e two or three pictures of his
that I have seen never interested me. I have not visited his studio.

Of Hicks I think very highly. He is a man of ideas, an original
observer, and with a poetic heart. His system of coloring is derived
from a thoughtful study, not a mere imitation of nature, and shows
the fineness of his organization. Struggling unaided to pursue the
expensive studies of his art, he has had only a small studio, and
received only orders for little cabinet pictures. Could, he carry out
adequately his ideas, in him would be found the treasure of genius. He
has made the drawings for a large picture of many figures; the design
is original and noble, the grouping highly effective. Could he paint
this picture, I believe it would be a real boon to the lovers of art,
the lovers of truth. I hope very much that, when he returns to the
United States, some competent patron of art--one of the few who have
mind as well as purse--will see the drawings and order the picture.
Otherwise he cannot paint it, as the expenses attendant on models
for so many figures, &c. are great, and the time demanded could not
otherwise be taken from the claims of the day.

Among landscape painters Cropsey and Cranch have the true artist
spirit. In faculties, each has what the other wants. Cropsey is a
reverent and careful student of nature in detail; it is no pedantry,
but a true love he has, and his pictures are full of little, gentle
signs of intimacy. They please and touch; but yet in poetic feeling
of the heart of nature he is not equal to Cranch, who produces
fine effects by means more superficial, and, on examination, less
satisfactory. Each might take somewhat from the other to advantage,
could he do it without diminishing his own original dower. Both are
artists of high promise, and deserve to be loved and cherished by
a country which may, without presumption, hope to carry landscape
painting to a pitch of excellence unreached before. For the historical
painter, the position with us is, for many reasons, not favorable;
but there is no bar in the way of the landscape painter, and fate,
bestowing such a prodigality of subject, seems to give us a hint not
to be mistaken. I think the love of landscape painting is genuine in
our nation, and as it is a branch of art where achievement has been
comparatively low, we may not unreasonably suppose it has been left
for us. I trust it will be undertaken in the highest spirit. Nature,
it seems t