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On Painting. 21$ 



arofe from its producing a recollection of thofe beautiful vi- 

 iions we had enjoyed in a previous and more perfecl ftate of 

 exigence. Burke calls it M fome quality in bodies acting 

 mechanically upon the human mind by the intervention of 

 the fenfes." 



That there is a beauty fuperior to form and colour is un- 

 nueftionable, as light, which, though in itfelf formlcfs, is a 

 iource of form, and is perhaps the only thing vifible : light 

 is life, its oppofite is darknefs and death. 



Ignorance of beauty and tafte argues a defective anima- 

 tion, whilft a wrong or bad one proceeds from a weaknefs 

 of judgment: hence fome miftake deformity for beauty, and 

 continue in that error through life. The young artift fhould 

 therefore learn as early as poffible to avoid grofs and vulgar 

 habits if he propofes to elevate the character of his works : 

 if his apofiles appear as if ftrayed from Rag-fair, and his he- 

 roes and princes poffefs the vulgar air of prize-fighters, they 

 can never be expected to intereft beyond people of fimilar 

 habits, and will never attract the attention of thofe whofe 

 fentiments are delicately juft : coarfe intelligence may fur- 

 prife the unthinking, but will not fatisfy the difceming. 



.Mild, affable, and gentle, are qualities of beauty, and thefe 

 we admire when we fee them united (in temperance) with 

 the three principal figns of life — heat, motion, and voice ; 

 but excefs of either deftroys. 



There are three diftinct characters of beauty, two of which 

 may be confidered as earthly ; as the common, which de- 

 pends on fafhion, and fatisfies common fenfe; the uncom- 

 mon, as felected by judgment; and the perfect, which, as 

 before obferved, fubfiits in imagination. 



If we diligently attend to the progrefs of the arts in Greece, 

 or after their revival in Italy, we ihall obferve three diftin6t 

 periods : firft, when they went no further than merely copy- 

 ing an object; fecondly, when they felected their object ; 

 and laftly, which marks the higheft point of excellence, 

 when they produced works of pure imagination. 



The beauty of the naked requires feveral qualities to its 

 perfection ; as, that the form be in proportion, and well 

 ihaped; that it poffefs a five and eafy motion, and be of a 

 found and frefh colour. The two latter will be treated of in 

 their proper places, while here we (hall content ourfelves with 

 offering the proportions found in De Piles, as fome guide in 

 the fearch of truth : befules, as the painter deals in fore- 

 fhortening, they are not altogether of that importance as to 

 the ftatuary. 



Jf The antients have commonly allowed eight heads to 

 P 3 their 



