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only contribute to the eafe of the fpectator, by making the 

 vehicle pleating by which ideas are conveyed to the mind, 

 which otherwife might be perplexed and bewildered with a 

 confufed affemblage of objects; it would add a certain degree 

 of grace and fvveetnefs to ftrength and grandeur. Tho' the 

 excellencies of thofe two great Painters are of fuch tranfcen- 

 dency as to make us overlook their deficiency, yet a fubdued 

 attention to thefe inferior excellencies muft be added to com- 

 plete the idea of a perfect Painter. 



Deception, which is fo often recommended by writers on 

 the theory of painting, inftead of advancing the art, is in 

 reality carrying it back to its infant ftate : the firft effays of 

 Painting were certainly nothing but mere imitation of indi- 

 vidual objects, and when this amounted to a deception, the 

 'artift had accomplimed his purpofe. 



And here I mud obferve, that the arts of Painting and 

 Poetry feem to have no kind of refemblance in their early 

 ftages : The firft, or, at leaft, the fecond flage of Poetry in every 

 nation is the fartheft removed poflible from common life : 

 Every thing is of the marvellous kind; it treats only of heroes, 

 wars, ghofts, inchantments, and transformations. The Poet 

 could not expect to feize and captivate the attention, if he 

 related only common occurrences, fuch as every day produced; 

 whereas the Painter exhibited what then appeared a great effort 

 of art, by merely giving the appearance of relief to a flat fuper- 

 ficies, however uninterefting in itfelf that object might be; 

 but this foon fatiating, the fame entertainment was required 

 from Painting which had been experienced in Poetry. The 

 mind and imagination were to be fatisfied, and required to be 

 amufed and delighted as well as the eye; and when the art 

 proceeded to a ftill higher degree of excellence, it was then 

 found that this deception not only did not affift, but even in 



