Thus, those subjects now clumsily thrown together, under the name of HISTORY, would come naturally to form four distinct classes, each of which ought, in strictness, to be again broken into subdivisions. The four classes I should propose to call, 1st. ETHIC or DIDACTIC. 2nd. EPIC. 3rd. HISTORICAL. 4th. DRAMATIC. Each of these will admit of farther subdivision. The Ethical subjects should be distributed into-- The PURELY DIDACTIC; The EMBLEMATIC; And SATIRE, or the HIGHER CARICATURE. Of the EPIC class I should make but two great divisions, each, however, capable of very marked partition. 1st. The CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS SUBJECTS. 2nd. The ANTIQUE MYTHOLOGICAL SUBJECTS, whether painted by ancients or moderns. 1st. The CHRISTIAN division depending upon the introduction of Saints, Angels, and even more awful natures, but _not_ comprehending Christ while on earth. 2nd. The ANTIQUE upon the introduction of the deified heroes and gods of Paganism. The really HISTORICAL class of pictures may be divided into those in which a whole history is treated in a single picture. Those in which a history is treated in a series of pictures. Those in which a single point of history forms the picture. The DRAMATIC class might comprehend the familiar life subjects; but I have thought it better to leave those as they have hitherto stood, by themselves; and to reckon only in this class The single actions of higher tragedy: Single actions of a mixed character. In PORTRAIT painting it will be readily allowed that there are strongly marked distinctions between The HISTORICAL PORTRAIT; The SCENIC PORTRAIT subjects; And Portraits of common characters. The FAMILIAR LIFE class naturally divides into, Grave Comedy; Light Comedy, or Farce. Of Landscape, the distinct varieties are, The EPIC LANDSCAPE; The HISTORIC LANDSCAPE; The Imaginary, or POETIC LANDSCAPE; And the mere PORTRAIT LANDSCAPE. Animal painters have naturally made two classes: The Dramatic; And the mere Portrait. Of each of these subdivisions, I will point out specimens, which I hope will support what I have said as to the propriety of a more precise classification than has hitherto been adopted. Not that I mean to make a catalogue for every class, though I believe such a thing would have its use. The difficulty of making such a catalogue would be very great, because the subjects so often force the painter into a greater degree of relation with neighbouring classes than can be reconciled with any thing like a strict classification. OF THE ETHIC CLASS.