QUARTERLY BULLETIN 103 EXHIBITION OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY "The President has called forth in his celebrated Venus, the magic powers of his pencil, and has added all the glow and brilliancy of colour, to the enchanting sweetness of the cytherean character and expression; the Prince may be ranked as the first portrait in the room. Loutherborough has produced several wonderful landscapes. Copley has painted a capital group of the three youngest princesses; we could wish that the background had been more subordinate, and that his eye had been attentive to the greatness of distribution which alone constitutes fine art. West has brought forward" another of his suites of Windsor pictures. Indeed we must confess the exhibition much obliged, not only to those gentlemen, but to the two other ingenious American artists, Stuart and Brown, who have this year distinguished themselves, and given great proofs of their promising abilities: Stuart sends three, among which, the naval officer holds a conspicuous rank:—Brown exhibits six, some of which are the most pleasing female portraits in the room." Portraits of Sir William Pepperrell's children, by Brown. A charming composition by a promising American artist, the trees seem unfinished and hard, but the figures happily disposed, the characters beautiful, and the whole coloured true to nature. A Lady, by Brown. The chief d'ouvre of this young artist, the taste of disposition exquisite, and a charming imitation of a beautiful woman. A strong likeness of Sir William Pepperrell, by M. Brown. The colour of the drapery is ill chosen, but the picture has merit. We are informed that our countryman, Mr. Brown, whose reputation as a painter is growing with the most astonishing rapidity, has lately sent over to America, as a present to the University at Cambridge, the Copperplate engravings of two Scripture pieces, viz., "The passion scene," and "The Annunciation," he has lately painted for a new church erected in London.—-The Connoisseurs there speak in the highest terms of the execution of the above pieces, and the copperplate representations thereof, are done by a masterly hand. The New York Gazetteer, and The Country Journal, December 30, 1785.