Temianent Colours of Opake Bodies, i ^ i 



mod ancient nations poflefTed an excellence in 

 all thofe Arts, which the ablefl: moderns cannot 

 difpute with them. 



In a former work, I have (hewn that the Art 

 of Dying was cultivated in the remotefl: ages, 

 in Phoenicia,- Egypt, India, the land of Canaan, 

 and other countries; and that they excelled even 

 in the mofb difficult and elaborate branches of 

 this art. They were alfo fkilled in making arti- 

 ficial gems, and tinging glafs, and enamel, with 

 the briaihteft colours. 



From the teilimony of the earlieft hiftorians, 

 we are informed of the high antiquity of the Art 

 of Painting, in Egypt, and other countries which 

 gave birth to the Arts and Sciences: and many- 

 beautiful remains of antiquity, which are ftill 

 extant, are clear and lading proofs of the great 

 proficiency of thofe ancient nations in that Art. 



Theophiaftus, Pliny, and others, have enume- 

 rated the colours, employed in the various m.e- 

 thods of antique painting. 



Thefe colours include almoftallthe pigments, 

 which are employed by the moderns. Pruffian 

 Blue, which, with a few others, has been added, 

 was difcovered by an accidental mixture of the 

 ingredients, which enter into the compofition of 

 it. Nor is it fo durable as the blue paints, which 

 •were in \\{t before its introduflion. 



Pliny informs us, that in his time Painting 

 had greatly degenerated from its former (lace. 



L 4 Ic 



