C 131 3 



Confider for a moment what would be 

 the effect in any good compofition of the 

 nmited kind , either real or painted, were all 

 the near objects fwept away, and only the 

 diftant ones left. Try the fam/' experiment 

 on any admired compofition or" a great maf- 

 ter, in which an extenfive diftance is intro- 

 duced : let all that in any way intercepts, 

 breaks, divides, and accompanies that dif- 

 tance — all that throws it off, and marks the 

 gradations — all the ftrong maffes, the power- 

 ful tones of colour, the diftinct and forcible 

 touches that contrail with its foft fading 

 tints, — let all be removed — it becomes a 

 mere profpect, and nothing elfe. Again, 

 (to prove, as they do in arithmetic, fubtrac- 

 tion by addition) let the objects taken from 

 fuch a picture, be added to a mere profpect ; 

 it becomes a compofition, a painter's land- 

 fcape. 



With refpect to the point of fight being 

 taken high, that has frequently a very grand 

 K 2 effect. 



