1810.] 
defect, but excellence; it is the inmmita- 
ble in poetry, as well as painting, 
which is 
‘€ The grace beyond the reach of art.” 
Some have supposed the patronage of the * 
great was necessary to bring genius to 
perfection; but we have many instances 
of the contrary: the most eminent works 
have been produced without it; and 
when it has been bestowed in early 
“pales it has proved not only injurious, 
ut fatal. The mind, whose powers 
would stagnate unstimulated by fame and 
favour, wants that radical principle of 
vigour which alone can arrive at excel- 
lence. Few who obtain distinction at a 
juvenile period of life, preserve or merit 
it long; effort is abated, not by difficulty, 
but success: indeed it is the obstacles 
which it overcomes, that evince the 
strength of genius, a 
Praise, till the reasoning faculties are 
matured, weakens the moral powers 
(which have a close alliance with the 
intellectual); aud inspires a conceit and 
self-sufficiency, obstructive of all progress 
in genius no less than virtue.. A great 
painter and an acknowledged critic, ex- 
clusive of his own art, has left on record 
his opinion of this confidence, in some 
admirable lectures to his young pupils. 
‘¢ Hlave no dependance on your own 
genius,” was his reiterated counsel; 
indeed he impresses it in a manner that 
would lead superficial observers to sup- 
pose he thought that industry conld sup- 
ply its place; he continually tells them 
that genius can achieve little without it, 
and self-sufficiency for ever preclude 
advancement in their art. 
Noone had better opportunities than sir 
Joshua Reynolds, of observing the effects 
ofresolute perseverance, even with moder- 
ate talents; and the perfection it might 
attain when operating with a mind 
potent andeoriginal. 
Without industry, knowledge cannot 
be acquired: genius will soon be ex- 
hausted if the soil is unenriched by 
foreign stores; it will have no materials 
to work upon, no ideas for imagination 
to combine; and it can become fruitful 
only in proportion to its resources. 
The treasures of ancient and modern 
art are essential to its fertility, and in- 
@ustry alone can collect them. 
Tacknowledge that genius seizes and 
combines, with a rapidity inconceivable 
to slower capacities; and this is one of 
its most striking characteristics: but 
Sis quickness of apprehension 4s com- 
Letter on the Death of the Rev. Norton Nicholls. 
428. 
monly accompanied by an impatience of 
labour; and if it inspire confidence 
that the intricacies of art and depths of 
science can be penetrated by a careless 
glance (which seems what sir Joshua 
meant when he guarded against depen- 
dance upon genius), if application cease, 
improvement ends, ai*: nothing which ig 
produces will ever have a permanent 
nich in the temple of fame. 
To close these observations with the 
opinion of the first ancient, and the first 
modern, critic: 
‘* Genius is that energy which collects, 
combines, amplifies, and animates; active, 
ambitious, enterprising; always imagining 
something greater than is known; always 
endeavouring something better than it per= 
forms 5 that power without which judgment 
is cold, and knowledge inert.” —- Fobnson. 
*¢'To attain excellence in any art, three 
things are necessary: nature, study, and 
practice.” ristotle. 
N Ea 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
VENTURE to solicit 4 place in your 
Magazine for the inclosed letter, 
written by Mr. Mathias ypon the death 
of his friend, the Rev. Norton Nicholls; 
feeling as Ido, that by admitting it you 
will gratify many of your readers, who, 
though acquainted with the deceased, 
may not have had an opportunity of 
seeing this tribute to his memory. Few 
men have had the happiness of enjoying, 
during their lives, a more extensive cir- 
cle of refined and elegant society, than 
Mr. Nicholls; few have been gifted with 
an equal share of those polished manners 
and that engaging benevolence, which 
cause their company to be universally 
courted; and few have by their death 
created a greater vacuum, or been more 
generally lamented; so'that, though Mr. 
Mathias, having been induced by the 
pressing solicitations of his friends, pris 
vately to print a few copies of the letter, 
has endeavoured to distribute these copies 
wherever he thought the memory of the 
deceased was cherished with esteem, 
itis scarcely possible but that he muse 
have overlooked many, by whom it would 
have been prized and valued, I feel 
therefore, sir, that in sending it to you 
Tam performing an acceptable service to 
numbers, though I may not be fulfilling 
the wishes of the author; andI beg leave, 
not only to add my tribute of respect, 
however inconsiderable, to the memory 
ofa man whom, when alive, I was al- 
Jowed to call my friend, and whose loss 
I mose 
