time the fpots and pictures are fhuffled, they afford fresh entertainment; but this is by no means the cafe with regard to news-papers; for when you have once perufed the four pages of unconnected occurrences, and mifcellaneous advertisements, the abrupt tranfitions from article to article, without the smallest connection between one paragraph and another, overload and confufe the memory fo much, that, when you are queftioned, you can never give a tolerable account of what you have been reading. Hence it is, that one fo often fees people perufe two or three news - papers, and throw them down, one after another, with the conftant complaint of, Not a fyllable of news-Nothing at all in the papers, to the great difcredit of thofe daily vehicles of intelligence, and the great detriment of you, Sir, and the rest of your brethren. Now, this is extremely unjuft; for the fault (as already hinted) is not in the news-papers, but in the readers having taken too copious a dofe, confifting of an olio, or mixt compofition of politics, religion, picking of pockets, puffs, cafualties, deaths, marriages, bankruptcies, preferments, refignations, executions, lottery-tickets, India bonds, Scotch pebbles, Canada bills, French chicken-gloves, auctioneers, and quack-doctors. What a curious jumble is this, and what wonder is it, that four folio pages of it, confifting of four columns each, fhould prove too potent a dofe for the memory of most readers ? But in pursuing this matter, I had almoft loft fight of the point I had originally in view, when I began this letter; which

was to fhew, that neies-papers, as well as cards, were capable of affording a variety of entertainment. At prefent I shall only mention one improvement in reading the papers, which we practifed in the country with great fuccefs; and that was, after we had read the Public Advertiser in the old trite vulgar way, i. e. each column by itself downwards, we next read two columns together onwards; and by this new method found much more entertainment than in the common way of reading, with a greater variety of articles curioufly blended, or ftrikingly contrafted. In fhort, blind chance brought about the ftrangest connections, and frequently coupled perfons and things the most heterogeneous, things fo oppofite in their nature and qualities, that no man alive would ever have thought of joining them together.

placidis coeunt immitia, Serpentes avibus geminantur, tigribus agni.

As I always carry a pencil in my pocket, Mr. Printer, I ufed to fet down thofe that were most remarkable; and now fend you a collection of them, to be inferted in your paper. I hope my very good friend and patron the public will receive this attempt with his usual candour and indulgence, as it tends to promote the practice of reading, and to enlarge the circle of innocent amufement.

I am, Sir,

Your very humble fervant,

PAPIRIUS CURSOR.

Yesterday

Remarks on some paffages in Mr. Webb's Enquiry into the beauties of painting, Sc.

TH

HE author of the following Remarks has been fo highly delighted in the perufal of Mr. Webb's book, in which there appears fo much learning, fo much good fenfe, fo fine a tafte, and fo many excellent obfervations, that it is not without fome reluctance that he finds himself obliged to differ, in fome few particulars, from this ingenious writer; but the opinion he has of Rubens (perhaps partiality for him) is fuch, that he hopes to be excufed in endeavouring to vindicate that painter's character.

Pag. 13, 14. The first affections of the eye are always ill placed; it is enamoured with "the fplendid impofitions of Ru"bens," &c.-Why impofitions, by way of reproach? when, in a proper fenfe, it would be the highest praife; for the very bufinefs of painting is to impofe; and he who does it most effectually is the greatest artist.

It may juftly be faid of Rubens, that in many refpects he has had no equal; and particularly in colouring, not only as to the truth of the local colours, but in all the effects produced by colours; in the chiaro ofcuro, or general light and shadow, in the keeping or degradation, in the arrangement or diftribution of the parts, fo as to produce a great and beautiful whole, or tout enfemble, as the French exprefs it. And as to the drawing, in which he has been thought, by fome to be deficient, who have dwelt too much on a few negligen. ces, owing merely to the rapidity VOL. IX.

of his pencil; in drawing, or de figning, he feems as much fuperior as in any of the other effentials, efpecially after fome allowance made for the ftyle of his firft manner, which kind of allowance, or indulgence, is never refused to any other mafter, not even Raphael, who ftands in as much need of it to the full as Rubens. His beft works difcover great knowledge of anatomy, a correctness of cutline, a certain truth of character, an ease of action or motion, a force and spirit beyond what is to be feen in any other pictures whatfoever; and fuch an apparent facility in the execution, as at once convinces the fpectator of the readiness of his apprehenfion, and the certainty of his principles.

When his anatomical knowledge is mentioned, he will probably be compared with Michael Angelo; who is generally allowed the most knowing of all in this part. Michael Angelo, it is true, has marked the mufcles in their places, perhaps, with the greatest juftnefs; but Rubens, only, feems to have known their use, and the different appearances they exhibit in action and at reft; in fo much that one fees their energy collected (as it were) to a point, in certain movements; and hence it follows, that his figures appear more animated than thofe of other painters. Many of their laboured figures feem motionlefs, though intended to reprefent immediate action.

To confirm and corroborate thefe obfervations on the genius, penetration, and spirit of Rubens, it may be added, that he alone has fucceeded in fubjects that require the moft quick and lively conceptions, and where nothing more

Q

could