On Tainting. 3 S3 



tiful choice, and it Stands in opposition to the Simple or 

 grand ; it does not apply to objects " rough and irregular," 

 or fuch as are deformed, aged, and ugly. 



We muft give up our understanding if we call a landfcape' 

 fine which reprefents dirty rugged grounds, fcrubby buShes/ 

 poor fcraggy and ill-formed trees, (hapelefs lumps of anti- 

 quity, and muddy pools; peopled with gipfies and vaga- 

 bonds, dirty beggars clothed with rags, their heads decorated 

 with filthy drapery, fkins like tanned leather, and their em- 

 ploy difgufting ; and thcfe accompanied with poor and old 

 cattle, or nafty fwine on filthy dunghills. And fliall thofe 

 be the objects with which we are to decorate, or rather de- 

 form, our apartments ? Such a choice argues a tafte as de- 

 praved, as if a man were to prefer the horrid fqueaking of a 

 cart-wheel, to the fineSt folo on an organ. 



Such objects, if introduced in pictures, can only be Spar- 

 ingly ufed, to fet off and give value to beauty, as a foil, but 

 fhouid never appear as principals. 



If a man producing fuch pictures is to be distinguished by 

 the noble appellation of a genius, we fhoulcl find fome other 

 term to beftqw on fuch artifts as Raphael, Corregio, Titian, 

 Rubens, Reynolds, &cc. &c. &c; and in landfcape, Pouflin, 

 Wilfon, Claude, Barret, &c. One thing we are fure of, that 

 is, that there is no mention of fuch renowned wrong- heads 

 among the Greeks *. 



It muft not be understood that we reject the paftoraJ as 

 unworthy; on the contrary, it is highly interesting, and, 

 when accompanied with fentiment and a judicious Selection, 

 (as in fome of Gainfborough's fine compositions.) does honour 

 to the arts. Equally interesting, though in a le'fs degree me- 

 ritorious, Stands the Simple reprefenter of nature; he acquires 

 a new character as a topographer, provided he attach fidelity 

 to his representations* 



Under the article invention we mall again have occafion to 

 fpeak of the picturefque; we Shall then refume our Subject. 



Two parts of the body that contribute much to the grace 

 of the figure are an eafy turned head and neck (fee PI. VII.), 

 and a graceful and elegant hand and arm. M. Angelo, Ra- 

 phael, &c. afford man v examples of men ; and Parmegiano, 

 Guido, Reynolds, Mortimer, &c, of women. To produce 



* The rage for what is termed the pifturefque, we fhouid fay the de- 

 formed, in the modern and mifunderftood fenfe of the word, is carried (o 

 far, that I mould not be furpriled to hear that groups of filthy gipfies 

 were paid to wander at.out gentlemen's grounds for what fome Plight term 

 their p'fiurcfquc ffftd. One advantage would refult from it to their em- 

 ployers, that is, thev might indulge their fmell as well as tafie. 



Vol. XIII. No. 53. Z this 



