212 On Painting* 



beyond matter. But fome, having no knowledge of internal 

 beauty, are conftrain'ed to leek it in the objects of fcufe, and 

 of eourfe prefent us with all the imperfections of an individual 

 model. Hence, was beauty to remain external to the foul, it 

 could never affect; but, being well and perfectly conceived, 

 we are moved by it with the moll exquifite delight. 



Painting depends on two powers, the mind and the hand j 

 or, in other words, reflection and practice. We mould there- 

 fore, by an early application to drawing, particularly regular 

 forms, qualify ourlelves to embody our ideas with facility 

 arid eafe when the mind has attained to maturity. 



As the Great Firlt, or that which is in the mod exalted 

 degree, contains all things in the immenfity of his being; i*o> 

 all things being referred to and fubiiltiug by him, he is con- 

 iidered as the good of the univerfe. Hence all defire the pof- 

 feflion of good, as thinking thereby they {hall become furH- 

 cient to themfelves*. But all do not think the pofleffion of 

 beauty will be the completion of their wifhes; not that the 

 good can be deititute of beauty, as in the Firlt muft necefia- 

 rily abide all things : fo it will be fuperior to beauty, as not 

 requiring the ailiftance of the fenfes. 



The beauty of intellect is fuperior to that of matter, and 

 appears to have had a previous exiftence ; juft as the con- 

 clufion will remain indubitably certain, whether the fyllo- 

 giftic energy be exerted or not; or as true fcienceexifted be- 

 fore theory, and it before practice f. It is from this the artift 

 can never fafhion beautiful forms equal to the perfection of 

 reafon frbm which he acts; for reafon is a fuperior beauty, 

 iince in it is contained the beauty of art. 



Again, as beauty argues perfection, it were in vain to feck 

 it in fenfibles, the objects of fenfe being imperfect. Tor, 

 though we mould grant it is rendered in a certain degree vi- 

 able in matter, yet the higher degree of perfection is im- 

 plied in the Venus Urania. 



To carry on our inquiry, works of art cannot derive their 

 beauty from the materials of which they are compofed, but 

 from the reafoning energy; not becaufe the artift poflefles 

 hands and eyes, but that he is endowed with art. For it is 



* The Supreme Author of our being has fo formed the foul of man, 

 that nothing but himfelf can be its laft, adequate, and proper happinefs. 



Addison. 



f True fcience belongs only to the great Artificer of the univerfe : 



<,ur exertions only place us in a middle ftation, between ignorance 



and perredt v.ifdom. It is fcarccly necefTary to obferve, creation could not 



t been produced through the means of externals, as fenfiblc objects 



had net then a being. Jt may be further necelfary to remark, that the 



wii> of all nations have thought that the fciences have vanifhed and.ap- 



d-again under the various revokuions of the. univerfe. 



the 



