1809,] 
ponent parts; as would the architect in 
beginning to build an elegant mansion 
“ withont, first, laying eons his ground- 
_ pian, and drawing a section and eleva- 
tion of his intended structure. That 
we have mechanics possessing these qua- 
lifications, 1 am willing to allow; but 
their numbers are comparatively sinall. 
Yet, under these disadvantages, we are 
distinguished for our mechanical inven- 
tions; but [ am confident we should 
rise still higher in the scale of pre-emi- 
nence, if the art of drawing were inade 
an indispensable branch ofthe education, 
of every person intended for a mechani- 
cal profession. Then our manufacturers 
would be enabled, in a superior degree, 
to unite elevanice of design with uti- 
lity; and diffuse a tasteful variety over 
the works of art; many of which, at pre- 
sent, offend the eye of the classical critic 
by their clumsy disproportion, and un- 
meaning ponderosity. From these con- 
siderations I.am Jed to wish an institu- 
tion, in this country, similar to the Gra- 
tuitous School of Drawing in Paris, the 
importance of which, is noticed in Mr. 
Elmes’s Account of the State of the Fine 
Arts in France, published in this Maga- 
zine for October last. An establishment 
like this; for teaching gratuitously a li- 
mited number of students, architectural 
and mechanical drawing, mechanics, 
pneumatics, and chemistry, as far as is 
applicable to useful purposes, would be 
an object of such vast importance in this 
country, as to render it a kind of national 
reproach to be without one, I regard 
the encouragement given to Mr. Lan- 
caster’s new system of education, as a 
circumstance highly honourable to the 
feelings of the public; because it exhi- 
bits a triumph over that narrow and 
selfish policy, which threatened it with 
- Opposition, on the ground af calling into 
action an ungovernable portion of hu- 
man intellect. 
Tn noticing an invention so extensively 
useful, perhaps it will not be entirely 
irrelevant to the subject I have been 
treating of in this letter, to enquire, whe- 
ther it would not be practicable to teach 
drawing, as tar as regards the outline, 
upon the same principle, and by the same 
means, as Mr, Lancaster teaches writing?’ 
Tf it could be so taught (and, at present, 
I see no objection), ‘T leave it to him-to 
consider its importance; particularly, in 
the school he is now establishing i in the 
town of Birmingham. 
: London, 
February 9, 1809. 
Your's, &c. 
E. Lypyarr, 
Mr. Lydiatt, on Drawing 
141 
To the Ed tor of the Monthly Mubiciie 
STR, 
OUR téspectible and widely eyreu- 
lated Magazine, being justly cele- 
brated for its impartiality, and being, 
likewise, much to its honour, almost ihe 
only publication of merit, open to a Can- 
did appeal agaist the musrepresentations 
of ignorant and illiberal’ criticism, you 
will, f am confident, with pleasure allow 
an old correspondent to introduce a few 
remarks on the egregious blundering and 
ae reasoning displayed by the ee 
tish Critic: for last Deve: mber,” in the 
review ofa work entitled, * Institutes of 
Latin Grammar.” : While pedantry, dull- 
ness, venality, and absurdity, have been, 
without suticient discrimination, and, 
often, fron improper motives, attributed 
to most of our, perrodical reviews, it AS 
allowed by the learned, that, for party 
spirit, personal invectives, the unwarrant- 
able application of illiberal epithets*, fa- 
voritism, shaliow reasoning, and jenorance 
even ofthe plainest principles oftheEnelish 
language,+ this ea unquestionably, 
stands 
7 
* See an instance of this, successfully ex~ 
posed in the Gentleman’s eee for last 
December, p. 1072. 
{ The following grammatical. errors and 
improprieties, taken from the, British Critic 
for last December, are a few out of the many 
with which almost every pave of that work 
constantly teems:—** We feel grateful to 
the diligence and accuracy which bas brought 
together, dc.’ p. 631. ‘* These are enough 
to prove that he bad not sufficiently deter- 
mined to what extent he should proceed-on 
this point, and in some degree destroys the 
uniformity and systematic arrangement which 
is SO conspicuous in every part of the work.” 
Pp. ddI. 
Alas! poor Priscian’s head! ¢é 
ualess to satisfy the mind of the patient 5 
it is therefore highly cruel to torture rhem, 
fi, e. the Pe even to endangefing their 
lives, &c.” p. 639. ¢* The preface amiexed,” 
p: 366, is something like a dul/. “<« The com- 
mittee printed oe ae no less [not 
fewer] than 51,432 books.” p. 600  &¢ So 
universally fpeneralliy] read.” < 625." And; 
upon the same principle, the following 1S 
objectionable ; ¢* so sufficiently refuted.” p. 640, 
In the position of definitives, the Bricish Crie 
tic is scarcely ever correct ; thus ¢¢ oo is only 
said to bea dictionary of gardening,” p. 547, 
instead of &* te is said to be cnlya weadines 
of gardening,” or, if the last.word is, exclu- 
sively, to be limited,—** of gatdéning only.?? 
€€ We at least might nave beck favoured with 
the character of each genus.” Pp. 552. This 
is a very presumptuous assertion; at Icast 
cannot be worse placed. ¢* Yer we would 
neither detract from his fame nor his usefuls 
ness,’” 
