Sophon. I have once or twice seen these papers by Mr. Tupper
commented upon to the effect that he wholly ignores the question of
art-merit in a work of art, the question whether it is good or bad in
form, colour, etc. But this is a mistake, for in fact he allows that
this is a relevant consideration, but declines to bring it within his
own lines of discussion. There is also a curious passage which has
been remarked upon as next door to absurd; that where, in treating of
various forms of still life as inferior subjects for art, he says
that "the dead pheasant in a picture will always be as 'food,' while
the same at the poulterer's will be but a dead pheasant." I do not
perceive that this is really absurd. At the poulterer's (and Mr.
Tupper has proceeded to say as much in his article) all the items are
in fact food, and therefore the spectator attends to the differences
between them; one being a pheasant, one a fowl, one a rabbit, etc.
But, in a varied collection of pictures, most of the works
representing some subject quite unconnected with food; and, if you
see among them one, such as a dead pheasant, representing an article
of food, that is the point which primarily occurs to your mind as
distinguishing this particular picture from the others. The views
expressed by Mr. Tupper in these two papers should be regarded as his
own, and not by any means necessarily those upheld by the
Praeraphaelite Brotherhood. The members of this body must however
have agreed with several of his utterances, and sympathized with
others, apart from strict agreement.

By Patmore: "The Seasons." This choice little poem was volunteered to
"The Germ" in September, after the author had read our prospectus,
which impressed him favourably. He withheld his name, much to our
disappointment, having resolved to do so in all instances where
something of his might be published pending the issue of a new