_Guido's_ Magdalen has been beautifully copied, on a small scale, by Mr. Emmerson; and St. Martin dividing his Garments, by _Rubens_, has met with successful imitators in the pencils of Messrs. Middleton and Buss. These gentlemen's copies, however, are considerably smaller than the original, which is of the dimensions of life. The Water Mill, a brilliant little picture by _Ruysdael_, has employed the pencils of several students;--among the most successful of whom are Messrs. Stark, Lee, and Hilder. View on the Grand Canal, Venice, by _Canaletti_: this is, perhaps, the _ne plus ultra_ of the master, and is the property of that distinguished patron of the fine arts--Lord Farnborough. Miss Dujardin has produced the best copy: she has painted the buildings, boats, &c., with considerable accuracy, and has succeeded in imitating the transparency of the water. Miss Cook and Mr. Fowler have also copied this work. Miss F. Corbaux (in water-colour), and Messrs. Sargeant, Robson, Simpson, and Lilley (in oil), have well copied the Cupid by _Sir J. Reynolds_; and Messrs. Fussel, Hilder, Sims, and Hoffland, deserve praise for their copies from a Dutch Village, by _Ruysdael_. A Corn Field, by the same master, appears to have been carefully studied by Messrs. Lee and Novice. To conclude: A spirited series of small views in Venice, by _Guardi_, have been prettily imitated by Mr. Sargeant and Miss Dujardin. G.W.N. * * * * * THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. * * * * * SCRAPS FROM THE DIARY OF A TRAVELLER. _Rome_. If e'er you have seen an artist sketching The purlicus of this ancient city, I need not tell you how much stretching There is of _truth_, to make things pretty;-- How trees are brought, perforce, together, Where never tree was known to grow: And founts condemned to trickle, whether There's water for said founts or no;-- How ev'n the wonder of the Thane In sketching all its wonder loses, As woods _will_ come to Dunsinane, Or any where the sketcher chooses. For instance, if an artist see,-- As at romantic Tivoli,-- A water-fall and ancient shrine, Beautiful both, but not so plac'd As that his pencil can combine Their features in one _whole_ with taste,-- What does he do? why, without scruple, He whips the Temple up, as supple As were those angels who (no doubt) Carried the Virgin's House[11] about,-- And lands it plump upon the brink Of the cascade, or whersoever It suits his plaguy taste to think 'Twill look most picturesque and clever!