In Turner’s drawings of this period, as in those of the early English water-colour school generally, one is struck by a freshness, a simplicity, a new outlook on nature, which contrast with the works of the classical painters who since the death of Rubens and the great Dutch landscapists--Van Goyen, Cuyp, Hobbema, Van der Capelle, De Koninck, and others--had for a century or more dominated European art. Landscape had come to be regarded more as a fitting background to classical story, and although often stately, was always more or less conventional. Now, Nature was beginning to be studied and painted for her own sake. Yet Turner, like Byron, throughout his life recognised that natural scenery _alone_ never makes a completely satisfying picture--always there must be some touch of the human element, some suggestion of human presence, human handiwork. This, however, is entirely a different point of view from that of the classical painters. From the delicate tints which, up to 1795-6, had characterized the work of Turner, in common with that of his contemporaries of the English water-colour school, he passed, almost suddenly, in 1797, to a larger and stronger style and a bolder range of colour, although the latter was still limited as compared with the fuller tones of his middle and later years. At first, in 1796, the pale blues and greens were simply deepened and strongly accented, as was seen in the superb drawings of _Snowdon_ and _Cader Idris_ which were shown last year (1908) at the Franco-British Exhibition, and to some extent in the _Distant View of Exeter_, in the Tatham Sale of the same year. Soon, however, these tones were combined and contrasted with deep, rich, golden browns. In 1797, 1798, and 1799, Turner sent to the Royal Academy Exhibitions a series of magnificent drawings of large size, all showing a striking advance in range and power. Eight views of _Salisbury Cathedral_ painted for Sir R. Colt Hoare (two are in the Victoria and Albert Museum), the fine _Crypt of Kirkstall Abbey_ (Sloane Museum), the still finer _Warkworth_ (Victoria and Albert Museum) and the famous _Norham Castle_ (the late Mr. Laundy Walters), with several others, mark a new departure in his art. Turner always said that he owed his success in life to the _Norham Castle_. Thirty years later, when he was illustrating Scott’s works, and was the guest of Sir Walter at Abbotsford, walking up Tweedside one day in the company of Cadell the publisher, as they passed Norham Turner took off his hat. On Cadell asking the reason, he replied, “That picture made me.” Probably he considered that it was to its influence that he owed his election as an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1799, the year of its exhibition.