was, that those copies afterwards would be sold for originals, and thus by multiplying, depreciate the value of the collection. Mr. Kraye answered, that those who could make such copies were not persons who spent their time in copying at all, but made originals of their own invention; that the young students were not likely to make such copies as would pass for originals with any but the ignorant; and that the mistakes of the ignorant were not worth attention: he added, that as his Highness wished to produce artists in his own country, the refusing such advantages to young 'students would be as unwise as if a patron of learning, who wished to produce scholars, should refuse them the use of a library. The Elector acquiesced, and desired him to do whatever he thought would contribute to advance the art.

FIRST ROOM.

The first picture which strikes the eye on entering the gallery, is a Merry-making of Jordaens, which is by far the best picture I ever saw of his hand. There is a glow of colours throughout, and vast force; every head and every part perfectly well drawn: vulgar, tumultuous merriment was never better expressed and for colouring and strength, few pictures of Rubens are superior. There is a little grey about the women's dress; the rest are all warm colours, and strong shades.

Four whole-length pictures by Vandyck, all

dressed in black; three men and one woman. They are all fine portraits, in his high-finished

manner.

Christ with a cross, receiving the four penitents, Mary Magdalen, Peter, David, and the penitent thief. This picture does no great honour to Vandyck; the head of the Magdalen is badly drawn, and David is but a poor character: he looks as much like a thief as the thief here represented: the naked arm of Christ is badly drawn; the outline quick and short, not flowing: the only excellence which this picture possesses is the general effect, proceeding from the harmony of colouring.

Here is an immense picture of Gaspar de Crayer, mentioned, not on account of its excellence in my own opinion, but from its being in such high estimation in this country; and it is certainly one of his largest works. Though it cannot be said to be defective in drawing or colouring, yet it is far from being a striking picture. There is no union between his figures and the ground; the outline is every where seen, which takes away the softness and richness of effect: the men are insipid characters, and the women want beauty. The composition is something on the plan of the great picture of Rubens in the St. Augustins at Antwerp; that is, the subject is of the same kind, but there is a great difference indeed in their degree of merit. The dead and cold effect of this picture, as well as many others of modern masters in this gallery, sets

off those of Rubens to great advantage. It would be a profitable study for a young painter to look from those pictures to Rubens, and compare them again and again, till he has investigated and fixed in his mind the cause and principles of such brilliant effects in one instance, and of failure (when there is a failure) in the other.

Dead game, Boar and Stag-hunting, by Snyders, De Vos, Fytt, and Weeninx: the Weeninx is the most remarkably excellent.

"Take up thy bed and walk," by Vandyck, in the manner of Rubens. This picture appears to be painted about the time when he did that of the Four Penitents; it has the same defects and the same beauties.-A print by Pontius.

Soldiers playing at Moro; a duplicate of one in the gallery of the Duke of Rutland.-Valentine.

A Pieta, by Vandyck, in the manner of Rubens. Mr. Kraye is of opinion, that it is painted by Rubens: this difference of opinion among connoisseurs shows sufficiently how much the first manner of Vandyck was like that of Rubens. He is almost the only instance of a successful imitation: however, he afterwards had a manner of his own.

St. John is blubbering in a very ungracious man

ner.

The attitude of the Christ would be admirable, if the head had not so squalid an appearance. The whole figure of Christ is equally light; which, with the help of the white linen on the Virgin's knee, makes a large mass of light: her head and

the head of Mary Magdalen make the lesser lights. St. John's drapery, which is a light red, makes the light lose itself by degrees in the ground.

SECOND ROOM.

In the next room are these admirable pictures, by Vandyck; St. Sebastian, Susanna, and a Pieta. The first two were done when he was very young, highly coloured, in the same manner as the Jupiter and Antiope at Mr. Dasch's, at Antwerp, a picture on the same subject in the possession of Lord Coventry, his own portrait at the Duke of Grafton's, and the portrait of Rubens in my possession: he never afterwards had so brilliant a manner of colouring; it kills every thing near it. Behind are figures on horseback, touched with great spirit. This is Vandyck's first manner, when he imitated Rubens and Titian, which supposes the sun in the room in his pictures afterwards, he represented the effects of common day light: both were equally true to nature; but his first manner carries a superiority with it, and seizes our attention, whilst the pictures painted in his latter manner run a risk of being overlooked.

The Pieta is also finely coloured (though not of that splendid kind), correctly drawn, and finished with the utmost care and precision.

There are likewise three other pictures of Vandyck in this room; one of them is the Virgin and Child, and St. John; the Virgin looking down on

the St. John, who is presenting his label to Christ. The two others are small pictures; the Assumption of St. Rosalia, and the Virgin presenting St. Rosalia to the Trinity; both very indifferent performances.

Three whole-length portraits of ladies. Of that in black the colours are flown; her face is whiter than her linen.-Vandyck.

A Girl sleeping on the ground, by Amoroso; simple and natural.

But the picture which is most valued here, and which gives name to the room, is the Gerard Douw; a Mountebank haranguing from his stage to figures of different ages, but I cannot add—of different characters: for there is in truth no character in the picture. It is very highly finished, but has nothing interesting in it. Gerard Douw himself is looking from a window with his palette and pencils in his hand. The heads have no character, nor are any circumstances of humour introduced. The only incident is a very dirty one, which every one must wish had been omitted; that of a woman clouting a child. The rest of the figures are standing round, without invention or novelty of any kind. This is supposed to be the largest composition that he ever made, his other works being little more than single figures, and it plainly appears that this was too much for himmore than he knew how to manage. Even the accessories in the back-ground are ill managed