• <M connected -with Land/cape Painting. 30 1 



Vcencr relifh through the medium of the fciences, is truly 

 Epicurean. 



The belt method to improve and elevate our thoughts will 

 be, by frequently contemplating the mod noble objects in 

 nature, and taking every opportunity of viewing pictures the 

 mod likely to infpire fine ideas-. But we fliall view fine 

 works of art to very little purpofe, if we feel no higher wifh 

 than mere imitation: if the noble enthufiafm of rivallhip 

 does not poflefa our brcalls, it is much to be feared our re- 

 marks will be cold, and our exertions languid : Jet us then, 

 like Jacob, dare to vvreftle even with an angel. 



Various fchemes have been recommended to affilt the 

 powers of imagination. One advifes contemplating the 

 breaks in the plaftering of old walls; another, the veins of 

 marble; and a third, as the nc plus ultra., has produced a 

 fyftem of blotting : but thofc methods, however ingenious, 

 are fallacious. Gamfborough is laid to have formed land- 

 fcapes on the table with broken ftoncs, dried herbs, and 

 pieces of looking-glafs ; and Chattclain, whole drawing he 

 was fond of, ufed to defign his rocks from lumps of coal. 



This is a bad practice. If we do not refort to nature for our 

 materials, and connect our inquiry with the bed works of 

 art, our compofitions mull not be expected to rife above the 

 paltoral character of tb'ofe of the former, and our rocks, like 

 thofe of the latter, may fmell of the coal-hole. 



The Dutch painters, in their local rcprefentation, have 

 copied each object as it occurred, without attempting to im-, 

 prove them ; which many imagine gives them a certain na- 

 tural air, w hich, bv the bye, is abfurd, and argues a great 

 want of taile: this error equally attaches to the Fjcmiih 

 Jchnol, and may he feen even in the landlcapes of Rubens. 

 The univerfal affection for landfcape painting does not arife 

 from the love of imitation merely; the paltoral fcencs of the 

 Dutch delight from other motives, and principally hecaufc 

 familiar to every imagination ; they exhibit a life of peace, 

 lcifure, and innocence, with joy, plenty, and contentment; 

 blefllnca not to be found in the buftlinc fcenes of active life. 

 One rule we are bound to pbferve in the paltoral 3 that is, 

 not to reprefent fcenes of wretchednefs, or Inch pbjecls a-* 



Vo».. \ III. R r may 



