EXORDIUM. 233 



that is to say, their mountings, carriages, and apparatus, 

 &c. on true and philosophical principles, and I Hatter my- 

 self not totally without success, most of the better class of 

 instruments, which have been made of late years, being 

 more or less constructed according to the plans I have 

 suggested. This, however, is a subject on which no man 

 must pretend to dogmatize or dictate, for such is the spirit 

 of contradiction, and of renitency against conviction, in 

 mankind, that they will make it a point of honour to go 

 the wrong way if you urge them too forcibly on in the 

 right one, just to shew that they will have their own way, 

 and are determined to think and act for themselves. 



Though it may savour somewhat of egotism, I cannot 

 refrain from stating some of the difficulties which I 

 experienced in making the drawings of the living objects, 

 though I know very well that people of first-rate talent 

 explode difficulties, and will hardly allow of their exist- 

 ence, except with bunglers and half-taught amateurs. 

 I wish I had been one of those favoured individuals with 

 whom the most arduous achievements of all sorts 



" are no more difficile. 



Than for a blackbird to whistle." 



Hudibras. 



If any portrait painter had to execute a likeness of 

 some person afflicted with chorea, who could not be 

 prevailed upon to be quiet for more (ban ball a mi- 

 nute together, who was perpetually jigging about the 

 apartment, and exhibiting his tail instead of his head, 



