-Much diversity of opinion has existed respecting the colour of the surface of the prepared canvas. It is also a subject of considerable importance, for it is impossible to paint a richly coloured picture with life and warmth, upon a dull unsuitable ground. A landscape, if carefully handled, can be brought on and finished in a more brilliant manner on a white ground than on any other. It has, however, been objected to a pure white ground, that it is liable to impart a cold and chalky effect; but it must be remembered that what is at first white in oil, becomes in a short time of a yellowish hue, and its coldness of tone is thereby lowered. The white, or pale cream-coloured and pale, warm, drab coloured grounds, seem to surpass all others. The reason is obvious; they through a light, and consequently a transparency, through the work; and, as all colours in oil painting have a tendancy to sink into the ground on which they are laid, and to become darker, this tendency can be counteracted only by having grounds of considerable lightness and brilliancy. Cold gray grounds have been used in landscape painting; but they impart a heaviness of colouring much to be avoided. Some artists have painted on grounds of a dull red, or leather-coloured tint, and much richness may be gained by such tints; but after a time the colours of any portion that may have been thinly painted sink into this strong ground, and the effect produced is heavy and disagreeable. Upon the whole, a white ground is to be preferred, as soon as the learner has acquired some knowledge of the subsequent effect of his colours; but as the inexperienced find much difficulty in preventing the coldness and poverty of expression which they are not unlikely to beget, it will be advisable for the beginner to take the usual light stone drab that is generally given to canvas; for it furnishes him with a middle tint or tone to start from, which, when visible in shadows and middle tints, has not the raw chalkiness shewn under similar circumstances on an unskilfully or imperfectly covered white ground.,