t?fwmwr7~ 
 
THE 
 
 CONNOISSEUR: 
 
 A N 
 
 ESS 
 
 On the whole 
 
 Art of Critic is 
 
 M 
 
 as it relates to 
 
 PAINTING. 
 
 Shewing how to judge 
 
 I. Of the Goodnefs of a Picture; 
 
 II. Of the Hand of the Mafter; and 
 
 III. Whether 'tis an Original, or a Copy. 
 
 By Mr. Richardson. 
 
 — je me ftiis rejoin de ce que vous ttes le trem'.er des 
 
 Francois qui avez. ouvert les yeux a ceux qui ne voyent 
 que par ceux d'autruy, fe laijfant abufer a unefauffe Opi- 
 nion Commune. Or vous venez d' ecbauffer, e? d" amolir 
 une matiere rigide, e?* difficile a manier : de forte que de 
 formats il fe pourra trouvez. quelqu un qui, en vous imi- 
 tant nous pourra donnez quelque chofe au'beneHce de la 
 Peinture. 
 
 Lettre de M. Poutfin a M. de Cambray. Tilibien. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for W. Churchill at the Black Sivau in Faicr- 
 Nojler-Rozv. 17 19. 
 
TWO 
 
 DISCOURSES. 
 I. 
 
 An ESSAY 
 
 On the whole 
 
 Art of Criticism 
 
 as it relates to 
 
 PAINTING. 
 
 Shewing how to judge 
 
 I. Of the Goodnefs of a Picture; 
 
 II. Of the Hand of the Mafter; and 
 
 III. Whether 'tis an Original, or a Copy. 
 
 II. 
 
 An Argument in behalf of the 
 SCIENCE of a 
 
 CONNOISSEUR; 
 
 Wherein is fhewn the 
 
 Dignity, Certainty, Pleasure, 
 and Advantage of it. 
 
 Both by Mr. Richardson. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for W. Churchill at the Black Swan in Pater- 
 No ft er- Row. 1 7 19. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2013 
 
 http://archive.org/details/twodiscoursesiesOOrich 
 
THE 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 Of the Eflay 6n the Art ofCriti- 
 ticifm. 
 
 ' I y HE Introduction. p. x 
 
 Of the Goodnefs of a Picture, & c. 1 1 
 
 Mo Picture without Some Faults. 1% 
 Two ways of Judging ; 'Direclly from the 
 
 Thing it f elf and Obliquely by Authp* 
 
 rity. The Latter of thefe I meddle 
 
 not with. 15* 
 
 Avoid Prejudices. 17 
 
 And certain Improper Arguments. 20 
 
 No regard to be had to what 'Perhaps the- 
 
 Mafter intended^ but Judge from what 
 
 appears. 24 
 
 jEftabliJh Rules. %6 
 
 An AbJiracJ of Thefe. 2,7 
 
 Be acquainted with the Beft things, 33 
 
 Of the Sublime. 34 
 
 Befides that Goodnefs which confifts in a 
 
 Conformity to the Rules of Art \ there 
 
 is Another Kind, and That is as the 
 
 Thing anfwers the Ends, 39 
 
 A % The 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 The Principal End of Tainting is the Im- 
 provement of the Mind; and next to 
 That Mere Tleafure. 40 
 
 /// what 'Proportion the feveral Kinds, 
 and Tarts of Tainting anfwer the 
 Ends. 44 
 
 A Tiflure, or drawing Jhould be con- 
 Jider'd'DiftinEily. 51 
 
 And with Method, and Order 5-3 
 
 What Order beft to be obferv'd. ibid. 
 A Scale of Merit proposed. 5-5- 
 
 A^DiJfertation on a Half Length Tor trait 
 of T.Dyck. 57 
 
 OnaHiftoryofN.VoufTm. 73 
 
 AJhorter way of confidering a TicJure Ex- 
 emplified upon one 0^* Annibale Caracci.94 
 
 Of the Knowledge of Hands. 
 
 In all Tictures, and 'Drawings, the 
 
 Thought, and the Hand is to be confi- 
 
 der y d. 98 
 
 No two Men Think, and Act alike. 100 
 
 There is a real T>ifference therefore in 
 
 the Works of the feveral Mafters. ioi 
 
 And that 'Difcernable. 103 
 
 But in Some more than in Others, ibid. 
 
 The way to Know Hands is to get an Idea 
 
 of the Mafters. 107 
 
 From Hiftory. 108 
 
 From 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 From their Works. no 
 
 Cautions to be obferved in the 'Vfe of the 
 
 Former. in 
 
 Obfervations on theUfe of the Other. 116 
 
 The Mafters have 'Differ' d from Them- 
 
 felves as well as from Each Other ^ 
 
 All their fever al Manners therefore 
 
 muft be known. 119 
 
 Some Account ofThefe. 12/0 
 
 Care muft be taken that the Works on 
 
 which we form our Ideas of a Mafter 
 
 be Genuine. 140 
 
 What Helps a Beginner may have in this 
 
 particular. 142, 
 
 Requifltes to a Connoiifeur in Hands. 
 I. To be acquainted with the Hiftory of 
 
 'Painting, and of the Mafters. 147 
 -x. To be able to form Clear, and Juft L 
 
 deas. 148 
 
 3. Particular Application. ibid 
 
 Of Originals, and Copies. 
 
 The fever al Kinds, and degrees of 
 Thefe. 15*0 
 
 ^Equivocal Works. 175* 
 
 The Ghteftion whether a Picture, or a 
 Drawing is an Original or a Copy ft a- 
 ted 179 
 
 Arguments to be rejected. 180 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 The i fr State of the Queftion [Is it Origi- 
 nal, or Copy at Large] fpoken to. 183 
 
 2. Is it offuch a Hand, or sifter him. 185* 
 An Objection anfwered. 1 89 
 
 3. Is This ofjuch a Mafler's Own Inven- 
 tion, or Copfd by Him after fome O- 
 ther. 190 
 
 4. Is it done by the Mafterfrom the Life, 
 or Invention, or after another Ticlure 
 of his Own. 193 
 
 OfTrints. ibid. 
 
 'Tis necejfaryto have Clear, andDiftincl; 
 Ideas. 2.00 
 
 The 
 
THE 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 Of the Argument in behalf of the 
 Science of a Connoiffeur. 
 
 iNtroducJion. p. i 
 
 The Science recommended by its dignity. 
 Certainty, Tleafure, andAdvantage. 8 
 
 An Idea of Tainting whereby it appears 
 that it is not only a Fine piece of Work- 
 man/hip, and an Exact Imitation of 
 Common Nature ; its Bufinefs is chief- 
 ly to Raife, and Improve Nature, and 
 above all to communicate Ideas. 10 
 Tainting Compared with Hiftory, 'Poetry, 
 and Sculpture ; particularly with the 
 Latter, and preferred. %o 
 
 Illuftrated in the Hijiory of Count Ugo- 
 lino ofVifa, by Villani. 26 
 
 The fame Story as managed by Dante 30 
 A BafTo-Relievo of the fame by Michel- 
 angelo. 32 
 
 Tainting, and the Science of a ConnoifTeur 
 might be made very Beneficial to the 
 Tublick. 41 
 
 1. In the Reformation of our Manners, ib. 
 
 2. The 
 
The C O N T E N T S. 
 
 %. The Improvement of our 'People. 46, 
 3. The Incr cafe of our Wealth, 8cc 47 
 
 The 'Dignity of the Science farther ap.*> 
 pears fro?n the Qualifications re qui fit e 
 to a Connoifleur. 64 
 
 Amongfi others (which are mentioned) he 
 mufi be a good Hifiorian. 66 
 
 Hifiory of 'Painting. 69 
 
 Account of the fever al Schools of Modern 
 Painting. y-y 
 
 The Ancient Painters probably excelled 
 the Moderns. 80 
 
 The Hifiory of the Lives of the Painters 
 necejfary to be known by a Connoif- 
 feur. 8r 
 
 A General Idea of them . 8 5 
 
 The Works of the Mafters completes their 
 Hifiory. 91 
 
 Thofe of the Greatefi Quality not only 
 Connoiffeurs, but fome of them have 
 'Painted alfo. 93 
 
 Sed. II. 
 
 In order to jhew what Rank This Science 
 holds amongfi Others, as to the Degree 
 of Certainty to be had in it, the Ge- 
 neral State of Humane Vnderfianding 
 is confidefd. 94 
 
 Knowledge is AJfent to a Propofition as 
 
 True. 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 True. 9^ 
 
 Ajfent is in various 'Degrees. ibid. 
 
 And always regulated by Evidence. 96 
 This had from our Sences, Teftimony, and 
 Reafon. 98 
 
 Evidence is Relative.. ibid. 
 
 Of Some things we have no Evidence at 
 all. iod 
 
 In Other cafes [tis Compleat ; but in Mofi 
 Imperfect. 101 
 
 The means by which 'tis convey' d to us is 
 fo. ibid. 
 
 Thus we know Some things Fully $ Others 
 with a Mixture of Doubt, and are ex- 
 tremely fubj eel to Error. 105" 
 Man in One view an Excellent Creature, 
 in Another Contemptible. ib. 
 Each particular Man can have but a 
 f mall Jh are of 'that ftock of 'Science that 
 is pojfejfed by the Species. 108 
 But no Man (properly /peaking) pojfejfes 
 more than the ^Prefent Idea. 109 
 Every Man is perpetually Varying from 
 Himfelf no 
 And prom One another. ibid. 
 Every Age of the World has the like Va- 
 riety. 112 
 Every Man an Epitome of the whole Spe^- 
 cies, as being Wife in Some things, and 
 a Fool in Others. 119 
 The Whole fumm'd up. 120 
 * Tis a Melancholly Cafe hitherto ; efpeci- 
 
 a ally 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 ally if Error is Criminal. 12 1 
 
 But we have the Clearejt Light in what 
 
 is moft Material to our Happinefs here. 
 
 123 
 
 1. No T)oubt concerning Acl ion. ibid. 
 
 2. Relief by Natural Reafon from the 
 Doubts arifing Elfewhere. 124 
 
 3. Fundamentals we can be Certain of. 
 
 126 
 
 4. T articular ly of the Exiftence of a God. 
 
 127 
 
 The preceding Difcourfe apply' d to the 
 
 Science of a Connoiueur. 130 
 
 The Rules for judging of the Goodnefs of 
 
 a c Pic7ure, &c Inconteftible, with a 
 
 Jhorter Abftract of Thefe than in the 
 
 former Treatife. ibid. 
 
 The Like Ajfurance in Many Cafes as to 
 
 the Hands ; and Originality. 134 
 
 Others lefs Certain. 136 
 
 Others more 'Doubtful. 138 
 
 But in the moft Material Cafes we are 
 
 moft ajfured. ibid. 
 
 Objection from the Variety of Opinions 
 
 of Connoifleurs. 141 
 
 This does not always happen from the Ob- 
 
 fcnrity of the Science but from fome 
 
 . Defect in the Men. ibid. 
 
 Nor is there fo great a Difference in O- 
 
 . pinions as there Seems to be. 146 
 
 Sett. 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 Sea. III. 
 
 The Science recommended by the Tlea- 
 fure it affords. 157 
 
 This introduced by a Tlan for a Happy 
 
 Life. 15-8 
 
 The *Defire ofHappinefs, or Tleafure the 
 
 Spring of Action. 15*9 
 
 The i lc Foundation of a Happy Life is laid 
 
 . in a Good Idea of God. 163 
 
 And our Knowledge of the Nature ffM., % 
 
 with a certain Self Con fcioufhe fs. 165 
 
 An Improvement made by conceiving of 
 
 God as not '^Delighting in our Mife- 
 
 ries. 167 
 
 Our T'leafiires improved by Virtue. 169 
 
 A further Step towards a Happy Life is 
 
 to know how to Enjoy our Own. 
 That is, 1. our Own Circumftances. 176 
 And z. The *Prefent Time, which only is 
 Ours; Hot Regretting what is T aft, or 
 Fearing what May come. 178 
 
 Of the Fear of iJeath. 181 
 
 Laftly, Learn to be Pleafed. 183 
 
 Hindrances to This confider'd. 184 
 
 Vafl Variety of Enjoyments. 1 89 
 
 Two Inftances. 
 
 1. A Collection of 'Mental Tiffures. 191 
 i. ASenfe of the T>ivine Trefence. 194 
 
 The Tleafures of the Science. 197 
 
 a i In 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 In difcovering the great Effect s y and 
 Beauties of Art. 200 
 
 The Subject being Rats' d. 201 
 
 And with Variety according to the feve- 
 ral Tempers of the Mafters. 2ox 
 
 By this means the Beauties of Nature 
 are better feen. ibid. 
 
 And the Mind filVd with Greats and 
 Lovely Images. 204 
 
 The Rarity gives Tleafure. ibid. 
 
 Incidental Tleafures. 206 
 
 C P leaf ures from the Knowledge of Hands 
 when we confider the Htftory of the 
 Mafters at the fame time as we fee their 
 Works. 207 
 
 And when we compare them one with a- 
 nother, and with Them/elves, being a 
 Fine Exercife of our Reafon. 2 1 1 
 
 And wherein we are at full Liberty. 212 
 
 Sedfc. IV. 
 
 The Advantages of the Science. 213 
 
 1. The Reformation of our Manners, Re- 
 finement of our *Pleafures, Incfeafe of 
 our Fortunes j and Reputation. 215 
 
 Improvement to Tainters, Sculptors, &c. 
 
 * l8 
 
 2. Tis an Accomplijhment proper for a 
 
 Gentleman. 219 
 
 3. By this we are enabled to judge for 
 Our Selves. 223 
 
To the READER. 
 
 PArtly for his Own Reputation, and 
 partly upon account of the Deference 
 he has for the Publick • and Efpecially for 
 the greater part of thofe who he knew were 
 like to do him the Honour to be his Rea- 
 ders, the Author has fpar'd no Pains in the 
 Compofingofwhathe hasprefum'd to lend 
 abroad into the World. So that whatever 
 is Amifs in That refpecl ought to be im- 
 puted to fome Other Caufe than Negligence. 
 But in the Correcting of the Prefs he freely 
 confelTes he has not been Equally Careful. 
 After a Man has fufficiently wearied him- 
 felfinConfidering, Methodizing, Writing, 
 Revifing, Altering, and again Revifing, to 
 have a New Trouble (a mere Drudgery) to 
 Obferve, and Correct, not only what is more 
 Material, but even the Punctuation, Or- 
 thography, Capitals, Italicks, and every 
 little Grammatical Nicety is Infupportable ; 
 but yet This is the Author's proper Bu- 
 finefs. His Humble Requeft therefore to 
 the Reader is 
 
 i, That before he enters on the Book 
 he would be pleas'd to correct with his 
 Pen (or caufe it to be done) thofe Errata 
 in the following Lift, and which 'tis Hop'd 
 are the mofr. confiderable. 
 
 i. That he would imputefuch Others as 
 he may happen to find to ibme fuch Caufe as 
 that above mention'd, and Correct Them 
 alio. And 
 
 Laftly that he would have the Goodnefs 
 to Excufe this Trouble. 
 
Errata in the Firft Treatife. 
 
 /*ge 
 
 Li 
 
 i 
 
 4 
 
 8 
 
 16 
 
 
 18 
 
 3 1 
 
 20 
 
 3* 
 
 J 3 
 
 5* 
 
 11 
 
 53 
 
 4 
 
 54 
 
 2.2. 
 
 5* 
 
 14 
 
 64 
 
 *3 
 
 97 
 
 ult 
 
 119 
 
 \9 
 
 139 
 
 1 
 
 1^ 
 
 11 
 
 181 
 
 20 
 
 181 
 
 7 
 
 184 
 
 I 
 
 209 
 
 14 
 
 in 
 
 9 
 
 It is 
 
 actions. 
 
 Ortandi 
 
 given in 
 
 'tis 710 
 
 were 
 
 Difpofitions 
 
 Confideration 
 
 carefully confider 
 
 ready ready 
 
 Knees 
 
 The 
 
 to well 
 
 proof his 
 
 We a fay 
 
 hominum 
 
 Arguments 
 
 together 
 
 Circumflances 
 
 at Deteriora 
 
 It (hould be 
 
 aclion 
 Orlandt 
 given us 
 'tis of no 
 was 
 
 Defcriptions 
 Confi derations 
 carefully to confider 
 ready 
 Knee 
 Thy 
 fo well 
 proof of his 
 We fay 
 hominem 
 Argument 
 together with 
 Circumftance 
 Deteriora 
 
 The Pages are wrong; after 153 comes 174. 
 
 Errata in the Second Treatife. 
 
 11 
 
 15 
 
 42 
 57 
 
 88 
 
 174 
 181 
 183 
 184 
 186 
 
 187 
 188 
 
 210 
 
 16 
 16 
 
 13 
 
 3 
 
 whether by 
 
 fet 
 
 our Being 
 
 Painting 
 
 Slight 
 
 Pleafing, whether by 
 
 fee 
 
 of our Being. 
 
 Painters 
 
 a Slight 
 
 after the -]th line infert CatO. 
 
 1 1 Enjoyments Enjoyment 
 
 *3 
 
 ult. 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 5 
 6 
 
 4 
 14 
 
 Trazance 
 do Raife 
 a ^atls 
 Day, not 
 like 
 
 Pa: lent 
 fit 
 was 
 
 Fragrance 
 
 to Raife 
 
 Quails 
 
 a Day, nor 
 
 is like 
 
 Man 
 
 fit 
 were 
 
A N 
 
 ESSAY 
 
 On the A R T of 
 
 CRITICISM, Sec. 
 
 O W little do we know 
 what we fhall do next ! 
 We are pufh'd on to A- 
 dtions by our Wills, ex- 
 cited by the determination of our 
 Understandings upon a view of the 
 prefent Sett of Ideas ; but Thefe 
 changing perpetually, from the 
 Impreflion made upon cur Senfes 
 
 B 
 
by external Objects; from the 
 Nature of our Bodies confiding 
 of Fluids and Solids,fub)edt to con- 
 tinual Alterations, and influencing 
 our Minds ', from the Infpirations, 
 or Suggeftions of higher Agents, 
 or from whatever other Caufes, 
 Neceflary, or Contingent, a new 
 Determination, a new Will, ano- 
 ther AcStion takes place. Behold 
 the fecret Rejforts which put us 
 all in motion, from the greateft 
 Captain, or States-man, down to 
 the mod inconfiderable Trifler ; 
 and in the moft Minute, as well 
 as in the moft Important ; in our 
 Mental, as well as Corporeal, Vo- 
 luntary Actions, tho' oftentimes 
 they operate with the utmoft Rapi- 
 dity that even Thought it (elf 
 is capable of. When I publifh'd 
 my former Treadle I thought I 
 had done enough this way, and 
 might dedicate my remaining 
 
 Hours 
 
(3 
 
 Hours of neceffary Vacation from 
 theBufinefs of my Profeffion, (in 
 which I believe few of my Co- 
 temporaries, or PredecefTors ever 
 employ'd more) to feme left 
 Studious and more Acftive Amufe- 
 ment than Writing ; But a new 
 Sett of Involuntary Ideas has pro- 
 duced another Determination, 
 which has excited another Will, 
 and I am once more an Author, 
 
 I have been often ask'd how 
 we know the Hands of the feve- 
 ral Mafters, and diftinguifh Co- 
 pies from Originals ; and was per- 
 lwaded, a fatisfacftory Anfwer to 
 thefe Queftions would be very 
 acceptable to moll Gentlemen, 
 as well as to thofe particular En- 
 quirers ; To gratify the Publick 
 therefore, together with fuch of 
 my own Friends, I was determin'd 
 to takeThis way of anfwering them 
 all at once, and that more Fully, 
 B l 
 
(4) 
 
 and Accurately than could poifiby 
 have been done Ofthand, and in 
 the time I could have beftow'd 
 in making Particular Anfwers ; 
 This moreover,together with what 
 elfe I fliall add in this Difcourfe, 
 I faw would Compleat what I had 
 to offer on the Subjeft I had al- 
 ready given the World fome of 
 my Thoughts upon. 
 
 I might have excufed my felf, 
 upon account of that Bufinefs 
 in the way of my Profeflion, in 
 which I am conftantly engaged ; 
 and 'tis a Plea which, I believe 
 every one that knows me will 
 be ready to make for me ; but 
 there are fome Hours, efpecially 
 in the Wmter-Seafon, not fit for 
 Painting \ nor can a Man always 
 have his Pencil in his Hand in 
 the long Days of Summer. Thefe 
 Portions of Time well husbanded 
 by Temperance* and Prudence, 
 
 amount 
 
Cf ) 
 
 amount to what is very confi- 
 derable in the Courfc of one's Life, 
 and fufficient to difpatch more 
 than will be eafily imagined by 
 one that never try'd, as being of 
 an inactive Temper, and loving 
 Procraftination ; or that lavifhes 
 away his Time in Impertinent, 
 or Criminal Amufements. 
 
 And as I could not honeftly 
 make any of This fort, I will not 
 trouble my Readers with Excu- 
 fes for my Inability of the Other 
 kind : I affure them I am not 
 Infenfible of it My felf, but care 
 not how little They Obferve it. 
 Such as they are I have given 
 them my Thoughts, and as Well 
 as I could ; May every one 
 make the Beft Ufe of the Eflfe&s 
 of my Studies in this way, and 
 Thofe have not been wanting ; 
 for as from my Infancy I have ne- 
 ver had a tafte for the moft part, 
 
 of 
 
( 6) 
 
 of what is generally call'd Plea- 
 fure, and Diverfion, whether from 
 Conftitution, or upon a Philofo- 
 phical, Prudential, or Religious 
 Confideration, but on the con- 
 trary always loved Retirement, 
 and Bufinefs , and above all 
 other Studies, and Employments 
 that of Painting ; and being Com- 
 petently, not to fay Abundantly, 
 hirnifhed with Materials for my 
 Purpofe, (would to God however 
 I had feen, or could yet fee Italy !) 
 I fay Thus qualified I have for 
 fome Years paft apply'd my felf, 
 all my Powers of Body and Mind, 
 to this One thing : And (being 
 permitted fo to do in This Cafe) 
 have Thought freely. 
 
 I am well aware, that after all, 
 I may perad venture be Sometimes 
 miftalcen ; let thofe that think I 
 am (o in any inftance confider the 
 Matter as I have done, before they 
 
 pro- 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 pronounce too pofitively, for nei- 
 ther are They infallible : Readers 
 are too apt at firft fight to condemn 
 as Error, what an Author may- 
 have found after a laborious, and 
 tedious Enquiry to be Truth. 
 But however others may judge, 
 or whether I am in the right, or 
 miftaken; I Hand equally acquit- 
 ted in my own Mind, having ta- 
 ken the right Way to arrive at 
 Truth. And as my Sentiments in 
 thefe Matters be they what they 
 will, have not been taken upon 
 Truft, and Implicitly, and with- 
 out entring my felf into the Rea- 
 fon of the thing ; what is Error 
 is my own, the Reft derives its 
 Original from the Fountain of 
 Light, and in That Senfe, as every 
 other Truth may be faid to be, i$ 
 Divinely infpired. 
 
 I ask the Reader's Pardon, for 
 detain ins; him fo Ions: with what 
 
 chiefly 
 
(8) 
 
 chiefly concerns my (elf, I will 
 only take leave to plead one Piece 
 of Merit, which I pretend to have 
 with the Publick, and that is, that 
 I have made a new Acquisition 
 for the Common- Wealth of Let- 
 ters ; I believe this is the only 
 Book extant upon the Subject 
 Addles wrote many Volumes 
 upon Painting, perhaps among 
 them fomething might be (aid on 
 the knowledge of Hands, and how 
 to diftinguifh Copies from Ori- 
 ginals, but Thefe have long ago 
 had the Fate of all things not Im- 
 mortal. Father Ortandi in his 
 Ahcedario Pittorico, printed at 
 Bologna 1704, has given in a Ca- 
 talogue of about 1 50 Books re- 
 lating to Painting in feveral 
 Languages, but none that I can 
 find treats of this Science. M* 
 de Piles (to whom we are obli- 
 ged for fome curious, and ufe- 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 ful Hints he has furnifli'd us with 
 in his feveral Works) is the only 
 one I know of that has fo much 
 as Entred upon this Matter, 'tis 
 but Ten or Twelve Pa°;es in his 
 Abrege de la Vie des Peintres, 
 printed at Paris Anno 1715. a 
 fmall Otfavo, If I had received 
 any Advantage from what he has 
 done on this Head confiderable 
 enough to require it, I fhould not 
 have fail'd to have acknowledge it 
 on this Occafion, And yet I be- 
 lieve I have profited by it as much 
 as any Man has, or Can poffibly. 
 Not but that M- de Piles feems 
 well qualify'd upon feveral Ac- 
 counts to have given us great 
 Light in this matter if he had 
 thought fit, but he has not done it, 
 he has only ftrook out a flight 
 Sketch of tome Common, and 
 Obvious Thoughts, and very 
 liftle more. Whether the Subjedl 
 
 C is 
 
( io) 
 
 is worthy of a more Elaborate 
 Eilay the Reader will judge for 
 Himfelf y Tis evident I thought 
 it was, and I flatter my felf it will 
 appear 'twas not without Reafon ; 
 And as many Gentlemen pique 
 themfelves of having fome lharq 
 of this kind of Knowledge, and 
 Value themfelves upon it \ that 
 is, as many as pretend to judge 
 of what Hand a Pidhire is, or that 
 'tis an Original, or not, one rauft 
 fuppofe that all thefe think as I do 
 in this Particular. 
 
 In a Word, as this is the only 
 Book extant on the Subjedt, in any 
 Language that I know of, and the 
 Laft that I am like to Wnte, I 
 have endeavour'd to lay together 
 in as good a Method as I was a- 
 ble all my Thoughts on thefe Mat^ 
 ters 5 Which together with what I 
 have done in my former Difcourfe 
 is AH that I can recoiled as Ma- 
 terial 
 
(If) 
 
 terial on the Theory of Painting i 
 And thus to my Power I have ac- 
 quitted My-felf to my Country, 
 to the Art, and to the Lovers of 
 it. 
 
 Of the Goodnefs of a PiBure* 
 
 WHerefore callefi thou meGood^ 
 there is none Good but One, 
 that is God ? Said the Son of God 
 to the young Man who prefac'd a 
 Noble Queftion with that Com* 
 plement. This is that Goodnefe 
 that is Perfect, Simple, and Pro- 
 perly fo calFd, 'tis what is Peculiar 
 to the Deity, and fo to be found 
 no where elfe. But there is ano* 
 ther Improper, Imperfect, Com- 
 parative Goodnefs, and no other 
 than this is to be had in the f^orks 
 C z of 
 
of Men, and this admits of vari- 
 ous Decrees. This Diftinction 
 well confider'd, and apply 'd to all 
 the Occurences of Life would con- 
 tribute very much to the Improve- 
 ment of our Happinefs here ; it 
 would teach us to Enjoy the Good 
 before us, and not rejedt it upon ac- 
 count of the difas;reeable Com- 
 panion which is infeperable from 
 it ; But the ufe I now would make 
 of it is only to fhow that a Picture, 
 Drawing, or Print may be Good 
 tho t it has feveral Faults ; To fay 
 otherwife is as abfurd as to deny a 
 thing is what 'tis faid to be, becaufe 
 it has properties which are EfTencial 
 to it. 
 
 In one of the T'atlers there is 
 fine Reafoning to this purpofe ; 
 " The Heathen World had fo little 
 " Notion that Perfection was to be 
 " expected amongft Men, that 
 u among them any one Quality 
 
 *" or 
 
13 
 
 or Endowment in an Heroick 
 Degree made a God. Hercules 
 had Strength, but it was never 
 obje&ed to him that he wanted 
 Wit. Apollo prefided over Wit, 
 and it was never ask'd whether 
 he had Strength. We hear no 
 Exceptions againft the Beauty 
 of Minerva, or the Wifdom of 
 Venus. Thefe wife Heathens 
 were glad to Immortalize any- 
 one ferviceable Gift, and over- 
 look all Imperfedtions in the 
 Perfon that had it. 
 If in a Pidhire the Story be well 
 chofen, and finely Told (at leaft) 
 if not Improv'd, if it fill the Mind 
 with Noble, and Inftru&ive Ideas, 
 I will not fcruple to fay 'tis an 
 excellent Pidture, tho' the Drawing 
 be as Incorredt as that of Correggio, 
 Titian, or Rubens ; the Colouring 
 as Difasieeable as that of Poll- 
 dore, Battifla Franco, or Michael 
 
 Angelo* 
 
CM) 
 
 Angdo. Nay, tho' there is no 
 other Good but that of the Co- 
 louring, and the Pencil, I will 
 dare to pronounce it a Good 
 Picture ; that is, that 'tis Good in 
 thofe Refpedfe. In the firft Inftance 
 here is a fine Story artfully com- 
 municated to myImagination,not 
 by Speech, nor Writing, but in a 
 manner preferable to either of 
 them ; In the other there is a Beau- 
 tiful, and Delightful Objeft, and 
 a fine piece of Worknianfhip, to 
 fay no more of it. 
 
 There never was a Pidture in 
 the World without fome Faults, 
 And very rarely is there one to 
 be found which is not notorioufiy 
 Defective in fome of the Parts 
 of Painting. In judging of it's 
 Goodnefs as a Connoijfeur, onef 
 ffaould pronounce it fuch in 
 proportion to the Number of the 
 Good Qualities it has, and 
 
 theif 
 
Cm} 
 
 their Degrees of Goodnefs. I 
 will add, and as a Philofopher, 
 one fliould only confider the 
 Excellency we fee, and enjoy That, 
 as being, All belonging to it. No 
 more regreting what it has not, 
 or Thinking of it fo as to dimi- 
 nifh our Pleafure in that it Has, 
 than we do the want of Tafte 
 in a Rofe, Speech in a Pidture 
 of V. Dycky or Life in one of 
 Jiaffaelle. 
 
 There are two ways whereby a 
 Gentleman may come to be Per- 
 fwaded of the Goodnefs of a 
 Picture, or Drawing ; He may 
 neither have Leifure, or Inclina- 
 tion to become a Connoijfeur Him- 
 felf, and yet may delight in thefe 
 things, and defire to have them ; 
 He has no way then but to take 
 up his Opinions upon Truft, and 
 Implicitly depend upon Another's 
 Judgment. Here his Own is deter- 
 
 min'd, 
 
( \6) 
 
 min'd, but upon Arguments in 
 favour of the Honefty,and Under- 
 ftanding of the Man he Relies 
 upon j not at all relating to the 
 Intrinfkk Worth of the thing in 
 Queftion ; And this may be the 
 Wifeft 5 and BeftCourfe he can take 
 all things confider'd : Tho' 'tis cer- 
 tain when a Man judges for him- 
 felf he may arrive at a higher 
 Degree of Perfwafion that the 
 Pidture, or Drawing is Good ; be- 
 caufe one Man may be as Good a 
 Judge as Another if he applies 
 himielf to it ; So that here the 
 Gentleman, and his Guide are 
 upon an Equallity ; Either indeed 
 may be Miftaken, but he that 
 relies upon the Judgment of 
 Another, has a Double Chance 
 againft him Over and above, for 
 he may be miftaken in his Opi- 
 nion of the Honefty, or Under- 
 standing of this Other. 
 
 This 
 
17 
 
 This way of judging upon the 
 Authority of Another I meddle 
 not with : The firB Thing then 
 to be done in Order to become a 
 good Connoijfeur one's Self, is 
 to avoid Prejudices, andfalje Rea- 
 soning. 
 
 We muft confider ourfelves as 
 Rational Beings at large, no mat- 
 ter of what Age, or of what 
 Country, nor even of what. Part 
 of the Univerfe we are Inhabi- 
 tants, no more than it would be 
 to confider ourfelves as of fuch a 
 City, or fuch a Parifh. Opinions 
 taken up early, and from thofe 
 we have Lov'd, and Honour'd, 
 and which we fee to be Approved, 
 and Applauded by fuch, be their 
 Numbers never (o great muft 
 have no Advantage with us upon 
 Thefe accounts. Neither muft 
 our own Paffions, or Intereft be 
 allowed to give the leaft Byafs to 
 D our 
 
( i8). 
 
 our Judgments when we are up- 
 on a Rational Enquiry, where all 
 thefe Things are entirely Hetero- 
 geneous. A Connoijfeur muft con- 
 lider the Ancients, the Italians, 
 V. Dyck, Annibalc Caracci, Giu- 
 lio Romano, Michael Angelo, and 
 even the Divine Rafaeuc himfelf 
 as Fallible , and examine their 
 Works with the fame unbyafs'd 
 IndifFerency, as if he had never 
 heard of fuch Men. Nor muft 
 any Thing be taken for granted ; 
 We niuft examine up to ftrft Prin- 
 ciples, and go on Step, by Step in 
 all our Deductions, contenting 
 ourfelves with that Degree of 
 Light we can Thus ftrikc out, with- 
 out fancying any Degree of AfTent 
 is due to any Propofition beyond 
 what we can fee Evidence for (or 
 what we conceive to be fuch, 
 which is effectively fo to us) as 
 to give any fuch AfTent in Reality 
 
 is 
 
(19) 
 
 is utterly impoffible : If the Na^ 
 ture of the Thing admits of no 
 Proof we are to give no AfTent. 
 And as Truth is uniform, and 
 evermore confident with itfelfj the 
 Mind Thus finds itfelf in perfect 
 Serenity; whereas we muft be 
 eternally perplexd, and uneafy 
 if we mix Reafon with Prejudice, 
 and when we difcover a bright 
 Beam of Truth by Rational Evi- 
 dence, endeavour to reconcile it 
 with Propofitions taken up in 
 another Manner, if thofe happen 
 to be Erroneous ; and ftill the 
 more, if for the Sake of thofe 
 unexamin'd Notions we reject 
 what our Reafon is otherwife con- 
 vinc'd of; for this is offering 
 Violence to that Light which we 
 receiv'd from Above, and where- 
 in our Refemblance with the Fa- 
 ther of Light confifts. 
 
 D z There 
 
( *o ) 
 
 There are certain Arguments, 
 which a Connoijfeur is utterly to 
 rejedt, as not being fuch by which 
 he is to form his Judgment, of 
 what Ufe foever they may be to 
 thofe who are incapable of judg- 
 ing otherwise, or who will not 
 take the Pains to know better. 
 Some of thefe have really no 
 Weight at all in them, the Beft 
 are very Precarious, and only ferve 
 to perfwade us the Thing is good 
 in general, not in what Refpedt 
 it is fo. That a Picture, or Draw- 
 ing has been, or is much efteem'd 
 by thofe who are believ d to be 
 good Judges ; Or is, or was Part 
 of a famous Collection, coft fo 
 much, has a rich Frame, or the 
 like. Whoever makes Ufe of fuch 
 Arguments as thefe, befides that 
 they are very fallacious, takes the 
 Thing upon Truft, which a good 
 Connoijfeur fhould never conde- 
 
 fcend 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 fcend to do. That 'tis Old, Ita- 
 lian, Rough, Smooth, ©V. Thefe 
 are Circumftances hardly worth 
 mentioning, and which belongs 
 to Good, and Bad. A Picture, or 
 Drawing may be too old to be 
 good ; but in the Golden Age of 
 Painting, which was that of Ra- 
 faelle, about Two Hundred Years 
 ago, there were wretched Pain- 
 ters, as well as Before, and Since, 
 and in Italy, as well as Elfewhere. 
 Nor is a Pi&ure the Better, or 
 the Worfe, for being Rough, or 
 Smooth, fimply confider'd. One 
 of the commoneft, and moft de- 
 luding Arguments, that is ufed 
 on this Occafion is, that 'tis of 
 the Hand of fuch a One. Tho' 
 this has no great Weight in it, 
 even admitting it to be Really 
 of that Hand, which very often 
 'tis not : The beft Mafters have 
 had their Beginnings, and Decays, 
 
 and 
 
(22) 
 
 and great Inequalities throughout 
 their whole Lives, as fhall be more 
 fully noted hereafter.That 'tis done 
 by one who has had great Helps, 
 and Opportunities of improving 
 himfelf \ Or One that Says, he is 
 a great Matter, is what People are 
 very ready to be cheated bv, and 
 not one Jot the lefs, for having 
 found that they have been fo 
 cheated again, and again before, 
 nay, tho' they juftly laugh at, and 
 defpife the Man at the fame Time. 
 To infer a Thing Is, becaufe it 
 Ought to be, is unreafonable, be- 
 caufe Experience fliou'd teach us 
 better \ but often we think there 
 are Opportunities, and Advan- 
 tages where there are none, or 
 not in the Degree we imagine ; 
 and to take a Mans own Word, 
 where his Intereft, or Vanity fhou'd 
 make us £ufpe6t him is fufficiently 
 unaccountable. Whoever builds 
 
 upon 
 
(2.?) 
 
 upon a Suppofition of the good 
 Senfe, and Integrity of Mankind 
 has a very Sandy Foundation, and 
 yet 'tis what we find many a Po- 
 pular x\rgument refts upon, in 
 Other Caies, as well as in This. 
 But, ( as I faid ) whether Thefe 
 kind of Arguments above-men- 
 tion'd have any thing in them, 
 or not, a Connoijfeur has nothing 
 to do with them ; his Bufinefs 
 is to judge from the Intrinfic 
 Qualities of the thing itfelf ; as 
 when a Man receives a Propofi- 
 tion in Divinity, (for Example ) 
 not becaufe Was believ'd by his 
 Anceftors, or eftablifh'd a Thou- 
 fand Years as;o, or for whatever 
 other fuch like Reafons , but be- 
 caufe he has examined, and con- 
 fider'd the Thing itfelf, as if it 
 were juft now offered to the World, 
 and abfolutely di veiled of all thofe 
 collateral Advantages. 
 
 In 
 
(24) 
 
 In making our Remarks upon a 
 PiEture, or a Drazving, we are 
 only to conjlder what vje Find, 
 without anj Regard to what, per- 
 haps, the Majter Intended. Tis 
 commonly (aid of Commentators, 
 that they difcover more Beauties 
 than the Author ever thought of: 
 Perhaps they do \ and what then ? 
 Are they lets Beauties for that, or 
 lefs worthy our Notice ? Or is 
 there not Defeats alfo that were 
 never intended ? If One may not 
 be brought to Account, neither 
 let the Other : This is the Ad- 
 vantage a Writer, or Painter, or 
 any other Artift ought to have, 
 his Lucky Inadvertencies fhould 
 help to ballance againft his Un- 
 lucky Ones. 
 
 But after all, perhaps thefe 
 Beauties were thought of, and in- 
 tended by the Mafter, or Author; 
 and perhaps, a great many more 
 
 than 
 
than the Commentator ever 
 dreamt of : And Perhaps alio 
 what are judg'd to be Defeats 
 are-, not fo. The Author, or Ar- 
 .tift of what fort foever (if he be a 
 Good one efpecially) is in more 
 danger of fufFering by the Over- 
 fights, Ignorance, Malice, or other 
 Evil Quality of his Commenta- 
 tors than he is likely to Gain by 
 their Penetration, Indulgence, 
 Good Nature, or whatever other 
 Good Quality. Commentators 
 are in a fine Scituation ! \Ve, 
 like the poor Mariners with in- 
 finite Pains, and Hazards fetch 
 in from all Parts things for yfe, 
 or Delight, They, like the Mer- 
 chant at their Eafe receive all from 
 our hands, and fay This is Well, 
 of That 111, as their Fancv is. For 
 God's fake Let iis have Juftice, if 
 we are not allow'd Indulgence; 
 Let there not be a Draw-back up- 
 E on 
 
on what is Well, and none on 
 what is Amifs : Either let Sup- 
 pofes^ and Peradventures be equal- 
 ly Admitted on Both fides ; Or 
 (which is better) Let them be in- 
 tirely Excluded. 
 
 T0 judge of the Goodnefs of a 
 Tiffure, Drawing, or Print, 'tis 
 neceffarj to eftablifh to our Selves a 
 Syfiem of Rules to be apply d to 
 that we intend to give a judgment 
 jf; Thefe are no other than thofe 
 which he that is to give fuch Judg- 
 ment wou'd have been direcSted by 
 had he been to have Made, what 
 now he is to Judge of. 
 
 And thefe Rules muft be our 
 Own; whether as being the refult 
 of our Own Study, and Obferva- 
 tion, and Drawn up, and Com- 
 posed by Us ; Or by fome Other, 
 and Examined, and Approved bv 
 Vs. 
 
 Here 
 
(27 ) 
 
 Here in Order to make this 
 Difcotirfe as com pleat as I could 
 I fhould have been obliged to 
 have given fuch a Syftem, But 
 having done that at large in my 
 Former Effay That Affair is over, 
 'tis at the Reader's Service, and 
 he may Ufe That, or any Other, 
 or One compos'd out of fever al, 
 with Additions , and Improve- 
 ments, or without as he thinks fit : 
 However I will here make him an 
 Offer of an Abftrad: of what I 
 take to be thofe by which a Paint- 
 er, or Connoijfeur may fafely con- 
 duct himfelf, referring to the Book 
 it felf for further Satisfaction. 
 
 I. The Subje<5t muft be finely 
 Imagin'd, and if poilible 
 Improv'd in the Painters 
 Hands ; He muft Think well 
 as a Hiftorian , Poet, Phi- 
 lofopher, or Divine, and 
 E i more- 
 
(28) 
 
 moreover as a Painter in 
 making a Wife Ufe of all the 
 Advantages of his Art, and 
 finding Expedients to fupply 
 its Defects. 
 
 II. The Expreflion mull: be Pro- 
 per to the SubjecSt, and the 
 Characters of the Perfons ; 
 It muft be ftrong, fo that 
 the Dumb-fhew may be per- 
 fectly Well, and Readily un- 
 derftood. Every Part of the 
 Picture muft contribute to 
 This End ', Colours, Ani- 
 mals, Draperies, and efpeci- 
 ally the Actions of the Fi- 
 gures, and above all the Airs 
 of the Heads. 
 
 III. There muft be One Prin- 
 cipal Light, and This, and 
 all the fubordinate ones with 
 the Shaddows, and Repofes, 
 
 muft 
 
(%9 ) 
 
 muft make One, Intire, Har- 
 monious Mafs ; The feveral 
 Parts muft be well Connec- 
 ted, and Contrafted, (o as 
 that the Tout-enfemble muft 
 be Grateful tp the Eye ; as a 
 good piece of Mufick is to 
 the Ear. By this Means the 
 Pidture is not only more De- 
 lightful, but better Seen, and 
 Comprehended. 
 
 IV. The Drawing muft be juft; 
 nothing muft be Flat, Lame, 
 or Ill-Proportion'd ; and thefe 
 Proportions fhou'd vary ac- 
 cording to the Characters of 
 the Perfons drawn. 
 
 V. The Colouring whether 
 Gay, or Solid, muft be Na- 
 tural, Beautiful, and Clean, 
 and what the Eye is delight- 
 ed with, in Shaddows as well 
 
 as 
 
as Lights, and Middle Tints. 
 
 VI. And Whether the Colours 
 are laid on Thick, or Finely 
 Wrought it muft appear to 
 be done by a Light, and 
 Accurate Hand. 
 
 Laflly, Nature muft be the 
 Foundation, That muft be 
 feen at the Bottom J But 
 Nature muft be Rais'd ', and 
 Improv'd, not only from 
 what is Commonly Teen, to 
 what is but Rarely, but eyen 
 yet higher, from a Judicious, 
 and Beautiful Idea in the 
 Painters Mind, io that Grace 
 and Greatnefs may fliine 
 throughout; More, or Lefs 
 however as the Subject may 
 happen to be. And herein con- 
 fifts the Principal Excellency 
 of a Pidhire, or Drawing. 
 
 Thcfe 
 
( 30 
 
 Thefe few plain Rules being 
 throughly Comprehended , and 
 Remembred, which may be done 
 with a tolerable Meafare of Good 
 Senfe, a little Trouble in Read- 
 ings and a good deal of Obfer- 
 vation on Nature, and Pictures, 
 and Drawings of Good Matters I 
 will venture to fay are fufficient 
 to qualifie a Gentleman to be a 
 good Judge in thefe Matters as 
 being derived from, and evidently 
 founded uponReafon; and tho' not 
 deftitute of Abundant Authority, 
 yet neither Borrowed from Thence, 
 
 ; or at all trufting to That for their 
 Support. 
 
 And let me be permitted to fay 
 it Without Vanity, (tho' if it were 
 With it 'tis no Importance to the 
 
 I' Reader) I advance nothing upon 
 the foot of Authority. Whatever 
 
 [ Authorities there are for any Pro- 
 pofition Their Value Connfts in 
 their being derived from Reafon, 
 
 and 
 
(3*) 
 
 and they weigh with Me in pro- 
 portion as I fee they do (o \ They 
 then become My Own, and I have 
 no occafion to produce the Au- 
 thor but the Reafon : Or (if that 
 be obvious) leave it to be ob- 
 ferved by the Reader. 
 
 And the matter would termi- 
 nate Here tho' we had a Book of 
 Rules for Painting faid to be writ- 
 ten by Apelles himfelf, and it were 
 allowed that what Ape lies laid 
 were Infallibly true ; For then, 
 inftead of faying Are thefe Rules 
 Good, Are they founded upon 
 Reafon; the Queftion would on- 
 ly be, Are they really of Him : 
 Their Authority Then will reft, 
 not upon the Credit or Apel/es, 
 but upon the Teftimony of Thole 
 that fay they are His. Which I 
 fhall not want if I find the Rules 
 to be Good, and if I do ilot 'twill 
 be Inefficient : And all This with- 
 out 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 out the leaft prejudice to the 
 profound Refpecft I have for Apel- 
 les, nay 'tis a NecefTary Confe- 
 quence of it. 
 
 To judge of the Degrees of Good- 
 ness of a Picture or Drawing 'tis 
 neceffary that the ConnoifTeur Jbould 
 be throughly acquainted, & perpetu- 
 ally converfant with the Befi. For 
 how perfectly foever he may be 
 Mafter of the Rules of the Art he 
 will know that Thofc are like what 
 Divines call Precepts of Perfection \ 
 that is they are given as what 
 we fhould Endeavour to go by 
 as far as we are Able. The Beft 
 things We Know will be the Stan- 
 dard by which we fhall Judge of 
 Thofe, and all the reft. Carlo Ma- 
 rattij and Giufeppe Chiari will be 
 a Rafael/e, and Giulio Romana to 
 him who has never feen better ; 
 and Then an Inferiour Mafter will 
 make a good Carlo. I have been 
 
 F fur- 
 
(?4) 
 
 furpriz'd to obfcrve what Pleafurc 
 Some Connoijfeurs have taken in 
 what Another looked upon with 
 Little, if not with Contempt, 'till 
 I have confider'd One was not fo 
 well acquainted with the Works of 
 the Beft Mafters as the Other, and 
 that accounts for it fufficiently. 
 
 All the different Degrees of 
 Goodnefs in Painting may be re- 
 due'd to thefe three General Oaf- 
 (es. The Mediocre, or Indiffe- 
 rently Good, The Excellent, and 
 the Sublime. The firft is of a 
 large Extent; the fecond much 
 Narrower ; and the Laft ftill more 
 fo. I believe moft people have 
 a pretty Clear, and Juft Idea of 
 the two former ; the other is not 
 fo well underftood ', which there- 
 fore I will define according to the 
 Senfe I have of it ; And I take it 
 to confift of fome few of the High- 
 eft Degrees of Excellence in thofe 
 
 Kinds 
 
i (39) 
 
 Kinds, and Parts of Painting which 
 are Excellent \ The Sublime there- 
 fore muft be Marvellous, and S 
 prizing, It muft ftrike veheme- dy 
 
 upon the Mind, andFiIi ? and Cap- 
 tivate it Irrefiftably. 
 
 i 
 
 As when Autumnal Rains, or Melted Snows 
 From off the Mountains with impetuous Ha fie 
 Defcend to feek Repofe in lower Grounds,, 
 Or in fome neighboring River's Ouz,y Bed, 
 No more the Peaceful Stream within its Banks 
 With crooked Wandring Regularly flows, 
 But with communicated Rage ufurps 
 Unjufl Dominion, and with Courfe direct 
 Dejpifmg Oppojiticn drives along. 
 
 I confine the Sublime to His- 
 tory, and Portrait-Painting \ And 
 Thefe muft excell in Grace, and 
 Greatnefs, Invention, or Exprefli- 
 on ; and that for Reafons which 
 will be feen anon. Michael An- 
 gelds Great Style intitles Him to 
 the Sublime , not his Drawing ; 
 Tis that Greatnefs, and a com- 
 petent degree of Grace, and not 
 his Colouring that makes Titian 
 capable of it : As Correggids 
 F i Grace 
 
(3*) 
 
 Grace, with afufficient mixture of 
 Greatnefs gives this Noble Quality 
 to His Works. Van Dyck's Co- 
 louring, nor Pencil tho' perfectly 
 fine would never introduce him 
 to the Sublime ; 'tis his Expreilion, 
 and that Grace, and Greatnefs he 
 poiTefs'd, (the Utmoft that Portrait- 
 Painting is Juftly capable of) that 
 fets fome of his Works in that 
 Exalted Clafs ; in which on That 
 account he may perhaps take place 
 of Rafaelie himfelf in That Kind 
 of Painting, if that Great Man's 
 Fine, and Noble Idea's carried him 
 aitiiuch above Nature Then, as 
 they did in Hiftory, where the 
 utmoft that can be done is com- 
 mendable ; a due Subordination 
 of Characters being preferved ; 
 And thus (by the way) V. Dyck's 
 Colouring, and Pencil may be 
 judg'd Equal to that of Correggio, 
 or any other Jvlafter. 
 
 In 
 
( 37 ) 
 
 In Waiting, the Sublime is con- 
 fident with great Irregularity ; nay 
 that very Irregularity may produce 
 that Noble effedt ; as in that won- 
 derful Place in Milton. 
 
 -Headlong themfehes they threw 
 
 Down from the Verge of Heaven, Eternal Wrath 
 Burnt after them to the bottomlefs pit. 
 
 The laft Bad Verfe contributes to 
 the Horrible Idea which is to be 
 rais'd here ; but if it did not, the 
 Thought would be Sublime, not 
 the Verfe : So in Painting the 
 Sublimity of the Thought, or Ex- 
 preffion may be confident with 
 bad Colouring, or Drawing, and 
 thefe may help to produce that 
 fine effect ; If they do not, That 
 will make Them Overlook'd, or 
 even Prejudice us in their favour ; 
 However 'tis not thofe Defects, but 
 what is Excellent that is Sublime. 
 Upon this occafion 'tis fit to 
 Enquire ( en faffant ) Whether 
 
 'tis 
 
C # ) 
 
 'tis our Intereft to have fo Re- 
 fined a Tafte in General, as to 
 be pleas'd only with a very Few 
 things, and which are Rarely to 
 be found, which therefore Con- 
 tracts our Enjoyments, whereas 'tis 
 our bufinefs rather to Enlarge them. 
 It will be readily fuggefted in An- 
 fwer to this, That what is Loft 
 upon account of the Number of 
 our Pleafures, will be Gain d in 
 the Weight of them : The Ques- 
 tion then will be, Whether the 
 Noify, Tumultuous Pleafures of 
 the Vulgar are not Equivalent to 
 thofe which the moft Refin'd Wits 
 tafte ; that is, whether One Man 
 is not as Happy, or Pleas'd (which 
 is the Same thing) with an Un- 
 common, Diverting Accident at 
 the Bear-Garden, or with a Bad 
 Picture, as Another in confidering 
 fome of the Nobleft Inftances of 
 the Sublime in Rafaele y or Homer : 
 
 The 
 
( 39 ) 
 
 The Anfwer to which is very fhort, 
 He is not ; and that for tne fame 
 Reafon as an Oyfter is not capable 
 of the fame Degree of Pleafure as 
 a Man. It will not follow how- 
 ever that upon the foot of the ac- 
 count One is more Happy than the 
 Other, becaufe that delicacy, and 
 Acutenefs of Mind which is fuf- 
 ceptible of the greateft Pleafure, is 
 proportionably fo with refpedt to 
 its Contrary : But the Competition 
 is not now betwixt Enjoyment, and 
 Mifery, but One Pleafure, and 
 Another. And thus it appears, 
 that a Man is in no danger of di- 
 minilhing his Happinefs by Refi- 
 ning his Tafte. 
 
 Hitherto I have been confider- 
 ing the Goodnefs of a Picture as 
 being done according to the Rules 
 of the Art -, There is another kind 
 of Goodnefs, and that is, As the 
 Picture, ox Drawing Anfwers the 
 
 Ends 
 
(40 ) 
 
 Ends intended to be ferv'd by 
 them ; Of which there are Several, 
 but all reducible to thefe two Ge- 
 neral ones, Pleafure, and Improve- 
 ment. 
 
 I am forry the Great, and Prin- 
 cipal End of the Art has hitherto 
 been fo little Confider'd j I don't 
 mean by Gentlemen only, or by 
 Low, Pretended Connoijfeurs, But 
 by thofe who ought to have gone 
 higher, and to have Taught Others 
 to have Followed them. 'Tis no 
 Wonder if many who are accuf- 
 tom'd to Think Superficially look 
 on Pictures as they would on a 
 Piece of Rich Hangings; Or if 
 (itch as Thefe, (and Tome Painters 
 among the reft) fix upon the Pen- 
 cil^ the Colouring, or perhaps the 
 Drawing, and fome little Circum- 
 ftantial Parts in the Pidhire, or 
 even the juft Reprefentation of 
 common Nature, without pene- 
 trating 
 
( ) 
 
 trating into the Idea of the Paint- 
 er, and the Beauties of the Hit 
 tofy, or Fable. I fay 'tis no won- 
 der if this fo frequently happens 
 when thole whether Ancients or 
 Moderns,who have wrote of Paint- 
 ing , in defcribing the Works of 
 Painters in their Lives, or on other 
 occafions have very rarely done 
 any more c, Or in order to give 
 lis a Great Idea of feme of the 
 Bell Painters have told us fiich 
 Silly Stories as that of the Curtain 
 of Parrhajtm which deceiv'd 
 ZLmxis, of the fmall lines one 
 upon the other in the Contention 
 between ApUes and Protogenes, 
 ( as I remember H 'tis no macter 
 of whom the Story goes.) of the 
 Circle of 'Giotto , and fuch like \ 
 Trifles, which if a Man were ne- 
 ver fo expert at without going 
 many degrees higher he would 
 mot be worthy the name of a 
 G Pains* 
 
(42) 
 
 Painter, much lefs of being re* 
 membred bv Pofterity with Ho- 
 nour. 
 
 Tis true there are fome Kinds 
 of Pictures which can do no more 
 than Pleafe, as 'tis the Cafe of 
 fome Kinds of Writings \ but one 
 may as well fay a Library is only 
 for Ornament, and Oftentation, 
 as a Collection of Pictures, or 
 Drawings. If That is the Only 
 End, I am fure 'tis not from any 
 Defed in the Nature of the Things 
 themfelves. 
 
 I repeat it again, and would 
 inculcate it, Painting is a fine piece 
 of Workmanfhip ; 'tis a Beautiful 
 Ornament, and as fuch gives us 
 Pleafure ; But over and above 
 this We Painters are upon the 
 Level with Writers, as being Po- 
 ets, Hiftorians, Philofophers and 
 Divines, we Entertain, and In- 
 ftruft equally with Them. This 
 
 is 
 
( 45 
 
 Is true and manifeft beyond dif- 
 pute whatever Mens Notions 
 have been; 
 
 To wake the Sonl by tender Strokes of Art, 
 'To raife the Genim, and to mend the Heart. 
 
 Mr, Pope, 
 
 is the bufmefs of Painting as well 
 as of Tragedy. 
 
 There being Pictures of feveral 
 Kinds, fome capable only of Plea- 
 ding, and Others alio of Inftru<5t- 
 ing, and Improving the Mind; 
 which is the Nobler End, a Dif- 
 ference ought to be made accor- 
 dingly; Two Pictures may be 
 equally Good, with refpecft to the 
 Rules of the Art, Equally Well 
 Drawn, Coloured, &C. but very 
 Different with refped: to the Rank 
 they ought to hold in our Efti- 
 mation : a Boor opening of Muf 
 (els, and a St. John may be One 
 as well Painted as the Other, but 
 G i there 
 
( 44 ) 
 
 there can be no Difpute when the 
 Queftion is which of thefe two 
 is Preferable. 
 
 So feveral of the Parts of Paint- 
 ing may be equally well in the 
 fame Picture, but they are not 
 Equally Confiderable in Thcm- 
 felves ; a Fine Pencil (for Example) 
 is not comparable to a Fine In- 
 vention. 
 
 When therefore we are to make 
 a Judgment in vjhat Degree of 
 Goodnefs a Fixture or Drazoing 
 is we fhoidd confider its Kind fir ft, 
 and then its feveral Parts. A 
 Hiftory is preterrable to a Land- 
 fcape, Sea-piece, Animals, Fruit, 
 Flowers, or any other Still-Life, 
 pieces of Drollery, &c. \ the rea- 
 fon is, the latter Kinds may Pleafe, 
 and in proportion as they do fo 
 they are Eftimable, and that is 
 according to every one's Tafte, 
 but they cannotlmprove theMind, 
 
 they 
 
( 40 
 
 they excite no Noble Sentiments ; 
 at leaft not as the other naturally 
 does : Thefe not only give us 
 Pleafure, as being Beautiful Ob- 
 jects, and Furniihing us with Ideas 
 as the Other do, but the Pleafure 
 we receive from Hence is Greater 
 (I fpeak in General, and what the 
 nature of the thing is capable of) 
 'tis of a Nobler Kind than the 
 Other -, and Then moreover the 
 Mind may be Inrich'd, and made 
 Better. 
 
 A Portrait is a fort of General 
 Hiftory of the Life of the Perfbn 
 it reprefents, not only to Him 
 who is acquainted with it, but to 
 Many Others, who upon Occafion 
 of feeing it are frequently told, 
 of what is moft Material concern- 
 ing Them, or their General Cha- 
 racter at leaft ; The Face ; and 
 Figure is alfo Defcrib'd and as 
 much of the Character as appears 
 
 by 
 
by Thefe, which oftentimes is here 
 feen in a very great Degree. Thefe 
 therefore many times anfwer the 
 Ends of Hiftorical Pi&ures. And 
 to Relations, or Friends give a 
 Pleafure greater than any Other 
 can. 
 
 There are many Single Heads 
 which are Hiftorical, and may be 
 apply'd to feveral Stories. I have 
 many fucli ; I have for Inftance a 
 Boy's Head of Parmeggiano in 
 whofe Every Feature appears liich 
 an overflowing Joy, and that too 
 not Common, but Holy, and 
 Divine that I imagine him a little 
 Angel rejoycing at the birth of 
 the Son of God. I have another 
 of Leonardo da Vinci of a Youth 
 very Angelical, and in whom ap- 
 pears an Air fuch as Milton de- 
 scribes 
 
 Dim Sadnefs did not /pare 
 
 T'hat time Celeftia.1 Vifages> yet ntixt 
 Wilh Pity, violated not their blifs. 
 
 This 
 
(47 ) 
 
 This I fuppofe to be prefent at 
 the A°;ony of our Lord, or his 
 Crucifixion, or feeing him dead, 
 with his BlefTed Mother in that 
 her vaft Diftrefi. Single Figures 
 may be alfo thus apply'd, and 
 made Hiftorical. But Heads not 
 Thus Applicable, mull be recko- 
 ned in an Inferiour Oafs and 
 more, or lefs fo according as they 
 happen to be. As Portraits Un- 
 known are not Equally confide- 
 rable with Thofe that are ; Tho* 
 upon account of the Dignity of 
 the Subject they may be reckon'd 
 in the firft Oafs of Thofe where- 
 in the Principal End of Painting 
 is not fully Anfwer'd ; but capable 
 however of the Sublime. 
 
 The Kind of Picture, or Draw- 
 ing having been conflder'd, re- 
 gard is to be had to the Parts of 
 Painting ; we fhould fee in which 
 of Thefe they excell, and in what 
 Degree. And 
 
(48 ) 
 
 And thefe feveral Parts do not 
 Equally ooMribute to the Ends 
 of Painting : but (I think) ought 
 to ftand in this Order. 
 
 Gfdct and Greapmfs, 
 
 ]nventim y 
 
 Expreffion, 
 
 Compofition, 
 
 Colourings 
 
 Drawing, 
 
 Handling. 
 
 The laft can only Heaie ; The 
 next (by which 1 underftand Pure 
 Nature, for the Great, and Gen- 
 tile Style of Drawing tails into 
 another Part) This alio can only 
 Pleafe, Colouring Pleafes more j 
 Compofition Fleafes at leaft as 
 much as Colouring, and more- 
 over helps to Inftruct, as it tfflk&s 
 t-hofe Parts that do io more con- 
 
 fpicu= 
 
( 4 2 ) 
 
 fpjcuous 5 Expreffion Pleafes, and 
 Inftrudrs Greatly; the Invention 
 does both in a higher Degree, 
 and Grace, and Greatnefs above 
 all. Nor is it peculiar to That 
 Story, Fable, or whatever the 
 Subjecft is, but in General raifes 
 our Idea of the Species, gives a 
 moft Delightful, Vertuous Pride, 
 and kindles in Noble Minds an 
 Ambition to act up to That Dig- 
 nity Thus conceived to be in Hu- 
 mane Nature, in the Former 
 Parts the Eye is employ 'd, in the 
 Other the Underftanding. 
 
 By thus confidering in what 
 rank of Eftimation the feveral 
 Parts of Painting ought to ftand, 
 we may (by the way) obferve 
 what Degrees of Merit each Ma- 
 tter has, for That is More, or Lefe 
 in proportion as he has Excell'd 
 in thofc Parts which are Prefer- 
 rable, Thus Albert Purer tho' 
 H his 
 
( $° ) 
 
 his Defign was very Correct, can 
 by no means ftand in Compe- 
 tition with Coreggio, who was 
 Defective in that Particular, be- 
 caufe the Latter had Grace and 
 Greatnefs, which the Other had 
 not. 
 
 And thus too it is feen that 
 Drawings (generally fpeakSjng) are 
 Preferrable to Paintings, ' as ha- 
 ving thofe Qualities which are 
 moft Excellent in a Higher De- 
 gree than Paintings generally 
 have, or can poilibly have, ani 
 the Others (excepting only Co- 
 louring) Equally with them. 
 There is a Grace, a Delicacy, a 
 Spirit in Drawings which when 
 the Mafter attempts to give in 
 Colours is commonly much di- 
 minififd, both as being a fort 
 of Coppying from thofe Firft 
 Thoughts, and beeaufc the Na- 
 ture 
 
( ?i ; 
 
 ture of the Thing admits of no 
 better. 
 
 There are Other Confidera- 
 tions relating to Pictures, Draw- 
 ings, and more particularly to 
 Prints j But as Thefe are Intirely 
 Diftindt from that of their Good- 
 nefs as Works of Art, and are on- 
 ly concerning their Value to the 
 Buyer, or Seller, fuch as the Con- 
 dition they are in, their Rarity, 
 or other fuch like Circumftan- 
 ces ; Tho' Thefe things are of Im- 
 portance on fome Occafions they 
 are Foreign to the Subject of my 
 prefent Difcourfe, and fo 'tis 
 enough juft to have mention'd 
 them. 
 
 Whatever zve look upon there- 
 fore jhould be confide? * d Diftinff- 
 ly, and Particularly, and not only 
 feen in General to be Fine, or Not, 
 but wherein 'tis One, or the Other. 
 Moft of Our Writers have been 
 H z very 
 
( 99) 
 
 very fuperficial in This refpcdt ; 
 They have faid where a Pidme 
 ol iiich a Mafter was, and have 
 told us the Subject, and beftow'd 
 certain Epithets upon it, as that 
 it was Divine, Surprizing, or that 
 fiich a Figure feenVd to be Alive, 
 and the like ; and this without 
 diftindion to Works of very Dif- 
 ferent Characters, but the fame 
 General Difpofitions ferve for all ; 
 to that we can have no Clear 
 Idea of them from thofe Au- 
 thors ; and I don't doubt but 
 moft of thofe that look upon 
 Pictures, or Drawings take in 
 fuch Iinperfed, Unform'd, and 
 ConfusVl Ideas ; If we are Plcas'd 
 or Difpleas'd, if our Minds are 
 Improved, or Hurt, we fhould ob- 
 ferve from what Caufe this has 
 happen d 5 What Part of Painting 
 has the Mafter fucceeded, or 
 been Defective in, and to what 
 
Degree ? Or is this Owing to the 
 Sufijedt, rather than to the Man- 
 ner of Treating it, and how far? 
 Such, and the like confideration 
 will help to give us Clear, and 
 Diftinit Ideas of the Work, and 
 the Mafter, which a good Connoif- 
 feur fliould always form in his 
 Mind. And the better to do 
 this he fhould 
 
 Laltly, Obferve Method, and 
 Order in his zvay of Thinking ; 
 not mixing, and jumbling Obler- 
 vations of different kinds, but 
 going on Gradually from one 
 thing to another, Difpatching the 
 flrft before we cmbarras our Selves 
 with any other. 
 
 Gentlemen may do as they 
 pleafe, the following Methocl 
 feems to Me to be the moil Natu- 
 ral, Convenient, and Proper. 
 
 Before you come fo near the 
 Pidure to be Confider'd as to 
 
 look 
 
( ?4) 
 
 look into Particulars, or even to 
 be able to know what the Sub- 
 ject of it is, at leaft before you 
 take notice of That, Obferve the 
 Tout-enfemble of the Mafles, and 
 what Kind of one the Whole 
 makes together. It will be pro- 
 per at the fame Diftance to con- 
 sider the General Colouring ; whe- 
 ther That be Grateful, Chearing, 
 and Delightful to the Eve, or Dif- 
 agreeable ; Then let the Compo- 
 fition be Examined Near, and fee 
 the Contrafts, and other Particu- 
 larities relating to it, and fo finifh 
 vour Observations on That Head. 
 The fame Then may be done 
 with re>pect to the Colouring; 
 then the Handling, and after- 
 wards the Drawing; Thefe beine 
 difpatclVd the Mind is at liberty 
 carefully confider the Invention ; 
 then to fee how well the Expret 
 lion is perfbrm'd, And Laftly, 
 
 What 
 
( ft ) 
 
 What Grace and Greatnefs is 
 fpread throughout, and how (lik- 
 able to each Character. 
 
 Monfteur de Piles has a pretty- 
 Invention of a Scale whereby he 
 gives an Idea in fhort of the Me- 
 rit of the Painters, I have given 
 fome Account of it in the latter 
 end of my former Eflay : This, 
 with a little Alteration and Im- 
 provement may be of great ufe 
 to Lovers of Art, and Connoif- 
 feurs. 
 
 I will keep to the Number 18 
 to denote the higheft Degree of 
 Excellence, and That, and the 
 preceeding one fhall ftand for 
 the Sublime in thofe Parts of 
 Painting that are capable of it. 
 i<5. 15. 14. 15. fhall denote Ex- 
 cellence in thefe 4 Degrees, as 
 from 11 to 5 Inclufive fhall fig- 
 nify the Mediocre : And tho' Bad 
 Pictures are not worth our no- 
 tice, 
 
( $tf ) 
 
 ticc, Good ones may be Bad in 
 fome Particulars, I will therefore 
 referve the other 4. Numbers to 
 exprefs That. Not that the Pro- 
 vince of Bad is equal in Extent 
 to that of Excellent, but becaufe 
 Good Matters whofe Works I am 
 only concerned about very rarely 
 Sink many degrees into III; If it 
 fhould fb happen let That be 
 mark'd with a Cypher only. 
 
 The ufe to be made of this 
 Scale is this ; A little Packet- 
 Book might be always ready rea- 
 dy, every leaf of which fhould 
 be prepared as fhall be feen pre- 
 fently, And when one coniiders a 
 Pi. lure an Eftimate midit be 
 made of it by putting fuch Fi- 
 gures under each Head as ihall 
 be judg'd proper ; or more than 
 one if in one part of the Picture 
 there be any confiderabie diffe- 
 rence from what is in Another ; 
 
 or 
 
( n ) 
 
 Or if there be a double confide-* 
 iation requiring it. 
 
 I will give a Specimen of what 
 I have been propofing, and the 
 Subject fliall be a Portrait of V. 
 Djck which I have, 'tis a Half- 
 length of a Countefs Dowager 
 of Exeter, as I learn from the 
 Print made of it by Fathom, 
 and that is almoft all one can 
 learn from That concerning the 
 Picture befides the General Atti- 
 tude, and Difpofition of it* 
 
 The Drefs is Black Velvet, and 
 That appearing almoft one large 
 Spot, the Lights not being To 
 managed as to conned: it^ with 
 the other parts of the Pidfcure ; 
 The Face, and Linnen at the 
 Neck, and the two Hands, and 
 broad Cuffs at the Wrifts being 
 hj this means three feveral Spots 
 of Lights and that near of an 
 £qual degree? and forming alf 
 I ftioft 
 
( *8 ; 
 
 moll an Equilateral Triangle, 
 the Bale of which is parallel to 
 that of the Pidture, the Compo- 
 fition is Defective ; and this oc- 
 cafion'd chiefly from the want 
 of thofe Lights upon the Black. 
 But to far as the Head, and al- 
 moft to the Waft, with the Cur- 
 tain behind, there is an Admirable 
 Harmony ; the Chair alfo makes a 
 Medium between the Figure, and 
 the Ground. The Eye is deliver'd 
 ctowp into that Dead Black Spot 
 the Drapery with great Eafe, 
 the Neck is cover'd with Linnen, 
 and at the Bread the top of the 
 Stomacher makes a flreight line. 
 This would have been very 
 harfh, and difagreeable but that 
 'tis very Artfully broken by the 
 Bowes of a Knot of narrow 
 Ribbon which rife above that Line 
 in fine, well-contrafted Shapes. 
 
 This 
 
(J9 ) 
 
 This Knot (aliens a Jewel on the 
 Breail, which alfo helps to pro- 
 duce the Harmony of this part 
 of die Picture, and the white 
 Gloves which the Lady holds in 
 her Left Hand, helps the Com- 
 pofition fomething as they vary 
 That Light Spot from That which 
 the Other Hand, and Linnen 
 makes. 
 
 The Tout-enfemble of the Co- 
 louring is Extreamly Beautiful; 
 'Tis Solemn, but Warm, Mel- 
 low, Clean, and Natural ; The 
 Fiefti, which is exquifitely good, 
 cfpecialiy the Face, the Black 
 Habit, the Linnen and CuQiion, 
 the Chair of Crimfon Velvet, 
 and the Gold Flower'd Curtain 
 mixt with a little Crimfon have 
 an Admirable effect, and would 
 be Perfect were there a Middle 
 Tintt amongft the Black. 
 
 I z The 
 
( 60 ) 
 
 The Face, and Hands, arc a 
 Model for a Pencil in Portrait- 
 Painting ; 'Tis not V. Djck's flrft 
 Laboured Flemifb Manner, nor in 
 the lead Carelefs, or Slight ; the 
 Colours are well Avrought, and 
 Touch'd in his beft Style ; that 
 is, the Beft that ever Man had 
 for Portraits ; nor is the Curtain 
 in the leaft inferiour in this Par- 
 ticular, tho' the Manner is va- 
 ry'd as^ it ought to be, the Pen- 
 cil is There more feen than in the 
 Flefh ', the Hair, Veil, Chair, and 
 indeed throughout except the 
 Black Gown is finely Handled. 
 
 The Face is admirably well 
 Drawn ; the Features are pro- 
 noune'd Clean, and Firmly, fo 
 as 'tis evident he that did That 
 conceived ftrong, and Diftin<5t Ide- 
 as, and (aw wherein the Lines that 
 tormVl Thofc differ 'd from all 
 
 others - } 
 
( 6i) 
 
 others ; there appears nothing of 
 the Antique, or Rajfaelle-Ta& of 
 Defigning, but Nature, well un- 
 derstood, well chofen, and well 
 managed ; the Lights, and Sha- 
 dows are juftly plac'd,- and 
 fhap'd, and both fides of the 
 Face anfwer well to each other. 
 The Jewel on the Breaft is finely 
 difpos'd, and diredts the Eye 
 to the line between the Breafts, 
 and gives the Body there a great 
 Relief, the Girdle alfo has a 
 good effedt, for by being mark'd 
 pretty ftrongly the Eye is fhown 
 the Waft very readily. The Lin- 
 nen, the Jewel, the Gold Cur- 
 tain, the Gaufe Veil are all ex- 
 treamly Natural, that is they are 
 juftly Drawn, and Colour'd. But 
 the Want of thofe Lights I have 
 fo often lamented is the Caufe 
 that the Figure does not appear 
 
 to 
 
( 6z ) 
 
 to fit firmly, the Thighs and 
 Knees are loft. Nor is the 
 Drawing of the Arms, nor even 
 of: the Hands altogether as one 
 would wifh particularly the Left, 
 and that not only in the Out- 
 line, but the Lights, and Sha- 
 dows ; efpecially of that Hand, 
 which bv bein<* too Lidit is 
 brought out of its true place, 'tis 
 nearer the Eye than it ought to 
 be. There are alfo fome Over- 
 fights in the Perfpective of the 
 Chair, and Curtain; In the Li- 
 neal Part of the former, and in 
 the Aerial Part in both. 
 
 Thefe being thus difpatch'd we 
 are at liberty to confider the In- 
 vention. V. Dyck's Thought 
 feems to have been that the La- 
 dy fhould be fitting in her Own 
 Room receiving a Vifit of Con- 
 dolance from an Inferiour with 
 
 great 
 
em 
 
 great Benignity ; as fhall be feen 
 prefently, I would here obferve 
 the Beauty, and Propriety of this 
 Thought. For by This the Pi- 
 cture is not an Infipid Repre- 
 fentation of a Face, and Drefs, 
 but here is alfo a Picture of the 
 Mind, and what more proper 
 to a Widow than Sorrow ? And 
 more becoming a Perfon of Qua- 
 lity than Humility, and Benevo- 
 lence ? Befides had flie been fuppo- 
 fed to have appear'd to her Equals, 
 or Superiours, the Furniture of 
 the Place muft have been Mourn- 
 ing, and her Gloves on, but 
 the Colours of the Curtain, and 
 Chair, and the Contrafi occa- 
 fion'd by the Gloves in her Hand 
 have a hne effe£h 
 
 Never was a Calm Becoming 
 Sorrow better Exprefs'd than 
 in tltis Face chiefly there 
 
 where 
 
(64) 
 
 where 'tis always moft confpicious? 
 that is in the Eyes : Not Guldo 
 Rent, no, nor Raff ae lie himfelf 
 C 3uld have Concei v a a Paflion with 
 more Delicacy, or more Strongly 
 Exprefs'd it ! To which alfo 
 the Whole Attitude of the Fi- 
 gure contributes not a little, her 
 Right Hand drops eafily from the 
 Elbow of the Chair which her 
 Wnft lightly refts upon, the other 
 lies in her Lap towards her Left 
 Knees, all which together appears 
 {o Eafy, and Careleis, that what 
 is Loft in the Compofition by 
 the Regularity I have taken no- 
 tice of, is Gain'd in the Expref- 
 iion ; which being of greater 
 Confequencc juftifies V. Dyck in 
 the main, and fliows his great 
 Judgment, for tho' as it Is, there 
 is (as I laid J fomething amifs, 
 I cannot conceive any way of 
 
 Avoid- 
 
Avoiding That Inconvenience 
 without a Greater. 
 
 And notwithstanding the De-^ 
 feds I have taken the Liberty 
 to remark with the fame Indiffe- 
 rencv as I have obfervild the 
 Beauties, that is, without the 
 leaft regard to the Great Narnd 
 of the Mafter, There is a Gracd 
 throughout that Charms, and a 
 Greatnefs that Commands Re-* 
 fpe6i; She appears at firft Sight 
 to be a Well-bred Woman of 
 Quality ; 'tis in her Face, arid id 
 her Mien ; add as her Drefs, Or* 
 iiaments, and Furniture contri* 
 bute fomething to the (Sreatriefs^ 
 the Gaufe Veil coming over her 
 Forehead, and the Hem of k 
 hiding a t)efe6t (which was want 
 of Eye-brows,) is a fine Artifice 
 to give mote Grace* This Grace, 
 &na Greatnefs is not that of R.af~ 
 
66 ) 
 
 faelUy or the Antique but 'tis 
 what is iukable to a Portrait; 
 and one of Her Age, and Cha- 
 ndler, and confequently better 
 than if flie had appeafd with the 
 Grace of a Verms, or Helena, or 
 the Majefty of a Minerva, or 
 Semiramu. 
 
 It remains to confider this Pi- 
 cture in the Other View ; We have 
 fcen in what degree the Rules of 
 Painting have been Obferv'd; 
 Let us now enquire how far the 
 Ends of Pleafure, and Advan- 
 tage are anfwer'd. 
 
 And This is More, or LcCs u 
 my Fancy, Judgment, or other 
 Circumftances happen to be; 
 Thefe Confiderations are purely 
 Perfonal, and every Man muft 
 judge for himfelf. Here there- 
 fore I fhall be very fliort, I 
 will omit many Reflections that 
 
( 6 7 ) 
 
 I mis;ht make, and Expatiate up- 
 on, and only touch fome of the 
 Principal. 
 
 The Beauty, and Harmony of 
 the Colouring gives Me a great 
 Degree of Pleafure ; for tho* 
 This is Grave, and Solid, it has 
 a Beauty not left than what is 
 Bright, and Gay. So much of the 
 Compofition as is^Good does 
 alfo much Delight the Eye ; And 
 tho' the Lady is not Young, nor 
 remarkably Handfome, the Grace, 
 and Greatnefs that is here repre- 
 tented pleafes exceedingly. In a 
 Word, as throughout this whole 
 Picture one kcs Inftances of an 
 Accurate Hand, and Fine Thought, 
 Thefe muft give proportionable 
 Pleafure to fo hearty a Lover as 
 I am. 
 
 The Advantages of this Picture 
 
 to Me, as a Painter are verycon^ 
 
 K z fiderabka 
 
( 68 ) 
 
 fiderablc. A better Mafter for 
 Portrait-Painting never was, and 
 a better Manner of this Mafter I 
 have never feen : There is fuch a 
 Benignity, fuch a Gentile, Be- 
 coming Behaviour, fuch a De? 
 £cnt Sorrow, and Refignation Ex^ 
 pre(s ? d here, that a Man muft be 
 Very Infenfible that is not the 
 Better for confidering it, The 
 Mourning Habit excites Serious 
 Thoughts, which may produce 
 Good Effedts. But what I con- 
 fefs I am particularly affedted 
 With, I who (I thank God) have 
 for many Years been happy as 
 a Husband, is the Circumftance 
 of Widdowhood, Not that it 
 gives me Sorrow as remembring 
 the Conjugal Knot muft be cut, 
 but I Rejoyce that it Yet fub» 
 fills. 
 
 Hail 
 
(69 ) 
 
 Hail Sacred Wedlock where Difcretion joyiid 
 With Vertue Choofes, and Approves the Choice, 
 " Perpetual Fountain of Domeftick Sweets! 
 " Here Love his Golden Shafts employs, Here Lights 
 " His confiant Lamp y and Waves his purple Wings^ 
 " Reigns here, and revels; Not in the Bought Smile 
 Qf Harlots, Equally obtain* d by All, 
 And with Contempt, and Various Terrors mi$t. 
 rfhis Sweet Society dijfolves our Fears, 
 Doubles our Pleafures, and divides our Cares ; 
 Here Love with Friend/hip, and Efteem is found, 
 And mutual Joy •Kith Innocence is crown'd. 
 
 I will only add before I pro- 
 duce my Scale, that This being 
 a Portrait, and the Face there- 
 fore by much the moft confiderable 
 I have made a particular Column 
 for That which for other Pi&ures 
 \s not neceflary. 
 
( 10 ) 
 
 Gountefs Dowager of 
 Exeter. 
 
 V. D Y C K. 
 
 OCTOBERS 16th, 1717. 
 
 Face. 
 
 S 1 
 
 l l 
 18 
 
 Exprejfion 18 18 
 
 GVvr <:* ^^i Greatnefs 1 8 ! 18 
 
 advantage Pleafure 
 
 18 Sublime. 16 
 
 Comfofition 10 
 
 Colouring 17 
 
 ■ » '■ , ' ' ' ■ • " * ■ >' » 
 
 Handling 17 
 
 1 — 
 
 ' Drawing 10 
 
 Invention 1 8 
 
 — 1 .. ... .. .1.. 
 
 The 
 
( 7* > 
 
 The Blank is for Laiidskip, 6r 
 Animals, or any other Particular 
 in a Hiftory, or Portrait that is 
 worthy remarking in an Article 
 by it fel£ That at the bottom 
 is for any Memorandum that 
 may be thoughr proper befides 
 what is faid a top where the Pi- 
 cture, Owner, Time feen, &c. 
 may be fpecify'd* 
 
 Whoever practices a Regular 
 Way of Confidering a Picture, 
 or Drawing, will, I am confi- 
 dent, find the Benefit of it; And 
 if they will moreover note down 
 the Degrees of Eftimation in This 
 manner 'twill be of further Ufe; 
 'twill give a Man a more clear, 
 and diftinft Idea of the Thing, 
 'twill be a further Exercife of his 
 Judgment, a Remembrance of 
 what he has feen 7 and by confi- 
 dering 
 
GTfc) 
 
 dering It together with the Pi- 
 cture Months, or Years, after- 
 wards he will fee whether his 
 Judgment is alter'd, and where- 
 in. 
 
 And if ftill any one will give 
 himfelf the trouble to make a 
 DifTertation upon what he thinks 
 worthy of it, fitch a Scale of 
 Merit made upon the place will 
 ferve as fhort Notes to help his 
 Memory if he has not the Pi- 
 cture before him \ But the making 
 fuch a DifTertation will be a fine 
 Exercife of a Gentleman's Abili* 
 ties as a Connoijfeur, and may 
 moreover be an agreeable Amufe- 
 ment. 
 
 In fuch DifTertation it will not 
 be neceffary for any One to con- 
 fine himfelf to the Order in which 
 'tis belt to Confider the Picture ; 
 he may begin at the Invention, 
 
 if 
 
( n 
 
 ifaHiftory, or at the Face, if a 
 Portrait, Or how he thinks befL 
 And remark on the Advantage, 
 and Pleafure to be had from it, 
 or Not. 
 
 Notwithftandirig what I have 
 already done I fahcy an Example 
 of fucn a Differtation will not be 
 Unacceptable, becaufe it fliall be 
 of a very Capital Pidture, and 
 one wherein there is an Inftance 
 of Expreffion which will be Sup- 
 plemental to the Chapter in my 
 Theory on that Head ; 'Tis what 
 I have not mentioned there, for 
 1 had not fccn one df that kind 
 when I wrote that. 
 
 The Specimen I am now about 
 to give is part of a Letter (tho ? 
 in another Langtiage) written to 
 a Gentleman at Rotterdam, ail 
 Excellent Comoijfeur, a Hearty 
 Lover of the Art, and Mafter of 
 
( 74 ; 
 
 a Noble Collection of Piduresy 
 Drawings , and Antiques \ and 
 One for whom I have upon 
 Thefe, and many Other Accounts 
 the utmoft Refpe<5t, and friend- 
 fhip that 'tis poilible to have fof 
 one whom I have never had the 
 Happinefs to See, or Converfe 
 with Otherwife than at this Dif- 
 tance, Tho' my Son has, and has 
 received particular Marks of his 
 Favour. The Correipondence 
 we have the honour to have with 
 him is by Me, and my Son 
 Jointly, for Reafons not here 
 neceffary to be given, Only in 
 General I cannot forbear faying 
 that the Vertuc, Dutiful Behavi- 
 our, Induftry, Learning, Good 
 Senfe, and other Excellent Qua- 
 lities of my Son, Together with 
 his Tafle, and judgment, in our 
 Art; which is Equal to a Father's 
 
 Utmoft 
 
( 7? y 
 
 Utmoft Hopes, and Expectations* 
 juftly demands My Friendfliip, 
 befides Something More than 
 Common Paternal Love. This 
 I the rather chobfe to Say becaufe 
 I know His Modefly would opy 
 pofe it, and perhaps 'tis the Only 
 Inftance where One of Us will 
 do what he knows the Other 
 would not approye. 
 
 — ; — — A Friend of ours 
 
 (Mr. ThornhiU an Excellent Hif- 
 tory-Painter) has been in France 
 lately, and has bought feveral 
 good Pictures, fome of which 
 are arrived, the Principal of thefe 
 is a Capital one indeed ; we will 
 give you as good an account of 
 it as we can, and of the other 
 when they arrive if they merit it 
 as we believe they will. 
 
 This is of N. Pouffw, 'tis J 
 
 Foot 3 Inches long, and 1 Foot 
 
 L z 6 Inches 
 
( 7* 
 
 6 Inches high , perfectly well 
 
 preferved j It was Monfieur 
 
 's who wgs fo feverely 
 
 fqueez'd by the Chamber of 
 "juftice that all his Goods were 
 fold , ^nd this Picture amongft 
 
 j:he reft. Poor Gentleman ! 
 
 'Tis a Story in Taffos Gerufa- 
 Umme Cant. 19. which is briefly 
 this, Tancred a Chriftian Hero, 
 and Argante a Pagan Gyant retire 
 to a Solitary place amqngft the 
 Mountains to try their fortune in 
 Single combat ; Argante is (lain, 
 the other fo defperately wounded 
 that after he had gone a little 
 way he dropp'd, and fell into a 
 fwoon. Urminia who was in 
 Love with him, and Vafrino his 
 'Squire (by what accident 'tis too 
 long to tell) found him in this 
 condition, but after the firft fright 
 perceiving Life in him ihe bound 
 
 up 
 
(77 ) 
 
 up his Wounds, and her Veil not 
 being fufficient for that purpofe 
 {he cut off her fine Hair to fupply 
 that defeat, and (q recovered him, 
 ?jid brought him fafe to the 
 Army. 
 
 Pouffm has chofen the inftant 
 of her cutting off her Hair ) 
 Tancred lyes in a Graceful Atti- 
 tude, and well contrafied towards 
 one end of the Pidlure, his Feet 
 coming about the middle, and at 
 3. little distance from the bottom -, 
 Vafrino is at his head raifing him 
 up againft a little bank on which 
 he fupports himfelf kneeling on 
 His left knee. Erminia is at his 
 feet, kneeling on the Ground 
 with her Right knee; beyond 
 her at a diftance lyes Argante 
 dead ; Behind are the Horfes of 
 Erminia, and Vafrino \ And to- 
 wards the top at that end of the 
 
 Picture 
 
( 78 
 
 Picture which is on the left hand 
 as you look upon it, and over 
 the heads o£ Tattered, and Vafrina 
 are two Loves with their Torches 
 in their h&nds ; the Back-Ground 
 is the Rocks, Trunks of Trees 
 with few Leaves , or Branches , 
 and a Sombrous Sky. 
 
 The Gcfit is a mixture of 
 Pouffws ufual Manner, and (whqt 
 is very rare) a great deal of Giulio, 
 particularly in the Head, and 
 Attitude of the Lady, and both 
 the Horfes ; Tattered is naked to 
 the Waft having been ftrippd by 
 Erminia and his 'Squire tofearch 
 for his Wounds, he has a piece 
 of loofe Drapery which is Yellow, 
 bearing upon the Red in the 
 Middle Tin&s, and Shadows, this 
 is thrown over his Belly, and 
 Thighs, and lyes a good length 
 upon the ground ; 'twas doubtlefs 
 
 painted 
 
( 19 ) 
 
 painted by the Life, and is intirely 
 of a Modern Tafte. And that 
 nothing might be Shocking, or 
 difagreeable, the wounds are much 
 hid, nor is his Body, or Garment 
 ftain'd with Blood , only fome 
 appears here, and there upon the 
 gtound juft below the Drapery, 
 as if it flow'd from fome Wounds 
 which That cover'd ; Nor is he 
 Pale, but as one reviving, and 
 his Blood, and Spirits returning 
 to their ufual motion. 
 
 The Habits are not thofe of 
 the Age in which the Scene of 
 the Fable is laid, Thefe muft have 
 been Got hick, and Difagreeable, 
 it being at the latter end of the 
 nth, or the beginning of the 
 ilth Century : Erminia is clad 
 in Blue, admirably folded, and 
 in a great Style, foaietlmg like 
 that of Gmlw, but uaore upoa 
 
 the 
 
( So 
 
 the Antique, or, Raffaelle ) one of 
 her feet is feen which is very 
 Gentile , and Artfully difpos'd ; 
 her Sandal is very particular, for 
 'tis a little rais'd under the Heel 
 as our Children's Shoes. Vafrino 
 lias a Helmet ori with a large, 
 bent Plate of Gold inftead, and 
 fomething with the turn of a 
 Feather. We don't remember 
 any thing like it in the Antique ; 
 There is no fuch thing in the 
 Column of Trajan, nor that of 
 Antorime (as 'tis ufually call'd 
 tho' 'tis now known to be of 
 M. Avtrelim) nor (I believe) in 
 the Works of Raffaelle, Giulio, 
 or Poly dor e when they have imi- 
 tated the Ancients, tho' Thefe, 
 efpecially the two former have 
 taken like Liberties, and departing 
 from the Simplicity of their Great 
 Matters have in thefc Inftance^ 
 
 given 
 
( Si ) 
 
 given a little into the Got hick tail : 
 This is probably Poufjiris own In- 
 vention, and has fuch an effect 
 that I cannot imagine any thing 
 elfe cotild poffibly have been fo 
 well. This Figure is in Armour, 
 not with Labells, but Scarlet 
 Drapery where thofe ufually are 
 which, alfo is Antique. The two 
 Cupdons are admirably well dif- 
 pos'd, and enrich, and enliven 
 the Picfture % as does the Helmet,. 
 Shield, and Armour of bartered 
 which lyes at his Feet. The At- 
 titudes of the Horfes are ex- 
 ceeding fine, One of them turns 
 his head backwards with great 
 Spirit, the other has his Hinder 
 part rais'd, which not only has 
 a Noble effect in the Pi&ure, 
 but helps to tell what kind of 
 place it was, which was rough, 
 atnd unfrequented. 
 
 M j 7i$ 
 
( 82 ) 
 
 'Tis obfervable that tho' Tajfo 
 lays only Erminia cuts off her 
 hair, Pouffn was forc'cl to ex- 
 plain what ihe cut it off withal, 
 and he has given her her Lover's 
 Sword. We don't at all queftion 
 but there will be thole who will- 
 fancy they have here difcover'd 
 a notorious Abfurdkv in Pouffm, 
 it being impoJlible to cut. Hair 
 with a Sword ; but though it 
 be, a Pair of Sciflars inftead of 
 it, though much the fitter for the 
 purpofe, had f poii'd the Pidture ; 
 Painting, and Poetry equally dit- 
 dain fiieh low, and common 
 things. This is a Lycence much 
 of the fame kind with that of 
 Raffael in the Carton of the 
 Draught of Fifhes, where the 
 Boat is by much too little for 
 the Figures that arc in it ; or with 
 the Laacon, who is naked, where- 
 as 
 
C f 3 ) 
 
 as being a Prieft in his Sacerdotal 
 Office, he mull have been fup- 
 pos'd to have been clad : But 
 we need not tell you, Sir, why 
 thofe Noble pieces of Painting, 
 and Sculpture were fo manaeed. 
 This puts me in mina of a fine 
 Diftich of Mt.Dryden; 
 
 For he that Servilely creeps after Sence 
 Is fafe, but ne'er arrives at Excellence. 
 
 'e know not whether it will 
 be worth while to obferve a foiajl 
 Circumftance ; One of the I-. 
 fes is faften'd to a Tree ; If it be 
 fuppos'd to be Ermmi'i... and 
 done by her felf, 'twould be in- 
 tollerable, flie muft have had 
 other Thoughts than to iecure 
 her Horfe when flie difmounted, 
 tor 'twas not till Vafrino had. 
 found that he who at firft fight 
 they took to be a Stranger (as well 
 M z as 
 
( H) 
 
 as Argante) was Tancred, and 
 then ihe is finely defcrib'd by 
 fiTaJfo as Tumbling, rather thaji 
 Lighting from Her Horfe, 
 
 Non fcefe no, precipito di Sella. 
 
 But as this may poflibly be Va- 
 fxitios, Or if 'twas her's, perhaps 
 His care was divided betwixt the 
 wounded Hero, and the Lady, to 
 whom it was o£ confequence to 
 have her Horfe fecur'd, it will 
 not be thought partiality to fup- 
 pofe (o Great a Man as Poufjin 
 would not make fuch a Blunder 
 as This, taking it iri the woril 
 Sence ; but 'twould be Unjuft to 
 determine Otherwife when the 
 mod Favourable Opinion is moft 
 Probable ; and That being taken, 
 here is a Beauty, not a Fault ; It 
 amplifies, and raifes the Character 
 
 of 
 
( S? ) 
 
 of Vafrino, tho' it would have 
 fpoil'd that of Erminia. Whe- 
 ther a Painter ought to go fo far 
 into thefe little parts is a queftion 
 which will bear reafoning upon, 
 but not here. 
 
 The Expreflion of this Picture 
 is Excellent throughout. The 
 Air of Vafrino is Juft, he hath a 
 Character evidently Inferiour, but 
 neverthelefs , he appears Brave, 
 and full of Care, Tendernefs, and 
 AfFedlion. Argante feems to be 
 a Wretch that dyed in Rage, and 
 Difpair, without the leaft {park of 
 Piety. Tancred is Good, Amiable, 
 Noble, and Valiant. There are 
 two Circumftances in Taffo which 
 finely raife thefe two Cnaradters. 
 When thefe Champions withdrew 
 to fight 'twas in the view of the 
 Christian Soldiers whofe fury 
 againft the Pagan could hardly 
 
 be 
 
( 86; 
 
 be reflraiiVd, Tancred protected 
 him from them, and as they re- 
 tired together cover'd him with 
 his Shield : Afterwards when he 
 had him at his Mercy, and Tan- 
 cred would have given him his 
 Life, and in a Friendly manner 
 approaclVd him with the offer, 
 the Villain attempted bafely to 
 murther him, upon which pro- 
 vocation he difpatch'd him im- 
 mediately with Scorn, and Fury. 
 Thefe Incidents could not be 
 inferted in the Picture , but 
 Pouffin has told us by the Airs 
 he has given them that either 
 were capable of any thing in 
 thefe feveral kinds. Erminia 
 muft appear to have a mixture 
 of Hope , and Fear , Joy, and 
 Sorrow , this being the time 
 when fhe had difcovefd Life in 
 her Lover after having fuppos'd 
 
 him 
 
( 87 ) 
 
 him dead; to exprefs this (you. 
 knbqfc Sir ) muft be exceeding 
 difficult, and yet abfolutely ne- 
 ceflary, and that Strongly, and 
 Apparently, that thofe who look 
 upon the Pidhire may know to 
 what End fhe cuts off her hair ; 
 and that 'tis not a Tranfport of 
 Diftradted Grief for the Death of 
 him ihe loved, who is not yet 
 recovered from his Swoon ; be- 
 caufe this Miftake would lofe all 
 the Beauty of the Story. For 
 this reafon the two Loves are 
 admirably contrived to ferve This 
 purpofe, befides the Other al- 
 ready mentioned ; One of them, 
 and that the fartheft from the 
 Eye has Sorrow, and Fear, the 
 other Joy^ and Hope evidently 
 in his Face ; and to exprefs this 
 yet more perfectly, ( and this is 
 Mr. TbomhiU's Obfervation) the 
 
 for- 
 
( 88 ) 
 
 former has two Arrows in his 
 hand to denote thofe two Pafli- 
 ons, and their Pungency ; but the 
 Quiver of his Companion is faft 
 Ihut up with a fort of a cap on 
 the top of it. He has alio a 
 Ghaplet of Jeffamine oh his 
 head. 
 
 The Compofition is unexcep- 
 tionable : There are innumerable 
 Inftances of Beautiful Contrafts ; 
 Of this kind are the feveral Cha- 
 racters of the Perfons, (ail which 
 are Excellent in their feveral 
 kinds ) and the feveral Habits : 
 Tancred is half Naked : Tirmi- 
 mas Sex diftinguifhes Her from 
 all the reft ; as Vafrinos Armour, 
 and Helmet fhews Him to be In- 
 feriour to c fancred, (His lying 
 by him ) and Argantes Armour 
 differs from both of them. The 
 various pofitions of the Limbs in 
 
( ^ ) 
 
 all the Figures are alfo finely Corfe 
 traded, and altogether have a 
 lovely effedt ; Not did I ever fee 
 a greater Harmony* nor more 
 Art to produce it in any Pidture 
 of what Mailer foeVer, whether 
 as to the Eafy Gradation from 
 the Principal, to the Subordinate 
 Parts, the Connection of one 
 with another, by the degtees of 
 the Lights, and Shadows, and the 
 Tindts of the Colours; 
 
 And Thefe too are Good 
 throughout \ They are not Gla- 
 ring, as the Subject, and the 
 Time of the Story ( which was 
 after Sun-fet ) requires : Nor is 
 the Colouring like that of Titian, 
 Coreggid , Rubens , or thofc fine 
 Colourifts, But 'tis Warm, aaid 
 Mellow, 'tis Agreeable, and of a 
 Tafte which none but a Great 
 Man could fall into; And with- 
 N om 
 
£o ) 
 
 out coniidcring it as a Story, or 
 the Imitation of any thing in 
 Nature the Tout-ensemble of the 
 Colours is a Beautiful, and De- 
 lightful Objed:. 
 
 You know ( Sir ) the Drawing 
 of Pouffm who 'have feveral Ad- 
 mirable Pictures of his hand, 
 This we believe is not Inferiour 
 to any to be feen of him. But 
 there is an Overflight, or two in 
 the Perfpe&ivc ; the Sword £V- 
 mitiia holds appears by the Pom- 
 mel of k to incline with the 
 point going off, but by the Blade 
 it feems to be upright ; the other 
 is not worth mentioning. 
 
 The Pi&urc is highly finifh'd, 
 €vm in the parts the moil incon- 
 ilderable, but in one, or two 
 places there is a little heaviiiefi 
 of Hand ; The Drawing is firmly 
 pronounce! , and Sometimes , 
 
 chiefly 
 
(pi ) 
 
 chiefly in the Faces, Hands, and 
 Feet 'tis mark'd more than or* 
 dinarily with the point of the 
 Pencil. 
 
 And (to fay All in one Word,) 
 There is fuch a Grace, and Great- 
 nefs fhines throughout that 'tis 
 one of the moft defireable Pic- 
 tures we have yet fecn ; There is 
 nothing to be Defired, or Ima- 
 gined which it has not, nothing 
 to be Added, or Omitted but 
 would have diminiflf d its Excel- 
 lency; Unlefs we have leave to 
 except thofe little particulars we 
 have remarked,hardly worth men- 
 tioning; ; and whether we are in 
 the Right in Tnofe is fubmitted 
 to better Judgments. But there 
 are a great many Beauties we 
 have not mentioned, and fome 
 that cannot be exprefled in 
 Words, nor known without fee- 
 N Z ing 
 
( 9^ ) 
 
 jng the Picture. And pei 
 fome of Both kinds we have no* 
 penetration enough to obferve. 
 
 'Tis hard to quit fo agreeable 
 a Subject. Let us obferve for the 
 honour of Poujfin, and of the 
 Art, What a Noble, and Compre- 
 henfive Thought ! What Rich- 
 nefs ! and Force of Imagination ! 
 What a Fund of Science, and 
 Judgment ! What a fine, and 
 accurate Hand is abfolutely ne- 
 ceflary to the produdion of fuch 
 a Work ! That two, or three 
 Stroaks of a pencil (for Example) 
 as in the Face of Argante can ex- 
 prefs a Character of Mind fo 
 mongly, and fignificantly ! 
 
 We will only obferve further 
 the different Idea given by the 
 Painter, and the Poet. A Readet 
 of Taffo that thought lefs finely 
 than Poujjin would form in his 
 
 Ima- 
 
n ) 
 
 imagination a Picfhire, but not 
 Such a one as This. He would 
 fee a Man of a lefs Lovely, and 
 Beautiful Afpedt, Pale, and all 
 cut, and mangled, his Body, and 
 Garments fmear'd with Blood : 
 He would fee Erminid, not fueh 
 a one as Poujfn has made her ; 
 and a tboufand to one with a 
 pair of Sciflars in her hand, but 
 certainly not with Tancred's 
 Sword: The two Amorettos 
 would never enter into his Mind : 
 Horfcs he would fee, and let 
 ? em be the fineft he had ever 
 feen they would be lefs fine than 
 Thcfe, and fo of the reft. The 
 Painter has ni|de a finer Story 
 thar^the Poet, tho' his Readers 
 were Equal to himfelf^ but with- 
 out all Comparifon much finer 
 than it can appear to the Gene- 
 rality of them. And he has 
 
 more- 
 
(94) 
 
 moreover not only known how 
 to make ufe of the Advantages 
 This Art has over that of his 
 Competitor . but in what it is 
 Defective in. the Companion he 
 has iupply'd it with fuch Addrefs 
 that one cannot but rejoyce in 
 the Defedt which occafion'd fuch 
 a Beautiful Expedient. 
 
 I confefs we have not always 
 Tiwe, and Opportunity Thus to 
 confider a Picture, how Excellent 
 foever it may be ; In Thofe Cafes 
 Let m not employ that Time we 
 have in Amufing our felves with 
 the lefs confiderable Incidents, but 
 Remark upon the Principal Beau- 
 ties, the Thought, Expreffion, &c. 
 
 Mr. Thornhill has laiely 
 brought from France another 
 Picture no lefs worthy a parti- 
 cular DifTertation than the for- 
 mer. As will eafily be allowed, 
 
 for 
 
( te ) 
 
 for *tis of Annibale Caracci : Here 
 ( as it is for my prefent purpofe ) 
 I will only obferve in ftiort upon 
 what is moft Remarkable in this 
 Surprizing Picture , which has 
 not been long; out of mv Mind 
 fince the firft Moment that I faw 
 it. 
 
 The Subject of it is The Blef- 
 fed Virgin as Prote&refs of Bo- 
 logna', As appears by the Pro- 
 fpedl of that City at. the bottom 
 of the Picfture under the Clouds 
 on which fhe is feated in Glory, 
 encompafs'd with Cherubims , 
 Boy- Angels, and others as ufually 
 defcrib'd : But oh ! the Subli- 
 mity of Exprelfion ! What Dig- 
 nity, and Devotion appears in 
 the Virgin ! What Awful Regard ! 
 What Love ! What Delight, and 
 Complacency is in theie Ange- 
 lick Beings towards the Virgin* 
 
 Mother 
 
Mother of thfc Son of God ! The 
 Afpedt of the Ghrift is proper to 
 the Character he here fuftains ; 
 He is now orily to denote the 
 Virgin , as St. J-eromes Lyon, 
 St. Johns Eagle, and the like, 
 He is not here as the Second 
 Perfon in the Adorable Trinity ; 
 The Virgin is the Only Principal 
 Figure ; This is as it were a Part 
 of Her, Whofe Character is A- 
 lone to be confider'd in This 
 Cafe ; And accordingly every 
 thing contributes to raife It as 
 much as poilible \ And That is 
 dorte piodigiouflv. Bur as every 
 thing elfe in the Pieturd is Ad- 
 dreiVd towards Her, She in the 
 Humbled , and mod Devout 
 Manner lifts up her Eyes towards 
 the Invifible, Suprcam Beings 
 Direding our Thoughts thither 
 alfo , with like Humble, Pious, 
 
 and 
 
and Devout Sentinaents. If Shg 
 to whom the Angels appear fo 
 vaftly Inferiour is in His Preftnce 
 but a poor Suppliant, What an 
 Exalted Idea muft this give us of 
 Him ! 
 
 Angelkk Minds the nearefi to thy Setfy 
 Thofe who conceive of Thee as far beyond 
 Our low conceptions as the Eagles flighty 
 Tranfctnds Ouir utmofi Stretchy Thefe Sei 
 
 Thee noty 
 Nor canft Thou be difccrtfd but by Thyfelfi 
 What art Thou then as by Thyfelf beheld. 
 Juft as Thou art I Unclouded I Undivunijtfdl 
 In full Perfection ! the Joy Divine / 
 Ineffable I of that Enlightned Mind 
 Where this Idea Jhines Eternally I 
 The Noblefty Loveliefi, and moft Excellent $ 
 The Mind Dfaine can foffibly conceive I 
 
(■*) 
 
 Of the Knowledge 
 
 O F 
 
 HANDS. 
 
 N all the Works of Art 
 there is to be confider'd, 
 the Thought, and the 
 Workmanfhip, or Man- 
 ner of Exprefling, or Executing 
 that Thought. What Ideas the 
 Artift had we can only Guefs at 
 by what we fee, and consequent- 
 ly cannot tell how far he has fal- 
 len fhort, or perhaps by Accident 
 
 Ex- 
 
W) 
 
 Exceeded them, But the Work 
 like the Corporeal, and Material 
 part of Man is apparent, and to 
 be feeii to the utmoft. Thus in 
 the Art I am difcourfmg upon, 
 Every thing that is done is in pur- 
 fuance of fotfie Ideas the Matter 
 has, whether he can reach with 
 his Hand, what his Mind has 
 conceiv'd, or no ; and this is 
 true in every Part of Painting. 
 As for Invention , Expreflion , 
 Difpofition , arid Grace , and 
 Greatnefs. Thefe every body 
 muft fee direct us plainly to the 
 Manner of Thinking, to the Idea 
 the Painter had; but even in 
 Drawing, Colouring, and Hand- 
 ling, in Thefe alfo are feen his 
 Manner of Thinking upon thofe 
 Subjects, One may by Thefe guefs 
 at his Ideas of what is in Nature, 
 or what was to be wifh'd for, or 
 O i Cho- 
 
( ioo) 
 
 Chofen at leaft. Neverthelefs 
 when the Idea, or Manner of 
 Thinking in a Pitfture or Draw- 
 ing is oppofed to the Executive 
 part, 'tis commonly underftood 
 of thefe four firfl: mentiond, 
 As the other 3 are imply'd by its 
 oppofite. 
 
 No two Men in the World 
 Think, and Acft alike, nor is it 
 poflible they fhould, Becaufe Men 
 fall into a way of Thinking, and 
 A&ing from a Chain of Caufes 
 which never Is, nor Can be the 
 Same to different Men. This 
 Difference is notorious, and feen 
 by every one with refpedt to what 
 is the Objedt of our Sences, and 
 'tis as Evident to our Reafon ; 
 as it is that what I have ailign- 
 ed as the Caufe of it is the 
 true one, There are two In- 
 ftances that are very familiar, 
 
 and 
 
( ioi ) 
 
 and well known, And thofe arc 
 Our Voices, and Hand- Writing ; 
 People of the fame Age, the 
 fame Conftitution, and in feveral 
 other particulars in the fame Cir- 
 cumftances for ought appears to 
 Common obfervation are yet as 
 eafily diftinguifhed by their Voi- 
 ces , as by any other Meanes : 
 And 'tis wonderful to Confider 
 that in fo few Circumftances as 
 what relates to the tone of the 
 Voice there fhould be ( as there 
 is ) an Infinite Variety fo as to 
 produce the effect I am fpeaking 
 of So in the other Cafe; if 100 
 Boys learn of the fame Matter, 
 at the fame time, vet fuch will 
 be the difference in Other re- 
 fpedts that their Hands fhall be 
 diftinguiflfd even while they are 
 at School, and more eafily after- 
 wards \ and thus it would be if 
 
( 102) 
 
 toOO, or 1 0000 could learn irl 
 the Same manner. They fee dif- 
 ferently, take in different Ideas, 
 retain 'em varioufly, have a dif- 
 ferent power of hand to form 
 what they conceive; &*c Nay 
 if in any One Circumftance they 
 be unlike the effedt is a propor- 
 tionable degree of difference. 
 
 And as it is in the Cafes I 
 hive mentioned fo 'tis in all o- 
 
 So 'tis therefore in the Works 
 of the Painters, and that in a 
 degree proportionable to what 
 thofe Works are; in Paintings, 
 therefore more than in Drawings 
 and in Large Compofitions more 
 than in Single Figures, or other 
 things confifting of a few parts. 
 If in forming an A, or a B no 
 two Men are exactly alike, nei- 
 ther will they agree in the man- 
 
( m ) 
 
 ner of Drawing a Finger, ox z 
 Toe, lefs in a whole Hand* or 
 Foot, lefs flill in a Face, and fo 
 on. 
 
 And if There is really a Dif- 
 ference it will be difcernable if 
 things be attentively confider'dj 
 and compar'd, as is Evident from 
 Experience in a Thoufand Inftan- 
 ces befides thofe I have menti- 
 on'd. 
 
 The feveral Manners of the 
 Painters confequently are to be 
 known, whether in Pictures, or 
 Drawings ; as alfo thofe of the 
 Gravers in Copper, or Wood, 
 Etchers, or others by whom 
 Prints are made, if we have a 
 fufficient quantity of their Works 
 to form our Judgments upon. 
 
 But Tho' theje js a Real Dif- 
 ference in Things, This is in Va- 
 rious Degrees, and fo projwti- 
 
 onably 
 
(i04; 
 
 onably More, or Lefs apparent 
 Thus, Some of the Manners of 
 the Painters are as unlike one a- 
 nother as Alcibiades, and Ther* 
 fites y Others are lefs remarkably 
 Unlike, as the Generality of Mens 
 faces are ; Some again have a 
 Fraternal Refemblance ; and there 
 are fome few which have That 
 which is frequently found in 
 Twins where the difference is but 
 juft difcernable. 
 
 There are fuch Peculiarities in 
 the turn of Thought, and Hand 
 to be feen in Some of the Ma- 
 fters ( in Some of their Works 
 efpecially) that 'tis the eafieft 
 thing in the World to know 
 them at firft Sight ; fuch as Leo- 
 nardo da Vinci , Michelangelo 
 Buonarotti, Giulio Romano, Bat- 
 tifia Franco, Parmeggiano, Paolo 
 Farinati, Cangiagio, Rubens, Ca- 
 
 fiiglwne, 
 
jlwlione, and fome others ; And 
 in the Divine Raffaelle one often 
 fees fuch a Tranfcendent Excel- 
 lence that cannot be found in any 
 other Man, and affaires us this 
 muft be the Hand of him who 
 Was what Shake [pear calls Julius 
 Cafar. 'The foremoft Man of all 
 the World, 
 
 There are feveral others, who 
 by imitating other Matters, or 
 being of the fame School, or 
 from whatfoever other Caufe have 
 had fuch a Refemblance in their 
 Manners as not to be fo eafily 
 diftinguifli'd , Timoteo £ Vrbinb, 
 & Pellegtino dd Modena, imitated 
 Raffaellc, Cxfare da Sefto, Leo- 
 nardo da Vinci \ Schidone, Lan- 
 frarico, and others imitated Coreg- 
 gio \ Titian s firft Manner was a 
 elofe imitation of that of Gior- 
 gione > Gio. Battifia Beriano 
 
(io6) 
 
 followed his Mafter Gitdio Ro- 
 mano, The Sons of Bajjano, aud 
 thofe of Pajferotto imitated their 
 Fathers, Romanino, Andrea Schia- 
 vone, and Giovanni Battifia Ze- 
 lotti feverallv imitated Titian, 
 Parmeggtano, and Paolo Veronese. 
 Biaggio 'Bolognefe imitated lbme- 
 times Rajfaele, and fometimes 
 Parmeggiano. Rubens was imi- 
 tated by Abxaham J aniens, and 
 Van-Dyke by Long- John in Hif- 
 tory, and Gildenaifel in Portraits. 
 Matham followed Giuffefino and 
 Ciro Ferri Pietro da Cortona, 
 There is a great Refemblance ot 
 the Manner of Michelangelo in 
 fome of the Works of Andrea 
 del Sarto, Greater in the hands 
 of the two TLuccaroes ', and Great- 
 er yet in Thofe oi Mrtnrmo, and 
 Polydore. 
 
 The 
 
(107) 
 
 The reft of the Matters are 
 Generally of a Middle Clafs, not 
 fb Eafily known as the Former, 
 nor with fo much Difficulty as 
 the Latter. 
 
 There is but one Way to come 
 to .the Knowledge of Hands ; 
 And that is To furnifli our Minds 
 with as Juft, and Compleat Ideas 
 of the Matters ( not as Men at 
 large \ but meerly as Painters) 
 as we can : And in proportion 
 as we do Thus we ttiall be good 
 Connoiffeurs in This particular. 
 
 For when we judge who is the 
 Author of any Picture, or Draw- 
 ing, we do the fame thing as 
 when we fay who fuch a Portrait 
 refembles \ In That cafe we find 
 the Pidture anfwers to the Idea 
 we have laid up in our Minds 
 fuch a Face , fo here we com 
 pare the work under confidera 
 P Z 
 
(io8 
 
 Mori with the Idea we have of the 
 Manner of fuch a Mailer, and 
 perceive the Similitude. 
 
 And as we judge of the refem- 
 blance of a Pidture by the Idea 
 we have of the Perfon whether 
 Prefent, or Abfent, (for we can- 
 not fee both at the fame Inftant,) 
 juft fo we do in the Prefent cafe, 
 tho' we compare that in queftion 
 with one, or more works allowed 
 to be of the fame Mafler, which 
 we have before us at the fame 
 rime. 
 
 Thefe Ideas of the feveral Ma- 
 ilers are to be had from Hiitory, 
 and from their Works. 
 
 The Former of Thefe <nve qs 
 General Ideas of Thefe Great Men 
 as to the Turn of their Minds, 
 the Extent ot their Capacity ; the 
 Variations of their Styles, How 
 jtheir Characters were fingly, or 
 
 as 
 
( iop ) 
 
 as compared one with another. 
 
 And as the Defcription of a 
 Picture is a part of the Hiftory 
 of the Mafter, a Copy, or a Print 
 after fuch a one may be confi- 
 der'd as a more Exact, and Per- 
 fect Defcription of it than can be 
 given by Words ; Thefe are of 
 great Advantage, in giving us an 
 Idea of the Manner of Think- 
 of that Mafter, and this in pro- 
 portion as fuch a Print, or Copy 
 happens to be. And there is 
 One Advantage which Thefe 
 have in This matter, which even 
 the Works therofelves have not ; 
 And that is, In Thofe common- 
 ly their Other Qualities divert, 
 and divide our Attention, and 
 perhaps Sometimes Byafs us in 
 their favour throughout ; As who 
 that fees the Vaftnefs of Style, 
 
 and 
 
(no; 
 
 and profound Skill in Defignin^ 
 of Michelangelo \ Or the Fine 
 Colouring, and Brave Pencil of 
 Paolo Veronese can forbear being 
 Prejudiced in favour of the Ex- 
 travagance, and Indecorum of 
 the One, and the Other's Neglect 
 of Hiftory, and the Antique; 
 whereas in Thefe what one fees 
 of the Manner of Thinking of 
 the Matter one fees Naked, and 
 without danger of being Preju- 
 diced by any other Excellencies 
 in the Work it felf. 
 
 But 'tis on the Works Them- 
 felves we mutt Chiefly, and Ul- 
 timately depend, not only as 
 Expofitors of the Hiftories of 
 the Matters, but as carrying us 
 much further, principally by giv- 
 ing us Ideas which no Words 
 potfiblv can, being fuch for which 
 we have no Name, and which 
 
 can- 
 
(Ill) 
 
 cannot be communicated but by 
 the things themfelves ; Nor pro- 
 bably can even Thole give You 
 Exadtly the fame I have, as I 
 fhall not conceive as You do, 
 tho' we fee the thing, and con- 
 fider it together at the fame In- 
 ftant of time. 
 
 Hiftory will inform us of fome 
 Particulars which are NecelTary 
 to be known, and which we 
 could not learn from their 
 Works, but with This Alone 
 'twould be impoilible to be a 
 Conmijfeur in Hands ; And what 
 is worfe we fhall be frequently 
 Milled if we Trull too much to 
 the Ideas we receive from thence, 
 Hiftory, whether Written or Tra- 
 ditional commonly gives us Ex- 
 alted Characters of Great Men.;' 
 He of whom the Hiftorian treats 
 is his Hero for That time, and 
 
 'tis 
 
( 111) 
 
 'tis commonly fuch a one's hv 
 tention not to make a Jufl, but 
 a Fine Picture of them ; To 
 which our Own Prejudices in 
 their favour do not a little con- 
 tribute. By this means 'tis natu- 
 ral for us to imagine a Work in 
 which we fee great Defects could 
 not be of a Hand, of which we 
 have fo favourable an Idea. 'Tis 
 neceflary therefore to correct 
 This way of Thinking, and re- 
 member that Great Men are but 
 Men ftill, and that there are De- 
 grees, and Kinds of Excellence ot 
 which we may have an Idea, but 
 to which the Greateit of Men 
 could never arrive ; God has 
 (aid to every Man as to the O- 
 ccan, Hitherto /halt thou go, ami 
 no farther ; There are certain 
 bounds fet to the moll Exalted 
 amon^lt Men beyond which they 
 
 are 
 
( "3 ) 
 
 are upon the Level with the'moft 
 Inferiour : Nor can any Man 
 Always do as he Somtimes can, 
 nor even as he Generally does ; 
 3 notorious Fault, or more than 
 one in a Work, nay in a fingle 
 Figure, is confident with a Juft 
 Idea of Raffaele himfelf, and 
 that in his Seft time : Raffaek 
 indeed could not have made a 
 Lame, Ill-proportioned Figure, 
 or Limb ', that is if he had ta- 
 ken Care, and did as well as he 
 could ; but Rajfael$ might be in 
 Haft, Negligent, or Forget him- 
 felf j he might be Weary, Indi£ 
 pos'd, or out of Humour. Could 
 the Inferiour Maft^r to whom 
 the Work is to be attributed up- 
 on account of thefe Faults be 
 fuppofed capable of doing the 
 j;eft I If we had feen an IntireWork 
 pf that Bad Kind could we have 
 
c m ) 
 
 believed the Hand that did That 
 could hate done like the Good 
 part of die thing in queftion ? 
 5 Tis eafier to Defcend than to 
 Mount: Rajfaele could more 
 eafily do like an Inferior Ma- 
 iler in certain Inftances, than 
 fuch a one could do like Raf- 
 faete in all the reft. 
 
 And as the Ideas we have of 
 Men frequently miflead us in 
 judging from Thence of their 
 Works with refpeft to their 
 Goodnefs, the fame happens as 
 to the Kinds of them. When 
 one is poiTefled of the Charac- 
 ter of Michelangelo (for Inftance) 
 asFierce,Bold,Impetuous,Haugiv 
 ty, and even gone beyond Great, 
 fo as to have a mixture of the 
 Savage ; when one reads fuch 
 an Account of him as this I 
 
 have 
 
__ Je puis dire ] iaV e put in the 
 
 avoir veu Michel 1' M ^ (A j 
 
 Ange, bien qu a age . £ M 
 
 de plus de foixante Which 1 was the 
 
 ans, & encore non more inclined 
 
 de plus robuftes, a- tQ ^re be _ 
 
 battre plus delcail- Y > ' • /• "■"• 
 
 les d' un tref-dur Cauie CIS CUL'i- 
 
 marbre en un quart OUS, and gives 
 
 <T heure que trois one a mQre 
 
 jeunes tailleurs de T . , T j r 
 
 pierre, n'euffent peu Lively Idea ot 
 
 faire en trois ou qua- the Man than I 
 
 tre, chofe prefqu' in- } lave f ounc | a J. 
 
 croyable qui ne le n i 
 
 verroit, & alloit d' "joft any where 
 
 une telle impetuo- elfe.and is with- 
 
 fite, & furie que je a [ l ltt l e known) 
 
 ; P enfois ^ e } ou }, I one finds it hard 
 
 ouvrage deuft aller 
 
 en peices, abbatant tOCOllCClVethat 
 
 i par terre d* un feul fach a one 
 
 coup de grofs mof T Drcw y nQ ^ 
 
 I ceaux de trois ou : t -4 .■: .;, , 
 
 quatre doigts d' ef- ly, and Finilhjd 
 
 | poiffeur, fi ric a ric very highly, 
 
 de fa marque que fi' 1 and c ^ nfc _ 
 
 eult paile outre tant 1 xr 
 
 foit peu plus qu'il ne quently Young 
 
 falloit, il y avoit dan- Connoiffems ha- 
 
 ger Qj* ving 
 
(u6) 
 
 ger de perdre tout, v i n g This Idea 
 
 parceque cela ne fe f {[ 
 
 peut plus reparer par -iV 
 
 apres, ny replafter Matter Will not 
 
 comme les images very readily 
 
 d' Argille, ou de bdkve fuch 
 
 DtUC. ~ . , 
 
 Drawings to be 
 
 Annotations de Blaife ~f U' %rrt in A 
 
 de V^enere fur le Ui llim > dll(d 
 Calibrate. y £t \[ S inCOll- 
 
 teftable that he 
 $id make fuch very frequent- 
 
 Hiftory neverthelefs has it's 
 Ufe in giving us Ideas of the 
 Mafters in order to judge of 
 their Hands, as has been feen al- 
 ready in Part, and will further 
 appear prefently ; but thefe Ideas 
 muft be Corrected, Regulated, 
 and Perfected by the Works them- 
 felves. 
 
 A Picture or Drawing has fo 
 paany Particulars relating to it, 
 
 fuch 
 
(H7) 
 
 fuch as the Style of Thinking, 
 Manner of the Coinpofition, 
 Way of Folding the Draperyes, 
 Airs of Heads ; Handling of the 
 Pen, Chalk, or Pencil; Colour- 
 ing, &c. that 'tis no difficult 
 matter to fix upon fuch peculiari- 
 ties of each Matter in fome one, 
 or more of thefe as to form a 
 clear, and diftindt Idea of them : 
 If they refemble one another in 
 Some things, in Others the Dif- 
 ference will be more apparent : 
 The Colouring of feveral of the 
 Matters of the Venetian School 
 have been like one another, but 
 Titian 's Majefty, Tintorefs Fierce- 
 nefs, Safaris Rufticity, Paolo 
 Veronese's Magnificence, have 
 eminently diftinguifli'd them : 
 As do the particular fhapes of the 
 Legs, and Fingers of Parmeggi- 
 
 ano \ 
 
(us; 
 
 ano\ the firmnefsof the Contours 
 and vaftnefs of Styleof Michelange- 
 /o,the remarkable kind of Drapery, 
 and Hair of Giulio, the Divine 
 Airs of the Heads of Raffaele ; 
 and fo of the others : Every 
 one of them have fomething 
 whereby they are more efpecially 
 known ; and which may be ob- 
 ferv'd by converfing with their 
 "Works, but cannot be exprelVd 
 by Words. 
 
 In forming our Ideas of the 
 Mafiers on their Works Care 
 muft be taken of fuch of them 
 as have been Copped, Wholly, or 
 in Part from Other Mailers ; 
 or are Imitations of them. A 
 Connoijfeur therefore muft ob- 
 ferve howmuch is every Man's 
 Own, and what is not fo. Bat- 
 fisia Franco (for Example^ drew 
 
 from 
 
from the Antique, after Raffaele 
 Michelangelo, Polydoro, &a Yoii 
 fee the fame fmallPen thr odghout* 
 That is always his Own, biit the 
 manner of Thinking eannotbe fo : 
 Nor is the Handling always His 
 intirely ; becaufe he has Some- 
 times Imitated that of the Mat- 
 ter he hasGoppyd; as when he 
 has in Drawing Coppy'd a Draw- 
 ing, and not a Painting, or the 
 Antique : but neither is it then 
 Intirely that of him he Goppyes, 
 but Partly his Own. Thefe Oc~ 
 cafional Manners muft not make 
 a part of our Ideas of the Mat 
 ters, unlefs confider'd as Such. 
 
 To com pleat our Ideas of the 
 Mafters 'tis necejfary to take in 
 their whole Lives, and to obferve 
 their feveral Variations jo fat 
 mi we foffMy cam 'Tis true h$ 
 that knows any One Manner of 
 
( 12.0 ) 
 a Maftcr may judge well of 
 the Works he meets with in that: 
 Manner, but no farther. And 
 the Mifchief is Men are apt to 
 confine their Ideas of the Mafter 
 to io much only as they Know, 
 or have Conceived of him ; fo 
 that when any thing appears 
 different from That they attri- 
 bute it to fome Other, or pro- 
 nounce 'tis not of Him -, as he 
 that fixes only upon the Roman 
 Manner of Rajfaele will be apt 
 to do by a Work of his done 
 before he was call'd to Rome \ Or 
 if he builds his Ideas only on the 
 Beft Works of that Great Man 
 he will rejedt the Others, and 
 *4iaibe them to fonie Other Hand 
 t^nown, pr Unknown. 
 
 There is none of the Matters 
 but mufl have had their Firft, 
 tfrpr Jvliddle, and their Letter, 
 
(121) 
 
 Times: Generally ftho' not ak 
 ways) their Beginnings have been 
 Moderately Good, and their 
 Latter Works (when they have 
 happened to out-live themfelves, 
 and to decay, thro' Age, or In- 
 firmities), are like what their 
 Bodies then were, they have no 
 more of their former Beauty, 
 and Vigour. If they dy'd Ear- 
 ly their Latter Time was Proba- 
 bly the Beft ; Michelangelo, Ti- 
 tian, and Carlo Maratti^ Liv'd, 
 and Painted to a very Great 
 Age ; Rajfaele 
 
 Dropt from the Zenith like a falling Star: 
 
 [Milton)] 
 
 Other Men by Slow, and Eaiy 
 Steps advance in their Improve- 
 ments : He flew from one De- 
 ft gree 
 
gree of Excellence to another 
 with fuch a happy Vigour that 
 every thins; he did (eem'd bet- 
 ter than what he had done be- 
 fore, and his Laft Works, the 
 Cartons at Hampton-Court, and 
 the famous Hiitoiy of the Tranf- 
 figuration are efteem'd to be 
 his Beft. His firlt manner when 
 he came out of the School of 
 his Matter, was like thofe of 
 that Age, Stift^ and Dry \ but 
 he foon meliorated his Style by 
 the Strength of his own fine Ge- 
 nius and the fight of the Works 
 of other good Matters of that 
 time, in and about Florence, 
 chiefly of Lionardo da Vinci ; 
 and thus form'd a Second man- 
 ner with which he went to 
 Rome, Here he Found, or Pro- 
 cur'd whatever might contribute 
 to his Improvement , he 
 
 law 
 
(123) 
 law great Vanery of the Pre- 
 cious Remains of Antiquity, and 
 employ d ieveral good Hands to 
 Detign all of that kind in 
 Greece, and elfewhere, as well 
 as in Italy, of which he form'd 
 a Rare Collection : Here he faw 
 the Works of Michelangelo whofe 
 Style may be faid to be rather 
 Gygantick, thanGreat^ and which 
 abundantly diftinguifh'd him 
 from all the Matters of that 
 Age ; I know it has been dis- 
 puted whether Raffaele made 
 any Advantage from feeing 
 of the Works of this great 
 Sculptor, Architect, and Painter; 
 which tho' 'twas (I believe) in- 
 tended as a Compliment to 
 him feems to me to be di- 
 reftly the contrary; He was too 
 Wife,and tooModeft not to fcrve 
 
 R l him- 
 
C124) 
 
 himfelf of whatfoevcr was wor r 
 thy of his Confederation ; And 
 that he did fo. in this Cafe is 
 Evident by a Drawing I have of 
 his Hand, in which One fees 
 plainly the Michelangelo Tafl. 
 Not that he reded here, his No- 
 ble Mind afpir'd to fbmething 
 beyond what the World had 
 then to thew, And he accom- 
 plinYd it in a Style, in which 
 there is fuch a Judicious Mix- 
 ture of the Antique, of the Mo- 
 dern Tafte, and of Nature, to- 
 gether with his Own Admirable 
 Ideas that it feems impo/fible 
 that any other could have been 
 fo proper for the Works he was 
 to do, and his Own, and Suc- 
 ceeding times. What further 
 Views he might have had, and 
 j;iow much higher he would have 
 
 car- 
 
( *z$ ) 
 
 .earry'd the Art had the Divine 
 Providence (who to the honour 
 of Humane Nature endued him 
 with fuch Excellent Qualities) 
 thought fit to have lent him 
 longer to the World that Divine 
 Wifdom only knows. 
 
 We hie eft Raphael, timuit quo fofpite vinci 
 Remm jttagna parens & moriente mori. 
 
 Epitath by Card. Bemho. 
 
 Thus Rajfaele had three feve- 
 ral Manners which are call'd his 
 Perugino, his Florentine, and his 
 Roman Manners ; In all which 
 this Great Genius is evidently 
 feen. But having in the two 
 former rais'd himielf above all 
 the Other Matters, the Compe- 
 tition afterwards was only be- 
 tween Rajfaele to Day, and Raf- 
 faele Yefterdav. 
 
 ' A 
 
( 126 ) 
 
 A great Variety is to be found 
 in the Works of the fame Men 
 from Caufes as Natural as Youth, 
 Maturity, and Old Age. Our 
 Bodies, and Minds have their Ir- 
 regular, and Seemingly Contin- 
 gent Changes as well as thofe 
 Stated, and Certain ones -, fuch 
 are Indifpofition, or Wearineft, 
 The Weather, the Seafon of the 
 Year, Joy, and Gaiety, or Grief, 
 Heaviness, or Vexation, all thefe, 
 and a thoufend other Accidents 
 influence our Works, and pro- 
 duce a great Variety in them, 
 Somtimes the Work it felf does 
 not pleafe us as to the Kind of 
 it, fomtimes it does not fucceed 
 as we Endeavour it fhould ; This 
 is for Thofe we Honour, and 
 defire to Pleafe, for what reafons 
 foever, That 'goes on heavily 
 
 " : be- 
 
being for Thofe who are Xefs 
 Obliging, or Lefs capable of 
 feeing, or being Touch'd with 
 what we do for them. Some 
 are done in hopes of Confidera- 
 ble Recompence, Others without 
 any fuch Profpedt. *Tintoret was 
 particularly remarkable for un- 
 dertaking all forts of Bufinefs, 
 and at all Prices, and perform'd 
 accordingly. 
 
 The Nature of the Works 
 they did make another Variety 
 in the Hands of the Matters, 
 Parmeggiano in his Drawings ap- 
 
 s to oe a greater 
 
 one fees him in his Paintings, 
 or Etch'd Prints. Polidon upon 
 Paper, or in Chairo Scum is one 
 of the foremoft in the School 
 of Rafftiek, but give him Co- 
 lours, and you remove him 
 
 back 
 
( us ; 
 
 Back many degrees. Battifid 
 Francos Drawings are exquinte- 
 ly Fine, his Paintings Contempt- 
 able ; even Gtulio Romano s Pen- 
 cil in Oyl has not the tranfcen- 
 dent Merit of his Pen in Draw- 
 ings, This has a Spirit, a Beau- 
 ty, and Delicacy inimitable^ 
 That is comparatively Heavy, 
 and Difagreeable, for the moil 
 part, for I know of fome Ex- 
 ceptions. The Subject alfo 
 makes a vaft difference in the 
 Works of thefe great Men ; Giu- 
 lio Romano was fitter to paint the 
 Birth of the Son of Saturn, than 
 that of the Son of God ; as Mi- 
 chelangelo was better qualified to 
 paint a Hercules, and Antem, 
 than the Laft Judgment; but 
 Parmeggiano and Coreggio, who 
 were Prodigies in ail Subjects 
 
( m4 
 
 that were Lovely, and Angelical 
 would have been almoft upon 
 the level with Common Men in 
 either of thofe other ; a Holy 
 Family of Raffaele is as the 
 Work of an Angel of the High- 
 eft Order, a Slaughter of the In- 
 nocents of Him feems to be 
 done by. One of the Loweft. 
 
 .Tis no Unufual thing for 
 Mafters to go from one Man- 
 ner to Another that they like 
 Better, whether to Imitate fom£ 
 other Mafters, or Otherwife. 
 Sfagnoletto kt out out finely* 
 Imitating Coreggio with great 
 Succefs, this Good Manner he 
 forfook for that Terrible 
 one he is to well known py i 
 and in which he continued to 
 the laft. Giacomo Pontormo 
 from a Good Italian Style fell 
 S to 
 
(i 5 o) 
 
 to imitating Albert Durer, Can : 
 Giacinto Brandt left his firft 
 Caravaggio-Manncf in which he 
 was an excellent Mafter, and ap- 
 ply 'd himfelf to it's direct Op- 
 posite, that of Guido, in which 
 not fucceeding, he endeavour'd 
 to return to Lis former way of 
 Painting, but could never regain 
 the Ground he had loft. Be- 
 fides this, One Mafter Imitates 
 Another Occasionally, and Cop- 
 pies their Works, or their Style 
 at leaft to try Experiments, or 
 to pleafe Themfelves, or Thofe 
 that Employ them, or perhaps 
 fometimes to Deceive, or for 
 whatever other reafons. 
 
 In Coppying tho' never fo 
 Servilely there will be fuch a 
 Mixture of the Coppier as to 
 make what is done a Different 
 
 Man- 
 
Manner; but 'tis very apparent- 
 ly Co when This is done by a 
 Mafter who Cannot, or Will not 
 fo ftri&ly confine himfelf Some- 
 times fuch a One Coppies as it 
 were but in Fart, that is he 
 takes the Thought of Another 
 but keeps to his Own Manner of 
 Executing it; This was frequent- 
 ly done by Raffade after the 
 Antique, Parmeggiano^ and 2W- 
 tilla Franco Thus Coppied Raf- 
 facie, and Michelangelo ; and fo 
 Hubem Coppied Raffaele, Ti- 
 tian, Pordonone, 0V. of which 
 I have many Inftancse. In thefe 
 Cafes the Mafter will be Evi- 
 dently feen but being mix'd with 
 the Idea of Other Men this 
 Compound Work will be very 
 different from one Inwely his 
 Own* 
 
 S z In 
 
In Drawings one finds a 2,reat 
 Variety, frcm their being Firft 
 Thoughts, (which often are very 
 Slight, but Spirituous Scrabbles) 
 or more Advanced, or Finiih'd. 
 So fome are done one Way, 
 fome Another ; a Pen, Challcs, 
 Waflies of all Colours; height- 
 ned with White, Wet, or Dry, 
 or not Heightned. All the 
 Matters have had the Firft Kind 
 of Variety, tho' Some more than 
 Others there are kw Finifh'd 
 Works of Titiano, B^Jfimo, 
 Tintoretto, JBaccio Bandimllt, Co- 
 rcggio, AnnibaU Caracci, and 
 Others, I mean Few in propor- 
 tion to the Number of the Draw- 
 ings which we have of Them ; 
 which indeed may be faid of 
 them All, tho' of thofe I have 
 ram'd more particularly, But of 
 
 Rubens^ 
 
 tea. 
 
Rubens, Giufeppino, Paolo Pari- 
 nato, Primaticcio, Michelangelo, 
 Lionardo da Vinci Many liich 
 are feen, Biaggio Bolognefe rarely 
 made any other. And of Par- 
 meggiano, BattiBa Franco, Pie- 
 rino del Vaga, Polidoro, Giulio 
 Romano, Andrea del Sarto, and 
 even of Rtffaele himfelf on fre- 
 quently fees Finifli'd Drawings. 
 As for the Latter Kind of Va- 
 riety 'tis to be found chiefly in 
 Rajfaele, Polidoro, and Par meg- 
 gum \ whereas Mt.belangelo,Bac- 
 cio Bandinelli, Biaggio Bolognefe, 
 Giulio Romano, Battifta Franco, 
 Paolo Farinato, Cangiagio, Paf- 
 Jerctto, and the two TLuccaros kept 
 generally to the fame Manner ; 
 and feme' of them are very re- 
 markable for it, 
 
 There 
 
(134) 
 
 There are Inftanccs (Laftly) 
 of fome whofe Manners have 
 been chang'd by fome Unlucky 
 Gircumftances. Poor Annlbak 
 Caracci ! He (link at once, his 
 great Spirit was fubdu'd by the 
 Barbarous Ufage of Cardinal Far- 
 nefe, who for a Work which will 
 be one of the Principal Orna- 
 ments of Rome (6 long as the 
 Palace of that Name remains, 
 which coft that vaft Genius ma- 
 ny years Inceflant Study, and 
 Application, and which lie had 
 all poifible reafon to hope would 
 have been rewarded in fuch a 
 Manner as to have made him 
 Eafy the Remainder of his Life : 
 For This Work that Infamous 
 Ecclefiaftick paid him as if he 
 had been an Ordinary Mecha- 
 nick. After this he iiv'd not 
 
 lone 
 
long, Painted but little, 3hd 
 that in no degree equal to what 
 he had done before 
 
 Why couldft thou not Annibak fit/tain 
 
 Thy Odious Wrongs with generous difdain? 
 
 Why fink, beneath their weight that Future 
 
 (times 
 
 Might do Thee Rigk, and curfe his Purpled 
 
 (Crimes ? 
 
 Unhappy Man 1 how great thy Venues ) 
 
 (werel\ 
 
 Oh that than hadft had Fortitude to bear C 
 
 The Ills that Fate allotted to thy Share : J 
 
 VainWi/Jjl for Fate allotted too thy fall, *} 
 
 Fate uncont)-olable that governs all - y \ 
 
 Or Fate, or what we Providence ?nayy. 
 
 {call J 
 
 Fife other Thoughts had fiWd thy Wring 
 
 (Mind, 
 
 Thoughts to the World, and toThy felf more 
 
 (kind : 
 
 Tranfcmdent was thy Art ; no reafon why 
 
 Becaufe 'twas unrewarded it mufi dye : 
 
 In- 
 
(i]6) 
 
 Injured thou wert- y But why mufi Annibal^ 
 Why He, and not the Guilty Prelate fall? 
 
 Cuido Rem from a Prince-like 
 affluence of Fortunce (the Juft 
 Reward of his Angelick Works} 
 fell to a Condition like that of 
 a Hired Servant to one who fup- 
 ply'd him with Money for what 
 he did at a fix'd rate, and That 
 by his being Bewitch'd with a 
 Paftion for Gaming, whereby he 
 loft vaft Summs of Money, and 
 even what he Got in this his 
 State of Servitude by Day, he. 
 commonly Loft at Night; nor 
 could he ever be cur'd of this 
 Curled Madnefs. Thofe of his 
 Works therefore which he did in 
 thi;.Unhappy part of his Life may 
 eafiiy be conceiv'd to be in a 
 dihcient Style from what he 
 
 did 
 
( i# ) 
 
 did before, which in fome things, 
 that is in the Airs of his heads 
 (in the Gracious Kind,) had a 
 Delicacy in them peculiar to 
 Himfelf, and almoft more than 
 Humane. But I muft not mul- 
 tiply Inftances. Parmeggiano is 
 one that alone takes in ail the fe« 
 veral kinds of Variation, One 
 fees (in his Drawings} all the fe- 
 deral Manners of Handling; Pen, 
 Red Chalk, Black Chalk, Wafte 
 ing, with, and without Heighten- 
 ing ; on all Coloured Papers, and 
 in all the Degrees of Goodnefs^ 
 from the lowed of the Indiffe- 
 rent up td the Sublime ; I can 
 produce Evident Proofs of this 
 in fo eafy a Gradation that one 
 cannot deny but that he that did 
 This, migHt do That, and very 
 probably did fo ', And thus one 
 T may 
 
(138) 
 
 may Afcend, and Defcend, like 
 the Angels on Jacob's Ladder 
 whofe Foot was upon the Earth, 
 but its top reach'd to Heaven. 
 
 And this Great Man had his 
 UnluckyCircumftance,he became 
 Mad after the Philofopher's 
 Stone, and did but very little in 
 Painting, or Drawing aiterwards ; 
 Judge what that was, and whe- 
 ther there was not an alteration 
 of Style from what he had done 
 before this Devil poiTefs'd him. 
 His Creditors endeavoured to Ex- 
 orcife him, and did him fome 
 Good, for he let himfclf to 
 Woik again in his Own Way ; 
 But if a Drawing I have of him 
 of a Lucretia be That he made 
 for his Laft Pidture, as it proba- 
 bly is (Vaferi fays That was the 
 Subject of it,) 'tis an Evident 
 
 proof 
 
( *3P) 
 
 proof his Decay, 'tis Good in- 
 deed, but it wants much of the 
 Delicacy which is commonly 
 feen in his Works, And fo I al- 
 ways thought before I knew, or 
 Imagin'd it to be done in this his 
 Ebb of Genius* 
 
 Thus it is evident that to be 
 Good Connoijfeurs in Judging of 
 Hands we mull extend our 
 Thoughts to all the Parts of the 
 Lives,and to all the Circumftances 
 of the Mailers ; to the Various 
 Kinds,and Decrees of Goodnefi of 
 their Works, and not confine our 
 felves to One Manner only, and 
 a Certain Excellency found only 
 in Some things they have done, 
 upon which Some have form'd 
 their Ideas of thofe Extraordina- 
 ry Men, but very Narrow, and 
 Imperfed: Ones. 
 
 T z Great 
 
(140) 
 
 Great Care mvM be taken as 
 to the Genuine fs of the Works on 
 which zve form our Ideas of the 
 Matters$oi abundance of things 
 are attributed to Them, chiefly 
 to Thofe that are moft Famous 
 which They never law. 
 
 If two, or more confiderable 
 Mailers refemble each other, the 
 moft Confiderable ufually Fa- 
 thers the Works of them both : 
 Thus Annibale has the Honour, 
 or the Difgrace of much of what 
 was done by Lodovico, or Agofti- 
 no Caracci', and many or out 
 Carlo Marattis are of Giufep- 
 pe Chiariy or fome Other or 
 his Schollars ; a Coppy, or an 
 Imitation of a Great Man, or 
 even the Work of an Obfcure 
 hand that has any Similitude to 
 His, is preniently of Him. Nay 
 
 Pictures, 
 
( 141 ) 
 
 Pidtures, or Drawings are fre- 
 quently Chri fined (as they call it ) 
 Arbitrarily, or Ignorantly, as A- 
 varice, Vanity, or Caprice has 
 directed. I believe there are few 
 Collections without Inftances of 
 thefe Mif-named Works, Some 
 that I have feen are Notorious 
 for it. Nor do I pretend that my 
 Own has not Some few on which 
 I would not have theleaft depen- 
 dance in forming; an Idea of the 
 Mafters whofe Names they bear. 
 They are as I found them, and 
 may be Rightly Chrifined for 
 ought I know ; I leave the Mat- 
 ter as Doubtfull, in Hopes of 
 Future Difcoveries ; But a Name 
 I Know, or Believe to be Wrong 
 I never fuffer to remain, I either 
 expunge it, and leave the Work 
 without Any, Or give it fuch as 
 
 I 
 
(I42-) 
 
 I am Aflifred, or have Proba- 
 ble Arguments to Believe is 
 Right. 
 
 It cannot be denyd but that 
 This is a confiderable Difcourage- 
 ment to one that is defirous to 
 be a Connoijfeur, not much Un- 
 like That which perplexes fome 
 Good People when they reflect 
 upon the many Contrary Opini- 
 ons pretended to be of Divine 
 Authority. But as in That Cafe 
 there are certain Fundamental, 
 Self-Evident, or Demonftrable 
 Principles, or fuch whole Autho- 
 rity is fufficiently eftablifh'd by 
 Rational Arguments, to which 
 Principles a Man may always 
 have recourfc, and by compa- 
 ring Doctrines pretended to be 
 from God with Thefe be able to 
 judge for Himfclf of the Truth 
 
 of 
 
( i43 ) 
 
 of fuch Pretences : So here there 
 are certain Fixtures, and Draw- 
 ings of feveral of the Mailers, 
 chiefly of the moft Confiderable 
 ones, that a Beginner in the bu- 
 finefs of a Comoiffeur will find 
 at his firft fetting out, and al- 
 ways meet with in his Way that 
 will fervehim as Safe, and Suffi- 
 cient Guides in This Affair. 
 
 Such are Thofe whofe Genui- 
 iiefs is abundantly eftablilhed 
 by Hiftory, Tradition, and Uni- 
 verfal Confent ; As the Works 
 of Raffaele in the Vatican, and 
 at Hampton-Court \ Thofe oi 
 Coreggio in the Cupolla at Par- 
 ma ; of Annibale Caracci in the 
 Gallery of Farnefe at Rome ; of 
 Van-Dyck in many Families in 
 England, and a great many more 
 of Thefe, and Other Matters all 
 over Europe, The 
 
f!44) 
 
 The Defcriptions of Works iri 
 Vafari, Cinelii and other Wri- 
 ters, or the Prints extant oi them 
 prove abundance of Pictures, 
 and Drawings to be Genuine,Sup^- 
 pofing them not to be Coppies \ 
 which their Excellency may be 
 asCertain a Proof of to a Good 
 Judge of That, and Propor- 
 tionably to one that is Lefs Ad- 
 vanced in That branch of Sci- 
 ence, 
 
 The General Confent of Con- 
 noijfeurs is what I believe will be 
 allow'd to be Sufficient to confti- 
 tute a Pidture, or a Drawing to be 
 a Guide in this Cafe. 
 
 Many Matters have fomcthing 
 lb Remarkable, and Peculiar that 
 their Manner in General is foon 
 known, and the Bed in Thefe 
 Kinds diffidently appear to be 
 
 Ge- 
 
( 149 ) 
 
 Genuine Co that a Young Con- 
 noijfeur can be in no Doubt con- 
 cerning Them. 
 
 Now tho' fome Matters differ 
 exceedingly from Themfelves, 
 yet in All there is fomthing of 
 the fame Man ; As in all the 
 Stages of our Lives there is a 
 General Refemblance ; fomthing 
 of the fame Traits are feen in 
 our Old Faces as we had in our 
 Youth 5 When we have fix'd a 
 few of the Works of the Matters 
 as Genuine, Thefe will Diredt us 
 in the Difcovery of Others, with 
 Greater, or Letter degrees of Pro- 
 bability as the Similitude be- 
 twixt Them, and Thofe already 
 allowed to be Genuine happens 
 to be. 
 
 An Idea of the moft Confide- 
 
 £able Matters who have had a 
 
 \J great 
 
( 14$ ) 
 
 great Variety in them may be 
 foon gotten as to their moil 
 Common Manner, and General 
 Character, which by feeing Pi- 
 <5hires, and Drawings, with Care, 
 and Obiervation will be Im- 
 proved, and Enlarg'd perpetual- 
 And there are Some Matters 
 who when you have fccn two or 
 three of their Works will be 
 known again eafily, having had 
 but very little Variety in the 
 Manners, or Som thing fo pe- 
 culiar throughout as to difcover 
 them immediately. 
 
 As for Gbfcure Matters, or 
 thofe whofe "Works are little 
 known 'tis impottible to have 
 any juft Idea of Thern, and con- 
 fequently to know to whom to 
 attribute a Work of their hands 
 
 when 
 
(147) 
 
 
 when we happen to meet with 
 them. 
 
 When vx are at a lofs, and 
 know not to vohat Hand to attri- 
 bute a Piifure^ or Drawing it is 
 of ufe to confider of zvhat Age, 
 and zvhat School it Probably is', 
 This will redtice the Enquiry in- 
 fo a Nari'ow Compafi, and of- 
 tentimes lead us to the Matter 
 we are feekins; for. So that be- 
 fides the Hiftory of the Particu- 
 lar Mafters, which (as has been 
 feen already) is neceffary to be 
 known by every one that would 
 be Connoijfeurs ih Hands -, The 
 General One of the Art, and the 
 Characters of the fever af Schools 
 is fo too. Of the firff I have 
 otcafionally given fome few 
 Touches throughout This, a€d 
 my Former Fook ; Of the other 
 Uz I 
 
(i48; 
 
 I fliall make Light Sketches in 
 the zd Part or This, referring 
 you for the Whole to the Ac- 
 counts at large in the Authors 
 who have profefledly treated on 
 Thofe Subjects. 
 
 He that would be a Good 
 Connoijfeur in Hands mult know 
 how to Diftinguifh Clearly, and 
 Readily, not only betwixt One 
 thing, and Another, but when 
 two Different things nearly Re- 
 femble, for This he will very 
 Often have occafion to do, as 'tis 
 eafy to obferve by what has been 
 faid already. But I fliall have a 
 further occafion to enlarge on 
 this particular, 
 
 Laftly, To attain that branch of 
 Science of which I have been treat- 
 %ng a Particular Application toThat 
 ^ery thing is reqmfite- A Man may 
 
 be 
 
(H9 ) 
 
 be a Good Painter, and a Good 
 Connoijfeur as to the Merit of a 
 Picture, or Drawing, and may 
 have feen all the Fine ones in 
 the World, and not know any 
 thing of This Matter ; Tis a 
 thing intirely diftinft from all 
 The(e Qualifications, and requires 
 z Turn of Thought accordingly. 
 
 O F 
 
(ijo) 
 
 fefev 
 
 O F 
 
 ORIGINALS 
 
 AND 
 
 COPllES. 
 
 LL th&t is done in 
 Picture is done by In- 
 vention ; Or from the 
 Life ; Or from another 
 Picture ; Or Laftly 'tis a Com- 
 pofiEion of One, or More of 
 
 thefe. 
 
 The 
 
(if I) 
 
 Thp terra Picture I here uri^ 
 derftand at large as fignifying a 
 Painting, Drawing, Graving, oc. 
 
 Perhaps nothing that }s done 
 is Properly, and Stridtly Inven- 
 tion, but derived from fomthing 
 already feen, tho' fomtimes 
 Compounded, and jumbled into 
 Forms which Nature never produ- 
 ced : Thefe Images laid up in 
 our Minds are the Patterns by 
 which we Work when we do 
 what is faid to be done by In- 
 vention \ juft as when we follow 
 Nature before, our eyes, the on- 
 ly difference being that in the 
 Latter cafe thefe Ideas are frefn 
 taken in, and immediately made 
 ufe of,in the other they have been 
 fepofited there, and are left 
 Ckar 9 and Lively, 
 
 So- 
 
So That is faid to be done by 
 the Life which is done the thing 
 intended to be reprefented be- 
 ing fet before us, tho* we neither 
 follow it Intirely, nor intend fo 
 to do, but Add, or Retrench by 
 the help of preconceiv'd Ideas 
 of a Beauty, and Perfection we 
 imagine Nature is capable of, 
 the' 'tis Rarely, or Never found. 
 
 We a fay a Pidture is done by 
 the Life as well when the Objedt 
 reprefented is a thing Inanimate, 
 as when 'tis an Animal ; and 
 the work of Art, as well as Na- 
 ture ; But then for Diftincftion 
 the term Still-Life is made 
 ufe of as occafion requires. 
 
 A Copy is the Repetition of a 
 Work already done when the 
 Art id endeavours to follow 
 That ; As he that Works by In- 
 vention^ 
 
( in ) 
 
 vention, or the Life endeavour- 
 ing to Coppy Nature, feen, or 
 Conceived makes an Original. 
 
 Thus not only That is an Ori- 
 ginal Painting that is done by In- 
 vention, or the Life Imediatly ; 
 but That is fo too which is done 
 by a Drawing, or Sketch fo done; 
 That Drawing, or Sketch not 
 being Ultimately intended to be 
 followed, but ufed only as a 
 help towards the better imitation 
 of Nature, whether Preient, or 
 Abfent. 
 
 And tho' this Drawing, or 
 Sketch is Thus ufed by Another 
 hand than that by which 'tis 
 made, what is fo done cannot be 
 faid to be a Copy : the Thought 
 indeed is partly borrowed, but 
 the Work is Original. 
 
 For the fame reafon if aFichire 
 
 be made after Another, and after- 
 
 X wards 
 
(174) 
 
 wards gone over by Invention, 
 or the Life,not followingThat,but 
 endeavouring to improve upon 
 it, it Thus becomes an Original. 
 
 But if a Picture, or Drawing 
 be Coppy 'd, and the Manner of 
 Handling be imitated, tho 1 with 
 fome liberty fo as not to follow 
 every Stroak, and Touch it ceafes 
 not to be a Coppy ; as that is 
 truly a Tranflation where the 
 Sence is kept tho' it be not ex- 
 actly Literal. 
 
 If a Larger Pidture be Coppied 
 tho' in Little, and what was 
 done in Oyl is imitated with Wa- 
 ter-colours, or Crayons, that 
 firft Pidhire being Only endea- 
 voured to be follow'd as clofe 
 as pofTible with Thofe Ma- 
 terials, and in thofe Dimentions, 
 This is as truly a Coppy as if it 
 were done as Large, and in the 
 
 fame 
 
(17$*) 
 
 fame Manner as the Original 
 There are fome Figures, and 
 Drawings which are neither Cop- 
 pies, nor Originals, as being 
 partly One, and partly t'other. 
 If in a Hiflory, or large Com- 
 pofition, or even a Single Figure, 
 a Face, or more is incerted, Cop- 
 pied from what has been done 
 from the Life, fuch Picture is 
 not intirely Original. Neither 
 is that So, nor Intirely Coppy 
 where the Whole Thought is 
 taken, but the Manner of the 
 Coppier ufed as to the Colour- 
 ing, and Handling. A Coppy 
 Retouclfd in Some places by In-, 
 vention, or the Life is of this: 
 /Equivocal kind. I have feveral 
 Drawings firft coppied after Old 
 Mafters,(6W/0 Romano for exam- 
 ple,) and then Heightned, and en- 
 X Z deavour'd 
 
(pft) 
 
 deavour'd to be improved by 
 Rubens j So far as His hand has 
 zone is therefoie Original, the 
 reft remains pure Coppy. But 
 when he has thus wrought upon 
 Original Drawings (of which I 
 have alio many Inftances,) the 
 Drawing; loofes not its firft De- 
 nomination, 'tis an Original ftill, 
 made by two feveral Mailers. 
 
 The Ideas of Better, and Worfe 
 are generally attached to the 
 Terms Original, and Coppy \ 
 and that with good reafon \ not 
 only becaufe Coppies are ufually 
 made by Inferiour Hands; but 
 becaufe tho' he that makes the 
 Coppy is as Good, or even a 
 Better Mafter than he that made 
 the Original whatever may hap- 
 pen Rarely, and by Accident, 
 Ordinarily the Coppy will fall 
 Ihort : Our Hands cannot reach 
 
 what 
 
what our Minds have conceiv'd ; 
 'tis God alone whofe works an- 
 fvver to his Ideas. In making 
 an Original our Ideas are taken 
 from Nature ; which the Works 
 of Art cannot equal : When 
 we Coppy 'tis thefe Defedrive 
 Wo^ks of Art we take our Ideas 
 from -, Thofe are the utmoft we 
 endeavour to arrive at ; and 
 thefe lower Ideas too our Hands 
 fail of executing perfectly : An 
 Original is the Eccho of the 
 Voice of Nature, a Coppy is 
 the Eccho of that Eccho. More- 
 over, tho' the Mafter that Cop- 
 pies be Equal in General to 
 him whofe work he follows, vet 
 in the Particular Manner of that 
 Mafter he is to imitate he may 
 not : Van-Dyck (for Example) 
 might have as fine a Pencil as 
 
 D 
 
 Coreggio ', Parmeggiano might 
 
 handle 
 
d78) 
 
 handle a Pen, or Chalk as well 
 as Rajfaek', but Van-Dyck, was 
 not fo Excellent in the Manner 
 of Coreggio, nor Parmeggiano in 
 tbat of Rajfaele as they Them- 
 felves were : Laftly, In making 
 an Original we have a Vaft La- 
 titude as to the Handling, Co- 
 louring, Drawing, Expreflion,©V. 
 in Coppying we are Confin'd ; 
 Confequently a Coppy cannot 
 have the Freedom, and Spirit of 
 an Original ; fo that tho' he that 
 made the Original Coppies his 
 Own Work it cannot be expedited 
 it fhould be as well. 
 
 But tho' it be Generally true 
 that a Coppy is Inferiour to an 
 Original it may fo happen 
 that it may be Better ; As when 
 the Coppy is done by a much 
 Better hand \ an Excellent Matter 
 can no more fink down to the 
 
 Bad, 
 
(179) 
 
 Badnefs of fome Works than the 
 Author of fuch can rife to the 
 Other's Excellence. A Coppy of 
 a very Good Picture is preferra- 
 ble to an Indifferent Original ; 
 for There the Invention is fccn 
 almoft Intire, and a great deal 
 of the Expreflion, and Difpofi- 
 tion, and many times good Hints 
 of the Colouring, Drawing, and 
 other Qualities. An Indifferent 
 Original has nothing that is Ex- 
 cellent, nothing that touches, 
 which fuch a Coppy I am fpeak- 
 ing of Has, and that in propor- 
 tion to its Goodnefs as a Cop- 
 
 py- . 
 
 When we confider a Pidlure 
 or a Drawing, and theQueftion 
 is whether 'tis a Coppy, or an 
 Original the State of that Que- 
 ftion will be 
 
 I. In thofe very Terms. 
 
 II. Is 
 
( i to ) 
 
 II. Is this of fuch a Hand, or 
 after him? 
 
 III. Is fiich a Work, feen to 
 be or fuch a Mafter,Originally of 
 Him, or a Coppy after fome 
 Other i 
 
 Lafcly, Is it done by This 
 Mafter from the Life, or Inven- 
 tion ? or Coppy 'd after fome 
 Other Pidture ot his Own ? 
 
 In the Firft of thefe Cafes nei- 
 ther the Hand, nor the Idea is 
 known ; In the Second the Idea 
 is fuppos'd to be {o y but not 
 the Hand ; In the Third the 
 Hand is known, bat not the Idea, 
 and in the Lafl both the Hand, 
 and the Idea is known, but not 
 whether 'tis Original, or Cop- 
 
 There are certain Arguments 
 made ufe of in determining up- 
 on one, or more of thefe Que- 
 
 ftions 
 
ftions which arc to be rejected ; If 
 there are two Pictures of the fame 
 Subje6l, the fame Number of Fi- 
 gures, the fame Attitudes,Colours, 
 (fc. it will by no means follow 
 that One is a Goppy ; for the 
 Mafters have frequently repeated 
 their Works either to pleafe 
 Themfelves, or Other people, 
 who feeing, and liking One have 
 defired Another like it. Some 
 have fancied the Great Mafters 
 made no Finifli'd Drawings, as 
 not having Time, or Patience 
 fufficient, and therefore pro- 
 nounce all Such to be Coppies ; I 
 will not oppofe this Falle Rea- 
 foning by fomthing in the Same 
 way, tho' I might , (X hate Ar- 
 guments ad hominum, becaufe if 
 I difpute 'tis not for Victory but 
 Truth) but let the Drawing have 
 : Other Good Properties of an 
 ;inal Ttrole will be Areu- 
 Y mems 
 
 1 * i- 
 
 o 
 
(182 
 
 ments in it's favour which the Fi- 
 nifliins; cannot Overthrow, or io- 
 much as Weaken. Nor will the 
 Numbers of Drawings which we 
 have here in England, which are 
 attributed to Rajfaele, or any o- 
 ther Mafter be any Arguments 
 Hot only againft the Originality 
 of any One of them in particular 
 (for that for certain it cannot be) 
 no, nor even that Some of them 
 muft be Coppies. That thefe 
 Great men made vaft Numbers 
 of Drawings is certain, and often- 
 times many for the fame Work ; 
 And that they are hardly to be 
 found in Italy is nothing to the 
 purpofe ; the Riches of England, 
 Holland, France, and other Coun- 
 tries of Europe may well be fup- 
 pofed to have drawn away by 
 much the greateft Number of 
 what Curiofities could be had. 
 But I have no Inclination to dwell 
 
 upon 
 
( i83 ) 
 
 upon fuch a poor, and low way 
 of Arguing, and Co Unworthy of 
 a Connoijfeur ; Let us judge from 
 the things Themfelves, and what 
 we See, and Know, and Thus On- 
 
 I. There are fome Pictures, and 
 Drawings which are feen to be O- 
 riginals, tho' the Hand, and Man- 
 ner of Thinking; are neither of 
 them known,and that by the Spirit, 
 and Freedom of them : which 
 fomtimes appears to fuch a de- 
 gree as to Aflure us 'tis impoflible 
 they fhould be Coppies. But we 
 cannot fay on the contrary when 
 we fee a Tame, Heavy Handling 
 that 'tis not Original meerly upon 
 That account, becaufe there have 
 been many Bad Originals, and 
 fome Good Matters nave fallen 
 into a Feeblenefs of Hand, efpe- 
 ciallv in their Old Acre. 
 
 Somtimes there appears fuch a 
 Y z Na- 
 
Nature, together fomuch Liberty 
 that this is a further evidence of 
 the Originallity of iuch Works. 
 
 There is Another, and a more 
 Mafterly way of judging, and that 
 is by comparing the Unknown 
 Hand, and Manner of Thinking 
 one with another. The Invention, 
 and Difpofition of the Parts in a 
 Coppy,andSpme of theExpreffion 
 always remains, and are the fame ^s 
 in the Original; Let Thefe be 
 compared \yith the Airs of the 
 Heads, the Grace, and Greatnefs, 
 the Drawing, and Handling ) if 
 Thefe be all of a piece, and fuch as 
 we can believe All may be the 
 Work of the fame perfon 'tis pro- 
 bable 'tis an Original, at leaft we 
 cannot pronounce it to be Othqr- 
 wife. But if we fee a Wife, and Ii> 
 genious Invention, a judicious 
 Difpofition, but; wa*nt of harmo- 
 ny ; Graceful, ^nd Noble 4^tions, 
 
 but 
 
but HI p€?form'd, filly Airs of 
 Heads, Bad Drawing, a Low Taft 
 of Colouring, and aTimerous, or 
 Heavy Hand, This we may be A£ 
 fared is a Coppy in a degree pro- 
 portionable to the difference \yc 
 fee in the Head, and Hand that 
 contributed to the production of 
 this LmfeyWoolfey, performance. 
 
 II. To know whether a Picture, 
 or Drawing be of the Hand of 
 fuch a Mafter, or After him One 
 mull be fo well acquainted with 
 the Hand of that Mafter as to be 
 able to diftinguifliwhat is Genu- 
 ine, from what; is not fo; The 
 Bcft Counterfeiter of Hands can- 
 not do it fo well as to deceive a 
 good Corinoijfeur ; the Handling, 
 the Colouring, the Drawing the 
 Airs of Heads, Some, nay All of 
 thefe difcover the Author ; More, 
 or Lefs Eafily however a^s the 
 Manner of the Mafter happens 
 
 to 
 
( iS6 ) 
 
 to be ; What is highly Finifhed 
 ("for Example) is more eafily Imi- 
 tated than what is Loofe, and 
 Free. 
 
 'Tis impotfible for any one to 
 transform himfelf imediatly, and 
 become exadtly Another Man -, a 
 hand that has been always moving 
 in a certain manner cannot at Once, 
 or by a few Occafional Eflays get 
 into a different kind of motion, 
 and be as Perfect at it as he that 
 pradlices it continually : 'Tis the 
 fame in Colouring, and Drawing \ 
 they are as impoflible to be Coun- 
 terfeited as the Handling : Every 
 Man will Naturally, and Una- 
 voidably mix Somthing of Him- 
 felf in all he does if he Coppies 
 with any degree of Liberty : If he 
 attempts to follow his Original 
 Servilely, and Exactly, That can- 
 not but have a StifFnefs which will 
 eafily diftinguifh what is So done 
 
 from 
 
(i87) 
 
 from what is perform'd Natural- 
 ly, Eafily, and without Reftraint. 
 
 I have perhaps one of the 
 greateft Curiofities of This kind 
 that can be fe.cn,- becaufe I have 
 both the Coppy, and the Origi- 
 nal ; both are of Great Mafters, 
 the Coppier was moreover the 
 Difciple of him he endeavour'd 
 to Imitate, and had Accuftom'd 
 himfelf to do (o^ for I have feve- 
 ral Inftances of it, which I am 
 very certain of tho' I have not 
 (ccn the Originals. Michelangelo 
 made That I am now fpeaking 
 of, and which I Joyfully purcha- 
 fed lately of one that had juft 
 brought it from Abroad ; 'tis a 
 Drawing with a Pen upon a large 
 half Iheet, and confifts of 3 Stan- 
 ding Figures : the Coppy is of 
 Battifia Franco, and which I have 
 had feveral years, and always 
 judg'd it to fce what I Now find 
 
 it 
 
( iSS) 
 
 it is. Tis ah amazing tiling to fee 
 how Exa£uy the Mealiires are fol- 
 iow'd for it does not appear to 
 have been done by any other 
 help than the Gorretthefs of the 
 Eye, if it has been trae'd off, or 
 meafurd throughout 'tis as 
 ftrange that the Liberty fliould 
 be preferv'd that is feen in it ; 
 Battifia has alio been exacH: in 
 following every ftroak, even what 
 is purely Accidental, and without 
 any meaning; fo that one would 
 think he endeavour'd to make as 
 juft a Coppy as potfible, both as 
 to the Freedom, and ExacShlefs. 
 But Himfelf is feen throughout 
 mod apparently : as great a Ma- 
 iler as he was he could no more 
 Counterfeit the Vigorous, Blunt 
 pen of Micheldftgelo, and that 
 Terrible Fire that is always feen in 
 Him than he could have mahag'd 
 the Club of Htrcules. 
 
 I 
 
(i8p; 
 
 I am well aware of the Obje&ion 
 that will be made to what I am 
 faying founded upon the Inftan- 
 ces of Coppies that have deceived 
 very Good Painters who have 
 judg'd them to be of the Hands 
 they were only Counterfeits of, 
 and even when Thefe Hands have 
 been their Own ? To which I an- 
 fwer, 
 
 i. A Man may be a very good 
 Painter, and not a good Connoijfe- 
 ur in This particular. To know, 
 and diftinguifh Hands, and to be 
 able to make a good Picture are 
 very different Qualifications, and 
 require a very different Turn of 
 Thought, and both a particular 
 Application. 
 
 1. 'Tis probable thofe that 
 have been Thus miftaken have 
 been too precipitate in givingtheir 
 Judgments ; and not having any 
 Doubt upc n the Matter have pro- 
 Z nounced 
 
(190) 
 
 nounced withouc much Exami- 
 nation. 
 
 Lailly, Admitting it to be true 
 that there have been Inftances, of 
 Coppies of This kind not poflible 
 to be detected by the Ableft Con- 
 noiffcurs, (which however I do not 
 believe) yet This mult needs hap- 
 pen <o very Rarely that the Gene- 
 ral Rule will however fubfift. 
 
 III. The next Queftiqp to be 
 ipoken to is,Whether a Work ken 
 to be of liich a Mailer is Origi- 
 nally ot Him, or a Coppy after 
 fome Other. 
 
 And here the firft Enquiry will 
 be Whether as we fee the Hand 
 of fuch Matter in the Picture, or 
 Drawing before us His Idea is al- 
 io in it : And if it be judg'd the 
 Thought is Not Originally of 
 Him we muft further Enquiie 
 Whether he who did the Work 
 under confideration endeavour'd 
 
 to 
 
dpi) 
 
 to follow that Other Matter as 
 well as he could, fo as to make 
 what he did properly a Coppy ; 
 Or took fuch a Liberty as that his 
 Work thereby becomes an Origi- 
 nal. 
 
 This mixture, the. Hand of 
 One, and the Idea of Another is 
 very frequently feen in the Works 
 of Some of the greateft Mailers. 
 Raffaele has much of the Antique 
 in his, not only Imitations, but 
 Coppies. Parmeggiano, and Bat- 
 tiBa Franco drew after Rajfaele, 
 and Michelangelo ; and the Latter 
 made abundance of Drawings 
 from the Antique having had an 
 Intention to Etch a Book of that 
 kind. Rubens drew very much 
 from Other Mafters, efpecially 
 from Rajfaele ; aim oft all that Bi- 
 aggio Bolo^nefe did was Borrowed 
 from Raffaele, or Parmeggiano, 
 or Imitations of their way of 
 Z z Think- 
 
Thinking. But this mixture is 
 Rarely, or Never feen in Leonardo 
 da Vinci, Michelangelo, Coreggio, 
 and Others : Gitilio Romano, and 
 much more Polidore had fo im- 
 bib'd the Taft of the Ancients as 
 to Think much in their Way,tho' 
 eafily to be diftinguiflfd however. 
 It would be too tedious to be 
 more particular ; Thofe who ac- 
 quaint themfelves throughly with 
 the Works of thefe Great men 
 will furniili themfelves with Ob- 
 fervations of This kind fuffici- 
 cnt for their purpofe : And This 
 he that would judge in the pre- 
 fent Cafe mud do ; for 'tis obvi- 
 ous the only way to know Whet! icr 
 the Idea, and the Hand are of 
 the fame Matter, is by being a 
 good Connoijfeur with relation to 
 the Hands, and Ideas of the Ma- 
 tters. And then to know Whether 
 the Work ought to be confider'd 
 
 of 
 
as an Original, or not, he mull: 
 clearly conceive what are thejuft 
 Definitions of a Coppy, and ah 
 Original, as diftinguifh'd from 
 eath other. 
 
 IV. Coppies made by a Ma- 
 tter after his Own Work are dis- 
 coverable by being well acquain- 
 ted with what that Mailer did 
 when he followed Nature ; Thefe 
 fliall have a Spirit, a Freedom, a 
 Naturalnefs which even He can- 
 not put into what he Coppies 
 from his Own Work, as has been 
 noted already. 
 
 As for Prints, tho' what I have 
 been faWng not only in the Frefent, 
 but Precedent Chapters is for the 
 mod part applicable to Them., 
 as well as to Pictures, and Draw- 
 ings (which I have all along had 
 almoft wholly in my Mind,) yet 
 there beins; fbmthing Peculiar to 
 Thefe I have chofe to referve what 
 
 I 
 
(i<?4) 
 
 I had to fay concerning Them in 
 particular to This place. 
 
 Prints whether Grav'd in Met- 
 tal, or Wood, EtclVd or MeZj&o- 
 Twtfo are a fort of Works done 
 in fuch a Manner as is not fo 
 proper as that whereby Paintings, 
 or Drawings are performed, it 
 not being poifible by It to make 
 any thing fo Exxellent as in the 
 Others. Bat This way of Work- 
 ing is Choien upon Other Ac- 
 counts, fuch as that thereby great 
 Numbers are produced inftead 
 of One, fo that the thins comes 
 info Many hands , and that at an 
 Eafy Price. 
 
 Of Prints there arc two Kinds : 
 Such as are done by Lie M afters 
 themfelves whofe Invention the 
 Work is j and fuch as are done 
 by Men not pretending to In- 
 vent, but only to Coppy (in Their 
 wav) Other men's Works. 
 
 The 
 
( IPS ) 
 
 The Latter fort of Prints are 
 always profefs'dCoppies with re- 
 fpect to the Invention, Compo- 
 fition, Manner of Defisxnns;, 
 Grace, and Greatnefs. But Thefe 
 Prints may be alfo Coppied as 
 they frequently are, and to know 
 what are So, and what are Origi- 
 nals is by being well acquainted 
 with the Hands of the Graver, or 
 Etcher, who in This refpect are 
 the Matters, as the Painter from 
 whom They Coppied were to 
 Them. 
 
 The Former Sort may again be 
 Subdivided into three Kinds. I. 
 Thofe they have done after a 
 Painting of their Ov/n. 2. Thole 
 done after a Drawing alfo done 
 by Themfelves, or Laftly what is 
 Defign'd upon the Plate, which 
 has been Somtimes done efpeci- 
 ally in Etching. The ill of thefe 
 are Coppies after their Own 
 
 Works ; 
 
(Iff) 
 
 Works 5 and fo may the id, or they 
 may nor, according as the Draw- 
 ing they have made previoufly to 
 it happens to be : but Both are 
 fo but in Part ; what is Thus 
 done being a Different way of 
 Working. But if it be Defign'd 
 on the Plate 'tis a kind of Draw- 
 ing (as the Others are) tho' in a 
 Manner Different from the reft, 
 but 'tis purely, and properly Ori- 
 ginal. 
 
 And the Hands of the Mafters 
 are to be known in This way as 
 in all Others, and Co what are Ge- 
 nuine, and what are Coppies,and 
 how far. 
 
 The Excellence of a Print, as 
 of a Drawing confifts not parti- 
 cularly in the Handling ; This is 
 but One, and even one of the 
 Leaft confiderable parts of it: 
 'Tis the Invention, the Grace, 
 and Greatnefs, and thofe Princi- 
 pal 
 
pal things that in the firfl place 
 are to be regarded. There is bet- 
 ter Graving, a finer Burin in ma- 
 ny Worthlefs Prints than in thofe 
 of Marc Antonio, but thofe of 
 Him that come after Raffaele are 
 Generally more efteem'd than 
 even thofe which are Grav'd by 
 the Matters themfelves -, tho* the 
 Expreifion, the Grace, and Great- 
 neis, and other Properties where- 
 in that Inimitable Man fo much 
 excelFd all Mankind appear to be 
 but Faintly mark'd if compar'd 
 with what Raffaele himfelf has 
 done ; yet even That Shaddow 
 of Him has Beauties that Touch 
 the Soul beyond what the Beft 
 Original Works of Moft of the 
 Other Mailers tho' very confider- 
 able ones can do, And thismuft be 
 faid too,that tho* Marc Antonio s 
 Gravings come far fliort of what 
 Rajfade himfelf did, all others 
 A a sha£ 
 
( ipS ) 
 
 that have made Prints after Raf- 
 faele come vaftly fhort of Him, 
 becaufc He has Better imitated 
 what is mod Excellent in that Be- 
 loved, Wonderful Man than any 
 Other has done. 
 
 The Prints Etch'd by the Ma- 
 tters Themfelves ; fuch as thofe 
 of Parmeggiano, Annibale Carac- 
 ci, and Gmdo Reni, (who are the 
 Chief of thofe of whom we have 
 Works of This kind) are Con- 
 fiderable upon the Same Ac- 
 count ; not for the Handling, 
 but the Spirit, the Expre/fion, the 
 Drawing, and other the moll: Ex- 
 cellent Properties of a Picture, or 
 Drawing ; tho' by the Nature of 
 the Work they are not equal to 
 what they have done in Thofe 
 ways of Working. 
 
 And 'tis further to be obferv'd, 
 that as Prints cannot be fo good 
 &s Drawings they abate in the 
 
 Good- 
 
(199) 
 
 Goodnefs they have by the Wear- 
 ing of the Plates ; They thus be- 
 come to have Left Beauty, Lefs 
 Spirit, the Expre/fion is Fainter, 
 the Airs of the Heads are loft, 
 and the Whole is the worfe in 
 proportion as the Plate is worn : 
 Unlefs it be too Hard at firft, 
 and then thofe Prints are the Bet- 
 ter that are taken after that Hard- 
 nefs is worn off. 
 
 It were much to be wifh'd that 
 all who have apply'd themfelves 
 to the Coppying of Other mens 
 Works by Prints (of whar Kind 
 ibever) had more ftudied to be- 
 come Mafters in thofe Branches 
 of Science which are neceflary to 
 a Painter (except what are Pecu- 
 liar to Them as fuch) than they 
 have Generally done; their Works 
 would Then have been much more 
 defirable than they are. Some few 
 indeed have done This, and their 
 A a l Prints 
 
ezoo) 
 
 Prints are Efteem'd accordingly. 
 And This mud be further ob- 
 ferved to the Advantage of Prints 
 a compar a with Drawings ; tho' 
 they are by no means Equal to 
 them upon Other accounts Cas has 
 been already noted) they are usu- 
 ally done fi om the Finiih'd Works 
 of the Matters, and fo are their 
 Laft,theirutmoft Thoughts on the 
 Subjedt, whatever it be. So much 
 for Prints. 
 
 There is one Qualification ab- 
 folutely neceflaiy to him that 
 would know Hands, and diftin- 
 guifh Coppies from Originals ; 
 As it alfo is fo whofoever would 
 judge well of the Goodnefs of a 
 Pidhire, or Drawing: Or indeed 
 of any thing elfe whatfoever, And 
 with which therefore I will finifh 
 this Difcourfe \ and that is, He 
 muH know how, and Acculiom 
 himfelf to Take in, Retain, and 
 fyUnav: Clear, andVifiinit Ideas. 
 
 To 
 
(201 ) 
 
 To be able to diftinguifh be- 
 twixt too things of a Different 
 Species (efpecially if thofe are 
 very much unlike)is what the moft 
 Stupid Creature is capable of, 
 as to fay This is an Oak, and 
 Tnat a Willow j but to come 
 into a Forreft of a thoufand Oaks, 
 and to know how to diftinguifh 
 any One leaf of all thofe Trees 
 from any other whatfoever, and 
 to form Co clear an Idea of that 
 one, and to retain it fo clean as (if 
 occafionbe) to know itfolongas its 
 Chare6lerifticks remain requires 
 better Faculties than every one is 
 Mailer of; And yet This may 
 certainly be done. To fee the 
 difference between a fine, Meta- 
 phyfical notion, and a Dull Jefl: ; 
 Or between a Demonflration, 
 and an Argument but juft Proba- 
 ble, Thefe are things which he 
 that cannot do is rather a Brute, 
 
 than 
 
( 202 ) 
 
 than a Rational Creature ; But 
 to difcern wherein the difference 
 confifts when two Notions very 
 nearly Referable each other, but 
 are not the Same j Or to fee the 
 juft weight of an Argument, and 
 that through all its Artificial Dif- 
 guifes ; to do This 'tis neceffary 
 to Conceive, Diftinguifh, Metho- 
 dize, and Compare Ideas in a 
 manner that few of All thofe 
 Multitudes that pretend to Rea- 
 foning have accuftomed them- 
 ielvcs to. But Thus to See, Thus 
 Nicely to Diftinguifh things near- 
 ly refembling one another, Whe- 
 ther Vifible, or Immaterial, is 
 the Bufincfs of a Connoijfeur. 'Tis 
 for want of this Diftinsuiifhim* 
 Faculty that Some whom I nave 
 known, and from whom one 
 might Reafonably have expedted 
 better have blunder'd as Grofsly 
 as if they had Miftaken a Coreggio 
 
 for 
 
(203) 
 
 for a Rembrandt) or (to fpeak 
 more intelligably to thofe who 
 are not well acquainted with thefe 
 things) an Apple for an Oyfter : 
 But Leffer Miftakes have been 
 made perpetually when the dif- 
 ference between the two Man- 
 ners, That which we faw before 
 us, and That which it was judg'd 
 to be, Whether as to the Mafters 
 way of Thinking, or of Execu- 
 ting his thoughts was neverthelefs 
 very eafily difcernable. 
 
 'Tis as neceffary to a Connois- 
 seur as to a Fhilofopher, or Di- 
 vine to be a good Logician ; 
 The Same Faculties are employ'd, 
 and in the Same manner, the Dif- 
 ference is only in the Subject. 
 
 I. He muft never undertake to 
 make any Judgment without ha- 
 ving in his Mind Certain, Deter- 
 mined Ideas, He muft not Think, 
 or Talk at Random, and when 
 
 he 
 
(204) 
 
 he is not Clear in the thing ; As 
 thole Gentlemen Mr. Lock f peaks 
 of fomwhere who were difputing 
 warmly upon a certain Liquor 
 in the Body, and might probably 
 never have come to any Conclufi- 
 on if he had not put them upon 
 fettling the Meaning of that Term 
 Liquor ; They talk'd all the while 
 in the Clouds. 
 
 1. A good Connoiffeur will take 
 care not to Confound things in 
 which there is a real Difference 
 becaufe of the Refemblance they 
 may Seem to have. This he has 
 perpetual occafion to be upon his 
 guard againft, for many times 
 the Hands, and Manners of Diffe- 
 rent Matters very near refemble 
 each other : Miftakes of This 
 kind are verv Common in Other 
 Cafes, 
 
 That there are Indifferent Acti- 
 ons, that is, Such as are neither 
 
 Com-- 
 
 / 
 
Commanded, nor Forbidden paf- 
 fcs currantly with almoft Every 
 body ; This is imagin'd to be a 
 fort of Waft ground between the 
 Frontiers of the two Empires of 
 God, and the Devil ; but 'tis no 
 6ther than Imaginary : For tho* 
 there are Many Anions of which 
 no Reveal'd, or Poffitive Law has 
 taken any notice, there are None 
 which fall not under the cogni- 
 sance of the Moral Law, the Law 
 of Nature ; and there is a Wide 
 Difference between being left 
 Free by One of Thefe, and Both 
 of them. 
 
 So it will be thought 'twas In- 
 different Whether (for example) 
 I had taken up the Pen I have 
 in my hand, or That which lay 
 by it, as Good as This for ought 
 I know : And it was Indifferent 
 sis to the Principal Confederation 
 Concerning it, becaufe I knew 
 B b not 
 
(zo6) 
 
 not which of the two was the 
 Beit ; but Other Circumftances, 
 as they determin'd my Choice of 
 This rather than That, cieftroy'd 
 that Seeming Indifference \ This 
 tvas what my Eye firft ftiuck up- 
 on, was readieft to my hand, &c- 
 If there are a thoufand Circum- 
 ftances relating to two things, and 
 they agree exactly in All but One 
 of them ; This gives us two as di- 
 ftindt Ideas as oi any two things 
 in the Univerfe. And if we care- 
 fully obferve it we fliall find fbme 
 fuchDiftinguifhingCircumftances 
 in every A&ion we do, which 
 determines us to the doins; of 
 That rather than fome Other, 
 how Indifferent foever it may 
 feem to be which of them we 
 do. 
 Effay oj Humane There is the fame 
 
 Under (landing, t rr i 
 
 Book 4. chap. 10. difference between 
 the Demonstration Mr. Lock gives 
 
 us 
 
( 
 
 us (as fuch) of the Being of a 
 God, and a Real Demonftration, 
 as between a Coppy, and an Ori- 
 ginal ; or between the Hand of 
 Michelangelo > and that of Baccio 
 Bandineui', that is, it Refembles 
 (uch a One, but is not -It : 'Tis 
 not an Abfolute Demonftration, 
 as we had reafon to expedt, 'tis 
 only Hypothetical. I remember 
 I was much furpriz'd when I 
 found This after the great Ex- 
 pectation he had rais'd in me : I 
 gave it my Son (who was then 
 about ii or 13 years old) —My 
 Dear, Read this, and give me 
 your Opinion of it y he came to 
 me again in a Quarter of an hour, 
 and Sid ; Suppofing the World 
 to have been Created in Time 
 This is a Demonftration, Other-? 
 wife 'tis Not. And he judg'd 
 right. *Mx. Lock fhould firft of 
 have Demonftrated that great 
 B b z Point 
 
f208) 
 
 Point of the Birth of the World, 
 'till That was done he was in the 
 Cafe of Archimedes, he wanted 
 Ground to plant his Engine up- 
 on. 
 
 5. A Good Ccnmijfeur will 
 take care not to make a Diffe- 
 rence where there is None, and 
 fo Attribute thofe Works to Two 
 Several Matters which were both 
 done by the Same Hand, or call 
 that a Coppy which is truly an 
 Original. Errors of This kind 
 are Common in Other Sciences 
 as well as in This, I will give 
 two or three Inftances of Thefe 
 alfo to illuftrate what I am lay- 
 ing down as Rules in the Science 
 J am treating of. 
 
 The Church of Rome boafts 
 Their having an Advantage over 
 Us, as being under the Conduct 
 of an Infallible Guide, whereas 
 We truft to our Own Private Judg- 
 
 JMg: 
 
(top ) 
 
 nient But Their Infallibility ter- 
 minates in their Own Private 
 Judgment which determines that 
 there is fuch a Guide, and that 
 They have found it. How great 
 foever their Satisfac^on may be 
 Their Security, and Ours is the 
 Same. 
 
 So there is no Real Difference 
 in the Evidence when 'tis faid 
 fuch a Fail happen 'd, and when 
 'tis faid it happen'd in the Pre- 
 fence of 500 people, Yet I have 
 known That Circumftances much 
 infilled on, as adding a vaft 
 weight of Evidence,and this when 
 there was no occafion to bring 
 Vouchers to ftrengthen the Au- 
 thority of the Hiftorian; 'Tis 
 plain Here is no more than His 
 Single Evidence to Us, be That 
 what it will; And if it had been 
 feid there was IOOO, or iOOOO 
 ^itnefles the Evidence would 
 
 have 
 
( 210 ) 
 
 have been juft the Same, nor 
 More, nor Lefs. 
 
 -Humane Under- The fame Great 
 
 (landing, Book z. ■« . T . » i • n 
 
 Chap 28. ^ an I mention d juft 
 
 now makes our Liberty to con- 
 fift in the Power we have of Suf> 
 pending the Will, in order to 
 Confider. Now theAdlof Suf- 
 pending the Will ffuppofing it 
 could be done at pleafurej and 
 that of Confederation are as much 
 Actions as any other; tho' being 
 Mental Ones they (efpecially the 
 Latter) are commonly oppos'd to 
 A&ion, by That Term Corporeal 
 ^5/0#i'beingLTnderftood. What 
 this Gentleman fays then amounts 
 to this, That our Liberty con- 
 fifts in the power we have of 
 doing Thefe particular Mental 
 A&ions; That Thefe are Free, 
 tho' our Other Actions, whether 
 Mental, or Corporeal are not 
 fo; 
 
 A 
 
(2ii) 
 
 A Vaft Difference is here made, 
 where there fcenis to Me to he 
 None at ail > I confefs I cannot 
 fee but that I am as much at Li- 
 berty to Will any Other Adian, 
 as That of Sufpending my Will, 
 or Confidering : I am altogether 
 as Free when I Write, or Paint, 
 as when I Sufpend both, in order 
 to Confider which I lhall do ; Nor 
 do I know of any Argument He, 
 or any one elfe has u(ed to prove 
 the Former of Thefe kinds of 
 Actions are not Free, which will 
 not Equally Affcd: the Latter. 
 
 Nay when the Will is Sus- 
 pended in order to Confider tis 
 fo far from being an Inftance of 
 Liberty that we could not pofli- 
 bly do Other-wife j For we can 
 never Will an Adtion which the 
 Underftanding is not yet Satisfied 
 in as being More conducive to 
 our Happinefi than Any Other 
 
 at 
 
(ill) 
 
 at That time would be ; firicd 
 the Will is never deterrnin'd by 
 any Other Motive than That Ap- 
 pearance of Good to Our Selves, 
 whether that Appearance beTrue, 
 orFalfe; as might eafily be fliewrc 
 notwithftanding what is com- 
 monly faid on this Argument 
 
 Video Meliora,proboq; at Deteriora fequon 
 
 but it will not be proper to wan- 
 der (o far from my Main Sub- 
 jcdh 
 
 4. Connotjfeurs having fix'd 
 their Ideas fhould keep clofe to 
 them, and not flutter about in 
 Confufion from One, to Ano- 
 ther. 
 
 Mr. Lock has again furniih'd 
 us with an Example. In his 
 Fofthumous work of the Conduit 
 of the Underftanding, p. 99. he 
 mentions it as a Rule in which 
 
 (he 
 
fays) Every one agree, That Gi- 
 ving, and Wiiholding our Af- 
 fent, and the Degrees of it fkculd 
 be Regulated by the Evidence thai 
 things carry with them: And yet 
 (fays he ) Men are not the better 
 for this Rule, Some firmly em- 
 brace Doitrines upon Slight 
 grounds, Some upon No groundsi 
 and Some contrary to appearance. 
 The Natural, and obvious Serice 
 of which is no other than This> 
 Men Should Affent According to 
 the Evidence They have, but 
 they Do not. 
 
 Every one will readily agree 
 That our Affent,and Diffent fhould 
 be proportionable to the Ap- 
 pearance the Evidence has to Vs L , 
 This being certainly the Idea 
 of Evidence begun withal, it mufl! J 
 be carried throughout, no notice 
 being given to the contrary. 
 
 But then the Latter Aflertiort 
 C c w 
 
(214) 
 15 not true ; For no Man Firmly 
 cmbracesDodtrinesuponGrounds 
 He fees to be Slight, or when He 
 fees None, or when the Evi- 
 dence appears to Him to be di- 
 rectly Contrary : Be pleas'd to try 
 if you can determine in Favour 
 of Mr. Lock, (Thus underftood,) 
 or Me in the Prefent Controver- 
 sy contrary to the Appearance 
 the Arguments on either fide 
 have to Tou> or Otherwife than 
 Thofe regulate your Judgment 
 in This matter : For my Own 
 part I can as eafily perfwade my 
 (elf that the Scale on the Left 
 hand preponderates when I fee 
 that on the Right does fo, as I 
 can in any Other cafe judge con- 
 trary to the Appearances of things 
 to my Underftanding, by which 
 I as clearly perceive the weight of 
 an Argument (fuch as it appears 
 
 to 
 
?d (2if) 
 
 to me,) as I do the Other with 
 my Sences. 
 
 Probably therefore This could 
 not be Mr. Lock's Meaning in 
 this Difficult place, tho' 'tis cer- 
 tain 'tis the Natural import of his 
 Words ; But Evidence being al- 
 fo to be uriderftood as what 
 inight be fuppos'd to be had, 
 what Mr. Lock Himfelf&w, and 
 not what appear'd to every Qther 
 Man when he determines upon 
 any point in queftion, it feems 
 much more Credible that this 
 great Matter in the management 
 of Ideas Forgot himfelf Here, 
 and Began with this Latter Idea 
 of Evidence, but dropt That for 
 the Other ; Thus both Affertions 
 are true tho' they are ill con-, 
 ne&cd ; That he began with the 
 Idea of Evidence as That which 
 appears to Him that Judges is in- 
 No body will agree 
 
(zi6) 
 
 that AfTent fhould be regulated 
 by the Evidence Another man 
 has ; And that he had got the 
 Other in his head when he fi- 
 nifh'd that period (befides what 
 has been already faid) appears 
 further Evident from his Advi- 
 fing us (as he imediatly after 
 does) to Examine with Care, and 
 Impartiality : For if he had con- 
 ceived men had Aflented contra- 
 ry to the Evidence Themfelves 
 had the Fault had been in their 
 \Vills, not in their Underftan- 
 dings, and inftead of applying 
 themfelves to the Information of 
 The(e, Their bufinefs would have 
 been to have corrected Thofe, 
 and he would have advifed ac- 
 cordingly. 
 
 I will conclude what I have 
 to fay concerning Ideas with 
 One Cafe in which ali the Falfe 
 ways of Thinking, and Reafon- 
 
 \nar 
 
(2i7 i 
 
 ing I have been Cautioning a- 
 gainft May, and frequently Do 
 occur ', And that is in relation to 
 the Proof of the Being, and At- 
 tributes of God. 
 
 If any one attempts to Demon- 
 ftrate the Being of a God from 
 Natural Reafon without firft of 
 all faykg Clearly what they mean 
 bv a God, what Idea of fuch a 
 One 'tis they intend to eftablifh ; 
 Here they talk in the dark. If 
 they leave That to appear from 
 the Proof, as it Somtimes may, that 
 is, 'Tis juft fuch a God as arifes 
 to the Imagination from Thence; 
 'Tis odds but This Idea will vary 
 in the Minds of every one that 
 Hears, or Reads fiich Difcourfe, 
 nothing would be Fix'd, and Pof- 
 fitive. If this Gentleman goes 
 on, and at the End of his Argu- 
 ment you find any Other Idea 
 jdian that which was before De- 
 
 monftrated. 
 
(218) 
 
 monftrate d, then you have 
 Ghang'd Ideas ; If this is done by 
 Evidence from Revelation, or 
 Otherwife, and (till a Demonftra- 
 tion is pretended to, Here is Ano- 
 ther Fallacy; Unlefs that Evi- 
 dence from whence this New I- 
 dea arifes is alfo Demonftrated to 
 be true. That not being done, 
 but the thing appearing Only Pro- 
 bable, this Latter Idea of God has 
 no higher Proof, the Former on^ 
 ly has Demonftration. If This in^ 
 ftead of being Probable is Not fo, 
 the Latter Idea vanjfhes, the For- 
 mer only fubfifts. 
 
 I have endeavour'd to explain 
 what I meant in This part of my 
 Difcourfe by Examples in a Way 
 of Thinking to which Gentlemen, 
 for who! fake I chiefly Write 
 are well * ccuftomed, and which 
 is very Applicable to That pro- 
 per 
 
tmi 
 
 per to a Gonnoiffeur ', This I hope 
 will juftifie me in launching out 
 into Matters which at firft fight 
 may Seem to have no relation 
 to my Subject; If I have been 
 Miftaken in the Remarks I have 
 made, wherein I have taken the 
 Liberty to point out fome of the 
 Inftances of Fallibility in Other 
 Men, I beg pardon of thofe I 
 have Mifreprefented, tho' Un- 
 wittingly ; and am My Self be- 
 come tne Example of the Falfe 
 Thinking, and Reafoning I have 
 been Advifing Conmijfeurs to 
 Avoid ; and may My Self Thus 
 help to Illuftrate my Own Dif- 
 courfe : If I am in the Right, 
 Such Oversights of Men to whom 
 the World is much indebted 
 for the Light it has received 
 will help to Excufe me when 
 I fhall be found in any Other 
 
 part 
 
(220) 
 
 part of that little I have ven- 
 tured to Offer to the Publick to 
 have Thought, or Judg'd Amiii. 
 
 F 1 N I & 
 

 1 A 
 
 DISCOURSE 
 
 ON THE 
 
 Dignity, Certainty, 
 
 Pleasure and Ad vantage, 
 OF THE 
 
 SCIENCE 
 
 O F A 
 
 CONNOISSEUR. 
 
 By Mr. RICHARDSON. 
 
 Nil aSlum reputans dum quid fuperejfet agendum. 
 
 Lucan. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for W. Churchill at the Black 
 Swan in Pater-nofter-row. 1719. 
 
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 g*****^***g*»$iE%^****fri-fr*i : fr 
 
 A 
 
 DISCOURSE 
 
 O N TH E 
 
 DIGNITY, W. 
 
 IIS remarkable that in 
 a Countrey as Ours, 
 Rich, and abounding 
 with Gentlemen of a 
 Juft , and Delicate 
 Tafte, in Mufick, Poetry, and all 
 kinds of Literature,- Such fine Wri- 
 ters! Such Solid Reafbners! Such 
 Able Statefmen! Gallant Soldiers! 
 Excellent Divines, Lawyers, Phy- 
 iicians, Mathematicians, and Me- 
 chanicks! and yet fo few! fo very 
 
 A % few 
 
(4) 
 
 few Lovers, and ConnoiJJeurs in 
 Painting! 
 
 In Moil of thefe particulars there 
 is no Nation under Heaven which 
 we do not excel,* In Some of the 
 Principal moft of them are Barba- 
 rous compar'd with us • Since the 
 Beft times of the ancient Greeks and 
 Romans when this Art was in its 
 greateftEfteem, and Perfection, fuch 
 a National Magnanimity as feems 
 to be the Chare&ariftic of our 
 Nation has been loft in the World $ 
 And yet the Love, and Knowledge 
 of Painting, and what has Relation 
 to it bears no proportion to what 
 is to be found not only in Italy, 
 where they are all Lovers, and Al- 
 moft all Conno'iffeurs, but in France , 
 Holland, and Flanders. 
 
 Every Event in the Natural, and 
 Moral World has its Caufes, which 
 are caus'd by other Caufes, and lo 
 on up to the firft Caufe, the Im- 
 mutable, and Unerring Will, with- 
 out 
 
 
{ 5 ) 
 
 out which not fo Inconsiderable an 
 Accident (as it will be call'd) as the 
 falling of a Sparrow, or the change 
 of the Colour of a Single Hair can 
 happen; So that there is nothing 
 Strange: What is commonly the 
 Subject of Admiration is So for no 
 other reafon but that we don't fee 
 its Caufes, nor remember it muft 
 needs have had fucb, and which 
 muft as Infallibly operate in That 
 manner as thofe we fee, and which 
 are mod: Ordinary, and Familiar to 
 us. We are apt to wonder (for ex- 
 ample) that Such a Man got Such 
 an Eftate, or that Another had (b 
 Little, whereas did we fee all the 
 Caufes we mould fee it could not 
 have been otherwife : There goes a 
 great many of Thefe to the produ- 
 cing fuch an Event, I mean thofe 
 that may be faid to ftand in Front, 
 and not in Depth, Thofe that are 
 Concomitant, fuch as the Man's Op- 
 portunities, Humour, a certain mix- 
 ture 
 
(6 ) 
 
 ture of Abilities; he may be Well 
 qualify'd in Some reipe&s, Defied 
 ent in Others, and abundance of o- 
 therCircumftances always operating 
 at the Same Inftant, I fay I mean 
 Thefe, and not Their Caufes, and 
 the Caufes of Thofe Caufes, and fo 
 on: And thefe being known, and 
 weigh'd, the Wonder ceafes • it 
 muft needs have happen'd thus : The 
 Mercury in the Tube will Rife and 
 Fall juft as the compofition of the 
 Atmofphere happens to be. That 
 (b Few here in England have con- 
 fid er'd that to be a Good Conno'iffeur 
 is fit to be part of the Education of 
 a Gentleman, That there are fo 
 Few Lovers of Painting j not mere- 
 ly for Furniture, or for Oftentation, 
 or as it Reprefents their Friends, or 
 Themfelves ,• but as it is an Art ca- 
 pable of Entertaining, and Adorn- 
 ing their Minds As much as, nay 
 perhaps More than Any other what- 
 soever $ This Event alfo has its Cau- 
 fes, 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 fes, To remove which, and conle- 
 quently their Effects, and to pro- 
 cure the contrary Good is what I 
 am about to Endeavour, and hope 
 in fome meafure to Accomplifh. 
 
 Nor is this a Trivial Undertak- 
 ing; I have already been giving 
 the Principles of it, and Here I re- 
 commend aNEwSciENCE to the 
 World, Or one at leaft little known, 
 or confider'd as fuch : So New, or 
 fo little Known that 'tis yet with- 
 out a Name; it may have one in 
 time, till then I mull be excus'd 
 when I call it, as I do, The Science 
 of a Connoi[feur for want of a Bet- 
 ter way of exprefling my felf : I o- 
 pen to Gentlemen a New Scene of 
 Pleafure, a New Innocent Amufe- 
 ment,- and an Accomplifliment 
 which they have yet fcarce heard 
 of, but no lefs worthy of their At- 
 tention than moft of thofe they 
 have been accuftomed to acquire. 
 I offer to my Countrey a Scheme by 
 
 which 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 which its Reputation, Riches, Vir- 
 tue, and Power may be increafed. 
 And This I will do (by the help 
 of God) not as an Orator, or as an 
 Advocate, but as a ftrid Reafoner, 
 and fb as I am verily perfuaded will 
 be to the Conviction of every one 
 that will impartially attend to the 
 Argument, and not be prejudiced by 
 the Novelty of it, or their own for- 
 mer Sentiments. 
 
 My prefent bufinefs then in (hort 
 is to endeavour to perfuade our No- 
 bility, and Gentry to become Lo- 
 vers of Painting, and Connoijfeurs - y 
 Which I crave leave to do \ with all 
 Humility) by (hewing the Dignity, 
 Certainty, Pleafure, and Advanta- 
 ges of that Science. 
 
 One of the principal Caufes of 
 the General neglect of the Science 
 I am treating of I take to be, that 
 very few Gentlemen have a Juft I- 
 dea of Painting j 'Tis commonly ta- 
 ken to be an Art whereby Nature is 
 
 to 
 
(9) 
 
 to be reprefentedj a fine piece of 
 Workmanfhip, and Difficult to be 
 perform'd, but produces only plea-* 
 fant Ornaments, mere Superfluities. 
 
 This being all they expect from 
 it no wonder they look no farther • 
 and not having apply'd themfelves 
 to things of this nature, overlook 
 Beauties which they do not hope to 
 find,- So that many an Excellent 
 Pi&ure is pafs'd over, and difregard- 
 ed, and an Indifferent, or a Bad one 
 admired, and that upon Low, and 
 even Trivial Confederations; from 
 whence arifes naturally an Indiffe- 
 rence, if not a Contempt for the 
 Art, at beft a degree of Efteem not 
 very considerable: Efpecially fince 
 there are (comparatively) fo Few 
 Pi&ures in which is to be found 
 Nature reprefented, or Beauty, or 
 even fine Workmanfhip. 
 
 Tho' I have already in the en- 
 trance of my Theory of Painting, 
 and indeed throughout all I have 
 B publifhed 
 
( io ) 
 
 publifhed endeavour'd to give the 
 World a juft Idea of the Art, I will 
 in This place more particularly at- 
 tempt it, as being very pertinent 
 to my Prefent Defign; And per- 
 haps it may be fome Advantage (as 
 we find 'tis to Pictures,) to place it 
 in Several Lights. 
 
 Painting is indeed a Difficult 
 Art, productive of Curious pieces 
 of Workmanfhip, and greatly Or- 
 namental; and itsBufinefs is to re- 
 prefent Nature. Thus far the Com- 
 mon Idea is juft; Only that 'tis 
 More Difficult, More Curious, and 
 More Beaunfull than is Commonly 
 Imagin'd, 
 
 'Tis an entertaining thing to the 
 Mind of Man to fee a fine piece of 
 Art in Any kind; and every one is 
 apt to take a fort of Pride in it as 
 being done by one of his Own Spe- 
 cies, to whom with refpecl: to the 
 Univerfe he (lands related as to one 
 of the Same Conntrey, or the Same 
 
 Family. 
 
( II ) 
 
 Family. Painting affords us a great 
 Variety of This kind of Pleafure in 
 the Delicate, or Bold management 
 of the Pencil j in the mixture of its 
 Colours, in the Skilful Contrivance 
 of the feveral parts of the Pi&ure, 
 and infinite Variety of the Tin&s, 
 fo as to produce Beauty, and Har- 
 mony. This alone gives great 
 Pleafure to thofe who have learn'd 
 to fee thefe things. To fee Nature 
 juftly reprefented is very Delight- 
 full, (iuppofing the Subject is well 
 chofen) It gives us pleafing Ideas, 
 and Perpetuates, and Renews them $ 
 whether by their Novelty, or Va- 
 riety,- or by the consideration of 
 our own Eafe, and Safety, when we 
 lee what is Terrible in themfelves 
 as Storms, and Tempefts, Battels, 
 Murthers, Robberies, &c. Or elfe 
 when the Subject is Fruit, Flowers, 
 Landfcapes, Buildings, Hiftories, 
 and above all pur Selves, Relations, 
 or Friends. 
 
 B i Thus 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 Thus far the Common Idea of 
 Painting goes, and this would be 
 enough if thefe Beauties were feen, 
 and confider'd as they are to be 
 found in the Works of the Beft Ma- 
 ilers (whether in Paintings, or 
 Drawings) to recommend the Art. 
 But This is fuch an Idea of it as it 
 would be of a Man to fay He has 
 a Graceful, and Noble Form, and 
 performs many Bodily Actions with 
 great Strength, and Agility, with- 
 out taking his Speech, and his Rea- 
 fon into the Account. 
 
 The Great, and Chief Ends of 
 Painting are to Raife, and Improve 
 Nature j and to Communicate Ide- 
 as ; not only Thofe which we may 
 receive Otherwife, but Such as with- 
 out this Art could not polTibly be 
 Communicated - y whereby Mankind 
 is advanced higher in the Rational 
 State, and made Better,- and that in a 
 Way,Eafy,Expeditious, and Delight- 
 ful. 
 
 The 
 
( 13 ) 
 
 The bufinefs of Painting is not 
 only to reprefentNature,but to make 
 the Beft Choice of it ; Nay to Raife, 
 and Improve it from what is Com- 
 monly, or even Rarely Seen, to 
 what never Was, or Will beinFacl:, 
 tho s we may eafily conceive it 
 Might be. As in a good Portrait, 
 from whence we conceive a better 
 Opinion of the Beauty, GoodSenfe, 
 Breeding, and other Good Quali- 
 ties of the perfon than from feeing 
 Themfelves, and yet without being 
 able to fay in what particular 'tis 
 Unlike: for Nature rauft be ever 
 in view ; 
 
 Unerring Nature J? ill divinely bright, 
 One clear,unchang'd, and univerfalLight ; 
 Life, Force, and Beauty muft to all impart, 
 At once the Source, and End, and Teft of 
 
 Art : 
 That Art is beft which moft refembles her, 
 Which ftillprejides, yet never does appear. 
 Pope's ElTay on Criticifm. 
 
 I believe there never was (uch a 
 race of Men upon the face of the 
 
 Earth. 
 
( H) 
 
 Earth, never did Men Look, and 
 Ad: like thofe we fee reprefented in 
 the works of Raphael, Michelan- 
 gelo, Corregio, Parmeggiano, and 
 others of the beftMafters, yet Na- 
 ture appears throughout; we Rare- 
 ly, or Never fee fuch Landfcapes 
 as thofe of Titian, Annibale Car- 
 racci, Salvator Rofa, Claude Lor- 
 rain, Rubens, &c. Such Buildings 
 and Magnificence as in the Pictures 
 of Paolo Veroneje, &c. but yet 
 there is nothing but what it may ea- 
 fily be conceived maybe. Our Ideas 
 even of Fruits, Flowers , Infects, 
 Draperies, and indeed of all Vifible 
 things, and of fome that are Invi- 
 fible, or Creatures of the Imagina- 
 tion areRais'd, andlmprov'd in the 
 hands of a good Painter $ and the 
 Mind is thereby fill'd with the No- 
 bleft, and therefore the moil De- 
 lightfull Images. The Defcription 
 of one in an Advertifement of a 
 News-paper is Nature, fo is a Cha- 
 racter 
 
( i5 ) 
 
 rafter by my Lord Clarendon , but 'tis 
 Nature very differently managed. 
 
 I own there are Beauties in Na- 
 ture which we cannot reach $ Chief- 
 ly in Colours, together with a cer- 
 tain Spirit,- Vivacity, and Light- 
 nefs ,- Motion alone is a Vaft Ad- 
 vantage,- it occafions a great de- 
 gree of Beauty purely from that 
 Variety it gives,- fo that what I 
 have faid elfewhere is true, 'Tis im- 
 poffible to Reach Nature by Art ,- 
 But This is not inconfiftent with 
 what I have been faying juft now$ 
 Both are True in different Senfes. 
 We cannot reach what we let be- 
 fore us, and attempt to Imitate, but 
 we Can carry our Ideas, fo far be- 
 yond what we have feen, that tho' 
 we fall fhort of executing them with 
 our hands, what we do will never- 
 thelefs excel Common Nature, E- 
 fpecially in Some particulars, and 
 thofe very confiderable ones. 
 
 When I fay Nature is to be Rais'd, 
 
 and 
 
( 16 ) 
 
 and Improv'd by Painting it mufi: 
 be underftood that the Actions of 
 Men mult be reprefented better 
 than probably they Really were, as 
 well as that their Perfons muft ap- 
 pear to be Nobler, and more Beau- 
 tifull than is Ordinarily feen. In 
 treating a Hiftory a Painter has O- 
 ther Rules to go by than a Hiftori- 
 an, whereby he is as much Oblig'd 
 to Imbellim his Subject, as the o- 
 ther is to relate it Juftly. 
 
 Not only (uch Ideas are convey'd to 
 us by the help of This Art as merely 
 give usPleafure, but (uch as Enlight- 
 en the Underftanding, and put the 
 Soul in Motion. From hence are 
 learn' d the Forms, and Properties 
 of Things, and Perfons, we are 
 Thus inform'd of Pail; Events •> by 
 This means Joy, Grief, Hope, Fear, 
 Love, Averfion, and the other 
 Paffions , and Affections of the 
 Soul are excited, and above all we 
 are not only Thus Inftructed in 
 
 what 
 
( 17 ) 
 
 what we are to Believe, and Pra- 
 6li(e ; but our Devotion is inflamed, 
 and whatever may have happen'd 
 to the contrary it may Thus alfo 
 be Re&ify'd. 
 
 Painting is another fort of Wri- 
 ting, and is fubfervient to the Same 
 Ends as that of her younger Sifter,- 
 That by Characters can commu- 
 nicate Some Ideas which the Hiero- 
 glyphic kind cannot, As This in 
 other refpects (upplies its Defects ,• 
 
 And the Ideas thus convey'd to 
 us have This advantage, They 
 come not by a Slow Progreflion of 
 Words, or in a Language peculiar 
 to One Nation only • but with fuch 
 a Velocity, and in a Manner foU- 
 niverfally underftood that 'tis lome- 
 thing like Intuition, or Infpiration,- 
 As the Art by which 'tis erte&ed re- 
 fembles Creation ; Things fo con- 
 fiderable, and of fo great a Price, 
 being produced out of Materials fo 
 Inconfiderable, of a Value next to 
 nothing, C What 
 
( i8 ) 
 
 What a Tedious thing would it 
 be to defcribe by Words the View 
 of a Countrey, (that from Green- 
 wich hill for inftance) and how im- 
 perfect an Idea mud we receive 
 from hence! Painting (hews the 
 thing Immediately, and Exactly. 
 No Words can give you an Idea of 
 the Face, and Perfon of one you 
 have never feen • Painting does it 
 Effectually ,• with the addition of fo 
 much of his Character as can be 
 known from thence • and moreover 
 in an inftant recalls to your memory, 
 at lead the mod Considerable par- 
 ticulars of what you have heard con- 
 cerning him, or occafions that to be 
 told which you have never heard. 
 Beiiori in the rfvoflino Car a c ci d ifcour- 
 
 ttfe of Anni- & J r 
 
 baieCarracd. ling one day or the hxcel- 
 lency of the Ancient Sculpture was 
 profufe in his Praifes of the Laacoon, 
 and obferving his Brother Annibale 
 neither (poke, nor feem'd to take 
 any notice of what he faid, re- 
 
 proach'd 
 
( I* ) 
 
 proach'd him as not enough efteem- 
 ing fo Stupendious a Work : He then 
 went on defcribing every particular 
 in that Noble Remain of Antiqui- 
 ty. Anmbale turn'd himfelf to the 
 Wall, and with a piece of Char- 
 coal drew the Statue as exactly as 
 if it had been before him: The 
 reft of the company were furpriz'd, 
 and Agoft'tno was filenc'd ,• conferr- 
 ing his Brother had taken a more 
 Effectual way to demonftrate the 
 Beauties of that wonderful peice of 
 Sculpture: // Poeti dipingono con 
 le Parole, It Ptttori parlano con 
 tOper e faid Ann'ibale. 
 
 When Marius being driven from 
 Rome by Sylla was Prifoner at Mm- 
 turna, and a Soldier was fent to 
 Murther him, upon his coming in- 
 to the room with his Sword drawn 
 for that purpofe, Marius faid aloud 
 2t) $y) ToXficjig av9gu7te Td'iov Mdgicv qlvqli- 
 §sm Darefl thou Man ^///Caius Ma- 
 rius, which fo terrify'd the Ruffian 
 C i that 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 that he retired without being able 
 to effect what he came about. This 
 Story , and all that Plutarch has 
 wrote concerning him, gives me 
 not a greater Idea of him than one 
 glance of the eye upon his Statue 
 that I have feen • 'tis in the Noble 
 Collection of Antiques at my Lord 
 Lemfier's Seat at Torcefier in Nor- 
 thamptonjhire. The Odyffes cannot 
 give me a greater Idea of Ulyffes 
 than a Drawing I have of Polys/ore, 
 where he is discovering himfelf to 
 Penelope, 'and Telemachus by bend- 
 ing the Bow. And I conceive as 
 highly of St. Paul by once walking 
 through the Galleiy of Rafaelle at 
 Hampton Court, as by reading the 
 whole Book of the Ads of the A- 
 poftles tho' written by Divine Inipi- 
 ration. So that not only Painting 
 fur nifties us with Ideas, but it car- 
 ries that matter Farther than any 
 Other way whatfoever. 
 
 ThebufinefsofHiftory is a Plain, 
 
 and 
 
(21) 
 
 and Juft relation of Facts ,• 'tis to 
 be an Exad Pi&ure of Humane 
 Nature. 
 
 Poetry is not thus confin'd, but 
 provided Natural Truth is at the 
 bottom Nature muft be Heighten'd, 
 and Improv'd, and the Imagination 
 fill'd with Finer Images than the 
 Eye Commonly fees, or in Some 
 cafes Ever can, whereby the Paf- 
 fions are more Strongly touch'd, 
 and with a greater degree of Plea- 
 sure than by plain Hiftory. 
 
 When we Painters are to be Ral- 
 ly'd upon account of the Liberties 
 we give to our Inventions, Horace's 
 PiBoribus atque Poetis never fails. 
 We own the Charge y but then the 
 Parallel muft be underftood to con- 
 fift in fuch a departure from Truth as 
 is Probable, and Such as Pleafes and 
 Improves, but deceives No body. 
 
 The Poets have Peopled the Air, 
 Earth, and Waters with Angels, 
 Flying Boys, Nymphs, and Satyrs,- 
 
 they 
 
( 22 ) 
 they have Imagin'd what is done in 
 Heaven, Earth, and Hell, as well 
 as on this Globe, and which could 
 never be known Hiftorically - } their 
 very Language, as well as their 
 Meafures, and Rhimes muft be a- 
 bove what is in Common ufe. The 
 Opera has carried this matter Still 
 farther, but fo far as that being be- 
 yond Probability it touches not as 
 Tragedy does, it ceafes to be Po- 
 etry, and degenerates into mere 
 Shew, and Sound ; if the Paflions 
 are affected 'tis from Thence, tho 5 
 the Words were not only heard di- 
 ftinctly, but underftood. (By the 
 way) let it be confider'd in This 
 Light, Let the Opera be confider'd 
 as Shew, and Mufick, One of the 
 Inftruments being a HumaneVoice, 
 the Common Objedion to its be- 
 ing in an Unknown Tongue falls 
 to the Ground. 
 
 As the Poets, fo the Painters 
 have ftor'd our Imaginations with 
 
 Beings., 
 
( 23 ) 
 Beings, and A&ions chat never were ,• 
 they have given us the Fineft Na- 
 tural, and Hiftorical Images, and 
 that for the fame End, to Pleafe, 
 whilft they Inftrud:, and make 
 men Better. I am not difpos'd to 
 carry on the Parallel, by defend- 
 ing to Particulars, nor is it my Pre- 
 fent hufmefs : Mr. Dryden has done 
 it, tho 5 it were to be wifh'd he had 
 been in lefs Hafte, and had un- 
 derftood Painting better when his 
 Fine Pen was fo employ'd. 
 
 Sculpture carries us yet farther 
 than Poetry, and gives us Ideas that 
 no Words can : Such Forms of 
 things, fuch Airs of Heads, fuch, 
 Expreffions of the Pailions that can- 
 not be defcrib'd by Language. 
 
 It has been much difputed which 
 is the moft Excellent of the two Arts, 
 Sculpture, or Painting, and there 
 is a Story of its having been left to 
 the determination of a Blind man, 
 who gave it in favour of the Lat- 
 ter 
 
( 2 4 ) 
 ter, being told that what by Feel- 
 ing feem'd to him to be Flat, ap- 
 pear'd to the Eye as Round as its 
 Competitor. I am not fatisfy'd 
 with This way of deciding the Con- 
 troverfy. For 'tis not the Difficul- 
 ty of an Art that makes it prefer- 
 able, but the Ends propos'd to be 
 ferv'd by it, and the Degree in 
 which it does That, and then the 
 Lefs Difficulty the Better. 
 
 Now the great Ends of both 
 thefe Arts is to give Pleafure, and 
 to convey Ideas, and that of the 
 two which bed anfwers Thofe Ends 
 is undoubtedly preferable - } And that 
 this is Painting is Evident, fince it 
 gives us as great a degree of Plea- 
 fure, and all the Ideas that Sculpture 
 can, with the Addition of Others,- 
 and this not only by the help of 
 her Colours- but becaufe (he can 
 exprefs many things which Brafs, 
 Marble, or other Materials of that 
 Art cannot, or are not fo Proper 
 
 for. 
 
(25 ) 
 
 for. A Statue indeed is feen all 
 round, and this is one great Ad- 
 vantage which 'tis pretended Scul- 
 pture has, but without reafon : If 
 the Figure is Seen on every Side, 
 'tis Wrought on every Side, 'tis 
 then as fo many feveral Pictures, 
 and a hundred Views of a Figure 
 may be Painted in the time that 
 that Figure is cut in Marble, or caft 
 in Brafs. 
 
 As the bufinefs of Painting is to 
 Raife, and Improve Nature, it an- 
 swers to Poetry ; (tho' upon Occa- 
 fion it can alfo be Strictly Hiftori- 
 cal) And as it ferves to the Other, 
 more Noble End, this Hieroglyphic 
 Language completes what Words, 
 or Writing began, and Sculpture 
 carried on, and Thus perfects all 
 that Humane Nature is capable of 
 in the communication of Ideas 'till 
 we arrive to a more Angelical, and 
 Spiritual State in another World. 
 
 I believe it will not be unaccept- 
 D . able 
 
( 26 ) 
 
 able to my Readers if I illuftrate 
 what I have been laying by Exam- 
 ples, and the rather bccaufe they 
 are very Curious, and very little 
 Known. 
 
 Villani in his Florentine Hiftory 
 lib. 7. cap. izo, 117. fays, that An- 
 no 1288 there were great divifions 
 in the City of Pifa upon account 
 of the Sovereignty,- One of the 
 Parties was headed by the Judge 
 Nino di Gallic a de 'JAfconti; the 
 Chief of Another Party was Count 
 Ugolino de 'Gberardefchi ; and the 
 Archbifhop Ruggieri of the Fa- 
 mily of the Ubafdmi was at the head 
 of the Third Party, in which were 
 alfo the Lanfranchi, the Sigifmon- 
 di y the Gualandiy and others,- the 
 t\VO firft of thefe Parties wefe Gue/fi, 
 the other Ghibellines y (JFa&ions that 
 at that time, and for many years be- 
 fore, and after made difmal ha- 
 vock in Italy.) CountUgolino to get 
 the Power into his Own hands, ca- 
 
 ball'd 
 
( 27 } 
 
 Secretly with the Archbifhop to 
 ruin the Judge, who never fiipeft- 
 ed that, He being a Guelf as the 
 Count was, and moreover his near 
 Relation; however the thing was 
 effe&ed ,• the Judge, and his Fol- 
 lowers were driven out o(Pifa y and 
 thereupon went to the Florentines, 
 and ftir'd Them up to make War 
 upon the Pifans : Th efe in the mean 
 time fubmitted themfelves to the 
 Count, who thus became Lord of 
 Pi/a. But the number of the 
 Guelf s being di minim' d by the de- 
 parture of the Judge, and his Fol- 
 lowers i and That Faction growing 
 daily weaker, and weaker, the 
 Archbifhop laid hold of the Op- 
 portunity, and betray'd Him in His 
 turn ,• he put it into the heads of 
 the Populace that the Count intend- 
 ed to give up their Caftles to their 
 Enemies the Florentines, and Luc- 
 chefes : This was eafily fwallow'd ,- 
 the Mobb fuddenly rofe, and ran 
 D % with 
 
( 28 ) 
 
 with great Fury to the Palace, which 
 they foon gain'd with little lofs of 
 Blood $ their new Sovereign they 
 clapt up in a Prifon, together with 
 his two Sons, and two Grandfons; 
 and drove all the reft of his Family, 
 and Followers, and in general all 
 the Guelfs out of the City. A few 
 Months after This the Pifans being 
 become deeply engaged in the In- 
 teftine War of the Guelfs and Ghi- 
 belhnes, and having chofe Count 
 Guido de Montifeltro for their Ge- 
 neral, the Pope excommunicated 
 Them, and Him, and all his Fa- 
 mily : This incens'd them the more 
 againfl: Count Ugolmo, fo that ha- 
 ving feen the Gates of the Prifon 
 well fecur'd, they flung the Keys 
 into the River Arno y to the end that 
 none might relieve Him, and his 
 Children with Food,- who there- 
 fore in a few Days peridi'd by Fa- 
 mine. This farther Circumftance 
 of Cruelty was exercis'd on the 
 
 County 
 
(2 9 ) 
 
 Count; he was denied either 
 Prieft, or Monk to Confefs him, 
 tho 5 he begg'd it of his Enemies 
 with bitter Cries. 
 
 The Poet carries this Story far- 
 ther than the Hiftorian could, by 
 relating what pafs'd in the Prifon. 
 This is Dame, who was a young 
 man when this happened, and was 
 Ruin'd by the Commotions of thefe 
 times. He was a Florentine, which 
 City after having been long divi- 
 ded by the Guelf y and Ghibelline Fa- 
 ction at laft became intirely Guelf: 
 But This Party then fplit into two 
 others under the Names of the 
 Bianchi y and the Neri, the Latter 
 of which prevailing, Plunder'd, and 
 BaniuVd Dante $ not becaufe he was 
 of the Contrary Party, but for be- 
 ing Neuter, and a Friend to his 
 Countrey. 
 
 When Virtue fails^ and Party-heats endure. 
 The Poft of Honour is the Leafi Secure, 
 
 This 
 
( 3o ) 
 
 This great Man (in the 33d 
 Canto of the id part of his Come- 
 dia) in his Paflage thro 5 Hell, in- 
 troduces Count Ugolino knawing the 
 Head of this Treacherous, and 
 Cruel Enemy the-Archbifhoo, and 
 telling his own fad Story. At the 
 appearance of Dame. 
 
 La bocca folleuo dal fiero pafto 
 Quel peccator, Sec. 
 
 He from the Horrid Food his Mouth withdrew, 
 And wiping with the Clotted, Offal hair 
 His fhuda" ring Lips, raifing his Head thus fpake- 
 
 Tcu will compel me to renew my Grief 
 Winch e're I /peak opprejfes my fad Heart ; 
 But ij I Inf'.my accumulate 
 On him whofe Head I knaw, V e not forbear 
 Tofpeaktho' Tears flow j 'after than my Words. 
 
 I know not who you are, nor by what power, 
 Whether of Saints, or Devils you hither came, 
 But by your Speech you feem a Florentine > 
 Know then that I Count Ugolino am, 
 Archbtflwp Ruggieri this, which known 
 That I by him Betray d was put to Death 
 Is needlefs to relate, you muft have heard', 
 But what muft be unknown to Mortal Men, 
 'The cruel Circumftances of my Death, 
 Thefe I will tell, which Dreadful Secret known 
 Ton will conceive how Juft is my Revenge. 
 
 The ancient Tower in which I was confined, 
 And which is now the Tower of Famine call'd, 
 
 Had 
 
( 31 ) 
 
 Had in her Sides fome Symptoms of decay, 
 'through thefe I faw the fir fl approach of mora, 
 After a re file fs night, the fir fi I flept 
 A P.ifoner in its Walls; Unquiet Dreams 
 Opprefs'd my laboring Brain. Ifaw this Man 
 Hunting a Wolfe, and, her four little Whelps 
 Upon that ridge of Mountains which divides 
 The Pifan Lands from thofe -winch Lucca claims; 
 With Meagre, Hungry Dogs the Chafe was ma&e, 
 Nor long continued, quick thc-y feizfd the Prey, 
 And tore their Bowels with remorfelefs teeth. 
 Soon as my broken Slumbers fled, I heard 
 My Sons (wJjo alfo were confin'd with me) 
 Cry in their troubled Sleep, and ask for Bread: 
 O , ou are Cruel if you do not weep 
 thinking on that, which now you well perceive 
 My Heart dlvin'd; If this projoke not tears 
 At what are yon accuftomed to 'jeep ? 
 
 the hour Haas come When Fcodjhould have been 
 u,cvght, 
 Inft mdof t\. Hod! I heard the noife 
 
 Of i ., ted Bolts, with doubled force 
 
 St , 1: - ion. I beheld 
 
 .-0:2s with troubled. Eyes; 
 n chefn, but utter d not a Word: 
 j d I weep; they wept, Anf Ihtto fwrd 
 
 ( le, clear Anfelmo) WhaSs the matter 
 
 , Why lock you fol I ep not yet, 
 2 hake a Word that Day, nor following Night, 
 
 a whenth? Light of^je ,u.ceeding Morn 
 2 zily appeal d, and I heheld my Own 
 x he four Faces of m< h '; cched Sons 
 x n my ■ Jencked Fiji, ja'le.id my teeth: 
 1,xy judpng 'twas for Hunger rofe at once, 
 i u Sir Dave gran us Being, you have chattid 
 Us with this miferable Flejb i 'tis yours, 
 
 Suflaiu. 
 
( 32 ) 
 
 Su/lain your Self with it^ the Grief to Us 
 Is lefs to Dye, than thus to fee your Woes. 
 'Thus [pake my Boyes : I like a Statue then 
 Was Silent, Still, and not to add to Theirs 
 Doubled the weight of my Own Miferies : 
 
 This, and the following Day in Silence pafs'd. 
 TVhy Cruel Earth dijl thou not open then ! 
 
 The Fourth came on; my Gaddo at my Feet 
 Cry'd Father help me ; faid no more but dyd : 
 Another Day two other Sons expir'd; 
 The next left me alone in Woe ; Their Griefs 
 IVere ended. Blindnefs now hadfeizJd my Eyes, 
 But no Relief afforded ; Jfaw not 
 My Sons, but grofd about with Feeble hands 
 Longing to touch jheir Famijh'd Carcaffes, 
 Calling fir ft One, then T'other by their Names, 
 3 Till after two Days more what Grief could not 
 That Famine did. He faid no more, but turn' d 
 With baleful Eyes diflorted all in hafte, 
 AndfsizJd again, and gnaw' 'd the mangled Head. 
 
 The Hiftorian, and Poet having 
 done Their parts comes Michelan- 
 gelo Buonarotti, and goes on in a 
 Bas^relezfl have feen in the hands 
 of Mr. Trench, a Modeft, Ingeni- 
 ous Painter, lately arriv'd from his 
 long Studies in Italy. He flicws us 
 the Count fitting with his Four 
 Sons, one dead at his Feet, O- 
 ver their Heads is a Figure repre- 
 
 fenting 
 
( 33 ) • 
 
 fenting Famine, and underneath is 
 another to denote the River Arno y 
 on whofe Banks this Tragedy was 
 a&ed. Michelangelo was the fitted; 
 Man that ever liv'd to Cut, or Paint 
 this Story, if I had wifh'd to fee it 
 reprefented in Sculpture, or Paint- 
 ing I fhould have hVd upon this 
 Hand ; He was a Dante in his way, 
 and he read him perpetually. I have 
 already obferved, and 'tis very true, 
 There are certain Ideas which can- 
 not be communicated by Words, 
 but by Sculpture, or Painting only ; 
 it would be Ridiculous then on this 
 occafion to undertake to defcribe 
 this admirableS^-r^/,- 'tis enough 
 for my prefent purpofe to fay there 
 are Attitudes, and Airs of Heads fb 
 proper to the Subject, that they 
 carry the Imagination beyond what 
 the Hiftorian, or Poet could pof- 
 fibly • for the reft I muft refer to 
 the thing it felf. 'Tis true a Genius 
 Equal to that of Michelangelo may 
 E form 
 
(34) 
 
 form to its felf as Strong, and Pro- 
 per Expreflipns as thefe, but where 
 is that Genius! Nor can even He 
 Communicate them to Another, 
 unlefs he has alfo a Hand like that 
 of Michelangelo, and will take that 
 way of doing it. 
 
 And could we fee the fame Sto- 
 ry Painted by the fame great Ma- 
 fter it will be eafily conceiv'd that 
 this muft carry the Matter ftill far- 
 ther ; There we might have had 
 all the Advantages of Expreffion 
 which the Addition of Colours 
 wouid have given, and the Co- 
 louring of Michelangelo was as 
 proper to That, as his Genius was 
 to the Story in general y Thefe 
 would have {hewn us the Pale, and 
 Livid Flefn of the Dead, and Dy- 
 ing Figures, the Rednefs of Eyes, 
 and Biewifh Lips of the Count, the 
 Darkncfs, and Horrour of the Pri- 
 fon, and other Circumftances, be- 
 fides the Habits (for in the bas- 
 relief 
 
(35) 
 
 relief all the Figures are Naked as 
 more proper for Sculpture) Thefe 
 might he contrived fo as to exprefs 
 the Quality of the Perfons the more 
 to excite our Pity, as well as to en- 
 rich the Pi&ure by their Variety. 
 
 Thus Hiftory begins, Poetry rai- 
 fes higher, not by Embellifhing the 
 Story, but by Additions purely Po- 
 etical : Sculpture goes yet farther, 
 and Painting Completes and Per- 
 fects, and That only can - y and here 
 ends, This is the utmoft Limits of 
 Humane power in the Communi- 
 cation of Ideas. 
 
 I have obferved elfewhere, and 
 will take leave to put my Reader in 
 mind of it once more. 'Tis little 
 to the honour of Painting, or of 
 the Mafters of whom the Stones are 
 told that the Birds have been cheat- 
 ed by a Painted Bunch of Grapes ■ ; 
 or Men by a Fly, or a Curtain, and 
 fuch like 5 Thefe are Little things 
 in comparifon of what we are to 
 E 2 expect 
 
( 3* ) 
 
 expert from the Art. Whoever 
 have fancied thefe kind of things 
 confiderable have been Wretched 
 ConnotffeurSy how Excellent foever 
 they may have been in Other re- 
 fpeets. Rafael k would have Dif- 
 dain'd to have attempted fuch Tri- 
 fles, or would have Blufh'd to have 
 been Prais'd for them j But Rafaelle 
 would have Painted a God, a Hero, 
 an Angel, a Madonna j or he would 
 have related fome Noble Hiftory, 
 or made a Portrait in fuch a man- 
 ner, as Whoever faw it with Geni- 
 us, and Attention, fhould treafure 
 up in his Mind an Idea that fhould 
 always give him Pleafure, and be a 
 Wifer, and Better Man all his Life 
 after. 
 
 The bufincls of Painting is to do 
 almoft all that Difcourfe, and Books 
 can, and in many Inftances much 
 more, as well as more Speedily, 
 and more Delightfully,- So that if 
 Hiftory, if Poetry, if Philofophy, 
 
 Natural, 
 
(37 ) 
 
 Natural, or Moral, if Theology, 
 if any of the Liberal Arts, and Sci- 
 ences are worthy the Notice, and 
 Study of a Gentleman, Painting is 
 fo too. To read the Scripture I 
 know will be allow'd to be an Em- 
 ployment worthy of a Gentleman, 
 becaufe (amongft other Reafons) 
 from hence he learns his Duty to 
 God, his Neighbour, and Himfelf^ 
 he is put in mind of many Great, 
 and Inftructive Events, and his Paf- 
 fions are warm'd, and agitated, and 
 turn'd into a right Channel,- All 
 thefe Noble Ends are anfwer'd, I 
 will not fay as Effedually, but I will 
 repeat it again and again they are 
 Anfwer'd when we look upon, and 
 confider what the great Mafters 
 have done when they have aflum'd 
 the Characters of Divines, or Mo- 
 ralifts, or have in Their way related 
 any of the Sacred Stories. Is it an 
 Amufement, or an Employment 
 worthy of a Gentleman to read 
 
 Homer, 
 
Homer, Virgil, Milton, &c? the 
 Works of the mod: Excellent Paint- 
 ers have the like Beautiful Defcrip- 
 tions.the like Elevation of Thought, 
 and Raife, and Move the Paflions, 
 Inftruct, and Improve the Mind as 
 Thefe do. Is it worthy of a Gen- 
 tleman to Employ, or Divert Him- 
 (elf by reading Thucydides, Livy, 
 Clarendon, &c? the Works of the 
 moft Excellent Painters have the 
 like Beauty of Narration, fill the 
 Mind with Ideas of the like Noble 
 Events, and Inform, InftrudV., and 
 Touch the Soul alike. Is it worthy 
 of a Gentleman to read Horace, 
 Terence, Shake/pear, the Tatlers, 
 and Spetlators, &c. The Works 
 of the moft Excellent Painters do 
 alio Thus give us an Image of Hu- 
 mane Life, and fill our Minds with 
 Ufeful Reflections, as well as Di- 
 verting Ideas ^ all thefe Ends are 
 anfwer'd, and oftentimes to a great- 
 er degree than any other way. To 
 
 confider 
 
( 39 ) 
 
 confider a Pi&ure aright is to Read, 
 but in Refped; of the Beauty with 
 which the Eye is all the while en^ 
 tertain'd, whether of Colours, or 
 Figures, 'tis not only to read a Book, 
 and that finely Printed, and well 
 Bound, but as if a Confort of Mu- 
 lick were heard at the fame time: 
 You have at once an Intellectual, 
 and a Senfual Pleafure. 
 
 I plead for the Art, not its Abu- 
 fes; 'Tis a Sublime PaiTage that in 
 Job ; If when I beheld the Sun when 
 it Jhmedy or the Moon walking in 
 Brzghtnefs, and my Heart hath been 
 fecretly entic'd, or my Mouth hath 
 faffed my Hand, This alfo was an I- 
 niquiiy to be puniflfd by the Judge, 
 for I Jhould have deny' d the God that 
 is above. If when I fee a Madonna 
 tho 5 painted by Rafaelle I be en- 
 ticed and drawn away to Idolatry; 
 Or if the Subject of a Picture, tho' 
 painted by Annibale Caracci pollutes 
 my Mind with impure Images, and 
 
 transforms 
 
( 4-o ) 
 
 transforms me into a Brute; Or if 
 any other, tho' never fo Excellent, 
 rob me of my Innocence, and Vir- 
 tue, May my Tongue cleave to the 
 Roof of my Mouth, and my Right 
 Hand forget its Cunning If I am 
 its Advocate as 'tis Inftrumental to 
 fuch Detefted Purpofes: But thefe 
 Abufes excepted (as What Has not 
 been ? What Is not Abus'd ?) the 
 Praife of Painting is a Subject not 
 unworthy of the Tongue, or Pen 
 of the Greateft Orator, Poet, Hi- 
 ftorian, Philofopher, or Divine; 
 Any of which when he is confide- 
 ring the Works of our Great Ma- 
 ilers will not only find him to be 
 one of Themfelves, but fometimes 
 All thefe at once, and in an Emi- 
 nent Degree. I know I fpeak with 
 Zeal, and an ardent PaiTion for the 
 Art, but I am ferious, and fpeak 
 from Conviction, and Experience, 
 and whoever confiders Impartially, 
 and acquaints himfelf with fuch ad- 
 mirable 
 
(4i ) 
 
 mirable Works of Painters as I have 
 done, will find what I have faid is 
 Solid, and Un exaggerated Truth. 
 
 The Dignity of the Science I am 
 recommending will farther appear 
 if it be confider'd, that if Gentle- 
 men were Lovers of Painting, and 
 ConnoiJJeurs, it would be of great 
 Advantage to the Publick, in 
 
 i. The Reformation of our Man- 
 ners. 
 
 2. The Improvement of our Peo- 
 ple. 
 
 3. The Increafe of our Wealthy 
 and with all thefe of our Honour., 
 and Power. 
 
 Anatomifts tell us there are fe- 
 veral Parts in the Bodies of Animals 
 that ferve to feveral Purpoles, Any 
 of which would juftify the Wifdom, 
 and Goodnefs of Providence in the 
 inaking of them - y but that they are 
 Equally Ufeful, and Neceffary to 
 All, and ferve the End of Each as 
 effedually as if they were apply'd 
 
 F to 
 
( 42; ) 
 to One only: This is alfo true of 
 Painting- It ferves for Ornament, 
 and Ufe - y It Pleafes our Eyes, and 
 moreover Informs our Underftand- 
 ings, Excites our Paffions, and In- 
 ftru&s us how to Manage them. 
 
 Things Ornamental, and things 
 Ufeful are commonly diftinguifh'd, 
 but the Truth is Ornaments are al- 
 io of Ufe, the Diftindion lies only 
 in the Ends to which they are fub- 
 fervient. The wife Creator in the 
 great Fabrick of the World has a- 
 bundantly provided for Thefe, as 
 well as for Thofe that are called 
 the Neceffaries of Life: Let us i- 
 magine our Selves always inhabiting 
 between Bare Walls, wearing no- 
 thing but only to cover our Bodies, 
 and protect them from the Incle- 
 mencies of the Weather, no Di- 
 ftinction of Quality, or Office, See- 
 ing nothing to Delight, but mere- 
 ly what ferves for the Maintenance 
 our Being j how Savage, and Un- 
 comfortable 
 
("43 ) 
 
 comfortable rnuft This be! Orna- 
 ments raife, and exhilarate our Spi- 
 rits, and help to excite moreUfe- 
 ful Sentiments than is commonly i- 
 magin'd • And if Any have this Ef- 
 fect, Pictures (confider'd only as 
 Such) will, as being one of the 
 Principal of This kind. 
 
 But Pictures are not merely Or- 
 namental, they are alfo Inftructive - y 
 and Thus our Houfes are not only 
 unlike the Caves of Wild Beafts, or 
 the Hutts of Savages, but diftin- 
 guifh'd from thofe of Mahometans, 
 which are Adorn'd indeed, but with 
 what affords no Inftruction to the 
 Mind : Our Walls like the Trees of 
 Dodona's Grove fpeak to us, and 
 teach us Hiftory, Morality, Divi- 
 nity • excite in us Joy, Love, Pi- 
 ty, Devotion, @fc. If Pictures have 
 not this good Effect, 'tis our Own 
 Fault in not Chufing well, or not 
 applying our Selves to make a Right 
 life of them. But I have Ipoken 
 F 2 of 
 
( 44 ) 
 
 of This fufficiently already , and 
 will only take leave to add Here, 
 That if not only our Houfes, but 
 our Churches were Adorn'd with 
 proper Hiftories, or Allegories well 
 Painted, the People being now fo 
 well Inftructed as to be out of Dan- 
 ger of Superftitious Abufes, their 
 Minds would be more Senfibly af- 
 fected than they can pofTibly be 
 without This Efficacious means of 
 Improvement, and Edification. But 
 This (as indeed every thing elfe ad- 
 vanced by me) I humbly fubmit to 
 the Judgment of my Superiours. 
 
 If Gentlemen were Lovers of 
 Painting, and Connoijfeurs This 
 would help to Reform Them, as 
 their Example, and Influence would 
 have the like Effect upon the Com- 
 mon People. All Animated Beings 
 naturally covet Pleafure, and ea- 
 gerly purfue it as their Chiefeft 
 Good ; the great Affair is to chufe 
 thofe that are Worthy of Rational 
 
 Beings, 
 
(45 ) 
 
 Beings, Such as are not only Inno- 
 cent, ,but Noble, and Excellent: 
 Men of Eafy, and Plentiful For- 
 tunes have commonly a great part 
 of their time at their Own Difpo- 
 fal, and the want of knowing how 
 to pafs thofe Hours away in Virtu- 
 ous Amufements contributes per- 
 haps as much to the Mifchievous 
 Effe&s of Vice, as Covetoufnels, 
 Pride, Luft, Love of Wine, or a- 
 ny other Paffion whatfoever. If 
 Gentlemen therefore found Plea- 
 fure in Pi&ufes, Drawings, Prints, 
 Statues, IntagTias, and the like Cu- 
 rious Works of Art; in difcovering 
 their Beauties, and Defects; in mak- 
 ing proper Obfervations thereupon; 
 and in all the other parts of the bu- 
 finefs of a Connoiffeur, how many 
 Hours of Leifure would Here be 
 profitably employ'd, inftead of what 
 is Criminal, Scandalous, and Mif- 
 chievous! I confefs I cannot fpeak 
 Experimentally becaufe I have not 
 
 try'd 
 
( 4* ) 
 
 try'd Thofe • nor can Any Man 
 pronounce upon the Pleafures of 
 Another, but I know what I am 
 recommending is fo great a One, 
 that I cannot conceive the Other 
 can be Equal to it, Efpecially if the 
 Draw-backs of Fear, Remorfe, 
 Shame, Pain, &c. be taken into 
 the Account. 
 
 2. Our Common People have 
 been exceedingly Improv'd within 
 an Age, or two, by being Taught 
 to Read, and Write ■ they have al- 
 io made great Advances in Mecha- 
 nicks, and in feveral Other Arts, 
 and Sciences , And our Gentry, and 
 Clergy are more Learned, and bet- 
 ter Reafoners than in times pad,- a 
 farther Improvement might yet be 
 made, and particularly in the Arts 
 of Defign, if as Children are taught 
 Other things they, together with 
 Thefe learnt to Draw; they would 
 not only be qualify'd to be- 
 come better Painters, Carvers, Gra- 
 vers, 
 
( 47 ) 
 
 vers, and to attain the like Arts im- 
 mediately, and evidently depending 
 on Defign, but they would thus 
 become better Mechanicks of all 
 kinds. 
 
 And if to learn to Draw, and to 
 underftand Pictures, and Drawings 
 were made a part of the Education 
 of a Gentleman, as Their Example 
 would Excite the Others to do the 
 like, it cannot be deny'd but that 
 This would be a farther Improve- 
 ment even of This part of our Peo- 
 ple : The whole Nation would by 
 This means be removed fome De- 
 grees higher into the Rational State, 
 and make a more confiderable Fi- 
 gure amongft the Polite Nations of 
 the World. 
 
 3. If Gentlemen were Lovers of 
 Painting, and Connoiffeurs, many 
 Summs of Money which are now la- 
 vifli'd away, and conlum'd in Luxury 
 would be laid up in Pictures, Draw- 
 ings, and Antiques, which would be, 
 
 not 
 
(48 ) 
 
 not asPlate, orjewels,but an Improv- 
 ing Eftate 5 Since as Time, and Ac- 
 cidents muft continually wafte, and 
 diminifh the Number of thefe Cu- 
 riofities, and no New Supply (E- 
 cjualinGoodnefs to thofe we have) 
 is to be hop'd for, as the appea- 
 rances of things at prefent are, the 
 Value of fuch as are preferv'd with 
 Care muft neceffarily encreafe more 
 and more : Efpecially if there is a 
 greater Demand for them, as there 
 Certainly will be if the Tafte of Gen- 
 tlemen takes This Turn : Nay 'tis 
 not Improbable that Money laid 
 out This way, with Judgment, and 
 Prudence, (and if Gentlemen are 
 good Connoiffeurs they will not be 
 impos'd upon as they too often are) 
 may turn to Better Account than 
 almoft in Any other. 
 
 We know the Advantages Italy 
 receives from her Pofleihon of fo 
 many fine Pictures, Statues, and 
 other curious Works of Art : If our 
 
 Countrey 
 
( 4-9 ) 
 
 Countrey becomes famous in That 
 way, as her Riches will enable her 
 to be if our Nobility, and Gentry 
 are Lovers and Connoijfeurs, and 
 the Sooner if an Expedient be found 
 (as it may Eafily be) to Facilitate 
 their Importation, We (hall fhare 
 with Italy in the Profits arifing from 
 the Concourfe of Foreigners for 
 thePleafure, and Improvement that 
 is to be had from the Seeing, and 
 Confiderincr fuch Rarities. 
 
 If our People were Improved in 
 the Arts of Defigning, not only 
 our Paintings, Carvings, and Prints, 
 but the Works of all our other Ar- 
 tificers would alfo be proportiona- 
 bly Improved, and confequently 
 coveted by Other Nations, and 
 their Price advanced, which there- 
 fore would be no fmall Improve- 
 ment of our Trade, and with that 
 of our Wealth. 
 
 I have obferv'd heretofore, that 
 
 there is no Artift whatfoever, that 
 
 G produces 
 
( So ) 
 
 produces a piece of work of a va- 
 lue fo vaftly above that of the Ma- 
 terials of Natures furnilhing as the 
 Painter does ; nor confequently that 
 can Enrich a Countrey in any De- 
 gree like Him : Now if Painting 
 were only confider'd as upon the 
 Level with Other Manufactures, 
 the Employment of More Hands, 
 and the Work being Better done 
 would certainly tend to the Increafe 
 of our Wealth • but This Confide- 
 ration over and above adds a great 
 Weight to the Argument in favour 
 of the Art as Instrumental to This 
 End. 
 
 Inftead of Importing vaft Quan- 
 tities of Pictures, and the like Cu- 
 riofities for Ordinary Ufe, we might 
 fetch from Abroad only the Beft, 
 and fupply other Nations with Bet- 
 ter than Now we commonly take 
 off their Hands : For afmuch a Su- 
 perfluity as thefe things are thought 
 to be, they are fuch as no Body 
 
 will 
 
( 5i ) 
 
 will be without, not the meaneft 
 Cottager in the Kingdom, that is 
 not in the extreme!! Poverty, but 
 he will have fomething of Pi&ure 
 in his Sight. The fame is the 
 Cuftom in Other Nations, in Some 
 to a Greater, in Others to a Lefs 
 Degree: Thefe Ornaments People 
 will have as well as what is abso- 
 lutely Necelfary to Life, and as fure 
 a Demand will be for them as for 
 Food, andCloaths; as it is in fome 
 Other Inftances thought at firft to 
 be Equally Superfluous, but which 
 are Now become considerable 
 Branches of Trade, and confequent- 
 ly of great Advantage to the Pub- 
 lick. 
 
 Thus a thing as yet unheard of, 
 and whofe very Name (to our Dif- 
 honour) has at prefent an Uncouth 
 Sound may come to be Eminent in 
 the World, I mean the Englifb 
 School of Painting, and whenever 
 This happens who knows to what 
 G 2 heights 
 
( 52 ) 
 
 it may rife; for the Enghfh Na- 
 tion is not accuftom'd to do things 
 by Halves. 
 
 Arts, and Politenefs have a con- 
 ftant Rotation : Thefe parts of Eu- 
 rope have twice received them from 
 Italy, She from Greece , who had 
 them from Egypt, and Per/la, 
 In one Age fuch a part of the 
 Globe is Enlighten'd, and the reft 
 in Darknefs ; and thofe that were 
 Savages for many Centuries, in a 
 certain Revolution of time become 
 the fin eft Gentlemen in the World. 
 The Arts of Defign have long 
 ago forfaken Perfia, Egypt, and 
 Greece, and are now a third time 
 much declin'd in Italy ■ Some Other 
 Countrey may fucceed Her in This 
 particular, as She fucceeded Greece. 
 Or if the Arts continue There,They 
 may fpread themfelves, and Other 
 Nations may Equal, if not Excel 
 the Italians : There is nothing Un- 
 
 reafon- 
 
(53) 
 
 reafonable in the thing, nay 'tis ex- 
 ceeding Probable. 
 
 I have faid it heretofore, and 
 will venture to repeat it, notwith- 
 standing the National Vanity of 
 Some of our Neighbours, and our 
 own Falfe Modefty, and Partiality 
 to Foreigners (in This relpeft, tho' 
 in Others we have fiich Demon- 
 ftrations of our Superiority that we 
 have learn' d to be Confcious of it) 
 if ever the Great Tafte in Painting, 
 if ever that Delightful, Ufeful, and 
 Nobie Art does revive in the World 
 'tis Probable 'twill be in England. 
 
 Befides that Greatnels of Mind 
 which has always been Inherent in 
 our Nation, and a Degree of Solid 
 Senfe not inferiour to any of our 
 Neighbours, We have Advanta- 
 ges greater than is commonly 
 thought. We are not without our 
 Share of Drawings, of which Italy 
 has been in a manner exhaufted 
 long fmce : We have fome fine An- 
 tiques, 
 
( 54) 
 
 tiques, and a Competent number 
 of Pi&ures of the Bed: Matters. 
 But whatever our Number, or Va- 
 riety of Good Pi&ures is, We have 
 the Bed: Hiftory-Pi&ures that are 
 anywhere now in being, for we 
 have the Cartons of Rafaelle at 
 Hampton-Court, which are Gene- 
 rally allowed even by Foreigners, 
 and Thofe of our own Nation who 
 are the moft Bigotted to Italy, or 
 France, to be the Bed of that Ma- 
 fter, as he is inconteftably the Beft 
 of all thofe whofe Works remain in 
 the World. And for Portraits we 
 have Admirable ones, and perhaps 
 the Beft oi Rafaelle, Titian , Rubens, 
 and above all of Van-Dyck, of 
 whom we have very many: and 
 Thefeare the Beft Portrait-Painters 
 that ever were. 
 
 In Ancient times we have been 
 frequently Subdued by Foreigners, 
 the Romans, Saxons, Danes, and 
 Normans have all done it in their 
 
 Turns ; 
 
( 55 ) 
 
 Turns • Thofe Days are at an End 
 long fince ,• and we are by various 
 Steps arriv'd to the height of Mili- 
 tary Glory, by Sea, and Land. Nor 
 are we lefs Eminent for Learning, 
 Philofophy, Mathematicks, Poetry, 
 Strong, and Clear Reafoning, and a 
 G reamers, and Delicacy of Tafte,- 
 In a Word, in Many of the Libe- 
 ral, and Mechanical Arts we are E- 
 qual to any other People, Ancients, 
 or Moderns • and in Some perhaps 
 Superiour. We are not yet come 
 to that Maturity in the Arts of De- 
 fign « Our Neighbours, thofe of Na- 
 tions Not remarkable for their Ex- 
 celling in This way, as well as 
 thofe that Are, have made frequent, 
 and fuccefsful Inroads upon us, and 
 in This particular have Lorded it 
 over our Natives Here in their own 
 Countrey. Let us at length Dif- 
 dain as much to be in Subjection in. 
 This refpedt as in Any Other,* Let 
 us put forth our Strength, and em- 
 ploy 
 
( S6 ) 
 
 ploy our National Virtue, that 
 Haughty Impatience of Subje&ion, 
 and Inferiority, which feems to be 
 the Chara&eriiHck of Our Nation 
 in This as on many Other Illuftri- 
 ous Occafions, and the thing will 
 be effe&ed ■ the Englijh School will 
 Rife, and Flouriflh. 
 
 And to This, and to the obtain- 
 ing the Benefits to the Publick con- 
 fequent thereupon , what I have 
 Been pleading for would greatly 
 contribute: For if our Nobility, 
 and Gentry were Lovers, and Con- 
 noiJfeurs y Publick Encouragement, 
 and Affiftance would be given to 
 the Art; Academies would be fet 
 up, Well Regulated, and the Go- 
 vernment of them put into Such 
 Hands, as would not want Autho- 
 rity to maintain thofe Laws, with- 
 out which no Society can Profper, 
 or long- Subfift. Thefe Academies 
 would then be well provided of all 
 Neceffaries for Instruction in Geo- 
 metry, 
 
( 57 ) 
 
 metry, Perfpective, and Anatomy, 
 as well as Defigning, for without 
 a competent Proficiency in the 
 three former, no considerable Pro- 
 grefs can be made in the Other. 
 They would then be furniflied with 
 Good Mafters to Direct the Students, 
 and good Drawings, and Figures, 
 whether Cafts, or Originals, An- 
 tique, or Modern for their Imita- 
 tion. Nor mould thefe be con- 
 fider'd merely as Schools, or Nur- 
 feries for Painting, and Sculptors, 
 and other Artifts of That kind, but 
 as places for the better Education 
 of Gentlemen, and to Complete 
 the Civilizing, and Polifhing of our 
 People, as our Other Schools, and 
 Univerfities, and the Other means 
 of Inftru&ion are. 
 
 If our Nobility, and Gentry were 
 Lovers of Painting, andConnoiJ/eurs, 
 a much greater Treafure of Pictures, 
 Drawings, and Antiques would be 
 brought in, which would contri- 
 H bute 
 
( 58 ) 
 
 bute abundantly to the Railing, and 
 Meliorating our Tafte, as well as to 
 the Improvement of our Artifts. 
 
 And then too People of Condi- 
 tion would know that at Prefent, 
 whatever Has been the State of 
 things heretofore, Foreigners (be 
 they Italians, or of whatever other 
 Countrey) have not the Advantage 
 over us whether as Connoijfeurs, or 
 as Painters, as They have been ac- 
 cuftomed to Imagine : They will 
 then know that if in Some Inftan- 
 ces the Advantage is on Their Side, 
 in Others 'tis on Ours: Thus that 
 Partiality fb Difcouraging, and Per- 
 nicious to Our Own People will be 
 removed. 
 
 Such Men being Conno'iffeurs, and 
 Lovers of Painting, and Zealous 
 for the Honour, and Intereft of 
 their Countrey in This particular, 
 would raife the fame Spirit in O- 
 thers, and amongft the reft in the 
 Artifts themfelves if it were not 
 
 there 
 
( 59 ) 
 
 there before: And Thefe would 
 Then be oblig'd to labour to Im- 
 prove in their feveral ways, becaufe 
 they muft be Otherwife without 
 Employment, whereas they will be 
 tempted to indulge themfelves in 
 Sloth, and Ignorance when they 
 find there are Eafier Methods of 
 attaining Fame, and Riches, at 
 lead of living tolerably well, than 
 by making any confiderable Pro- 
 grefs in their Art: 
 
 A good Tafte, and Judgment in 
 thofe who employ them would 
 not only compel Painters to 
 Study, and be Induflrious, but put 
 them in a Right way if they felJL 
 not into it of Themfelves : It has 
 been faid, and I verily believe 'tis 
 true, that King Charles I. tookfuch 
 delight in Painting that he frequent- 
 ly fpent feveral Hours with Van- 
 Dyck • remarking upon his Works, 
 and giving him luch Hints as much 
 contributed to the Excellence we 
 H i fee 
 
( 6o) 
 
 fee in them. Painters would thus 
 learn not to attach themfelves 
 Meanly, and Servilely to the Imi- 
 tation of This, or That particular 
 Manner, or Mafter, and thofe per- 
 haps none of the Bed, but to have 
 more Noble, Open, and Extenfive 
 Views ; to go to the Fountain Head 
 from whence the Greater!: Men have 
 drawn That which has made their 
 Works the Wonder of iucceeding 
 Ages ,• They would thus learn to go 
 to Nature, and to the Reafon of 
 things. Let them receive all the 
 Warmth, and Light they can from 
 Drawings, Pictures, and Antiques, 
 but let them not flop there, but en- 
 deavour to difcover what Rules the 
 Great Mafters went by, what Prin- 
 ciples they built upon, or might 
 have built upon, and let them do 
 the fame,- not becaufe They did fo, 
 or were Suppofed to have done fo, 
 but becaufe 'twas Reafonable. 
 If (Laftlyj Men of Birth, and 
 
 Fortunes 
 
( tfl ) 
 
 Fortunes were generally Lovers of 
 Painting, and Connoijfeurs, as they 
 would be convinc'd of the Dignity 
 of the Profeflion, they would caufe 
 more oftheirYoungerSons (at leaft) 
 to be applied this way, as well as 
 to Law, Divinity, Arms, Naviga- 
 tion, &c. Thefe by a generous E- 
 ducation, and not being oblig'd to 
 work for bare Subfiftence would be 
 better Qualify'd for fo Noble a 
 Study, and have better Opportuni- 
 ties of Improvement in it. There 
 can be no fuch thing as a Mere 
 Painter ,• to merit the Name of a 
 Painter 'tis neceffary to be much 
 more, he muft be Confiderable 
 without That Addition. 'Tis not 
 Here as in Numbers, where if a 
 Unite be fet before feveral Cyphers 
 it may make a Summ ,• there muft 
 be a large Summ firft, and then 
 This Unite fct at the Head of them 
 has a Value, and makes the whole 
 Ten times more. 
 
 I have 
 
( 62 ) 
 
 I have been (hewing how Benefi- 
 cial the Art of Painting is, and how- 
 much More it Might be made to 
 the Publick in the Reformation of 
 our Manners, Improvement of our 
 People, andlnereafe of our Wealth, 
 all which would bring a proportio- 
 nable Addition of Honour, and 
 Power to this Brave Nation • And 
 I have fhewn that for a Gentleman 
 to become a Lover of the Art, and 
 a Connotffeur is the Means to at- 
 tain this End : This alone if there 
 was no other Argument would prove 
 it to be worthy of Such a one to 
 turn his Thoughts This way. 
 
 Here being a full Pe- 
 riod, and the firft Oppor- 
 tunity I have had, I will 
 inform the Publick that 
 I have at length found a 
 Name for the Science of 
 
 a Con- 
 
( *3 ) 
 a Connoiffeur of which I 
 am treating, and which I 
 obferved at the entrance 
 of this Subje£t wanted 
 One. After fome of thefe 
 Sheets were printed I was 
 complaining of this De- 
 fed: to a Friend, who I 
 knew, and Every Body 
 will readily acknowledge 
 was very proper to be ad- 
 vifed with on This, or a 
 Much Greater Occafion^ 
 and the next Day had 
 the honour of a Letter 
 from him on another Af- 
 fair, wherein however the 
 Term Co nnois san-€ e was 
 us'd ; This I immediately 
 found was That he recom- 
 mended, 
 
(H) 
 mended, and which I fhall 
 ufe hereafter. And in- 
 deed fince the Term Con- 
 noiffeur, tho' it has a Ge- 
 neral Signification, has 
 been received as denoting 
 One skilful in this parti- 
 cularScience^there can be 
 no reafon why the Science 
 it felf fhould not be call- 
 ed Connoiffance. Perhaps 
 'tis not without fomeMix- 
 ture of Vanity in my felf, 
 but in Juflice to my 
 Friend I muft not con- 
 ceal his Name; 'tis Mr. 
 PRIOR. 
 
 I will now go on with my Dif- 
 courfc. 
 
 There are Few that pretend to 
 be Connoiffeurs, and of thofe Few 
 
 the 
 
( *5 ) 
 
 the number of Such as Deferve to 
 be fo call'd is very Small : 'Tis not e- 
 nough to be an Ingenious Man in 
 General, nor to have feen all the 
 Fineft things in Europe, nor even 
 to be able to Make a good Picture, 
 Much left the having the Names, 
 and fbmething of the Hiftory of 
 the Matters: All This will not 
 make a Man a good ConnoiJJem\ 
 To be able to judge of the Good- 
 nels of a Picture, moft of thole 
 Qualifications are neceflfary, which 
 the Painter himfelf ought to be pof- 
 felTed of, That is, all that are not 
 Practical $ He muft beMafter of the 
 Subject, and if it be Improveable 
 he muft know it is fb, and Wherein $ 
 He muft not only fee, and Judge of 
 the Thought of the Painter in what 
 he Has done, but muft know more- 
 over what he Ought to have done, 
 He muft be acquainted with the 
 Paflions, their Nature, and how 
 they appear on all Occafions. He 
 
 I muft 
 
{66 ) 
 
 muft have a Delicacy of Eye to j udge 
 of Harmony, and Proportion, of 
 Beauty of Colours, and Accuracy 
 of Hand,- and Laftly he muft be 
 converfant with the Better Sort of 
 People, and with the Antique, or 
 he will not be a good Judge of 
 Grace, and Greatnefs. To be a 
 good Connoiffeur (I obferv'd hereto- 
 fore) a Man muft be as free from 
 all kinds of Prejudice as poffible - y 
 He muft moreover have a Clear, and 
 Exact way of Thinking, and Rea- 
 fbning ; he muft know how to take 
 in, and manage juft Ideas - y and 
 Throughout he muft have not on- 
 ly a Solid, but an Unbiafs'd Judg- 
 ment. Thefe are the Qualifica- 
 tions of a Connoiffeur ; A nd are not 
 Thefe, and the Exercife of Them, 
 well becoming a Gentleman? 
 
 The Knowledge of Hiftory has 
 ever been efteem'd to be lo. And 
 this is abfolutely neceflary to a Con- 
 noiffeur, not That only which may 
 
 enable 
 
( *7 ) 
 
 enable him to judge how well the 
 Painter has managed fuch, and 
 fuch a Story, which he will have 
 frequent Occafion to do, but th& 
 particular Hiftory of the Arts, and 
 efpecially of Painting. 
 
 Methinks it fhould be worth the 
 while of fome one duly qualified for 
 fuch an Undertaking, inftead of the 
 Accounts of Revolutions in Em- 
 pires, and Governments, and the 
 Means, or Accidents, whereby they 
 were effe&ed, Military, or Po- 
 litical, to give us the Hiftory of 
 Mankind with refpecl: to the place 
 they hold amongft Rational Beings ; 
 that is, a Hiftory of Arts, and Sci- 
 ences,- Wherein it would be feen 
 to what heights fome of the Species 
 have rifen in Some Ages, and Some 
 Countreys, whilft at the fame time 
 on Other parts of the Globe Men 
 have been but one Degree above 
 Common Animals,* And the fame 
 People who in This Age gave a 
 I i Dignity 
 
( 68 ) 
 
 Dignity to Humane Nature, in a- 
 nother &nk almoft to Brutality, or 
 Chang' d from One Excellency to 
 Another. Here We might find 
 Where, and When fuch an Inven- 
 tion firft appear'd, and by what 
 Means ^ What Improvements, and 
 Decays happen'd : When fuch ano- 
 ther Luminary rofe, and what 
 courfe it took ,• and whether 'tis now 
 Afcending - y in its Zenith, Declining, 
 or Set. Here it would be confider'd 
 what Improvements the Moderns 
 have made upon the Ancients , 
 and what Ground they have loft: 
 Such a Hiftory well written, would 
 give a clear Idea of the Nobleft 
 Species of Beings we are acquaint- 
 ed with in that particular wherein 
 their preheminence confifts. And 
 (by the way) I will take leave to 
 obferve that we fhould find them to 
 have arriv'd to a vaft Extent of 
 Knowledge, and Capacity in Na- 
 tural Philofophy, in Aftronomy, 
 
 in 
 
( *9 ) 
 
 in Navigation, in Geometry, and 
 other Branches of the Mathema- 
 ticks, in War, in Government, in 
 Painting, Poetry, Mufick, and o- 
 ther Liberal, and Mechanick Arts ; 
 In other refpecls, particularly in 
 Metaphyficks, and Religion to have, 
 been Ridiculous, and Contempti- 
 ble: Except where the Divine Good- 
 nefs has vouchfafed an Extraordi- 
 nary Portion of Light, like the 
 Sun-beams darting out here, and 
 there upon the Earth in a Cloudy 
 Day, or where it has blaz'd out 
 plentifully by Supernatural Reve- 
 lation. 
 
 In fuch a Hiftory it would be 
 found that the Arts of Defign, 
 Painting, and Sculpture were known 
 in Petjia, and Egypt long before 
 we have any Accounts of them a- 
 mongft the Greeks ; but that They 
 carried them to an Amazing height, 
 from whence they afterwards fpread 
 themfelves into Italy y and other 
 
 Parts 
 
( 7© ) 
 
 Parts, with various Revolutions , 
 'till they funk with the Roman Em- 
 pire, and were loft for many Ages, 
 fo that there was not a Man upon 
 the Face of the Earth able to deli- 
 neate the Form of a Houfe, a Bird, 
 a Tree, a Humane Face, a Body, 
 or whatever other Figure confiding 
 of any Variety of Curv'd Lines o- 
 therwife than as a Child amongft 
 Us,- to do this Right, and as it is 
 done Now, was as much above the 
 Capacity of the Species at That time 
 as it is Now to make a Voyage to 
 the Moon. In this State of things, 
 about the middle of the 13 th Cen- 
 tury Giovanni Cimabue a Florentine, 
 prompted to it by a Natural Genius, 
 and aflifted at firft by fome wretch- 
 ed Painters from Greece began to 
 Reftore thofe Arts, which were Im- 
 prov'd by his Difciple Giotto. 
 
 In fuch a Hiftory it would fol- 
 low that after feveral Endeavours, 
 and Advances had been made by 
 
 Sirnone 
 
( 71 ) 
 
 Shnone Memmi, Andrea Verrocchlo y 
 and others, Maffaccio born abouc 
 Anno 14 17 at Florence, (who indeed 
 I ought to have inferred in the 
 Chronological Lift in my former 
 Book) This grent Man, in his 
 (hort Life of Six and Twenty 
 Years, made fo considerable an Im- 
 provement upon what he found 
 had been done before him, that he 
 May juftly be (as he Is) efteem'd, 
 the Father of the Second Age of 
 Modern Painting. The Light thus 
 happily kindled in Tu/cany diffus'd 
 it (elf into Lombard^, for foon af- 
 ter the Death of Mafaccio, the Bel- 
 hnis y Jacopo, and his two Sons 
 firft introduc'd the Art in Venice ; 
 and foon after Francefco Francia 
 appear'd at Bologna, and was the 
 Majfacc'io of that City - y for the Art 
 had rais'd its Head there long be- 
 fore, and Some fay more early than 
 even at Florence ,♦ tho' it was but 
 juft kept alive there 'till many Years 
 
 after. 
 
( 72 ) 
 after. About this time too Andrea 
 Mantegna fhew'd the Art to Thofe 
 of Mantua > and Padua. Germany 
 alfb had her Albert Durer about 
 the latter End of the fame Century, 
 and in the beginning of the next 
 Lucas van Ley den was famous in 
 Holland^ as was Hans Holbein 
 quickly after here in England. But 
 Florence was (till the Center of 
 Light, where it brighten'd more, 
 and more,- For in the Year 1445 
 Lionardo da Vinci was born there: 
 This was a Univerfal Man, and a- 
 mongft other Arts was Excellent in 
 Painting, and Defigning, efpecial- 
 ly the latter, in which he fometimes 
 almoft equall'd the Bell: Mafters the 
 World ever faw. About 30 Years 
 after him arofe Michelangelo Buo- 
 narotti, the Head of the Florentine 
 School, a Vaft Genius Superiour to 
 all the Moderns in Sculpture, and 
 perhaps in Defigning, and a pro- 
 found Knowledge in Anatomy - y and 
 
 moreover 
 
( 73 ). 
 
 moreover as Excellent an Architect* 
 Theft two great Men coming to 
 Rome , where (tho' there was To 
 great a Difproportion in theirYears) 
 they were Competitors, transferr'd 
 the Seat of the Art to that Happy 
 City. Tho' in Venice it went on 
 improving, and growing up to 
 Maturity, and Perfection, which it 
 attain'd to (in fome of its Parts, 
 particularly Colouring) in Giorgi- 
 one^ and more eminently \x\Titian y 
 and in Corregio upon the Terra fir- 
 ma of Lombardy. And Now, that 
 is, upon the entrance of the 16th 
 Century the great Luminary of 
 Painting appear'd above the Hori- 
 zon, the undoubted Head of the 
 Roman School, and of the Modern 
 Painters Rafaelle Sanzto da Urbino. 
 Whether any of the Ancients ex- 
 cell'd him, and if they did, in. what 
 Degree are Queftions which theHi- 
 ftory lam recommending as proper 
 to be written may endeavour to re- 
 
 K folve, 
 
( 74 ) 
 
 folve, I will not. But fuch an Hi- 
 ftorian will go on to fhew how the 
 Flame which blaz'd fo glorioufly in 
 Rafaelle , and continued Bright, 
 tho 5 with a diminifh'd Luftre in his 
 Difciples Giulw Romano, Pohdoro, 
 PierinO) and others ; and at Flo- 
 rence in Andrea del Sarto,- and 
 There, and Elfewhere, as well as 
 at Rome in Baldajfar Pertizzi y Pri- 
 maticcioy Battifta Franco , Parmeg- 
 gianOy the Elder Palma, Tintoretto, 
 Baroccio, Paolo Veronefe, the two 
 Zuccaroes, Cigol'i, and many others, 
 Decay'd by little, and little ; 'Till it 
 was blown up again in the School 
 of the Caracci in Bologna about an 
 Hundred and Forty Years ago ,• and 
 continued with great Brightnefs in 
 their Difciples, and Others y - Gin- 
 feppmo y Vanniy Guido, Alban't, Do- 
 mimchinOy Lanfranco &c. But as the 
 Jews wept when they faw the fe- 
 cond Temple, which tho' Magni- 
 ficent was not Equal to the firft, 
 
 fo 
 
( 75 ) 
 
 fo neither was this great Effort ca- 
 pable of producing fuch Stupend- 
 ous Works of Art as thofe of the 
 Rafaelk Age. And tho 5 we have had 
 Great Men in their Several ways, 
 as Rubens , Spagnoletto, Guercino, 
 Nicolas PouJJin, Pietro da Cortona, 
 Andrea Sacchi, Van-Dyck, Cafli- 
 git one, Claude Lorenefe, the Bor- 
 gognone, Salvator Rofa, Carlo Ma- 
 ratti y Luca Giordano , and fe- 
 veral Others of Leffer Note, tho' 
 neverthelefs of Confiderable Me- 
 rit, yet the Art has vifibly de- 
 clin'd. As for its Prefent State 
 in Italy, Here, and Elfewhere the 
 Hiftorian I am fpeaking of may 
 write what he thinks fit, and per- 
 haps by that time New Matter may 
 arife; I, for my part, inftead of 
 entering upon that Subject, will 
 content my felf with obferving in 
 general, That tho 5 Mankind have 
 always exprefs'd a Love to it, and 
 been ready to encourage the weak- 
 KV eft 
 
( 76 ) 
 
 eft Endeavours this way, (I only 
 Except the Jews, an Arabian Im- 
 poftor, and his Fanatick Difciples, 
 and fome few Enthufiafts, and Sour, 
 Stupid People) the Species in all 
 the many Ages of their Exiftence 
 have been rarely able, and in a nar- 
 row Extent of Countrey, at any 
 one time to perform any thing con- 
 siderable in Painting: There have 
 been Innumerable Great Mafters in 
 Other Arts, and Sciences, but in 
 This the Number is very Small ; 
 Great Mafters in many Other Arts 
 have appear'd in All Ages,- Of 
 Painting there have been none in 
 all the Six Thoufand Years fince 
 the Birth of the World (at leaft 
 We have no Account of them) Ex- 
 cept thofe in Greece, and Italy two 
 Thoufand Years ago, and that per- 
 haps for about the Space of Five 
 Hundred Years,- and Thofe in this 
 Latter Age of the Art of which I 
 have been offering a Curfory View. 
 
 So 
 
( 77 ) - 
 
 So ancient ./Etna's Sulphurous Caverns give 
 Sufficient Food to keep the Flame alive 5 
 The kindled Stream thro'' ev'ry Chafm fir ays 
 On each Combufiible with Gladnefs preys, 
 But in large Spaces ampler Fires difplays j 
 Deep Sunk below 'tis hid from Mortal Eyes, 
 But Smoak, and Cinders moderately rife ; 
 ""fill Nature furnifhing Uncommon Stores, 
 The Hill from out her gaping Summit pours 
 Afcending Ruddy Flames, and with a Sound 
 Loud, and Triumphant fills the Air around, 
 Supplies the Heavens with another Day, 
 And jhews the Mariner far off his way, 
 The Stock exhaufied to her Wont returns, 
 And Silently, Unfeen the Mountain bums. 
 
 It rauft have been obferv'd that 
 the Art has flourifhed at Florence, 
 Rome, Venice, Bologna, &c. In 
 each of which Places the Style of 
 Painting has been Different; as it 
 has been in the feveral Ages in 
 which it has flourifhed. When it 
 firft began to Revive after the Ter- 
 rible Devaftations of Superftition, 
 and Barbarity, it was with a Stiff, 
 Lame manner, which mended by 
 little, and little 'till the time of 
 
 Mafac- 
 
( 78 ) 
 
 MafacciOy who rofe into a Better 
 Tafte, and Began what was refer- 
 ved for Rafaelle to Complete. How- 
 ever this Bad Style had fomething 
 Manly, and Vigorous; Whereas in 
 the Decay, whether after the Hap- 
 py Age of Rafaelle, or that of An- 
 nib ale One fees an Effeminate, Lan- 
 guid Air, Or if it has not That it 
 has the Vigour of a Bully, rather 
 than of a Brave Man : The Old 
 Bad Painting has more Faults than 
 the Modern, but this falls into the 
 Infipid. 
 
 The Painters of the Roman 
 School were the Belt Defigners , 
 and had more of the Antique Tafte 
 in their Works than any of the O- 
 thers, but generally they were not 
 good Colourifts ,• Thofe of Florence 
 were good Defigners, and had a 
 Kind of Greatnels, but 'twas not 
 Antique. The [Venetian y and Lom- 
 bard Schools had Excellent Colou- 
 rifts, and a certain Grace but en- 
 tirely 
 
( 79 ) 
 
 tirely Modern, efpecially thofe of 
 Venice ; but their Drawing was ge- 
 nerally Incorrect, and their Know- 
 ledge in Hiftory, and the Antique 
 very little : And the Bolognefe 
 School is a Sort of Compofition of 
 the Others ; even Annibale himfelf 
 porTefTed not any Part of Painting 
 in the Perfection as is to be feen 
 in thofe from whom His Manner is 
 compos'd, tho' to make amends he 
 poffefled more Parts than perhaps 
 any Other Mafter, and in a very 
 high Degree. The Works of thofe 
 of the German School have a 
 Drynefs, and ungraceful StifTnefs, 
 not like what is feen amongfl: the 
 Old Florentines ,That has fbmething 
 in it Pleafing however, but This is 
 Odious, and as remote from the 
 Antique as Gothicifm could carry it. 
 The Flemings have been Good Co- 
 lourifts, and imitated Nature as 
 They conceived it, that is, inftead 
 of Railing Nature, they fell below 
 
 it % 
 
(8o ) 
 
 it, tho 5 not fo much as the Ger- 
 mans, nor in the fame Manner; 
 Rubens himfelf Liv'd , and Dy'd 
 a Fleming, tho' he would fain have 
 been an Italian ; but his Imitators 
 have Caricatura'd His Manner, that 
 is they have been more Rubens in 
 his Defects than he himfelf was, 
 but without his Excellencies. The 
 French (Excepting fome few of 
 them, A 7 . PouJJin, LeSeur, Sebafti- 
 en Bourdon, dec.) as they have not 
 the German Stiffnefs, nor the Fie- 
 m'ifh Ungracefulnefs, neither have 
 they the Italian Solidity ,• and in 
 their Airs of Heads, and Manners, 
 they areeafily diftinguifh'd from the 
 Antique how much foever they 
 may have endeavour'd to imitate 
 them. 
 
 Which have been the mod Ex- 
 cellent Painters the Ancients, or 
 the Moderns is a Queftion often 
 propos'd, and which 1 will try to re- 
 folve. That the Painters of Thole 
 
 times 
 
( 8i ) 
 
 times were Equal to the Sculptors 
 in Invention, Expreffion, Drawing, 
 Grace, and Greatneis is lb exceed- 
 ing probable that I think it may be 
 taken for granted. If fo, that in 
 Drawing, Grace, and Greatnefs 
 the Ancients have the Advantage 
 is certain ; and little lefs than cer- 
 tain that in Colouring, and Com* 
 pofition the Moderns have it More. 
 But tho' That be true, Thofe Parts 
 of Painting being not io Confide* 
 rable as the Other in which the Mo- 
 derns are outdone, it will hardly 
 reduce the Matter to an Equality, 
 the Advantage will remain to the 
 Ancients fo far as we have gone. 
 It remains that We confider the o- 
 ther Parts of Painting, the In- 
 vention , and Expreffion : The 
 manner of Thinking of the An- 
 cients is iuch as is not to be men* 
 tion'd without the utmoft Venera- 
 tion allow'd to be given to Mortal 
 Men^ But when I fee what Some 
 
 L of 
 
( 82 ) 
 
 of the Moderns have done in Thefe 
 Parts of Painting I profefs I dare 
 not determine which has the Pre- 
 ference. It would be a fine Amufe- 1 
 ment, or rather a Noble, andaUfe- 
 fill Employment for a Gentleman 
 to collect, and compare the ma- 
 ny fine Thoughts, and Exprefiions, 
 on One Side, and the Other : For 
 Me to do it here would be too Te- 
 dious, and too great a Task, having 
 already undertaken what will coft 
 me More Pains, and Time than I 
 intended, or perhaps is fit for me 
 to beftow this way Whether e- 
 ven This would end the Difpute is 
 Uncertain • But as the Matter ftands 
 at prefent, allowing an Equality in 
 thefe laft mentioned Parts of Paint- 
 ing, and an Advantage to the Mo- 
 dern in Some others, the Superio- 
 rity of the Ancients in Drawing, 
 Grace, and Greatnefs determines 
 in Favour of Them 
 
 Another Part of Hjftory no lefs 
 
 worth v 
 
( §3 ) 
 
 worthy a Gentleman's Considera- 
 tion than neceflary to a Connotffeur, 
 is that of the Lives of the particular 
 Mailers. When we reflect upon the 
 Vigorous Sallies which Some of the 
 Species have made, whereby they 
 have as it were connected Ours with 
 that of the next Order of Beings a- 
 bove us we mull naturally defire to 
 have a more exact Account of every 
 Step they made towards that Glori- 
 ous Diftinction : This alfo will be of 
 Ufe to Our Selves, and help to ex- 
 cite Us to do Something, whereby 
 W-e alfo may be diftinguiuVd with 
 Honour , and our Memories be 
 Sweet to Poflerity. 
 
 As in reading the Lives of the 
 Great Captains, and Statefmen we 
 are inflructed in the Hiilory of 
 Their Times, and Their Own, and 
 Neighbouring Nations* In thofe 
 of Philofophers , and Divines we 
 fee the State of Learning, and Re- 
 ligion, So in the Lives of the Paint- 
 L % ers 
 
( 8 4 ) 
 
 ers we fee the Hiftory of the Art ; 
 and I believe there has been as many 
 Accounts of thefe Great Men who 
 have done fo much Honour to Hu- 
 mane Nature, and many of them 
 as well written, as of any Clafs of 
 Men whatfoever. 
 
 The 
 
 Le Vite dei Pittori e de Scultori c r J > Ritratti, defcritte 
 in treTomi da Giorgio Vafari Pittore Aretino. Firenzc 
 1586 Bolog. 164J. AftC. 
 
 Le Mardviglie dell 'Arte, Overo delle Vite de 'Pittori 
 Veneti, e dello Stato, in due Parti da! Cav. Carlo Ri- 
 dolfi. Venezia 1648. 4/0. 
 
 Felfina Pit trice: Vite de ' * Pittori Bolognefi compofls 
 dal Cdnte Carlo Cefare Malvajia. Lib. 4. in 2 Tomi, 
 co' Ritratti de' Pittori Bolog. 1678. dio. 
 
 Le Vite de ' 'Pittori, & Architetti dal 1 5*72 Jixo al 
 l6 o, fioriti in Rcma, dal Cav. Gio. Baglioni Roma, 
 1642, & 1649. 
 
 Le Vite de 'Pittori, de 'Scultori, cjf degli Architetti 
 Moderni Scritte da Gio. Pietro Bcllorio. Parte Prima 
 Roma. 1672. Ato. 
 
 Nctitia de Projeffori del Difegno da Cimabue in qua 
 dal Fthppo Baldinucci. in federal Volumes Printed at 
 Florence at fever al times, the Firfi Anno 1681. 
 
 Abcedario Pittorico nel quale compendiofamente fono 
 defcritte le Patrie, i Maejiri, ed i Tempi ne quali fiori- 
 rono circa 4000 Profefjbri di Pittura, di Scultura, e di 
 Architettura da Fr. Pel. Ant. Orlandt. Bolog. 1 704. Ato. 
 
 Entrctiens fur les Vies, & fur les Ouvragcs des plus 
 Excetlens Peintrcs Anciens C5* Moderns, par Filtbien. 
 Tom. i. Paris 1666. Tom. 1. 1672. d,to. Reprime Pa- 
 ris 1685-. Amfl. &i>o. 
 
 Acar 
 
if 85 ) 
 
 The General Idea I have of thofe 
 Excellent Men, I mean of the Prin- 
 cipal of them. Such as thofe of 
 whom I have given an Historical, 
 and Chronological Lift at the end 
 of my Former Book is this, They 
 were Mod of them Men of Fine, 
 Natural Parts, and Some of them 
 went very far into Learning, and 
 *~©tfeef Sciences, particularly Mu- 
 fick, and Poetry- Many of them 
 have received the Honour of 
 Knighthood, and Some have En- 
 tail'd Nobility on their Pofterity; 
 Moll of them advane'd their For- 
 tunes very confiderably, They have 
 Generally been in great Favour with, 
 their Soveraigns, Or at lead were 
 much Efteem'd, and Honour'd by 
 Men of the Firft Quality,- Liv'd in 
 
 Ac anemia NobiliJJima Art is Pidoria Joachimi San- 
 drart. a Stockau Nor nub. i <58g. foL 
 
 Abrege deles Vies des Pe'wtres par M. de Piles. Paris 
 
 iyiS> 
 
 la the EngliihTranflation of the Art of Painting 
 by C. A. du Frejhoy, the Lives of the Painters are 
 abridg'd by fytr. Grabme. Land. 1716. 
 
 Great 
 
( 80 
 
 Great Reputation, and Dy'd much 
 Lamented: Several of them were 
 remarkably Fine Gentlemen, and if 
 any of them were not fo, they were 
 not Sordid, Low, Vicious Crea- 
 tures. Correggio was an Obfcure 
 Man whilft he liv'd, but is one of 
 the Greateft Inftances of a Genius 
 that the World ever faw; He was 
 Obfcure, not Vicious. Anmbale 
 Caracci took more Plcafure in his 
 Painting than in the Gaieties of a 
 Court, or the Converlation , or 
 Friendfhip of the Great, which with 
 a fort of Stoical, and perhaps a mix- 
 ture of a Cynical Pride he defpis'd, 
 but he had a Greatnefs of Mind 
 that pleads effectually in his be- 
 half, and compels us to overlook 
 his Faults, which were much owing 
 to his natural Melancholy. The 
 Hiftories of Rafaelk. Leonardo da 
 Vine I, Michelangelo y Tit'iano y Gm- 
 lio Romano, Gu/do, Rubens, Van- 
 Dyck y and Sir Peter Lely, (to name 
 
 no 
 
( 87 ) 
 
 no more,) are well known, They 
 liv'd in great Honour, and made a 
 very confiderable Figure in their fe- 
 veral Times, and Countreys. 
 
 That the Generality of Good 
 Painters have been Idle, and Sots, 
 is a Vulgar Error, On the Contra- 
 ry I know not even One Inftance of 
 This among thofe Great Mafters 
 who I have all along been fpeaking 
 of, and who alone are confidera- 
 ble in their Profeffion,- tho' indeed 
 Thofe that have given Occafion 
 for This Scandal may poffibly have 
 been the Beft whofe Works thofe 
 People who have Thus thought 
 have been acauainted with. 
 
 Another Miftake of This kind 
 is, That the Painters how Excel- 
 lent foever they may have been 
 in their Art, have been Inconfide- 
 rable Creatures Otherwife : But (as 
 I have obferv'd heretofore) a Valu- 
 able Man will remain tho 5 a Good 
 Painter is deprived of his Eyes, and 
 Hands When 
 
( 88 ) 
 
 When after a Brouillerie, between 
 Pope Julius , and Michelangelo, up- 
 on account of Slight the Artift con- 
 ceiv'd the Pontif had put upon 
 him, (the Story is at large in sa- 
 fari) Michelangelo was introduced 
 by a Bifhop (who was a Stranger 
 to him, but was deputed by Car- 
 dinal Soderini , who being Sick 
 could not do it himfelf as was in- 
 tended) this Bifhop thinking to 
 ferve Michelangelo by it made it 
 an Argument that the Pope fhould 
 be reconciPd to him Becaufe Men 
 of his ProfeJJlon were commonly Ig- 
 norant, and of?w Confequence Other- 
 wife - y his Holinefs enrag'd at the 
 Bimop ftruck him with his Staff, 
 and told Him 'twas He that was the 
 Blockhead, and Affronted the Man 
 Himfelf would not Offend : Th e Pre- 
 late was driven out of the Chamber, 
 and Michelangelo had the Pope's 
 Benediction accompanied with Pre- 
 fents. This Bifhop had fallen in- 
 to 
 
 4 
 
( 8* ) 
 
 to this Vulgar Error, and was Re- 
 build accordingly. 
 
 What I have been faying puts 
 me in mind of a Story which pafTes 
 very currantly of this Great Mafter, 
 and that is that he had a Porter 
 fix'd as toaCrofs, arid then ftabb'd 
 him that he might the better ex- 
 preft the Dying Agonies of our 
 Lord in a Crucifix he was paint- 
 ing: I find no good Ground for this 
 Slander. Perhaps 'tis a Copy of a 
 like Story of Parrhafius y the truth 
 of which is alfo much doubted of; 
 *tis faid he faften'd a Slave he had 
 bought to a Machine, and then 
 tormented him to death, and whilft 
 he was Dying painted the Prome- 
 theus he made for the Temple of 
 Minerva at Athens. 
 
 Now that I am upon Particu- 
 lars, there is one of a Different Sort 
 relating to Titian, which I will 
 take this Occafion to make more 
 Publick than has yet been done: 
 M 'Tis 
 
( 9o) 
 
 'Tis a Letter written by Him to the 
 Emperour Charles V. I find it in a 
 Collection of Italian Letters Print- 
 ed at Venice i J74- Ridolfi, nor any 
 otherWriter that I know of hasThis, 
 tho 1 he has Another written to the 
 Emperour, and one to Philip II. 
 King of Spain, as he has alfo one 
 or two Letters from that King to 
 Titian. 
 
 Invittiffimo Principe, fe dolfe alia 
 facra maefla uoflra la jalfa nuona 
 della morte mia, a me e jiato di 
 Confolatione d ejfere percio fatto piil 
 certo che l' altezza uoflra della mi a 
 feruitu fi ricordi onde la uita m? e 
 doppiamenta car a. Rthumilmente 
 prego N. S. Dio a conferuarmi (fe 
 non piu) tanto che finifca V opera 
 della Cefarea Maefla uoflra, la 
 quale fi truoua in t ermine che a Set- 
 tembre projjimino potra comparire di- 
 nanzi I 3 altezza uoflra y alia quale 
 fra queflo mezzo con ogni humilta 
 
 m' inch wo y 
 
(9i) 
 
 m'inchino, &f riuerentemente in fua 
 gratia mi raccommando. 
 
 Titiano Vecellio. 
 
 Lomazzo in his Idea del Tempio 
 dellaPittura pag. 57. prettily cha- 
 racterizes feveral of Thofe Great 
 Matters I have been (peaking of 
 by Animals, and Famous Men, 
 chiefly Philofophers. To Michel- 
 angelo he afligns a Dragon, and 
 Socrates 1 to Gaudentio an Eagle, 
 and Plato 5 To Polidoro a Horfe, 
 and Ale ides ; To hionardo da Vinci 
 a Lyon, and Prometheus •> To An- 
 drea Mantegna a Serpent, and Ar- 
 chimedes -^ To Titiano an Ox, and 
 Ariftotle $ To Rafaelle a Man, and 
 Solomon. For the reft I refer you 
 to the Books. 
 
 But what completes the Hiftory of 
 Thefe Great Painters is theirWorks ; 
 of which a great Number, efpeci- 
 ally of Drawings, is preferved to 
 Our times. Here we fee their Be- 
 M z ginning, 
 
( 92 ) 
 
 ginning,Progrefs, and Completion ; 
 their feveral various Ways of f hip Ic- 
 ing ; their different Manners of Ex- 
 preffing their Thoughts; the Ideas 
 they have of Beauty in Vifible Ob- 
 jects ,• and what Accuracy, and Rea- 
 dinefs of Hand they had in Expref- 
 fing what theyconceiv'd. Here we 
 fee the Steps they made in Some of 
 their Works, their Diligence, Care- 
 lefThefs, or other Inequalities, the 
 Variation of their Styles, and abun- 
 dance of other Circumftances rela- 
 ting to them. If therefore Hifto- 
 ry, if the Hiftory of the Arts,- If 
 the Hiftory of the particular Artifts, 
 if thefe are worthy of a Gentleman ,♦ 
 This part of the Hiftory, Thus 
 written, where almoft Every Page, 
 Every Character is an Inftance of 
 the Beauty, and Excellency of the 
 Art, and of the admirable Quali- 
 ties of the Men of whom it treats 
 is alfo well worthy his Perufal, and 
 Study, 
 
 I will 
 
(93) 
 
 I will conclude this Branch of 
 my Argument relating to the Dig- 
 nity of Painting, and Connoi][ance y 
 with obferving That thole of the 
 Created Quality have not thought 
 it Unworthy of them to pradtife, 
 not the Latter only, but the O- 
 ther. And that if it is not yet a 
 Diminution of Such a One's Cha- 
 racter Not to be a Connoiffeur, 'tis 
 an Addition to it if he Is ,* and is 
 judg'd to be fo by Every body. And 
 Some Such we have of our own Na- 
 tion, who are Diftinguifh'd not on- 
 ly by their Births, and Fortunes, 
 but by other the moft Amiable 
 Qualities that juftly endear them 
 to all that have the Honour, and 
 Happinefs of Knowing them, and 
 being Known to them, if withall 
 they have any Senfe of Virtue, Inte- 
 grity, Honour, Love of ones Coun- 
 trey, and other Noble Qualities, 
 which thofe Illuftrious ConnoiJJeurs 
 poflels in fo Eminent a Degree. 
 
 Se<5fc. 
 
( H ) 
 
 SECT. II. 
 
 In order to fhew what Rank the 
 Science I am recommending holds 
 amongit the reft with refpedt to the 
 Certainty, and Degrees of Probabili- 
 ty to be had in it, itwillbeneceflary 
 to take a Survey of the State of Man- 
 kind with refpecl: to the Extent 
 of their Knowledge in General. 
 
 And here I (hall only fct down 
 what I perceive pafles in my Own 
 Mind, and abroad in the World fo 
 far as I can judge; and having no 
 particular Notion, or Syftem to 
 propagate, or Defend; no Intereft 
 to ferve feparate from that of Truth, 
 I fhall do it Honeflly,- and I will 
 do it as Clearly, and Briefly as I 
 can y without entering into the Me- 
 anders of the Learned, and hardly 
 taking any Notice of that Cloud of 
 Duft that Idle, Interefted, or Pre- 
 judiced Men may raife by Objecti- 
 ons which can never be wanting, 
 
 (efpe- 
 
( 95 ) 
 
 (efpecially if the Confequences 
 any thing that is advanced may 
 have on fomething already efta- 
 blifh'd, but not Self Evident, or 
 Bottom'd on what is fo be admitted 
 as Such) but which can have no 
 Force againft Experience, and Fact, 
 againft Plain, and Evident Truth. 
 
 What we call Knowledge is the 
 Affent of the Underftanding to a 
 Proposition as True. 
 
 We never Affent to any Propo- 
 fition 'till we have firft (Explicitly, 
 or Implicitly) Affented to theie 
 Previous ones; We are inform'd 
 Sufficiently, and have Confider'd E- 
 nough : Or we Affent Conditional- 
 ly, that is, fuppofing thefe two 
 things are done, and This abates 
 the Degree of our Affent propor- 
 tionably. 
 
 Affent is in Various Degrees, the 
 higheft of which is without any 
 mixture of Doubt ; and thus we are 
 faid to Know, and be Affured as 
 
 in 
 
(9* ) 
 
 in what is Self-Evident, or Clear- 
 ly Demonftrated,- All the reft has 
 this Alloy; Doubting being^ander- 
 ftood as oppos'd to Certainty, not 
 to Perluafion. Thus the Inexhau- 
 ftible Fountain of Light, and Truth 
 pours forth his Streams of commu- 
 nicated Light which we receive 
 Pure in Self-Evident Principles, but 
 as the Current pafTes on 'tis Sully'd; 
 and grows weaker, and weaker, and 
 from Knowledge becomes Opinion, 
 beginning with the higheft Degree 
 of Probability, and after a long 
 train ends in that faint Perfuafion 
 next bordering upon the JEquil'i- 
 brium of the Mind, the Uncom- 
 fortable Region of Doubt and Suf- 
 penfion. 
 
 This Variety of AlTent is the 
 neceffaryConfequenceof the Varie- 
 ty of Evidence, or the Appearance 
 It has to our Underftandings, and 
 our Unavoidably AfTenting as di- 
 rected by Evidence. 
 
 That 
 
( 91 ) 
 
 That our Affent is regulated by- 
 Evidence, and not by our Wills is 
 plain without going to the Argu- 
 ment from Experience, and that 
 from this very Variety in the De- 
 grees of our Affent,- for Proporti- 
 ons we Defired mould be true we 
 fhould be Affured were fo, and the 
 Others we fhould be AfTured were 
 not fo if our Wills could govern in 
 this cafe; However if the contrary 
 be imagin'd the Experiment is foon 
 made -> Let fuch as differ from Me 
 in this Matter think as I do for one 
 moment, and then return , and 
 think as they do at prefent. Af- 
 fent, and DifTent is no Other than 
 the Sentence pronounced to Our 
 Selves upon what Our Selves See; 
 We may deceive Others, but to tell 
 Our Selves we fee what we do not, 
 and Believe it is Impoffible, I can- 
 not fay to my Self this Paper is now 
 Red, then Green, prefently after 
 Blue, and think ? tis fo at Pleafure> 
 
 N We 
 
(>8 ) 
 
 We receive Evidence from our 
 Senfes, from Teftimony, and from 
 our Reafon ; and from the Latter 
 Immediately, as in firft Principles, 
 and Self-Evident Truths,- Or by 
 Deduction from Such, or from 
 what we perceive by our Senfes, or 
 have from Teftimony. 
 
 Evidence is purely Relative, and 
 is fiich to every Man as the Appea- 
 rances are to Him. 'Tis nothing 
 to Me what Another Man's Senfes 
 tell Him ; nor what Opinion He has 
 of the Teftimony offered to Him,- 
 nor what His Reafon Suggefts ; My 
 Evidence from any, or all of thefe 
 is juft the Same as it appears to Me. 
 
 And tho' my Paffions, or Preju- 
 dices may Magnify, or Diminifti 
 what the Same Obje&s, the Same 
 Teftimony, and the Same Argu- 
 ments would appear to Another, 
 the Evidence to Me is what it ap- 
 pears thro' thefe Mediums: If I 
 perceive they have this Effect I (hall 
 
 Una- 
 
( 99 ) 
 
 Unavoidably make proportionable 
 Allowances for it, and fo far the 
 Effect will ceafe • if I do not I fhall 
 as unavoidably judge of the Evi- 
 dence as feen Pure, and in its true 
 Light. 
 
 Tho 3 ({peaking at large) the 
 Arguments that are propos'd to 
 Me in order to induce my Affent 
 is call'd Evidence, 'tis not fo to Me, 
 but the Appearances they happen 
 to have to my Underftanding, and 
 which they will have from abun- 
 dance of Circumftances befides 
 thofe Arguments whatever they be. 
 So that it may be as impoffible for 
 Me to believe Tranfubftantiation 
 {for Example) as for a 7hrk y or a 
 Hotentot to believe it, tho 3 1 am no 
 Stranger to the Arguments that are 
 us'd for it, and They never heard 
 of them. Nay tho 3 the Do&rine 
 were True, and the Arguments for 
 it Solid. 
 
 When therefore 'tis faid Evidence 
 N 2 is 
 
( ioo ) 
 
 is to be had for fuch, or fuch a 
 P;opofition, meaning thereby that 
 God has given fufficient Light in 
 That particular to Some of our 
 Species, it mud be remembred that 
 their Evidence, and the Perfuafion 
 refulting from it may be as impof- 
 iible to be had by Some People as 
 if 'twas hidden from all Mankind : 
 That which is but one Inch be- 
 yond the length of my Arm is as 
 much out of my Reach as if 'twas 
 in the Moon. 
 
 There are certain things of 
 which we have no Evidence at all, 
 fuch as thofe that are apparently 
 beyond the reach of Humane Rea- 
 fon, and not Divinely, and Super- 
 naturally Reveal J d: If Thofe that 
 are faid to be fo are not Clearly un- 
 derstood, or not Certainly known 
 to be Divine, we have however a 
 Probable Evidence proportionable 
 to That of their being (b, and that 
 the Meaning is as we underftand it. 
 
 For 
 
( ioi ) 
 
 For the reft we have the Evidence 
 Sometimes of our Senfes, Some- 
 times of Teftimony, Sometimes of 
 our Reafbn, and Sometimes two, 
 or all of thefe concur. In fome 
 Cafes 'tis Full, and Complete ,• but 
 in much the Greater Part Imper- 
 fect, and that in all Degrees. 
 
 So are the Means by which (fiich 
 as it is) 'tis convey'd to us ; Our Sen- 
 fes are Fallible, our Reafon is More 
 fo, and Teftimony at leaft as Much, 
 and perhaps Molt of all : Unlefs it 
 be Divine, and then 'tis Infallible, 
 and has an EfFed: upon our Minds 
 as fuch when we are Infallibly Af- 
 iiir'd of what is fo. Our Senfes de- 
 ceive us when the Organs, or our 
 Imaginations are Diftemper'd, or 
 any way Imperfect, which they 
 always are in fome Meafure: Hu- 
 mane Teftimony is corrupted by 
 Mift^kes, and Prejudices, Paffion, 
 and Intereft; and Reafon is often 
 Blinded, Corrupted, or Opprefs'd 
 
 b y 
 
( io2 ) 
 
 by all thefe, we fee not at all ,- or 
 thro 5 a falfe Medium, or infer amifs ,• 
 judging That to be Sufficient Te- 
 ftimony which is Not, or perhaps 
 no Evidence at all,- Laying a 
 Strefs upon what will bear None, 
 or not fo much, or even on what 
 in Reality makes for the Other 
 Side; and that oftentimes as we 
 are influenced by the prefent State 
 of our Bodies, from Health, or 
 Sicknefs -, Fair, or Foul Weather $ 
 Diet, or Exercife; nay we fhall 
 have a Different View of things im- 
 mediately upon the pouring into 
 our Stomachs of a few Spoonfulls 
 of Liquor, or taking into our heads 
 the Vapour of a burnt Weed. 
 
 Moreover ourldeas are often Weak, 
 and Confus'd,- nor can we Have, 
 Retain, and Confider fo many as 
 are often neceiTary to be Had, and 
 to be feen at once in order to give 
 a Right Judgment upon a Queftion. 
 The Infinite Mind fees All Things 
 
 at 
 
( io3 ) 
 
 at One View, and juft as they Are 5 
 We have a conftant Succeflion of I- 
 deas which arife, and pals away, 
 and of which we have often but a 
 Tranfient View. All things are 
 Equally, and Eternally prefent to 
 him with whom we have to do ; Our 
 Mental, like our Corporeal Sight can 
 fix ftroagly but upon One fingle 
 Point at One time, all other Ob- 
 jects round about us are then feen 
 Confufedly, or not at all. 
 
 Notwithstanding what has been 
 faid of our Senfes of Humane Te- 
 stimony, and of Reafon in Gene- 
 ral, there are Particular Cafes (tho' 
 but Few in proportion to the reft) 
 where tho 5 we cannot arrive to Ab- 
 folute Certainty by Their means, 
 we can have fo great a Degree of 
 Perfuafion as is to all Intents and 
 Purpofes Equivalent to it. 
 
 And fo with relation to the Evi- 
 dence that is to be had, what I 
 have faid is true in General; But 
 
 as 
 
( tw ) 
 
 as that may appear Rational to One 
 Man, which does not feem fo to 
 Another,- and as there is nothing 
 fo Abfurd, and Falfe which Some 
 Men will not afTertj and as (Laft- 
 ly) Mens Senfes are Sometimes im- 
 pos'd upon, it cannot be faid that 
 there is Any thing of which Parti- 
 cular Men may not have Evidence ,• 
 and Such may have None for what 
 Another thinks is true Plainly, and 
 Infallibly. 
 
 If the Deficiency of Evidence, 
 and the Imperfection of the means 
 by which we have it convey'd to 
 us were Unknown, we mould afTent 
 Readily, and with Confidence ,• but 
 as it is Generally Known, and Ob- 
 ferv'd, in the fame Degree by 
 much the greater part of our Per- 
 fuafions muft have a mixture of 
 Doubt. And according as we are 
 miftaken in our Evidence, we muft 
 be fo in our AfTent, or Diffent, in 
 the Main, or in the Degrees of it; 
 
( I '6 5 ) 
 
 if they have Any, that is, if the 
 thing is not Self-evident, or De~ 
 monftrable $ Often we are fo in the 
 
 Main, in the Degree Always • be- 
 caufe as when we fee an Object 
 with our Eyes we fee it rot as it 
 Really Is, but as it Appears through 
 the Coats, and Humour^ oftheEye^ 
 befides the External Medium j our 
 Mental Sight has the like Defects, 
 and things are not Thus fcen as 
 they Really are. 
 
 Thus there are Some Truths 
 God has open'd Fully to us,- O- 
 thers we fee but as through a Mi ft, 
 and Others are Envellop'd in Thick 
 Clouds, and Darknefs, and referv'd 
 for a Better State: And (God knows 
 how often!) We fancy we poflefi 
 
 Truth, but — Is there not a 
 
 Lye in our Right Hand? 
 
 When we confider the Magni- 
 tilde of the Globe we inhabit, and 
 have at the fame time in our Minds 
 diftances from one Town to 
 another 
 
( *°6 ) 
 
 another on our own Ifland, we 
 have an Idea of fomething Vaftly 
 Great. But when we compare This 
 with the Unbounded Univerfe 'tis 
 but a Spot, an Atom, the fmalleft 
 Duft in the Balance. So when we 
 confider Our Selves as compar'd 
 with all the Species of Creatures 
 below us ,• when we think upon the 
 whole Compafs of Humane Abili- 
 ties, Lord what is Man / Thou haft 
 made htm little lower than the An- 
 gels ! Thou ha ft crown 3 d him with 
 Glory, a^d Honour / But when we 
 turn our Thoughts to confider how 
 much is hid from us. 
 
 Worlds beyond JVorlds that deep in JEther lye. 
 
 Philips. 
 
 When we remember that of that 
 (comparatively) Little Number of 
 Pafuailons we Can have, how Few 
 are without fome Mixture of Doubt, 
 a^-d how many where our Doubts, 
 tho J overbalanced are Otherwife 
 
 Conli- 
 
( l°7 ) 
 
 Confiderable; and tho'we cannot fay 
 Which are fo, yet that 'tis very Rea- 
 sonable to Believe Many of our Af 
 fents are Wrong, but always in the 
 Degree; not as being difproporti- 
 onable to the prefent Appearance 
 of Evidence, but becaufe That Ap- 
 pearance is imporTible to be per- 
 fectly Juft, Then, Vain Man would 
 fatn be Wife, the? Man is born hke 
 the Wild AJfes Colt! a Wild, Un- 
 taught Afs, the Colt of a Wild, 
 Untaught Afs. 
 
 Since the Revolution the Coin 
 of the Nation was in Such a Con- 
 dition, 'twas fb Clipp'd, Defac'd, 
 and Counterfeited that the Legif- 
 lature thought it neceffary to call 
 it in, and what every Man brought 
 was exchang'd for what was New 
 Coin'd, and as it fhould be. The 
 World is much in the fame Cafe 
 with refpedt to the Stock of Sci- 
 ence divided amongft us : Should 
 every one be ohlig'd to bring in 
 O z His 
 
( i°8 ) 
 
 His Share, and Truths only to be 
 return'dj what a vaft Multitude of 
 Rich Men, in their Own, and ma- 
 ny in the Common Opinion would 
 become Wretchedly Poor! What 
 a De(truc"tion would here be of ad-? 
 mir'd Notions, and even fuppos'd 
 Demonstrations! How many Arti- 
 cles! How many entire Sy (terns 
 would V.mifli, and be Forgotten! 
 
 Of all that Stock of Science God 
 lias beftow'd upon the Species in 
 General but a very fmall Part can 
 fall to the Share of any one of us 
 in Particular ; we have not Appre- 
 henfions, nor judgments, nor Me- 
 mories, nor Time, nor Opportu- 
 nity to Come at, Retain, Manage, 
 and Employ fo many Ideas as to 
 make us Per feci: ; Perfect! no, nor 
 Tolerable Proficients in any One 
 Coniiderable Science ,• Unlefs as 
 compar'd with the reft, and fo 
 Some Few may be faid (as it was 
 of 'Homer very finely by a great Au- 
 thor) 
 
( I°? ) 
 
 thor) " to look down upon the reji 
 * c of Mankind as on a Species be- 
 " low them. By far the greater 
 Number cannot arrive to be Ma- 
 ilers in any one Branch of a Sci- 
 ence; and what vaft Multitudes, 
 even the Herd of Mankind pais 
 their whole Lives in applying them- 
 felves to One Art, or Profeilion 
 only, and thofe but Mean, and 
 Inconfiderable ones, and yet with- 
 out Diftinguifhing themfelves even 
 in Thefe, how eafy foever to be 
 attain'd. 
 
 But of what Sort foever the Suc- 
 ceflfion of Ideas that perpetually em- 
 ploys our Minds is compofed as we 
 can Steadily fix but upon one on- 
 ly at a time All our Little Circle 
 of Knowledge is reduced to that 
 Single Point,- We are but fuch as 
 That happens to be: Whatever 
 Stock of Science we -may be, and 
 commonly are fuppofed to be Ma- 
 ilers of, we in Reality poffefs no 
 
 more 
 
( no ) 
 
 snore than that One Idea : Which 
 of thofe we have had Before may 
 Return, or if Ever, or what New 
 Ones mayArife none can know but 
 God only. 
 
 Every Man therefore is perpetur 
 ally Varying from himfelf according 
 as the Ideas happen to be which a- 
 rife, and pafs along in his Mind, 
 and which have an infinite Variety. 
 When I was a Child I thought as 
 a Child; but being become a Man 
 thofe Childifh things are pafs'd a- 
 way, and gone,- And many of us 
 after the Way which we Our Selves 
 as well as Others Once calPd He- 
 refy, and furioufly Hated, or Per- 
 fecuted as Such now worfhip the 
 God of our Fathers. 
 
 As we differ from our Selves we 
 differ no left from each Other. 
 How Nobly are Some Mens Minds 
 employ'd ! And how Richly ftor'd I 
 Others how Empty ! and Trifling ! 
 
 So 
 
( III ) 
 
 So Some Afpiring Oaks their Branches throw 
 Aloft, de [fifing Vulgar Trees below ; 
 Whilfi Thefe (Ignoble !) can contented be 
 With undijlinguijh'' 'd Mediocrity 5 
 Others more humble in the fVoods are found, 
 And IVretched Shrubs fcarce peep above the 
 Ground. 
 
 Every Man differs from every O 
 ther Man in the Number, and De- 
 grees of his Perfuafions: no two 
 Men in theWorld having the Same 
 in all things: Some Propofitions 
 have been offer'd to Your Under- 
 ftanding which I have never heard 
 of; and to Mine which have not 
 reach'd You. Evidence has ap- 
 pear'd to One of us which has not 
 been thought of by the Other $ 
 and the fame Arguments have had 
 Different Appearances. Of fuch 
 Ideas as have been in Both ou£ 
 Minds (or fuch as nearly refemble 
 each other) Some are Prefent to 
 One, which are pafs'd away from 
 the Other, perhaps to return, per- 
 haps not j As Thefe now Prefent Co 
 
 the 
 
( "2 ) 
 
 the Other alfo will, but never to 
 return together fo as to form the 
 Same Mind in Both no more than 
 the Clouds will have the very Form 
 in the Heavens they now have. 
 What a different Set of Opinions 
 have the People of the feveral re- 
 mote Countries of the World ? 
 The Brain of a Chinefe, of aFrench- 
 Man, a Weft Indian , an Italian^ 
 a Lap-lander , ZHEng/i/h-Man, &c. 
 are itor'd with Ideas ftrangely dif- 
 ferent: Nor would the Notions of 
 any Two of thefe feveral Nations, 
 or even of any One Family could 
 they be fet to View appear to be 
 exa&ly alike in All things, or even 
 upon any One Queftion confiding 
 of any number of complicated 1- 
 deas. 
 
 Every Age of the World has the 
 like Variety: Notions like the 
 Fruits of the Earth have their 
 Spring, their Summer, Autumn, 
 and Winter $ how many that have 
 
 beeo 
 
("3 ) 
 
 been flouri&ing Syftems are wither- 
 ed, and perifhed ,• and what more 
 may, who can tell ! With relpect to 
 Religion in particular: 5 Tis true 
 the whole Race of Mankind (ex- 
 cept thofe Few which in that eaiy 
 Gradation there is from an Atom 
 up to the higheft Archangel con- 
 nects our Species to that of Brutes) 
 have Agreed in the General Notion 
 of the Exiftence of a God, and have 
 been Conftant to it. In China 
 there is a Religion for the Ma?ida- 
 rins, and another for the People j 
 it hath always been much the fame 
 thing throughout the World ,■ Some 
 in all Ages, and Countreys have 
 contented themfelves with fuch 
 Difcoveries of the Deity as Humane 
 Reafon could attain to; whether 
 they call'd that Incomprehenfible 
 Being by the Name of Baal, or 
 Jehovah, Jupiter, or God, or what- 
 ever other Sound, or Characters 
 they thought fit to exprefs that I- 
 
 P dea 
 
( ih) 
 
 clra by j and whether they addrefs'd 
 themfelyes to him in the moft Sim- 
 pi,-, and Rational Manner, or 
 comply'd with the Word ip of their 
 ieveral Times, and Coumreys, e- 
 rftarlifti-d by the V ifdom of their 
 fevial Legiflators. Be this as it 
 will j 'Tis certain that the Notions 
 of the Generality of Men with re- 
 fped: to the Deity, the Ways of 
 Conceiving of him, and his Attri- 
 butes j and what Manner of \\ r or- 
 fl ip is moll acceptable to him, 
 and likely to prevail with him to 
 tui n the Courie of things into that 
 Channel which they conceive moft 
 advantagious to Themfclves, whe- 
 tbei thefe are (uppofed to be deri- 
 \id from Divine Revelation, or 
 Authority purely Humane; 1 lay in 
 Theie things Men have vary'd ex- 
 ceedingly- and one Age from a- 
 nother. Sacrifices are now no more 
 thn-u^hout the World,- and the 
 Multitude of Sacred Names ador'd 
 
 or 
 
( "5 ) 
 
 or rever'd in Ancient Rome are fnc- 
 ceeded there by others intirely N k w, 
 but molt of thefe are Already For- 
 gotten, and Unknown to many Ci- 
 ther Parts of Chriftendom. To 
 come to our own Illand in particu- 
 lar. How the Cafe ftood Before 
 God knows, but for many Ages the 
 Druids were our Spiritual Guides: 
 At length Heathenifm gave place 
 toChriftianity : How different That 
 was which was brought hither by 
 Aufiin the Monk, from what it was 
 at the time of the Reformation, 
 thole that are acquainted with £c- 
 clefiaftical Hiftory know very well: 
 And that the Monk's Chriitianity 
 differ'd much from that of the fir ft 
 Chriftians (that of Jofeph of Art- 
 mathea who 'tis faid firft preach'd 
 the Gofpel here,) is as well known. 
 At the Reformation a Great, and 
 a Noble Change was made,- but 
 what Changes have we gone through 
 fince! Calvinifm, Arminianifm^ E- 
 P z pifcopacy, 
 
( II* ) 
 
 pifcopacy, Presbytery, Independen- 
 cy, Anarchy, all have prevail'd in 
 their Turns. One while a furious 
 Averfion to Popery, then cones 
 another as furious againft Prote- 
 ctant Di [Tenters: At one time Zeal 
 for Religion as a Means of Salva- 
 tion, at anotherZeal for the Church, 
 alniolt as great without that Appea- 
 rance of Piety. This puts me in 
 mind of a Humorous Epigram I 
 Ivive met with (omewhere. 
 
 0u> Grand fires t hey were Papijls, 
 
 Our Fathers Oliverians, 
 Their Benrns'm faid are Athe'ifis, 
 
 Ours mufl be Cur fed Queer ones. 
 
 All Nature is in perpetual Mo- 
 tion ; as Time never ftands ftfll, 
 rr uher do our Bodies continue the 
 Same, but are ever changing ,* and 
 the Tendernefs of Infancy is trans- 
 form^ to Wither'd Old Age by In- 
 fenfible Steps; but we are always 
 ftepping on : So 'tis with our Minds, 
 
 Ideas 
 
( "7 ) 
 
 Ideas are continually anfing; Whe- 
 ther (as Seems) Spontaneously, or 
 Suggefkd to us by our Senfes, or 
 by what means foever^ Tlufepafs 
 away to give place to Others, fo 
 that the Scene Within is eternally 
 fhifting from what it was. That 
 Great Set of Ideas which is com- 
 pos'd of all thofe now pofllfs'd by 
 all Mankind is already chang'd, and 
 whilft I am writing thisLine is almoft 
 intirely different from what it was 
 when the Thought firft came into 
 my own Mind ; Even this Thought, 
 tho' it appears (till to be Right, and 
 perhaps Always will do fo when- 
 ever it returns, if it Ever does, yet 
 there is a Change whilft I am form- 
 ing every Letter j 'tis Stronger, 'tis 
 weaker, it difappears, others arife, 
 it returns ; Things have a different 
 View every Moment. 
 
 Now as when one would com- 
 pote a certain Tinct of Colour (to 
 illuftrate what I am fay ing by Some- 
 thing 
 
( u8 ) 
 
 thing in my own Way) the fame 
 Colours, and Exa&ly the Same 
 Quantities of each mu(t be em- 
 ploy 'd • the leaft Particle more, or 
 lefs, makes it impoflihle it fhould 
 be the Same: So to produce Exact- 
 ly the Same Idea as I have had here- 
 tofore: Or the Sam. in My Mind 
 asYou are poffefs'd of, the very fame 
 Circumftances mud concur, which 
 being impoffible, there mull be a 
 Difference, tho' (as in the former 
 Cafe) 'tis fometimes lo little as to 
 be imperceptible,- but (till that 
 there is fuch Difference in Reality 
 is evident to a Demonstration. 
 
 Whether that Incomprehenfible 
 Mind that prefides over every the 
 Smalleft Particle of Matter through- 
 out the Univerfe, does alike Pro- 
 duce, Diredt, and Govern every 
 one of that great, and eternally 
 changing Set of Ideas from time to 
 time poffeflTed by every Intelliegnt 
 Being j and confequently their Cau- 
 
 fes 
 
( "9 ) 
 
 fes ^ infinitum : W h ether we have 
 any greater Power over our Minds 
 than over our Bodies, andean Add 
 to, or Alter our Ideas any more than 
 we can raife our Selves a Cubit high- 
 er, or Change the Colour of a 
 Single hair,- in fhort whether our 
 Wills are Free is a Noble Enquiry, 
 becaufe the Effecl: of it may be a 
 moft Beautiful, Simple, and Unex- 
 ceptionable Syftem of things. But 
 as This would be to go out of that 
 Train of Thought 1 am upon, and 
 which is my prefent Affair, I chufe 
 rather to go on to obferve, That 
 
 However Different we are from 
 Our Selves ; Or One Man is from 
 Another, Every Man is an Epitome 
 of the Whole Species : The Wifeft 
 amongftusis a Fool in Some things, 
 as the Loweft amongft Men has 
 fome Juft Notions, and therein is 
 as Wife as Socrates • So that every 
 Man refembles a Statue made to 
 ftand againft a Wall, or in a Nich, 
 
 On 
 
( 120 ) 
 
 on One Side 'tis a Plato y an /fpoU 
 lo y a Demoflhenes j on the Ocher 
 'tis a Rough, Unformed Piece of 
 Stone. 
 
 And notwithstanding this Vaft 
 Variety of Sentiments amongft 
 Men $ notwithitanding Truth is 
 always the Same, and is a single 
 Point, tho' Error is Infinite ; Eve- 
 ry Man (as he mull Neccflarily) 
 thinks Himfelf in the Right, and 
 that all that differ from Him are 
 Miftaken $ and accordingly Every 
 Man is contented with Himfelf, 
 and Laughs at, or Pities all the 
 reft. I know not who has faid it, 
 but he has given a fine Image of 
 Mankind in This Light. 
 
 So one Fool lolls his tongue out at another ', 
 And Jbakes his Empty Noddle at his Brother. 
 
 Thus (to iumm up what I have 
 been faying) Our Knowledge ari- 
 fing from Imperfect Evidence, Im- 
 perfectly convey'd, mull be Imper- 
 fect, 
 
 4 
 
( *'2i ) 
 
 fed, and mix'd with Doubt, add 
 Error, and that in all Degrees,* 
 And Every Man differs from Him- 
 lelf in Thefe particulars, and from 
 Every Other Man - } and the Scene 
 is Eternally Changing ; But Every 
 Man is partly a Wife Man, and 
 partly a Fool • However we all fee 
 the Fool's Cap on Every Body's 
 head but our Own, 
 
 The Reflection we fhali natural- 
 ly make upon the View of tbe-State 
 of Humane Understanding Hither- 
 to is but a Melancholy one - y Efpe- 
 cially when 'tis remember' d that 
 (being fuppos'd Free, and there- 
 fore Accountable for all our 
 Thoughts, and Actions) among 
 the Other Uncertainties we are in, 
 3 tis made a Queftion Whether, and 
 How far an Erroneous Judgment 
 will excufeour deviations from what 
 is Good Abfolutely confider'd $ 'Tis 
 not my bufinefs to decide in this 
 Nice Cafe, only for my felf which 
 O I do 
 
( 122 ) 
 
 I do as well as I can ,• but in (lead 
 of that I will take leave to fet down 
 aPafTage in my beloved Milton ap- 
 plicable to my prefent Purpofe. Eve 
 upon a certain Ocean" on lays 
 
 Frail is our Happimfs if this he fo r 
 And Eden were no Eden thus exposed. 
 
 To whom thus Adam fervently replfd- v 
 O Woman be ft are all things as the Will 
 Of God ordain' 'd them, his Creating hand 
 Nothing Imperfecl, or Deficient left 
 Of all that he Created, much lefs Man, 
 Or ought that might his happy State fecure? 
 Secure from outward force, within Himfelf 
 fthe danger lyes 
 
 I have launch'd farther into 
 Thefe matters than I intended 
 When I firfl fet my felf to confi- 
 der the State of Humane Under- 
 Handing in General as my Subject 
 Oblig'd me to do,- But being en- 
 gag'd I could not content my felf 
 without as Complete a Difcourfe 
 upon this head as I could make in 
 the compafs I thought might be 
 allow'd in this Epifodkal way. 
 
 I will 
 
( 123 ) 
 
 I will then go on, for I have 
 not yet quite finiuVd my View, the 
 Beautiful Part of the Frofpedt re- 
 mains behind. What I have hi- 
 therto (aid is True, but 'tis alfo to 
 be noted that what is moft Impor- 
 tant to our Happinefs in this World 
 is the mod Kvident to us. 
 
 One Inltance of the clear Light 
 we have is in relation to Our Pra- 
 ctice: Notwithftanding the great 
 Doubts we may be under as to the 
 Lawfulneis of any Action, Whe- 
 ther upon Account of the Moral, 
 or Natural, or any Reveal'd, or 
 Inftituted Law.; and particularly 
 upon what Is, or is Suppos'd to be 
 our Duty with relation to that very 
 Situation of Mind, the Effect it 
 ought to have upon the Choice of 
 our Actions, apart from all other 
 Refpe&s j And which has been made 
 much more Obfcure by the Care- 
 leiTnefs, or Inaccuracy of thofe who 
 have undertaken to Explain this 
 Q^ 2 Matter $ 
 
( 124 ) 
 
 Matter ; I fay notwithstanding all 
 This the Way is as Plain before us 
 as a Self Evident Principle can make 
 it : For when a Man judges he has 
 Confided a 1 Enough , and fees what 
 he thinks is upon the Whole mod 
 Probably his Duty, he is driven up- 
 on a Point j He cannot confider 
 farther, he cannot do any other 
 Action but This Probable one,- E- 
 ^ery thing elfe is Againft Faith, A- 
 gainft Perfuafion. This is the Sa- 
 fell, and Beit, 'tis the Only thing 
 he can poffibly do with a Good 
 Confciencej and Here his Confidence 
 Condemns him not y he has Confi- 
 dence with God. Probability Thus, 
 even tho' it arifes but jurt above the 
 Equilibrium of the Mind is Equiva- 
 lent to Certainty; And Thus Cer^ 
 taincy is Ultimately had, tho' not 
 Before, or Otherwife. 
 
 Again -, The Generality of Man- 
 kind are perfuaded of a Future State, 
 and that it wijl be exceeding Hap- 
 
 py> 
 
( 125 ) 
 
 py, or very Wretched,- they are 
 however infinitely divided in their 
 Opinions concerning the Way to 
 Obtain the Happinefs, and Avoid 
 the Mifery, tho 5 Generally fpeaking 
 the feveral Se&s pretend to Divine, 
 Supernatural Revelation for their 
 Guide, and Authority in this mat- 
 ter. Thofe that have fix'd upon 
 what They conceive to be the True 
 Revelation (whetherWith, orWith- 
 put Examination) meet with vaft 
 Difficulties, and Perplexities many 
 times in judging what is EfTential, 
 and Fundamental ,• and when they 
 come to enquire whether They have 
 the neceffary Qualifications, whe^- 
 ther they have comply'd with the 
 Requifite Conditions, they are al- 
 together as mush at a lofs, even 
 liippofing they were fatisfied as to 
 what thofe Conditions were,- but 
 many believe that a very Small, a 
 very Inconfiderable number (Com- 
 paratively) can poflibly arrive to 
 
 thole 
 
( t« ) 
 
 thofe heights of Faith, and Purity 
 that are abfolutely necefTary. In 
 the midft of all this Darkneis Na- 
 ture Generally prevails above Prin- 
 ciple ^ that great Fundamental of 
 Natural Religion, which almoft all 
 Men are Fully perfuaded of, That 
 the Goodnels, and Juftice of God, 
 permits him not to condemn a Sin- 
 cere Man is a fure Refuge; Thither 
 they all fly $ 'tis the Dernier Rejjort 
 of the whole Species, the Magna 
 Charta of the Univerfe. 
 
 When I was fpeaking of the Per- 
 plexities, and Difficulties in which 
 we were with relation to a Syftem 
 of Articles, and what is EfTential, 
 and Fundamental I had regard to 
 the General State of Mankind ,• 
 But what is Right in the midft of 
 all this Variety of Pretences we 
 may be as Sure of as we can be of 
 What palTes within our Selves, and 
 of the firft Principles of Reafon, 
 and the cleareft Deductions from 
 
 thence : 
 
( 1ST ) 
 
 thence : As Sure of as that (for Ex- 
 ample) there are a certain number 
 of Satellites always attending on 
 Jupiter, or Saturn ; they cannot 
 be feen indeed with the naked Eye, 
 nor without knowing how to fix 
 theTelefcope, but That being done 
 'tis evident beyond Contradiction. 
 And This is another Inftance of 
 Light we have in thefe Important 
 Cafes. 
 
 I will mention but One more, 
 and that is ,• Tho' we can have no 
 Adequate Idea of the Supreme Be- 
 ing • tho' we are exceedingly at a 
 lofs in many Queftions concerning 
 him, yet that Infinite Reafon pre* 
 fides we fee very evidently ; we can 
 be fatisfied we are not (as a late Au- 
 thor expreffes it) expofed here in a 
 Fatherlels World. But that our 
 Selves, and all our Affairs, and the 
 whole Com pals of Eternity, and 
 Immenfity is under the Care, Con- 
 duel:, and Protection of One who is 
 
 Infi- 
 
( 128 ) 
 
 Infinitely Wife, Juft, Good, ancf 
 Powerful, which Infinite Reafon 
 mutt be. Let us call this Incom- 
 prehenfible Something, GOD, or 
 by whatever other Name. Thus 
 much we can be aflured of concern- 
 ing him, and more it concerns us 
 not to know to our Prefent Purpofe, 
 whatever may be required as an Ar-» 
 tide of Faith, which I Difpute not, 
 nor any thing elfe Legally efta-* 
 blift'd. 
 
 All thefe Inferiour Beings, Numberlefs, 
 (Great in Themfehes, Inferiour yet to Thee) 
 Eternally obey Thy Soveraign Will) 
 Governing always, Irrefiflable, 
 Unchangeable, Impoffible to Err, 
 Impoffible to Chufe but what is Beft. 
 Such the Perfection of Thy Nature is ! 
 Not Over-ruPd, Compelled, Subordinate, 
 As other Neceffary Agents are, 
 To Fate Subjected, Thou thy felf art Fate. 
 
 I cannot finifh this Reflection 
 upon Humane Understanding bet- 
 ter than with thefe few Lines out 
 of Milton, who I can never bring in 
 too often if it be not improperly. 
 
 Henceforth 
 
( 129 ) 
 
 Henceforth I learn that to Obey is Be ft, 
 And Love 'With Fear the only God, to walk 
 As in his Pre fence, ever to obferve 
 His Providence ', and on him fole depend, 
 Merciful over all his Works ; with Good 
 
 Still overcoming Evil. 
 
 This having learnt thou haft attained the Summ 
 Of Wifdom j hop no higher , tho 1 all the Stars 
 'Thou know'ft by name, and all th'Etherial Pow'rs, 
 All Secrets of the Deep, all Nature's Works, 
 Or Works of God in Heav'n, Air, Earth, or 
 
 Sea, 
 
 only add 
 
 Deeds to thy Knowledge anfwerable, add Faith, 
 Add Virtue, Patience, Temperance, add Love, 
 By name to come call d Charity, the Soul 
 Of all the reft : Then wilt thou not be loath 
 To leave this Paradife, but /halt pojfefs 
 A Paradife within thee happier far. 
 
 I ask Pardon of the Divines that 
 I fo often fet my foot upon Holy 
 Ground - } They will have the Good- 
 nefs to confider we Painters are a 
 fort of Lay-Brothers by Profeflion, 
 as well as Hiftorians, Poets, and 
 Philofophers ,* And befides They 
 may make Reprifals upon Us, and 
 talk of Painting as much as They 
 pleafe. 
 
 R Let 
 
( Ho ) 
 
 Let us now fee whether in the 
 Science I am treating of, as much 
 Certainty is not to be had as perhaps 
 in any other whatfoever. With an 
 Exception always to what is Incon- 
 teftably Divinely Reveal'd, both as 
 to the Revelation it felf,and the Senfe 
 of it* and to what is Mathemati- 
 cally Demonftrable. 
 
 A very little Reflection on what 
 has been faid, and on what is feen 
 abroad in the World will give us 
 an Idea of Other Sciences as to the 
 particular we are at prefent upon. 
 
 I will now (hew how That mat- 
 ter ftands with relation to Conno'if- 
 fance in its feveral Branches, The 
 Knowledge of the Goodnefs of a 
 Picture, Drawing, &fc. The Di- 
 ftinguiming of Hands, and Origi- 
 nals, and Copies. 
 
 Rules may be eftablifh'd fo clear- 
 ly derived from Reafon as to be In- 
 contestable. If the Defign of the 
 Pi&ure be (as in General it is) to 
 
 Pleafe 
 
( *3i ) 
 
 Pleafe, and Improve the Mind (as 
 in Poetry) the Story muft have all 
 poffible Advantages given to it, and 
 the Actors muft have the Utmoft 
 Grace, and Dignity their feveral 
 Characters will admit of: If Hifto- 
 rical, and Natural Truth only be 
 intended That muft be follow'd $ 
 tho' the Beft Choice of Thefe muft 
 be made; In Both Cafes Unity of 
 Time, Place, and Action ought to 
 be obferv'd : The Composition muft 
 be fuch as to make the Thoughts 
 appear at firft Sight, and the Prin- 
 cipal of them the moft conipicu- 
 oufly ,• And the Whole muft be fb 
 contrived as to be a Grateful Object 
 to the Eye, both as to the Colours^ 
 and the MafTes of Light, and Sha- 
 dow. Thefe things are fo evident 
 as not to admit of any Difpute, or 
 Contradiction ,• As it alio is that 
 the Expreflion muft be Strong, the 
 Drawing Juft, the Colouring Clean, 
 and Beautiful, the Handling Eafy ? 
 R i and 
 
( 132 ) 
 
 and Light, and all Thefe Proper to 
 the Subject. Nor will it be diffi- 
 cult to know Affuredly what is fo, 
 unlefs with relation to the juflnefs 
 of the Drawing- but to know in 
 the Main whether any thing is 
 Lame, Diftorted, Mif-fhapen, ill 
 Proportioned, or Flat, or on the 
 contrary Round, and Beautiful is 
 what any Eye that is tolerably Cu- 
 rious can judge of. 
 
 The Rules being Fix'd, and Cer- 
 tain 5 Whether a Picture, or Draw- 
 ing has the Properties required is 
 eafily feen, and when they are dif- 
 cover'd a Man is as certain he fees 
 what he thinks he fees as in any 
 other Cafe where his own Senfes 
 convey the Evidence to his Under- 
 ftanding. 
 
 And by being accultomed to See, 
 and Obferve theBeft Pictures a Man 
 may judge in what Degree thefe 
 Excellencies are in That under con- 
 fideration ; for all things muft be 
 
 judg'd 
 
( 133 ) 
 
 judg'd of by Comparifon, That 
 will be thought the Beft that is the 
 Beft we know of. 
 
 If a Picture has Any of the Good 
 Properties I have been fpeaking of, 
 (as None has All) we can fee Which, 
 or How many they have, and 
 What they are, and can tell what 
 Rank they ought to hold in our E- 
 ftimation, and whether the Excel- 
 lencies they have will atone for 
 thofe they Want, as the moft De- 
 licate Pencil, the Fined Colouring, 
 the greateft Force, (tho 3 thefe are 
 Valuable) will not make amends 
 for a Lewd, or Prophane Sub- 
 ject, a Poor and Infipid Way of 
 Thinking, Lamenefs, or Stiffnefs, 
 want of Harmony , and Tame- 
 nels, Meanefs, and Ungracefulnels 
 throughout ; For this would be like 
 Good Language, and Mufical Num- 
 bers in a Poem without Senfe, In- 
 vention, Elevation, Propriety, and 
 the Other Requisites in Poetry. 
 
 Without 
 
( 134 ) I 
 
 Withont Principles a Man is in 
 the Dark, and fluctuates in Uncer- 
 tainty, but having Thefe One may 
 be Steddy, and Clear j If Care be 
 taken to keep to them, and that we 
 do not judge by Something elfe 
 befides, or inftead of Them j and 
 moreover that they be Solid, and 
 Juft. I 
 
 Here now is a very great Degree 
 of Certainty to be had in by much 
 the moil: Material Branch of the 
 Science. And That being Secured 
 'tis Comparatively of little Confe- 
 rence of what Hand a Work is, 
 Or whether 'tis an Original, or 
 not. 
 
 But Here too there are many 
 Cafes wherein we can have an E- 
 qual Degree of Affurance as in the 
 Former. Thus it is with refped: 
 to the Beft Works of the Beft Ma- 
 fters, Efpecially when if 'tis a Pic- 
 ture, Hiftory, or Tradition con- 
 firms our Opinion,- and if a Draw- 
 
 infl" 
 
( 135 ) 
 
 ing'tis known for what Picture 'twas 
 made: Or when we have an Op- 
 portunity (which frequently hap- 
 pensj of comparing One of the 
 Same Mafter, and Manner with A- 
 other. In the Beft Works of the 
 Beft Mafters not only their Cha- 
 racters are evidently feea, but Here 
 they are exalted above the poflibi- 
 lity of being Coppied, or Imitated 
 fo as not to be difcovered. And 
 befides Providence has preferved to 
 Us a Sufficient Number of the Works 
 of thefe Excellent Men whereon Se- 
 curely to form our Ideas concern- 
 ing them. 
 
 A like Degree of Evidence we 
 have for the Works of thofe who 
 have been great Mannerifts ,• and 
 of whom we have many Pictures, 
 or Drawings. 'Tis true a tolerable 
 Copy of One of thefe Mafters may 
 at firft Sight be taken for an Origi- 
 nal, as an Imitation maybe thought 
 to be Genuine j but 'tis very rarely 
 
 found 
 
( 13* ) 
 
 found that the difference is not 
 plainly difcovered with a little At- 
 tention • Generally 'tis feen Imme- 
 diately, and Inconteftably. 
 
 There are many Sketches, or o- 
 ther Free-Works, whether Pictures, 
 or Drawings of whofe Originality 
 we are alfo Abfolutely Certain. 
 
 I pretend not to go through all 
 the Cafes wherein this Affurance, 
 or high Degree of Perfuafion is to 
 be had, it would be too tedious. 
 We may be Reafonably well Per- 
 ftaded in many Others ; as where 
 we have considerable Numbers of 
 Genuine Works of Matters not fo 
 Excellent, nor whofe Manners are 
 more particularly remarkable. We 
 may alfo be Thus perfuadedof thofe 
 that are not the Bed of the Great- 
 eft Hands, Or Manners which they 
 Seldom ufed j and that by comparing 
 Thefe Works with Thofe which are 
 indifputable : For there is in All the 
 Mafters, tho' not in All Equally, 
 
 a cer- 
 
( 137 ) 
 
 a certain Character, and Peculiari- 
 ty that runs thro' all their Works 
 in fome Meafure, and which a Good 
 Connotjfeur knows, tho' he cannot 
 defcribe it to Another. 
 
 This way ofComparifon too helps 
 us to a higher Degree of Perfuafion 
 than Otherwife we fhould have had 
 with relation to the Works of Ma- 
 ilers of whom we have but a fmall 
 Number j As for Example of Do- 
 mimchmo ; We know his general 
 Character, That is eftablifh'd by 
 thofe few of his Works that are in 
 Rome, Naples, and elfewhere, and 
 by the Writers ; as we alio know the 
 Character of Amiibak Caracct by 
 the fame means, but in a greater 
 Degree. If then we cannot con- 
 front a Work thought to be of the 
 Former, with Another already 
 judg'd to be of Him, it may be of 
 coniiderable ufe to compare it with 
 one of Ayimbale, and to fee what 
 Degree > and Kind of Goodnefs it 
 S has 
 
( 138 ) 
 
 has in that Comparifcn, and whe- 
 ther that Anfwers to the Character 
 of Dommtchmo as compar'd with 
 the Other j If it does 'tis an Addi- 
 tional Evidence over and above what 
 we had before. . 
 
 From thefe we defcend to more 
 Doubtful Cafes, which 'tis trouble- 
 fome, and of no great ufe to enu- 
 merate ; Only in General this is cer- 
 tain, that Thefe Cafes are fuch as 
 are of the Leah: Confecjuence, as 
 being for the moft part with rela- 
 tion to fome of the Word Works of 
 the Better Mafters, Orthofeofln- 
 confiderable ones. If 'tis Doubtful 
 whether a Picture, or a Drawing is 
 a Copy, or an Original, 'tis or lit- 
 tle Conlequence which it is; and 
 More, or Lefs in proportion as 'tis 
 Doubtful : If the Cafe be exceeding 
 Difficult, or Impoffible to be De- 
 termin'd 'tis no matter whether 'tis 
 Determin'd or no; the Picture fup- 
 pofing it to be a Copy muftr be in 
 
 a man- 
 
( 139 ) 
 
 a manner as Good as the Original, 
 and fuppofing That to be one of 
 the Beft of the Mafter 'tis the Great- 
 er Curiofity that he could be fo 
 well Imitated ,• If the Queftion be 
 whether 'tis a Copy, or an Origi- 
 nal, one of the mod Indifferent 
 ones of the Mafter ; Such an Ori- 
 ginal is of no great Confequence 
 to be known, 'tis no matter whe- 
 ther 'tis (b, or a Copy. 
 
 After all it muft be ackncvle VA. 
 that as in Other Sciences there are; 
 certain Branches of them wherein 
 One Man excels, and Another in 
 Others, but knows little of the 
 reft; So in Connoijfance ', No One Man 
 can be acquainted with the Hands 
 of All, even of the moft confide- 
 rable Mafters ; nor with all the Man- 
 ners perhaps of any One of thofe 
 who have had great Variety of 
 them • Nor to be very Expert in 
 more than a few of Thefe : He 
 muft be contented with a Moderate 
 
 S z Skill 
 
( H° ) 
 
 Skill in many, and to be Utterly 
 Ignorant in Some of them : Such 
 is the Narrownefs of our Faculties, 
 the Extent of the Science, or the 
 want of Helps, and Materials for 
 the Study. 
 
 However let it be remember'd too 
 That Every Conm'ijfeur may judge 
 concerning the Goodnefs of a Pi- 
 cture, or Drawing as to all the Parts 
 of it except the Invention, and Ex- 
 preflion in Hiftory, and the Refem- 
 blance in Portraits ; and thefe no 
 One Man can judge Accurately of 
 in All Cafes, becaufe no One Man 
 can be acquainted with all the Sto- 
 ries, or Fables, or other Subjects 
 of the Picture • as no One Man can 
 know Every Body. 
 
 Thus (I think) I have given the 
 true State of the Cafe with relation 
 to Our Knowledge in General, and 
 That which is to be had in the Sci- 
 ence I am treating of,- by which it 
 will appear that in This refpeft we 
 
 are 
 
( Hi ) 
 
 are upon an Equality (at leaft) with 
 Mod Other Sciences, if we have 
 not the Advantage of them. 
 
 The Variety of Opinions oiCon- 
 noijfeurs, or Such as Pretend to be 
 fo, will be made an Objection to 
 what I have advanced. And it 
 may feem to be a very Considerable 
 One. I will therefore befides what 
 has been already difcourfed in ge- 
 neral of the Impoffibility of Men's 
 agreeing in their Sentiments fiom 
 the Nature of things, the Appea- 
 rance of Evidence being neceflarily 
 fo various to Every one of us, and 
 we as Neceflarily Judging according 
 to That, whatever it be. I fay befides 
 This I will give a Particular Anfwer 
 to this Objection, and therein {hew 
 how it comes to pafs that Men have 
 thefe Different Views, and confe- 
 cjuently Different Opinions; And 
 that This docs not Always happen 
 from the Obfcurity of the Science, 
 but frequently from Some Defect in 
 
 the 
 
( H2 ) 
 
 the Men, or in their Management 
 on Thefe Occasions ; fo as to ren- 
 der Thefe their Opinions utterly In- 
 fignificant. And having done this I 
 will proceed to (hew That there is 
 not altogether fo great a Variety 
 of Opinions as there Seems to be. 
 
 There are fome People who ne- 
 ver had any Opinions of their Own 
 Properly Speaking, but have taken 
 up their Notions upon Truft; 
 They talk from Whim, or Fancy, 
 or as they have heard Others Talk, 
 without Fixing upon, or Eftablifti- 
 ing any certain Principles,- where- 
 by to Condudt themfelves in This 
 Affair. 
 
 Others may have Confider'd 
 More, but to as little Purpofe, ha- 
 ving gone upon Principles Falfe, 
 or Precarious j to which they are 
 Bigotted, and refolve to adhere- 
 Never Impartially Enquiring whe- 
 ther they were in the Right or no, 
 Or perhaps fo much as fufpecling 
 
 they 
 
( H3 ) 
 
 they were not, or Imagining fuch 
 a thing was poffible. 
 
 As the Former never ftudied at 
 all, Thefe have done fo but in 
 Part,- They have not dug down to 
 the Foundation, but taken That as 
 they found it: And as Truth lies 
 in one Single Point, and Error is 
 Infinite, Such People as Thefe may 
 Study, Difpute, and Wrangle Eter- 
 nally, and always find Plaufible Ar- 
 guments on Both Sides, but never 
 get out of the Labyrinth. 
 
 Some People if they have had 
 the Opportunity of Seeing Good 
 things, Efpecially if they have been 
 Abroad, and above all in Italy: Or 
 if they have the Names of Some of 
 the Mafters, and a little of their 
 Hiftory, let up for Conno'iffeurs with- 
 out taking the Reqnifite Pains to 
 be Really what they affed to be 
 Thought to be ; Juft like a Young 
 Pert Divine who if he has been a 
 certain time at the Un-iverfity, and 
 
 read 
 
( H4 ) 
 
 itz&Artjlotle^ and the Fathers thinks 
 himfelf a Match ioxHobbs> or Bel- 
 larm'me. 
 
 Again, Some there are who are 
 Incapable of being Good Connoif- 
 feurs, let them take what Pains 
 they will, Thofe that want Genius, 
 and a Competent Meafure of Un- 
 derstanding can never penetrate in- 
 to the Beauties, or Defects of a 
 Picture,- They can never be Judg- 
 es of the Degrees of its Goodnels. 
 And Thofe that know not how to 
 form Clear, and Diftinct Ideas, and 
 have not a Memory to Retain, and 
 Skill to Manage them, can never 
 be good Judges of Hands, or know 
 Copies from Originals. 
 
 A Man may be a Good Connoif- 
 feur in General, and an Ingenious 
 Man, and yet his Judgment in ma- 
 ny Cafes is not to be regarded; he 
 may be exactly upon the Level with 
 Thofe that are neither One, nor 
 the Othei : There is a certain Cir- 
 cle 
 
( 145 ) 
 
 cle, beyond which the Wifeft Men 
 are Fools ; Every Man's Capacity 
 has its bounds ,• and 'tis not Every 
 One's Talent to know the Utmoft 
 Extent of Thefe, or to keep them- 
 felvesfrom making Excurfions. One 
 Connoijfeur is well acquainted with 
 the Hands of Some of the Mailers, 
 or with Some of their Manners, but 
 not with Others,- If he pretends to 
 give his Judgment in thofe Cafes 
 wherein he is Ignorant 'tis an Equal 
 Chance but he is Wrong • and if he 
 is fo, Another that may not be a 
 Better Connoiffeur in the Main, tho' 
 he is fo in This particular, will pro- 
 bably differ from him. The Dis- 
 pute then will lie between a Wife 
 Man, and a Fool quoad hoc y but 
 that there is a Difpute at all is not 
 from the Obfcurity of the Science, 
 but the Indifcretion of one of the 
 Difputants. I have obferved fre- 
 quent lnftances of this Inequality in 
 Ingenious Men with fome Surprize $ 
 T I have 
 
( 1 4* ) 
 
 I have known the Same Man talk like 
 a very Able Connoiffeur at One time, 
 and at Another like One that had 
 never confider'd thefe things at all : 
 Whether 'twas that he was at fueh 
 times Carelefs ,' or Abfent from 
 Himfelf; Or that he was really out 
 of his Depth in thofe Particulars I 
 know not. 
 
 To Conclude: There is not fo 
 great a Difference in Opinions in 
 Some Cafes, nor fo great a Con- 
 formity in Others as there Seems 
 to be amongft Men. 
 
 When One fays a Picture is Good 
 and the Other the contrary, Either 
 may fix upon certain Properties 
 wherein Both may be in the Right; 
 The only Fault may be in Denomi- 
 nating the whole from a Part, and 
 not Underftanding One Another. 
 
 Some Men, and indeed All Men 
 at Some times will give their Judg- 
 ments in Hafte, and before they 
 have enough Confider'd,, and Re- 
 collected 
 
( 147 ) 
 
 colle&ed themfelves , Whether from 
 a Natural Vivacity of Temper, an 
 Affectation of appearing to be Rea- 
 dy at thefe things, or from whatever 
 other Caufe,- Such Sudden Opini- 
 ons are commonly different from 
 what the Same Perlon's more Deli- 
 berate Judgment is : But luch is the 
 Pride, and Folly of Some People 
 that what they have Once faid, the 
 Opinion they have once Efpous'd 
 they will adhere to, how much in 
 the Wrong fbever they may find 
 themfelves to have been ; and this 
 rather than Own 'twas poflible for 
 Them to have been Miftaken ^ 
 Tho 5 that is common to the Wi^ 
 fed: of Men, and the perfifting in, 
 a Known Error None but a FooJ 
 (in That reiped: at leaft) is capa- 
 ble of: That has no Difhonour in 
 k y and oftentimes the Contrary,- 
 The Other is Shameful, and RA* 
 $iculous. 
 
 Some are Exorbitant in the Prat* 
 T 2 fes 
 
( i+8 ) 
 
 fes of what Themfelves PofFefs, and 
 as much Depreciate every thing elfe - y 
 and that from Partiality on the one 
 Hand, and pure Malice, and 111 Na- 
 ture on the Other- but however it 
 be, an Account is Thus given of Pi- 
 ctures, or Drawings very Different 
 from what will be had from other 
 Connoijfenrs. Juft as I have feen Par- 
 ty-men in Civil, or Religious Mat- 
 ters reprefent the Caufe they Efpoufe 
 as without Spot , orBlemifhy and that 
 of their Opponents as utterly abfurd, 
 and Mifchievous -Whereas the Great 
 Difference is in their Interefts, and 
 Inclinations, not in their Judg- 
 ments. 
 
 Men frequently Diffemble their 
 Real Sentiments in Connoiffance ; 
 and that either with an III Inten- 
 tion, or very ]uftifiably. The firft 
 of Thefe Cafes many a Gentleman 
 has known to have happened to 
 his Cod in Some Inftances,- and in 
 More they never Have been, nor 
 
 ever 
 
( *49 ) 
 
 ever Will be Undeceiv'd. There 
 are Pidure- Jockeys who will make 
 what Advantage they can of the 
 Credulity of Others, and their own 
 Superiour Understandings in That 
 Particular, and to that End af- 
 fert what Themfelves believe to be 
 Falfe. 
 
 Others again put on the Mask 
 for Their Own Sakes in part, and 
 partly for the Sakes of Other Peo- 
 ple. We frequently meet with Pi- 
 ctures, or Drawings which we know 
 are not what The Owners of them 
 take them to be: What can we do 
 in This Cafe ? What, but the Same 
 as Every Wife Man Muft, and Will 
 do in like Circumftances ,• and ma- 
 ny Cafes there are in the World 
 where Wife Men are Thought to 
 think Otherwife than they do, be- 
 caufe they are too Wife to tell their 
 Real Thoughts $ the Maxim which 
 Sir Henry IVootton recommended to 
 Mr. Milton when he was entering 
 
 upon 
 
( 15© } 
 
 upon his Travels / Pen/ten Stretn y 
 Of ilJ^ifo Sciolto. Clofe Thoughts, 
 and an Open Countenance is as ne- 
 ceflary to be obferv'd by Connoif- 
 feurs y as Travellers, or any other 
 Sort of Men whatsoever. Some 
 Years fince a very Honeft Gentle- 
 man, a (Rough Man) came to me, 
 and amongft Other Difcourfe with 
 abundance of Civility invited me 
 to his Houfe. I have (fays he) a 
 Picture of Rubens, 'tis a Rare good 
 
 one; Mr. — was t'other Day to 
 
 fee it, and fays 'tis a Copy; G 
 
 d — — him If any One fays That 
 Picture is a Copy I'll break his Head ,• 
 Pray Mr. Richardfon will you do me 
 the Favour to come, and give me 
 Y ourOpinion of it. Mankind is gene- 
 rally difpos'd to Believe Thofe who 
 tell them what they would have to 
 be true; Not becaufe their ArTent 
 is regulated by their Paffions, and 
 differently from the Evidence as it 
 Appears to Them \ but they really 
 
 conceive 
 
( i5i ) 
 
 conceive a better Opinion of Thefe 
 People, and think their Judgment 
 is better than the Others - y and Thefe 
 kind of Arguments being what they 
 rely upon in This Cafe, they ap- 
 pear Stronger on That Side than 
 on the Other • their Minds being 
 alfo more apply'd to the Confide- 
 ration of Thefe, than Thofe O- 
 ther. 
 
 And Thefe People have a Degree 
 of Happinefs by Error in This Cafe 
 which Truth would deprive them 
 of, and confequently they would 
 Suffer by it -> And Truth, and Error 
 are Indifferent to us, but as Either 
 tends to our Good, that is to our 
 Happinefs - y Or in other Words, 
 the Degree of our Enjoyments, the 
 whole Duration of our Exiftence 
 being taken into the Account. In 
 this World we probably Enjoy as 
 much from our Ignorance, and Mi- 
 ftakes> as from our Knowledge, 
 and True Judgments • And we are 
 
 many 
 
( 152 ) 
 
 many times in Such Circumftances 
 that Truth would make us extreme* 
 ly Wretched -> so that he is Mifchie- 
 vous to us who opens our Eyes. A 
 Good Conmijjeur therefore, who 
 is withal a Plain, Sincere Man has 
 great difficulties many times when 
 he fees a Collection, or a Single Pi- 
 cture, or two; Chiefly when Gentle- 
 men will urge him to give his O- 
 pinion of Something they have late- 
 ly Acquir'd, and the Honey- Moon 
 is not yet over. On thefe Occa- 
 fions one cannot avoid applying 
 the Words of our Saviour to His 
 Difciples; I have many things to fay 
 to you, but you cannot Bear them 
 now. r 
 
 I mould be very loath to be an 
 Advocate for Infincerity of Any 
 kind, and indeed I am very unfit 
 for it: If the State of things would 
 admit of it I (hould be glad to come 
 into a General Agreement never to 
 conceal the lealt Thought of the 
 
 heart 
 
( 153 ) 
 
 heart by any Word, Look, or A~ 
 d;ion whatsoever j But as the Cafe 
 now (lands the Difguifes I have been 
 pleading for are fo neceffary,- and 
 they are fo much the fame with 
 thole Complements, and Civilities 
 Univerfally pra&ifed, that he that 
 is Deceiv'd by them if he mould 
 Difcover it would Acquit, and Ap- 
 prove the Deceiver ,* Or they will 
 not Deceive at all. 
 
 I will however take the liberty 
 to put Gentlemen in Mind of the 
 great Injury they do themfelves by 
 their being fo Rnteie of their Own 
 things, as not to permit Every one 
 to fpeak their Minds freely, and 
 without Referve,- not only their 
 Judgments by this means are kept 
 Low, but they are Sufferers in their 
 Purfes j they lie open to be impos'd 
 on, and in Facl: too often fling away 
 their Money upon Trafh: They 
 have Pleafure indeed, but they migh t 
 have That too, and Greater, and 
 U more 
 
( 154 ) 
 
 more Durable without thofe Disad- 
 vantages } nay with the contrary 
 Circumftances ; they might become 
 Good ConnoiJfeurSy and be Good 
 Oconomifts at the fame time. 
 
 Another Inftance of an Apparent, 
 but no Real Difference in the O- 
 pinions of ' Connoiffeurs is This, (and 
 'tis the Laft I mail mention) J Tis 
 very Common for Other People 
 (not the Owners) to ask our Opi- 
 nions of Pictures, or Collections 
 when there may be good Reafons 
 why we fhould not be very Exact, 
 and Particular in our Anfwers ; E- 
 fpecially if the Things are to be Dif- 
 pofed of, and the Queftion is ask'd 
 in a Large, and Mix'd Company: 
 In That Cafe the Ufual Way is to 
 Avoid the mention of any Faults, 
 and to fay what Good we can in Ge- 
 neral Terms : Which kind of Cha- 
 racter is indeed no other than a 
 Tub flung out for the Whale to play 
 with that the Ship might get rid of 
 
 him > 
 
( 155 ) 
 
 him; for it gives no Idea, or none 
 fhould be taken from thence,- the 
 Man that has got it is Certainly not 
 one jot the Wifer for it how well 
 Satisfied foever he may be with it. 
 
 At Other times we may have as 
 Good Reafons to be Clear, and Ex- 
 plicit in our Characters : If thefe 
 two Accounts happen to be com- 
 par'd, (as they often are) there will 
 appear a Difference in Judgment, 
 or Infincerity ; when thofe who gave 
 them were of the Same Mind all a- 
 long, and /pake nothing but the 
 Truth, tho' not All the Truth, 
 
 Some Cafuifts have faid No Man 
 is bound to deliver Truth to him 
 who has no Right to demand it. 
 Of what Ufe foever this Rule may 
 betowardsthedifentanglingus from 
 the Perplexities we find in the De- 
 finition of a Criminal Lie, thus far 
 is Plain, and Certain, that we are 
 not Oblig'd to give our Opinions 
 
 U 2 tQ 
 
( 15* ) 
 
 to thofe who are not Entitled to 
 them, whether by Promife, Gra- 
 titude, Common Juftice, or Pru- 
 dence. 
 
 Underftanding in a Science, as 
 all other Natural, or Acquired Ad- 
 vantages is the PorTeffor's Property, 
 which Every Man SELLS at as 
 Good a Rate as he can for Value 
 Received, or Expected. This is 
 Common to All Orders of Men ; 
 Why Connnijfeurs (hould be expect- 
 ed to diftinguifh themfelves by their 
 Generofity, or Prodigality is Unac- 
 countable. But it would be alto- 
 gether Abfurd for them to do it, 
 when they fhall be fure to create to 
 themfelves Enemies by that means, 
 and that only to Satisfie an Infigni- 
 ficant Curiofity, or even to Serve 
 Thofe who Probably will never 
 think Themfelves Oblig'd, or Re- 
 member it afterwards. 
 
 Becaufe therefore we cannot O- 
 therwife avoid Some Peoples Impor- 
 tunity 
 
( 157 ) 
 
 tunity we are forced to be provided, 
 as with Gold, and Silver to pay our 
 Debts, or purchafe NecefTaries, or 
 Convenieneies, So with Half-pence 
 for Beggars. 
 
 SECT. III. 
 
 I am now come to the Third 
 Branch of Argument, whereby I 
 would recommend the Love of 
 Painting, and Study o(ConnoiJfance y 
 upon Account of the Pleafure 'tis 
 capable of affording. 
 
 I flatter my felf it has been ob- 
 ferv'd that I have endeavour'd hi- 
 therto to go to the Bottom of my 
 Subject, and to treat it with all the 
 Dignity I was able, and fo as it 
 might be acceptable to Gentlemen 
 who are Not yet Lovers, and Con- 
 noiffeurs, to whom, as well as to 
 thofe thai Are, I have throughout ad- 
 drefs'd my fcl-f, tho 5 more particular- 
 ly is the pi dent Treatrfe. In Pro- 
 fectttion of the Same Defign I fhall 
 
 here 
 
( 158 ) 
 
 here be engag'd in a fhort Difcourfe 
 to (hew what Improvements may be 
 made in our Pleafures, in order to 
 introduce That in particular which 
 I am to recommend as Such: So 
 that I will not only fhew that there 
 is Pleafure to be had in Connoif- 
 fance, but endeavour to facilitate 
 the Enjoyment of it. 
 
 I faid it would be a Short Difcourfe ,- 
 for tho' (as I took the liberty to fay) 
 I have labour'd to finifh my Main 
 Subject as highly as I could, it will 
 not be expected the Incidental ones 
 Ihould be other than Sketches. Such 
 as it is, I offer it to the Reader as a 
 Plan for a Happy Life. 
 
 _ , « Whether thou 
 
 " Fifit'fi my Lonely, Chearful, Evening Haunts, 
 cc Or thofe more Chearful yet when dewy Morn 
 Purples the Eaft, ftill govern thou my Song 
 Urania, and fit Audience find, tho' Few : 
 Liit drive far off the barbarous Difionance 
 Of Bacchus and his Revellers, the race 
 Of that wild Rout that tore the Thracian Bard 
 In Rhodope, where Woods, and Rocks had Ears 
 To rapture 'till the Savage Clamour drown' d 
 
 Both 
 
( 159 ) 
 
 Both Harp) and Voice ; nor could the Mufe defend 
 Her Son. 
 
 Milton. 
 
 The Defire of Happinefs is the 
 Spring that puts us all in Motion ,* 
 We receive it together with the 
 Breath of Life ,• We are touch'd by 
 this Magnet upon our very Entrance 
 into Being, and ever after tend thi- 
 therwards with all the Powers of 
 our Souls : This is the End in which 
 we All agree, tho' as to the Way 
 there is infinite Variety, and Error. 
 Pleafiire is but another Name for 
 Happinefs, we are Happy in pro- 
 portion as we are Pleas'd ; the Summ 
 Total of our Enjoyments, and the 
 Degree of them during our Exift- 
 ence, being compar'd with that of 
 our Sufferings, the Surplufage on 
 the Side of Enjoyment is the Ac- 
 count of the Degree of Happinefs 
 to which we arrive $ the Share which 
 was allotted us of the Divine Boun- 
 ty. Pleafure is our Summum Bo- 
 
 numi 
 
( i«o ) 
 
 num$ and whatfoever Some Men 
 may Pretend, or Fancy, God him- 
 felf is confider'd by us as Such no 
 otherwife than as 'tis conceived he is 
 the Fountain of Good to Us. 
 
 In our Deliberations, and De- 
 terminations concerning Actions to 
 be done 'tis the Single Principle of 
 Pleafure on which All turns Ulti- 
 mately j Whatever Other Principle 
 Seems to govern us; Whether Du- 
 ty, Love of Virtue, Intereft, Am- 
 bition, Senfuality, &c. All termi- 
 nates in this one great Principle 
 Self-Love -, that firft Motive to all 
 our Actions, Pleafure: Tho' as a 
 River being divided into feveral 
 Streams lofes its Name, and each 
 Rivulet has one of its Own, This 
 Principle being turn'd into various 
 Channels we feem to acl: by Diffe- 
 rent Motives, when 'tis only the 
 Same Differently turn'd ,• We all 
 ad by the Same Firft Principle, tho' 
 by Different Subordinate ones. 
 
 In 
 
( 161 ) 
 
 In the Struggles betwixt Virtue, 
 and Vice, the Queftion is only 
 where moil: Pleaiure is to be had; 
 When we reject Senfual Criminal 
 Pleasures, 'tis only that we may en- 
 joy Others that we conceive Great- 
 er •. 'tis only rejecting a Plealure we 
 find we cannot Enjoy but with Fear, 
 Shame, Remorfe, and fitch like Al- 
 loys, for what upon the foot of the 
 Account we conceive will afford us 
 Moil: Pleafure ; a Confcioufnefs of 
 having done well, of having A&ed 
 like a Man, not like a Brute,- to- 
 gether with the hopes of future Re- 
 compenle, and the Perluafion of ha- 
 ving avoided Future Mifery. When 
 thefe Ideas are not in the Mind, or 
 not to a Degree lufficient to weigh 
 down what appears on the fide of 
 Prefent Enjoyment we evermore 
 give way to Senfuality, the Tempter 
 prevails. 
 
 So if we chufe Prefent Milery, 
 when in Competition with Eafe, 
 
 X and 
 
( \62 ) 
 
 and Pofitive Enjoyment, 'tis becaufe 
 we perceive the One will be accom- 
 pany'd with Mental Pleafures, the 
 Other with Pains of that Sort, fo 
 as upon the Whole the Bodily Suf- 
 ferings, together with the Mental 
 Enjoyment will afford us moft Plea- 
 lure. Thus Cato is as great an E- 
 picure as Apicius, tho' the Men 
 are very different with refpe&to tlv. 
 Efteem they ought to have as Merr 
 hers of Society, as well as on oth. 
 Accounts. 
 
 Notwithftanding the perpetual 
 Complaints of Men I am verily per- 
 fuaded Every Man Enjoys mopg in. 
 this World than he Suffers ; but whc • 
 this be fo, or not, this is vtruin 
 that moft Men might Enjoy more 
 than they do if they took the 
 right Courfe; As it Is, t:hey have 
 all the Pleaiure they can get. The 
 whole World is engag'd in one great 
 Chace after Pleaiure, but as there 
 is great difference in the Sportfmen, 
 
 Some 
 
( 1*3 ) 
 
 Some are more Succefsful than O- 
 thers- Some in Rough, and Dan- 
 gerous Ways find Lean, Wretched 
 Game,- others what is Excellent in 
 a Fine Countrey. 
 
 The Foundation of a Happy Life 
 rauft be laid in the Idea we have of* 
 God. 
 
 Thou haft befit me behind, and 
 before, and laid thine hand upon 
 
 me. Whither fhall I go from thy 
 
 Spirit ? or whither fhall 1 flee from 
 thy Prefence ? If I afcend up into 
 Heaven thou art there. If I take 
 the Wings of the Morning, and dwell 
 in the uttermojl parts of the Sea, e~ 
 ven there fhall thy hand lead me 7 
 and thy right hand floall hold me j 
 if I fay furely the Darknefs fhall co- 
 ver me -, even the Night fhall be light 
 about me : Tea the Darknefs hideth 
 not from thee : but the Night Jhineth 
 as the Day : the Darknefs, and the 
 Light are both alike to thee: Being 
 thus under the Eye, and Power of 
 
 X % God, 
 
( 1*4 ) 
 
 God, from whence 'tis impoffible to 
 withdraw our Selves for one Mo- 
 ment, as moft men know as well 
 as this Divine Sacred Hebrew Poet, 
 (tho J perhaps None ever faid it fo 
 Finely) but None can poffibly be 
 AfTured of the contrary, the Idea 
 We happen to have of this Incom- 
 prehenfible Being is of the utmoft 
 importance to our Happinefsj If 
 That be Black, and Terrible, let 
 us divert the Thought as well as we 
 can, it will obtrude it felf, and like 
 the Hand-writing upon the Wall 
 turn away the Current of our Plea- 
 fures in their ftrongeft Tides. If 
 our Ideas of God be Confus'd, Un- 
 fettled, and Doubtful, 'twill be a 
 proportionable Abatement to our 
 Happinefs,- but on the contrary if 
 we have Noble, and Worthy Con- 
 ceptions of the Supreme Being the 
 Mind is enriched thereby, and we 
 have advanced far towards a Hap- 
 py Life. 
 
 And 
 
( !*5 ) 
 
 And if moreover we have fuch a 
 perception of the Nature of Man- 
 kind, and fiich a Self-Confcioufnefs 
 as from thence, in Conjunction 
 with the Notions we have of God 
 we can form, and eftablifh a Clear, 
 and Firm Perfuafion of our being 
 entitled to his Protection, and Fa- 
 vour, This will be it felf a Trans- 
 cendent Delight,- it will heighten, 
 and give a Delicious Flavour to all 
 our Other Enjoyments; We may 
 be intrepid under all the Calami- 
 ties of Life, 
 
 And fear of Death deliver to the Winds. 
 
 Milton. 
 
 Whatever Point I fix my 'Thoughts upon 
 
 "Throughout all Space I find Thee there, and Thou 
 
 Art ever prefent, and with humble Joy 
 
 Ipraife the Univerfal Soveraign 
 
 Not of this little Spot of Earthy and Sea> 
 
 And its attendant Luminaries bright, 
 
 His Sole Dominion, Heaven, and Hell except, 
 
 (His Court, and Prifun-houfe ;) but of more Worlds 
 
 Than there are Sands upon the Ocean jhores. 
 
 Where Goodnefs infinite for ever reigns. 
 
 All things Subfifi in Thee, in Thee Rejoyce, 
 
 Not Terrible, but as a Father Mild, 
 
 Beneficent) Indulgent, Bountiful: 
 
 Thou 
 
( I** ) 
 
 Thou do'fi not hate, or cruelly correct 
 
 Imperfect Beings for Imperfect Aits-, 
 
 Or for Miftakes thofe not Infallible; 
 
 Or thofe ivhofe Actions, Words, or Thoughts, (At/iifs 
 
 Altho* they be) Involuntary are, 
 
 Or otherwife Conftrain'd, and not their Own. 
 
 No Pajfions Turbulent can difcompofe 
 
 Thy Holy Mind Eternally Serene, 
 
 But Joy Divine, and Wife Paternal Love, 
 
 Uninterrupted dwells for ever there. 
 
 O thou Supremely Amiable Being ! 
 
 Pure, uncompounded Effence ! Happinefs, 
 
 And Goodnefs flows from Thee as from their Spring 
 
 To all things elfe; Spring inexhauflible ! 
 
 Completely Good, and Happy in thy Self! 
 
 If it were proper, as upon feveraf 
 Accounts it is not, I mould here 
 difcourfe largely on this Great, De- 
 lightful , and Ufeful Subject : I 
 ftiould then explain particularly 
 what I meant, and fapport that 
 Meaning by Arguments : Inftead of 
 all that I muft leave the Reader to 
 take fome Pains for Himfelf, as I 
 have done ; and 'tis well worth all 
 he can take. And he would do 
 well to remember that by much the 
 greateft part of the Difficulties, and 
 Perplexities we meet withall in Rea- 
 
 foning 
 
( m ) 
 
 Ibning upon whatever Subject are 
 owing to our not going deep e- 
 nough j but taking that for Truth 
 which Ourfelves do not See is fo; 
 Whereas nothing fhould be Borrow- 
 ed, nothing Suppofed, or taken for 
 granted; All fhould be our. Own $ 
 that is, it fhould become fo by our 
 feeing the Reafons upon which 'tis 
 Bottom'd as clearly as we Prefiime 
 Others have done. 
 
 This Main Point being Secured, 
 z:d the Mind thereby in Repofe, 
 arid joyous, an Improvement inPlea- 
 lure may be made if one Part of our 
 Idea of God is that he takes not de- 
 Delight in our Miferies, and Suf- 
 ferings. 
 
 Men are generally apt to ima- 
 gine God to be fuch a one as them- 
 felves j and when Sour, Melanchol- 
 ly, Worn-out People undertake to 
 inftruct others in thefe matters, as 
 they often do, they reprefent things 
 accordingly. Hen$e (I conceive) 
 
 it 
 
( 1*8 ) 
 
 it is that it has been almoft Uni- 
 verfally thought that God takes 
 Pleafure in our Pains and Afflicti- 
 ons. For my Own Part My Idea 
 of him is juft the Reverfe of this. 
 It Seems to Me much more Reafon- 
 able (I am fpeaking on the Sup- 
 pofition of Liberty of the Will ac- 
 cording to the Common received 
 Opinion) I fay 'tis much more Rea- 
 fonable in my Apprehenfion to be- 
 lieve that he approves of the WiP 
 dom of thofe that Thankfully En- 
 joy the Good before them : And 
 that to do Ocherwife he efteems to 
 be as offering the Sacrifice of Fools - y 
 and will fay, Who hath required 
 this at your Hands? What a fine 
 Image does the Angel in Milton 
 give us of the Supremely Good Be- 
 ing prefiding over the Enjoyments 
 of the BlerTed in Heaven ! 
 
 On Flowers repos'd, and with frejb Flowrets crowrid 
 'They Eat, they Drink, and in Communion Sweet 
 Quaff Immortality, and Joy; fecure 
 
 of 
 
( 169 ) 
 
 Of forfeit "where full meafure only bounds 
 Excefsy before th 3 all bounteous King, whofbovfrd 
 With copious hand, Rejoycing in their Joy. 
 
 If we confider'd God as the Com- 
 mon Father of all his Creatures, 
 Thefe on Earth, as well as Thofe 
 Above, we might have the fame 
 Pleafure in the Confcioufhefs of ha- 
 ving done Well when we Accept- 
 ed an Enjoyment offer'd by his Pro- 
 vidence, as when we Refus'd it; 
 when we tafted Pleafure, as when 
 we felt Pain : We might then Enjoy 
 the Religious Pleafure, and the Na- 
 tural one too: Thus he that has 
 burnt Incenfe in a Golden Cenfer, 
 might go away with an Opinion of 
 his being as acceptable to the Dei- 
 ty, as he that has offered his Chil- 
 dren to Moloch. 
 
 Being thus at liberty to perfue 
 Pleafure, (as much a Paradox as it 
 may feem) the way to improve this 
 liberty to the greateft Advantage is 
 to confine our Selves within the 
 Y Bounds 
 
( 17© ) 
 
 Bounds of Innocence, and Virtue. 
 
 And that not only becaufe we 
 are thereby entitled to the Favour 
 of God, and have Peace of Con- 
 fidence,- fuch Theological Confide- 
 rations I leave to Divines as being 
 their Province j I only infift upon 
 the bare natural Reafon of the thing. 
 Nor am I about to deny that a Li- 
 bertine Voluptuary has many Plea- 
 fures which a Man of Virtue has 
 not,- But let it not be forgotten on 
 the other fide that he has Suffer- 
 ings too which the other avoids $ 
 and has not Pleafures peculiar to 
 Virtuous Men : weigh one thing 
 with another, and then fee how the 
 Account ftands. 
 
 Such is the Goodnefs of God that 
 he has provided abundance of Plea- 
 fur e for us ; efpecially all thofe A- 
 ctions which are neceflary to the 
 Prefervation of the Species, and 
 that of every Individual by a con- 
 ftant Supply of Aliment havePlea- 
 
 fure 
 
( 171 ) 
 
 fare annexed to the Performance of 
 them. But as our Appetites are 
 apt to be inordinate thro' our ex- 
 ceffive love of Pleafure, and our 
 Bodies are fb conftituted, and 
 Humane Laws have fo well provi- 
 ded for the Common Good that 
 the Pleafure may continue after the 
 good Ends areferv'd, and then thofe 
 things in which we find Delight 
 become Hurtful , a Reftraint muft 
 be put upon thefe Appetites, and 
 this is called Virtue. Thus Cha- 
 ftity, and Temperance,* and Tem- 
 perance not only in Meats, and 
 Drinks, but in Study, Application 
 to Bufinefs, Exercife, or whatever 
 other the rnoft commendable Acti- 
 ons- thefe are Virtues, becaufe by 
 then we are reftrain'd from impair- 
 ing our Health, or our Fortunes, 
 and ftiortening our Days, by which 
 means we (hould be deprived of ma- 
 ny Pleafures. Juftice is a Virtue ,- 
 the ardent Defire we have of Plea- 
 Y z fure 
 
( 172 ) 
 
 Jure being apt to carry us on to ob- 
 tain it, or the Means of procuring 
 it in fuch a manner as Probably 
 may expofe us to greater Mifchief 
 than will be countervail^ by the 
 Advantages which we may hope to 
 reap from fuch Unreafonable, and 
 Illegal Methods. Fortitude, and 
 Patience are alfo Virtues, as where- 
 by we are enabled bravely to fup- 
 port our felves under the Preflures 
 to which our Humane State is con- 
 ftantly liable, and even to fling off' 
 the Burthen ; whereas a Feeble Mind 
 gives way to Sloth, and finks, and 
 is Crufli'd under it; in (hort, Pru- 
 dence alfo is therefore a Virtue, be- 
 caufe 'tis a Wife Management with 
 regard to Time, Place, Perfons, 
 and the Occafion, whereby we re- 
 ceive many Advantages, and avoid 
 as many Inconveniencies. I muft 
 not enlarge $ but by what has been 
 faid it appears that in Reality Vir- 
 tue is the economy of Pleafure : 'tis 
 
 a Re- 
 
( 173 ) 
 
 aReftraint, that God, and Nature, 
 and Wife Law-givers has put upon 
 our Appetites : to what End ? Spite- 
 fully to Retrench our Enjoyments? 
 No, but to Enlarge, and Improve 
 them. So that were I to paint the 
 Fable of Prodkus as Annibale Ca- 
 racci has done, I would not make 
 the Way of Virtue Rough, and Sto- 
 ny, that of Vice fhould be fo: He, 
 and other Moralifts have been in- 
 jurious to Virtue when they have 
 given us fuch Harfh Reprefentati- 
 ons of her. Her Ways are Ways 
 of Pleafantnefs, and all her Paths 
 are Peace. 
 
 'Tis in every man's power to 
 feed as Deliciouily as Lucullus : Na- 
 ture is not only contented with a 
 little, but me has the greateft A- 
 bundance when fhe has but what 
 {he wants,- all the reft is an Enemy 
 to Pleafure. 
 
 By Temperance, and Sobriety a 
 Common Meal is a Feaft for an 
 
 Epicure. 
 
( 174 ) 
 
 Epicure. True Rational Appetite 
 turns Water into Wine, and e- 
 very Glafi is Tokay. He that fatis- 
 fies the true Demands of well 
 Regulated Nature tho 3 never fo 
 Cheaply 
 
 Blejfes his Stars, and calls it Luxury. 
 
 As Temperance gives us the 
 higheft Pleafure at a very Eafy Rate, 
 a Virtuous Man in that Senfe has 
 no Temptation to Injuftice. But 
 what a Dignity of Mind does an 
 Honeft Man retain! How Eafily, 
 and Securely does he walk in his 
 Plain, and Open Way! with the 
 Approbation, and Applaufe not on- 
 ly of his Own Mind (an Ineftima- 
 ble Tfeafure !) but of all the World. 
 And he that has true Magnanimity 
 (like Job 5 .? Leviathan) Laugbeth at 
 the /baking of the Spear. He is as 
 it were exempt from the Common 
 Miferies of Life, and in the midft 
 of Dangers and Misfortunes 
 
 Rides 
 
( 175 ) 
 
 Rides in the U^hirlwind^ and directs the Storm, 
 
 (I take leave to profit my felf of 
 the Words of a Great Man, admi- 
 rably ufed by him to another Pur- 
 pofe.) And as to the Advantages of 
 Prudence they are well known, and 
 the more Confiderable as being Per- 
 petual; there is not a Day, nor an 
 Hour in which we have not Occa- 
 fion for the Exercife of this Virtue, 
 and as often tafte the Fruits of it. 
 
 I have only touch'd on the Po- 
 fitive Advantages of Virtue. By 
 this means we moreover efcape in- 
 numerable Inconveniencies , and 
 Mifchiefs, which I rauft not, and 
 which I need not here enumerate. 
 
 To conclude this head. Good 
 Nature, Forgivenefs of Injuries, Pi- 
 ty, Charity, and the like Social 
 Virtues as they are never pradtifed 
 but when Self-Love is at the Bot- 
 tom, however difguifed it may hap- 
 pen to be 5 fo being guided by Pru- 
 dence 
 
( 17* ) 
 
 dence (without which they lofe their 
 Properties, and become Vices) they 
 always have a natural tendency to 
 our Happinefs -> as Hatred, Malice, 
 Averfion, Rage, and fuch like Tur- 
 bulent, and Uneafy Diflempers of 
 the Mind,- and even the above 
 mentioned Virtues themfelves not 
 conducted by Prudence, are Ene- 
 mies - y and as Such are to be avoid- 
 ed : And thus the View of the Fol- 
 lies, Impertinencies, 111 Nature, or 
 Wickednefs of Others mould not 
 be permitted to interrupt our Tran- 
 quillity - y Such is the Advice of the 
 Pfalmift, Fret not thy Self becaufe 
 of Evil Doers; and which his Roy- 
 al Son, renown'd for his Wifdom, 
 as well as his being Infpir'd has re- 
 peated. 
 
 The next Step towards a Happy 
 Life is to know how to Enjoy our 
 Own. 
 
 Every Man is a diftincl: Being, 
 an Ifland in the vaft Ocean of the 
 
 Univerfe; 
 
( 177 ) 
 
 Univerfe ,• and among other Pecu- 
 liarities he has his Own Enjoy- 
 ments j which 'tis his Bufinefs not 
 only to be Contented with as being 
 what is allotted him by Providence, 
 and not to be mended by his Mif- 
 likes,- but to Improve as much as 
 poffible. If Another Man has En- 
 joyments which I have not, I have 
 thofe He is a Stranger to $ but whe- 
 ther I have or no, 'tis my Own, 
 not His I am to be concern'd about: 
 Thofe I have are neither More i 
 nor Left 5 they are not Otherwife 
 than they Are, be His what they 
 Will. I would gladly be as great a 
 Painter as Rafaelle, but Providence 
 did not appoint Me to be Rafaelle, 
 nor Rafaelle Me, I muft actpieice in 
 its appointment $ By the Grace of God 
 I am ivhatl am - y and will endeavour 
 to Enjoy, and Improve my Own 
 Lot y So endeavour to Improve it as 
 all the while to Enjoy, and fo Enjoy 
 as not neglecting to Improve. 
 
 Z We 
 
( 178 ) 
 
 We have another kind of Proper- 
 ty, and that is the Prefent time. 
 We poflefs but one Single Point, the 
 whole Circumference of Eternity 
 belongs to Others. We talk of 
 Years, we are Creatures but of a 
 Day, a Moment! the Man I was 
 Yefterday is now no more$ If I 
 live till to Morrow, That Man is 
 not yet born : What that Self (hall 
 be is utterly unknown; what Ideas, 
 what Opinions, what Joys, what 
 Griefs, nay what Body, all is yet 
 hid in the Womb of Time,- but 
 This we are fure of, I {hall not be 
 the Same, the prefent Fabrick will 
 be demoliilVd for ever. What is 
 pafi: we know, but 'tis vanifh'd as a 
 Morning Dream,- we are moving 
 on ,• and every Step we take is a Step 
 in the Dark. 
 
 As "when a Comet from the Sun is thrown 
 An immenfe Diflance amongf? Worlds Unknown 
 After it fliws a Stream of glaring Light ; 
 *Tts Day Behrnd, but all Before is Night. 
 
 This 
 
( *75> ) 
 
 This is our Condition ; we have 
 nothing left, nothing in ftore$ we 
 live (as they fay) from Hand to 
 Mouth, The Prefent is the Sub- 
 ftance, Paft, and to Come are mere 
 Shadows. If an Enjoyment is gone, 
 it has had its Duration, which was 
 as much a Property of it as any o- 
 ther: A Pi&ure I was very much 
 delighted with for about 20 Years 
 was defac'd by an Accident j I con- 
 ilder'd I had enjoy'd it fo many 
 Years, and was thankful for that, 
 'twas all (itfeems) that Providence 
 defign'd when 'twas beftow'd on me, 
 and 'twas a Noble Gift, it would 
 have been an Inftance of Goodneis 
 if it had been but for a Month. If 
 the Enjoyments of to Day are not 
 Equal to thofe of Yefterday, thofe 
 of to Day are not the Lefs, nor lefs 
 to be enjoy'd $ muft I leffen the Ac- 
 count ftill by Teazing my felf with 
 the remembrance of God's extraor- 
 dinary Goodnefs to me Then; in- 
 Z 2 ftead 
 
( i8o ) 
 
 ftead of being Thankful for That, 
 and for what I ftill Enjoy ? 
 
 There is a perpetual Change, 
 and SuccefTion of our Enjoyments,- 
 So that we have a New Set every 
 Day,- Some indeed continue feveral 
 Years, Others have a much fhort- 
 er Duration, and many there are 
 which Ipring up, and wither imme- 
 diately. And if (as it often hap- 
 pens) inftead of thofe that are Ex- 
 pir'd, and Vanifh'd ; Others More, 
 and Greater have fucceeded, this 
 will add to the Folly, and Ingrati- 
 tude of him who repines at what is 
 gone, and overlooks what he Has. 
 
 To imbitter Prefent Enjoyments 
 with the Fears of what May be is a- 
 nother Piece of Mifmanagement, 
 and very commonly practis'd : Per- 
 haps Something I am now delighted 
 with may be Snatch'd from me, or 
 fbme New Evil may arrive ; but the 
 Date of the Enjoyment is not yet 
 expir'd, nor the unwelcome Gueft 
 
 come; 
 
(i8i.) 
 
 come: the Prefent is what it Is, 
 and ftiould not be alter'd by what 
 May, or May not be Hereafter, 
 
 Of all the Fears that are Enemies 
 to our Happinefs that of Death is 
 the mod Terrible and with good 
 reafon, the Lofs we fear being 
 Greater than any Other Lofs can 
 be: But the Cafe is the fame with 
 the great Comprehenfive Blefling 
 Life as with any particular Enjoy- 
 ments, it has its Duration,- and we 
 may as well regret 'twas not iooo 
 Years inftead of threefcore and 
 ten; as that it was but 50, 40, 30, 
 or whatever leflfer Number of Years, 
 and not the full Age of fome men: 
 He that dies at what Age foever had 
 the Duration allotted to that indi- 
 vidual Being, which 'twas as impof- 
 fible to alter as for a Fly to live 
 as long as an Elephant. What the 
 Angel in Milton fays to Adam with 
 a little variation of the Senfe, (as 
 being fpoken on another Occafion) 
 
 is 
 
( 182 ) 
 
 is applicable to my prefent Pur- 
 pofe. 
 
 Nor love thy Life, nor hate; but what thou liv*ft 
 JJve wrfl, how long or Jhort permit to Heav'n. 
 
 Be not fo Fond of Life, nor fb 
 Uneafy under the Inconveniences 
 of it as to diminifh the Pleafure to 
 be had in it; but live Well; Enjoy 
 whilftyoudolive, be the time More, 
 or Lefs : If we are to Die to Mor- 
 row, at lead let us Live to Day. 
 
 Cowards die many times before their Death 
 'The Valiant never tafle of Death but once. 
 
 , Death a Necejfarj End 
 
 Will come when it will come* 
 
 Shakef. Jul. C*f. 
 
 Not only Fear, but even Hope 
 is many times an Abatement to our 
 Happinefi; as when we Overlook 
 the Prefent Good by having our 
 Eyes too Longingly fix'd on fome- 
 thing at a diftance. When Hope 
 helps to make us Eafy under what 
 we Suffer,- or when we Enjoy the 
 
 Prefent 
 
( 183 ) 
 
 Prefent to the Full, and with an 
 Addition rather than Otherwife 
 from our Hopes all is Well ,• Hope 
 is then Wifely manag'd; but elfe 
 tis Abfurd, and Injurious to us. 
 
 The Earth 9 s Foundations can ft thou move, orftay 
 'The Ocean's Waves, or rapid Wheels of Day 9 
 Then try to Alter, or to Know thy Fate: 
 3 Tis Fix'd, 'tis Hid. 
 
 Nor thy Determin'd State O Man deplore', ^ . 
 
 'Tis Good, not Be ft', with Thanks the Gods adore, y 
 Their Gifts are Wifely giv'n ; ExpeEi no more. 3 j 
 Regret not what is Paft; the Frefent Good Enjoy; 
 Nor let vain Hopes, or Fears the Sweets of Life de- 
 ftroy. 
 
 And now nothing more remains 
 towards obtaining a Happy Life 
 but that we Learn to be Pleased. 
 This is a Noble, and a Ufeful Sci- 
 ence 1 it not only makes our Selves 
 Happy, but communicates Happi- 
 nefs to all about us. 
 
 "- ' Like Maia's Son he flood 
 
 Andfbook his flumes that Heavenly Fragance fill* d 
 The Circuit wide, Milton. 
 
 ? Tis 
 
( i84 ) 
 
 'Tis a wretched Turn many Peo« 
 pks heads have taken ^ They are 
 perpetuallyDepreciating every thing 
 in This World ; and feem to fan- 
 cy there is a fort of Merit in fo do- 
 ing,- As if the way to exprefs the 
 Efteem we had for what we hope 
 God has provided for us in Another 
 State was by railing at This ; Or 
 as if the Prefent was not alfo the 
 Effect of his Goodnefs, and Boun- 
 ty. It has been the Practice of all 
 Polite People in all Ages, and 
 Countreys to Difguife , or Hide 
 thofe Saleth y and Defects which 
 tho' Common to all Animals are a 
 fort of Reproach to our Nature; 
 and to endeavour to Exalt our Spe- 
 cies as much as poffible to what we 
 conceive of the Angelick State: 
 This alfo is one End of Painting, 
 and Poetry - y they are to impregnate 
 our Minds with the mod Sublime, 
 and Beautiful Images of things,- and 
 thus in our Imaginations do Raife 
 
 all 
 
(185 ) 
 
 all Nature fome Degrees above 
 what is Commonly, or Ever feen i 
 Why mould We not do thus with 
 refped: to our Condition in the par- 
 ticular now under Confideratiori ? 
 Why mould we not reprefent it to 
 one another, and to our felves in 
 the Beft manner the thing will bear $ 
 and if we muft be in One Extreme, 
 why not on the Right Side, and to 
 our Advantage. 
 
 Inniuil be own'd our Enjoyments 
 are Shorty Uncertain, and have 
 their Alloy. But this is not an A- 
 batement to our Happinefs propor- 
 tionable to the Clamour that is rai- 
 led concerning it. If our Pleafures 
 are Short, and Uncertain we have 
 a Succeffion of them , fo that Plea- 
 lure in General is not So, tho' Par- 
 ticular Ones Are. Aye but Life it 
 felf is Short : not if compar'd with 
 that of moft other Animals. And 
 tho' we have many Sufferings, and 
 our Pleafures are never Pure, and 
 A a unmixi 
 
( 18* ) 
 
 unmixt, whether from our own Mif- 
 management (which is often the 
 Cafe) orotherwife- We, even thefe 
 Murmurers themfelves are fed with 
 a Quails, and Manna : There is not 
 Day, not an Hour wherein the moft 
 wretched h as not fomeTaftes of Plea- 
 fure • but the Generality of Men (as 
 much a Wildernefs as this World 
 is) have a Flow of Enjoyments : 
 not Perfect indeed, but fuch as are 
 Suited to our Imperfect State j I ap- 
 py, tho 5 to a certain Degree $ fuch 
 as Unerring Wifdom has appointed. 
 
 What is done with refpect to our 
 Condition in the Main is alfo com- 
 monly practifed in particular Ca- 
 fes ; One Crofs Circumftance puts us 
 fo out of Humour as to make us in- 
 capable of Pleafure from the many 
 Advantageous Ones that are in our 
 Hands. 
 
 We mould therefore learn to con- 
 jfider things as they are, and to Ex- 
 pect no other, but to Enjoy what 
 
 Advan- 
 
( 187 ) 
 
 Advantages we have notwithftand- 
 ing their Imperfection; to wait to 
 be Pleas'd till This, and That, and 
 every thing we Miflike is remov'd 
 like the Countrey-man in Horace. 
 
 who near Some River's Side 
 
 Expetting ftands in hope? he running Tide 
 Will all e'er Img, be pafi; Fool y not to know 
 It flill has flow' d the fame, and will for ever flow 
 
 Mr. John Hughes M.S. 
 
 There is another Untoward Hu- 
 mour very prevalent with moft Peo- 
 ple, and that is rejecting all Advi- 
 ces by faying 'Tis eafy for one that 
 is Happy himfelf to give Such to the 
 Wretched which Themfelves in 
 That Condition could not profit by. 
 If the Advice is Good, 'tis no mat- 
 ter what the Giver Could, or Would 
 do; let Him to whom 'tis given try 
 whether he has Wifdom, and Vir- 
 tue enough to make his Own Ad* 
 vantage of it. 
 
 There are indeed certain Sea- 
 A a z fons 
 
( 188 ) 
 
 fons when the Mind is Incapable of 
 Pleafure in any remarkable Degree: 
 whether from the too great Pref- 
 fure of Cal amity ,• or a Melancholly 
 Cloud fpreading ltillf over all: In 
 this Cafe the Patient muft do as in 
 a Fit of the Head-ach, the Gout, 
 or the like Piftempcr; bear it as 
 Patiently as he can • things will 
 brighten again, And in the mean 
 time he muft not Indolently fink 
 under, butRefolutely bear up again ft: 
 it, and endeavour as foon as pofli- 
 ble to get rid of the Mifchief; but 
 by no means muft he encourage its 
 continuance- nor regard any Re- 
 flections he may Then make to his 
 Difadvantage ; as being Probably 
 the Voice of his Diftemper, not his 
 Reafon. Thus in time the Evil 
 may be Remedy'd • and a contrary 
 Habit gain'd: Or if this will not 
 do, the Philofopher, and Divine 
 muft deliver up the Patient into the 
 
 Hands 
 
( .18* ) 
 
 Hands of the Phyfician, or rather 
 call him in to their Afliftance. 
 
 This Deplorable Cafe excepted $ 
 and the Mind being Sound, and Vi- 
 gorous Vaft Improvements may be 
 made in our Pleafiires, by Endea- 
 vouring and Studying to be Pleas'd. 
 
 Inftead of Obferving what we 
 don't like, and Magnifying That; 
 fnppofe we (hould on the contrary 
 apply our Selves to difcover the Ad- 
 vantageous Circumftances in every 
 Moment of our Lives, and fix up- 
 on, and profit our Selves of Them 
 as much as poffible: Would not 
 This be more Commendable • and 
 more for our Intereft ? There are 
 a thoufand inftances of things which 
 are Infipid, or even Naufeous to us, 
 but which might become Pleafant: 
 and a thoufand, and ten thoufand 
 which feem adapted to Pleafe which 
 we fuffer to pals by Unregarded. 
 As Imperfect, and Defpicable as 
 our Prefent Condition may appear 
 
 to 
 
( i*o ) 
 
 to be to Some Difcontented People 
 there is not a Glance of the Eye, 
 a Morfel we tafte, or a Breath we 
 draw but is capable of affording us 
 Pleafure. Every Seafon of the Year, 
 Every Hour of the Day, Every Cir- 
 cumstance of Life has Some, Proper, 
 and Peculiar to it. We mould like 
 Bees fuck Sweetnefs out of every 
 Flower, Not only thofe in fine Gar- 
 dens, but thofe which grow Wild 
 in every Common Field ; Nay if 
 poflible from every Weed: Even 
 Pain, and Difappointment may be 
 the occafions of admimiftering fome 
 Pleafure, by a Con fcioufnefs of bear- 
 ing them well, the Improvement 
 of our Philofophical Strength, and 
 giving a Stronger Guft to the Plea- 
 fure to be had Elfewhere by the Op- 
 pofition. 
 
 If I were to make a Finifh'd Work 
 from this Sketch (which I verily 
 believe I never fhall) there is room 
 enough for plentiful Enlargemeuts 
 
 every 
 
( 151 ) 
 
 every where, and Here particular- 
 ly by giving variety of Inftances, 
 to llluftrate, and prove what I have 
 been faying; and I believe it very 
 rarely happens, that any One Cir- 
 cumftance of Life is fo well con- 
 fider'd as it might be with the De- 
 fign of extracting all poflible Plea- 
 fures from it. However (befides 
 that of Conno'iffance which is my 
 main Bufineft, and which I mall 
 fully profecute anon) I will not omit 
 One which every body finds the be- 
 nefit of in fbme meafiire, but which 
 might be improv'd to a Vaft Degree, 
 and that is the getting a fine Collecti- 
 on of Mental Pictures ; what I mean 
 is furniftiing the Mind withPleafing 
 Images,- whether of things Real, 
 or Imaginary,- whether of our own 
 forming, or borrow'd from Others. 
 This is a Collection which every 
 one may have, and which will fine- 
 ly employ every vacant moment of 
 ones time* I will give a Specimen 
 
 or 
 
( 1*2 ) 
 
 or two of thefein the Delicate, and 
 in the Great kind, or to fpeak more 
 like a Connoijfeur, in the Parmeg- 
 giano, and in the Rafaelle Tafte,- 
 and both out of Milton who alone 
 is able to fupply us abundantly - y or 
 as he himfelf fays (peaking of the 
 Sun. 
 
 Hither a* to their Fountain other Stars 
 Repairing in their GoUen Uat: draw Light. 
 
 What a Croud of Pleafing Ima- 
 ges fill the two following lines? 
 they are the beginning of a Sonnet 
 in his Juvenile Poems. 
 
 O Nightingale that on yon bloomy Spray 
 WarH'ft at Evn wh:n all the Woods are flill. 
 
 Again, in his Paradife loft. 
 
 Jnjhady Bower 
 
 More Sacred, and Sequeftred, th' but feign* d t 
 Pan, or Sylvanus never Jlept^ nor Nymp >, 
 Tsfor Faunus haunted. Herein coo' Recefs 
 With Flowers, Garlands , and Sweet fmelling Herbs} 
 Efpoused Eve oeckt firfi her nuptial Bed, 
 And Heav'nly Quirts the Hymenaan fung, 
 
 What 
 
( 193 ) 
 
 What day the Genial Angel to our Sire 
 Brought her in naked Beauty more adorn' 'd, 
 More 'ove 7 y than Pandora whom the Gods 
 Endow d with all their Gifts. 
 
 The other is as Great as ever en- 
 tered into the heart of Man not fii- 
 pematurally Infpired, if at lead this 
 Poet was not fo. 
 
 On lyeavnly Ground they flood, and from the Shore 
 Ti.ey view' *d the vafi immeaf arable Abyf 
 Outragious as a Sea, dark, wafieful, wild, 
 Up from the bottom turn'd by furious Winds, 
 And f urging Waves as Mountains to affault 
 Heav'ns highth, and with the Center mix the Pole. 
 
 Silence, ye troubled Weaves, andihou Deep, peace, 
 Said then th' Omni fie Word, your Difcord end. 
 
 Nor fluid, but on the Wings of Cherubim 
 Uplifted in Paternal Glory rode 
 Far into Chaos, and the World unborn; 
 For Chaos heard his Voice : Him all his Train 
 Follow' d in bright Proccjfion to behold 
 Creation, and the Wonders of his might. 
 'Then fluid the fervid Wheels, and in his hand 
 He took the Gold n Compares, prepard 
 In God's eternal Store to circumfenbe 
 This Univerfe, and all created things : 
 One Foot he center' d, and the other turn'd 
 Round tfyro' the vaft Profundity obfeure, 
 And f aid thus far extend, thus far thy bounds 3 
 This be thy jufl Circumference, World. 
 
 B b I will 
 
( '94- ) 
 
 I will venture to give one Inftance 
 more, becaufe 'tis a very Material 
 one, and a Circumftance that is U- 
 niverfal, and which will greatly 
 highthen, and Improve all our En- 
 joyments j and This is a Senie of 
 the Divine Pre fence. A Man muft 
 have Grofs Conceptions of God if 
 he imagines he can be feen in a Fu- 
 ture, Better State in any Corporeal 
 Form: Incorporeally we iee him 
 Here, his Wifdom, Goodnefs, Pow- 
 er, and Providence $ and this Bea- 
 tific Vifion brightens More, and 
 More to Pure Minds, and that ap- 
 ply themfelves to the confideration 
 oii t j and Thus 'tis Heaven Here 
 on Earth. 
 
 Tet doubt not but in Valley , and in Plain 
 
 God is as * here and will be found alike * Eden 
 
 Prefent, and of his pre fence many a S gn 
 
 Still folio-wing thee, flillcompaffing thee round 
 
 With Goodnefs and Paternal Love, his Face 
 
 Exprefs, and of his Steps the track Divine. 
 
 Milton. 
 
 Thus 
 
( *95 ) 
 
 Thus I in Contemplation fweet enjoy 
 Thy heav'nly Prefence, gaz,e on, and adore 
 'Thy infinite Perfections when I walk, 
 Or fit, or on my Bed lie down, dtfcharg 3 d 
 Of other various, necejfary Thoughts : 
 In blejl Communion I am ftill with Thee, 
 7 ho' lowly Ren/rent as before my God-, 
 But fill' d with Joy, and breathing ceajlefs Praife 
 For this Ineflimable Gift, beftow J d 
 After longfeeking, with a Heart Upright, 
 Tet oft Opprefs'd, and oft thro Gloomy Paths 
 ConduBed, Perturbations, Griefs, Doubts, Fears, 
 Innumerable ConfliEls, Agonies, 
 Watchings, Laborious Studies, and Difputes, 
 
 This is- the Sketch I promis'd, 
 and which I will leave as it is. Hap- 
 py are they who having been (ht 
 right at fir ft have nothing to Un- 
 learn ,• and next to thole Happy are 
 they who at length know how to 
 find Pleafure in all that is Innocent, 
 and Good, and Ufeful to Society : 
 Such Enjoy, and that with Safety, 
 and Honour ■ 
 
 , _» _ no Veil 
 
 She needed, Virtue-proof, no thought infirm 
 Alter* d her Cheek, Milton i 
 
 Bb 2 If 
 
( 19* ) 
 
 If Others Enjoy too, 'tis not to that 
 Degree j and with Hazard, and Infa- 
 my . Would to God I could be Inftru- 
 mental in perfuading Gentlemen to 
 exchange thofe trifling, Unmanly, 
 and Criminal Pleafures to which 
 too many are accuftomed, for thofe 
 of the Other, and Better kind : 
 Would to God I could perfuade them 
 to Manage Life well j to get Noble 
 Ideas of the Supreme Being $ to ap- 
 ply themfelves to the Knowledge, 
 and Improvement of Ufeful, and 
 Excellent Arts j to impregnate their 
 Minds with Pure, and Beautiful I- 
 magcs, and with the Sayings, and 
 Actions of Men capable of recon- 
 ciling us to Humane Nature after 
 we have been obferving what is 
 commonly done in the World j to- 
 gether with a Self-Confcioufhefs of 
 not having Diftionour'd the Species 
 Themfelves. 
 
 1 have no where faid that none 
 but a Philofopher, and a Good Chri- 
 
 ftian 
 
( 197 ) 
 
 ftian can take Pleafure in Conno'if- 
 fance ; but that fuch a one has a 
 Mind at Eafe, and mod apt to re- 
 ceive Virtuous Pleafure is inconte- 
 stable: 'Tis then a proper Difpofi- 
 tion to receive That I am about to 
 recommend: Which juftifies what 
 I have been doing as to the Attempt, 
 whatever the Performance may be 
 judg'd to be. 
 
 That the Pleafure of ' Connoiffance 
 is a Virtuous, and a Ufeful one, 
 and fiich a one therefore as is wor- 
 thy the Purfuit of a Wife, and Good 
 Man appears by what has been feid 
 heretofore. Wherein this Pleafure 
 confifts is what I am Now about to 
 fhew : Which will alfo ferve as a Spe- 
 cimen of what may be done in o- 
 ther Inftances , a Vaft many of 
 which I have obferv'd are overlooked 
 and neglected as well as This : 
 
 What is Beautiful, and Excellent 
 is naturally adapted to Pleafe,- but 
 All Beauties, and Excellencies are 
 
 not 
 
( 1*8 ) 
 
 not naturally Seen. Mod Gentle- 
 men fee Pictures, and Drawings as 
 the Generality of People fee the 
 Heavens in a Clear, Starry Night, 
 they perceive a fort of Beauty there, 
 but fuch a one as produces no great 
 Pleafure in the Mind : But when 
 one confiders the Heavenly Bodies 
 as other Worlds, and that there are 
 an Infinite Number of thefe in the 
 Empire of God, Immenfity,- and 
 Worlds which our Eyes affifted by 
 the beft Glaffes can never reach, 
 and fo far remote from the moil 
 diftant of what we fee (which yet 
 are (b far removed from us that 
 when we coniider it our Minds are 
 fill'd with Aftonilhment) that Thefe 
 Vifible ones are as it were our Neigh- 
 bours, as the Continent of France 
 is to Great Britain $ When one con- 
 fiders farther, That as there are In- 
 habitants on this Continent tho 5 we 
 fee them not when we fee That, 'tis 
 altogether unreafonable to Imagine 
 
 that 
 
( *99 ) 
 
 that thofe Innumerable Worlds are 
 Uninhabited, and Defart,- there 
 muft be Beings There, Some per- 
 haps More, Others Lefs Noble, and 
 Excellent 'than Man: When one 
 Thus views this Vaft Profped:, the 
 Mind is Otherwife affe&ed than Be- 
 fore, and feels aDelight which Com- 
 mon Notions never can adminifter. 
 So thofe who atPrefent cannot com- 
 prehend there can be fuch Pleafure 
 ma good Pi&ure, or Drawing as 
 Connoiffeurs pretend to find, may 
 Learn to fee the fame thing Them- 
 felves, their Eyes being once o- 
 pen'd 'tis like a New Senfe, and 
 New Pleafures flow in as often as 
 the Objects of that Superinduc'd 
 Sight prefent themfelves, which (to 
 People of Condition Eipecially) ve- 
 ry frequently happens, or may be 
 procur'd, whether Here at Home, or 
 in their Travels Abroad. When a 
 Gentleman has learn'd to fee the 
 Beauties and Excellencies that are 
 
 really 
 
( 200 ) 
 
 really in good Pictures, and Draw- 
 ings,and which may be learnt by con- 
 verfing with Such, and applying him- 
 felf to the confederation of them, 
 he will look upon That with Joy 
 which he Now partes over with very 
 little Pleafiire, if not with Indiffe- 
 rence : Nay a Sketch, a Scrabble 
 of the Hand of a Great Mafter will 
 be capable of adminiftering to him 
 a Greater Degree of Pleafiire than 
 thofe who know it not by Experi- 
 ence will eafily believe. Befides 
 the Graceful, and Noble Attitudes, 
 the Beauty of Colours, and forms 
 and the fine Effects of Light, and 
 Shadow, which none fees as &Con- 
 noijfeur does, Such a one enters far- 
 ther than any other Can into the 
 Beauties of the Invention, Expref- 
 fion, and other Parts of the Work 
 he is confidering: He fees Strokes 
 of Art, Contrivances, Expedients, 
 a Delicacy, and Spirit that others 
 fee not, or very Imperfectly. 
 
 He 
 
( 2QI ) 
 
 He fees what a Force of Mind 
 the great Mafters had to Conceive 
 Ideas ,♦ what Judgment to fee things 
 Beautifully, or to Imagine Beauty 
 from what they faw,- and what 
 a power their Hands were endued 
 withal in a few Strokes, and with 
 Eafe to mew to Another what them- 
 felves Conceiv'd. 
 
 What is it that gives us Pleafure 
 in Reading a Hiftory, or Poem, 
 but that the Mind is thereby fur- 
 nim'd with Variety of Images ? And 
 what diftinguifhes Some Authors, 
 and (hts 'em above the Common Le^ 
 vel but their knowing howtoRaife 
 their Subjed? TheTrojan, or Pe- 
 loponefian Wars would never have 
 been thought of by Us if a Homer \ 
 or a Thucydides had not told the 
 Stories of 'em who knew how to 
 do it fo as to fill the Mind of their 
 Readers with Great, and Delights 
 ful Ideas. He who converfes with 
 the Works of the Beft Mafters is 
 C c always 
 
( 202 ) 
 always Reading fuch like Admira- 
 ble Authors j and his Mind Confe- 
 cjuently proportionally Entertain'd, 
 and Delighted with Fine Hiftories, 
 Fables, Characters, the Ideas of 
 Magnificent Buildings, Fine Pfo- 
 fpe&s, &c. 
 
 And he fees thefe things in thofe 
 different Lights, which the various 
 Manners of Thinking of the feve- 
 ral Mafters fets them > He fees 'em 
 as they are reprefented by the Ca- 
 pricious, but Vaft Genius of Lio- 
 ?iardo da Vtnci^ The Fierce, and 
 Gigantick one of Michel-Angelo ; 
 the Divine, and Polite Rafaelle • 
 the Poetical Fancy of Giul'w - y the 
 Angelical Mind of Correggio, or 
 P armeggtanino • the Haughty Sul- 
 len, but Accompliftid Atmi&afe, the 
 Learned Agoflino Caracci, &c. 
 
 A Connoijjeur has this farther 
 Advantage, He not only fees Beau- 
 ties in Pi&ures, and Drawings, 
 which to Common Eyes are Invi- 
 
 fible^ 
 
( 203 ) 
 
 iible ; He Learns by thefe to fee fuch 
 in Nature, in the Exquifite Forms, 
 and Colours, the Fine Effects of 
 Lights, Shadows, and Reflections 
 which in Her is always to be found, 
 and from whence he has a Pleafure 
 which otherwife he could never have 
 had, and which none with Untaught 
 Eyes can Poffibly difcern : He has 
 a conftant Pleafure of This kind e- 
 ven in the raoft Common things, 
 and the moil Familiar to us, fo 
 that what People ufually look upon 
 with the utmoft Indifference creates 
 great Delight in his Mind. The 
 Nobleft Works of Rafaelle, the 
 moft Ravifhing Mufick of Hendell y 
 the moft Mafterly Strokes of 'Milton, 
 touch not People without Difcern- 
 ment : So the Beauties of the Works 
 of the great Author of Nature are 
 not feen but by Enlightened Eyes, 
 and to Thefe they appear far other- 
 wife than before they were fo ,• as 
 we hope to fee every thing ftill near- 
 er c 2 er 
 
( 204 ) 
 
 er to its true Beauty, and Perfecti- 
 on in a Better State, when we (hall 
 fee what our Eyes have not yetfeen y 
 nor our Hearts Conceived. 
 
 By converfing with the Works 
 of the Bell: Mafters our Imaginati- 
 ons are Impregnated with Great, 
 and Beautiful Images, which pre- 
 fent themfelves on all occafions in 
 Reading an Author, or ruminating 
 upon fome great Action Ancient, 
 or Modern: Every thing is Rais'd, 
 every thing Improv'd from what it 
 would have been otherwife. Nay 
 thole Lovely Images with which 
 our Minds are thus ftor'd rife There 
 continually, and give us Pleaiure 
 With, or Without any particular 
 Application. 
 
 What is Rare, and Curious with- 
 out any Other consideration we Na- 
 turally take Plealure in ,• becaufe as 
 Variable as our Circum fiances are 
 there is fo much of Repetition in 
 Life that more Variety is ftill de- 
 
 firable. 
 
( 205 ) 
 
 rable. The Works of the Great Ma-? 
 fters would Thus recommend them- 
 felvestoUs, tho' they had not that 
 Tranfcendent Excellency as they 
 have; They are fuch as are Rarely 
 feen * They are the Works of a 
 Small number of the Species in one 
 Little Countrey of the World, and 
 in a fhort fpace of time. But their 
 Excellency being put into the Scale 
 makes the Rarity of them juftly 
 considerable. They are the Works 
 of Men Like whom None are Now 
 to be found, and When there will 
 be God only knows! 
 
 Art, & Guides tout eft dans les Champ Ely fees. 
 
 La Fontaine. 
 
 What the old Poet Melanthms 
 fays of Polygnotids (as he is cited 
 by Plutarch in the Life of Cimon) 
 may with a little alteration be ap- 
 ply'dto thefeMenin General 5 5 Tis 
 thus Already translated. 
 
 %his famous Painter at his own expence 
 Gave Athens Beauty, and Magnificence 5 
 
 New 
 
20& 
 
 New Life to all the Heroes did impart y 
 Embclliflfd all the Temples with his Art : 
 "The Splendor of the State refiofd again : 
 And fo he did oblige both Gods, and Men. 
 
 And what full adds to the Ra- 
 rity of the Excellent Works we are 
 fpeaking of is, Their Number muft 
 neceffarily diminifri by fudden Ac- 
 cidents, or the Slow, but Certain 
 Injuries of Time. 
 
 Another Pleafure belonging to 
 Connoijfance is when we find any 
 thing Particular, and Curious : As 
 the Firft Thoughts of a Mafter for 
 fome Remarkable Picture. The O- 
 riginal of a Work of a Great Ma- 
 fter the Copy of which we have 
 already by fome other Confidera- 
 ble Hand. A Drawing of a Pi- 
 cture, or after an Antique very Fa- 
 mous; or which is now loft; Or 
 when we make fome New Accjuifi- 
 tion upon Reafonable terms ,• Chief- 
 ly when we get for Our Selves fbme- 
 thing we much defired, but could 
 not hope to be Mafters of: When 
 
 we 
 
( 207 ) 
 We make fome New Difcovery ; 
 Something that Improves ourKnow- 
 ledge in ConnoiJfance y or Painting, 
 or Otherwife 5 and Abundance of 
 jfuch like Incidents, and which ve- 
 ry frequently happens to a Diligent 
 Connoijfeur. 
 
 The Pleafure that ariles from the 
 Knowledge of Hands is not Like, 
 or Equal to that of the other Parts 
 of the Bufinefs of a Conno'tjfeur ; 
 But neither is That deftitute of it. 
 When one lees an Admirable piece 
 of Art 'tis part of the Entertain- 
 ment to know to whom to attribute 
 it, and then to know hisHiftory,* 
 Whence elfe is the cuftom of putting 
 the Author's Picture, or Life at the 
 beginning of a Book ? 
 
 When one is confidering a Pi- 
 dure, or a Drawing, and at the 
 fame time thinks This was done by 
 *him who had many ex- * Leomrdo 
 traordinary Endowments of dcl Vinci - 
 Body, and Mind, but was withal 
 
 very 
 
( 208 ) 
 
 very Capricious $ who was honour'd 
 in Life, and Death, expiring in the 
 Arms of one of the greateft Princes 
 of that AgeFrancisl.King of France y 
 who Loved him as a Friend. Ano- 
 + . ther is of * him who liv'd a 
 Long, and Happy Life, 
 belov'd of Charles V. Emperor ,• and 
 many others of the firft Princes of 
 Europe. When one has another 
 in his hand, and thinks This was 
 \ Michel- done by fonewhofo excell'd 
 angeh. \ n Three Arts as that any of 
 'em in that Degree had render'd him 
 worthy of Immortality • And one 
 that moreover durft contend with his 
 Sovereign (one of the haughtieft 
 Popes that ever was) upon a Slight 
 offer'd to him, and Extricated him- 
 felf with Honour. Another is the 
 
 Work of ± him who With- 
 it Conr?;?. _ . . , 
 
 out any one Extenour Ad- 
 vantage by mere Strength of Geni- 
 us had the mod: Sublime Imagina- 
 tions, and executed them accord- 
 ingly. 
 
(20^ ) 
 ingly yet liv'd, and dy'd Obfcufe- 
 ly. Another we fhall confider as 
 the Work of * Him who * Annlha i e 
 Reftor'd Painting when it &^M- 
 Was almoft Sunk ,• of him whofe Art 
 made Honourable * but neglecting, 
 and defpifing Greatnefs wiih a fort 
 of Cynical Pride was treated fliita- 
 bly to the Figure he gave himfelf < 
 not his Intrinfic Merit - y which not 
 having Philofophy enough to bear it 
 broke his Heart. A nother is done by 
 tone who (on the contrary) 
 
 + Rubens. 
 
 was a fine Gentleman, and 
 liv'd in great Magnificence, and was 
 much honour'd by his Own, and Fo- 
 reign Princes ; who was a Courtier, a 
 Stateftnan, and a Painter,- and fo 
 much All Thefe that when he acted 
 in either Character That feem'd to 
 be his Bufinefs,and the Others his Di- 
 version : I fay when oneThtis reflects, 
 befides the Pleafure arifing from 
 the Beauties, and Excellencies of 
 the Work, the Fine Ideas it gives 
 
 D d tts 
 
( 2I ° ) 
 
 us of Natural things, the Noble 
 way of Thinking one finds in it, 
 and the Pleafing Thoughts it May 
 fuggeft to us, an Additional Plea- 
 fure refults from Thefe Reflections. 
 But Oh thePleafure! when aCon- 
 naiffeur y and Lover of Art has be- 
 fore him a Picture, or Drawing of 
 which he can fay This is the Hand, 
 Thefe theThoughts of* him 
 who was one of the Politeft, 
 Beft-Natur'd Gentlemen that ever 
 was,- and Belov'd, and Aflifted by 
 the Greateft Wits, and the Great- 
 eft Men then at Rome: Of Him 
 WhohVd in great Fame, Honour, 
 andMagnificence, and dy'd extreme- 
 ly Lamented - y and mift a Cardinal's 
 Hat only by dying a few Months too 
 foon j but was particularly Efteem'd, 
 and Favour'd by two Popes, the 
 only ones who fill'd the Chair of 
 St. Peter in His time, and as Great 
 Men as ever fate there fince that 
 Apoftle, if at leaft He ever did. 
 
 One 
 
(.211 ) 
 
 One (in mort) who could have 
 been a Lionardo, a Michelangelo 
 a Titian , a Correggio, a Parmeggi- 
 ano, an Annibale, a Rubens, or a- 
 ny other when he pleas'd, but none 
 of them could ever have been a Ra- 
 faelle. 
 
 Such as Diana when Jhe fprightly leads 
 *fhe Dance on cool Eurota'j- Flowery Meads i 
 Or when the Goddefs is delighted more 
 jfo chafe the Stag, or Skipping Goat, She o're 
 Huge Tagetus, or Erymanthus files, 
 IVhilfl Hunter's Mufick Ecchoes in the Skies : 
 A Thoufand Wood- Nymphs evermore are feen 
 Surrounding, and Exulting in their Queen, 
 But She diftinguifhable is from far, 
 She 'Taller, and more Lovely does appear, 
 Supremely Bright where Ev'ry one is Fair. 
 Her Daughter ^Chaft Latona faw, fhe fmiVd, 
 And with tranfcendent Joy her Heart was filVd, 
 
 When we compare the Hands, 
 and Manners of One Mafter with 
 Another, and thofe of the fame 
 Man in different times : When we 
 fee the various Turns of Mind, and 
 Excellencies $ and above all when 
 we obferve what is Well, or 111 in 
 their Works, as it is a Worthy, fo 
 D d 2 'tis 
 
( 212 ) 
 
 tis alfo a very DelightfulExercifeof 
 our Rational Faculties: 
 
 And there is one Circumftance 
 in it which ought not to be forgot- 
 ten, and with which I will clofe 
 this part of my Argument. In Law 
 we are ty'd down to Precedents ; in 
 Phyfick 'tis dangerous treading Un- 
 trodden Paths; in Divinity, Rea- 
 fon tho' flying before the Wind with 
 all her Sails ipread muft flop if an 
 Article of Faith appears : But in 
 This Study (lie has her full Courfe $ 
 The Mind finds it felf intirely at 
 Liberty, and with her Plumes win- 
 nows the buxom Air (to ufe A///- 
 fon's Style.) 
 
 . . Sometimes 
 
 She fcours the Right hand coafi^fometimes the Left^ 
 Now Jhaves with level wing the Deep, then [oars 
 Up to the Empyrean tow'ring high. 
 
 This is a Plcafure which none 
 but Thinking Men can be Senfible 
 of, and Such know it to be one of 
 
 the 
 
(213 ) 
 
 the Greateft, and mod Excellent 
 they can enjoy. 
 
 SECT. IV. 
 
 I fancy an Author, and a Rea- 
 der are as two People travelling to- 
 gether; if the Book be in Manu- 
 script, the Writer takes the Other 
 into his Own Calafh ; if it be Print- 
 ed 'tis a Common Voiture. We have 
 thus been in company longer than 
 I expected, but are now entering 
 upon the laft Day's journey. How 
 my Fellow Traveller is afFe&ed I 
 know not, but I confefs I am plea- 
 fed I am fo near Home. 
 
 'Twas formerly a trite faying a- 
 mong the Florentines (and may be 
 fo ftill for ought I know) Co/a fau 
 ta, Capo ha; a thing done has a 
 Head i that is, 'till then it has no 
 Life, the Main circumftance is 
 wanting, 'tis good for little. I am 
 always glad when I clap on the 
 
 Head 
 
( 214 ) 
 
 Head to any thing I undertake, be- 
 caufe then That Affair is brought 
 to the Perfection I can give it ; 'tis 
 Something : and then moreover I 
 am at liberty for a New Enter prize. 
 When I am got to the end of the 
 Prefent Work (and I am now come 
 to the Laft General Divifion of it) 
 I (hall have the fatisfaction of ha- 
 ving done what I could for my Own 
 Improvement • for he that endea- 
 vours to give Light to Another in 
 any matter ftrikes up fome in his 
 Own mind, which probably would 
 never otherwifehave kindled there,- 
 and I (hall enjoy a Confcioufnefs of 
 having try'd to be as Ufeful to the 
 Publick as my Circumftances would 
 enable me to be: I faw fomething 
 of this kind was wanting, and did 
 not perceive that 'twas very likely 
 any one elfe would take the trouble 
 of it. I have therefore offer'd my 
 Prefent Thoughts on This New 
 Subject, and in as good a Method 
 
 as 
 
( 215 ) 
 
 I could contrive. I am too Senfible 
 of the Fallibility of Humane Under- 
 ftanding , and of my Own in par- 
 ticular to be too well Allured that 
 I am Right Throughout : and fhall 
 be glad to be better Informed if it 
 appears that I am miftaken in any 
 thingMaterial : And I have fome Pre- 
 tence to fuch a Favour having foFree* 
 ly communicated thofe Lights I be- 
 liev'd I had acquired, and that with 
 no fmall Labour, and Application, 
 in a Matter which I conceiv'd might 
 be of Ufe to the World. To be 
 Miftaken is a Sin of Infirmity which 
 I pretend not to be exempt from: 
 To perfift in the Profeffion of an 
 Error after Conviction is the Dead- 
 ly Sin, and which I hope I never 
 (hall commit. 
 
 We will Now go on,- and fee 
 whatAdvantages Connoiffance brings 
 along with it. 
 
 When I was reprefenting the Be- 
 nefits that might accrue to the Pub- 
 lick 
 
(21*) 
 
 iick by means of the Art of Paint- 
 ing, and Connoijfance I prov'd it 
 had a Natural tendency to Reform 
 our Manners, Refine our Plealures, 
 and Increafe our Wealth, Power, 
 and Reputation. All thefe Advan- 
 tages every Particular Connoijjeur 
 will have if Prudence accompanies 
 that Chara&er. As to the two 
 former no queftion can be made 
 concerning Them : Nor of the two 
 Latter, fuppofing we have thofe 
 other, and that which alone re- 
 mains to be confider'd, the Improve- 
 ment of our Fortunes. Now tho 5 
 'tis true a Man may employ fo much 
 Money This way, and in Such a 
 Manner as may not be proportiona- 
 ble to his Circumftances, nor Pro- 
 per whatever Thofe are • Yet if (as 
 I faid) Prudence is mix'd with Con- 
 noijfance not only This Inconveni- 
 ence will be avoided, but the con- 
 trary Advantage obtain'd -, for Mo- 
 ney may be as well laid out This 
 
 way 
 
( 217 ) 
 way as in any Other Purchafe what- 
 fbever, 'twill be as Improveable an 
 Eftate. There is moreover Ano- 
 ther Confederation on this head, 
 and that is ,* The Pleafure of Con- 
 notjfance will probably come in in- 
 ftead of Others not only lefs Virtue 
 ous, but more Expensive. 
 
 I promis'd when I enter'd upon 
 this Argument that I would treat it 
 not as an Advocate, or an Ora- 
 tor, but as a Strict Reafoner,- and 
 have no where Deviated from this 
 Rule that I know of: That I have 
 not done fo here when I faid that 
 Conno'tjfance had a Natural tendency 
 to promote our Intereft, Power, 
 Reputation, Politenefs, and even 
 our Virtue, I refer you to what I 
 have faid when I aflerted that the 
 Publick might reap all thefe Ad- 
 vantages by the fame Means ,• and 
 Elfewhere in this Difcourfe. But 
 as I would not Exaggerate any thing, 
 neither rauft I fprbear to do Right 
 
 Ee %q 
 
( 218 ) 
 
 to the Caufe I have undertaken, 
 which I fhould not have done if I 
 had Slightly pafs'd over this Impor- 
 tant Article, and had not taken care 
 to give it thefe Strong Touches fo as 
 to make itConfpicuous, that it may 
 have a due effect upon the Mind of 
 the Reader. 
 
 As my Difcourfe is addrefs'd to 
 Gentlemen in General I am not to 
 infift upon thofe Advantages which 
 are Peculiar to Painters , and 
 Sculptors, and fuch other Artifts as 
 have relation to Thefe ; Which 
 Advantages are very confiderable ; 
 not fo much from the Knowledge 
 of Hands, and how to diftinguifh 
 Copies from Originals - y (tho' that is 
 Something) but to know accurately 
 to difcover the Beauties, and De- 
 feels of a Picture, or Drawing they 
 muft readily acknowledge will not 
 a little contribute to their own Im- 
 provement in their Ait : This how- 
 ever not being proper to be infifted 
 
 on 
 
(219 ) 
 
 on Here I profecute it no farther; 
 but leave it to be ferloully conli- 
 dered by thofe Concern'd. 
 
 To be a ComtoiJJeur is to have an 
 Accomplifhment which tho'^tis not 
 Yet reckon'd amongft thofe Abib- 
 lutely neceflary to a Gentleman $ 
 he that poffelfes it is always Re- 
 fpe&ed, and Efteem'd upon that Ac- 
 count. 
 
 And if it be confider'd what Qua- 
 lifications a good Conno'ijjeur muft 
 neceffarily have it will be found it 
 cannot be otherwife. What Beauti* 
 ful Ideas ! Clearly Conceiv'd ; Strong- 
 ly Retained, and Artfully Manag'd! 
 What a Solid, and Unbiaft'd Judg* 
 ment! What a Fund of Hiftorical^ 
 Poetical, and Theological Science 
 muft He have ; and cannot fail by 
 perpetually converfing with Good 
 Pictures, and Drawings always to 
 Improve, and Increafe! I will not 
 go on to multiply particulars: He 
 that has Thefe in any Tolerable 
 Ee j Degree 
 
( 220 ) 
 
 Degree will be allow'd to have a*i 
 Accomplifhment which all Gentle- 
 men Ought to have- and will be 
 Efteem'd accordingly. 
 
 When the Roman Power was 
 broken, and diffipatedj and Arts, 
 Empire, and Common Honefty were 
 fucceeded by Ignorance, Superfti- 
 tion,and Prieft- Craft, theDiihonour 
 of HumaneNature was Compleatcd - y 
 for 'twas Begun long before in 
 Greece, and Afia. In thefe Mife- 
 rable times, and for Ages after- 
 wards, God knows there was no 
 Connoijfeurs f to Write, and Read 
 was Then an Accomplifhment for 
 a Prince to value himfelf upon. As 
 the Species began to Recover them- 
 felves, and to gain more Strength, 
 Literature, and Painting alfo lifted 
 up their heads •> but however not E- 
 qually; That Degree of Vigour 
 that ferv'd to produce a Dante in 
 Writing, could rile no higher than 
 a Giotto in Painting. 
 
 Arts 
 
( 221 ) 
 
 Arts went on in this proportion 
 *till the Happy Age of Rafaelk, 
 which was produ&ive of feveral ve- 
 ry great Men in All kinds ; . and 
 Thefe parts of the World began to 
 be Re-civiliz'd. 
 
 Our own Countrey 
 
 An Old ', and Haughty Nation^ Proud in Arms 
 
 Milton. 
 
 Shook off its Gothick Ruft 3 and be-* 
 gan early to Imitate its Neigh- 
 bours inPolitenefs 5 in which it has 
 Already (for this Revolution was 
 but about 200 Years ago) Equalled, 
 if not gone Beyond the reft in a 
 great many Inftances : If we go on 
 the time will come when it fhall 
 be as diflionourable for a Gentle- 
 man not to heaComot/Jeur, as Now 
 'tis not to be Able to read any o- 
 ther than his Own Language; or 
 not to fee the Beauties of a Good 
 Author. 
 
 Painting is but another Sort 6f 
 Writing, but like theHieroglyphicks 
 
 and- 
 
( 222 ) 
 anciently 'tis a Chara&er not for 
 the Vulgar : To read it, is not only 
 to know that 'tis inch a Story, or 
 fuch a Man, but to fee the Beau- 
 ties of the Thought, and Pencil; of 
 the Colouring, and Compofition ; 
 the ExprefTion, Grace, and Great- 
 nefs that is to be found in it: and 
 not to be able to do This is a Sore 
 of Illiterature, and Unpolitenefs. 
 
 And accordingly in Converfati- 
 on (when as it frequently does) it 
 turns upon Painting, a Gentleman 
 that is a Connoiffeur is diftinguifh'd, 
 as one that has Wit, and Learning 
 is,- That being the Subject of Dii- 
 courfe. 
 
 On the contrary, Not to be a 
 Conno'ijfeur on fuch occafions either 
 Silences a Gentleman, and Hurts his 
 Character ; Or he makes a much 
 Worfe Figure in pretending to be 
 what he is Not to thofe who fee 
 his Ignorance. See you not (faid 
 /Ipelles to Megabytes Priefl; of Dia- 
 na) 
 
( 223 ) 
 
 na) that the Boys that grind my Co- 
 lours, who whilfl you are Silent look 
 upon you with Refpecl becaufe of the 
 Gold, andPurple of your Garments, no 
 fooner hear you Talk of what you Un^ 
 derjland Not but they Laugh at you. 
 
 Thofe who are Connoijjeurs have 
 this farther Advantage ; They will 
 have no occafion to Ask, or Rely up- 
 on the Judgment of Others; They 
 can ]udg e ? or Themfelves. 
 
 Thole who Are Connoi/Jeurs : \ 
 repeat it becaufe there are fbme 
 who fancy they are fo 5 and are 
 Thought to be {o by others, who 
 neverthelefi have no better Pretence 
 to that Chara&er than a Superfti- 
 tious Bigot, or a Hypocrite has to 
 true Piety. 3 Tis an Obfervation (as I 
 remember) of my Lord Bacon y tho* 
 'tis no matter Who has faid it, if it 
 be True, that a Little Philofophy 
 makes a Man an Atheift- y a Great 
 deal a good Chrifiian: So a Little 
 Connoiffance fets a Man at a Great- 
 
 er, 
 
( 224 ) 
 
 er diftance from the Advantages of 
 a true Conno'tffeur than if he had 
 None • if by his too good Opinion 
 of his Own Abilities, or the Pre- 
 judices of his Friends, or Flattery 
 of his Dependents he is perfuaded 
 to ftopThere, imagining That Lit- 
 tle is All. For fuch a one not on- 
 ly is very apt to make himfelf the 
 Subject of Ridicule to the Know- 
 ing, whatever he may appear to 
 the Ignorant; but befides he lies open 
 to Thofe whofe Bufinefs it is to 
 Find out, and Profit themfelves of 
 •fuch Self-Sufficient, Abortive Con- 
 noijfeurs - y who will be fure to be- 
 lieve themfelves a Match for Them 
 who are their Superiours in this Cafe ,- 
 and confequently be Over-power'd 
 by them ,• whereas one that has no 
 Opinion at all of his own Strength 
 will keep himfelf out of Danger. 
 Gentlemen mult take care therefore 
 that they don't fuppofe themfelves 
 to be ConnoiJJeurs too Soon, and 
 
 without 
 
(225 ) 
 
 without Principles, and Experience | 
 Efpecially if they undertake to Col- 
 lect.,- and pique themfelves ofHands, 
 andOriginals. Tho' if I may have 
 the Honour to Advife in This Cafe 
 they fhould begin with no otherView 
 than to have the Beft things,- the 
 reft will fall in in Time, and with 
 Obfervation, and Care if they re- 
 folve to be Compleat Connoiffeurs in 
 all Refpe&s. 
 
 At our firft coming into the 
 World we are but in a low Degree 
 even of Animal Life, growing up 
 however to a more Perfect one ; 
 and in a fort of Probationary State 
 towards Rational Being ,• as when 
 we arrive to That we are (as out 
 Holy Religion teaches us) Candi- 
 dates for a Glorious I m mortality* 
 
 With Time our Strength increa- 
 ies naturally > and we become more 
 Considerable Animals -> and by Ob- 
 fervation, and Inftruclion every one 
 acquires a certain Share of Art, and 
 F f Science ? 
 
( 226 ) 
 
 Science, partly Infenfibly, and part- 
 ly by direct Application • in propor- 
 tion to which we are advanc'd in the 
 Rational State. 
 
 To how Minute an Origin we owe 
 Young Ammon, Ca;far, and the great NafTau ! 
 
 Garth. 
 
 Homer, and Milton Once were not Divine, 
 The hand of Rafaelle could not draw a Line, 
 And Lock, and Newton Once had Thoughts like 
 Mine. 
 
 But to what height fbever'tis pop 
 fible for Humane Nature to arrive, 
 and howfoever Extenfive their Ca- 
 pacity may be, Every Individual is 
 a fort of Centaur y a mixt Creature $ 
 in fome refpe&s a Rational Being, 
 in Others a mere Animal ,• like the 
 Whymfical Pi&ure Vafari fpeaks of 
 at the end of the Life of Taddeo 
 Zuccaro y and which he fays was then 
 in the Collection of the Cardinal de 
 Monte ', in Some Views you might 
 fee the Portrait ofHen.z. of France ,• 
 In Others the fame Face, but Re- 
 
 vers'd., 
 
( 227 ) 
 vers'd, and in Others a Moon, and 
 an Anagramatical Copy of Verfes. 
 Every Man Thus may be confider'd 
 in Various Lights $ In One, where he 
 has /prung out the fartheft length 
 from the Animal, into the Rational 
 State- in Another, where he has 
 made lefs Advances,- and Some 
 where he remains juft where he was 
 in his Infancy. 
 
 For we have not Abilities of Bo- 
 dy, and Mind, nor Time fufficient 
 allotted to any one of us to make 
 any Confiderable Progrels in Many 
 Paths, and by much the greater num- 
 ber ftop Abort without being Excel- 
 lent in any one Art, or Science how 
 Mean foever it be. 
 
 Upon this Account it is that we 
 areExcus'd if in Many Inftances we 
 are Intirely Ignorant ,• 'tis no Refle- 
 ction upon us if we are mere Ani- 
 mals in Some Views, and depend 
 upon Other people,- who alio are 
 F f 2 Low 
 
( 228 ) 
 Low Creatures in Some rcfpects, but 
 Noble Beings in regard to fiich At- 
 tainments in which We are Defe- 
 ctive,- Herein They are ourSuperi- 
 ours, our Guides, our Lords- They 
 are Rational Beings, and We not, 
 or but in an Inferiour degree. Thus 
 we are All dependent upon each o- 
 ther to fupply our Single Imperfecti- 
 on: But this is no otherwife an Ex- 
 cufe than from the NecefTity of 
 Things ,• For 'tis Unworthy a Rati- 
 onal Being to retain any of the Brute 
 which he can poflibly diveft him- 
 felfof. 
 
 As 'tis Dishonourable, So 'tis In- 
 convenient to be in a State of De- 
 pendence, and Pupillage: Our Con- 
 dition approaches towards Perfecti- 
 on in proportion as we have the Ne- 
 cefftries, and Ornaments of Life 
 within our Selves, arid need not to 
 have recourfe to Foreign ArTiftance,- 
 which cannot be had without part- 
 
( 229 ) 
 ing with fomething of our Owq 
 judg'd to be Equivalent : Befides, A- 
 nother Man will rarely apply him- 
 felf fo diligently to My Concerns as 
 to his Own, Nor can I be Allured 
 of his Integrity in Any Cafe,- In 
 Some there is great realon to Suipect 
 it ; and in Some Others 'tis even Un- 
 reafonable to expect Any Man will 
 open himfelf entirely to me. 
 
 'Tis true a Gentleman may be in 
 fuch Circumftances as permit him 
 not (confident with the Character 
 of a Wife Man) to apply himfelf to 
 become a very good Connoijfeur : 
 'Tis not to fuch as Thefe, but to 
 Thofe many who have Leifiire, and 
 Opportunity, I have been taking the 
 liberty humbly to recommend That 
 Study : Such as Thefe however may 
 think fit to Collect Pictures, or 
 Drawings ,• Thefe things have their 
 Ufes, and Beauties evento thofe who 
 fee them but Superficially, and Thefe 
 
 Gircum- 
 
( 2 3° ) 
 
 Circumftancesmayjuftifiefuchaone 
 in Submitting to the Direction, and 
 Advice of Another upon the Bed 
 Terms, and with as much Prudence 
 as he can ; as in Law, Phyfick, or 
 any Other Cafe: But it muft be 
 Own'd, That 'tis Better, 'tis more 
 for Our Honour, and Intereft if as 
 in all Other Cafes, fo in This we 
 are Sufficiently Qualified to Judge 
 for Our Selves. 
 
 'Tis the Glory of the Proteftant 
 Church; and efpecially of the 
 Church of England, as being In- 
 dubitably the Head of the Re- 
 formed Churches - y and fo upon 
 That Acccount, as well as the Pu- 
 rity, and Excellency of its Doctrines, 
 and the Piety, and Learning of its 
 Clergy (fo far as I am able to judge) 
 the Beft National Church in the 
 World : I fay 'tis the Glory of the 
 Reformation that thereby Men are 
 fet at liberty to judge for Them- 
 
 felves 
 
( 23i ) 
 
 lelves* We are Thus a Body of 
 Free-Men,- not the Major part in 
 Subje&ion to the reft. Here we are 
 all Connoijfeurs as we are Protectants $ 
 tho* (as itmuft needs happen) Some 
 are Abler Connoijfeurs than Others. 
 And we have abundantly experi- 
 enced the Advantages of This fince 
 we have Thus refurri'd our Natural 
 Rights as Rational Creatures. May 
 the like Reformation be made, in 
 a matter of much left Importance 
 indeed, but considerable enough to 
 juftifie my Wifhes, and Endeavours; 
 I mean in relation to Conmijfance i 
 May every one of us in This Cafe 
 alfb be able to judge for our Selves, 
 without Implicitly, and Tamely re- 
 figning our Underftandings to thofe 
 who Are Naturally our Equals, and 
 the Advantages will be proportion- 
 able. 
 
 A Man that thinks Boldly, Free- 
 ly, and Throughly ; that ftands up- 
 on 
 
( 232 ) 
 
 on his Own Legs, and fees with 
 his Own Eyes, has a Firmnefs, and 
 Serenity of Mind which he that is 
 Dependent upon Others has Not, 
 or Cannot Reafonably have. Nor 
 is he fo liable to be Impofed upon : 
 Whereas Others are fubjeel: to be 
 driven about by the Breath of Men, 
 which is always blowing Strongly 
 from Every Point of the Compafs. 
 
 If any one tells a true Connoijfeur 
 that fuch a Picture or Drawing of 
 His is a Copy - y or not io Good ; or of 
 fo Good a Hand as He judges it to 
 be: Or if Some fay One thing, and 
 fome Another - y tho' in times pail 
 This might have given him much 
 Uneafinefs: Now, if he fees the In- 
 contestable Marks of an Original • 
 the Unqueftionable CharacteriiKcks 
 of the Hand; and judges of its 
 Goodnefs upon Principles which he 
 fees to be fuch as may be rely'd on ; 
 What is faid to the contrary difturbs 
 
 not 
 
I 233 ) 
 
 hot Him. So if a Drawing, or Pi- 
 cture be offered him as being of 
 the Hand of the Divine Rajaelle * 
 if he is told there is Undoubted, 
 or Infallible Tradition for its ha- 
 ving been in the Arundell Collecti- 
 on ; and bought by my Lord in /- 
 taly- but not 'till he had had it 
 Confider'd by the Bed judges there,- 
 and even Examined in the Acade- 
 my of Painters at Rome, in which 
 there might probably have been 
 Some at That time old enough to 
 have feen Thofe that had feen Ra~ 
 faelle ; Or as an Italian Writer in 
 the Hyperbolical Style of that Na- 
 tion fays had feen the Lord. Yet 
 if This Judicious Connoijfeur fees in 
 it no Fine Thought, no ]u(t, nor 
 Strong Expreffidn , no Truth of 
 Drawing, no Good Compoiition, 
 Colouring, or Handling- in (horc 
 neither Grace, nor Greatnefs • buc 
 that on the contrary 'tis Evidently 
 
 G g the 
 
( 234- ) 
 
 the Work of fome Bungler, the 
 Confident Pretences concerning it 
 impofe not on Him ; He knows it 
 Is not, it Cannot poffibly be of Ra- 
 faelle. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
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