When oil painting was introduced into Italy, and adopted by those who had practised in fresco, the habits which they had acquired led them to practise the methods with which they were most familiar. Their oil paintings were therefore generally painted from drawings, and, hence, the colouring was often from imagination or recollection, which sufficiently accounts for its deviation from nature; although it is frequently spread out with great beauty and airiness. Those painters who, it is agreed, excelled in colouring, almost always painted their studies in colours, by which they had a double chance of success, without vitiating their own powers of vision by the continual contemplation of highly wrought colourless forms, or transcripts in fanciful hues.
We had desired, after these observations on the subject of the arts, which it must be confessed form the topic of chief interest in perusing the volume of Mr. Peale, to add some remarks on the political and moral character of the Italians, as it appears in the unaffected and occasional observations which occur in regard to the people themselves and their institutions. There is in general a freedom from prejudice; a temperateness of expression; a mildness of judgment, and a clear and natural manner of relation, which do great credit to the author, and while they assist a reader in forming an opinion of his own, give strength to that expressed by the writer himself. Our limits, however, do not permit us to do so, and after the expression of this general opinion, we must refer to the volume itself for the evidence of its correctness. In concluding, we may respond to the sentiment of Mr. Peale, when on leaving Milan, he bade farewell to the arts of Italy.
"An Italian, not exempted from bigotry, discovered a new world for the emancipation of man. May America in patronizing the arts, receive them as the offspring of enlightened Greece, transmitted through Italy, where their miraculous powers were nourished in the bondage of mind. Let them in turn be emancipated, and their persuasive and fascinating language be exalted to the noblest purposes, and be made instrumental to social happiness and national glory!"
| [A] | [B] | [C] | [D] | [E] | [F] | [G] | [H] | [I] | [J] | [K] | [L] |
| [M] | [N] | [O] | [P] | [R] | [S] | [T] | [U] | [V] | [W] | [Y] | [Z] |
- Achilles,
- illustration of the effects of ennui in, [ 38].
- Acosta,
- commendation of tobacco, by, [149].
- Address of Convention of Teachers and Friends of Education at
Utica, &c.,
- notice of, [283].
- Alibert, J. L.,
- his Physiology of the Passions, &c., chap. XI. Ennui, reviewed, [ 33], &c. See Ennui.
- Aristotle,
- a prey to Ennui, [ 43].
- Augustus II. and III., Kings of Poland,
- reigns of, [469].
- Auto-biography of Thieves, [116], &c.
- tests of truth in marvellous narratives, [117], [118]
- first commitment to prison of James Hardy Vaux, Thomas Ward, and Vidocq, with the effect of placing young prisoners with old convicts, [119], [120]
- Vaux's account of a prison-ship, [121]
- necessity of solitary confinement, [ib.]
- evils from the slow operation of the law, [122]
- Ward's account of his first act of dishonesty, [123]
- his escape after horse stealing, [124]
- adventure of Vaux with Mr. Bilger, a jeweller, [126-128]
- robbery by Beaumont of the police of Paris, [128], [129]
- criminals the best police officers, [129]
- circumstances that led Vidocq to become a police officer, [130]
- his first capture, [131]
- arrest of a receiver of stolen property, [132]
- hazard police officers run, exhibited in the arrest of Fossard by Vidocq, [132], [133].