<^(5 On Painting, 



If we wifli to know much, we muft fee many things of a 

 kind, thai by comparing them we may acquire a more per- 

 feft idea of the thing than the real objetl conveys ; and thofe 

 ideas we are bound to improve till we underhand the true 

 principles of general nature, or unaccompanied with thofe 

 peculiarities that mark the defefts of the individuals in each 

 fpecies. 



When we have determined on a fubjcft, we muft with all 

 due expedition make a (ketch of the principal perfons con- 

 cerned in the event, or whatever conftitutes the feature of 

 the picture, without regard to drefs or any of the lelTer in- 

 cidents, as much of the fue and fpirit of the action?, as 

 well as the grandeur of the whole, depends on the firft 

 impreffion. We muft then do by our iketch as \'irgil faid 

 he did bv his works, " lick them into fliape;" for, as the 

 firft part depends on the imasjination, fo the fecond is the re- 

 fult of judgment : we are then to prune or add till the whole 

 comes into perfeft ordonnance, choufing fiich objefts as are 

 ilrikingly noble or beautiful, and adding fuch acceffory cir- 

 cumftances as may heft contribute to illuftrate the itory. 

 Ill our progrefa with the fkctch we may add a fecond or third 

 group, fettle the drclVcs and the back-ground, whether land- 

 I'cape or architetlure, the difpofition of the mallesj and com- 

 plete the whole by flightly tinting it. 



We are bound to prefcrve a w hole throughout our work, 

 as well as an unity of time and place : we ihould therefore 

 avoid every thing local ; even a well-known face or figure 

 deftroys intcreft, by rendering the work familiar. 



Lairefle whimfically delcribes a picture of the deluge, 

 painted by an artift of his time, as made up of abfur- 

 dities. Among other things jumbled together is ** the 

 grave of Mahomet, rolls of Virginia tobacco, a cardinal's 

 cap, a child in a gocart, pickled herrings, a fmutch-pot and 

 pencils, all the toys from a Nuremberg toy-lhop, tlie re- 

 cords of the imperial cliamber at Spire," and, to crown the 

 whole, " the Vatican," and the artift's own dear fclf " fit- 

 ting on the fore-ground tkctching every thing after the life." 

 The man muft be ignorant indeed who could be guilty of 



like beauty, having once witliered, can never be reftorcd. Conftantinc, 

 V ith all his wealil. and pouxr, could not refulcitate it, but was obliged 

 to rcb antitnt Rome to adorn his new city. Roufe, countrymen, rouie ! 

 you will add to your own immortality, and j^ive vigour to the labours of 

 the artift, by encouraging the noble walk of hiftory panning. How re- 

 nowned have the popes Julius and Leo, with the Medici, become from 

 fo doing ! The prelcnt opportunity loft may never be itgaincd. Why 

 ftould we not contend for the empire of wilclom as well as of the fea > 



fuch 



