73
latent horror in it.   The Brigade man�s face is excellent, (said
by Deane (erroneously) to be a portrait of John Leech, the Punch artist;)  as
are the scrambling, inelegant attitudes of the children.   The hot
glare of the fire is wonderfully rendered, the mothers figure,) or
rather want of it) weak, and indefinite.     A large picture of an 
artist procession by Sir F. Leighton with Giotto, Cinabue, and half a score others, (with
Dante looking on in a corner,) is good. (I was glad to note, in
it, a portrait of a Buffalmacco, the jovial painter who cuts such a fi-
gure in the Calendrino stories of the Decameron.    /     Maclise, des-
pite his fine abilities has a thoroughly bad painting on the subject of
the wrestling scene in �As you Like It.�    His Charles is a brutal
trunculent monster, utterly incapable of human feeling,) in the play he
volunteers cautioning Orlando through Oliver;) his Duke is a scowling
ruffian who looks as though ordering his niece and daughter to instant
death; the girls are big, handsome, Irish ones, utterly lacking the
grace and delicacy of Shakspere�s twain, and you look in vain for
anything worthy of sweetest Rosalind.     Orlando is a melodramatic
boy, with hands clasped as though doing sentiment on the verge of
plunging off a fathomless abyss; and Touchstone is a leering, greasy-
heeled clown.   Costume and accessories are all recklessly chosen.
�A Mitherless Bairn� is a good Wilkieish picture. �Rane,� with a
sunset glow on it panorama-ish.                       Boutcher being not well
all off by 2 1/2, trooped into Allom�s Office, the old boy and Arthur
being there.   A general hearty invite to Barnes on the Sunday.
  {6. Wednesday to       Out a good deal.  Boutcher some thrice
  9. Saturday}       at our place, I at his.     He has taken
the upper rooms above George Clarke�s, removed things there &c.