among the Ancients. <jf 



In afcertaining therefore the degree of crediV, 

 due to the praifes beflowed on any performance 

 in a branch of the fine arts, we muft take into 

 confideration the general Hate of the art at the 

 time, and the competence of the perfon who 

 beftows the praife. 



No flight degree of probability however may 

 be attained on both thefe points, by attending 

 to a circumftance not generally noticed, viz. 

 that in an advanced flate of the art, and when 

 the obferver is acquainted with his fubjeft, the 

 praife will feldom be given in loofe, general 

 and comprehenfive expreflions, but the terms 

 in which it is conveyed will be chrafteriftic and 

 determinate, and often technical j they will fre- 

 quently fhew the ftate of the art by marking 

 the fubdivifions, and the fkill of the obferver 

 byjudicious difcrimination. When added to thefe, 

 the latter can refort for comparifon to any exift- 

 ent ftandard of perfe<5lion, his praife may fairly 

 be adopted in its full extent, and regarded as 

 evidence upon the point in queftion. 



Thus, if a modern were to commend the mu- 

 fical performance of a great mailer in feme 

 general terms, fimilar, or nearly fo, to thofe before 

 made ufe of concerning a mufician of equal 

 eminence by an ancient author, we fliould have 

 no doubt whatever, from known collateral cir- 

 cumftances refpedting the comparative ftates of 

 the fcience, that a far higher degree of abfolute 

 M m J knowledge 



