roundabout papers-第39部分

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LE　GROS　LOT。To　a　few　lucky　men　the　chance　befalls　of　reaching　fame　at　once；　and　（if　it　is　of　any　profit　morituro）　retaining　the　admiration　of　the　world。　　Did　poor　Oliver；　when　he　was　at　Leyden　yonder；　ever　think　that　he　should　paint　a　little　picture　which　should　secure　him　the　applause　and　pity　of　all　Europe　for　a　century　after？　　He　and　Sterne　drew　the　twenty　thousand　prize　of　fame。　　The　latter　had　splendid　instalments　during　his　lifetime。　　The　ladies　pressed　round　him；　the　wits　admired　him；　the　fashion　hailed　the　successor　of　Rabelais。　　Goldsmith's　little　gem　was　hardly　so　valued　until　later　days。　　Their　works　still　form　the　wonder　and　delight　of　the　lovers　of　English　art；　and　the　pictures　of　the　Vicar　and　Uncle　Toby　are　among　the　masterpieces　of　our　English　school。　　Here　in　the　Hague　Gallery　is　Paul　Potter's　pale；　eager　face；　and　yonder　is　the　magnificent　work　by　which　the　young　fellow　achieved　his　fame。　　How　did　you；　so　young；　come　to　paint　so　well？　　What　hidden　power　lay　in　that　weakly　lad　that　enabled　him　to　achieve　such　a　wonderful　victory？　　Could　little　Mozart；　when　he　was　five　years　old；　tell　you　how　he　came　to　play　those　wonderful　sonatas？　　Potter　was　gone　out　of　the　world　before　he　was　thirty；　but　left　this　prodigy　（and　I　know　not　how　many　more　specimens　of　his　genius　and　skill）　behind　him。　The　details　of　this　admirable　picture　are　as　curious　as　the　effect　is　admirable　and　complete。　　The　weather　being　unsettled；　and　clouds　and　sunshine　in　the　gusty　sky；　we　saw　in　our　little　tour　numberless　Paul　Pottersthe　meadows　streaked　with　sunshine　and　spotted　with　the　cattle；　the　city　twinkling　in　the　distance；　the　thunderclouds　glooming　overhead。　　Napoleon　carried　off　the　picture　（vide　Murray）　amongst　the　spoils　of　his　bow　and　spear　to　decorate　his　triumph　of　the　Louvre。　　If　I　were　a　conquering　prince；　I　would　have　this　picture　certainly；　and　the　Raphael　〃Madonna〃　from　Dresden；　and　the　Titian　〃Assumption〃　from　Venice；　and　that　matchless　Rembrandt　of　the　〃Dissection。〃　　The　prostrate　nations　would　howl　with　rage　as　my　gendarmes　took　off　the　pictures；　nicely　packed；　and　addressed　to　〃Mr。　the　Director　of　my　Imperial　Palace　of　the　Louvre；　at　Paris。　This　side　uppermost。〃　　The　Austrians；　Prussians；　Saxons；　Italians；　&c。；　should　be　free　to　come　and　visit　my　capital；　and　bleat　with　tears　before　the　pictures　torn　from　their　native　cities。　　Their　ambassadors　would　meekly　remonstrate；　and　with　faded　grins　make　allusions　to　the　feeling　of　despair　occasioned　by　the　absence　of　the　beloved　works　of　art。　　Bah！　　I　would　offer　them　a　pinch　of　snuff　out　of　my　box　as　I　walked　along　my　gallery；　with　their　Excellencies　cringing　after　me。　　Zenobia　was　a　fine　woman　and　a　queen；　but　she　had　to　walk　in　Aurelian's　triumph。　　The　procede　was　peu　delicat？　　En　usez　vous；　mon　cher　monsieur！　　（The　marquis　says　the　〃Macaba〃　is　delicious。）　　What　a　splendor　of　color　there　is　in　that　cloud！　　What　a　richness；　what　a　freedom　of　handling；　and　what　a　marvellous　precision！　　I　trod　upon　your　Excellency's　corn？a　thousand　pardons。　His　Excellency　grins　and　declares　that　he　rather　likes　to　have　his　corns　trodden　on。　　Were　you　ever　very　angry　with　Soultabout　that　Murillo　which　we　have　bought？　　The　veteran　loved　that　picture　because　it　saved　the　life　of　a　fellow…creaturethe　fellow…creature　who　hid　it；　and　whom　the　Duke　intended　to　hang　unless　the　picture　was　forthcoming。　We　gave　several　thousand　pounds　for　ithow　many　thousand？　　About　its　merit　is　a　question　of　taste　which　we　will　not　here　argue。　　If　you　choose　to　place　Murillo　in　the　first　class　of　painters；　founding　his　claim　upon　these　Virgin　altar…pieces；　I　am　your　humble　servant。　Tom　Moore　painted　altar…pieces　as　well　as　Milton；　and　warbled　Sacred　Songs　and　Loves　of　the　Angels　after　his　fashion。　　I　wonder　did　Watteau　ever　try　historical　subjects？　　And　as　for　Greuze；　you　know　that　his　heads　will　fetch　1；000L。；　1；500L。；　2；000L。as　much　as　a　Sevres　〃cabaret〃　of　Rose　du　Barri。　　If　cost　price　is　to　be　your　criterion　of　worth；　what　shall　we　say　to　that　little　receipt　for　10L。　for　the　copyright　of　〃Paradise　Lost；〃　which　used　to　hang　in　old　Mr。　Rogers's　room？　　When　living　painters；　as　frequently　happens　in　our　days；　see　their　pictures　sold　at　auctions　for　four　or　five　times　the　sums　which　they　originally　received；　are　they　enraged　or　elated？　A　hundred　years　ago　the　state　of　the　picture…market　was　different：　that　dreary　old　Italian　stock　was　much　higher　than　at　present；　Rembrandt　himself；　a　close　man；　was　known　to　be　in　difficulties。　　If　ghosts　are　fond　of　money　still；　what　a　wrath　his　must　be　at　the　present　value　of　his　works！　The　Hague　Rembrandt　is　the　greatest　and　grandest　of　all　his　pieces　to　my　mind。　　Some　of　the　heads　are　as　sweetly　and　lightly　painted　as　Gainsborough；　the　faces　not　ugly；　but　delicate　and　high…bred；　the　exquisite　gray　tones　are　charming　to　mark　and　study；　the　heads　not　plastered；　but　painted　with　a　free；　liquid　brush：　the　result；　one　of　the　great　victories　won　by　this　consummate　chief；　and　left　for　the　wonder　and　delight　of　succeeding　ages。　The　humblest　volunteer　in　the　ranks　of　art；　who　has　served　a　campaign　or　two　ever　so　ingloriously；　has　at　least　this　good　fortune　of　understanding；　or　fancying　he　is　able　to　understand；　how　the　battle　has　been　fought；　and　how　the　engaged　general　won　it。　　This　is　the　Rhinelander's　most　brilliant　achievementvictory　along　the　whole　line。　　The　〃Night…watch〃　at　Amsterdam　is　magnificent　in　parts；　but　on　the　side　to　the　spectator's　right；　smoky　and　dim。　　The　〃Five　Masters　of　the　Drapers〃　is　wonderful　for　depth；　strength；　brightness；　massive　power。　　What　words　are　these　to　express　a　picture！　to　describe　a　description！　　I　once　saw　a　moon　riding　in　the　sky　serenely；　attended　by　her　sparkling　maids　of　honor；　and　a　little　lady　said；　with　an　air　of　great　satisfaction；　〃I　MUST　SKETCH　IT。〃　Ah；　my　dear　lady；　if　with　an　H。B。；　a　Bristol　board；　and　a　bit　of　india…rubber；　you　can　sketch　the　starry　firmament　on　high；　and　the　moon　in　her　glory；　I　make　you　my　compliment！　　I　can't　sketch　〃The　Five　Drapers〃　with　any　ink　or　pen　at　present　at　commandbut　can　look　with　all　my　eyes；　and　be　thankful　to　have　seen　such　a　masterpiece。　They　say　he　was　a　moody；　ill…conditioned　man；　the　old　tenant　of　the　mill。　　What　does　he　think　of　the　〃Vander　Helst〃　which　hangs　opposite　his　〃Night…watch；〃　and　which　is　one　of　the　great　pictures　of　the　world？　　It　is　not　painted　by　so　great　a　man　as　Rembrandt；　but　there　it　isto　see　it　is　an　event　of　your　life。　　Having　beheld　it　you　have　lived　in　the　year　1648；　and　celebrated　the　treaty　of　Munster。　You　have　shaken　the　hands　of　the　Dutch　Guardsmen；　eaten　from　their　platters；　drunk　their　Rhenish；　heard　their　jokes；　as　they　wagged　their　jolly　beards。　　The　Amsterdam　Catalogue　discourses　thus　about　it：a　model　catalogue：　it　gives　you　the　prices　paid；　the　signatures　of　the　painters；　a　succinct　description　of　the　work。　〃This　masterpiece　represents　a　banquet　of　the　civic　guard；　which　took　place　on　the　18th　June；　1648；　in　time　great　hall　of　the　St。　Joris　Doele；　on　the　Singel　at　Amsterdam；　to　celebrate　the　conclusion　of　the　Peace　at　Munster。　　The　thirty…five　figures　composing　the　picture　are　all　portraits。　〃'The　Captain　WITSE'　is　placed　at　the　head　of　the　table；　and　attracts　our　attention　first。　　He　is　dressed　in　black　velvet；　his　breast　covered　with　a　cuirass；　on　his　head　a　broad…brimmed　black　hat　with　white　plumes。　　He　is　comfortably　seated　on　a　chair　of　black　oak；　with　a　velvet　cushion；　and　holds　in　his　left　hand；　supported　on　his　knee；　a　magnificent　drinking…horn；　surrounded　by　a　St。　George　destroying　the　dragon；　and　ornamented　with　olive…leaves。　　The　captain's　features　express　cordiality　and　good…humor；　he　is　grasping　the　hand　of　'Lieutenant　VAN　WAVERN'　seated　near　him；　in　a　habit　of　dark　gray；　with　lace　and　buttons　of　gold；　lace…collar　and　wristbands；　his　feet　crossed；　with　boots　of　yellow　leather；　with　large　tops；　and　gold　spurs；　on　his　head　a　black　hat　and　dark…brown　plumes。　　Behind　him　at　the　centre　of　the　picture；　is　the　standard…　bearer；　'JACOB　BANNING；'　in　an　easy　martial　attitude；　hat　in　hand；　his　right　hand　on　his　chair；　his　right　leg　on　his　left　knee。　　He　holds　the　flag　of　blue　silk；　in　which　the　Virgin　is　embroidered；　（such　a　silk！　such　a　flag！　such　a　piece　of　painting！）　emblematic　of　the　town　of　Amsterdam。　The　banner　covers　his　shoulder；　and　he　looks　towards　the　spectator　frankly　and　complacently。　〃The　man　behind　him　is　probably　one　of　the　sergeants。　　His　head　is　bare。　　He　wears　a　cuirass；　and　yellow　gloves；　gray　stockings；　and　boots　with　large　tops；　and　kneecaps　of　cloth。　　He　has　a　napkin　on　his　knees；　and　in　his　hand　a　piece　of　ham；　a　slice　of　bread；　and　a　knife。　　The　old　man　behind　is　probably　'WILLIAM　THE　DRUMMER。'　　He　has　his　hat　in　his　right　hand；　and　in　his　left　a　gold…footed　wineglass；　filled　with　white　wine。　　He　wears　a　red　scarf；　and　a　black　satin　doublet；　with　little　slashes　of　yellow　silk。　　Behind　the　drummer；　two　matchlock…men　are　seated　at　the　end　of　the　table。　　One　in　a　large　black　habit；　a　napkin　on　his　knee；　a　hausse…col　of　iron；　and　a　linen　scarf　and　collar。　　He　is　eating　with　his　knife。　　The　other　holds　a　long　glass　of　white　wine。　　Four　musketeers；　with　different　shaped　hats；　are　behind　these；　one　holding　a　glass；　the　three　others　with　their　guns　on　their　shoulders。　　Other　guests　are　placed　between　the　personage　who　is　giving　the　toast　and　the　standard…bearer。　　One　with　his　hat　off；　and　his　hand　uplifted；　is　talking　to　another。　　The　second　is　carving　a　fowl。　　A　third　holds　a　silver　plate；　and　another；　in　the　background；　a　silver　flagon；　from　which　he　fills　a　cup。　　The　corner　behind　the　captain　is　filled　by　two　seated　personages；　one　of　whom　is　peeling　an　orange。　　Two　others　are　standing；　armed　with　halberts；　of　whom　one　holds　a　plumed　hat。　Behind　him　are　other　three　individuals；　one　of　them　holding　a　pewter　pot；　on　which　the　name　'Poock；'　the　landlord　of　the　'Hotel　Doele；'　is　engraved。　　At　the　back；　a　maid…servant　is　coming　in　with　a　pasty；　crowned　with　a　turkey。　　Most　of　the　guests　are　listening　to　the　captain。　　From　an　open　window　in　the　distance；　the　facades　of　two　houses　are　seen；　surmounted　by　stone　figures　of　sheep。〃　There；　now　you　know　all　about　it：　now　you　can　go　home　and　paint　just　such　another。　　If　you　do；　do　pray　remember　to　paint　the　hands　of　the　figures　a