Cursory Slrklurc^ on Modern Art. 157 



walls of the buiKling were sufficientlv strong to resist battery, 

 or shot, and contained retreats to secure the inhabitants 

 from the enemy, the end of that kind of dwelling was 

 answered : but in the times succeeding Charles the First, 

 the improved state of society and knowledge had induced 

 the great to build commodious villas and palaces, in which 

 the architectural distribution made the sister-arts absolutely 

 necessary to uniformity and completion. Still ingenious 

 foreigners were employed for this purpose, whilst the native 

 was treated with contempt, both at home and abroad, for 

 his inability in those arts which law and religion had for- 

 bidden him to practise. 



As this suppression of ability was extremely impolitic and 

 dishonourable to the country, let us inquire for a moment 

 on what scriptural authority the prohibition which occasioned 

 it was supported. Painting and sculpture were banished 

 from the churches, that, chey might not be idolatrously 

 worshipped: and this is just; the divine law orders they 

 shall not he worshipped, but utters no prohibition against 

 the arts-themsclves: on the contrary, divine precept directed 

 images of cherubim to be made, whose wings should extend 

 over the ark of the covenant, and cherubim to be embroidered 

 on the curtains which surrouwded it. This decision in fa- 

 vour of the arts being etnployed for proper purposes in sa- 

 cred buildings, is so clear and strong, that it could only be 

 overlooked, or opposed, by infatuated bigotry. 



A succession of foreign artists, as has been observed, 

 were employed in almost every work of importance, from 

 the time of Charles the First, until within forty years of the 

 present day. The painters, Vandyck, Lely, Verrio, Koeiler 

 and Casali, succeeded to each other; as did also the sculp- 

 tors, Gibber, Gibbons, Scheemakers, Rysbrack, Bertocini, 

 and Roubiliac. This variety of artists (sculptors arc more 

 particularlv meant) from different countries, French, Fle- 

 mings, and Italians, sonietimes brought the taste of John 

 Guuion or Puufet, sometime* a del)ased imitation of John of 

 fcologna and the Florentine school, and sometimes the taste 

 of Bernini; but never a pure style and sound principles. 

 After the ncformaliou, the chief employment of sculpture 



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