§ 119. JUDGMENT OP WORKS OP ART. 357 



by the mannerism and peculiarities that fetter or influence 

 men in some other countries, they are free to receive the 

 impressions imparted to them by their instructors ; and the 

 same mechanical habit, which prevented their acquiring 

 taste by their unaided observation, is useful in enabling 

 them to perfect whatever depends on skilful manipulation. 

 And as a nicety of hand makes them excel in cabinet and 

 joiner's work, they are capable of attaining excellence in 

 those processes which depend on manual skill. Admirable, 

 therefore, as is the wood carving of those young men, who, 

 in less than one year, have been taught at Alnwick Castle by 

 Signor Boletti, we can account for this success by the aptness 

 of the pupils, as well as by the talent of their instructor ; and 

 it is gratifying to Englishmen to know what may be done in 

 their country by proper tuition, while they gladly acknow- 

 ledge their obligations to the Duke of Northumberland for 

 having established so admirable a school of woodcarvers. 



119. It is certainly highly beneficial to taste, that wealthy 

 individuals should come forward to promote it, and there are 

 fortunately some in this country who have the talent and the 

 judgment to appreciate what is worthy of admiration and 

 encouragement. But this is not a privilege or a duty con- 

 fined to the rich alone ; a man of limited means may con- 

 tribute towards the same desirable object; and it is equally 

 incumbent upon him to engage in so good a cause. The 

 humblest dwelling may display even greater taste than the 

 most sumptuous palace. The beautiful does not depend on 

 costliness or variety. Nor is it necessary for an individual to 

 have exercised an art, in order to comprehend the excellence 

 of its productions. Many of the best judges of pictures are 

 not artists, as many very good judges of architecture are not 

 architects: and indeed considering the numbers of frightful 

 buildings in many parts of the world, and the small pro- 

 portion of beautiful compared to the multiplicity of faulty 



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