realism which drew upon actual perception for its postulates and which was not based upon premises—inadequate for art—of Shakspere illustration. On the other hand, and here he departs constantly from the canon of Lessing, there is no striving for abstract beauty. Charm and grace, beauty in motion as it is exprest by the female figure in Anne Page and a few other cases, are Tieck's nearest approach to it.[30]

The general reason for Tieck's failure is that in actuality these pictures were not ugly or inartistic to him. Where he criticizes it is oftenest the idea; the execution and the relation to an abstract standard are of less consequence, and his theory once more limps behind his practis. He may berate Hogarth as an artist without beauty but it is clear that his extoling of Rafael is a mere matter of fashion; he is in the same category with Domenichino, whom Tieck's generation and the next succeeding one considerably overestimated. In Michaelangelo, Tieck knows the strength of the drawing and not the wistfulness that pervades even the most Titanic of the master's creations. In general, affectation of pose, mannerism and preciosity are Tieck's bane only where the sentimental is not concernd.

An interesting commendation of the composition of a plate is that of Kirk's picture from "Titus Adronicus" (IV, 1). Tieck likes the plate because of its taste and delicacy in only suggesting the mutilated arms of Lavinia. Kirk has avoided the frank naturalism of the original by the use of draperies, and this appeals to Tieck as a toning down and is in line with what had been suggested before in regard to Tieck's attitude.

This plate has an accessory which Tieck objects to, namely the over large colum in the background. Usually, but not in this case, Tieck criticises the accessories from the standpoint of the stickler for historical accuracy, rather than for any artistic merit or demerit. So the tomb of the Capulets in "Romeo and Juliet" is not Italian of the period, and the dresses of the women in "Merry Wives" are in violation of the sumptuary laws of the time.[31] In the deth of Mortimer (1 "Henry VI.," V, 2) the family tree lying on the ground adds a tuch of symbolism which Tieck approves, tho in the same scene he criticizes the mean character of the prison, saying that for such a noble prisoner a better place of incarceration would hav been found.

Tieck makes no clear distinction between passing expression (Ausdruck) and permanency of feature (Miene). His discussion of expression goes hand in hand with composition, since, as was mentiond above, composition has so close a relation to the placing of the principal character. There is a definit point of view, however, in Tieck's discussions of composition; in his strictures and encomiums on expression of face and figure it is practically impossible to find a consistent pou sto. In places, his powers of observation seem to hav deserted him and his lapses are not attributable to a too great leaning on the articles in the Anzeigen. Tieck's theoretical discussion of the common-sense element in these illustrations may be ever so clear and his demands on the artist may be ever so high, but his practical application of these principles is by no means as strict as might be expected. Indeed, in theory Tieck demands one thing and in practis another.

It is Tieck's desire that the artist should catch the individual note in these figures and raise it to an ideal, that he should choose the expression with care and never sacrifice it to coloring or drapery and that he should avoid all necessity of using symbols to designate his characters. But when Tieck actually examins the pictures, he stresses theatrical pose or mien and pays no attention to those obvious tricks whereby expression is obtainable: the skilful use of light and shade on the face, the treatment of the lines of the mouth, and the placing of the eyes. Occasionally, as in the ball scene in "Romeo and Juliet," it seems as if the treatment of the eyes of a figure—in this case that of Tybalt—attracted his attention, but there are so many other plates in which the eyes are quite as good and are nevertheless past over, that the instance of Tybalt seems fortuitous.

Tieck uses the expressions "ohne Ausdruck," "wenig Ausdruck" and "ohne Charakter," "wenig Charakter" almost exclusively in his negativ criticism of the plates and his positiv criticism substitutes "viel" for "wenig." Such frases are not very definit and Tieck misapplies them constantly. In four out of the five cases of Tieck's largest caption, "ohne Ausdruck," he is certainly incorrect and the postulation of "wenig Ausdruck" is wrong in at least two out of the three cases. It is not a matter of personal opinion nor can it be a difference in point of view between the twentieth century and the end of the eighteenth. It is largely bad judgment on Tieck's part. In the three cases where Tieck sees "vielen Ausdruck" not one is in reality especially distinguisht for vividness. Two even vie with the most expressionless in feature and hav no special pretentions to significance of posture. In the five plates where Tieck uses "ohne Charakter" or "wenig Charakter," the epithets are in general tru.

Tieck got the hint for an advers criticism of the faces of Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Page from the Anzeigen. He exclaims, expanding his model, "Welch' widrige Gesichter! welch' uninteresante Figuren!" There is in the pose of Mrs. Page a most awkward droop of the neck, but in Mrs. Ford's face there is a rollicking Irish drollery, a freshness of complexion and a witchery of the eyes that are quite charming. The painting was by Peters, whose "sprightly humor" was so much admired by his contemporaries.

One of the two pictures of Leontes in the "Winter's Tale" shows his giving the oath to Antigonous to destroy the child. In Leontes' frowning face Tieck sees no expression, altho it is unquestionably one of the most lively of the series. The stiffness of pose that Tieck objects to in the picture may well be accounted for by the full suit of armor that Leontes wears. The face is far more expressiv than that of the other Leontes picture and yet Tieck's judgment on them is the same.

One of the most striking failures on Tieck's part to see character interpretation of real subtlety is in Northcote's portrayal of "Richard III." There can be no dout that Tieck's general dislike of the artist, which was based on the adverse criticisms of the Anzeigen, led his judgment astray. The face of Richard is all in all the most characteristic of the series in so far as Tieck saw the series. Richard's "subtle, false and trecherous" look with the smile of his grim humor is well caught; the eyes and mouth are excellent and giv a very adequate idea of the deviltry of the man, of his lewd cunning and his scheming. What Tieck might well hav objected to is the sentimentalizing of the two princes whom the artist has transmogrified into fat little babies, just as in the next picture the two hav become well-fed little beef-eaters.

As Tieck fails to see sentimentality in this picture, so he misses extravagance in the church scene from "Much Ado." Tieck borrowd much in this discussion from the Anzeigen but his remarks on expression are his own. He says that Leonato has too little expression. There can be no dout as to the figure intended for Leonato. Claudio is identified by a very theatrical gesture and by a Mefistofelian Don Juan behind him. The fainting Hero, over whom Beatrice is bending, falls