X PREFACE. 



their plans and opinions, without being able to reconcile 

 what thej propose with common sense, or ever condescend- 

 ing to alter or improve them agreeably to the natural taste 

 of their employers ; and, in the second place, to a firm 

 conviction of their truth, and a strong feeling of their im- 

 portance. It would have been easy to have softened them 

 off by palliatives, or even to have used weak expressions ; but 

 I have in every instance found, that writers who have adopted 

 this practice were actuated, not by real diffidence or mo- 

 desty, but by a conscious deficiency of knowledge — weakness 

 of intellect — or, an undecided opinion with regard to the 

 subject. Good taste and nature are the same, and their im- 

 pressions being congenial to unprejudiced minds, are deci- 

 sive, clear, and permanent. Language is the offspring of 

 impressions. Not a single remark, however, will be found, 

 either on art or its professors, but what is perfectly in unison 

 with that candour and politeness, which, if wanting, would 

 display such a bad taste as might justly induce the reader to 

 doubt my judgment in every thing else. 



A number of the plates in this volume are mere geometrical 

 elevations, plans, or sections, and therefore are chiefly to be 

 considered in connection with the text. The others are alike 

 illustrative ; but being views of the same scenes under two dif- 



