1812. 
IN THE ART OF DRAWING IN PERSPECTIVE. 
449 
appearance of the different clusters, nor in that of the houses, a view 
of one-third would convey a complete and just idea of the whole. 
The Chief and his party seated themselves around me, and 
watched my proceedings, not with that degree of curiosity which 
indicated a desire of learning the art, but merely with that which 
the novelty of the affair excited. Some, without much reflection, 
indeed, took their stand before me, and on my requesting them to 
move aside, MattTvi scolded them very unceremoniously, for ob- 
structing my view : on which they laid themselves down on the rocks, 
or stationed themselves behind me. 
The Chiefs dinner-hour happened during my drawing ; and, as 
he chose to remain with me till I had finished my work, his servants 
brought his dinner to him. He used most frequently, or when not 
the cylindric method has several advantages and faciUties, although it requires that very 
long horizontal right lines which are much above or below the ' horizontal line' properly 
so called, or that which passes through the point of sight, should be represented more or 
less curved ; but this is a case which very rarely occurs. In landscape-pictures which 
comprehend a larger horizontal angle than the eye can clearly take in at one view, such as 
the cylindric principle admits of, it would be incorrect to enlarge the angle of altitude, or 
height of the picture, in the same proportion ; although this precept, which naturally 
depends on the powers of vision, appears to be in general little attended to. 
In the course of studying this art from nature, we may discover that all the rules 
which are usually given us for dehneating the different parts of a view where a great 
number of ' accidental points' are required, may be reduced to 07ie, and thus the theore- 
tical difficulties of the art exceedingly simplified, if not altogether done away. The 
following rule will be found to be universal, and applicable to every possible case ; The 
point to which any straight line in nature appears to tend, is that point in the medium, 
whether plane or cylindrical, where a visual ray parallel to that line would fall. And then, 
by corollary ; All lines which are parallel in nature, must, in a drawing, be made to con- 
verge to the same point : and further ; All lines which are horizontal in nature, must tend 
to some point in the ' horizontal line ;' and those which actually inchne downwards, must 
in a picture be drawn to some point below that line, and those upwards, to some point 
above. 
It is not only in pictures of buildings, that a knowledge of the principles of pcrspcc- 
tive is necessary, although in such it is absolutely indispensable ; but, in every branch of 
the art of drawing, it is eminently useful ; a consideration which has occasioned the sub- 
ject to be noticed in this place. In confining this explanation to the space of a note, many 
particulars must necessarily be omitted which might perhaps make the above remarks 
more available to those who are but little acquainted with the theory of the art ; but this 
exposition of the principles which guided my own practice, will, it is hoped, be sufficiently 
intelligible to those who take any particular interest in the subject. 
VOL. II. 3 M 
