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contributed in a great degree, and with 

 great reason, to give a prejudice against 

 the study of pictures as a preparation to 

 that of nature. In the same manner that 

 many painters consider natural scenery 

 merely with a reference to their own 

 practice, many connoisseurs consider 

 pictures merely with a reference to 

 other pictures, as a school in which they 

 may learn the routine of connoisseurs hip ; 

 that is, an acquaintance with the most 

 prominent marks and peculiarities of differ- 

 ent masters: but they rarely look upon 

 them in that point of view in which alone 

 they can produce any real advantage, — as 

 a school in which we may learn to enlarge, 

 refine, and correct our ideas of nature, 

 and in return, may qualify ourselves by 

 this more liberal course of study, to be 

 real judges of what is excellent in imitation 

 This reflection may account for what 

 otherwise seems quite unaccountable; 

 namely, that many enthusiastic admirers 

 and collectors of Claude, Poussin, &c. 

 should have suffered professed improvers to 



