550fo 1173 Hayley A poetical epistle to an eminent painter THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES FREDERIC THOMAS BLANCHARD ENDOWMENT FUND POETICAL EPISTLE TO AN EMINENT PAINTER, [Price Three Shillings.] POETICAL EPISTLE TO AN EMINENT PAINTER. Hvyyevtixv tivx ffpos ttc/vjt/kvjv e%eai v\ ts^vvj evpiaxeTXi, v.Xi xotvq tk «ja- Qoiv etvxt (fixvTXfftx. ' d teyeiv oi 7roiv\TXi typa rxvrx ev tu ypxniiXTt avuxxivmra • Philostratus. Patet omnibus Ars, nondum eft occupata, multum ex ilia etiam futuris reli&um eft. Senec. Epift. 33. By WILLIAM H A Y L E Y, Esq, The SECOND EDITION, Corrected and Enlarged. LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. DODSLEY, IN PALL- MALL, M.DCC.LXXIX. ARGUMENT. /JN introdu&ion to the fubjeEi — The flour ifhing ft ate of Art in this country — Difadv ant ages attending the mo- dern painter of portraits — Short encomium on this branch of Art) with the account of its origin in the ftory of the maid of Corinth. Superiority of hiftorical painting — Some account of the Greeks who excel/ 'd in it — Its deft x ruc~t Hon , and revival in Italy — Short account of the moft eminent Italian painters — Thofe of France and Flanders. The rife of painting in England^ and the reafons for its happening fo late — The ra- pidity of its improvement — A flight jketch of the moft emi- nent living artifts in England. The author s wijh to fee his friend among the firft of that number — His reafons for hoping it. The reputation of a painter in fome degree owing to a happy choice of fubjeEi s — A few recommended from na- tional events — and from Milton and Shakefpeare — Concluflon — Author s wi/hes for his friend'' 's fuccefs. B TO 858620 T O Mr. GEORGE ROMNEY, R X) LEST be the hour, when fav'ring gales reftore -■— " The travell'd artifl to his native fhore ! His mind enlighten 1 d, and his fancy fraught With fineft forms by ancient genius wrought ; Whofe magic beauty charm' d, with fpell fublime, £ The fcythe of Ruin from the hand of Time, And mov'd the mighty leveller to fpare Models of grace fo exquisitely fair. While you, whom Painting thus infpir'd to roam, Bring thefe rich ftores of ripen'd judgment home ; 10 While now, attending my accomplifh'd friend, Science and Tafte his foften'd colours blend ; Let the fond Mufe, tho' with a tranfient view, The progrefs of her Sifter art purfue ; B 2 Eager [ 4 1 Eager in tracing from remoteft time i^ The fteps of Painting thro' each favour'd clime, To praife her deareft fons, whofe daring aim Gain'd their bright ftations on the heights of fame, And mark the paths by which her partial hand Conducts her Romney to this radiant band. 20 Painting, fweet nymph ! now leaves in lifelefs trance Exhaufted Italy, and tinfel France, And fees in Britain, with exulting eyes,, Her vot'ries profper, and her glories rife.. Yet tho', my friend, thy art is thus careft, 25: And with the homage of the public bleft, And flourifhes with growing beauty fair, The child of Majefty's adoptive care, The youthful artift ftill is doom'd to feel Obftruction's chilling hand, that damps his zeal:. 30 Th' imperious voice of Vanity and Pride Bids him from Farley's region turn aflde, And quit the magic of her fcene, to trace; The vacant lines of fome unmeaning face : E'en in this work his wiihes ftill are croft, 3.5 And all the efforts of his art are loft ; For [ 5 ] For when the canvas, with the mirror's truth, Reflects the perfect form of age or youth, The fond affections of the partial mind The eye of judgment with deluilon blind : 40 Each mother bids him brighter tints employ, And give new fpirit to her booby boy ; Nor can the painter, with his utmoft art,, Exprefs the image in the lover's heart : Unconfcious of the change the feafons bring, 45" Autumnal beauty afks the rofe of fpring, And vain felf-love, in every age the fame, Will fondly urge fome virionary claim. The lucklefs painter, deftin'd to fubmit, Mourns the loft likenefs which he once had hit, 50 And, doom'd to groundlefs cenfure, bears alone The grievous load of errors not his own. Nor is it Pride, or Folly's vain command, That only fetters his creative hand ; At Fafhion's nod he copies as they pafs 55 Each quaint reflection from her crowded glafs. The formal coat, with interfering line, Mars the free graces of his fair defign 5 The. [ 6 ] The towering cap he marks with like diftrefs, And all the motley mafs of female drefs. 60 The hoop extended with enormous fize, The corks that like a promontory rife ; The flays of deadly fteel, in whofe embrace The tyrant Fafhion tortures injur'd Grace. But Art, defpairing over fhapes like thefe 65 To cafl an air of elegance and eafe, Invokes kind Fancy's aid— me comes to fpread Her magic fpells— the Gothic forms are fled ; And fee, to crown the painter's juft defire, Her free pofitions, and her light attire ! Th' ambitious artift wifhes to purfue This brilliant plan with more extenfive view And with adopted character to 9 ] To Rome and Florence, in Expreflion ftrong, 320 The higheft honours of Defign belong ; On her pure Style fee mild Bologna claim * Her faireft right to fecondary fame ; Tho' prouder Venice would ufurp that praife, Upon the fplendid force of Titian's golden rays, f 325 But ill they know the value of their art, Who, flattering the eye, neglecl: the heart. Tho' matchlefs tints a lafting name fecure, Tho' ftrong the magic of the clear-obfcure, Thefe muft fubmit, as a dependant part, 330 To pure Deflgn, the very foul of Art ; Or Fame, mifguided, muft invert her courfe, And Raphael's Grace muft yield to Rembrandt's Force; X Fancy's bold thought to Labour's patient touch, And Rome's exalted genius to the Dutch. 335 Yet, Holland, thy unwearied labours raife § A perfect title to peculiar praife : ' * Ver. 322. See NOTE XXIV. f Ver. 325. See NOTE XXV. X Ver. 333. See NOTE XXVI. § Ver. 336. See N O T E XXVII, D 2 [ 20 ] Thy hum'rous pencil fhuns the epic field, The blazing falchion, and the fanguine fhield ; But hap'ly marks the group of rural Mirth, 340 In focial circle round the chearful hearth, And ruftic Joy, from bu fy cares releas'd, To the gay gambols of the village feaft : While Nature fmiles her very faults to view, Trac'd with a fkill fo exquifitely true. 345 Thefe faults, O Rembrandt, 'twas thy praife to hide ! New pow'rs of Art thy fertile mind fupplied ; With dazzling force thy gorgeous colouring glows, And o'er each fcene an air of grandeur throws : The meanefl Figures dignity affume, 350 From thy contrafted light, and magic gloom. Thefe ftrong illufions are fupremely thinej And laugh at Imitation's vague defign : So near to blemifhes thy beauties run, Thofe who affect thy fplendor are undone : 355 While thy rafh rivals, loofe and incorrect, Mifcali their fhadowy want of truth Effe£? y And into paths of affe&ation ftart ; ^eglecl of Nature is the bane of Art. 6 Proud [ 21 ] Proud of the praife by Rubens' pencil won, || 360 Let Flanders boaft her bold inventive fon 1 Whofe glowing hues magnificently mine With warmth congenial to his rich deHgm : And him, her fecond pride, whofe milder care, From living Beauty caught its lovelieft air ! 365 Who truth of character with grace combin'd, And in the fpeaking feature mark'd the mind, Her foft Vandyke, while graceful portraits pleafe, * Shall reign the model of unrivall'd eafe. Painting fhall tell, with many a grateful thought, 370 From Flanders firfl: the fecret pow'r fhe caught, f To grace and guard the offspring of her toil, With all the virtues of enduring oil ; Tho' charm'd by Italy's alluring views, (Where fumptuous Leo courted every Mufe, % 375 And lovely Science grew the public care) She fixt the glories of her empire there ; I Ver. 360. See NOTE XXVIII. * Ver. 368. See NOTE XXIX. t Ver. 371. See NOTE XXX. X Ver. 375. See NOTE XXXL There [ 22 ] There in her zenith foon fhe ceas'd to mine, And dated, paffing her meridian line, From the Caracci's death her period of decline. 380, Her finking beams, from Italy withdrawn, On colder France with tranfient luftre dawn : Where, in the arms of Roman Science nurs'd, In every work of ancient genius vers'd, The fage Poussin, with pureft fancy fraught, * 385 Portray'd the clailic fcene, as Learning taught : But Nature, jealous of her facred right, And piqu'd that his idolatry mould flight Her glowing graces, and her living air, To worfhip marble with a fonder care, 390 Denied his pencil, in its mimic ftrife, The bloom of beautv, and the warmth of life. Then rofe Le Brun, his fcholar, and his friend, -j~ Mere juftly fkill'd the vivid tints to blend ; Tho' with exalted fpirit he prefent 395 The generous victor in the fuppliant tent, * Ver. 3S5. See NOTE XXXII. t Ver. 393. See NOTE XXXIII. Too [ *3 ] Too oft the genius of his gaudy clime Milled his pencil from the pure fublime. Thy dawn, Le Sueur, announc'd a happier tafte, J With fancy glowing, and with judgment chafte : 400 But Art, who gloried in thy riling bloom, Shed fruitlefs tears upon thy early tomb. Thefe lights withdrawn, Confufion and Mifrule Seize the vain pencil of the Gallic fchool : Tho' Fresnoy teaches, in Horatian fong, § 405 The laws and limits that to Art belong ; In vain he ftrives, with Attic judgment chafte, To crum the monfters of corrupted tafte : With ineffectual fire the poet fings, Prolific ftill the wounded Hydra fprings : 41a Gods roll'd on gods encumber every hall, And faints, convuliive, o'er the chapel fprawL Bombaft is Grandeur, Affectation Grace, Beauty's foft fmile is turn'd to pert grimace ; X Ver. 399. See NOTE XXXIV. § Ver. 405. See NOTE XXXV. o Loaded C H ) Loaded with drefs, fupremely fine advance 415 Old Homer's heroes, with the airs of France. Indignant Art difclaim'd the motley crew, Reiign'd their empire, and to Britain flew. END OF THE FIRST PART, PART PART II. INGENUOUS ROMNEY, whom thy merits raife To the pure fummits of unclouded praife ; Whom Art has chofen, with fuccefsful hand, To fpread her empire o'er this honour'd land ; Thy Progrefs FriendfTiip with delight furveys, 5 And this pure Homage to thy Goddefs pays. Hail ! heavenly Vifitant ! whofe cheering powers E'en to the happy give ftill happier Hours ! O ! next to Freedom, and the Mufe, defign'd To raife, ennoble, and adorn mankind ! 10 At length we view thee in this favor'd Ifle, That greets thy Prefence, and deferves thy Smile : This favor'd Ifle, in native Freedom bold, And rich in Spirit as thy Greeks of old. Tho' foreign Theorifts, with Syflem blind, * 15 Prefcribe falfe limits to the Britifh mind, * Ver. 15. See NOTE XXXVI. E And, [ * 1 And, warp'd by Vanity, prefume to hold, Our northern Genius dark, confln'd, and cold : Painting, fweet Nymph, unconfcious of their chain, In this fair Ifland Forms her new Domain, 20 And freely gives to Britain's eager view Thofe charms which once her fav'rite Athens knew. 'Tis true, when Painting, on Italia's fhore, Difplay'd thofe Graces, which all Realms adore, No kindred forms of Engliih growth appear ; 25 Age after age the haplefs Pencil here Dropt unfuccefsful from the Native's hand, And fail'd to decorate this darker Land. But freely let impartial Hiftory fay, Why Art on Britain fhone with later ray. 30 When on this Ifle, the Gothic clouds withdrawn, The diftant light of Painting feem'd to dawn, Fierce Harry reign'd, who, foon with pleafure cloy'd, * Now lov'd, now fcorn'd, now worfhip'd, now deftroy'd. Thee as his Wives, enchanting Art ! he priz'd, $$ Now fought to crown thee, now thy death devis'd : * Ver. 33. See N O T E XXXVII. i Now [ 27 ] Now drove to fix, with liberal fupport, Thy darling Raphael in his fumptuous Court ; Now o'er the hallow'd fhrines, thy hand had grac'd, c< Cried havock, and let flip the Dogs of Wafte." 40 When timid Art faw ruin his delight, She fled in terror from the Tyrant's fight. The Virgin Queen, whom dazzled eyes admire, The fubtle Child of this imperious Sire, Untaught the moral force of Art to feel, * 45 Profcrib'd it as the flave of bigot Zeal, Or doom'd it, throwing nobler works afide, To drudge in flatt'ring her fantaftic Pride : And hence the Epic pencil in the made Of blank neglect, and cold obftrudtion laid, 50 E'en while the Fairy-fprite, and Mufe of fire, Hung high in Glory's hall the Englifh lyre. James, both for Empire and for Arts unfit, (His fenfe a quibble, and a pun his wit) Whatever works he patroniz'd debas'd, 55 But haply left the Pencil undifgrac'd. * Ver. 45. See N O T E XXXVIII. E 2 With [ *8 ] With fairer mind arofe his nobler Son, Seduc'd by Parafites, by Priefts undone : Unhappy Charles ! oh ! had thy feeling heart But honour'd Freedom as it valued Art ! 60 To merit juft, thy bounty flovv'd alike On bolder Rubens, and the foft Vandyke : To this ennobled realm thy judgment brought The facred miracles that Raphael wrought. But regal Pride, with vain Ambition blind, 65 Cut off the promife of thy cultur'd mind. By wounded Liberty's convulsive hand Unbound, fierce Anarchy ufurps the Land; While trembling Art to foreign regions flies, To feek. a refuge in ferener fkies. 70 Thefe ftorms fubfiding, fee her once again, Returning in the fecond Charles's train ! She comes to copy, in licentious fport, The Minions of a loofe luxurious Court ; From whence the modeft Graces turn their eyes, 75 Where Genius fees, and o'er the profpecl fighs, Lely's foft Tints, and Dryden's nobler Lyre, Made the mean Slaves of diffolute Defire. 10 Once C *9 ] Once more, alarm'd by War's terrific roar, The fweet Enchantrefs quits the troubled Shore ; 80 While facred Freedom, darting in difdain Her vengeful Thunder on th' apoftate Train, And, pleas'd the gloomy Tyrant to difown, Gives to Nassau the abdicated Throne. The peaceful Prince may rifing Art defend, 8c And Art mail crown her Patron and her Friend. In tumults, from the cradle to the grave, 'Tis thine, O ! William, finking realms to fave. To thee no leifure mightier cares allow, To bind the laurel on the Artift's brow : 90 'Tis thine to fix, with tutelary hand, The Bafe of Freedom, on which Art mufl ftand. Yet to thy Palace Kneller's fkill fupplied * Its richeft ornament in Beauty's pride. Unhappy Kneller ! covetous though vain ; 95 Thee Glory yielded to feducing Gain : While partial Tafte from modeft Riley turn'd, f By diffidence depriv'd of praife well earn'd. * Ver. 93 . See NOTE XXXIX. t Ver. 97 ■. See NOTE XL. Tho' [ 3° J Tho' in fucceeding years the Mufes taught, "How Ann commanded, and how Marlbro' fought;" IOO And Thornhtll's blaze of Allegory gilt* The piles, that Wren's fuperior genius built; Contending Factions, in her clofing reign, Like winds imprifon'd, fhook fair Freedom's Fane. Painting, foft timid Nymph, frill chofe to roam, 105 And fear'd to fettle in this fhaking Dome. At length, the fury of each ftorm o'erblown, That threatened Brunswick's race on Britain's throne, Rebellion vanquifh'd on her native more, Her clans extinguifh'd, and her chiefs no more : no The youthful Noble, on a princely Plan, Encourag'd infant Art, and nrft began -f- Before the ftudious eye of Youth to place The ancient Models of ideal Grace. When Britain triumph'd, thro' her wide domain, 115 O'er France, fupported by imperious Spain, And, fated with her Laurels' large increafe, Began to cultivate the plants of Peace ; * Ver. 101. See NOTE XLI. t Ver, 112. See NOTE XLII. Fixt C 3r ] Fixt by kind Majefty's protecting hand, Painting, no more an alien in our land, 120 Firft fmil'd to fee, on this propitious ground, Her Temples open'd, and her Altars crown'd : And Grace, the firft attendant of her train, She, whom Apelles wooed, nor wooed in vain, To Reynolds gives her undulating line, 125 And Judgment doats upon his chafte defign. Tho' Envy whifpers in the ear of Spleen, What thoughts are borrow'd in his perfect fcene, With glee fhe marks them on her canker'd fcroll, Malicious Fiend ! 'twas thus that Virgil ftole, 130 To the bright Image gave a brighter Glofs, Or turn'd to pureft Gold the foreign Drofs. Excelling Artift ! long delight the eye ! Teach but thy trandent tints no more to fly, * Britain mail then her own Apelles fee, 135 And all the Grecian mail revive in thee. Thy manly fpirit glories to ii^part The leading Principles of lib rai Art ; f * Ver. 134. See NOTE XLIIL t Ver. 138. See NOTE XLIV. To [ 3* ] To youthful Genius points what courfe to run, What Lights to follow, and what Rocks to fhun : 140 So Orpheus taught, by Learning's heavenly fway, To daring Argonauts their doubtful way, And mark'd, to guide them in their bold Career, Th' unerring Glories of the ftarry Sphere. Thy Hand enforces what thy Precept taught, 145 And gives new leffons of exalted thought ; Thy nervous Pencil on the canvafs throws The tragic ftory of fublimeft woes : The wretched Sons, whom Grief and Famine tear, The Parent petrified with blank Defpair, 150 Thy Ugolino gives the heart to thrill, * With Pity's tender throbs, and Horror's icy chill. The offspring now of many a rival hand, Sublimity and Grace adorn the Land; Tho' but fome few years pan:, this barren coaft 1 rr Scarce one fair grain of native Art could boaft. Of various form, where'er we turn our eyes, With ftrong and rapid growth new wonders rife, Ver. 151. See NOTE XLV. Lik( [ 33 ] Like feeds that Mariners, with generous toil, Have wifely carried to fome kindred foil, 160 Which, fhooting quick and vig'rous in their birth, Speak the fond bounty of the virgin Earth : The Land o'erjoy'd a fairer fruit to fee Adopts, with glad furprize, the alien Tree. Now Art exults, with annual Triumphs gay, *. 165 And Britain glories in her rich difplay ; Merit, who unaiTifled, and unknown, Late o'er his unfeen labours figh'd alone, Sees honour now his happier toils attend, And in the generous Public finds a friend. 170 O lovely Painting, to whofe charms I bow, i er.or, and fo perhaps is the original itfelf, to the very elegant tnglifli verfion of it, which Mr. Webb has given us in his. Ingenious and animated " Inquiry into the Beauties of Painting." Suck, little w retch, while yet thy mother lives, Suck the laft drop her fainting bofom gives ! She dies : her tendernefs furvives her breath, And her fond love is provident in death. Webb, Dialogue 7. p. 161. NOTE VIII. Verse 206. CorreB Parrhafius firjl to rich dejign.~\ The name of Parrhafius is immortalized by many of the mod celebrated ancient authors ; and his peculiar talents are thus recorded in Pliny : Primus fymmetriam pidturas dedit, primus argutias vultus, elegantium capilli, venuftatem oris : confefiione artificum in lineis extremis palmam adeptus. — He is one of the four ancient painters, whofe lives are written by Carlo Dati. —This ingenious Italian very juftly queftions the truth of the Angu- lar ftory concerning Parrhafius, preferved in Seneca, where he is accufed of purchafing an old Olynthian captive, and expofing him to a mod wretched death, that he might paint from his agony the tortures of Prometheus. The fame author contradidls on this occafion a fimilar falfehood concerning the great Michael Angelo, which was firft circu- lated from the pulpit by an ignorant prieft, as we learn from Gori's Hiftorical Annotations to the Life of M. Angelo, by his fcholar Condivi. NOTE IX. Verse 210. The gay, the warm, lice?itious Zenxis drew.] The Helen of Zeuxis is become almoft proverbial : the Story of the Artift's having executed the pifture from an afiemblage of the mod beautiful females is men- tioned (though with fome variation as to the place) by authors of great I credit, 58 NOTES. credit, Pliny, Dionyfius of Halicarnaflus, and Cicero. The laft gives a very long and circumstantial account of it. De Inventione, Lib. 2. If the ftory is true, it is perhaps one of the ftrongefl: examples we can find of that enthufiaftick paflion for the fine arts which ani- mated the ancients. Notwithstanding her praseminence in beauty, it feems fomewhat lingular that the painter mould have chofen fuch a character as Helen, as a proper decoration for the Temple of Juno. A moft celebrated Spanifli Poet, though not in other refpecls famous for his judgment, has, I think, not injudicioufly metamorphofed this Helen of Zeuxis into Juno herfelf. Zeufis, Pintor famofo, retratando De Juno el roftro, las faciones bellas De cinco perfettiflimas donzellas Eftuvo attentamente contemplando. Rimas de Lope de Vega. Lifboa, 1605. p. 51-2. Junius fuppofes this picture to have been rated a little too high.— NOTE X. Verse 216. Tet oft to gain fublimer heights he f rove.] Grace is the well-known excellence of Apelles, but that he fometimes very happily attempted the fublime, we learn both from Plutarch and Pliny, who fpeak of his force and energy — The Alexander of Philip, fays Plutarch was invin- cible, the Alexander of Apelles inimitable. He painted, fays Pliny, things that furpafs the power of painting, quae pingi non poffunt, Tonitrua, fulgura fulgetraque — NOTE NOTE S. 59 NOTE XI. Verse 228. While chilling damps upon the pencil hung.] That the Romans at- tained to no degree of excellence in Painting, or Sculpture, feems to be confeft, and accounted for in the following pafTage of Tully's Tufculan Difputitions, Lib. 1. An cenfemus, fi Fabio, nobiliffimo homini, laudi datum eflet quod pingeret, non muhos etiam apud nos futuros Polycletos, et Parrhaiios fuiffe ? honos alit artes, omnefque incenduntur ad Studia Gloria, ja- centque ea femper quse apud quofque improbantur. The fine arts necefiarily languifh without publick protection or encouragement : but publick honours at Rome flowed in a very differ- ent channel. While the Roman boafied his confummate Ikill in every art of empire and government, he avowed in many works of genius and tafte, his inferiority with an air of triumph. Excudent alii fpirantia mollius sera, Credo equidem vivos ducent de marmore vultus : Orabunt caufas melius, caelique meatus Defcribent radio, et furgentia Sidera dicent. Tu regere imperio populos, Romane, memento : Hae tibi erunt artes, pacifque imponere morem : Parcere fubjectis et debellare fuperbos. iEneidos, Lib. VI. NOTE XII. Verse 244. There fiudiaiis Vinci treafurd every rule.] Lionardo da Vinci born near Florence in 1445. He was perhaps a man as univerially accomplished as ever exifted. Not only admirable beyond his Prede- ceffors in his own profetlion of Painting, but an excellent arc! and muiician, and of great ikill as an Anatomilt. Beiides all th^ I 2 60 NOTES. lents, he was, according to Vafari, the beft extempore Rimer of his Time. — His Hiftory and Works are well known. — The Angular cir- cumftance of his dying in the arms of Francis the Firfl, king of France, is mentioned by a French poet of the prefent age, " Lorfque Francois premier, Roi digne d' etre heureux, Tint Leonarad mourant dans fes bras genereux." And the particulars of his death are thus curioufly recorded by Vafari, who fpeaks in raptures of his various and exalted talents : Finalmente venuto vecchio, ftette molti men ammalato, et veden- dofi vicino alia morte, fi volfe diligentemente informare de le cofe catoliche, 6c della via buona, et fanta religione chriftiana, et poi con molti pianti confeffo e contrito, fe bene e' non poteva reggerfi in piedi, fofte nendofi nelle braccie di fuoi amici, e fervi, volfe divotamente pigliare il fantiflimo facramento, fuor del letto : fopragiunfeli il Re che fpeflb e amerevolmente le foleva vifitare : per il che egli per rive- renza rizzatofi a federe ful letto, contando il mal fuo 6c gli accidenti di quello moftrava tuttavia quanto aveva offefo dio, et gli huomini del mendo, non avendo operato nel arte come fi conveniva : onde gli venne un parofifmo meffagiero della morte. Per la qual cofa rizzatofi il Re, et prefola la tefta per aiutarlo, 6c porgerli Favore, accio che il male lo allegeriffe ; lo fpirito fuo, che divinifTimo era, conofcendo non potere havere maggiore honore, fpiro in braccio a quell re nella eta fua d' anni j$. Vafari vita di Lionardo da Vinci, p. 10, 1 1. NOTE XIII. Verse 231. Gigantic Angela his wonders wrought.] Michael Angelo Buonaroti was born near Florence 1474, and died at Rome 1564. This illnflrious man is too well known, both as an Architect and a Painter, NOTES. 61 Painter, to need any encomium : he was alfo a Poet. His Rime were printed by the Giunto at Florence, in quarto, in 1623. The follow- ing Sonnet, which is to be found in Vafari, to whom it is addrefl'ed, is at once a proof of his poetical talents, and his religious turn of mind : it may ferve alfo as a leffon to vanity, in fhewing that even a genius of the fublimeft clafs entertained great apprehenfion concern- ing the mortality of his fame. Giunti e gia '1 corfo della vita mia, Con tempeftofo mar per fragil barca, Al comun porto, ov' a render fi varca Conto e ragion d' ogni opra trifta, e pia„ Onde 1' affettuofa fantafia Che 1' arte mi fece idolo e monarca, Cognofco hor ben quant 'era d'error carca E quel ch' a mal fuo grado ognun defia. Gli amoroli penfier, gia vani, e lieti Che fien or' s'a due morti mi avicino ? D'una fo certo, e 1' altra mi minaccia. Ne pinger ne fcolpir fia piu che queti L' anima volta a quello amor divino Ch' aperfe a prender noi in croce le braccia. A letter, addrefl'ed to his friend Vafari, on the death of Urbino, his old and faithful fervant, mews, that he united the foft virtues of a moft benevolent heart to the fublime talents of an elevated mind. — This letter is printed both in Vafari, and in the firft volume of Rac- colta de Lettere fulla Pittura, &c. p. 6. NOTE 62 NOTES. NOTE XIV. Verse 254. 7'a/le, Fancy, "judgment, all on Raphael fmiTd.] RafFaello da Urbino was born in 1483, and died 1520. His amiable qualities as a Man ■were not inferior to his exalted talents as an Artift. The reader will not be difpleafed to fee the fingular eulogium which the honeft Vafari has beftowed on the engaging manners of this moft celebrated Genius. Certo fra le fue doti fingulari ne fcorgo una di tal valore che in me fteflb ftupifco j che il cielo gli diede forza di poter moftrare nell' arte noftra uno effetto fi contrario alle compleiiioni di noi pittori : quefto e che naturalmente gli artefici noftri, non dico foli i baffi, ma quelli che hanno umore d' efTer grandi (come di quefto umore l'arte ne produce infiniti) lavorando nell' opere in compagnia di Raffaello, ftavano uniti e di concordia tale che tutti i mali umori in veder lui s'amorzavano : e ogni vile e baflo penliero cadeva loro di mente. La quale unione mai non fu piu in altro tempo che nel fuo. E quefto aveniva percbe reftavano vinti dalla cortefia e dall' arte fua, ma piu dal genio della fua buona natura. Vafari Vita di Raff. p. 88. To atone for the imperfect fketch, which has been here attempted of thefe divine artifts, (Michael Angelo and Raphael) the author in- tended to have prefented the reader with a long quotation from a moft animated difcourfe of the Prelident of the Royal Academy, in which he hes placed thefe great mafters in a light of comparifon with each other. But as the difcourfes of Sir Joihua Reynolds are no longer fcarce (a new edition being now publifhed) he fhall refer the reader to the Work itfelf. He will find this moft happy and ingeni- ous parallel in the difcourfe delivered at the Royal Academy, De- cember 10, 1772. NOTE NOTES. 63 NOTE XV. Verse 260. The daring Julio, though by Raphael train d.} Julio Romano was born at Rome 1492, and died at Mantua 1546. His lingular chara&er is forcibly drawn by Vafari. He was, ac- cording to this writer, the mod fuccefsful imitator of Raphael, the greater part of whofe fcholars became eminent, and were almofl in- finite in number. Raphael was particularly attentive to Julio, and loved him with the affection of a parent. Vafari Vita di Giulio. NOTE XVI. Verse 268. More richly warm, the glowing Titian knew.] We find frequent een- fures thrown upon Titian by the criticks, for confining himfelf '* to flattering the eye by the richnefs and truth of his colouring, without a proper attention to the higher branch of his art, that of interefting our feeling by affecting fubjects ;" the criticifm is indeed extended to the Painters of the Lombard School in general. Du Bos, Tom. I. Sect. 10. Why Titian chofe not to follow the finifhed method of his excellent cotemporaries, he declared to Francefco de Vargas, the embaflador of Charles the Vth at Venice. " I fear, (replied this eminent Painter to the queflion of Vargas,. I mould never equal the extreme delicacy which diflinguifhes the pen- cils of Corregio, Parmegiano, and Raphael : and even though I fhould be fuccefsful enough to equal them, I mould always rank be- low them, becaufe I fhculd be only accounted their imitator. In a word, ambition, which always attends the fine arts, has induced me to choofe a way entirely new, in which 1 might make myleli famed for fomething, as the great Mailers have done in the route they have followed." Antoine Perez, dans la foixante unieme de fes Secondes Lettres. 1 Ihb 64. NOTES. This great Artift enjoyed a long life of uninterrupted health, and died during the plague at Venice in 1576 at the uncommon age of ninety-nine. NOTE XVII. Verse 282. Soft as Catullus fwtet Corregio fJay 'd '] Antonio da Corregio. — Very different accounts are given by different authors of the birth and for- tunes of this exquifite Painter. His capital pictures were executed about the year 1512, according to Vafari, who re'ates, in a very affect- ing manner, the circumftances of his poverty and death. Having taken a journey on foot, in extremely hot weather, he im- prudently drank cold water, which brought on a fever, of which he died at about the age of forty. His colouring was moft exquifitely adapted to the delicate foftnefs of female beauty. To form a perfect picture of Adam and Eve (fays an Italian writer on Painting) Adam fhould be defigned by Michael Angelo, and coloured by Titian j Eve defigned by Raphael, and co- loured by Corregio. — The ill fortune of Corregio, and the grofs neglect of Art, in the very city, whi:h he had adorned with the moft exquifite productions of his pencil, are expreffed with great feeling in a letter of Annibal Carracci, written while he was ftudying the works of Corregio, at Parma, to his coufin Lodovico, in 1580. — Vide Raccolta de Lettere, &c. Tom. I. p. 88. NOTE XVIII. Verse 284. though Parma claim it for her rival Jon .1 Francefco Mazzuoli was born at Parma in 1504, and is thence ufually called Parmegiano. His character is thus diftinclly marked by Vafari : " Fu dal cielo largamente dodato di tutte quelle parti, che a un excellente pittore fono richiefte, poi che diede alle fue figure, oltre quello, NOTES. quello, che fi e detto di molti altri, una certa venufta, dolcezza, leggiadria nell attitudini, che fu fua propria e particolare." — The fame author gives us a particular defcription of the Angular and admirable portrait, which this delicate artift drew of himfelf reflected from a convex mirror : he relates alfo fome curious circumftances of his alle- gorical portrait of the emperor Charles the Vth, which he painted by- memory, and by the recommendation of Pope Clement the Vllth. prefented to the emperor at Bologna. — The honeft biographer la- ments, with great feeling, the errors and misfortunes of this mod promifing painter, who being feifed, early in life, with the frenzy of turning alchemift, impaired his health and fortune by this fatal purfuit ; his attachment to which however fome authors have quef- tioned : a delirious fever put a period to his melancholy days at the age of thirty- fix, in his native city of Parma 1540. NOTE XIX. Verse 290. Till 'with pure judgment the Caracci came.] Lodovico Caracci, who with his coufins Annibal and Auguftin eftablifhed the famous Acade- my of Bologna, was born in that city 1555. The circumftance that occafioned his death, as related by a French author, affords a Angular proof how dangerous it is for an artift to confide in the partial judg- ment of his particular friends. Son dernier ouvrage qui eft une Annonciation peinte a frdque, dans une des lunettes de la Cathedrale de Bologne, ne reuffit pas; fon age, une vue affoiblie, & la grande elevation de l'Eglife furent caufe qu'il fe confia a un ami pour voir d'en bas l'effet de I'ouvrage. Cet ami lui dit qu'il etoit bien, & qu'il pouvoit faire oter les Echaufauds : il fut trompe ; on critiqua fort cette peinture : Louis s'en chagrina de maniere qu'il fe mit au lit, et Bologne perdit ce grand Homme en i619.-Abrege.de la Vie des plus fameux Peintres. Paris 8vo. 1762. Tom. II. p. 50. K Auguftin, 66 NOTES. Auguflin, who quitted the pencil for the engraver, and is much celebrated for his various accomplishments, died at Parma in 1602. — Annibal, the immortal Painter of the Farnefe gallery, whom Pouffin did not hefitate to rank, with Raphael himfelf, died in a ftate of diffraction at Rome 1609. This melancholy event is defcribed in a very affecting letter written by an Italian prelate, who attended him in his laft moments. Raccolta, Tom. II. p. 384. NOTE XX. Verse 295. Toung Zampieri ow d his nobler name.] Domenico Zampieri, born at Bologna 1581, died at Naples, not without fufpicion of poifon, 1640. — He entered early in life into the fchool of the Caracci, and was there honoured with the affectionate appellation of Domenichino, from his extreme youth. — His Communion of St Jerome was com- pared by the judicious Pouffin to the Transfiguration of Raphael: yet Du Frefnoy has part a fevere cenfure on Domenichino, and affirms that he has lefs noblenefs in his works than any other artift who ftudied in the fchool of the Caracci. So contradictory are the opinions of the two moft enlightened judges in this delicate art ! NOTE XXL Verse 297. 'The learned Lanfranc in their fchool arq/e.] Giovanni Lanfranco, born at Parma 1581, was knighted by Pope Urban the Vlllth, and died at Rome 1647. NOTE XXII. Verse 299. The tender Guido caught his graceful air. ] Guido Reni was born in Bologna 1595 : exquifite in grace though deficient in expreffion, he was held during his life in the higheft eilimation. A fatal paffion for gaming involved him in continued fcenes of diftrefs. His perfonal 1 beauty NOTES. 6 7 beauty was fo great, that his mafter Lodovico Caracci is faid to have drawn his angels from the head of Guido. NOTE XXIII. Verse 303. No mean bi/lorian to record their praife.] George Vafari, to whom we are indebted for a moft valuable hiftory of Italian painters, was born at Arezzo in Tufcany 151 1. — Though the fame of the author feems to have eclipfed that of the artift, he rofe to confiderable emi- nence as a painter, and has left us a particular and entertaining account of himfelf and his pictures in the clofe of his great work — it is intro- duced with an apology, in which he fpeaks of his own talents, and extreme paflion for his art, in the moft modeft and engaging man- ner. — His generous defire of doing juftice to the merit of others is moft happily rewarded in the following Elogy, by the great Thu- anus : " Ob excellentiam artis, quam hiftoria accurate & eleganter fcripta illuftravit, Georgius Vafarius meruit, ut inter viros ingenio 6c literis praeftantes accenferetur. Is Aretii in Etruria natus, pittor & architec- tus noftra aetate prsftantiffimus, diu magno Etruriae Duci Cofmo, om- nium liberalium artium, inter quas pictura et archite&ura ut referren- tur obtinuit, fautori eximio navavit; editis paflim ingenii fui ad ftupen- dum omnium fpettaculum monumentis, et tandem hoc anno climacte- rico fuo v kalend Quintil. vivis exemptus eft ; exinde ficuti teftamento caverat, Florentia ubi deceflit, Aretium in patriam tranflatus ■, quo loco in principali fecundum fedem Epifcopalem templo in facello ab ipfo juxta fumptuofo et admirando artificio exftucto fepultus. Thuanus fubann. 1574. NOTE XXIV. Verse 322. On her pure Style fee mild Bologna claim.] The French author quoted above, under the article Caracci, not only fpeaks with the gre^teft K 2 warmth 68 NOTES. warmth of the obligation, which Painting owes to Lodovico Caracci, for having raifed it from that ftate of corruption, into which it had fallen in all the fchools of Italy ; but at the fame time points out alfo the various manierilts who had chiefly contributed to its debaiement. The ftyle introduced by Lodovico is recommended by that excel- lent judge Sir Jofhua Reynolds (See Difcourfe 1769} as better fuited to grave and dignified fubjec~ts than the richer brilliancy of Titian. NOTE XXV. Verse 325. . 'Titian s golden rays.] This expreflion is borrowed from the clofe of that elegant fentence of modern Latin, which the author of Fitzofborne's Letters has fo juftly commended, " Aureo Titiani radio, qui per totam tabulam glifcens earn vere fuam denunciat." See his excellent letter on metaphors, p. 50. NOTE XXVI. Verse 333. And Raphael's Grace mujl yield to Rembrant' s Force.] Rembrant Van Pryn, born near Leyden 1606, died at Amfterdam 1674, or, accord- ing to fome accounts, 166S. The numerous works of this great matter, both with the engraver and pencil, have rendered him univer- fally known. His lingular fludies, and the pride which he feems to have taken in the natural force of his genius, appear ftrongly marked in the two following paflages of his French Biographer. " Les murs de fon attelier couverts de vieux habits, de piques, et d'armures extraordinaires etoient toutes fes etudes, ainii qu'une armoire plcine d'etoffes anciennes, 6c d'autres chofes pareilies qu'il avoit cou- tume d'appeller fes antiques. — Rembrant, qui fe glorifioit de n'avoir jamais vu l'ltalie, le dit un jour que Vandick l'etoit venu vifiter a Am- ilerdam : 6c qui lui repondit, " Je le vois bien." Rembrant naturelle- ment biufque reprit : " Qui es tu pour me parler de la forte?" — . 6 Vandick NOTES. 69 Vandick repondit ; " Monfieur, je fuis Vandick, pour vous fervir." — Abrege de laVk des plus fameux Peintres, Tom. III. p. 113. NOTE XXVII. Verse 356. Yet, Holland, thy unwearied labours raife.~\ There is no article of tafle, on which different writers have run more warmly into the op- pofite extremes of admiration and contempt, than in ellimating the painters of Holland. Thofe who are enchanted by the fublime con- ceptions of the Roman fchool, are too apt precipitately to condemn every effort of the Dutch pencil as a contemptible performance; while thole, who are fatisfied with minute and faithful delineations of nature, find abfolute perfection in the very pictures, which are treated by others with the mod fupercilious neglect. — But found and impartial judgment feems equally to difclaim this hafty cenfure, and this inordinate praife ; — and ranking the moil eminent Dutch artills below the great Italian mailers, yet allows them considerable and pe- culiar merit. — A French author fays, I think not unhappily, of the Dutch painters, that they are " Dans la peinture, ce que le comique & le plaifant font dans la poefie." In delign their fort is certainly humour, and they have frequently carried it to great perfection. NOTE XXVIII. Verse 360. Proud of the pratfe by Rubens pencil •won.] Sir Peter Paul Rubens, who is happily ftyled by Mr. Walpole, " The Popular Painter," was born at Cologne 1577, and died of the gout at Antwerp 1640. The hiftory of his life furnifhes a moft finking incentive to the young painter's ambition. — The many accomplishments which he poffeit, the infinitude of works which he produced, the reputation and efteem, the various honours and ample fortune, which he lo jullly acquired, prelent to the mind an animating idea of what may be expected from a happy cultivation of talents in a courfc of con- r Itant 7 o NOTES. ftant and fpirited application. Though he vifited the court of Charles the Firft in the publick character of an ambaflador, it does not appear how long he refided here ; — Mr Walpole conjectures about a year. — His pictures in the cieling at Whitehall were not painted in England ; which perhaps is the reafon he has been at the pains of finishing them fo neatly, that they will bear the neareft infpection ; for he muft have well known how greatly the reputation of any work depends on its firft happy impreliion on the publick, and con- cluded his pictures would be viewed by the king and court inltantly on their arrival, and that the critics would not be candid enough to delay their remarks on them till they were elevated to their in- tended height. This noble work was falling into decay, from which ftate it has been lately refcued by that excellent artift Mr. Cipriani, to whofe care it has been moft judicioufly committed to be cleaned and repaired. — Rubens received for this work £. 3000. NOTE XXIX. Verse 368. Her/oft Vandyke, while graceful portraits p/eafe.] Sir Anthony Van- dyke, the celebrated fcholar of Rubens, died of the fame diforder which proved fatal to his mafter, and at a much earlier period of life. He was born at Antwerp 1598, expired in Black Fryars 1641, and was buried in St. Paul's, near the tomb of John of Gaunt. On his firft vifit to England he received no encouragement from the Court, but Charles, becoming foon afterwards acquainted with his merit, fent him an invitation to return. Vandyke embraced the offer with joy, and the king, who fhewed him, by frequent fittings, the moft flattering marks of efteem, conferred on him the honour of knight- hood in 1632, rewarding him alfo with the grant of an annuity of £.200 for life. NOTE NOTES. 7* NOTE XXX. Verse 371. From Flanders Jirjl thefecret power Jhe caught.] The Low Countries, though little celebrated for inventive genius, have given to man- kind the two fignal difcoveries, which have imparted, as it were, a new vital fpirit both to Literature and to Painting. This honour however has been brought into queftion — Germany made a ftrong, but unfuccefsful effort to rob Holland of the glory which fhe derives from the firft invention of Printing : and Painting in oil (it has been faid) was known in Italy before the time of John Van Eyck, or John of Bruges, as he is commonly called ; to whom that difcovery is generally afcribed, about the year 1410.. But Vafari, in his Life of Antonello da Meflina, relates very particularly the circumftances of Van Eyck's invention, and the fubfequent introduction of the fe« cret into Italy. A moft learned antiquarian and entertaining writer of our own time has fuppofed that V n Eyck might poflibly " learn the fecret of ufing oil in England, and take the honour of the inven- tion to himfelf, as we were then a country little known to the world of arts, nor at leifure, from the confufion of the times, to claim the difcovery of fuch a fecret." Walpole's Anecdotes of Painting, Vol. I. p. 29. The conjectu r e is not without fome little foun- dation, — but the conjectural claims which either Italy or England can produce to this excellent invention, are by no means fufHciently ftrong to annihilate the glory of the happy and ingenious Fleming. NOTE XXXI. Verse 375. Where fumptuous Leo courted every Mufe.] The name of Medicis is familiar to every lover of the fine arts. John de Medicis, the Cardi- nal, was raifed to the papal See 151 3. He continued that liberal pa- tronage and encouragement to learning, which had before diftin- guifhed his illuftrious family. He was profufe and magnificent. The various, 72 NOTES. various, and celebrated productions of tafte and genius under his pon- tificate, clearly mark the age of Leo the Xth as one of the great asras of literature. NOTE XXXII. Verse 385. The fage Poufjin, ivitb pure/i fancy fraught.] Nicolas Poufiin was born at Andely in Normandy 1594: one of his firft patrons was the whimfical Italian poet Marino, who being ftruck with fome frefco works of the young painter at Paris, employed him in fome defigns from his own poem l'Adone, and enabled him to undertake an expe- dition to Rome. He was recalled from thence by Cardinal Richelieu in 1640, but upon the death of Richelieu and the king he returned to Rome, where he ended a life of primitive fimplicity and patient application in 1665. NOTE XXXIII. Verse 393. Then rofe Le Brim, hisfcholar, and his friend.] Charles Le Brun, univerfally known by his Battles of Alexander, and his treatife on the pamons, was born in Paris 1619 : having prefided over the French Academy, with great reputation, more than forty years, he died in 1690, partly, as the author of the Abrege allures us, from the chagrin which he received from a cabal railed againft him in favour of his rival Mignard : but neither his own works, nor the partial favour of his patron Louvois, nor the friendfhip of Moliere, who has written a long poem in his praife, have been able to raife Mignard to the level of Le Brun. NOTE XXXIV. Verse 399. Thy dawn, Le Sueur, announc'd a happier tafte.] Euftache Le Sueur, (who, without the advantage of ftudying in Italy, approached nearer than any of his countrymen to the manner of Raphael) was a native of NOTES. ^ of Paris. Le Brun, who came to vifit him in his laft moments, is reported to have faid on quitting his chamber, " Que la mort alloit lui tirer une grofle epine du Pied." If he was capable of uttering fuch a fentiment, at fuch a time, he thoroughly deferved the fate, which is mentioned in the preceding Note. NOTE XXXV. Verse 405. "Though Frefnoy teaches, in Horatian Jong.] Charles Alfonfe du Frefnoy, author of the celebrated Latin poem de Arte graphica, very haftily tranflated into Englim profe by Dryden, was himfelf a painter of fome eminence, and the intimate friend of Mignard. He died in a village near Paris, at the age of forty-four, in 1665. NOTES NOTES to the SECOND PART. NOTE XXXVI. Verse 15. tT'HOUGH foreign Theories, with Syjlem blind."] The vain and frivo- lous fpeculations of fome eminent French authors, concerning our national want of genius for the fine arts, are refuted with great fpirit in an ingenious eflay by Mr. Barry ; entitled, " An Enquiry into the real and imaginary Obftructions to the Acquifition of the Arts in England." As this work highly diftinguifh.es the elegance of his pen, his Venus rifing from the fea does equal honour to his pencil. NOTE XXXVII. Verse 33. Fierce Harry reign d, who, foon with pleafure c/oy'd.] In this fhort account of the influence which the different characters of our fove- reigns have had on the progrefs of national Art, the Author is in- debted principally to Mr. Walpole's Anecdotes of Painting. NOTE XXXVIII. Verse 45. Untaught the moral force of Art to feel '.] An accomplilhed Critic of our own time has touch'd on the moral Efficacy of Piclure, with his ufual elegance and erudition. After having illuftrated the fubjecl: from the writings of Ariftotle and Xenophon, he concludes his re- marks NOTES. 75 marks with the following reflection : — « Yet, confidering its vaft power in morals, one cannot enough lament the ill deftiny of this divine art, which, from the chafte handmaid of Virtue, hath been debauched, in violence of her nature, to a fhamelefs proftitute of Vice, and procurefs of pleafure." — Hurd's Note on the following line of Horace : " Sufpendit pitta vultum mentemque tabella." To this let me add one obfervation for the honour of our Engliih artifls! — The proftitution of the pencil, fojuftly lamented by this amiable writer, is perhaps lefs frequent in this kingdom, than in any country whatever, in which Painting has been known to rife to an equal degree of perfection. NOTE XXXIX. Verse 93. Yet to thy Palace Kneller s /kill fupplied.] Sir Godfrey Kneller, born at Lubec 1646, fettled in England 1674, was knighted by King William, created a Baronet by George the Firft, and died 1 723. — No Painter was ever more flattered by the Mufes j who gave him credit for talents which he never difplayed. Dryden fays, in his enchanting Epiftle to Kneller : Thy genius, bounded by the times, like mine," Drudges on petty draughts, nor dares A more exalted work, and more divine. But the drudgery of the Poet arofe from the mod cruel neceflityj that of the Painter, from avarice, the bane of excellence in every profeflion ! — If Sir Godfrey had any talents for hiftory, which is furely very doubtful, we have, as Mr. Walpole well obferves, no reafon to regret that he was confined to portraits, as his pencil has faithfully tranfmitted to us "fo many ornaments of an illujlrious age" Though I have partly fubfcribed to the general idea, that William, in whofe reign this Painter principally flourished, " contributed L 2 nothing ce mine,! defign > -• J 76 NOTES. nothing to the advancement of arts," yet I muft obferve, that his employing Kneller to paint the Beauties at Hampton Court, his rewarding him with knighthood, and the additional prefent of a gold medal and chain, weighing JT. 300, may juftify thofe lines of Pope, which defcribe " The Hero, William" as an encourager of Painting. N O T E XL. Verse 97. While partial Tajle from modejl Riley turn a".] John Riley was born in London 1646 : Mr. Walpole relates an anecdote of his being much mortified by Charles the Second ; who, looking at his own picture, exclaim'd, " Is this like me ? then, Ods-fifh, I am an ugly fellow." — The fame author favs happily of this artift, "With a quarter of Sir Godfrey's vanity, he might have perfuaded the world he was as great a mafter." Notwith (landing his extreme modefty, he had the good fortune to be appointed Principal Painter, foon after the Revolution, but died an early martyr to the gout 1691. NOTE XLI. Verse ioi. And Thornhill's blaze of Allegory gilt.] Sir James Thornhill, born in Dorfetfhire 1676, was nephew to the celebrated Sydenham, and educated by the liberality of that great phyfician. He afterwards ac- quired a very ample fortune by his own profeflion ; was in parliament for Weymouth, knighted by George the Second, and died 1732.— His talents, as a Painter, are univerfally known, from his principal works at Greenwich St. Paul's, &c. NOTE XLII. Verse in. The youthful Noble, on a princely plan.] About twenty years ago, the preient Duke of Richmond opened, in his houle at Whitehall, a gallery for artifts, completely rilled with a fmall but well-chofen colledion NOTES. 77 colle&ion of cafts from the antique, and engaged two eminent artifts to fuperintend and direct the ftudents. — This noble encouragement of art, though fuperfeded by a royal eftablifhment, is ftill entitled to remembrance and honour : it not only ferved as a prelude to more extenfive inflitutions, but contributed much towards forming fome capital artifts of the prefent time. The name of Mortimer is alone fufficient to reflect a coniiderable luftre on this early fchool. NOTE XLIII. Verse 134. teach but thy tranfient tints no more tojly.~\ Although the fuperior excellencies of this admirable artifr make us peculiarly regret the want of durability in his exquifite productions ; yet he is far from being the only artifr, whofe pictures foon difcover an appearance of precipitate decay. Fugitive colouring feems indeed to be the chief defect among our prefent painters in oil ; and it rauft be the mod ardent with of every lover of art, that lb great an evil may be effec- tually remedied. As the Royal Academy is a fociety of enlightened artifts, eftablifhed for the improvement of every branch of Painting, it may be hoped, thr.t they will pay attention to this mechanical point, as well as to the ncbler acquirements of art, and employ fome perfon, who has patience and abilities for fuch an office, to difcover, by a courle of experiments, to what caufe this important evil is owing. If it be found to arife from the adulteration of colours, oils, and varnifhes, might it not be eligible for the Academy to follow the example of another profeffion, who, where health and life are con- cerned, obviate the difficulty of getting their articles genuine from the individual trader, by opening a Ihop at the expence of the Society, to prepare and fell the various ingredients, free from thofe adultera- tions which private intereft might otherwife produce ? But there may be no juft ground of complaint againft the integrity of the colourman, and this failure may perhaps arife from the artifl s mixing 7 S NOTES. mixing his colours, and their vehicles in improper proportions to each other ; that is, inftead of painting with oil properly thickened with colour, ufing oil only fully ftained with it, to which a proper confidence (or body as the painters call it) is given by ftrong gum varnifhes ; in mort, ufing more vehicle than colour ; by which, al- though moft brilliant and tranfparent effects may be produced, yet the particles of colour are too much attenuated, and divided from each other, and confequently lefs able to withftand the deftructive action of light. If the deficiency complained of originates from this fource, the Academy, by a careful courfe of experiments, may be able clearly to afcertain what preparations of the more delicate colours are moll: durable ; what oils and varnifhes will beft preferve the ori- ginal brilliancy of the paint ; what are the beft proportions for this purpofe in which they can be ufed ; and how far glazing (that al- moft irrefiftible temptation to oil-painters) may or may not be de- pended on. All thefe points are at prefent fo far from being known with certainty, that perhaps there are not two Painters, who think perfectly alike on any one of them. The author hopes, that the gentlemen of the pencil will pardon his prefuming to offer a hint on this delicate fubject, with which he does not pretend to be intimately acquainted. The ideas, which he has thus ventured to addrefs to them, arife only from the moft ardent wilh, that future ages may have a juft and adequate fenfe of the flourifhing ftate of Painting in England in the reign of George the Third, and that our prefent ex- cellent artifts may not be reduced to depend on the uncertain hand of the engraver for the efteem of pofterity. A very liberal Critic *, in his flattering remarks on the Poem, feems, in fpeaking of this note, to miftake a little the meaning of its author, who alluded only to that defect in colouring, where the finer tints are fo managed, for the fake of an immediate and fhort-liv'd brilliancy, that they link very foon into no colour at all. He did not * Vide the Gentleman's Magazine for November 1778, page 526. 6 mean NOTES. 79 mean to touch on thofe changes in Painting, where the colour? all grow darker, the lights become brown, and the fhadows one mafs of black. This is like wife a great evil, and calls aloud for redrefs. Perhaps the Critic above mentioned has pointed out the true caufe of this defect, viz. the indiscriminate blending of the colours, and the not ufing pure, fimple, uncompounded tints. NOTE XLIV. Verse 138. The leading principles of liberal Art.] I embrace with pleafure the opportunity of paying this tribute to the great artift here mentioned, who is not only at the head of his own profemon, but may juitly be ranked among the firft writers of the age. His difcourfes, not merely calculated for the improvement of the young artifts to whom they are addrefled, contain all the principles of true and univerfal tafte, em- bellifhed with great brilliancy of imagination, and with equal force of expreflion. NOTE XLV. Verse 151. Thy Ugolino, &c] As the fubjecl of this admirable picture is taken from a poet fo little known to the Englifh reader as Dante, it may not perhaps be impertinent to fay, th.it in Richardfon's dilcourfe on the Science of a Connoifleur, there is a tranflation of the flory in Englifh blank verfe. A young and noble author, now living, has obliged the world with a tranflation of it in rhyme. — As to the pic- ture, no artift could express more happily the wild and fublime lpirit of the poet from whom he drew. We may juflly apply to him the compliment which a lively Italian addreffed to a great man of his own country, but of far inferior expreflion. *' Fabro gentil, ben fai, Ch' ancor tragico cafo e' caro Oggetto, E che fpeflb 1' Horror va col Diletto." Marino. NOTE 8o NOTES. NOTE XLVI. Verse 165. Now Art exults, with annual triumphs gay.] While we are de- lighted with the increafing fplendor of thefe annual entertainments, it is but j ufl to remember, that we are indebted to the Society of Arts and Sciences for our firft public exhibition of Paintings. The dif- ferent lbcLeties of artifts foon followed lb excellent an example ; and our rapid and various improvements in this lovely art reflect the higheft honour on this, happy inftitution. Our exhibitions at once af- ford both the beft nurfery for the protection of infant genius, and the nobleft field for the difplay of accomplished merit : nor do they only adminifter to the benefit of the artift, and the pleafure of the publick : they have ftill a more exalted tendency ; and when national fubjedts are painted with dignity and force, our exhibitions may juftly be regarded as fchools of public virtue. Perhaps the young foldier can never be more warmly animated to the fervice of his country, than by gazing, with the delighted public, on a fublime picture of the expiring hero, who died with glory in her defence. But, not to dwell on their power of infpiring martial enthufiafm, our exhibitions may be faid to have a happy influence on the manners and morals of thofe, who fill the different departments of more tranquil life. In fupport of this fentiment I beg leave to tranfcribe the following judi- cious remark from an anonymous author, who has juft obliged the public with a little volume of elegant and fpirited eflays. " They, whofe natural feelings have been properly improved by culture, nor have yet become callous by attrition with the world, know from ex- perience, how the heart is mollified, the manners polifhed, and the temper fweetened, by a well-directed ftudy of the arts of imitation. The fame fenfibility of artificial excellence, extends itfelf to the per- ception of natural and moral beauty ; and the ftudent returns from the artift's gallery to his ftation in fociety, with a breaft more dif- pofed to feel and to reverberate the endearments of focial life, and of reciprocal NOTES. Bi reciprocal benevolence." Effays, moral and literary, 1778, p. 264, on Sculpture. NOTE XLVII. Verse 243, Thy Talents, Hogarth! &c] William Hogarth was born in London* 1698, and put apprentice to an engraver of the moll ordinary clafs ; but his comic talents, which are laid to have appeared firft in the prints to Hudibras, foon railed him to fame and fortune. — He mar- ried a daughter of Sir James Thorn hill, and died 1764. — The pecu- liar merits of his pencil are unquestionable. His Analyfis of Beauty has been found more open to difpute ; but however the greater adepts in the fcience may differ on its principles, it may certainly be called an honourable monument of his genius and application. NOTE XL VIII. Verse 352. Whofe needy Titian calls for ill-paid Gold.] Richardfon has fallen into a miftake concerning the famous Danae, and other pictures of Titian, which he fays (in quoting a letter of Titian's without con- fidering its addrefs) were painted for Henry the Vlilth of England, a tyrant indeed, voluptuous, and cruel, but Hill lefs deteflable than the fullen and unnatural Philip the lid of Spain, who filled up the meafure of his fuperior guilt by the horrid afTaffination of his fon. Philip, on his marriage with Mary, afTumed the title of King of England; and to him Titian addrefled the letter, which fpeaks of the pictures in queftion : the painter frequently mentions his attach- ment to his unworthy patron. His follicitude to enfure his protection and favour is flxongly marked in the following fhort paflage of a letter which he addrefled to one of Philip's attendants. " Mando ora la poefia di venere e Adone, nella quale V. S. vedra, quanto fpirito e amore fo mettere nell' opere di fua Maefta." Raccolta, torn. ii. p. 21. How poorly this great artifr. was rewarded for his ill-directed la- bour, appears very forcibly in a long letter of complaint, which he M had 82 NOTES. had fpirit enough to addrefs to the king on the many hardfhips he fuffered in being unable to obtain the payment of the pennon which had been granted to him by the emperor Charles the Vth. — — Raccolta, torn. ii. p. 379. NOTE XLIX. Verse 418. Bid Eng/i/Jj pencils honour Englijli worth.] The great encourage- ment given our painters to felecl: fubjects from Englifh hiftory, has of late years been very obfervable. Many individuals of rank and fortune have promoted this laudable plan with fpirit and effect,; and the Society of Arts and Sciences have confined their premiums to fubjects taken from the Britifh Annals. NOTE L. Verse 429. Her wounded Sidney, Bayard's perfect Peer.] The gallant, the amiable and acccmplifhed Sir Philip Sidney may be juftly placed on a level with the noble Bayard, " Le Chevalier fans peur & fans re- proche," whole glory has of late received new luftre from the pen of Robertfon and the pencil ef Weft. The ftriking fcene here alluded to, which preceded the death of Sidney, has not yet, I believe, ap- peared upon canvas, but is forcibly defcribed by the noble and en- thufiaftic friend of Sidney, the Lord Brooke. See Biograph. Britan. Art. Sidney. The particulars alfo are minutely defcribed, and with great feeling, in a letter from his uncle Leicefter to Sir Thomas Heneage, quoted in Collins's Memoirs of the Sidnies. The tide of national admiration flowed very ftrong in favour of Sidney, when Mr. Walpole, in fpeak- ing of Lord Brooke, appeared to check the current; but the merits of Sidney are fufficient to bear down all oppofition. — Inftead of joining the elegant author I have mentioned, in confidering Sir Philip Sidney as '* an aftonifhing object of temporary admiration," I am furprized that (o judicious an author fhould ever queftion fo fair a dtle to univerfal regard. The learning and munificence, the courage and NOTES. 83 and courtefy of Sidney endeared him to every rank, and he juftly challenges the lafting affection of his country from the clofing fcene of his life, in which heroifm and humanity are fo beautifully blended. I never can think this accomplished character any ways degraded by his having written a tedious romance (in which however there are many touches of exquilite beauty and fpirit) to amufe a moil amiable fifter, whom he tenderly loved ; or by his having threatened an unworthy fervant of his father's with death in a hafty billet, merely to intimidate and deter him from the future commif- fion of an infamous breach of truft, in opening his letters. NOTE LI. Verse 456. Th' heroic Daughter of the -virtuous More.] Margaret, eldeft daugh- ter of the celebrated Sir Thomas More. The fcene which I have propofcd for the fubject of a piifture, is taken from the following paffage in Ballard : " After Sir Thomas More was beheaded, flie took care for the burial of his body in the chapel of St. Peter's ad Vincula, within the precincts of the Tower, and afterwards me procured his corpfe to be removed, and buried in the chancel of the church at Chelfea, as Sir Thomas More, in his life-time, had appointed. His head having remained about fourteen days upon London Bridge, and being to be caft into the Thames to make room for others, fhe bought it. For this fhe was fummoned before the council, as the fame author relates, and behaved with the greatefl nrmnefs, j unify- ing her conduct upon principles of humanity and filial piety. She was, however, imprifoned, but foon releafed, and dying nine years after her father, at the age of thirty-fix, was buried at St. Dunftan's, in Canterbury. The head of her father, which (he had preferved with religious veneration, in a box of lead, was, at her particular re- queft, committed with her to the grave. It was fccn Handing on her coffin in the year 171 5, when the vault of the Roper (her hul- band's) family was opened." See Ballard's Memoirs of Learned Ladies, p. 36. 9 The 84 NOTES. The character of this amiable woman is happily drawn -both by Addifon and Walpole, — She married, at the age of twenty, William Roper, Efquire, of Kent, to the infinite fatisfaction of her father ; for me feems to have been the deareft object of his parental affection, which is very ftrongly marked in his letters addrefled to her. She was indeed molt eminently diftinguifhed by her learning, in an age, when the graces of the mind were regarded as an effential article In female education : but the beauty and force of her filial piety reflects a ftill fuperior luftre on this accomplished woman. — There is more than one paflage in her life, which would furnifti an admirable fubject fof the pencil. Her interview with her father, on his return to the Tower, is mentioned as fuch by Mr, Walpole. NOTE LII. Verse 491. But, Of Bow poor the projirate Satan lies. "\ It is remarkable, that the greateft. painters have failed in this particular. Raphael, Guido, and Weft, are all deficient in the figure of Satan. Richardfon ob- ferves, in his defcription of the pictures of Italy,. — " Je n'ai jamais vu d'aucun Maitre une reprefentation du Diable, prince des Diables, qui me fati&fit." Page 500. In recommending this fubject to the pencil, it may be proper to obferve, that it is not only extremely difficult, but even attended with danger, if we credit the following curious anecdote, in a medical writer of great reputation : — Spinello fameux Peintre Tofcan ayant peint la chute des anges rebelles donna des traits fi terribles a Luci- fer, qu'il en fut lui meme faifi d'horreur, & tout le refte de fa vie il crut voir continuellement ce Demon lui reprocher de l'avoir repre- fente fous une figure fi hidieufe. Tiflbt de la Sante des Gens de Lettres.. THE END GF THE NOTES. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. THE LIBRARY .UKIVEI&JTY OF CALIF < LOS ANGELES