Throughout the work, Muntz is so sanguine as to the value of this mode of painting (the encaustic), that we are not surprised that the very obvious reason of finishing his first essay on a wax ground, which the first picture amounted to, neither more or less, and the second on a cloth or pannel, such as is usual in oil painting, and consequently in some measure absorbent, made all the difference; and we here arrive at the point which induced us to give a description of this encaustic, or painting in wax, for it is well known to practical men how much painting and re-painting is required to make a picture in oils bear out, as colours, when painted on the common grounds in use, sink very greatly into them. In short, to such an inconvenient extent does this go, that both portrait and landscape painters who are at all anxious about the future appearance of their works, are obliged to keep them long in hand, that the colours may sink, and again be brought out by fresh paintings. In water-colour painting, either for landscapes or miniatures, or any other kind of portraits; this is not the case; we proceed day after day until the piece is finished, without the least apprehension of any change; nor do we see any reason why, by the use of such grounds as may be made by wax for oil colours, we should not do the same in oil painting, allowing only the necessary time for the drying or hardening of the colours.,The admirers of absorbent grounds say that they make the colours more pure, by absorbing the oils or vehicles with which the colours are tempered; this must be granted, but we must inquire how much more oil, &c. is required to make colours work on an absorbent ground, than on one which is not in the smallest degree absorbent, and where the colours are sufficiently and finely ground.,This is an interesting subject, and worthy of more serious consideration than we have space to allow for it; but we cannot leave it without stating our firm belief, that either the wax, or newly-invented Indian-rubber grounds even, with a 'slightly absorbent surface laid over them'['italics'], would do infinitely more for the preservation of pictures in oil than any other grounds that are now in use., ,