Dissertation on the Paintings of the middle Age. 35 



ticcd, while at the same time it will afford satisfaction to 

 every one to find that a saiistactory explanation can be 

 given. 



I am, sir. 



Your most obedient servant, 



Edinburgh, Jau. 9, 1813. CD. 



VIII. Dissertation oji the Paintings of the middle Age. and 

 those called Gothic. Extracted from an wipiiblished IVork 

 on Painting, by M. Paillot de Montabert *. 



JL HE finest models of antiquity will always attract the at- 

 tention of every philosophical artist 5 but the distance which 

 separates us from the schools of antiquity, the influence 

 of the manners and art-s of the moderns, render these studies 

 extremely diflScult, and limit such subjects to minds of a 

 peculiar description. It great efforts are therefore required, 

 in defect of these dispositions, before we can even compre- 

 hend the theory of the ancients ; and if, besides all this, we 

 must shake off our tastes and habitudes, and many of our 

 doctrines, — it is bevond all doubt, that every thing which 

 can contribute to facilitate this great study ought to be 

 carefully inquired into, and nothing which can assist us to 

 attain the first sources ought to be neglected. 



It has been remarked, that several chefs-d'cciivre of an- 

 cient sculpture have regained in the present sera that esti- 

 mation which the observations of many years had not suc- 

 ceeded in procuring for them. Hence may we not conclude, 

 that the opinions of many observers remain still in sus- 

 pense with respect to numerous valuable productions which 

 we do not yet comprehend? And it is not astonishing, vihen 

 so many ancient sculptures and paintings appear to us to 

 be v^-eak and without subslance, that the works of more 

 degraded ages are treated with contempt. Nevertheless, 

 although we ought to dwell upon works of excellence only, 

 we ought to despise such only as are of a vitiated or de- 

 graded taste, and wc ought to cherish some regard for 

 works which, however humble, are the valuable propaga- 

 tors of the soundest principles. 



Thus, theref )re, a? the object of every person who ex- 

 ercises and professes the arts, is very different from that of 

 the pet son for whose gratification these arts are cultivated ; 

 it is the duty of every honest artist to delineate the essential 



• Mlllin's Ma^. I'Jjicj/dopidiijue, March 1812. 



C 2 character.*; 



