17^ hr. Gregory^s Stiiciares on Don Hodrigue^. 



day are those in which we trace the beauty, the true sirn- 

 phcity, and the striking truths of nature. Thus the period 

 of the corruption of the art was not when it lost Mi 

 honours and consideration, but rather that it was no longer 

 founded upon the grand principles which are its true sup- 

 porters ; and such is the immutable order of things, that 

 all the splendour of the Cartoni, the Bernini, all the noise 

 made by the Vanloos and the Bouchers never disguised the 

 degraded state of paining. 



Since therefore a new seia has commenced, and the art 

 has risen by the force of genius alone, and without the aid 

 of that cruel benefit of nature, which generally paves the 

 way for the lustre of the arts by the previous darkness of 

 destruction, — ought we not boldly to extinguish the preju- 

 dices which still pursue us, and reject with dignity all that 

 is unworthy of our new alory ? 



But we shall now point out more precisely the various 

 qualities observed in ihe last productions of the languishing 

 and enfeebled art, and prove that they have been common 

 at all times to the works of the most distinguished, both 

 among ancient and modern arti?ts. 



[To be continued.] 



XXVII F. Remarks on Don Joseph Rodriguez's y/«?macf- 

 versmis on Part of the Trigotiomelrical Survey of Eng- 

 lavd. By Olinthus Gregory, LL.D. of the Royal 

 Military Academy, Woolwich. 



To Mr. Tillock. 



Dea-r Sir, — When I say that I have been- greatly sur- 

 prised to see in the second part of the Philosophical Trans- 

 actions for 1812, Don Rodriguez's animadversions upon 

 part of the English Trigonoraeirical Survey, I conjecture 

 that I am merely describing a feeling which has been more 

 or less experienced by every man of science in this king- 

 dom. The publication of an attempt by a foreigner to cas£ 

 diaeredit upon a great national undertaking, in the Trans- 

 actions of the most eminent philosophical institution of 

 that nation, the Royal Society, that is, in a work which 

 learned men on tlse continent contemplate as a fair picture 

 of the science and genius of England, is, i believe, a thing 

 unprecedented in the history of literature. If the great 

 work which Don Rodrianez has taken upon himself to ex- 

 amine, had been really reprehensible, it would still have 

 V^-n extraordinary th^ he should be permitted to give hi» 



censure» 



