E381124A. Findens’ Tableaux (1839).
Chambers’s Edinburgh Journal, 24 November 1838, p. 349.
As reprinted in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 4, 408.
finden’s tableaux of the affections is the title of a magnificent volume, of which the Editor, Miss Mitford, has kindly sent us a copy. It is one of the annuals for the year 1839, and of the superior class of those fair but fleeting publications. A thin folio in shape, and splendidly bound, it contains sixty pages of print, and twelve large engravings, these being after pictures, all of which, except two, are by Mr W. Perring. The virtues and affections of woman constitute the subjects of these fine drawings, and of the accompanying letter-press, which consists partly of prose and partly of poetry, the writers being Miss Mitford, Mrs Opie, Miss Barrett, Mr Townsend (American), and others of less note.
Of the more important portion of this volume—the engravings—it is unfortunately out of our power to convey an adequate idea, for this only the exhibition of a specimen could do. They are dazzlingly beautiful, and show the female form in an ideality of perfection exceeding all we have before seen. Of them we can say no more. The letter-press forms so unimportant a portion of this, as of all similar volumes, that it almost seems absurd to speak of it. Yet the Romaunt of the Page, and the Minstrel of Provence, respectively by Miss Barrett and Mr John Hughes, are pleasing metrical tales. Most of the other articles are too slight and shadowy to stand undetached from the pictures which they are designed to illustrate: perhaps it is thought best that such pieces should not be qualified to distract attention from the cardinal part of the work. There is, however, a French story by Miss Mitford, which may be tagged to our notice, by way of giving it weight, and as an apology to our readers for intruding upon them the description of a book, which but a few of them have any chance of seeing:—
[The review concludes with “The Cartel” by Miss Mitford; this we omit.]
Reviewed:
Findens’ Tableaux, ed. M.R. Mitford, London: 1839.
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