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We have to regret, that this is the only picture in the exhibition not painted by a professional artist. Though we are by no means desirous to see the walls of the exhibition room covered with the productions of boardingschool misses and young gentlemen, we cannot help expressing a wish that Mr Thomson's example were followed by those private individuals, whose progress in the art fully entitles their productions to be submitted to the public notice.

129.-Portrait of a Gentleman ( Gen. Maxwell.) H. RAEBURN.-To express every thing we could wish of this artist's productions, would, we fear, extend too far the limits of this critique; and it happily is unnecessary for us to state, with any minuteness of detail, the peculiar merits he possesses, which are so generally known, and have deservedly acquired for him so great a reputation. In our opinion, this may be considered one of Mr Raeburn's best portraits; altho', perhaps, the shadows in the face partake rather too much of a purple tint.— We shall have immediate occasion to speak at greater length of the productions of this artist.

/ 144.-Portrait of a Gentleman on Horseback, (Harley Drummond, Esq.) H. RAEBURN.We feel ourselves puzzled to point out which part of this picture most to praise. The colouring is harmonious, and forcible; the position of the figure is at once easy, graceful, and dignified; and the attitude ofthe horse, which is commanding, reminds us strongly of a portion of the celebrated picture of Charles I. and the Marquis of Hamilton, by Vandyck, in the collection of the Earl of Moray*, of which we have a spirited en

*This fine picture is at Dunabristle, a seat of the family, in Fifeshire, which they occasionally visit in summer.

This picture was some time ago discovered in a garret, and its excellence be

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graving by Strange. In this, as in the other pictures of Mr Raeburn, we particularly observe his great skill in the management of his back grounds.—-In expressing our opinion of this picture, we must, however, observe, that the right leg of the figure is perhaps too long, and the curvature of the horse's neck overstrained.

158.-Landscape Composition. J. FOULIS.-This picture is well composed; with a good warm tone of colour, although the penciling is perhaps rather slovenly. We notice with satisfaction the improvement of this artist.

166.-Portrait of James Byers, Esq. of Tonley. J MOIR.-This is a deeptoned, forcible picture; well drawn, and an excellent likeness of this accomplished Judge of the art.

Towards the close of the exhibition, this artist produced several other portraits, which reflect great credit on his talents.

183.-Portrait of a Gentleman, (Walter Scott, Esq.) H. Raeburn. To say that Mr Raeburn's portraits are admirable likenesses, is the least part of the praise they deserve. The figure of Mr Scott is in a meditating posture, seated beside a ruin, with a favourite dog, (to the poet's regret, alas! now no more) couching at his feet; and a castellated building is seen in the distance. Every one who is acquainted with Mr Scott's celebrity as a poet and antiquarian, must admire

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ing ascertained, was removed to the dining room. An old woman, whose business it was to clean the floors, having supposed that this picture would also be improved by a rub, set to work on it with sand, &c. ; but, fortunately, a person on whom nature had bestowed a small portion of discernment, entered the room, and interrupted her progress, else, this fine specimen of the art, (half of which, however, is considerably injured,) would have been destroyed for ever!

the judgment displayed by Mr Raeburn in the selection of these, and the other circumstances introduced into this picture. We consider the present as a striking instance of Mr Raeburn's scientific knowledge of the harmony of colouring: the greenish tone which pervades the whole is peculiarly pleasing. We are informed that this picture is the property of Mr Constable, bookseller; and would suggest to this enterprising publisher, that an engraving from it would form an agreeable and appropriate frontispiece to Mr Scott's works.

191.-Portrait of a Girl-candlelight. A. GEDDES. This artist has succeeded in producing the effect of candlelight, without making the tone of colour either too red or too yellow; a fault we observe in most pictures of this description. It reminds us a good deal of the style of Sir Joshua Reynolds, and is certainly a clever picture; although we would remark, that there is too much distance between the eyes of the figure.

196.--A Dream--a sketch. D. SOMMERVILLE. This is a small picture, something in Fuseli's style of subject. The conceit is happy, and the colouring judicious; but we object to the upright position of the dreamer.

Should Mr Sommerville intend to prosecute this species of composition, we would recommend to him to observe Mr Fuseli's regimen; in always eating a hearty supper of raw pork, and after laying himself flat on his back, consigning himself to the arms of sleep; in which situation,

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which is painted in a clear and brilliant style, and conveys the idea of the subject with considerable success.

206.--View in Cumberland. P.NAESMYTH.-On this picture the author has bestowed uncommon minuteness of penciling; a quality which we think rather unsuitable to the subject and size of this picture. We cannot perfectly reconcile ourselves to the colouring of the sky, which partakes too strongly of the ultramarine tint; yet the composition is very informed. The gleam of light in the distance has a happy effect, but it appears to us, that there is too much of a cold black tint in the shadow throughout the piece. On the whole, however, this picture is certainly entitled to great praise.

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We would take this opportunity of recommending to all those who are ambitious of excellence in this department of the art, an industrious cution of the practice of studying from nature, without which we think that a perfect acquaintance with colouring and effect cannot be correctly acquired.

207.-The Green Stall. A. FRA

SER.We augur much from this young artist's first display of his talents.This picture is well drawn, finely coloured, and full of character. The old woman appears doubtful of the piece of money offered to her by the girl who is making the purchase.--The still life, and indeed every part of the picture, seems to have been carefully studied from nature.

212.-Barber's Shop. J. Howe. This picture, which possesses a great deal of humour, is certainly the best of this artist's productions in the exhibition. The figure of the old man contemplating in the glass the incision in his chin, is very well expressed. We would recommend to this artist greater neatness in his pencil, and a more careful study of harmony in colouring, which would remove the effect we occasionally observe in his spotty pictures.

219.- Portrait of a Lady(full length) in candle-light. W. H. LIZARS. The present is by far the best effort of this artist's pencil we have seen. It is extremely well drawn, forcibly coloured, and, taken altogether, has more of the touch of a master than of one so young in the art. We think Mr Lizars's colouring in general too flo rid; but this observation does not extend to the picture just mentioned.

A: Kitchen. A FRASER-This picture was introduced only two or three days before the exhibition closed, but even during that period excited great interest. The figure of the game-keeper, who is delivering a hare to the cook-maid, is very freely drawn, and reminds us much of Morland's style. The cock, hare, and cod-fish, have doubtless been drawn from nature; indeed it is not in our recollection to have seen any modern production where the flexile, loose style of the fish, is better made out. The light is judiciously introduced; and were it not for the severe and harsh countenance of the cook, and the poverty apparent in the furniture of the kitchen, we should feel disposed to bestow on this picture very great praise.

Besides the pictures of which we have thus attempted to point out the beauties and defects, there were in the exhibition many others, which possess very considerable merit, but of which we could not take particular notice, without extending this sketch to too great a length. We observed many pictures, which, though evidently the productions of youth and inexperience, and consequently not fit subjects for particular criticism, yet display marks of such genius, as to afford room for hope, that their authors, with study and practice, will soon attain excellence in their profession.

An opposite reason has led us to a similar conduct with regard to the pieces of an artist, whose merit is now

too firmly, and too universally establshed, to require either explanation or support from our notice. Our readers will at once perceive, that we allude to the pictures by Mr Raeburn; to whose works we have not pretended to give that attention which to some persons they may have appeared to demand; but which, by the greater part of the public, they will by no means be thought to require.

It will be one of the many good effects of the Institution now set on foot, that it will afford a powerful stimulus to young artists, to exert themselves to the utmost, in obtaining a knowledge of their art, by shewing them, that now, merit and distinction will be constantly united, and that the most obscure individual will have an equal chance of public notice with the most. celebrated. This, it is true, in times past, has been too little the case ; and many a young artist, of promising talents has had his effort scramped, and the "genial current of the soul" frozen, by the languor and despondency which proceed from disappointed prospects, and ineffectual exertions. That the exhibition, if properly conducted, must remedy this evil, is obvious; and we hope, that before the end of another year, its good effects will appear from the vigour and spirit with which our artists will now prosecute their studies.

To conclude-We have to regret, that the walls of the Exhibition Room were not adorned by any productions from the elegant pencil of Mr Williams. We expected that he also would have contributed his share in promoting an institution of which. he cannot but approve; and we confess that it was with surprise that we found ourselves mistaken. Into this gentleman's reasons for not exhibiting, we cannot penetrate; but we sincerely hope that when the Exhibition again opens, it will owe a great share of its attraction to his productions.

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Recital of MR S. ELLISON's singular Escape from VERDUN. By Himself.

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Liverpool, July 3d 1809. As you wish to know how I effected my escape, I shall briefly give you the heads of it.-Last July a friend and myself determined to give the rascals the slip; but as both of us were entered into an engagement with eight more to our Commandant to be responsible for each other, and that if one ran away, the others should be imprisoned to get clear of that, we missed muster one morning, on purpose to get imprisoned, which succeeded. We had ropes round our bodies, saws, gimlets, &c. in our hats; and at 12 that night worked our way out, though surrounded with centinels. We got close to one, where we thought there had not been any; he hailed us, and we scampered off. He must have been a young recruit, for he did not give the alarm; and we got down the wall. The rope was so small, we could not hold it; and both of us fell about 50 feet; I was sadly hurt about the loins, and fainted as soon as I had reached the wood (where we had previously stowed our provisions.) My companion strained his ancle, and we stopped in the wood four days till he was able to march. We were taken on the 13th day, going through a small town at 11 at night, and conducted back to Verdun, where they kept me, hands and feet in irons, for seven days; and then sent us off to Bitche, which is a most dreadful place, and where they kept us in general under ground. It is a strong fort, built upon an amazing high rock, and surrounded at bottom by three different high ramparts: the rock is entirely hollowed out, and capable of containing the whole garrison, if besieged.' After being there a little time, we made interest with the Commandant to live above ground; and no sooner got possession of a room above stairs than we began to scheme

how to get out of it. There were twelve of us :-we first began manufacturing a rope, which we made out of new linen cloth that we got from town ; we then got a friend, who resided there, to get us a good gimlet; upon the 8th of December forced both locks on our chamber door, and cut through another one with the above instrument; and all of us got clear of the fort before eight o'clock, the time the additional centinels are put on. It snowed, and blew very hard, and was most terribly cold. We lay the next day in the snow ; and at night started again and got within two leagues of the Rhine by day-light.

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us, and clear of them whole country;

It had froze severely in the night, and was so terribly cold, that it would have killed us to have stopped that day in the woods; we therefore got into a barn, and lay very snug till four o'clock, when a pair of lovers coming in to enjoy themselves, discogave the alarm: we got but they roused the and at ten that night we were surrounded by 50 or 60 peasants: two of us escaped their clutches by going different ways; but were both taken a few hours afterwards. I was just stepping into a boat on the Rhine, when two custom-house officers got hold of me, and dragged me to my unfortunate companions; we were five of us in our party; the rest went different ways, and four of them got safe home. We were conducted back to the place we had left, and a little time after we were sent to Metz handcuffed, two and two, and then chained all in a string, so short that we had scarcely room to walk. We were sent there as evidence for the gend'arme who was upon guard the night we started: we acquitted him, and were twenty days travelling in that uncomfortable manner. In coming back, we passed through the depot of Sarre-Libre, where I got a friend to buy me a gimlet, being determined to escape or break my neck. The

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day we arrived at Bitche we were all clapped into a cachot about forty feet under ground. We had a guard-bed to lie upon, as the bottom was covered with water about six inches deep. After staying there three days, we got it made known to the Commandant that it was impossible for men to exist in that damp place. He ordered us a room up stairs in the same building; we had three doors locked upon us, a double row of iron bars before the window, and a centinel placed over us; however, we resolved to make an attempt by cutting through the ceiling. We cut up our sheets, blankets, shirts, and towels, of which we made a rope 130 feet long; and on the eleventh of February, at six o'clock, began, and at three in the anorning accomplished the business. The floor we cut through was two and a half inch oak. When we got there we found two windows without bars, that looked two different ways; it rained very hard, and we saw the centinel in his box at the opposite side from that we intended to descend, and all got safe out of the building, over two ramparts, when to our great astonishment we found a third, which we understood had not gone round that side of the fort; it was about 25 feet, and we had no rope for it; we all dropped safe, except the last, who broke his leg; the rest of us separated, but met again at Saltzburg. There were two with me. We slept in the woods by day, and travelled by night through a woody mountainous country. We took provisions along with us, and on the seventh day crossed the Rhine, which cost us thirteen guineas; we then had only nine left. We crossed Baden, Wirtemberg, and Bavaria, without passports, slept in the small villages at night, and went round all the towns, some of which we found great difficulty in rounding; however, on the 19th day we arrived safe at Saltzburg, and got our pass

ports for Trieste.-One of my companions was entirely knocked up; we gave him all the money we could spare to follow us in the Diligence; and we set out that night on foot and arrived at Trieste the seventh day; a distance of 260 English miles; and which the natives told us had never been done before in so short a time. We got a passage in an Austrian brig to Malta, then obtained a passage in his Majesty's bomb Lucifer, landed in Plymouth, and arrived in Liverpool-in three months and seventeen days.

"SEACOME ELLISON,

of the Rachel."

Letters descriptive of the MERMAID

seen on the Coast of CAITHNESS.

Letter from Miss Mackay, daughter of the Rev. David Mackay, Minister of Reay, to Mrs Innes, Dowager, of Sandside.

Reay Manse, May 25. 1809. MADAM,-To establish the truth

of what has hitherto been considered improbable and fabulous, must be at all times a difficult task, and I have not the vanity to think that my testimony alone would be sufficient for this purpose; but when to this is added that of four others, I hope it will have some effect in removing the doubts of those, who may suppose that the wonderful appearance I reported having seen in the sea on the 12th of January, was not a Mermaid, but some other uncommon, though less remarkable inhabitant of the deep. As I would willingly contribute to remove the doubt of the sceptical on the subject, I beg leave to state to you the following account, after premising that my cousin, whose name is affixed along with mine, was one of the four witnesses who beheld this uncommon spectacle.

While she and I were walking by the sea shore, on the 12th of January, about noon, our attention was attract

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