the Columbian Society of Artists) about four years ago boldly made the attempt at Philadelphia, and notwithstanding prejudices and even opposition, the experience of the three last exhibitions has sufficiently proved the importance and usefulness of their young institution in the cultivation of a chaste and well-informed taste. It now remains for the real amateurs, and all who feel an interest in the establishment of a national character, to point out the best means for the encouragement of artists.

It is no doubt extremely gratifying to the painter to have his works viewed and praised by the public. He cannot, however, live by praise alone; the sale of a single picture would be of more solid advantage to him than empty eulogiums on a thousand.

As long as personal vanity exits (and it is not likely soon to become extinct) portrait painting will be encouraged. Large portraits are not, however, calculated to ornament the rooms of private dwellings, and, at best, they are interesting only to a few. Historical, landscape, marine, and flower painting, when well executed, are universally pleasing to all. To represent the varieties and beauties of nature is the business of the painter; but no man can long pursue a business without the means of support. We hope that the time is not far distant when it will become fashionable for the public to buy as well as look at pictures. During the three last exhibitions, many pictures of great merit, executed by our own artists, were offered for sale: but few, however, were sold, and those at a low price; and even excellent representations of our glorious naval victories, have not met with that patronage which was reasonably expected. We are inclined to believe, that the pastry cooks, who have furnished Guerriers, Constitutions, and Javas for public dinners, have made more profit by their works of taste than either the painters or engravers have made by executing the same subjects on canvas or copper. Some of our wealthy citizens, considered as men of refinement and taste, and who take a lead in every thing that is fashionable, will not hesitate to spend two or three thousand dollars, in giving a ball in style, by filling (for we cannot term it ornamenting) a room with artificial flowers and variegated lamps, where several hundred fashionables assemble to be literally smoked with the fumes of whale-oil. If one half of the money had been spent in decorating it with paintings, more real pleasure

would have been given to the company, and some benefit might have arisen to artists and the arts.

It is rather unfortunate for the progress of the arts, that a number of pretended connoisseurs and amateurs, instead of encouraging living artists have the temerity to direct them. They consider nothing excellent unless it be old and come from abroad. It is a notorious truth, that a manufactory of old pictures was carried on in London with great profit. An artist of considerable talents was engaged to paint pictures of a certain description, which were afterwards baked in an oven until they were sufficiently cracked. The next process was that of smoking. They were then dressed in old frames, some holes being made in the canvas, and exhibited to the public as scarce and rare productions of the old masters. The connoisseurs were so much delighted with these pretended chefd'œuvres, that the works of their own living artists were either overlooked or despised.

The Dutch and Flemish schools, for faithful representations of nature, have never been excelled. Who were here the connoisseurs? Who the patrons of the artists?-Merchants and other wealthy citizens-men of plain and simple manners, possessing taste without affectation. The burgomaster, instead of giving expensive routes, amused his guests with his collection of pictures, which consisted (instead of the mutilated and uncertain works of foreign masters) generally of the meritorious productions of his fellow-citizens. The fine arts in Holland and Flanders were fashionable, and artists of merit sought after and rewarded. The number and excellence of their works are sufficient proofs of the fact. The pictures of Dutch and Flemish artists were generally of a small size, and well calculated to ornament rooms. We are not without hopes that some of our wealthy citizens will soon set the laudable example of furnishing their houses with the productions of our own artists. We may then hope to see works of art of the American school equal, perhaps superior, to any that have preceded them.

We are much gratified to find that the fourth exhibition exceeds any of the former both in the number and excellence of the works of our own artists, and in all the various departments of art. Where each has so well performed his part, particular eulogiums

would be invidious. It is our intention to take up the principal articles in numerical order, and to point out with candour their merits and defects. The late period, however, at which the exhibition opened would not permit us to enter into a critical examination of the various productions in time for publication in the present number of the Port Folio. The criticism will, therefore, be the subject of another communication.

G. M.

FOR THE PORT FOLIO.

INQUIRIES RESPECTING DENNIE AND BROWN.

WE publish the following note, complaining of a want of respect to the memories and of gratitude for the services of two distinguished literary characters-the most rare, and, therefore, the choicest description of men which our country contains-partly as an evidence of the state of public sentiment in relation to them, and partly that we may have an opportunity of making a few observations in reply.

With respect to Mr. Brown, we, as editor of the Port Folio, have but little to say. We are sensible of his talents and multifarious attainments, as well as of his persevering industry in the cause of letters; and regret that his memory has not been, in al! respects, more suitably honoured. To his executors and more immediate connexions, however, it belongs, to answer specifically the complaint of our correspondent; and they are, no doubt, prepared to do it satisfactorily. To them, therefore, we resign the task, stating it, at the same time, as a fact which will not be controverted, that they are, in the present instance, responsible to the public for any want of attention to the memory of him whose posthumous concerns were entrusted to their care. We are informed, however, that considerable progress has been already made towards preparing for the press the life and writings of Mr. Brown.

The case of Mr. Dennie is more immediately related to the station which we hold, and appeals, therefore, to our feelings with superior cogency. In relation to that amiable man and accomplish

ed scholar, we are happy in having it in our power distinctly to state, that whatever apparent neglect has been suffered for a time to overshadow his memory, has arisen out of circumstances which could not be controlled, and that nothing unfriendly to his reputation has been intended. By those who have had the management of his posthumous affairs, his name and his virtues will ever be cherished with the fondest recollection. Nor will it be long, as we trust, till every ground of complaint, touching the subject of our correspondent's note, will be satisfactorily removed. As far as we are ourselves concerned, we promise unhesitatingly that this shall be the case. Arrangements have been already commenced to prepare for the Port Folio an elegant likeness of Mr. Dennie, to be accompanied by a sketch of his life and character. This article shall be laid before the public with as little delay as may be found compatible with the engagements of those who are entrusted with its execution. We believe we may add, without much risk of deceiving our readers by means of a promise not to be fulfilled, that Mr. Dennie's life on a broader scale, accompanied by such of his writings as best deserve to be permanently incorporated with the literature of our country, will, at no very distant period, be laid before the public. We have, at least, received an assurance that such a measure is positively intended. EDITOR.

MR. OLDSCHOOL,

SOON after the decease of your predecessor, Mr. Dennie, the public were informed, through the medium of the Port Folio, that an account of his life and a collection of his works would be published under the direction of his friends. Upwards of a year has now elapsed from the time when this intention was announced, since which nothing has transpired relative to it. I wish to inquire, through you, whether the design is still entertained of doing the proper honour to the memory of that accomplished person, by making his writings more generally known. As one of the first of our citizens, who made letters his profession; as one who wrote wisely and well; and as one who did more for the literary character of his country than any other of her children, it is surely proper that the public should not be ignorant of the debt of gratitude they owe him. Of the destroyers of mankind there are monuments

and vestiges enough; but of its benefactors, such is the perverseness of our nature there frequently remains no other memorial than the living proofs of their benevolence. This is peculiarly the case with the posthumous character of Mr. Dennie. He wrote from his childhood for the amusement and benefit of mankind. In the fog of a country village, his genius, though sometimes struggling to keep alive, often astonished by the vividness of its flashes. He was doomed to the drudgery of conducting a village newspaper in a land half peopled, without assistance and without patrons. Yet that paper exhibited a series of essays from his pen, pure, animated, and classic, such as would have done honour to the Augustan age of English literature. Transplanted to the more genial soil of a metropolis, his genius flourished in the sunshine of patronage. Although he undertook no extensive work, yet will he be long remembered as the author of those brilliant little pieces, models of fine writing, elegant morality, and correct criticism, which so often adorned the pages of the Port Folio. I am not going to write his life or character. I wish only to recall to the recollection of his friends their unfulfilled promises in regard to his remains. When I speak of Mr. Dennie's remains, I speak in a different sense from what I would of the generality of mankind. Most of the human race leave nothing behind but the covering of clay in which they were wont to "strut and fret," that is huddled into the earth as quickly as possible, and "there an end on't." But the remains of such men as Mr. Dennie are their works, which will delight years after their death and require only to be known to be admired. I hope this will not be longer delayed. For the honour of our country and the encouragement of learned men let not the curse of ingratitude continue to be on us.

THERE was another American author, Mr. Oldschool, not long ago an inhabitant of our city, who has left our world with quite as little respect or remembrance as Mr. Dennie. I mean the late Mr. Brown. Of his private life I know nothing; but of his writings it is saying little to repeat that they show an improved mind, a powerful but sometimes irregular imagination, and often a transcendent command of language. The style of his romantic works resembles, in a very strong degree, that of Godwin. He possessed