NOTES. in 



NOTE LIT. VERSE 721. 

 When duly taught each geometric rule, 

 Approach with awful Jlep the Grecian fchool. 

 The firfl bufinefs of the itudent is to be able to give a true 

 reprefentation of whatever object prefents itfelf, juft as it ap- 

 pears to the eye, fo as to amount to a deception, and the geo- 

 metric rules of perfpeclive are included in this ftudy; this is 

 the language of the art, which appears the. more necefTary to 

 be taught early, from the natural repugnance which the mind 

 has to fuch mechanical labour after it has acquired a relifh for 

 its higher departments'. 



The next ftep is to acquire a knowledge of the- beauty of 

 Form; for this purpofehe is recommended to theftudy of the 

 GreciaaSculpture; and for compofition, colouring, and expref- 

 fion to the great works at Rome, Venice, Parma, and Bo- 

 logna; he begins now to look- for thofe excellencies which 

 addrefs themfelves to the imagination, and confiders deception 

 as a fcaffolding.to be now thrown afide, as of no importance 

 to this finifhed idea of the art, R. 



N O T E LIII. VERSE 725. 

 No reft, no paufe, till all her graces known, 

 A happy habit makes each grace your own. 

 To acquire this excellence, fomething more is required 

 than meafuring ftatues or copying pictures. 



I am confident the works of the antient fculptors were pro- 

 duced, not by meafuring, but in confequence of that correct- 

 nefs of eye which they- had acquired by long habit, which 

 ferved them at, all. times^ and on all occasions, when the com- 

 pafs would fail : There is no reafon why the eye fhould not 

 be capable of acquiring equal precifion and exadtnefs with the 

 organs of hearing or fpeaking. We know that an infanr; 



who 



