8 
lavater’s 
je6ls reprefented. Yet, while the bed mafter -pieces 
are not valued in France fo much as in other 
countries, the artifts have reafon to complain of 
injuftice done to them in that refpeft ; becaufe, in 
fo difficult a profeffion, the qualifications, applica- 
tion, and information required, exceed any idea 
conceived by people not converfant with arts and 
fciences. 
Nature is a dingy mother, and difpenfes with a 
fparing hand the noble talents neceflTary to imitate 
her complexion, motions, and expreffion. She has 
bellowed on Genius alone that free gift, the divine 
flame which forms her ftrong colours and grandefl: 
features. An equal degree of perfeftion cannot be 
attained merely by dint of labour ; yet the heavenly 
fpark, producing fuch happy eflfe6ls, is indebted to 
induftry for giving full fcope to invention and imi* 
tation. Thus an artill would grope in the dark for 
ever, without accompliffiments derived from addi- 
tional principles, equally indifpenfable as the tech- 
nical rules that he follows. We allude to a know- 
ledge of hiftory, mythology, or the fables of the 
heathen gods, and anatomy ; for a man wffio prac- 
tifes a liberal profeffion, unlefs he be a proficient in 
thefe matters, mull; be condemned to live in per- 
petual obfcurity. 
Many arguments are needlefs to prove furgical 
knowledge a prime requifite in a painter, as he 
would labour in vain to reprefent the molt delight- 
ful 
