233 



that the one treats of the great general ab- 

 stract principles of beauty ; the other of 

 its distinct visible qualities. Were there 

 now extant any of the first-rate pictures of 

 the ancient Greek school — the Venus of 

 Apelles, or the Helen of Zeuxis — in perfect 

 preservation, we should probably see, that 

 the delicate blending of the tints, their clear- 

 ness and purity, would equally tend to es- 

 tablish Sir Joshua's and Mr. Burke's princi- 

 ples of the beautiful in colour. 



If, then, it be true, that by adhering to a 

 central form, as displayed in the best an- 

 tique statues, and by applying to it the 

 qualities of beauty, as stated by Mr. Burke, 

 it would be almost impossible not to pro- 

 duce a beautiful object ; and if, on the 

 other hand, it would be quite impossible 

 to produce one, if that central form, and 

 those qualities, were rejected ; and if this 

 may equally be affirmed, with respect to ari 

 other objects in nature, as well as to the hu- 

 man figure — it points out very distinctly, in 

 what beauty does,and does not, consist; and 

 it shews, that although an Apollo Belvidere? 



