Engraving, tinguished by the terms, linear expreffion, imitation, difpofition, and harmony; with a strict investigation of the firft and most approved fubjects, either in etching or engraving; and of their effential beauties, as far as they may tend to illuftrate the subject. On linear expreffion and dif pofition. As the great object of this mode of engraving is, to adopt thofe lines the most expreffive of the form and character of whatever happens to be reprefented, by maturely investigating not only the action but the caufe and correfpondent effects of the original picture; in order that the artift may avail himself of all that is most beautiful in his tranflation, and efficient in the aggregate either with respect to the expreffion, fpirit, or fentiment. When historical fubjects confift of feveral figures where there is generally a variety of draperies, fome of them appearing thick and cumberfome, others more thin and flexible, fitting clofe and elegant on the limbs, being compofed of a finer texture, or thread; the coarfe ftuffs are confequently more effectually reprefented by a bolder line, as the thinner fort, by the application of a fine line, gives a more lively reprefentation; a difcrimination which has been obferved of late, by the most approved modern artifts in linear engraving. Obfervations of this defeription, when treated in a liberal manner, not only fuperadd a degree of truth, but even render the fubjects fweeter to the eye of fancy. In the early stages of the art, fome excellent artifts have been led into particular and limited fyftems. In the works of fuch as have affected to defcribe every subject in the fame line indifcriminately, even the arms of the most delicate women are often engraven as if perfectly polished, by approaching to a metallic appearance, a mode not uncommon among the fecond or third clafs of artifts about the beginning of the last century; by which manner, all that foftnefs and delicacy was neglected, which is fo happily effected in the linear productions of Bartolozzi, Morgan, Sharp, Heath and others, at prefent of the first matters in Europe. Those who are acquainted with the works of the ingenious Chaffary, mutt with pleasure have perceived in his foliage, how even the texture of flowers are imitated from the delilicate line-like fibres of which they are compofed, iffuing from the ftem, and fpreading their filken beauties in the fun and in this clafs of imitation, the clear tranfparency of glafs, the rough texture of woollen, the thinness of lawn, the flickerings of fatin, or the lightnings of fteel, as well as the rude rock, the lucid lake, or the flashing of the torrent, are all admirably adapted to linear effect by the almoft infinite diverfity of their conftruction, and general conftituent principles, ftrictly obferving on what laws the beauty of lines confifts, by ever keeping in view the due balance of taste, and a noble fimplicity of ftyle throughout. It is the bufinefs of the skilful artift to overpower and fubdue the difficulties in his profeffion; for no excellence of art is of cheap or vulgar acquifition. Let it be remembered that with forming fteel, even the enchanting graces of the Venus de Medicis were hewn from a rock, and th almost breathing Apollo, from a block of Parian ftone. : An elegant English poet, in a critical effay on poetry, obferves, that the found should seem an echo to the fenfe; fo fhould the lines in a fine print feem to harmonize with the fubject, by flowing with the external aft of the features, and the predominant paffion ex preffed in the original picture; for the fame character graving, and difpofition of the lines that fuit the action of the mufcles in one paffion, will be found to appear more vacant and lefs expreflive when applied to others, however graceful they may appear. As this is a point of view to which the art has never yet been fully extended, perhaps it may meet with fome degree of attention, as it will be found of utility in forming a principle refpecting difpofition, more particu larly in hiftorical fubjects, where the paffions are requiced to be nicely expreffed and although it may admit of fome flight exceptions, it is a principle that will in general be found to be true. For example, let it be fuppofed that the paffion of the figure reprefented, is that of joy; the lines thould seem to expand and fwell, with every acting muscle, in the moft delicate manner poffible. But, on the contrary, if the fubject difplays deep forrow, they fhould rather incline downward, partaking fomewhat of the half ftraight, feeming to act apparently in perfect unifon and conformity with the features of the face, with all due fubordination to the general effect of light and shadow. Various obfervations may be made in this manner on the principal paffions expreffed in the human countenance, which are but few comparatively, even from the flightest movement to the boldest action. We often find, on examining the works of those masters who are not fo confpicuous for great clearness of execution, that they have been occupied by the difpofition and energy of the lines, as in the magnificent and masterly prints of the battles of Alexander, from the pictures of Carlo le Brun, engraved by Gerrard Audran; where the executive department is no lefs confpicuous from the barin of the Chevalier Edelinck in the fine print of the tent of Darius: whilst Audrian difplays the true fpirit of art, but rarely avails himself of much of the mechanical principles. The field, and tumult of battle, feemed admirably calculated to call forth his rapid powers, particularly in works of magnitude. The lefs active scenery of the tent of Darius, was equally appropriated to the fplendid talents of Edelinck, as he seems to have been better qualified to difplay subjects of that nature in general. This is fufficiently obvious from the beautiful and interefting groupe of the queen mother, and her illuftrious family, kneeling at the feet of the conqueror; his impreffive print of the magdalene, or his moft admirable portraits of the dignified clergy, diftinguished authors, and eminent artists. Thefe, in point of engraving, are no lefs remarkable for taste in the execution, than for truth and nature in expreffion. In one of the battles of Alexander, the groupe where Porus is wounded and fupported by the foldiers, the rough difcrimination of life finely accords with that bold deportment of character in the grim vifage of that gigantic prince, whilft a more delicate line marks the youthful countenance of Alexander; a difcrimination which is totally loft in the large Dutch copy by de Vos. In the fame print, the figures of Alexander and Clytus, are finely relieved from the diftant fcenery by the varied defcription of engraving on their armour, drapery, and horfes. The latter are managed with fuch freedom and fpirit, that it is difficult to fay whether the horfes or figures teem the most with masterly execution; particularly |