of the elementary principles of his peculiar style. Tivoli is well known to have been another, to which he made frequent journeys with Claude of Lorraine. The present work is treated in his best manner. It belonged to the late Mr. W. H. Carr, and was purchased by him from the Corsini palace at Rome.

A WOMAN BATHING; OR, PEASANT LAUNDRESS. REMBRANDT VAN RHYN.

REMBRANDT'S "Woman Bathing," and his "Christ pardoning the Hebrew Adultress," were placed next to each other in the National Gallery, [No. 100, in Pall Mall,] with the utmost propriety, since they reflect such light on each other, as, while it shows either picture to advantage, shows also the versatility and the wide reach of Rembrandt's power over the instruments of his art, and the vast extent of his ample domain as a colourist and master of chiaroscuro. The former picture has resulted from the bold and rough energy and rapidity which characterised the artist and the man; the latter unites the utmost richness of colour and grandeur of effect, with the most patient and delicate pencilling, and an exactitude of manual skill, well suited to the miniature dimensions of the figures and other objects that enter into the multifarious composition.

It must be confessed that the woman bathing is homely in her aspect, and even somewhat coarse. Mr. Ottley seems not sorry to get rid of her, by briefly informing his readers that the picture is "marvellously painted, and that he wishes the artist had

had a better subject:" a wish, in which nearly every one will join, excepting perhaps a few lovers of obscure jokes: but critics have public duties to perform; and where they cannot be very exactly "descriptive," or "explanatory," it is the more incumbent upon them not to sink all else in silence; and not to allow it to be inferred that nothing can with propriety be said, because every thing may not be said with propriety.

The worse the subject, the more merit is ascribable to the artist who produces a good picture. In Lord Byron's friendly controversy with the Reverend Mr. Bowles, he strenuously maintains his favourite position, that it is what any given work of art derives from the mind of the artist, and not its local or proper subject, or the ideas or objects of which it is constituted, which make it admirable, or otherwise. How much his lordship would have rejoiced in this vrow, from the pencil of Rembrandt, as an exemplification of his doctrine.

In country places where there are rivers, the peasant laundresses not unfrequently cleanse foul linen by trampling, precisely in the manner that is here depicted; and we have little doubt that in some tributary streamlet of the Rhine, on the banks of which the painter is well known to have passed his youth, he has witnessed-perhaps from some cottage windowperhaps from some peep-hole in his father's mill-a similar exhibition; and, struck with the picturesque boldness of its chiar-oscuro, has hastened with his pencils to record and perpetuate the fact. It may have been-nay, it appears by no means improbable -that the very picture before us has been painted under these hasty circumstances; and the head and

back-ground finished up afterward in the studio,—in so far as they are finished: but, in fact, the whole picture exists as if by the power and creative energy of the artist's pencil, guided by genius. It is a light shining in darkness: it is glory emanating from obscurity and the vulgarity of the subject is nearly hidden and lost in the sublime fervour with which the work must have been accomplished. Let any other artist labour at this subject for weeks, and he shall not produce half the effect that this great master -or this great magician, rather of the Art, has conjured up while a sturdy laundress of the Rhine was cleansing a few kerchiefs.

In Goethe's fine poem of Faust-a work performed with kindred ardour to the present-we find the fellow student of his hero lamenting in some such strains as follow. We quote them because it affords a pertinent illustration, applicable to all those pursuits and productions of art which emanate from genius, as contrasted with those of the labour, study, and inclination, which are too often mistaken for genius. It is part of a dialogue between Dr. Faust and his fellow student, or pupil.

WAGNER. Ah! when a man is condemned to his study, and hardly sees the world of a holiday— scarcely through a telescope-only from afar-how is he to lead it? How is he to secure its approbation, or obtain its praise?

FAUST. Oh, if you don't feel it, you will not get it by hunting for. If it does not gush from the soul and subdue the hearts of all hearers with original delight-sit at it for ever; glue together; cook up a hash from another's feast; and blow your own little heap of ashes into a paltry flame! - You may indeed

gain the admiration of children and apes, if you have a taste for it; but you will never touch the consenting hearts of other men, if it does not flow fresh from your own.

Now what Goethe has thus predicated of successful poetry and science, is precisely what Rembrandt has here accomplished in painting. Look at the

handling and touch! You may trace through their rapidity, every movement of his hand and pencil, and how consecutively it has all worked together, to produce a miraculous effect!

As the subject will readily be allowed to be somewhat less agreeably interesting than would be Diana and her nymphs, or the triumph of Amphitrite, the spectator's mind is left more at leisure to dwell on its technical or professional merits, and the spirit by which they are animated; and if lines of beauty and gracefulness do not predominate, the eye may still luxuriate on the admirable manner in which the round of harmony is filled up.

From the collection of the Rev. W. H. Carr.

JESUS CHRIST PARDONING THE HEBREW
ADULTRESS.

REMBRANDT.

FROM Rembrandt's "Woman Bathing," we turn with a feeling nearly allied to amazement at the extraordinary versatility of his powers, to this magnificent display of rich colouring, combined with powerful and solemn chiar-oscuro, and the most patient and delicate pencilling, or manipulation. It is in this latter respect so superior to the average works of Rembrandt, and

so unusual withal, that its execution has sometimes been erroneously, and by the minor critics, attributed to Gerard Douw (who was Rembrandt's pupil) and sometimes to Eckhoudt. It was never doubted that Rembrandt must have been the architect of the work, or suspected that either of these could have been more than the builder; and even this task has been latterly, and we believe justly, conceded to the master-genius of the Rhine, who, doubtless, must have possessed the power of producing it-if he could command the necessary patience.

That he was occasionally thus patient and thus minute, we see by the diligent productions of his etching-needle; and since, as has been recorded, it was painted during the earlier portion of Rembrandt's career, for his friend and patron the burgomaster Six; the fact of its being the production of his hand, as well as mind, needs no longer be questioned. Youth is the season of the patient manual operation of a painter, and minute diligence alone gratified the indigenous taste of Holland and the Low Countries.

Throughout his scriptural productions, it is obvious that Rembrandt has not been critically versed in the sacred costume of the Hebrews. We are here introduced to the interior of the second temple of Jerusalem; yet he produces no ark, cherubim, table of shew-bread, mercy-seat, or golden candelabrum with its planetary burners. He would not have cared to consult Montfaucon or Calmet, had their works been then in existence: or to refer to the arch of Titus for authority, had it stood in the next village. A few trophies of ancient armour, and a few oriental dresses, were the antiques of which he boasted, and with which he adorned his studio, and assisted his pro