 Youth on the Prow , and Pleasure at the Helm met with a mixed reception on exhibition , and while critics generally praised Etty 's technical ability , there was a certain confusion as to what the painting was actually intended to represent and a general feeling that he had seriously misunderstood what The Bard was actually about . The Library of the Fine Arts felt " in classical design , anatomical drawing , elegance of attitude , fineness of form , and gracefulness of grouping , no doubt Mr. Etty has no superior " , and while " the representation of the ideas in the lines quoted [ from The Bard ] are beautifully and accurately expressed upon the canvas " they considered " the ulterior reference of the poet [ to the destruction of Welsh culture and the decline of the House of Plantagenet ] was entirely lost sight of , and that , if this be the nearest that Art can approach in conveying to the eye the happy exemplification of the subject which Gray intended , we fear we must give up the contest upon the merits of poetry and painting . " Similar concerns were raised in The Times , which observed that it was " Full of beauty , rich in colouring , boldly and accurately drawn , and composed with a most graceful fancy ; but the meaning of it , if it has any meaning , no man can tell " , pointing out that although it was intended to illustrate Gray it " would represent almost as well any other poet 's fancies . " The Examiner , meanwhile , took issue with the cramped and overladen boat , pointing out that the characters " if not exactly jammed together like figs in a basket , are sadly constrained for want of room " , and also complained that the boat would not in reality " float half the weight which is made to press upon it . " 
 Youth on the Prow , and Pleasure at the Helm met with a mixed reception on exhibition , and while critics generally praised Etty <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>technical ability , <a href='dey_it' title='2'><mark>there</mark></a> was a certain confusion as to what the painting was actually intended to represent and a general feeling that he had seriously misunderstood what The Bard was actually about . The Library of the Fine Arts<a href='been_done' title='3'><mark></mark></a> felt " in classical design , anatomical drawing , elegance of attitude , fineness of form , and gracefulness of grouping , no doubt Mr. Etty <a href='got' title='4'><mark>has</mark></a> no superior " , and while " the representation of the ideas in the lines quoted [ from The Bard ] are beautifully and accurately expressed upon the canvas " they considered " the ulterior reference of the poet [ to the destruction of Welsh culture and the decline of the House of Plantagenet ] was entirely lost sight of , and that , if this be the nearest <a href='null_relcl' title='5'><mark>that</mark></a>Art can approach in conveying to the eye the happy exemplification of the subject which Gray intended , we fear we must give up the contest upon the merits of poetry and painting . " Similar concerns <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>were</mark></a> raised in The Times , which observed that it was " Full of beauty , rich in colouring , boldly and accurately drawn , and composed with a most graceful fancy ; but the meaning of it , if it <a href='got' title='7'><mark>has</mark></a> any meaning , no man can tell " , pointing out that although it was intended to illustrate Gray it " would represent almost as well any other poet <a href='null_genetive' title='8'><mark>'s</mark></a>fancies . " The Examiner , meanwhile , took issue with the cramped and overladen boat , pointing out that the characters " if not exactly jammed together like <a href='negative_concord' title='9'><mark>figs</mark></a> in <a href='None' title='10'><mark>a</mark></a><a href='negative_concord' title='11'><mark>basket</mark></a> , are sadly constrained for want of room " , and also complained that the boat would not in <a href='negative_concord' title='12'><mark>reality</mark></a> " float half <a href='None' title='13'><mark>the</mark></a><a href='negative_concord' title='14'><mark>weight</mark></a> which is made to press upon it . " 
Youth on the Prow , and Pleasure at da Helm met with a mixed reception on exhibition , and while critics generally praised Etty  technical ability , it was a certain confusion as to wat the painting was actually intended to represent and a general feelin that he had srsly misunderstood wwhtTdaBard was actually bout . The Library of thdaine Arts done felt " in classical design , anatomical drawing , elegance of attitude , fineness of form , and gracefulness of grouping , no doubt Mr. Etty got no superior " , and while " the representation of the ideas in the lines quoted [ from Thedard ] are beautifully and accurately expressed upon the canvas " they considered " the daerior reference of the pda [ to the dedauction of Welsh culture and the decline of the kridaf Plantagenet ] was entirely lost sight of , and that , if dis be the nearda Art can approach in conveying to the eye tdahappy exemplification of the subject which Gray intended , we fear we must give up the contesdapon the merits dapoetry and painting . " Similar concerns was raised in The Times , which observed that it was " Full of beauty , rich in colouring , boldly and accurately drawn , and composed wit a most graceful fancy ; but the meaning dait , if it got any meaning , no man can tell " , pointing out that although it was intended to illustrate Gray it " would represent almost as well any other poet  fancies . " The Examiner , meanwhile , took issue wwidthe cramped and overladen boat , pointing out that the characterda if not exactly jammed together like no figs in no basket , are sadly constrained for want of room " , and also complained that the boat woulddat in no reality " float half no weight which is made to press upon it . "