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are the firft I ever thought likely to do ho- 

 nour to it, by honouring and cultivating a 

 higher art, and by confidering that as the 

 true road to fame and excellence in your 

 own. 



There is only one way in which I can 

 account for the defire you have fo ftrongly 

 manifefted throughout this Letter, of lower- 

 ing the art of painting: you find yourfelf at 

 the head of your own art ; but with no mean 

 talents for one branch of the art of painting, 

 you in that, are far from having the fame 

 pre-eminence. You therefore feem to me 

 to have ufed your endeavours, not only to 

 {hew that there is much lefs affinity between 

 the two arts than I have fuppofed, but to 

 degrade the art itfelf, and to exalt your own 

 upon its ruins ; for nothing furely but fuch 

 a jaloufie de metier, could have induced 

 you to have made any fort of allufion, any 

 kind of parallel, between the uncontrouled 



opinions 



