Fraser's Magazine, March 1846
(Go to Summary of review entitled 'Modern Painters,
etc', Fraser's Magazine, March 1846, pp. 358-68.)
His object... is this, viz. to bring us to a confession
of the fact, that we have been taught to admire the old masters before we
had learned our duty to their older mistress, Nature; and, further, that
we have allowed impressions, so made, to prevent or distort the truthful
imagery which, otherwise, Nature might have projected on the clear mirror
of our unsophisticated eye. (p. 358)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The most remarkable book which has ever been published in
reference to art. To the truth of all its principles we accord the fullest
and most entire submission... The author has made us clearly see much that
we had overlooked; and has, at least, stimulated in us an increased desire
for that knowledge of Nature, without which all patronage of art is foolery
and all criticism cant. (p. 367)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
That the work of the Oxford graduate has for its especial
aim the promotion of Landscape Nature as a great moral means, and the elevation
of the artist as the expounder of its mysteries, is sufficient to demand
for its author the highest respect of the ordinary observer on the one hand,
and the professional aspirant on the other. For our own parts, we are grateful
to him, not more for stimulating our regard for Art, than for teaching
us how to cultivate a thriving love for Nature. (p.368)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
We only regret... that he should so openly have proclaimed
himself the champion of Turner in particular... The Turneric might have
been advocated, without such an especial idolatry of the artist himself.
The pre-eminent genius of Turner might have been asserted, and sufficiently
proved, by reference to certain particular merits... but when such works
are alluded to as illustrating the graduate's theory of landscape perfection,
readers, less docile than ourselves, will visit, upon the very principles
of his book, the doubts which should only attach to the justice of some
of his examples. With these few qualifying remarks we take leave
of the graduate, hoping that the "word of promise" which he has left with
us, in respect to the continuation of his subject, will be speedily redeemed.
(p.368)
CW
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