Henry III. to the End of Henry W, 47 



over with theiHj for we are told exprelly 

 that in Italy they knew of no luch method. 

 When fome of John ab Eyck's pictures 

 were carried to xllphonfo king of Naples, 

 the Italian painters were furprized, fays San- 

 drart *, Quod aqua purgari pollent^ colori- 

 bus non deletis. 



I mufl beg not to have it fuppofed that 

 I am fetting up any novel pretenfions for 

 the honour of my own country. Where 

 the difcovery was made I do not pretend 

 to guefs : the fafl feems to be that we had 

 fuch a praclice. Curious facts are all 1 

 aim at relating, never attempting to efta- 

 blilli an hypothefis, which of all kind of 

 vifions can nourifli itfelf the mod eafily 

 without any. The paflion for fyflems did 

 not introduce more errors into the old phi- 

 lofophy, than hypothecs has crouded into 

 hiftory and antiquities. It wrefts all argu- 

 m.ents to the favorite point. A man who 

 fees with Saxon eyes fees a Saxon building 

 in every molehill : a Meixian virtuofo can 



* P. 105. Maffci indeed in his Verona Illuftrata is 

 of a different opinion, and thinks oil-painting was 

 known in Italy before John ab Eyck. 



difcover 



