ii PREFACE. 



as much importance as commentators fpeak 

 of Horace or Virgil j and indulging them- 

 felves in the inflated flyle of their language, 

 they talk of pi6i:ures as works almoft of a 

 divinity, while at the fame time they lament 

 them as perifhing before their eyes. France, 

 neither poflefled of fuch mailers, nor fo hy- 

 perbolic in their didlion, contrives however 

 to fupply by vanity what is wanting in ei- 

 ther. Pouflin is their miracle of genius ; 

 Le Brun would difpute precedence with half 

 the Roman fchool. A whole volume is 

 written even on the life and works of Mig- 

 nard. Voltaire, who underftands almoft 

 every thing, and who does not fufpedl that 

 judgment in painting is one of his defi- 

 ciences, fpeaks ridiculoufly in commenda- 

 tion of fome of their performers. 



This country, which does not always err 

 in vaunting its own produ6bions, has not a 

 £\r\g\t volume to fliow on the works of its 

 painters. In truth, it has very rarely given 

 birth to a genius in that profeflion. Flan- 

 ders and Holland have fent us the greateft 

 men that we can boaft. Thfs very circum- 

 ftance may with reafon prejudice the rea- 

 der againft a work, the chief bufinefs of 

 which -muft be to celebrate the arts o^ a 



country 



