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firmness of colour, and lightness of handling wh produce the most natural and splendid harmony. Indeed we can trace the principles of colouring introduced by Rubens, and diffused by his pupils, VanDyke, Jordaens, Jeneirs, and Snyders into every walk of the art, wh renders the Dutch school so completely a school of colour for the contemplation of the student. Sr. Joshua says, "The same skill wh is practiced by Rubens and Titian in their large works, is here exhibited, tho' on a smaller scale. Painters sh? go to the Dutch school to learn the art of painting as they wd go to a grammar school to learn languages. They must go to Italy to learn the higher branches of knowledge. We must be contented to make up our idea of excellencies from the excellencies wh are dispensed over the works. A practical imagination, expression, character, or even correctness of drawing, are seldom united with that power of colouring, wh would set off those excellencies to the best advantage; and in this perhaps no school ever excelled the Dutch. An artist by a close examination of their works, may in a few hours make himself master of the principles on wh they wrought, wh cost them whole ages, and perhaps the experience of a succession of ages, to ascertain.

Fig 21 "A Family Group" by Rubens. This is the picture mentioned by Reynolds in his description of the Dusseldorf Gallery. "Over the door is a portt. of a lady, whole length, with her hand on a dogs head; a gentm. behind; a boy, (her son) by her side, with a hawk; and a dwarf behind the dog. This is called Lord and Lady Arrundel; but certainly does not contain their portts. The arms on the curtain have a lion & unicorn for supporters, & the garter as a label under." Notwithstanding these remarks of Sr. Josha, I believe the pic does contn. the portts of Ld & Ly Arrundel, and that the arms are correct, viz

a lion and horse; with the shield red and white. The principal lights are composed of delicate cols. viz the blue, gray, & yellow of the sky; white dog; head & hands of the lady; boys head; & hawk. The principal mass of dark is the ladys blk. dress, diffused by the dull blue curtains, jacket & sleeve of the dwarf, spots upon the dog, carpet, etc. On examining the cols. of this pic, we find them divided into a mass of hot and cold; the cool colour spread over the light, is carried into the shadow side by the grey hawk, the boys' ruff, some cool grey in contact with his red dress, some blue figs upon the carpet. - The yellow dress of the dwarf is repeated by the stockings of the boy & fig behind being of the same colour; and some gold embroidery upon his dress. The boys' red dress & carpet, make the principal mass of red; it is bro't in contact with the black, also by the chair being of the same colour, & carried over to the cool side of the pict. by the red mantle of the arms upon the curtain, its strings & tassels. We here perceive the green situated between the blue & yellow, & the red interwoven with the mass of dark. This practice of keeping the red on the shadow side of the pic, Rubens learned of the Venetian paintings, as by its strength it wd. destroy the breadth of light, but supports the shadows & prevents them from being heavy. We may also notice that red is a colour falling into shadow when a pict is placed in a faint light, & that in twilight it becomes a dark. this may be one reason why black & red produce harmony, & contribute to the richness & strength of a work. If the shadow of a pict be supported by warm colours, [[strikethrough]] nothing [[/strikethrough]] the effect must be splendid even tho' the light should be cold; but if the warm & strong cols. be used in the light, & surrounded with cool cols, nothing will prevent the work from being heavy & flat. -