I 144 3 



guifh churches and villages, till we come nearer 

 ftill, where particular houfes, men, and cattle, 

 may be perceived, and fo on, till we fee diftind^ 

 ly every vifible objed about us. 



A jtheory of this fort is abfolutely necçfTary in 

 every painter who would imitate nature in al- 

 î)iofi: any refpedt. To run it over again ; from 

 a near view to a diftant place, let your firft or 

 neareft objedVs have pure and bright colours, ac- 

 cording as the nature of the fubjeéls may require. 

 Thefe fhould be finillied with great lights and 

 flrong fhadows : thofe at a little diftancc fhould 

 be fomething lefs bright in their ground-colours, 

 not fo high in their lights, or fo deep in their 

 fliadows -, and as they are farther diftant, they 

 fhould diminifti more in the purity of cojour, 

 as well as in light and lhadow, till they have 

 neither light, Ihadow, colour, or diftinft form ; 

 for all is confufed, and mixed at very great dif- 

 tances. As one goes backwards in a pidure, 

 much finifhing is to be fpared ; the windows of 

 a houfe are not fuppofed to be vifible at fome 

 miles diftance, though the houfe, in its general 

 form, may be feen? As to little ornaments 



drefs, 



