APPENDIX. 1-59 



common to the Chorus and all the Actors : Which eftablimed 

 law of theirs, I have not an opportunity to examine in this 

 place, becaufe I cannot do it without digreffion from my fub- 

 ject, though it feems too ftridt at the firfl appearance, becaufe 

 it excludes all fecret intrigues, which are the beauties of the 

 modern ftage; for nothing can be carried on with privacy, 

 when the Chorus is fuppofed to be always prefent. But to 

 proceed : I muft fay. this to the advantage of Painting, even 

 above Tragedy, that what this laft reprefents in the fpace of 

 many hours, the former {hews us in one moment. The action, 

 the p3;lion,. and the manners of fo many perfons as are con- 

 tained.in a picture, are to be difcerned at. once- in the twinkling 

 of an = tyej at lead they would be fo, if the fight could travel 

 over fo many different objects all at once, or the mind could 

 digefl them all at the fame inftant, or- point of time. Thus, 

 in the famous picture of. Pouffin, which reprefents the InfK- 

 tution of the blefTed Sacrament, you fee our Saviour and his 

 twelve Difciples, all concurring in the fame action, after dif- 

 ferent manners, and in different poflures -,. only the manners 

 of Judas are diftinguilhed from the reft. Here is but one in- 

 divifibie point of time obfer.ved ; but one action performed by 

 fo many perfons, in one room, and at the fame table ; yet the 

 eye cannot comprehend at once the whole object, not the mind 

 follow it fo fafl | it is confidered at leifure, and" feen by inter- 

 vals. Such are the fubjects of noble pictures, and fuch are 

 only to be undertaken by noble hands. There are other parts 

 of Nature which are meaner, and yet are the fubjecls both 

 of Painters and of Poets. 



For to proceed in the parallel; as Comedy is a reprefenta- 

 tion of human life in inferior perfons and low fubjects, and 

 by that means creeps into the Nature of Poetry, and is a kind 

 of Juniper, a flirub belonging to the fpecies of Cedar; fo is the 



painting 



