherwise I might never have had the satisfaction of comparing it with Earlom's print. Although I had not the honour to be known to His Grace, I took the liberty to communicate my wish to inspect the picture, and from the country orders were transmitted to give me every accommodation for that purpose. As it was placed near the top of the room, it was taken carefully down, and put in a proper light for examination. It had been removed from its ancient frame, into one of greater value, but less interest. The portrait is on panel, and attention will be required to prevent a splitting of the oak in two places,* if my eye have not deceived me. Ireland. Captain Alexander Radcliffe, in his "Ramble," evidently points at Mrs. Hughes. "Should I be hang'd, I could not chuse 66 Seeing that Mistress Margaret "So fine is." Vide Granger's Bio. Hist. vol. IV. p. 190. * I was not aware that Mr. Boaden looked with but one eye, at the time; as this circumstance may account for his not having a full sight on the subject, I have the satisfaction to state, this por It is no made up questionable thing, like so many that are foisted upon us. It is an early picture by Cornelius Jansen, tenderly and beautifully painted. Time seems to have treated it with infinite kindness; for it is quite pure, and exhibits its original surface. The epithet gentle, which cotemporary fondness attached to the name of Shakspeare, seems to be fully justified by the likeness before us. The expression of the countenance really equals the demand of the fancy; and you feel that every thing was possible to a being so happily constituted. I had supposed, although I knew Earlom to have been a great mannerist, that with some little allowance for his peculiar style, he would have been kept, by Mr. Jennens's veneration for the poet, in some measure faithful to the picture. But he had been faithless beyond measure; and, indeed, none of the parts were accurately reduced by him. He had lessened the amplitude of the forehead—he had altered the form of the skull he had falsified the character of the mouth-and though his engraving was still beautiful, and the most agreeable exhibition of the poet, I found it would be absolutely necessary to draw the head again, as if he had never exercised his talents upon it. trait is split in two places, which I could discern at the distance of twenty yards, one is through the same part of the forehead as the Felton picture, but by what means produced I cannot say, nor can I think it is by the aforesaid "Egyptian oven."—A. W. The noble possessor of the picture afforded every facility to the artist for this object; and Mr. Turner has produced an engraving in consequence, which may be considered as giving the genuine character and expression of the picture. Mr. Turner thought, in examining the liberties taken by Mr. Earlom,* that he had, however, judged wisely, in not copying the • I very luckily possess all the engravings done from this, and no two are like each other. Respecting the first print by Earlom, I cannot perceive the liberties taken which Mr. Boaden states, the satin dress is not so bright as the picture, nor so dark as Mr. Turner's engraving. If I have any judgment on the subject, the latter would have been much improved if all that the picture represents had been given, but I rather think Mr. Boaden has shown us his taste was more on the saving plan, than Mr. Turner's taste or judgment, when it is well known that the latter prefers putting a hand in a picture for which he charges five guineas, and I cannot think he would have engraved the body for less, when decorated with satins; exclusive of which, that artist has always shewn us what is really good taste, and is very opposite to his Shakspeare, though what he has delineated is well done. The engraving executed by Earlom for Mr. Woodburn some few years ago, is, as to the effect, very good, but very differeut to the picture; he has given a light back-ground, which, by no means injures the head; quite the reverse, for it accords with the ruff and figured dress, and is, altogether, in perfect harmony: but as a likeness to the face of the picture, it is a failure. Earlom's first print has also been copied in mezzotinto, by R. Cooper, for the proprietors of the London Stage, 1823. It has no excellencies fit to be recorded: this engraver has chosen to make the cheek on the distant side appear rather before dinner than after. The eyes are too, circular; on the whole, the true character of the picture is lost; but in Earlom's, it is its chief excellence. The latter has been copied by Gardner, of a less size, and in dots. I hope he is sensible it possesses no merit. A.W. figured satin of the dress. In the picture, the charm of colour blended the pattern and the ground into one rich mass, and it by no means injured the expression of the head; but in the print, it would have disturbed the grand effect, to have imitated such trivial parts; he, therefore, with my entire concurrence, kept the dress dark, that the brilliant effect of the head might be quite undisturbed. Comparing it with the other portraits, it certainly most resembles the head by Droeshout in the folio 1623. But, as works of art, the rudeness of the one is as obvious as the refinement of the other. Still as fidelity was equally dear to both the artists, in their very contrasted styles, they alike, though not equally, exhibit the countenance of the poet, and thus illustrate and confirm the representations of each other. At the conclusion of this article, I sieze the opportunity of expressing publicly my respectful acknowledgments to the possessor of this noble portrait; and am truly happy in laying before the public a most beautiful engraving from the portrait of Shakspeare by Cornelius Jansen, in the collection of His Grace the DUKE OF SOMERSET. At the close, as I conceived, of my inquiry, my attention was excited by the publication of a small Head of the Poet, from an original picture in the possession of J. W. Croker, Esq. M. P. I sent for the engraving, and found it a very unfaithful and poor attempt indeed, to express the picture by Jansen. The next step, in course, was to see the work from which it professed to be taken. Mr. Croker with the utmost readiness indulged my curiosity, and agreeably surprised me by the sight of an absolute fac simile of the Duke's picture. I see no difference whatever in the execution-the character of course is identical. It should, however, be observed, that although the Duke's picture is on panel, Mr. Croker's is on canvas.* I must add to this remark, that the picture on canvas has no date or age painted upon it, and that the portrait is an oval within a square; in other words, the angles are rounded off. The mode, Mr. Croker tells me, in which the picture was discovered, was singularly remarkable. It was hidden behind a panel, in one of the houses lately pulled down near the site of Old Suffolk-street, and he purchased it in a state of comparative filth and decay. It has been very judiciously cleaned and lined, but no second pencil has ever been allowed to touch it. This discovery of pictures, behind wainscoting, is not unusual, particu • This is certainly a very good copy, and is on a three-quarter canvas, which is larger than the original. Mr. Robert Cooper is the engraver of the print taken from it; and although he has done many fine plates of distinguished characters in his time, he has made Shakspeare look, in this instance, like an idiot.-A, W. |