To my mind the gem of the whole Academy is Sir Alma Tadems's charming "Under the Roof of Blue I-nian Weather." To say that it adds but one more t" his numerous studies of marble painting conveys no idea of its beauty. In a marble amphitheatre some girls are seated, a musician looks at them from over the wall, and in the distance one gets a glimpse of the binest ses ginable. 'The necessary colour is provided by the girls' dresses and by a tree covered with pink blossoms, near which the musician stands it all sounds most or-mary, but anything more absolutely lovely it is difiiealt to imagine. Mr. Bawatd Abbey's ce tribution is of a widely different though it too is a very fine pirce ting. "Crusiders sighting Jeruis its title. Toree of them—an an, a young un, and a man in the prime of Iife—have just climbed a steep hill in order to exten a first glimpse of the holy city. How each is affected by the sight is most cleverly conveyed to the on looker. The man in his prime is in the act of unfurling a banner, the other two have fallen on their knees in rapt wonder and devotion, A perfect blaze of sunlight seems to dazzle them, in fact the colouring throughout is brilliant beyond expression, but at the same time very good.
'The President, Sir Edward Paynter, in his modesty only' contributes one picture, bat it is stronger than anything he has let us see from his brush lately, Helens and Hermia—
"We Hermia like two artificial gods Have with our needles created both one flower Both on one sampler."
The maidens are seen scyted on a marble seit comparing their work. Sir Frederick Goodill's "Snake Charmer I noticed in a previous letter. He has likewise another Eastern picture "A My—tery of the Past," which sows che Sphinx as it must heve appeared in days long past, before Cook organised tourist excursions tothe Pyramids, Mr, Herbert' Deaper' ""Pristram and Tweult" shows us the lady in happier days thin Me, Dicksee docs, [visa pow ful picture, though perlups not so or 1 us sorns of the artist's former work, Tue Capture," a maiden carrying " small child through the ware is altogether charming, ax Mr, Deaper's children always are,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.