534 O^ i^^ -^^^ of Painting 



knowledge and Ikill would be implied in the 

 praife of the modern, than we could reafonably 

 afcribe to the commendations of the ancient. 

 So alfo, if any perfon in the prefent day, were 

 to praife very highly the mufical fkill of fome 

 performer of eminence, no great degree of cre- 

 dit would be given to the commendation, unlefs 

 we knew before- hand the competence of the 

 perfon who bellowed the praife, or unlefs the 

 mode of commendation itfelf implied a certain 

 degree of knowledge in the man who prefumed 

 to judge. The ftile of commendation which 

 Dr. Burney would adopt, would be very differ- 

 ent from the praifes of him whofe knowledge 

 was bounded by a boarding fchool minuet, or a 

 Scotch reel. 



To apply thefe obfervations to painting : 

 It is clear from what has been already advanced, 

 that with refpefl to the mod difficult, the moft 

 fundamental, and the higheft in rank among 

 the departments of the art,* the ancients were 

 fully equal to the moderns; and their expref- 

 fions of praife muft be allowed to imply an equal 

 degree of abfolute fkill, with fimilar expreffions, 

 if applied to the great mailers of modern art. 

 It is alfo clear that painting was extremely cul- 

 tivated among the ancients, and that their good 

 painters were more efteemed than artifls of equal 



* Dcfign and e^iprefiion. 



merit 



