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artistic whole； and tries to translate those impressions into
words； to give； as it were； the literary equivalent for the
imaginative and mental effect。 He was one of the first to develop
what has been called the art…literature of the nineteenth century；
that form of literature which has found in Mr。 Ruskin and Mr。
Browning； its two most perfect exponents。 His description of
Lancret's REPAS ITALIEN； in which 'a dark…haired girl； 〃amorous of
mischief；〃 lies on the daisy…powdered grass；' is in some respects
very charming。 Here is his account of 'The Crucifixion；' by
Rembrandt。 It is extremely characteristic of his style：…
Darkness … sooty； portentous darkness … shrouds the whole scene：
only above the accursed wood； as if through a horrid rift in the
murky ceiling； a rainy deluge … 'sleety…flaw； discoloured water' …
streams down amain； spreading a grisly spectral light； even more
horrible than that palpable night。 Already the Earth pants thick
and fast！ the darkened Cross trembles！ the winds are dropt … the
air is stagnant … a muttering rumble growls underneath their feet；
and some of that miserable crowd begin to fly down the hill。 The
horses snuff the coming terror； and become unmanageable through
fear。 The moment rapidly approaches when； nearly torn asunder by
His own weight； fainting with loss of blood； which now runs in
narrower rivulets from His slit veins； His temples and breast
drowned in sweat； and His black tongue parched with the fiery
death…fever； Jesus cries； 'I thirst。' The deadly vinegar is
elevated to Him。
His head sinks； and the sacred corpse 'swings senseless of the
cross。' A sheet of vermilion flame shoots sheer through the air
and vanishes； the rocks of Carmel and Lebanon cleave asunder； the
sea rolls on high from the sands its black weltering waves。 Earth
yawns； and the graves give up their dwellers。 The dead and the
living are mingled together in unnatural conjunction and hurry
through the holy city。 New prodigies await them there。 The veil
of the temple … the unpierceable veil … is rent asunder from top to
bottom； and that dreaded recess containing the Hebrew mysteries …
the fatal ark with the tables and seven…branched candelabrum … is
disclosed by the light of unearthly flames to the God…deserted
multitude。
Rembrandt never painted this sketch； and he was quite right。 It
would have lost nearly all its charms in losing that perplexing
veil of indistinctness which affords such ample range wherein the
doubting imagination may speculate。 At present it is like a thing
in another world。 A dark gulf is betwixt us。 It is not tangible
by the body。 We can only approach it in the spirit。
In this passage； written； the author tells us； 'in awe and
reverence；' there is much that is terrible； and very much that is
quite horrible； but it is not without a certain crude form of
power； or； at any rate； a certain crude violence of words； a
quality which this age should highly appreciate； as it is its chief
defect。 It is pleasanter； however； to pass to this description of
Giulio Romano's 'Cephalus and Procris'：…
We should read Moschus's lament for Bion； the sweet shepherd；
before looking at this picture； or study the picture as a
preparation for the lament。 We have nearly the same images in
both。 For either victim the high groves and forest dells murmur；
the flowers exhale sad perfume from their buds； the nightingale
mourns on the craggy lands； and the swallow in the long…winding
vales； 'the satyrs； too； and fauns dark…veiled groan；' and the
fountain nymphs within the wood melt into tearful waters。 The
sheep and goats leave their pasture； and oreads； 'who love to scale
the most inaccessible tops of all uprightest rocks；' hurry down
from the song of their wind…courting pines； while the dryads bend
from the branches of the meeting trees； and the rivers moan for
white Procris； 'with many…sobbing streams；'
Filling the far…seen ocean with a voice。
The golden bees are silent on the thymy Hymettus； and the knelling
horn of Aurora's love no more shall scatter away the cold twilight
on the top of Hymettus。 The foreground of our subject is a grassy
sunburnt bank； broken into swells and hollows like waves （a sort of
land…breakers）； rendered more uneven by many foot…tripping roots
and stumps of trees stocked untimely by the axe； which are again
throwing out light…green shoots。 This bank rises rather suddenly
on the right to a clustering grove； penetrable to no star； at the
entrance of which sits the stunned Thessalian king； holding between
his knees that ivory…bright body which was； but an instant agone；
parting the rough boughs with her smooth forehead； and treading
alike on thorns and flowers with jealousy…stung foot … now
helpless； heavy； void of all motion； save when the breeze lifts her
thick hair in mockery。
From between the closely…neighboured boles astonished nymphs press
forward with loud cries …
And deerskin…vested satyrs； crowned with ivy twists； advance；
And put strange pity in their horned countenance。
Laelaps lies beneath； and shows by his panting the rapid pace of
death。 On the other side of the group； Virtuous Love with 'vans
dejected' holds forth the arrow to an approaching troop of sylvan
people； fauns； rams； goats； satyrs； and satyr…mothers； pressing
their children tighter with their fearful hands； who hurry along
from the left in a sunken path between the foreground and a rocky
wall； on whose lowest ridge a brook…guardian pours from her urn her
grief…telling waters。 Above and more remote than the Ephidryad；
another female； rending her locks； appears among the vine…festooned
pillars of an unshorn grove。 The centre of the picture is filled
by shady meadows； sinking down to a river…mouth； beyond is 'the
vast strength of the ocean stream；' from whose floor the
extinguisher of stars； rosy Aurora； drives furiously up her brine…
washed steeds to behold the death…pangs of her rival。
Were this description carefully re…written； it would be quite
admirable。 The conception of making a prose poem out of paint is
excellent。 Much of the best modern literature springs from the
same aim。 In a very ugly and sensible age； the arts borrow； not
from life； but from each other。
His sympathies； too； were wonderfully varied。 In everything
connected with the stage； for instance； he was always extremely
interested； and strongly upheld the necessity for archaeological
accuracy in costume and scene…painting。 'In art；' he says in one
of his essays； 'whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing
well'； and he points out that once we allow the intrusion of
anachronisms； it becomes difficult to say where the line is to be
drawn。 In literature； again； like Lord Beaconsfield on a famous
occasion； he was 'on the side of the angels。' He was one of the
first to admire Keats and Shelley … 'the tremulously…sensitive and
poetical Shelley；' as he calls him。 His admiration for Wordsworth
was sincere and profound。 He thoroughly appreciated William Blake。
One of the best copies of the 'Songs of Innocence and Experience'
that is now in existence was wrought specially for him。 He loved
Alain Chartier； and Ronsard； and the Elizabethan dramatists； and
Chaucer and Chapman； and Petrarch。 And to him all the arts were
one。 'Our critics；' he remarks with much wisdom； 'seem hardly
aware of the identity of the primal seeds of poetry and painting；
nor that any true advancement in the serious study of one art co…
generates a proportionate perfection in the other'； and he says
elsewhere that if a man who does not admire Michael Angelo talks of
his love for Milton； he is deceiving either himself or his
listeners。 To his fellow…contributors in the LONDON MAGAZINE he
was always most generous； and praises Barry Cornwall； Allan
Cunningham； Hazlitt； Elton； and Leigh Hunt without anything of the
malice of a friend。 Some of his sketches of Charles Lamb are
admirable in their way； and； with the art of the true comedian；
borrow their style from their subject：…
What can I say of thee more than all know？ that thou hadst the
gaiety of a boy with the knowledge of a man： as gentle a heart as
ever sent tears to the eyes。
How wittily would he mistake your meaning； and put in a conceit
most seasonably out of season。 His talk without affectation was
compressed； like his beloved Elizabethans； even unto obscurity。
Like grains of fine gold； his sentences would beat out into whole
sheets。 He had small mercy on spurious fame； and a caustic
observation on the FASHION FOR MEN OF GENIUS was a standing dish。
Sir Thomas Browne was a 'bosom cronie' of his； so was Burton； and
old Fuller。 In his amorous vein he dallied with that peerless
Duchess of many…folio odour； and with the heyday comedies of
Beaumont and Fletcher he induced light dreams。 He would deliver
critica