The Face, and Hands, are a Model for a Pencil in PortraitPainting; 'Tis not V. Dyck's first Labour'd Flemish Manner, nor in the leaft Careless, or Slight; the Colours are well wrought, and Touch'd in his best Style; that is, the Best that ever Man had for Portraits; nor is the Curtain in the leaft inferiour in this Particular, tho' the Manner is vary'd as it ought to be, the Pencil is There more feen than in the Flesh; the Hair, Veil, Chair, and indeed throughout except the Black Gown is finely Handled.

The Face is admirably well Drawn; the Features are pronounc'd Clean, and Firmly, fo as 'tis evident he-that did That conceiv'd ftrong, and Diftinct Ideas, and faw wherein the Lines that form'd Thofe differ'd from all others;

others; there appears nothing of the Antique, or Raffaelle-Taft of Defigning, but Nature, well understood, well chofen, and well manag'd; the Lights, and Shadows are justly plac'd, and fhap'd, and both fides of the Face answer well to each other, The Jewel on the Breaft is finely difpos'd, and directs the Eye to the line between the Breafts, and gives the Body there a great Relief, the Girdle alfo has a good effect, for by being mark'd pretty strongly the Eye is shown the Wast very readily. The Linnen, the Jewel, the Gold Curtain, the Gause Veil are all extreamly Natural, that is they are justly Drawn, and Colour'd. But the Want of those Lights I have fo often lamented is the Cause that the Figure does not appear

to

to fit firmly, the Thighs and Knees are loft. Nor is the Drawing of the Arms, nor even of the Hands altogether as one would wish particularly the Left, and that not only in the Outline, but the Lights, and Shadows; efpecially of that Hand, which by being too Light is brought out of its true place, 'tis nearer the Eye than it ought to be. There are also fome Overfights in the Perspective of the Chair, and Curtain; In the Lineal Part of the former, and in the Aerial Part in both.

These being thus dispatch'd we are at liberty to confider the Invention. V. Dyck's Thought seems to have been that the Lady should be fitting in her Own Room receiving a Vifit of Condolance from an Inferiour with

great

great Benignity; as shall be seen prefently, I would here observe the Beauty, and Propriety of this Thought. For by This the Picture is not an Infipid Representation of a Face, and Drefs, but here is also a Picture of the Mind, and what more proper to a Widow than Sorrow? And more becoming a Person of Quality than Humility, and Benevolence? Befides had she been fuppofed to have appear'd to her Equals, or Superiours, the Furniture of the Place must have been Mourning, and her Gloves on, but the Colours of the Curtain, and Chair, and the Contraft occafion'd by the Gloves in her Hand have a fine effect.

Never was a Calm Becoming Sorrow better Express'd than in this Face chiefly there

where

where 'tis always moft confpicious, that is in the Eyes: Not Guido Reni, no, nor Raffaelle himself could haveConceiv'da Paffion with more Delicacy, or more Strongly Express'd it! To which alfo the Whole Attitude of the Figure contributes not a little, her Right Hand drops cafily from the Elbow of the Chair which her Wrift lightly refts upon, the other lies in her Lap towards her Left Knees, all which together appears fo Eafy, and Careless, that what is Loft in the Compofition by the Regularity I have taken notice of, is Gain'd in the Expreffion; which being of greater Confequence juftifies V. Dyck in the main, and fhows his great Judgment, for tho' as it Is, there is (as I faid) fomething amifs, I cannot conceive any way of