On Tainting. Z^ 



jnoft Ignorant the moft fuccefsfulj and the moil fuccefsful 

 the moft honoured. 



The great artiils of former times did not only praSife 

 hiftory, but portrait, nay even landfcape, and often excelled 

 in a re hi ted lire : then it was that one good work was enough 

 to infure a man fuccefs and fortune, while now twenty hafty 

 ones will fcarccly furnifh him bread. Little and poor fpirlts 

 have formerly made them feparate ftudies, and their Inability 

 tiifqualltled them from teaching on a more liberal and exten- 

 five fcale, and now the pradice of many is infignificant and 

 contemptible. 



Man loves himfelf, and of courfe is interefted in whatever 

 relates thereto : hence the great end of painting fliould be, 

 recording adions of great perfonal patience, fufferance, or 

 heroifm ; but, above all, embodying fonie important moral 

 truth for the edification of mankind. 



Some lofty theme let judgment firft fupply, 

 S\ipremcly fraught with grace and mnjeftyj 

 rOr fancy copious, free to ev'ry charm 

 Tliat lilies can circumfcribf, or colours warm : 

 Still happier if that artful tlicme difpenle 

 A poignant moral and inftruftive ienie. 



Mason's Frpsnoy.- 



That part of painting termed the ornamental rnay pleafe 

 and delight; but he who in his works combines fublimity with 

 fentiment, may be juftly fald to have reached one of the 

 higheft points of human felicity, and docs an honour to the 

 ignorant bv raifing them from their own native infignificance 

 to rank with the higheft order of earthly beings: 



The duileft genius cannot fail 



To find the moral of my tnle : 



That the diftinguifh'd part of men, 



With compais, pencil, Iword, or pen. 



Should in life's vifit leave tlicir name, 



In charaftcrs which may proclaim. 



That they with ardour ftrove to raifc 



At once their arts and country's praife. Prior. 



In the choice of our fubjecl wc fliould prefer thofe bcft 

 known, and, if poftlble, fuch a one as may carry with it a 

 general iniercft. As a poct,JMilton was particukuly h.ippy in 

 his Paradife Loft; it is not the deftructiou of a city, or the 

 conduct of a colony, but the fate of worlds, which involved 

 the happinefs of mankind at large. The (ircck and Hotnaa 

 hiftory with their fables, alfo the hiftory of our own nation, 

 and the works'of our boft poets, fiiriiHli infinite matter for 

 lludy, as well as thofe grand and fublime Ivibjeds that octur 

 in the Oitl and Xew Teftament, 



VoL.XIV. No, 53. C l^i't 



