among all writers, we welcome him, and we hope to see the
best of his book, which is its thoughts, appropriated by the large and
restless class of critics, connoisseurs, and patrons of Art, which has
multiplied so rapidly in this country during the last four years. Our
patrons of Art will find matter of great importance to them in the
chapter entitled, "Picture Buying, Wise and Foolish." It is true that
they will be taught to correct some errors, that they will be convicted
of mistakes of judgment, and forced to admit that they own much
worthless Art-work in pictures that have come from the easels of famed
painters; but they will also be made to know certain general truths
which will profit them, whenever applied. In our examination of the
nature and quality of Mr. Hamerton's writings about Art we have had
frequent occasion to observe an absence of taste in its most just
measure, and the dominance of the conversational in the style and tone
of his communications. This is so striking a characteristic, that we
might almost say that he is often caught in undress. He makes us sure
that he has no mental toilette and robes for great or public occasions.
We do not reproach Mr. Hamerton that he is so frank; we do not regret
that he is honest, and scorns literary padding and stilts and stays,
when he appears in public. We simply regret that he does not care to add
to his clearness and force of statement a literary artist's appreciation
of the appropriate and beautiful. A more just taste would have removed
much matter purely personal; and more artistic skill would have made the
same more agreeable, if retained. In reading the chapter called
"Transcendentalism in Painting," which is a very skilful and convincing
application of the matter of Emerson's essay on that subject to Art and
artists, we were impressed with the downright earnestness and force of
exposition of the writer. The chapter is a sufficient explanation of the
inactivity of great, and of the extravagant demand and unrest of young
painters, and it contains superb tributes to Ruskin and Holman Hunt. Mr.
Hamerton also shows that the transcendental tendency belongs necessarily
to all men, in some stage of their career, who have reached
commanding eminence. He briefly glances at the life and works
of the great Leonardo, and declares that he is the prince of
transcendentalists,--that, unhappily, he always remained more or less in
subjection to the transcendental tendency. H