der him
superior to what may be called the _second rate_ class of portrait-painters
in England.[194] His outline is often hard, and full of affectation of a
knowledge of drawing: his colouring is as frequently severe and metallic,
and there is rarely any expression of mind or soul in his faces. I saw at
Laugier's the other day, his portrait of Madame de Stael--painted from
_recollection_. He certainly had _forgotten_ how to _colour_ when he
executed it. Forster (a very clever, sensible, and amiable young man) is
busied, or rather has just finished, the engraving of a portrait of the
Duke of Wellington, by the same painter. What has depended upon _him_ has
been charmingly done: but the figure of the great Original--instead of
giving you the notion of the FIRST CAPTAIN OF HIS AGE[195]--is a poor,
trussed-up, unmeaning piece of composition: looking-out of the canvas with
a pair of eyes, which, instead of seeming to anticipate and frustrate (as
they _have_ done) the movements of his adversary, as if by magic, betray an
almost torpidity or vacancy of expression! The attitude is equally
unnatural and ungraceful. Another defect, to my eye, in Gerard's portraits,
is, the quantity of flaunting colour and glare of varnish with which his
canvas is covered.

The French cognoscenti swear by "the _swearing of the Horatii_" of David. I
saw a reduced copy of the large picture at the Luxembourg, by the artist
himself--at Didot's: and it was while discussing the comparative merits and
demerits of this famous production, that I ventured to observe that
Raffaelle would have drawn the hands better. A simultaneous shout of
opposition followed the remark. I could scarcely preserve common gravity or
decorum: but as my antagonists were serious, I was also resolved to enact a
serious part. It is not necessary to trouble you with a summary of my
remarks; although I am persuaded I never talked so much French, without
interruption, for so long a space of time. However, my opponents admitted,
with a little reluctance, that, if the hands of the Horatii were not ill
drawn, the _position_ of them was sufficiently affected. I then drew their
attention, to the _Cupid and Psyche_ of the same master, in the collection
of the Marquis of Sommariva, (in the notice of which my last letter was
pretty liberal) but I had here a less obstinate battle to encounter. It
certainly appeared (they admitted) that David did not improve as he became
older.

Among the Pain