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fantastic or unnatural, as in a village ; and 

 where the lover of painting, and the lover 

 of humanity, may find so many sources of 

 amusement and interest/' All the liberal 

 arts are justly said to soften our manners, 

 and not suffer them to be fierce and savage. 

 None, I believe, has a juster claim to that 

 high praise, than the art of painting. Who- 

 ever has looked with delight at Gainsbc*- 

 rough's'representations of cottages and their 

 inhabitants ; at Greuze's interesting pic- 

 tures ; at the various groups and effects in 

 those of the Dutch masters, will certainly 

 feel from that recollection, an additional 

 delight in viewing similar objects and cha- 

 racters in nature : and I believe it is diffi- 

 cult to look at any objects with pleasure 

 (unless where it arises from brutal or tumul- 

 tuous emotions) without feeling that dis- 

 position of mind, which tends towards kind- 

 ness and benevolence; and surely whatever 

 creates such a disposition, by increasing our 

 pleasures and enjoyments, cannot be too 

 much cultivated. I have just mentioned 

 Gainsborough's pictures, and will here add- 



