1^6 Mr. Delaval on the Catije of the 



Such was theftate of Painting in Egypt, above 

 three thoufand years ago. The other colouring 

 arts were carried to a high degree of innprove- 

 ment, at an equally remote period. 



We learn, from the concurrent teftimony of 

 both facred and profane hiftorians, that the 

 countries, where thefe Arts originally flourilhed 

 were antecedent, and fuperior to all others, in 

 their diligent and fuccefsful obfervations of nature, 

 and in the invention and culture of the Sciences. 



Thefe, undoubtedly, gave rife to the executive 

 Arts, and opened a way to their advancement 

 and perfection. ' 



But, after a fucceflion of feveral ages, both 

 the theoretical knowledge, and the praflical fkill, 

 of thofe nations, underwent a confiderable de- 

 cline, and fliared the general defolation which 

 had befallen, from civil difafters, and foreign in- 

 vafions. 



Thofe repofitories of the Arts and Sciences 

 had already far receded from their primeval con- 

 dition, at the time that the ancient fages of 

 Greece reforted to them, for inftrudlion. 



So that, although the refearches of thofe tra- 

 vellers were repaid by the acquirement of fome 

 general phyfical truths, which had been tradi- 

 tionally preferved, they could not, by the mofl: 

 diligent inquiry, attain an infight into any of 

 the progrefilve means of information, from which 

 fuch truths had been deduced. 



Nor 



