Earlier and later
pictures are but a few inches of face to several feet of figure and
costume, and more insignificant than the latter because seldom so well
done; and I suspect the same would generally be the case now, only that
the present simplicity of costume gives the face a chance to be seen.
I was interrupted here, and cannot resume the thread; but considering how
much of his own conceit the artist puts into a portrait, how much
affectation the sitter puts on, and then again that no face is the same
to any two spectators; also, that these portraits are darkened and faded
with age, and can seldom be more than half seen, being hung too high, or
somehow or other inconvenient, on the whole, I question whether there is
much use in looking at them. The truest test would be, for a man well
read in English history and biography, and himself an observer of
insight, to go through the series without knowing what personages they
represented, and write beneath each the name which the portrait
vindicated for itself.
After getting through the portrait-gallery, I went among the engravings
and photographs, and then glanced along the old masters, but without
seriously looking at anything. While I was among the Dutch painters, a
gentleman accosted me. It was Mr. J------, whom I once met at dinner
with Bennoch. He told me that "the Poet Laureate" (as he called him) was
in the Exhibition rooms; and as I expressed great interest, Mr.
Pages:
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778
779
780
781
782
783
784
785
786
787
788
789