1809] 
ture? Tf it be not worth the student’s pains 
to study this whole, how is it more worth 
them to copy the parts of a picture? Ic 
must, no doubt, be allowed, that, as some 
pictures pussess great happihess of com- 
position, but have little to recommend 
them in any sing!e incident, there arealso 
‘others, which, although brilliant and even 
enviable in particulars, do notexhibit the 
comprehensive intellect of a master in the 
composition. But are all the pictures 
which the patrons send to their gallery, 
seth lctli el of this latter description? 
The patrons, not being professors, may 
very reasonably doubt, “whether they are 
or not; but why should tiot the student, 
whose business it is to acquire knowledge 
inthis respect, be left to lis own choice, 
to copy that which he judges to be most 
useful?. 
The imitation of the works of other 
masters, by making companions, as they 
are termed, to certain specified pictures 
of the collection, may be disinissed as nu- 
gatory. ; 
The sale of pictures is an act of charity, 
to be extolled as such. 
But, taking the whole of these ae = 
tages into view, and, fora moment, lay- 
ing aside the highly honourable gratifica. 
tion derived from the sight of multitudes 
almost miraculously fed, let us enquire, 
“Can the production of works in the 
fine arts be forwarded by the same me- 
thods' of evcouragement as other mauu- 
factures? And, will the mere use of the 
palety&c. and penciis makea painter?” If 
not, may it not be feared that the ready 
sale, so freely set on foot at the British 
Galiery, may be more likely to promote 
pictures than painting? And conceiving, 
as has been stated, that the real object i in 
view 15 to promote the progress of paint- 
ing towards the most elevated state of 
which itis capable, if the institution were 
to be regarded as having reached the ex- 
tent of its plan proposed for that purpose, 
might one not, without hesitation, assert 
that it had proceeded On erroneuns 
grounds; and may it not in our ‘ulgar 
phrase, be said to have begun at the 
wrong end? For, does it not appear 
to presume the scientific foundations of 
painting and sculpture to be already 
adeq uately laid in the country, and that 
posi is wanting but to ‘excite dili- 
gence and dexterity by the offer of res 
ward? 
“Let rewards”, it is said; “be suffi- 
cient, and the port is cartied : patrons 
will make painters.” It would be truly 
iliberal to ascribe these sentiments, if 
The Enquirer.— 
Woe XX TY, 
they exist in the elevated patrons of the 
British Institution, to any improper con- 
sciousness of superior station, and they 
will be more fairly construed to indicate 
the vaiceof Hope. But, willthe benevo- 
lent hopes of the patrons be in this in- 
stance realized? [tis undeniable, that pa- 
tronage will produce painters; but the 
question is, will the present patronage 
produce painters of the hiyhest class? Will 
it not be discovered, in process of time, 
perhaps unfortunately at too late a mo- 
ment, that the groundwork of science, SO 
essentially requisite to excellence in the 
arduous pursuit, is wanting, and that it is 
in vain to solicitthe dexterity of the hand, 
where there has been no previous ade- 
quate information of the mind? 
But if there be any error in the state- 
ment just made, of the probable effects of 
the British Institution on panting or sculp- 
ture; if the hopes ofa productive sale will 
really elicit genius, er what is the same 
thing, induce’such a cultivation of intel- 
lect as to bring forth the fruits of genius, 
we have only to wish, that, taking into 
consideration the degraded state. into 
which critics declare our poetry to be 
sunk, another British Institution may be 
opened for the promotion of that artalso, 
and a sale offered for the productions of 
numerous bards, who are now filled with 
poetic fire, and whose conceptions arene- 
vertheless in danger of being extinguished 
by neglect? 
Asa lover of every species of moral ad- 
vancement, I would in particular plead 
for the active prosecution of such a pro- 
ject in respect to a class of poetry, in 
which there are so many perversely pee 
sant sufferers—I meaa the drama; of 
which (as before observed) all sound and 
staunch critics ever Vv day protest that our 
stage never bore so disgraceful records ag 
in modern days. Will not some charitas 
ble association cali forth the sleeping ge- 
323 
nius of the drama, by conditions of sale, 
equally advantageous with those offered 
to the muse of painting? Then, if there 
be power in patronage, will the lost ho- 
~nors of our lyre and mask be restored, 
and England once more boast a Dryden 
anda Shakespeare. 
“ Absurd!” cries Draco—“Is it not 
sufficiently notorious that the emoluments 
to be gained by successful dramatists are, 
actually large enough to satiate the most 
unconscionable of theirritable race? And 
yet, where are our Congreves, our Wy- 
cherleys, our Massingers, our Southernes, 
our Vanbrughs, and our Rowes?# This 
reflection is so obvious and glaring, that 
it 
5 Aas aa tn Fin a a 
Se ae 
