THE MUSIC HALL-THE VESTIBULE.

been employed on the visages of the rougher sex, after producing its magnificent roll of court beauties. Gainsborough has a sweet picture of Miss Theodosia Macgill, which only tends to raise the estimation in which we have always held him as a portrait painter of a high class. The portrait of Sir Hugh Middleton seems to have no connection with its noble and regal companions; but the thought forces itself forward that the original was, of the whole series, the man who had fulfilled the most beneficial mission.

Turn we now, my friend, into the music-hall, pronounced by George the Fourth to be the finest room in England; yet, in this present time, we may dare to gainsay such an authority. It is, nevertheless, truly a gorgeous saloon, lofty, and of otherwise noble proportions; decorated somewhat after the fashion of Louis the Fourteenth's time, yet with less profusive elegance. The lower walls are one mass of polished white marble, before which are ranged sienna-marble pilasters, the upper portions of the apartment being ornamented with flowing scroll-work of burnished gold; the floor is of polished oak; and at one end of the saloon is a fine organ, below which a gallery is raised for the use of musical performers. Above the mantel-piece-the sculptures composing which, consisting of a shepherd and nymph, and a bas-relief of Aurora, are by Sir Richard Westmacott-hangs a picture far more likely to have been painted by Vandyke than any of the others which are attributed to him. It contains the portraits of Lords John and Bernard Stuart, the two young noblemen before alluded to, who died on the fields of Bramdene and Chester in defence of their kinsman King Charles.

One glance is sufficient for the adjoining vestibule-a small apartment fitted up in poor taste, the walls being partially covered with common fluted chintz drapery, and the remaining portions coloured in distemper. It contains a handsome jasper vase of large dimensions, the value of which is estimated at one thousand guineas. From hence a doorway communicates with the lawn, which, being open, we may venture to pass through, as here the best view is to be obtained of the Hall front. Inigo Jones's centre part has been highly extolled:-true enough, there is a certain degree of picturesqueness about it, and veryvery little taste; but yet it is the fashion to praise it, so we will

INIGO JONES'S FRONT.

forbear entering our caveat against the general voice. It is

now before you for your

own opinion.

We next make our way to the grand staircase, at the foot of which is ranged a series of marble busts, taken by us for those of the Roman emperors. As we are hurried forward up the steps, we cannot fail to notice the huge pictures with which the walls are decorated; but as these are left for our observation on our return from the picture and portrait galleries, whither we are about to be conducted, they require no present allusion.

Though the catalogue of the Cobham Hall pictures exhibits a pompous array of names of great painters, the collection itself boasts but very few really fine and genuine specimens, the larger part of which ordinary visiters are not admitted to see. Within the

room where we now stand, styled the Picture Gallery, the chief of the remaining works are disposed, the two finest among them being by Rubens. The subject of the one which faces us as we make our passage to the further end of the room, is the head of Cyrus brought to Queen Tomyris (56). The colouring of this picture is extremely rich; very bright, deep, and brilliantly glowing, yet not so excellent in these qualities as other works by the same master. The strange rich costumes

THE PICTURE GALLERY-RUBENS-GUIDO.

of the middle ages, adapted to this subject of classical antiquity, has an almost ludicrous appearance. The other painting by Rubens represents the conclusion of a boar hunt (81). Great animation pervades the whole scene. The chief of the foreground male figures are very forcibly painted, and that in a manner quite accordant with the vigorous energy of their characters and attitudes: the dogs are very finely treated, and are grouped, contrasted, and varied with great skill. This picture has lost much of its original warmth of colouring, and has become somewhat cold and gloomy; which would seem to have arisen from some picture cleaner having scoured, with unrelenting severity, the final delicate glazings of warm colour away from the surface.

There are a few fine sketches by Rubens in this room, from which we may select the one representing the Triumph of Henry the Fourth of France (41) as the best. In this work the grouping and composition are arranged with great ability; and boldness, variety, and contrast, are admirably united to harmony of colour and a luminous breadth of light. Another sketch, of lion hunting (52), is well worthy observation: herein the group presents a noble vigour and energy, which strongly reminds us of Leonardi da Vinci's famed Battle of the Standard. A third work, Boys blowing Bubbles (49) (very questionable as to the fact of its being by Rubens-which same query may be applied to many of the remaining pictures of the collection attributed to him), consists of two little monsters, badly drawn, and chubby to deformity, but painted with a very bright tint of flesh colour. One other small sketch by Rubens (42), very slightly and washily treated, of the artist's own family, is apparently a study for the centre group of a picture in the National Gallery.

There are two or three works by Guido here, the best among which is certainly the Daughter of Herodias with John the Baptist's Head (72). Very little doubt can exist of the excellence and genuineness of this picture. The principal heads are well painted; the general hue of colour which pervades throughout, though cold, is delicate and pleasant; - pale grey, green, pale yellow, and light pink of lake, compose the chief tints. The flesh is painted of a very pearly hue. Here is also a large,

THE PICTURE GALLERY-SALVATOR ROSA TITIAN-JORDAENS.

dark, heavy copy of Guido's Murder of the Innocents (77), from Sir Joshua Reynolds's collection:-the prints from the original picture are very well known. Several minor works that remain, to which the name of Guido is attached in the official catalogue, have always been considered of very dubious character as regards their genuineness. Portia eating Fire (38), one of this class, is quite offensive for its affectation of attitude.

In the end recess, nigh to Rubens's large picture, is the Death of Regulus (46), by Salvator Rosa, brought from the Colonna Palace at Rome. This work displays the artist's usual characteristic-rude, vigorous conception, worked out with extreme depth of shadow. In composition it is more extensive, and in execution it is more minutely finished than the generality of his productions. At the opposite end of the gallery there is another clever painting by Salvator Rosa, before which we may pause for a few minutes as we progress through; the subject is the philosopher Pythagoras instructing the Fisherman (11). We also noticed in different parts of the room, two smaller pictures by this master; one, The Birth of Orion (6); the other, Jason overcoming the Dragon (44).

A dark and damaged painting here by Titian,-portraits of himself and friend, Don Francesco del Mosaico-is placed at such an height that the detail can by no means be distinctly seen, yet we have little doubt but that it has once been a very fine work; the heads are grave in character, and full of senatorial dignity. Its bad state of preservation makes it appear far more dark and heavy in effect than otherwise would have been the case. Titian's portrait of the poet Ariosto (57), also hung too high for close inspection, is a fine picture: the expression of the face is intellectually keen and passionate. There are several other works in the collection attributed to this master, but only two among them are commonly shown. That of Christ Scourged (2), is indifferent, as regards composition, though the colouring is very golden and mellow.

Two paintings by Jordaens, worthy examples of this master's style, must not by any means be passed over. The man, woman, and parrot (68), is very fine-bright, and highly coloured. His Pomona (40), likewise possesses that lustrous brilliancy of effect which, as was remarked by Reynolds, almost surpasses the power displayed even by Rubens himself.

SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS-JANETTE-SPAGNOLETTO.

Sir Joshua Reynolds's Samuel Called (12) is far from so fine a picture as the celebrated original at Knowle House. Sir Joshua repeated this subject far more frequently than any other of his works; and in the choice and arrangement of the colours in the painting before us, he seems to have made great variation from the Knowle and Dulwich versions. A finely painted head of Mrs. Monk (78), by Reynolds, will be sure to attract attention, for its beautifully calm and dignified expression of countenance. One of the most curious pictures in the collection, if it be a genuine one, is a full-length portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots (33), said to be painted by Janette. Herein this princess is attired in a rich black dress, trimmed with fur; in the back-ground, beneath an inscription, is a miniature representation of her execution. A duplicate of this work is to be found in the Queen's gallery at Windsor.

Two full-size pictures from the Orleans collection, by Spagnoletto-Democritus, the laughing, and Heraclitus, the crying philosophers (86 and 93), are detestably vulgar as works of art; they are fitting companions to a life-size sloppy sketch, by Harlowe, of a Dominican monk (80), with monstrous nose, and hideously cadaverous hue of colour. No one of refined taste

should own such works as these. There are constantly displayed, amongst the endless heaps of anomalous rubbish for sale in Wardour Street, pictures and copies which may be purchased for a few shillings, that are gems compared with these odious deformities pictorially perpetrated.

In contrast to such productions, we are glad to find here a large copy, though a somewhat dark and heavy one, of Raffaele's celebrated picture of the Transfiguration.

On the mantel-piece in the further recess, may be seen a marble bust of John, Earl Darnley, the collector of most of these works; and on the tables that are ranged along the centre of the gallery, are some fine Etruscan and other vases.

Now that our prosaical disquisition on the merits of the chief pictures in the Cobham collection is concluded, follow us into the portrait gallery and glance your eye over its contents, ranged without the least regard to chronological classification, and see whether you can discover among the fifty works hung round the