Uoyal Academy. 227 



donas of Raphael, the burning of the Borgio, the Petrus stabbing 

 himself while clasping the body of Arria, the tugs, the grasp, the 

 groan of the Laocoon. These subjects, without reference to 

 time or place, speak the language of all mankind. Under this 

 class also comes History, which expresses time, and gives a " local 

 habitation and a name." We are pleased with the former sub- 

 jects as men, with the latter, as members of society. 



Legislators, philosophers, discoverers, polishers of mankind, 

 patriarchs and divines, fall under the latter head. Whatever 

 makes time and place contribute to display pathos and character, 

 is the legitimate style of elevated history, more properly deno- 

 minated Dramatic. Mr. Fuseli pointed out the cartoon of Paul 

 preaching at Athens. The dramatic was the style of Euripides, 

 of Shakspeare, and of Raphael. Under the first class was like- 

 wise includejd, in the name of commensurate, the Epic, with its 

 allegoric and symbolic attachments. The epic, which was the 

 most sublime effort of human invention, was the allegory of a 

 maxim. It admitted history as its basis, by its vastness; it con- 

 cealed its boundaries. Nature reflected character ; character 

 was overwhelmed by genius. In it, heaven and earth mingled; 

 men became demigods ; gods descended to men. This was the 

 style of Homer, of Michael Angelo, of Milton. Mr. Fuseli took 

 this opportunity to comment upon allegory, which, of all the 

 paltry subterfuges to palliate invention, was one of the foremost. 

 Dr. Johnson had said that the plastic arts can illustrate, but not 

 inform ; which the Doctor attempted to prove by saying, that a 

 child, on being shown a figure of Justice with a pair of scales, 

 would niistake it for a cherrv-wonian with steel-yanls. The 

 Professor conceived that this would depend enrirely upon the 

 genius of the artist. The general allegoric ideas of the ancients 

 had a uniform taste. The inverted torch, the drooping flower, 

 were accompaniments of, not substitutes for. Death. Mercury 

 deprived of his caduceus, Apollo of his lyre, would still inform us 

 of their characters. 



A celebrated pict\ire of Tiziano was also noticed. Under this 

 class may be comprehended the ornamental style. Here, midst 

 refulgent architecture, are displayed sumptuous tables of magni- 

 ficence and luxury; gaudy bands of music, the lustre of eastern 

 draperies, crowds of pages and dwarfs, glittering riches, splendid 

 chaos ; the whole embrowned and toned by a meridian sky. 

 Under this class also mav be comprehended portrait; not that 

 portrait which comprehends and embodies the character and 

 boul; but the mere transcript of feature. To this class also we 

 add a similar description of landscapes, an imitation of hill and 

 dale, clumps of trees, not assisted by nature, nor dictated by 

 genius ; little better than topography. — The landscapes of Ti- 



P 2 tian. 



