s lethargy, break the shackles of
habit, seek in extended and right study the sources of real power, and
become, what we have full faith in his capability of being, one of the
leading artists of his time.

Sec. 11. Impossibility of reasoning on the rain-clouds of Turner from
engravings.

In passing to the works of our greatest modern master, it must be
premised that the qualities which constitute a most essential part of
the truth of the rain-cloud, are in no degree to be rendered by
engraving. Its indefiniteness of torn and transparent form is far beyond
the power of even our best engravers: I do not say beyond their
_possible_ power, if they would make themselves artists as well as
workmen, but far beyond the power they actually possess; while the depth
and delicacy of the grays which Turner employs or produces, as well as
the refinement of his execution, are, in the nature of things, utterly
beyond all imitation by the opaque and lifeless darkness of the steel.
What we say of his works, therefore, must be understood as referring
only to the original drawings; though we may name one or two instances
in which the engraver has, to a certain degree, succeeded in distantly
following the intention of the master.

Sec. 12. His rendering of Fielding's particular moment in the Jumieges.

Sec. 13. Illustration of the nature of clouds in the opposed forms of smoke
and steam.

Jumieges, in the Rivers of France, ought perhaps, after what we have
said of Fielding, to be our first object of attention, because it is a
rendering by Turner of Fielding's particular moment, and the only one
existing, for Turner never repeats himself. One picture is allotted to
one truth; the statement is perfectly and gloriously made, and he passes
on to speak of a fresh portion of God's revelation.[36] The haze of
sunlit rain of this most magnificent picture, the gradual retirement of
the dark wood into its depth, and the sparkling and evanescent light
which sends its variable flashes on the abbey, figures, foliage, and
foam, require no comment--they speak home at once. But there is added to
this noble composition an incident which may serve us at once for a
farther illustration of the nature and forms of cloud, and for a final
proof how deeply and philosophically Turner has studied them.

We have on the right of the picture, the steam and the smoke of a
passing steamboat. Now steam is nothing but an artificial cloud in the
p