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 https://archive.org/details/lettertodilettanOObarr 
 
g 
 
 A 
 
 LETTER 
 
 DILETTANTI SOCIETY, 
 
 RESPECTING 
 
 The Obtentlon of certain Matters eiTentially neceflary for 
 the Improvement of Public Taste, and for accom- 
 piifhing the original Views of the Royal Academy 
 OF Great-Britain. 
 
 BY 
 
 JAMES BARRT, Efj. JR. A. 
 
 TROFESSOROF PAINTING TO THE ROYAL ACADEMY. 
 
 THE SECOND EDITION. 
 
 WITH AN- 
 
 APPENDIX, 
 
 ReTpefting the Matters lately agitated between the 
 Academy and the Professor of Painting. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED FOR J. WALKER, PATERNOSTER-ROV/.. 
 M.DCC.XCIX. 
 
 PRICE FIVE SHILLINGS. 
 
A 
 
 A 
 
 LETTER 
 
 TO THE 
 
 DILETTANTI SOCIETY, 
 
 Refpt^ing the Ohtention of certain Matters ejfentlally necejjary 
 for the Improvement of public Ta/lc^ and for accomplljhing 
 the original Views of the Royal Academy of Great 
 Britain. 
 
 By JAMES BARRY, Esq^ R.A. 
 
 PROFESSOR OF PJmTlNG TO THE ROTAL ACADEMY. 
 MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, 
 
 Those who go no farther than mere Dillctanti- 
 Ihip nnay well laugh at all the fufs about this new 
 noftrum, this Venetian fecret of Painting. Such 
 a concui'rcnce of ridiculous circumfiiances, fo 
 many, fuch grofs abfurdities, and fuch bufy in- 
 duftrious folly, in eontriving for the publicity and 
 -expofure of a quacking, difgraceful impoflure, is, 
 I believe, unparalleled in the hiftory of the art. 
 I fhould laugh too, were I not withheld by con- 
 fiderations for the reputation of the country, of the 
 Englifh School of Art, for the character of the 
 Royal Academy, and for the fate of its poor pupils, 
 
 B 2 
 
 now 
 
( 4 ) 
 
 now fent adrift to fearch out for themfelves that 
 true Venetian Art of Painting, which mull not be 
 taught them, as the Prefident and fo many of the 
 Academicians are each of them bound (moft fove- 
 reignly ridiculous) under a forfeiture of ;^.200 to 
 keep it fecret. Mr. Malone too, the editor of 
 this pofthumous and conaplete edition of Sir Jofhua 
 Reynolds’s writings : by what ridiculous or unlucky 
 fatality has this publication been referved for the 
 very week of the opening of the Exhibition, in 
 order to ferv© as an opportune and rnofl; eclatic 
 advertifement to uflier this contemptible impofture 
 to the public notice ? It is to be regretted, that the 
 procraftination, which fo long withheld thefe papers 
 of Sir Jofhua from the public, had not been dif- 
 cretely extended a little further to the opening of 
 the Exhibition, as what Mr. Malone then wit- 
 neffed, even on the firfl day’s expofure of this 
 noftrum at the Exhibition dinner, would have 
 
 faved him the 1 will not give it a name, but it 
 
 would have faved him from being fo far over- 
 reached as to infert the fuppofititious hiflory of this 
 contemptible quackery into his Life of Sir Jofhua, 
 with the additional egregious nonfenfe of a lamenta- 
 tion for its unfortunately having efcaped his nu- 
 merous refearches. Mr. Malone ought to have 
 been aware, that colouring was the forte of his 
 friend , that the Infant Hercules, the Tragic 
 Mufe, the Dido, the Iphigenia, and many others 
 
 , ' ' ■ of 
 
( 5 ) 
 
 of his pictures, afford convincing and glorious 
 teftimony that Sir Jolhua well knew how to employ 
 as much of the Venetian manner of colouring as 
 fuited his own viev/s of the art, founded as they 
 wifely were upon the public expe6lations, now 
 near the clofe of the eighteenth century, which 
 would naturally cxpe6b and demand that ex- 
 cellent mode of pradice in colouring fhould now 
 be united with the other admirable qualities and 
 perfe6Hons of art, in which the painters of the old 
 Venetian fchool were but little and poorly prac- 
 tifed. 
 
 It would have been of much more utility to art, 
 and to the credit, future peace, and efficiency of 
 the Academy, had Mr. Malone inferred the notes 
 Sir Jofhua made of thofe difputes which occa- 
 fioned his refignation of the Prefidency, and 
 which, after his return to it, ftill continued, fo as 
 to incline him to relign a fecond time, complain- 
 ing that he felt himfelf reftrained by a low politic 
 combination in the Academy, which would not 
 fuffer the inftitution to be made of that importance 
 and advantage to the public, which was fo eafy to 
 effedl with a little elevation of mind. If he had 
 made this fecond refignation, as he was fo inclined, 
 and thought himfelf obliged to do, the whole 
 matter of difference had been publiffied by himfelf,- 
 and as he neither wanted the penetration to invef- 
 tigate, nor the temper to manage it, probably it 
 
 B 3 would 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 would not have been the leafi: ufeful of his literary 
 produ6tions, and would now contribute not a little 
 to weed out that accurfed evil which had given him 
 fo much trouble, and which remains ftill in the 
 Academy in greater vigour than before. I feel 
 the more concern in this matter, as it was at my 
 entreaty this fecond refignation did not take place, 
 on the night of the Council for fettling the invi- 
 tations to the laid Exhibition-dinner before his 
 death : it is wonderful that Mr. Malone, notwith- 
 llanding his knowledge of thefe differences, and 
 the difficulty that he, and the other executors of 
 Sir Jofhua, had to prevail with this Cabal, even to 
 fuffer his coffin to be laid out in the Academy on . 
 the day of his funeral it is, one cannot help 
 obferving, moff fhrange and unaccountable, that 
 after all this Mr. Malone fhould not only have 
 made fo little mention of thefe differences, but 
 that he fhould foffer himfelf to be fo far mifled by 
 the cunning and plaufibilities of fome of the mem- 
 bers of this very Cabal, as thus to bemire his 
 
 Life 
 
 * The odious dilFerence refpefling the funeral of Sir Jofnua was, 
 on the part of the Academy, managed entirely by the Cabal w^ho 
 governed in the Council; and the letters that palTed on thatoccafion 
 between Sir Jo(luia,’s Executors and the Council have perhaps beert 
 fupprefied, as I could not obtain a %ht of any thing relating to 
 this niatter, when I called for it at the General Meeting of the 
 Academy, eager as I was to fee, and tliat the Academy fhould fee, 
 a flinging letter w’hich Mr. Metcalf, one of thofe Executors, told 
 me he lent on that occafion. 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 Life of Sir Joftiuaj by making it ferve as the 
 advertifement to trumpet the importance of this 
 pretended difcovery, in the fearch of which his 
 friend had been, as he fays, all his life, labouring 
 without efFe61:. But it is of no avail, mere lofs 
 of time, and unwifely, unprofitably cultivating 
 vexation, thus to trouble ourfelves about what is 
 done and paffed. Better to look forward, and 
 endeavour to obtain fome preventive, that any 
 fuch fimiiar difgraceful illufion fhould not any 
 more be obtruded upon the pupils of the Academy 
 and the public 5 and then, after all, it will have 
 happened well, if our recent fliame, and the dif- 
 grace which mull follow this pretended Venetian 
 bufinefs in the eyes of Grangers, fhould at laft 
 roufe and ftimulate us to take fome little pains in 
 obtaining a remedy fo defirable and fo neceffary. 
 
 No intelligent artifh who has feen and fludied 
 Titian’s moil Giorgionefque pidlure of St. Mark, 
 in the facriily of the church of the Salute at 
 Venice, his Chrift crowned with Thorns, in the 
 facriily at Milan (but nov/ at Paris), and many 
 other of his genuine, untouched, unadulterated 
 works, can for a moment doubt or hefitate tofub- 
 fcribe to all that has been faid reipe6ling his fuogo, 
 fapidity, his flow of v/elhnouriflied, rich, harmo- 
 nious colour : the landfcape back-ground aifo of his 
 Sc. Peter Martyr, and many of his other pidlures, 
 are fully adequate to our higheft expedations from 
 
 B 4 his 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 Ills reputation of the greatefi: of all landfcape-^ 
 painters ; and it is impoflible there fhould be any 
 difference of opinion or hefitation about thefe 
 matters at Venice. But here in London, one 
 feels fo much embarraffed to point out any thing 
 iiluftrative and worthy the reputation of this great 
 colourift, either in the way of figures or landfcape, 
 that for the moflpart and generally thofe Titianefque 
 qualities are better fought for in the long and unin- 
 terrupted chain of the great fucceffors of the Vene- 
 tians, in Rubens, Joardans, Rembrandt, and Van- 
 dyk ; it IS often found, and in a high degree, ia 
 Reynolds and Greuze, and always in the finifhed 
 pidlures of'Wilfon, whofe landfcapes afford the 
 happiefl illuflration of whatever there is of fafci- 
 nating, rich, precious, and harmonious, in the 
 Venetian colouring, both as to hue and arrange- 
 ment. Cdaude, who was near a century later than 
 Titian, as far as he goes, and he goes all the 
 length in colouring, leaving h'S timidity and neat- 
 nefs out of the queftion, his hues and arrangements 
 are perfedtly Venetian ; and leaving out alfo the 
 fuperior dignity and vigour that always accompany 
 whatever V/ilfon has done, yet, in the mere v^lue 
 and arrangement of tints, his works have incon- 
 trovertibly more of Claude, than, I was going to 
 fay, any thing we have to fhew of Claude himfelf. 
 
 After a lapfe of now near three hundred years, 
 there will be no end to litigation and criticifm 
 
 refpedling 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 refpefting the originality of pidures. Let us but 
 refle(5t upon the acknowledged inequalities and diffe- 
 rent degrees of felicity and fuccefs that unavoidably 
 muft ever be found in the works of all artifls, even 
 the greateft, and the different degrees of merit in 
 the multitude of fucceeding artifts who imitated 
 and copied them ; refledl alfo on the calamitous 
 intervention of the race of pidlure-cleaners, on what 
 they neceffarily take away in cleaning and lifting off 
 the coats of varnifh, that may have been occafionally 
 and indiferetely put on in fuch a long tradt of time, 
 according to the whims of the feveral poffeffors ; 
 and alfo, what thefe cleaners afterwards add in the 
 way of refrefhing, refloring, and re-painting j and 
 that, by an unavoidable unlucky fatality, it has 
 happened that the pidtures of thofe very artifls who 
 more peculiarly devoted themfelves to the colour- 
 ing part, have (as greater objedts of temptation for 
 meddlers, though more liable to be injured) more 
 than any others fallen under the contamination of 
 thofe mifereant pidture-cleaners, or rather defac- 
 ers, who, like a peflilential blafl, fweep away every 
 veflige of the prifline health and vigour of well- 
 nourifhed tints ; leaving nothing to remain but a 
 hoary meagrenefs and decrepitude : all thefe con- 
 fiderations, taken together, muft furely make it 
 more eligible (in fpeaking of oldpiflures) to con- 
 fine our affirmation rather to what is wordiy of an 
 ancient painter, than to what is really the work of 
 
 his 
 
( iO ) 
 
 hand. As to that bufinefs of pitlure- cleaning, 
 although it may a little interrupt the matter in 
 hand, yet, as it may be ofufe to pulh our remarks 
 on this pidu re-defacing a little farther, I fhall, as 
 every opportunity fhould be laid hold of that may 
 help to interrupt the growth and continuance of 
 fuch an evil, here infert the following paffagc from 
 my Le6lure on Colouring, read in the Academy. 
 
 But the pi6lure of the Cornaro family, at 
 Northumberland-houfe, has unfortunately fome 
 years fince been fo re-painted, that Titian and his 
 admirers muft difown it ; and fomething fimilar 
 is reported of Vandykes famous pi6fure of the 
 Pembroke family, at Wilton. Surely there are 
 fome right, well-grounded claims on a celebrated 
 work, as well as thofe of the proprietor : the mere 
 purchafe or pofTeffion does not give a title to the 
 liberty of deftroying it ; and although the public 
 and the lovers of art cannot interfere to prevent the 
 pojfTeiTor of an efteemed ancient work from foolifhly 
 employing pidlure-cleaners to deface, under the 
 pretext of cleaning or repairing, yet the execration 
 of all intelligent people mull inevitably follow fuch 
 a procedure, in proportion to the eilimation of 
 the work thus loft to the public ftock. The pic- 
 ture, when brought homie from thefe cleaning de- . 
 facers, appearing new, frefti, and altogether dif- 
 ferent from the ftate in which it was carried out ; 
 the foolilh proprietor is taught to believe wonders 
 
 had 
 
( ) 
 
 had been done, and pays accordingly. I (hall 
 never forget the fhocking lpe6lacle of a pidture of 
 Claude Lorraine, which I faw at the houfe of one 
 of thofc operators (Spiridone Roma, dead foiiie 
 years iince), where the fine patena, all the thin 
 oleaginous paffages, delicate tints and touches, 
 which conilitute the beauty, grace, and fmifh of 
 the work, were not only partially carried off by 
 the valuable fecret of a fluid made ufe of in what 
 he called cleaning, and where even the very im- 
 primatura, or ground, was in many places appa- 
 rent, and confequently difcharged from the colours 
 which formed Claude’s picture. What he was to 
 do afterwards with this chaos in repairing and re- 
 floring, could be only in proportion to his own 
 wretched (kill as a landfcape-painter. Titian, 
 Rubens, Vandyk, or any other great colourifl, 
 may with advantage retouch and complete any 
 work of their fcholars, or other inferior artifl, by. 
 fcumbiing over, tinting, and uniting the whole i 
 but it would be ridiculous to expect any good from 
 the converfe of this : and yet what is the bufinefs of 
 thefe pi6ture»repairers, but this converfe, more and 
 more, nay infinitely degraded ? as thefe unfortu- 
 nate, though impudent people, for the mofi: part, 
 can do nothing of their own, and mull fubfift by 
 effrontery, noflrums, and deception. But as feme- 
 thing may be ufefully done in the defirable endea- 
 vour to preferve celebrated works of the old 
 
 pal inters. 
 
( la ) 
 
 painters, I fliall take this occafion to mention an 
 excellent practice in ufe at Rome, which affords 
 all that can be defired on this head, as it religioufly 
 and wifely refpeds and leaves untouched whatever 
 there is remaining, and only attempts fo to repair 
 the parts which have perifhed, as to prevent their 
 offenfive or difagreeable appearance. 
 
 When I was at the Palace Borghefi, copying Titian, 
 there were two Romans, old men and brothers, 
 who were employed by the Prince in repairing his 
 pidures. I had a fair opportunity of infpedting the 
 procefs of thefe worthy old men, as they made no 
 myllery of it, but carried on their work in the fame 
 room where I was employed with the other ffu- 
 dents, Italians, French, and Germans. Their 
 firft attention was to examine and repair the at- 
 tachment of the pi6ture to the canvafs on which it 
 was painted, and to line it, if neceffary ; they next 
 fb bedded the picture as to prevent its cracking 
 . when they wiped and cleaned away the dirt col- 
 le6ted on its furface. Their next bufinefs was the 
 chief operation, which confided of balls of different 
 colours, ground up to the confidence of glazier’s 
 putty, portions of which, with knives exactly re- 
 fembling thofe ufed by glaziers, they mixed pro- 
 perly, fo as to correfpond with the colours of the 
 parts in conta6l with the fcaled or broken places 
 which they thus filled up, afterwards carrying this 
 blunted knife over the edges, and wiping away 
 
 any 
 
( 13 ) 
 
 any thing that might have foiled the found and 
 perfed places of the pidure. Thus all was pre- 
 ferved that could be preferved, and the repairs, 
 whether well or ill conduded, were at word of 
 little importance, as they did not -interfere with 
 thofe perfed and found parts. It is unnecelTary to 
 fay more on a matter fo obvious, than that I am 
 happy to rely on the zeal and public fpirit of many 
 of my hearers for the fpreading of this falutary 
 pradice, and interfering wherever they may have 
 any influence to prevent the further deflrudion of 
 ancient pidures.— We Ihall now return to our 
 fubjed, &c, 
 
 I have long feen, and from my fi tuation as Lec- 
 turer on Painting in the Academy, have often 
 prelfed it on the attention of my hearers, that with- 
 out fome proper public colledion of ancient art, 
 to refer to oecaflonally, both our pupils and the 
 public would be in the fame bewildered fituation fo 
 emphatically alluded to in the New Teftament, of 
 the people without guides, expofed to every im- 
 pofture of Lo ! here is Chrift. Lo ! there is 
 Chrifl.” — This is Titian’s manner.— No, that was 
 his manner. — Old Giacomo Balfano, did he do his 
 work after this or after the other way ?— How far i$ 
 fcumbling neceffary in the produdion of the true 
 Venetian tones ? — Upon what bafis, and how much 
 and what fliould be done before, after it, or with 
 it ? There is no need to mention that difeernment 
 
 and 
 
C 14 ) 
 
 and tafbe mufl: govern in the application and con- 
 du6l j but with refpedt to the mechanic deiidera- 
 tum, thefe queilions go all the length; and to ob- 
 tain fatisfadlory oracular anfwers, v/e had belt 
 recur to the familiar infpedlion of the original pic- 
 tures of thefe ancient mafters ; and as nothing elfe 
 can fatisfa£l;orily determine refearches of this kind, 
 and prevent or detedl miftakes or impofition fo well 
 as this frequent familiar infpedlion, I could much 
 v/ilh that what I have fo often had occafion in the 
 Academy to urge on this fubjedt, was known to his 
 Majefly ; for this end I brought it forward, as it 
 is fo much and fo eafily in his power to gratify the 
 wifhes of the public, and complete the views of 
 his own Inftitution, by gracioufly conferring on 
 them this remaining favour. His royal counte- 
 nance, and a very fmall matter, would be fufEcient 
 to begin with. But as I am not likely ever to have 
 the honour of a hearing from his Majefty, and if I 
 had, would unfortunately for the art and for 
 the country have probably but little weight, I muft 
 content myfelf, and think it a fufEcient difcharge 
 of confcience and duty, to lay the whole m.atter 
 laefore you and your friends, who happily can 
 have all the opportunity, weight, and confide - 
 ration, that is wanting to me. You may then 
 -either lay this letter before his Majefly, as a tefti- 
 mony of the beft difcharge of humble duty within 
 the knowledge of his Profeflbr., or you may put 
 
 the 
 
( 15 ) 
 
 the matter in any other form more agreeable and 
 proper^ without any regard to me or to what I have 
 written. You will partly fee, by what follows, 
 how long I have laboured under the weight of this 
 bufmefs, how far it has been carried, and through 
 what an ordeal I have paiTed : my patience is now 
 quite exhauhed, and almoft like the traveller men- 
 tioned fomewhere in Horace, who, when with all 
 his pains and care, he could not prevent his afs 
 from continually going to the edge of the precipice, 
 was at lad; fo cranfported with rage and indignation, 
 as to flretch out his hands and pufh him down. 
 Before any fuch matter as this happens with me, I 
 /hall feel happy and delivered from a world of anxiety 
 in placing this bufmefs under the care and direhlion 
 of the Gentlemen of your Society ; you can eafily 
 manage it, and will henceforward be anfwerabie to 
 the art and to the public for its fafety and fuceefs ; 
 carry this point, and all will be done that I willi 
 done, as, I thank God, there is nothing to aik for 
 myfelf. But as gentlemen like thofe of the Di- 
 lettanti Society, poiTefled of all tlie advantages of 
 education and foreign travel, can want no informa- 
 tion from me rcfpeding the importance, nature, 
 and extent, of that collection of exemplars and 
 materials of information and ftiidy, fo abfolutely 
 and indifpenfably neceffary for advancing and per- 
 fecting the arts of Painting and Sculpture in a 
 Kational Academy; the few Extrads which fol- 
 low. 
 
( i6 ) 
 
 low, and were copied from certain parts of mv 
 annual ledures in the academy, are therefore in- 
 ferred here merely to fhew my own fenfe of the 
 miferable ftate of our colledlion, and of what the 
 Academy Hands fo much in need of for the corn- 
 pletion of its views. 
 
 In theDifeourfe onDefign, read in 1785, fpeaking 
 of the cafts from the antiques, I found myfelf com- 
 pelled to obferve upon our want of public repo- 
 “ fitories of art, Royal or other colledions, which 
 might be reforted to occafionally without ex- 
 pence, difficulty, or lofs of time. Moft of our 
 noble colledions are widely feparated from each 
 other, and buried in the country, where neither 
 the artifts nor the public can derive ad- 
 vantage from any thing they may happen to 
 contain; without going into details of what 
 might, and perhaps would be done, if the 
 public fpirit was fairly called forth by fome 
 eminent example. But there is even fomething 
 in the power of the Academy itfelf; for, by a 
 proper application of its own funds, a relpefta- 
 ble beginning might be made under its own 
 roof, which in a Ihort time would anfwer the 
 “ moil: extenfive purpofes of utility to the arts, 
 and entertainment to the public. At prefent 
 the materials for obfervation in the Academy 
 are much too fcanty to afford, even to the 
 ^ Profe ffor, any opportunity of bringing forward 
 
 with 
 
( »7 ) 
 
 with advantage thofe enlarged views of the art 
 that are moft becoming and Worthy the atten- 
 tion of {Indents in the eighteenth century ; we 
 have no where any pidlures of the old fchools, 
 ‘‘ to which the ftudents might be referred for vifible 
 examples of what they ought to iludy to acquire 
 ‘‘ or endeavour to avoid.” 
 
 In the diTcourfe on Chiaro-Scuro, the neceffary 
 inveiligation of the fubjedt in hand led me to ob- 
 ferve, ‘‘ That I could wifh, not only for the fake 
 of the pupils and the public, but alfo on my 
 own account, that our colledlion of plafter calls 
 in the Academy was more ample. In the 
 * ^ number of excellent things that mull be attended 
 to during one’s refidence abroad, the impreffions 
 of many of them will unavoidably not be fo 
 “ freih on the memory after fome years, as to 
 enable a man to fpeak of them with confidence, 
 ‘‘ more particularly on fuch .an occafion as the 
 prefent s but, from what I recolledl of the happy 
 “ effedls produced by the fkilful arrangement of 
 alto and balTo-relievo, and the perfpedlive of the 
 aerial as v/ell as lineal degraduations of the objedls 
 in Algardi’s famous work at St. Peter’s, in that 
 of Puget at Paris, and fome others, this mode 
 ‘‘ of procefs is capable of producing the fublimell 
 and moil extenlive efFedls in fculpture. What 
 ‘‘ fhould hinder that it might not even be alTo- 
 dated with groupes and figures in the round ? 
 
 C For 
 
( ) 
 
 For my own part, I cannot help being ftrongly 
 of opinion, that fuch a fubjed as the Niobe 
 would come upon the eye of the fpedator with 
 a much more colleded force, if treated by a great 
 ‘‘ artift in this w^ay, than in the fcattered manner 
 in which this compofition appeared in the Villa 
 “ Medici, &c.” , And, after fome pages of dif- 
 cuffion, and a confiderable enumeration of fads, 
 refpeding the kinds of fculptured relievo, ancient 
 and modern, I am obliged to conclude the fubjed 
 in the following manner. Any attempt to 
 reconcile thefe palTages from the ancient writers, 
 with thofe incontrovertible fads refpeding the 
 date of the art, which are fo glaringly teftified 
 in the remains of ancient bafTo-relievo and paint- 
 ings, is better declined, at lead for the prefent, 
 as our Academy is too ill fupplied with materials 
 for obfervation : the miferable beggarly date of 
 ‘‘ its library and colledion of antique vediges, I 
 have fo often had occafion to lament, that it is 
 almod fhameful to mention it to you any more. 
 Good God ! that fuch a thing fhould be in the 
 ‘‘ centre of the Britifh Empire ; that fo many 
 difficulties fhould lie in the way of acquiring a 
 fufficient colledion even of plader cads, and a 
 place to put them in, and in fuch a town as 
 London, which in all other refpeds is fo 
 tranfcendantly remarkable for its numerous pub- 
 lie hofpitals and modes of generous provifion 
 
 s ‘‘ for 
 
X 19 ) 
 
 for almoft every want of humanity, both of 
 body and mind ! But in the arts there feems a 
 peculiar curfe — what occafions it ? and does it 
 only arife from that infidious bafc policy which 
 is employed to prevent thofe who really know, 
 and could ferve the public, from having any 
 weight ? and is it from this, that glorious op- 
 portunities of public fervice are thus daily 
 permitted to hide away without benefit 
 In February, 1791, the following paflage was 
 inferted in the Difcourfe on Colouring. Would 
 to Heaven an opportunity was offered of plant- 
 ing your eafels before fomeofhis (Vandykes) 
 pidures on thefe walls ! and yet even this would 
 be too limited; and nothing could have pre- 
 cipitated me on fuch a wifh but my extreme 
 defire, that before you are let loofe upon the 
 world, it might be in the power of the Aca- 
 “ demy to afford you fome, though ever fo little, 
 timely affiilance in this remaining mofi: im- 
 poitant part of the art : for really to make a 
 juft ftatement of our wants, when we confider 
 the various difpofitions that look for their 
 education in an - Academy, more nutrimxnt 
 will necelfarily be required than any individual 
 model or mode of pradice can afford, however 
 excellent it miay be. In the Pope’s Academy 
 at Rome, in that of Bologna, at Venice, and 
 indeed in all places on the Continent, where 
 C 2 the 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 the education of young painters is attended tc?, 
 it is hardly necelTary to employ any further 
 folicitude than merely providing for the {Indents 
 an opportunity of itudying the living model 
 and the antiques, as the churches and other 
 great colleddons of pidtures are ever open to 
 ‘‘ them for the acquifidon of the colouring, 
 compofition, and all the other great effentials 
 of painting : but even with all this, there is pro- 
 vided at the Campidoglio, under the fame roof 
 with the Papal Academy, a moft noble col- 
 ledlion of pidlures of the old mailers, which^ 
 whiift it affords a perpetual fource of intel- 
 ledlual entertainment to the public, is a real 
 fchool of inftrudlion, where the young painter 
 is enabled to complete and give a finiih to his 
 ‘‘ fludies, before he expedls to be called upon for 
 the exercife of his abilities in the fervice of his 
 country. When an inflitution of education 
 is thus honeilly provided for, confcience is 
 eafy 3 every thing human is done, the reft muil 
 “ be left to Divine Providence. It would be 
 wailing words to a melancholy purpofe, to 
 draw any parallel between all thefe happy ad- 
 vantages of the foreign fchools of painting, 
 and the miferable aifiilance our Academy has 
 to offer its pupils. We have nothing of 
 “ painting to refer them to without doors 3 and 
 it has been wifely obferved by our illuilrious 
 
 ‘‘ Prefident, 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 Prefident, that it is not the wifh of the Aca- 
 demy, that the {Indents fhonld endeavour to 
 copy or to form themfelves upon the pictures 
 within. We wifh them to dig in the fame 
 mines where we have laboured, to purify the 
 metal for themfelves, and faihion and work it 
 up for public ufe, according to the ilrcngth 
 and peculiar direction of their feveral geniufes, 
 and thus endeavour to be, not the imitators, 
 but the generous rivals of their predecelTors. 
 But let us not defpond, the thing is right, and 
 ‘‘ abiolutely neceffary: God will profper it, and 
 enable the Academy to extricate itfelf from 
 “ the oilentatious mean appearance of undertaking 
 more than it performs. His Majefty, our 
 gracious Patron, loves the arts ; the fame be- 
 nificent hand that raifed our Academy to a 
 fchool of Drawings will not fail to enable it 
 to become really^ and not in appearance, a 
 “ fchool of Fainting alfo. The Parliament, the 
 national truftee, is wife, liberal, and perfe61:ly 
 know what is for the honour and glory of the 
 country. Painters, completed in their educa- 
 tion, will, it is therefore to be hoped, iifuc 
 ‘‘ from this fource, to all the parts of the 
 Britilh Empire ; and the colie6lion of old legi- 
 timate exemplars, which only can enable the 
 “ Academy to perform all this, will not, cannot, 
 be any longer wanting to us. To talk of 
 C 3 “ wanting 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 wanting room for fuch a colleflion, is childifh 
 and farcical ; how eafy is it to point out fpace 
 for it ! But there is no need to wafle words : let 
 me have the honour of direding your attention 
 to a recent event, which now affords an occa- 
 lion of beginning fuch a collection with every 
 poflible advantage. A confiderable number of 
 ‘‘ fuch fpecimens of painting as come immediately 
 within the views of public entertainment, as 
 “ well as academical exercife, may now be pur- 
 chafed ; they have been brought together in a 
 ‘‘ courfe of many years, with great affiduity, 
 and were the conftant objeCts of ftudy, affec- 
 tion, and rivalfhip of a great * man, whom 
 “ we all know and revere •, and whofe various cx- 
 “ ertions in the art will long remain the pride 
 and glory of his country. I will fay no more; 
 but if thefe materials of ftudy fiiould be 
 fcattered, what a pity! When can we hope 
 “ that fuch an alfemblage of fo many neceftary 
 “ requifites of Ikill, m.eans, and inclination, 
 fhould thus fortunately meet together in any 
 ** man, to make fuch a collection again ?’* 
 
 In December, 1792, at a meeting of the acade- 
 micians, called to confider of a fituation for placing 
 the caft of the Hercules Farnefe, our meeting was 
 
 in 
 
 * Sir Jofhua Reynolds’s colIe<EHon of ancient piftures were 
 fent by him at this time to the great Auftion Room> in the 
 Hay-market, to be fold by private contrad. 
 
( 23 ) 
 
 in the ground floor, under the coach-way into 
 the fquare, where the flatue was loofely put toge- 
 ther, and fet up in the place where Sir William 
 Chambers v/ilhed it to remain. The then prefident, 
 Mr. Weft, and feme of the academicians, feemed 
 to differ from this opinion, and would have the 
 figure brought up ftairs ; but as this feeming was 
 no more than a political manoeuvre which, after 
 fome difcuffion of difficulties, would be ulti- 
 mately refolved into Sir William’s opinion, and 
 as I well knew that Sir Jofhua Reynolds’s wifhes, 
 in the charge he had entrufted to me, had no other 
 obje(ft than to obtain the greateft pofiible augmen- 
 tation of our collection of cafts, it appeared to 
 me moft advifeable to depart from the letter of 
 his injundion, in order to follow the Qoirit of it 
 and having therefore prepared the following 
 paper, I read it to the Academy as we ftood 
 before the ftatue. When Sir Jofhua Reynolds 
 was confined to his room, a little before his 
 death, he did in the prefence of feverai friends, 
 recommend to me to endeavour at perfuading 
 the Academy to have the ftatiie of Hercules 
 brought up ftairs into the plafter room. I 
 promifed him, that whatever I could do fhould 
 be done i but, upon more mature thinking 
 fmee, I am perfuaded that, as his foie object 
 w^as to obtain fuch an extenfion of our colledlion 
 as w^ouid be more adequate to the occafions of 
 C 4 “ the 
 
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 ( 24 ) 
 
 the Academy, and to this end, widied the 
 figure to be brought up flairs, though there 
 fhould be no room to receive any thing 
 elfe after it ; yet as the following little plan 
 removes Sir Jofhua’s difEculty, by rendering 
 the lower apartments more habitable and con- 
 venient, fo as to bring the flatue equally into 
 the courfe of academical fiiudies, and co-operate 
 more effe6luaily with his and all our wifhes, by 
 allowing the mofl ample increafe of our 
 colle6lion, I fhall, Mr. Prefident and Gen- 
 tlemen, beg leave to fubmit it to your con- 
 fideration. 
 
 As the academical repofitory of Grecian 
 examples of art contribute equally to direct the 
 fludies of our young artifls, and to invigorate 
 and perfect the tafle of the public, I move, 
 that if any part of our collection is to be placed 
 in the 'ground apartments, that preparatory to 
 all other confequent confideration, a committee 
 of the Academy be appointed, in order to con- 
 fider what will be the befl mode of obtaining 
 a proper, convenient, and handfome accefs, to 
 this part of our colledlion in thefe ground 
 apartments. And as no proper accefs can be 
 had to thefe apartments but from the fquare, I 
 fubmit it to their confideration, whether, at the 
 fame time, it would not be exceedingly pra(5ti- 
 cable, by a further extenfion of that ground 
 
 “ floor. 
 
( 25 ) 
 
 floor, from the King's ftatue into the fquare, 
 to obtain a room, even equal to the dimenfionSj 
 as to length and breadth, of our prefent exhi- 
 ‘‘ bitioii room, and without the leaft inconve- 
 ‘‘ nience or annoyance of any kind to the other 
 “ offices in the fquare, fince it need not rife to 
 any great height, and would leave an open 
 coach- way on the three fides, double the width 
 of the Strand at Catharine-ftreet, and four times 
 the width at Exeter Change. Our exhibition room 
 is twenty-two of rriy paces long; the fquare is, 
 “ from the bafement of the King’s ftatue to the 
 foot pavement on the fouth fide, 8o paces long, 
 and 63 from each foot-pavement, eaft and weft. 
 The Strand is 19 paces broad from the edges of 
 the footway, at Catherine-ftreet, and nine paces 
 at Exeter Change, 
 
 ‘‘ By this means the Academy would be enabled 
 “ to convert fome of its upper rooms into a more 
 becoming extenfion of its library : the paternal 
 care ofhisMajefty, and a liberal public, would 
 ‘‘ foon make this library adequate to the occafions 
 ‘‘ of fuch an inftitution, inftead of the contracted 
 ‘‘ miferable ftate in which it is at prefent. Had we 
 “ but fpace for a few found ^ examples of the pic- 
 tures of the old m.afters, a little time would foon 
 put it in the power of our ftudents to finifti their 
 education, inftead of running loofe upon the 
 public to fiibfiftj as too many have, by mere 
 
 ‘‘ drawing 
 
( 26 ) 
 
 drawing and other contradled methods of art, 
 which muft infallibly refuit from ftudies inter- 
 rupted, not purfued to the end. With fufficient 
 ipace, and a proper acknowledgment for favours 
 received, the Academy would not long want a 
 colledtion of prints equal to that royal colledlion 
 of prints in the Rue de Richelieu at Paris. The 
 late Mr. John Barnard would, according to 
 very creditable information, have been much 
 gratified in leaving his noble colledtion in this 
 way. An enquiring mind would foon be en- 
 abled to take fuch a view of thefe arts, as the 
 admirable author of the advancement of learning 
 recommends in thofe other arts which had been 
 the obje6l of his attention ; and on a view of the 
 whole, it would appear what had been well la- 
 boured, what had not, what was to be followed 
 up, and what to be avoided. It will, furely, be 
 found, upon mature confideration, that the 
 higheft fervice this Academy can render the 
 ‘‘ public, is to be the happy means of efFedling a 
 ‘‘ compleat repofitory of all the materials neceflary 
 for fuch advanced and enlarged art, as is worthy 
 the glory of the nation, and the high fpirit and 
 extended information of the age we live in. A 
 few artifbs, fo equipped, will do the country 
 much and real honour j the bulk of thofe v/e 
 fhall breed without it, will really be much 
 injured, and with refped to the views of the 
 
 age, 
 
( 27 ), 
 
 age, abortive and ftunted, obliged to traffic in 
 quackery and fmall ware, illiberal, mifchievous 
 to each other, and a difcredit to the infli» 
 tiition. 
 
 I^ota Bene, There need nothing to appear in 
 “ the fqiiare, but a range of Jbattlements, or con- 
 “ tinned pedeftal, eight or ten feet high, which 
 would afford a mofl admirable occafion, and in 
 the mofl eligible fituation, of effedting that long 
 willied for repofitory of thofe honourable tefti- 
 monies of public gratitude which, from the ex- 
 perience of the befl: ages, have been found the 
 trueft incentive to heroic actions. On this battle- 
 ment, or range of pedeflals, ftatues of thofe 
 heroes who deferved well of their country might 
 be eredted, at convenient diilances from each 
 other, with a dado of a finail projedlion under 
 the ftatue for a proper infeription ; and the 
 ‘‘ (paces between thefe dado’s or dies being a little 
 more in length than height, may be ornamented 
 with appofite hiftoric baffo relievo’s, which 
 would open a glorious field of fculpture for the 
 public entertainment and inftrudtion, unequalled 
 “ in Europe. The whole fquare of public offices 
 ‘‘ would, with an admirable felicity, like another 
 forum of Trajan, feem to have been built to give 
 it ornament, wdth this remarkable difference in its 
 favour, that thefe fubjedls of Britifh bas-relief, 
 being all near the eye, could be confidered with 
 
 convenience, 
 
( 28 ) 
 
 convenience^ pleafure, and utility, all of which 
 ^ is loft to the fpe6lator, from the elevated fitua- 
 “ tion of the bas-relief, on the beautiful column of 
 ‘‘ Trajan, to the deep, never-ceafing regret of all 
 lovers of virtu . 
 
 The entrance to thefe ground apartments 
 might be handfomely contrived to defeend in the 
 ^ two angles behind the King’s ftatue, and fo 
 “ ornamented as to group and mafs lublimely 
 with the ftatue, and ftiil further aftbeiated with 
 a noble obelifk, or other proper ornament be- 
 tween, that might, gracefully and without an- 
 noyance, afford the neceffary' communication 
 “ between the fires below and the external air. It 
 “ but rarely happens that fo many fortunate cir- 
 cumftances can meet together, with a felicity fo 
 united as almoft to appear like magic. 
 
 Thus this mere extenfion of your ground 
 apartments, at prefent ufelefs, furniftiing the 
 neceffary receptacle for the fine monuments of 
 ancient art, whilft, at the fame time, it ad- 
 ditionally affords the moft eligible fituation in 
 the centre of two great cities, and (which is the 
 “ charaderiftic of true tafte) with the leaft con- 
 ceivable effort and expence, for another repofi- 
 ** tory of monuments ftill more deeply interefting 
 to the art and to the nations plafter cafts of 
 demi-gods and ancient heroes within j and vdth- 
 out, what the Britifli empire fhall glorioufly pro. 
 
 . duce 
 
( 29 ) 
 
 duce of the fame charader, in the more durable 
 materials of bronze and marble. Gentlemen, 
 you lee evidently the means are in your power s 
 ufe them, and deferve well of your country. 
 Having thus acquitted myfelf of the promife 
 made to Sir Jofhua, of the duty I owed the 
 Academy, and habituated to the kind of mate- 
 rials I had to work on, it gave me neither furprife 
 nor concern to find the matter got rid of by Mr. 
 Wyatt’s obferving, that this paper contained fome- 
 thing which ought not to be loft, that it might 
 hereafter be of ufe, whenever the ground lliould be 
 purchafed between the Academy and Exeter 
 Change. Such a thing might happen, and then we 
 fhould want for nothing. As Mr. Wyatt was 
 lately made the Queen’s architect, and was fup- 
 pofed to know what would be agreeable, the mat- 
 ter ended without further difcufiion 5 and, leaving 
 poor Hercules to fcreen himfelf as well as he could 
 from colds and damps, we went up ftairs. 
 
 On the I oth of Odlober, 1796, I received the 
 following letter from the Academy : > 
 
 Sir, 
 
 You are defired to meet the Prefident, and 
 the reft of the academicians, at the Royal Aca- 
 ‘‘ demy, on Monday the 7th of November, at 
 feven o’clock in the evening, to eled one affo- 
 ciate. Inclofed is a lift of the candidates.” 
 
 At 
 
( 30 ) 
 
 At this meeting of the yth of November, the 
 Secretary, as ufual, read the minutes of the former 
 meeting, which confifted of the matter relpe6ling 
 the giWng of penfions to fuch academicians or their 
 widows, as came within a certain Ipecified defcrip- 
 tion ; and, without any paufe between, proceeded 
 to read the bufinefs for the eleflionof one affociate, 
 and to difbribute the lifts for that end. After the 
 election, when I faw the academicians going to 
 difperfe, I defired to be informed, why the bufinefs 
 that lay over from the former meeting had not been 
 iiniftied to-night? The Prefident faid it was 
 finiftied ; that it was read, and he had figned it. 
 I obferved it had not been put to the vote : the 
 Prefident, Meflrs. Tyler, Farrington, Yenn, 
 Bacon, and fome others, faid it ought not ; that 
 the time for voting was on the former night, and 
 that fuch was the rule of the Academy. I told 
 them I was fure that the praclice and rule of the 
 Academy was quite otherways, and that, relying 
 on this ufage of the Academy, I had prepared fome 
 objedions to the paffing of this penfion- bufinefs 
 as a law, and which 1 intended ftating to the 
 Academy at the proper time, which time was 
 v/hen the Prefident fhould, as ufual, after the read- 
 ing of the minutes, get up and fay, T hojegentle- 
 
 men who are of opinion that they ought to confirm 
 the minutes of the laft meetings hold up their hands ; 
 —thecontrary^ theirs That this had not been 
 
 done; 
 
( 31 ) 
 
 done j that it was what I waited for } that it was 
 not only the ufual pradice of the Academy, but 
 of all affeinblies and focietics of men ; that this, 
 and no other, could be the reafon for having two 
 meetings, the better to confider and digeft all 
 bufinefs. They, however, infilled that the matter 
 was finilhed, and that I could not be permitted to 
 make any objedions. Upon my requefting that 
 they would at lead hear what I had to objed, 
 whether they proceeded to any further confideration 
 of the matter or not, after much entreaty, and 
 fnameful contefl, I was at lad indulged in reading 
 what follows ; 
 
 In the letter of fummons for convening the lad 
 general meeting a month fince, the bufinefs 
 ipecified in that letter, was only what number 
 of afibciates lliould be eleded at the next meet- 
 ing ; confequently, the vacancies being only 
 “ three, the more important confideration, who 
 amongd the candidates ilioiild be eleded to fill 
 any number of thofe vacancies within the three, 
 being referved for the fecond meeting, was, 
 perhaps, the reafon why fo many of the acade- 
 micians did not come to the fird ; and that it 
 was owing to a mere accident that I was not in 
 the number of thofe v/ho, fwayed by that reafon, 
 did not attend. -Thofe academicians then who 
 “ were abfentat this fird meeting, as well as many 
 of thofe who were prefent, mud be exceedingly 
 
 diocked 
 
( 52 ) 
 
 Ihocked to find that the principal objedt prepared 
 for the confideration and difcufilon of that meet- 
 ‘‘ ing, wa;s of quite another nature than had been 
 fpecified in the fummons, and was indeed of the 
 ‘‘ lafi:, deepeft importance to the reputation and 
 ‘‘ exiftence ojjhe Academy. In order, therefore,^ 
 “ to prevent the Academy being furprifed into any 
 error, and that fo diforderiy and fhocking a 
 bufinefs fhali not happen again, I move, that 
 ‘‘ though it be the bufinefs of the Council to ar- 
 range and prepare matter for the confideration of 
 the Academy, and that the Council ought to 
 have every invitation and encouragement to pro- 
 duce fuch matter, of whatever kind, at any 
 general meeting, and even whether fpecified in 
 ‘‘ the fummons or not, yet that it be enadted, as 
 an invariable law, that the Academy fiiall never 
 ‘‘ proceed to give any vote at the general meeting 
 on any bufinefs propofed by the Council, which 
 “ has not been fpecified in the letter of fummons 
 “ for that meeting. 
 
 I alfo move, in order that a proper record of 
 the tranfadions of the Academy may remain on 
 its books, that the bufinefs propofed in the letter 
 of fummons for the general meeting, be copied 
 into our books, at the head of the minutes of the 
 traniadlions of fuch meeting. 
 
 I further move, that the Academy recom- 
 mend to the Council to reconfider the whole 
 
 bufinefs 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 bufmefs refpe<5ling the fecurity and difpofal of 
 “ the property of the Academy, and that fome 
 ‘‘ proper means be adopted to obtain for the 
 Academy, fucha chartered and legally corporate 
 exiftence, as will connedt it with the nation, and 
 as the moft dignified, fimple, and beft adapted 
 method of precluding litigations or other em- 
 barrafiments in the management of weighty pro- 
 perty, in which great artifts are fo likely to be 
 lefs experienced than more inferior people. The 
 Academy ought not to hefitate on this occafion, 
 when the great and refpedtable law authority 
 (Serjeant Adair), whofe opinion we have fought, 
 has, with a delicacy worthy himfelf, infinuated 
 this advice, in generous and liberal addition to 
 his anfwer to the queftion on which he was con- 
 “ fulted. 
 
 “ Whether the Academy fiiall, or fhall not, 
 ‘‘ endeavour to obtain this moft fatisfadtory and 
 beft poflible method of fecuring its property by a 
 charter ; I move, that fome part of this property, 
 which may exceed the necelfary ufes of the 
 Academy and its commendable ordinary chari- 
 ties, be nobly and wifely employed in obtaining 
 an extenfion of their Ipace, for the exhibition of 
 great works in fculpture, the want of which has 
 been fo long and vexatioufly experienced and 
 complained of. The introdudlion of works of 
 this kind, would be the beft corredlive for that 
 D tawdry. 
 
( J4 ) 
 
 tawdry, frippery relifh, which the repeated 
 exhibitions of the more trifling, inconfeqiiential 
 “ departments of painting, is apt to generate. 
 Let me add here (enclofed within a parenthefis), 
 that the Academy has but very imperfe6lly dif- 
 charged its duty to the public, refpedting thofo 
 monuments of fculpture, the fuperintendance of 
 which has been entrufled to them : and I muft 
 requeft your indulgence for my entreating and 
 moving that this matter may be fhortly enquired 
 into, as prior to thefe deeds of truft confided to 
 the Academy. I had the misfortune of recom- 
 mending, in a printed work, page 93, diffemi- 
 nated on a very public occafion thirteen years; 
 fince, that this confidence fhould be placed in 
 the Academy. I therefore move, that a com^ 
 mittee be appointed to enquire into the conduct 
 which ought neceffarily to be adopted by the 
 A cademy in all future references of public trufl, 
 whether of fculpture or painting, or even of 
 archkedlural defigns, in which the judgment of 
 the Academy, properly and confcientioufly 
 “ called forth, might be of confiderable advantage 
 to the public. 
 
 ‘‘ I alfo move, that fomc part of our property 
 be laid out in the purchafe of fome one or more 
 exemplars of ancient art, and a room or rooms 
 to put them in. This beginning, (which would 
 ‘‘ come fo gracefully and with fuch peculiar pro- 
 
 “ priety 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 priety from the Academy) would, with a gene- 
 rous public that only wants fuch an occafion of 
 diredling its energy, foon fru6lify and extend 
 « to a National Gallery, (^) which, whilft 
 “ it would compleat the views of the Aca- 
 demy with refped to the education of its pupils, 
 would alfo no kfs beneficially extend to the 
 improvement and entertainment of the nation at 
 large. There are many old famous pidures in 
 “ this kingdom : whether any of thefe fliould be 
 ‘‘ bellowed on this public gallery, or only lent to 
 it for any given number of years, to be replaced 
 by others, the end would be equally anfwered ; 
 and, by proper infcriptions on the frames, the 
 public would know its benefadors, who would 
 be paid in a glorious celebrity, proportioned to 
 the utility and fatisfadion they diffufed. 
 
 A proper attention to the obtaining thefe 
 defiderata, would not only appear more becom- 
 ing the reputation of the age and nation, and 
 more confiflent with the noble difinterefled con- 
 dud hitherto adopted by the Academy, but 
 D 2 would 
 
 * The famous Cartoons of Rafaelle, which were purchafed with 
 the public money, might ftand glorioully at the head of fuch an 
 Academical or National Gallery j or if they Ihould be thought to 
 occupy too much fpace, and that finely coloured oil pi6lures 
 would be more immediately ufeful — fome of the royal palace$ 
 abound with works of Vandyck, of that defcription, which might 
 be well fpared. With fuch a neft-egg, and fpace, the reft would 
 foon follow. 
 
( 36 ) 
 
 would eventually and finally be more profitable 
 and advantageous to the interefts of fuperior 
 artifts, and the widows and relatives they 
 may happen to leave behind them, than 
 what has been propofed by diffipating this pro- 
 perty of the Academy, in penfions annexed to 
 the mere frequency of exhibition, without any 
 regard to the degree of importance or contemp- 
 tibility of the matter exhibited. Such a proce- 
 dure would inevitably reverfe all right, and 
 produce mifchief and diflionour inflead of 
 benefit. The nobler occafions of exertion do 
 not fo frequently occur as thofe that are paltry 
 and worthlefs, not to fay mifchievous •, and the 
 anfwer of iE fop’s Lionefs in the fable, would 
 admirably apply in this cafe. ‘ Ton 'produce a 
 ‘ great many at a littery and often : hut what are 
 ^ they? Foxes, I indeed have hut one at a timCy 
 ‘ hut you Jhould remember this one is a Liond 
 It is full time. Gentlemen, thatwefhould recol- 
 ledt, in this Academy, that our art has the glory 
 of being a moral arty with extenfive means, pe- 
 culiarly univerfal, and applicable to all ages and 
 nations, to the improvement and deepefl interefts 
 of fociety ; and although, from the unfortunate 
 combinations that fometimes occur, we have 
 had more frequent occafton to decorate the ex- 
 hibition walls with pi6lures of live or dead par- 
 tridges, mackerel on deal boards^ or fuch like 
 
 “ human 
 
( 37 ) 
 
 human or other trifling matters, eveiy whit as 
 unmeaning and inapplicable to any great or 
 ethical purppfe ; yet furely, furely, if the Aca- 
 ‘‘ demy cannot every year gratify the public with 
 a Gymnatium at Athens, or the Stadium at 
 Olympia, it will ill become them to encourage, 
 by their countenance and their penflons, fo 
 horrid and fcandaloiis a reverfe and degradation. 
 Thefe opinions, which I hope will meet the 
 wi flies of a majority of the Academicians, lam 
 happy to deliver on fuch an occafion as the pre- 
 fent, where they are fo fairly, fo neceffarily 
 ‘‘ called for ; and that, whatever determination 
 theAcademy may choofe to adopt in this bufinefs, 
 thefe fentiments, either in the way of advice or 
 protefb, mufl: now, in the order of diings, re- 
 main upon their books, for the infpedlion of 
 thofe who may come after us, and who, it is to 
 be hoped, will have other and higher views of 
 the concerns of art, than thofe arifing from the 
 undue, political artifices of comMnation and 
 cabai:^ (Signed) JAMES BARRY. 
 
 Having finiflied the reading of the above mo- 
 tions, I added, verbally, that my end was now 
 anfwered ; for, that as things were ordered in the 
 Academy, I was fatisfied with the mere propofing 
 what was for the honour of the Academy, and of 
 the nation, without much folicitude or aru^iety at 
 its not being adopted ; and that I had recom-- 
 D 3 mended 
 
( 38 ) 
 
 mended this rule to our late Prehdent, Sir Jolhua 
 Reynolds^ obferving to him that, inftead of unea- 
 fmefs, he ought rather to enjoy the double fatisfac- 
 tion of propofing, on his own part, becoming ho- 
 nourable matter, which his opponents would have 
 the infamy of reje6ling, and that at leaft it was 
 always in his power to prevent the matter’s being 
 fupprelTed or loft. At two or three different times 
 fince I afked Mr. Weft whether thefe refolutions 
 of the Academy, refpeding this penfion bufinefs, 
 had been carried to the Palace for his Majefty’s 
 acquiefcence and ftgnature : he repeatedly told me 
 they had not as yet ; and as fome time has elapfed, 
 and that we have had no report of his Majefty hav- 
 ing figned them,, it is to be hoped the majority 
 have altered their opinion, and will at leaft have the 
 grace to let it drop, and fpare and pay fuch re- 
 fped to the King’s ftgnature, as not to folicit for it 
 on fuch an unworthy occafton. 
 
 As I could not prevail with the majority at this 
 meeting to appoint any committee for enquiring 
 into the proper mode we ought to adopt, in dif- 
 charging thefe public trufts confided to the Aca- 
 demy, and as it feemed as if they wifhed to fmuggle 
 the whole bufinefs, and would not even fuffer thefe 
 motions to remain on their books, and as fo much 
 time has fince elapfed, I feel myfelf bound, by a 
 duty fuperior to all other confiderations, to em-, 
 brace the opportunity that now offers, and to put 
 
 the 
 
C 39 ) 
 
 tlie public in pofTefiion of fuch a fimple, but entire 
 ftatementofthe fads relating to thefe trujls^ 
 
 as will, I think, be fully fufficient for the perfed 
 comprehenfion of the v/hole bufinefs, and almoft 
 render any comments unnecelTary. 
 
 On February 27, 1784, two Letters were read 
 in the Academy, from the Houfe of AfTembly ie 
 Jamaica, to Stephen Fuller, Efq. The follow- 
 ing are copies. 
 
 Sia, 
 
 Inclofed is a refolution of the Houfe of Af- 
 fembly on the 20th day of February laft, and alfo 
 a copy of an order upon the Receivers General, 
 relative to that refolution 5 you will perceive it is 
 the wifh of the Houfe to exprefs the fenfe this 
 Ifland entertains of the fervices of Lord Rodney, 
 and that a flatue is thought to be the mofl: honour- 
 able compliment which can be paid. The Houfe 
 will objed to no expence that may be necelTary to 
 procure one of the moilfinifhed kind. The money 
 (loooi.) ordered to be remitted by the Receiver- 
 General, is intended as an advance to accelerate 
 the work; and when it is completed, whatever 
 fum fhall be found to be deficient, the Houfe will 
 provide for it on the fird intimation. 
 
 The pedeftal on which the ftatue is to be 
 placed, muft be richly ornamented, and repre- 
 lentations of the atchievements of the hero, whofe 
 
 D 4 fame 
 
( 40 ) 
 
 fame is Intended to be tranfmitted to our pofterity, 
 ought to be fculptured on three of the fquares or 
 dies of the pedeftal in baflb-relievo, particularly 
 the memorable adion which infured the fafety of 
 Jamaica ; and on the fourth, a Ihort infcription, 
 correfpondent with the refolutions of the Houfe. 
 The plan of the whole work Ihould be well con- 
 iidered anddigefted, and premia offered for the belt 
 defigns, to be approved of by the Artifls of the 
 Royal Academy *, and, when the defigns fhall have 
 been adopted, the moft eminent ftatuary muft be 
 employed to carry them into execution. The 
 ftatue and its pedeftal are to be enclofed by a 
 handfome balluftrade ; and, we think, a flight of 
 ftone fteps up to the foot of the pedeftal, would be 
 neceflfary to give it a proper elevation. We com- 
 mit this bufinefs to your care and attention, hoping 
 that this tribute of our gratitude and applaufe will 
 do credit to the artift and honour to the ifland. 
 
 We are. Sir, 
 
 ‘‘ Your humble Servants,” 
 
 (Signed by Thirty- two Names.) 
 Houfe of AJfemUy^ Feh, 20, 17^3* 
 
 Refolved, that it be recommended to the 
 Houfe, to diredt the Committee of Correfpondencc 
 to write to Stephen Fuller, Efq. agent for this 
 ifland, defiring him to apply to the moft eminent 
 artifts in England, to prepare an elegant marble 
 
 ftatue 
 
‘C 4t ) 
 
 ftatue of Lord Rodney, with a handfome pedeftal 
 to the fame, to be eredted in the Parade of Spanifh 
 Town, in commemoration of the glorious vidtoiy 
 obtained by that gallant commander, and the 
 brave officers and feamen ferving under him, over 
 the French fleet, on the 12th day of April, 1782. 
 
 By the Houfe, < 
 
 SAMUEL HOWELL, Cl. Aflembly.” 
 
 On reading thefe letters in the Royal Academy, 
 it was refolved, that MefTrs. Bacon, Carlini, 
 Nollekens, Tyler, and Wilton, be defired to pre- 
 pare models for the ftatue by the 5th of April next, 
 and fend them to the Academy. 
 
 J. REYNOLDS, Prefident. 
 
 F. M. NEWTON, Secretary. 
 
 On the 5th of April there were but two of thofc 
 gentlemen who fent models, viz. MelT. Bacon and 
 Tyler, and the work was adjudged to Mr, Bacon. 
 Many members of the Academy were diflfatisfled 
 with this mode of procedure *, Sir J offiua in parti- 
 cular complained that it wanted a certain hlat^ and 
 in fome meafure defeated the very liberal wiffies of 
 the gentlemen who entrufted this commiffion to the 
 Academy ; that if hereafter we fliould receive any 
 other fimilar commiffion, it would be better to invite 
 a general competition by public advertifement, and 
 make an academical public expofure of the work. 
 
 After 
 
( ^2 ) 
 
 After Sir Jofliua’s death, the following letter from 
 Fort St. George, addrelTed to the Prefident 
 and' Council, was read in the Academy’. 
 
 Gentlemen, 
 
 We have the honour to enclofe you a copy of 
 the Refolutions of the Inhabitants of Madras, by 
 which it was voted, that a ilatue of the Right Hon. 
 Earl Cornwallis Ihould be ereded in Fort St. 
 George, at the public expence; ^ 
 
 In order to give the more expanfion to this 
 teftimony of refped and efleera for Earl Corn- 
 walli-s, the inhabitants of Madras refolved on mak- 
 ing application to the Royal Academy of Great 
 Britain, compofed of members whofe profefTional 
 talents are juftly appreciated by all Europe. In 
 conformity with their refolutions, we have the ho* 
 nour to addrefs you, requeuing you will be pleafed 
 to nominate an artift to execute a pedeftrian ftatuc 
 of the Earl. 
 
 Did we apprehend there could be any diffe- 
 rence of opinion refpeding the Noble Perfonage 
 who is the fubjed of this addrefs, an apology might 
 be confidered as due to you in the name of our 
 conftituents and ourfelves; but we truft our ex- 
 pedations are not ill-founded, when we profefs to 
 flatter ourfelves with your mofl: cheerful compliance 
 with this requeft. 
 
 Sir John Call will have the honour of tranf- 
 mitting to you this letter.* and we have requefted 
 
 the 
 
( 43 ) 
 
 the favour of him to communicate to the ardfl you 
 may recommend, fuch information a3 is neceffary 
 for the execution of the ilatue. 
 
 ‘‘We have the honour to be, &c.” 
 
 (Signed by Seven Gentlemen of the Committee.) 
 
 Fort St, George^ 'OSt, 6, 1792, 
 
 All the fculptors of the Academy refufed 
 making any models of competition for this ftatue, 
 except Mr. Banks, who, after a given time fent 
 two models for the Academy to choofe, one in par- 
 liamentary robes, the other not : which of thofc 
 models was fixed upon, has efcaped my recollec- 
 tion \ but I well remember, that amongft the rea- 
 ibns given by the other fculptors, why they would 
 not concur, there was much mention of combina- 
 tion and cabal: that the moft infignificant mena- 
 bers of the Academy had made fuch an exten- 
 five and politic confederacy as to difpofe of every 
 thing that went by vote : who fhould be in the 
 Council j who fhould be in the fuperintendance of 
 the living Academy as Vifitors^ who fhould be 
 made an AfTociate or an Academician : in fhort, 
 all was at their difpofal, and nothing was given but 
 with a view to the increafe of their power. Mr. 
 Nollekens, amongfl other reafons for his declining 
 it, gave me this, that he was fure that fuch a certain 
 perfon (whom he named) would have twenty votes 
 from this cabal ; the anfwer I gave him was, that 
 
 he, 
 
( 44 ) 
 
 he, and feveral other men of ability in the Aca- 
 demy, might thank themfelves for it ; that the 
 poifoned cup was at laft come to their own lips ; 
 and that if, at our meeting for the ele6tion of a 
 Prefident to fucceed Sir Jofhua, they had the grace 
 and difcretion to adopt the motion I then brought 
 forward, of binding ourfelves and all future Acade- 
 micians, by an oath, to vote confcientioufly in all 
 cafes of eledtion and adjudication, the offices and 
 tranfadlions of the Academy would then have had 
 fome chance of being carried on with whatever 
 flrength, propriety, and dignity, was within our 
 reach, and the ffiameful matter now complained ofj 
 as well as other recent matters of equal difgrace 
 and vexation, could not have occurred. It is evi- 
 dent enough, that if influence, envy, and combina- 
 tion, could be chained down, and kept from adling 
 in the bufinefs, even the meaneft artift in the Aca- 
 demy had too much fkill not to know who was bell 
 fitted by education and talents to fill the feveral 
 offices of the Academy with the moft becoming 
 iuftre and utility ; or who amongft us, was moft 
 likely to execute any public truft, with the greateft 
 probability of adding to the reputation and celebrity 
 of the country, and of the Inftitution. It is im- 
 poffible for any artift to miflake or lofe his way in 
 fuch matters. Let us then not blame Providence 
 and our underftandings for that which (in our hearts 
 we know) is reprobated by both, and which, in 
 
 fairnefs. 
 
C 45 ) 
 
 fairnefs, Is only imputable to our fordid, rafcaly 
 ele6Uon, that would felfifhly, brutally, and ma- 
 lignantly, endeavour to obfcure, vilify, and de- 
 ftroy whatever excellence it cannot pretend to ; and 
 whatever it is obliged to relinquifh to its rivals, 
 its next wifli generally is to conned it with maim- 
 ing circumftances, and to fee it in hands not cal- 
 culated to get much honour by it. Hence it is, 
 that all wife legiflators have ever infilled upon the 
 fecurity of an oath, in order to bind down felfilh- 
 nefs, to Hake its fuperior eternal interells and 
 hopes, after this Ihort, tranlitory life, as the pledge 
 and hollage for the juft, true, and faithful dif- 
 charge of the teftimony and judgment that may be 
 required from him : and let Sir William Chambers 
 chicane as much as he pleafes, about the more con- 
 venient principle of honour, as he calls it, yet, 
 furely, it is abfurd to fuppofe, that a regulation 
 which is found neceftary in all well-ordered govern- 
 ments, ftiould not be attended with fome utility in 
 the Royal Academy. But, to quit reafoning and 
 come to fads : Mr. Wilton alfo, on my twitting 
 him on his not concurring, laughingly alked me, 
 Whether, as matters were difpofed of in the Aca- 
 demy, I would concur, were I in his fituation ? 
 My anfwer was, Certainly not : and you might 
 have feen, that for fome time paft I have not only 
 declined giving any vote, but that, in the moft 
 publicinanner, I threw my lift In the fire, inftead 
 
 of 
 
( 46 ) 
 
 marking and putting it into the box. How- 
 ever, thus matters went refpedling this trufl: con- 
 fided to the Academy j and I fuppofe that fome 
 perfon (mold likely an interefted fculptor) mull 
 have informed the Eaft India Company, how their 
 liberal intentions refpecling this ftatue of Earl 
 Cornwallis were fo unfortunately, but palpably 
 defeated in the Royal Academy. Nothing but this 
 can account for their adopting a different mode of 
 condudf on the fubfequent occafion, of their ereft- 
 ing a ftatue to the memory of Sir William Jones ; 
 for it appears in that tranfaclion, that they no 
 longer paid any regard to the judgment of the 
 Academy, but made choice of a fculptor them- 
 felves ; and the Academy would have had no 
 knowledge of the matter, had it not been for the 
 mere accident of our having a >Committee of the 
 Academy in fome meafure connected with the 
 ere6ting of monuments in St. Paul’s Church ; and 
 as the monument was to be placed there, we ac- 
 cordingly received the following letter from the 
 Pean and Chapter of that Cathedral : 
 
 0 
 
 The Dean and Chapter of St. Paul’s having, 
 in confequence of an application from the Hon. 
 the Diredtors of the Eaft India Company, con- 
 fented to admit into their Cathedral, a monument 
 to the memory of the late Sir William Jones, and 
 having agreed that it lhall be placed in the North 
 
 Weft 
 
.( 47 ) 
 
 Weft angle, exaftly" oppofite to Mr. Howard'^s^ 
 in the South Eaft angle, and the Chapter having 
 approved of the defign prefented by Mr. Bacon, 
 as far as regards emblem, lentiment, and types ; 
 they requeft the Committee of the Royal Academy 
 to inipe6t the drawing, and to favour the Dean 
 and Chapter with their opinion as to its fmtable- 
 nefs to the fituation, in point of magnitude and 
 conformity in its general compofition to thofe in 
 correljpondent fituations, fo that it may eventually 
 become an ornament to the building.’’ 
 Chapter-Houfey Dec, j, 1796. 
 
 To the Committee of the Royal Academy, 
 Somerfet-Houfe. 
 
 As concealment is rather pernicious, than of 
 any ufe, particularly in thofe who were entrufted 
 to a(ft for public bodies, I Ibali not fcruple to fay, 
 that the Committee (of which I was one) found 
 themfelves much embarralTed, as every thing 
 cflential had been already determined by the Eaft 
 India Company and the Dean and Chapter ; and 
 there was nothing referved for the confideration of 
 the Academy, or its Committee, that could not 
 have been as well determined by the verger or 
 beadle, as it required no profellional (kill to fay 
 whether the ftanding figure of Sir William Jonejs 
 was in conformity with the ftanding figures of Dr. 
 Johnfon and Mr. Howard. Wc were only to 
 
 judge 
 
o 
 
 C 48 ) 
 
 1 
 
 judge of magnitude and conformity ; and, I do 
 not know, but I believe we were not at liberty to 
 fay, that the fooner this conformity was broken 
 by the eledtion of forae other artift, and a very 
 different arrangement, the better and more credit- 
 able it would be both for the church, and for th® 
 nation. However, that we might not appear to 
 have been entirely ufelefs, a refolution was drawn 
 up, in which we recommended to the Dean and 
 Chapter, not to fuffer any more iron railing in 
 the church, and to take away that which had been 
 placed before the ftatues already eredled. 
 
 Although, in the writing of this letter, it was 
 my intention to withold myfelf from making any 
 refledtions, and, as much as may be, fimply to 
 ftate fadts, yet there is fomething fo deeply in- 
 terefting to the reputation, the public honour, of 
 the Royal Academy in this laft matter, relpedling 
 the ftatue of Sir William Jones, that fhame and 
 indignation will not permit us to hurry over it. 
 Every man who wiflied the perfedlion of national 
 art, and rejoiced at whatever tended to difeoun- 
 lenance and to difeontinue that mean jobbing 
 which had fo long difgraced the art and the country, 
 muft have had great fatisfadfion in the very noble 
 inftance above-mentioned, refpedling the condudl 
 of the inhabitants of Jamaica, in the affair of 
 .Cord Rodney’s ftatue, as well as in the other 
 inftance, in the year 1792, when lb diftinguiflied 
 
 a body 
 
( 49 ) 
 
 a body as the Honourable the Eaft India Company 
 came forward, in the handfomeft, mofl: patriotic 
 manner, and confided the public trull, refpedling 
 the llatue of Earl Cornwallis, to the Ikill and 
 patriotifm of the Royal Academy. So far all was 
 well, honourable, defirable. But behold, four 
 years after, in 1796, the fame Honourable the 
 Eall India Company felt itfelf under the difagree- 
 able necefiity of adopting a contrary mode of 
 condud, and, notwithllanding its former polite 
 recognition, in 1792, of the importance of the 
 judgment of the Academy, are forced upon the 
 harlh expedient of withdrawing this confidence 
 from the Academy, and determining for them- 
 felves this other matter refpeding the llatue of Sir 
 William Jones. One cannot without regret think 
 of the fuffering delicacy of fuch a Society in its 
 progrefs to this pafs. However, if this difgrace 
 arofe, as no doubt it did, from the Eall India 
 Company’s dilTatisfadion at feeing no concurrence 
 and competition for the commillion entruHed to 
 the Academy, but on the contrary, that, without 
 any becoming graceful circumllance that might 
 refled fplendor, either on the Company, the 
 Academy, or the work, it was, with the moll 
 difguHing, obfeure privacy, given away to the 
 artiH who executed it, merely bccaufe he was the 
 only academician who did offer; all the rell abfo- 
 lutely refuling, and many of them even more than 
 _E hinting 
 
(so ) 
 
 hinting at their terror of cabal and combination, 
 $cc, it muft then be honeftly acknowledged, that 
 the Eafl: India Company aded rightly in withdraw- 
 ing its confidence : and it is certain that no fuch 
 matters of public truft ought in future be deputed 
 to the Academy, as it would only embarrafs them, 
 and be a further notification of their difgraceful 
 fituation, without rendering any fervice to the 
 publicA' If we were to take for granted what is 
 ib generally faid by fo many of the academicians 
 and affociates, by the very exhibitors and pupils, 
 nay, v/hich mull have made its way to the notice 
 even of the Eaft India Company, as would, I 
 dare fay, be foon found by any perfon who would 
 be at the trouble of enquiring into the reafons for 
 their change of condud: in the bufinefs of the 
 
 Eatue 
 
 Although the Honourable the DIre61-ors of the Eaft India 
 Company, and the inhabitants of Madras, are not identically 
 one and the fame, yet the alfair of the ftatue of fo eftimable a 
 perfonage as Earl Cornwallis, voted by the inhabitants of Madras, 
 and its reference to the Judgment of the Royal Academy, muft 
 undoubtedly, on fuch an occafion, have been done with the 
 knowledge and hearty concurrence of the Honourable the’ 
 Dire6lors of the Company, and that they, the Directors, after- 
 wards, in the bufinefs of the ftatue of Sir William Jones, had a 
 very different opinion of the interference of the Academy, and 
 proceeded accordingly. This is the conftrufUen moft favourable 
 to the Academy, which the matter will admit of, as it would be 
 much worfe to fuppofe that people, at the diftance of Madias, 
 had a higher opinion of the importance of the judgment of the 
 Academy, than was entertained of thern by the Honourable the 
 Pire61ors who lived with them in the fame town. 
 
( 51 ) 
 
 ftatue of Sir William Jones; taking It then for 
 granted, that there does exill an undue, low, 
 politic combination in the Academy, which, by 
 difpofing of the majority of its votes, thus inti- 
 midates men of ability from venturing upon that 
 concurrence which may be called for by the nation, 
 or by any honourable diftinguiihed member of it, 
 yet it is very poflibie, that fuch combination might 
 never have intended to carry matters to fuch a 
 length ; I think they would not ; it would certainly 
 be bad policy, very inconfiftent with the rules of 
 that neceflary cunning which muft give fupport 
 and continuance to clandeftine aflbciations, to 
 meddle in matters of fuch great magnitude, as, 
 by the eclat of their difgrace and mifchief, might 
 roufe too much of the public attention, and 
 ftimulate towards obtaining the necelTary redrefs, 
 as has generally been in moft cafes of abufe, 
 which providentially receive their death-wound 
 and deftru6Hon from the very ambition and impu-» 
 dent Vv^antonnefs of their excelTes. It is much 
 fafer, and more pra6ticable, to content themfelves 
 with the more moderate ambition of ftrengthening 
 their power and intereft, by governing in the 
 eledlion of aifociates and academicians, by putting 
 their partifans and abettors, whether qualified for 
 it or not, into the fuperintendance- of the living 
 Academy; four- and- twenty guineas for two months 
 vifitorfhip v/ill compenfate for the ennui of lounging 
 E 2 fo 
 
( 5 " ) 
 
 fo many hours (48) in a fituatlon which can be 
 of no ufe to the ftudents, or almoft to themfelves, 
 the money excepted. It is alfo not a little grati- 
 fying to have it in their power to keep whoever 
 they choofe out of thofe rotatory offices of the 
 vifitorfhip and council, however they may be 
 qualified for rendering dignified and effedfual fer- 
 vice to the inflitution. So far they are right ; 
 there is ho other way of giving ftability and con- 
 tinuance to this odious combination. Whilft their 
 ambition is confined to thefe matters, all is fafe ; 
 their opponents will not dare to complain, from 
 the mere ffiame of appearing to have any contefi: 
 about fuch matters, and with a bundle of obfeurity 
 and worthlefsnefs, which, though of very little 
 importance out of the Academy, is notwithfland- 
 ing but too well known and felt in it, from the 
 circumflance of its confederacy and affiociation. 
 Thus they might have gone on. for ever, without 
 detedion ; and it is only fuch a circumflance as 
 this, of the difguft of the Eaft India Company, 
 that happily could adminifler occafion of fufficient 
 publicity for pulling them into the light. The 
 Honourable the Eaft India Company has rendered 
 an eftential fervice to national art, by being the 
 happy means of difeovering to the public fuch 
 an odious abufe, fo mifehievous and obftrudive to 
 national efforts, fo unbecoming a Royal Inftitution 
 of Arts, and even of arts hitherto fo peculiarly 
 
t S 3 ) 
 
 diilinguiUied by the epithet liberal, ’Tis an old 
 remark^ that the remedy is eafy when the difeafe is 
 difcovered ; and as both the difeafe and its cure 
 are altogether unconnefted with the affairs of flate, 
 v/ith the interefts and views either of Whigs or 
 Tories, of Ariilocrats or Democrats, and can 
 relate to nothing but the glory of the Arts and of 
 the Country, by whomfoever its affairs may be 
 adminiflered, they would all have an equal interefb 
 in flifling this mofb odious of all jacobinical con- 
 federacies, where the mere fcum and offal dire6l 
 and govern. This being the cafe, there is then 
 no danger of incurring blame from any man 
 whom one would wifh to refpe6l. I fiiall there- 
 fore cheerfully proceed to ftate my own original 
 idea of this remedy, which thirteen years fince I 
 forefaw would be necefl’ary, when, in page 94 of 
 my account of the pidtures in the Great Room of 
 the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, &c. 
 at the Adelphi, after a good deal of previous 
 matter preffing the neceifity for it, I eameftly re- 
 commended to all focieties, corporations, &c. “ Thai 
 “ fbe judginent cf the Royal Academy Jhould he re-- 
 curred to on all public occafions^ and that the 
 academicians Jhould^ in all cafes of eleblion and 
 adjudication^ he hound by an oath,” It nov/ 
 remains, that, either from his Majefly’s recom- 
 mendation, or from^ v/hatever other quarter, the 
 Academy be induced to roufe itfelf, and fee the 
 E 3 neceffity 
 
C 54 ) 
 
 necefTity of adopting this meafure of an oath, fince 
 it is fo very apparent that the fatisfadtory proper 
 difcharge of any 'public truji is not pradlicable in 
 that body without it ; and then many Academicians, 
 refpedtable for their integrity, delicacy, and abili- 
 ties, who at prefent Ihrink into corners, will be 
 happy to come forward, and affift in putting the 
 Royal Academy into the fituation of reinftating 
 itielf in the good opinion of the Honourable the 
 Fail India Company, or any other National or 
 . Corporate Society that may have the patriotic wifh 
 to be diredled, on any future occafioris, by its pro- 
 feffional judgment and fkiil ; fo much I thought it 
 neceffary to ftate refpedling thefe public trulls, 
 which, I hope, will fhortly be brought into fuch 
 an order, as will enable the Academy to difcharge 
 its part with fuch fatisfadlion, brilliancy and glory, 
 to all the parties concerned, as mdght very well, 
 and lliould always, accompany tranfadtions of fo 
 generous and exemplary a nature. 
 
 I lhall now infert the conclullon of my Ledlure 
 on Colouring, as it was read in the Academy in 
 February laft ; and you will, I hope, excufe what- 
 ever tautologies may occur, as the nature and 
 circumllances of the cafe made it not only im- 
 polTible, but even ineligible, to avoid them. 
 
 “ Nothing can be more conducive to the true 
 dignity or worthlefsnefs of a people, to their 
 real happinefs, or real mifery, than the way in 
 
 which 
 
r 55 ) 
 
 which they are employed in dilperling that 
 wealth, or overplus, which exceeds what is 
 necellary for the confervation of their exiflence ; 
 ‘‘ as it is from this root, or great fource, that 
 “ public happinefs or mifery flows over the land, 
 with an energy and expanfion proportioned to 
 the quantum of nutriment fupplied. It has 
 accordingly been the leading and principal ob- 
 jed, in all wife and orderly civil eflablifhments, 
 “ to take care that fuch an important and eveiv 
 “ operating agent, as the diffuhon of wealth, 
 fliould have the mofl ufeful, falutary tendency, 
 ^ or diredl'ion. And, as the greatefl evils arife 
 from the abufes of the beft things, fo it has 
 ever happened, that the finifter, felfifli, wicked 
 direction, and application of this public over- 
 plus, by the governing power, whether in 
 “ fpreading extei nai violence and devaftation, or 
 interior corruptions, have ever been the ulti- 
 matum of the public calamity and mifery. This 
 “ matter may not require much attention in 
 “ countries that afford little more than the means 
 of a bare fubfi{|;ence, but it becomes , of infinite 
 importance in fuch nations as are expofed to 
 a vaf!; influx of wealth, which experience has 
 “ Ikewn can never lie dormant; and if it be not 
 employed in^arts that afford occupation, and 
 “ ufeful intelle6tual entertainment to the people at 
 large, will infallibly operate deflruftively, and 
 E 4 produce 
 
( 56 ) 
 
 produce fuch a corruption of public principle, as 
 muft finally end in a worfe than favage ferocity, 
 and the confequent utter fubverfion of all civil 
 ‘‘ efiablifhments. 
 
 Impreffed with this view of things, one 
 cannot, without great fatisfa6lion obferve, how 
 “ much has been wifely done in bringing forward 
 ingenious arts for the entertainment and 
 occupation of the public mind ; and this in 
 many of the trifling towns, and beggarly 
 convents on the continent, even circumftanced 
 as thofe places and the times were, with fuch 
 poor materials of education, and fuch fmall 
 means. What then mufi: we think of this 
 great metropolis of the Britifh Empire, fur- 
 rounded, and having within its reach, all the 
 cultivation and improved advantages of the 
 ‘‘ eighteenth century ! How melancholy to refledl, 
 that from all the immenfe wealth which, for a 
 long time paft, has been accummulated by the 
 “ induftry, ingenuity, and extenfive commerce of 
 the country, that, in the fquandering or circu- 
 lation of fo many millions, fo little has been 
 done towards the intelle6lual entertainment of 
 the public or of poflerity ! With refpedt to the 
 ‘‘ arts, our poor negle6led public are left to form 
 their hearts and their underftandings upon thofe 
 leflbns, not of morality and philanthropy, but 
 of envy, malignity, and ’ horrible diforder, 
 
 which 
 
( 57 ) 
 
 which every where flare them in the face, in the 
 *'• profligate caricatiira furniture of print-fhop 
 windows, from Hyde-Park Corner to White^ 
 chapel. Better, better far, there had been no 
 “ art, than thus to prevert and employ it Co pur- 
 pofes fo bafe, and fo fubverfive of every thing 
 interefling to fociety. The poor emigrants and 
 foreigners who crowd our flreets, good God ! 
 what opinion niufl they form of fuch a fcene, 
 ‘‘ whenever they are permitted to refledt, in fomc 
 “ corner removed from the flun of carriages 
 full of pageantry, mummery, and dilTipation, 
 which infeft almoft all places! Thefe flrangers 
 have here no galleries like the Luxemburgh, 
 filled with intelledlual entertainment, to receive 
 “ them gratis twice a week : no library of prints, 
 like that in the Rue de Richelieu, where they 
 “ might contemplate whatever the induflry and 
 genius, the youth, progrefs and perfedlion, of 
 ‘‘ modern Europe, have been enabled to add, to 
 every vellige of perfedtion remaining of all the 
 preceding ages and countries. 
 
 I had great hopes, about ten years fince, 
 that fomething of this kind would have been 
 done by the Academy itfelf. About that time 
 there was a great talk in the Academy of pur- 
 “ chafing the eflate belonging to the chartered 
 Society of Artifls, confifling of the great rooms 
 and the fpace adjoining, on the oppofite fide of 
 the ftreet, now called the Lyceum i and Sir 
 
 Jolliua 
 
C 58 ) 
 
 4» 
 
 “ Jofhua Reynolds (of glorious memory), our 
 ‘‘ then Prefident, generoufly offered to lend the 
 whole, or fuch part of his excellent colledion 
 of pidures of the old mailers, as we fhould 
 think neceffary for the fludy of our young 
 artifts, to complete, as much as may be, the 
 education held out in the Academy, by properly 
 enabling the fludents to become painters as 
 as well as draughtfmen, and thus happily 
 avoiding the abortive way of finifhing their 
 flu dies in the Academy, which at prefen t mull 
 unfortunately be the cafe of too many of them : 
 ^ furely, furely, without fome timely alfiftance 
 of this kind, all our fludents mufl be more or 
 lefs injured, and many of them ruined for ever. 
 Even in the Papal Academy at Rome, although 
 the fludents have, for the colouring and me- 
 chanical conducl of their work, the churches to 
 recur to, ever open and filled, as all the v/orld 
 know, with mofl: excellent examplars, yet, in 
 addition to this affiflance, there is, even under 
 the. very roof of their Academy, provided for 
 their ufe and benefit, the admirable colledlion 
 of pidures in the Campidoglio. But, not to 
 flray from the concerns of our own Academy, 
 this excellent intention of obtaining a colledion 
 had been then carried into effed, had not Sir 
 Jofhua been too timid, or too fond of quiet 
 (which amounts to the fame), and unhappily 
 
 fuffered 
 
( 59 ) 
 
 fiiffered himfelf and his excellent fcheme to be 
 over-ruled by Sir ¥/illiam Channbers. 
 
 « Were we to lay afide all confcientious dif- 
 charge of this truft the Academy has undertaken, 
 ‘‘ refpeding the education of its pupils and the 
 public, were we even to take no other than a 
 fordid view of this matter, and confider it in 
 “ a mere pecuniary light, the Academy might, 
 if it chofe, be a gainer in the traffic that fuch 
 a procedure would cccaiion ; they might, in 
 addition to Sir Joffiua’s colle6lion of ancient 
 ‘‘ pictures, and, in lieu of them, in cafe they 
 fhould be withdrawn, fo contrive the matter as 
 to make it eligible for Noblemen, or other 
 poffeiTors of piclures of the old fchools, to 
 ‘‘ lend them for a given time to the Academy, 
 and by this means afford a {landing Exhibition^ 
 ‘‘ perhaps not lefs profitable than the Panorama, 
 but certainly much more beneficial in the 
 propagation of good tafle and intelleclual 
 fatisfaclion. Thus, with their annually in- 
 creafing funds, properly difpofed of, the Aca* 
 demy might foon fee itfelf in poffeffion of fuch 
 a library of all matters relating to art, and of 
 fuch a colle6lion of plaffer-cails, in the round 
 and in bas-relief, as would complete all their 
 ‘‘ views of utility refpedcing the education of 
 their pupils, and the entertainment and in- 
 formation of a public that, experience has long 
 
 fhewn^ 
 
<c 
 
 tc 
 
 it6 
 
 tc 
 
 cc 
 
 (( 
 
 CC 
 
 cc 
 
 «e 
 
 CC 
 
 CC 
 
 CC 
 
 CC 
 
 CC 
 
 CC 
 
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 <c 
 
 CC 
 
 CC 
 
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 CC 
 
 CC 
 
 >cc 
 
 ec 
 
 ( 6o ) 
 
 Ihewn, is too high-fpirited to fall them, or 
 even to be outdone by them on fo generous 
 an occafion. The want of fuch a colledtion 
 occafionally to recur to, muft be mortifyingly 
 felt by every artift who has any thing to do 
 with great undertakings, however formed and 
 finidied ' his education may be : like the ne- 
 ceffary fadls which form the tiflue of hiftory, 
 the want or deficiency in any of them would 
 be a blemifb in the moft excellent work, and 
 the more to be regretted as the hiflorian is the 
 more admired for his felicity and fkill in 
 condu6bing all the other parts. The prafti- 
 cability of this fcheme is fo evident, that it is 
 even matter of wonder that fome of our pi6lure 
 and other dealers in virtu, have not extended 
 their plans by employing a, few thoufands in 
 this way : however, fuch a fcheme of accele- 
 rated, multiplied advantage, is certainly an 
 enterprife better calculated for a Scociety that 
 is eternal, than for a fhort-lived individual, 
 fubje6l to fo many contingent interruptions and 
 difad vantages ; as in a Convent of Friars, or 
 a Royal or National Academy, there would be 
 always exifting a fufficient number of men in 
 health and vigour to employ their care and 
 attention upon this common interefb. The 
 endeavour of obtaining for the Academy and 
 and for the Nation this great Defideratum of a 
 
 Public 
 
( ) 
 
 «« Puhlk Colle5lion^ has for fo many years been 
 “ uppermoft in my mind, that it may poffibly 
 run away with me, and carry me further than 
 propriety and the occafions require. Relying 
 on your indulgently accepting this excufc, I 
 lhall conclude my obfervations on the theory 
 and pradtice of Colouring, with, &c.” 
 
 This national colleclion of all the materials of 
 art, is abfolutely neceflary for the formation of 
 the pupils and of the p jblic (who ought to 
 grow up with them), whatever ftyle of art 
 may be likely to obtain a fettled credit, fo as 
 to be confidered as conftituting the national 
 tafte, whether we may content ourfelves with 
 adopting the manly plan of art purfued by the 
 Carraches, and their fchool of Bologna, in uniting 
 the perfedions of all the other fchools, of which 
 there remains a mailerly, elegant record, in a 
 beautiful little poem of Agoftino,^ or whether 
 
 (which 
 
 « SONETTO in lode di NICOLO BOLOGNESE. 
 
 Chi farfi un bon pittor cerca, e defia 
 II dil’egno di Roma habbia all inano 
 La mofla, coll ombrar Veneziano, 
 
 E il degno colorir di Lombardia, 
 
 Di Michel’ Angiol la terribil via, 
 
 II vero natural di Titiano, 
 
 Del Correggio lo (HI puro, e fovrano, 
 
 E di,un Rafel la giulta fimetria ; 
 
 Del Tibaldi il decoro, e il fondamento ; 
 
 Del dotto Primaticcio I’inventare, 
 
 E un po’ di gratia del Parmigianino. 
 
 Ma fenza tanti Itudie, e tanto Itento, 
 
 Si ponga folo I’opre ad imitare, 
 
 Che qui iafcioci il noftro Nicolino. 
 
 Agostxko Carracci. 
 
( ) 
 
 (which I rather hope) we look further into that 
 mod eflential article, the ftyle of defign, and 
 endeavour to form it altogether in conformity 
 with the tafle of the Greeks, in which Annibal 
 made fuch an illuftrious be^innino; on his coming 
 to Rome, as may be feen in many parts of the 
 Farnefe Gallery. Whichever of thefe plans of 
 art the nation might fix in, the materials ne- 
 cefTary towards fucceeding can only be found in 
 the colledtion which it has been the main objedl 
 of this letter to obtain : ^there and there only, 
 fhall we be enabled to find that which can qualify 
 us to fucceed, when ufed with genius, and fuper- 
 induced upon our own (never to be loft fight of) 
 fliudies after nature. The further profecution of 
 this plan of Annibal in uniting this Grecian flyle 
 of defign to the other necefTary effentials of a 
 pidlnre, was certainly the great defideratim of 
 art; and though it has never fince been abfo- 
 lutely out of view, and fometimes incidentally 
 occurred in converfation and v/ritten fpeculations, 
 yet it was but little employed in practice, either 
 by the Italians or French, as I have had ample 
 occafion to take the liberty of remarking in my 
 inquiry into the real and imaginary obftruefions 
 to the acquifition of the arts in England, the 
 greatefl part of which was written whilfl I was 
 abroad upon the fpot, and w^hich I publiflied in 
 1775, very fliortly after my return. My idea of 
 
 writing 
 
( 63 ) 
 
 writing on that fubje^l arofe from the ill-founded, 
 fcurrilous afperfions of the climate, genius, and 
 capacity of the people of our iflands, which made 
 part of a hiftory of the art, written by the Abbe . 
 Wincleman, and (whilft I was at Rome) was 
 much read and talked of, to the great annoyance 
 of our little colony, at the Englifh Coffee-houfe. 
 
 I foon found, on enquiring into the fubjedt, that 
 Wincleman was, in this abufe, only a gleaner 
 after two illuftrious Frenchmen, who began the 
 attack fome years before, and maintained it in a 
 manner very ill according, and altogether un- 
 worthy, the liberal abilities and fine genius which 
 were fo apparent in all the other parts of what 
 they had written. The detedtion of the fophifm, 
 or the miftake upon which their difcourteous, 
 uncivil body of reafoning was founded, lay fo 
 peculiarly in the way of an artifl of information, 
 that I faw myfelf in poiTcffion of an advantaged 
 ground, which would fortunately bring even me 
 to a level with thofe great charadters ; and ac- 
 cordingly, in that enquiry above mentioned, I 
 have added to the arguments of Abbe Wincle- 
 man, thofe of the Prefident Montefquieu, and of 
 the Abbe du Bofs, and have offered the beff 
 detedlion and refutation of them in my power ; 
 and Which I had then good reafon to hope, and 
 have long fince had the fatisfadlion to find, was 
 fufficient and ample apology for the climate of 
 
 our 
 
C 64 ) 
 
 our iflands, for the charaderiftic qualities of the 
 genius of our people^, and for the removal of that 
 ungracious^, mifchievous ftigma, v/hich they en- 
 deavoured to fix upon the efforts of our native 
 artifls, already fo much and vexatiouCy oppreffed 
 by a variety of other caufes. The nature of the 
 fubjed I had undertaken, obliged me in the courfe 
 of that enquiry frequently to remark, that the 
 arts in Italy and France had gradually declined 
 into imitations of the lower fpecies of excellence, 
 which, even when obtained, could not bring 
 much credit, although it muft be confefled that 
 great genius and ability had unfortunately been 
 wafted in the purfuit: and be it faid without 
 offence, that the followers of Cortona, Conca, 
 Ricci, Jordano, Le Moine, Boucher, Pierre, 
 and even Carlo Vanloo, could not be expeded 
 to arrive at any great things. However, if 
 good is tranfitory, and paffes away from us, fo 
 does evil : and it is with a heart-felt pleafiire I find 
 myfelf now enabled to interrupt this cenfure, as, 
 according to all the late accounts of the ftate of 
 arts in France, a higher and a much better order 
 of things has been recently fubftituted in the 
 place of their former corruptions ; and the fub- 
 iime, venerable, majeftic, genuine fimplicity of 
 the Grecian tafte, utterly eftranged from all mean 
 affedation, from the precieufe or the grimace 
 and bluftering, and incorporated with all that 
 
 might 
 
( 65 ) 
 
 might be derived from the illuftrious moderns 
 towards forming a complete and perfe6t totality, is 
 now renovated, or indeed rather created, and for the 
 firll: time brought into exiftence in that country ; 
 fince it is certain that, on the one hand, Annibal 
 Caracci, and Domenichino, had but made a be- 
 ginning, and did not go far enough in the gufto 
 of Grecian deiign ; and on the other hand, that 
 (every thing fairly coniidered and acknowledged), 
 from all that remains of the ancient painting, it 
 is highly probable that even the works of their 
 bell painters were very defe(5live in fome elTential 
 parts of the art, where many of the illuftrious 
 moderns have left us nothing to wifti for. 
 With hands lift up to heaven, and a heart full of 
 exultation, I then hail the generous exertion of 
 David and his noble fellow-labourers in that 
 glorious undertaking, wiftiing it a long and a 
 prolperous carriere. How happy am I to think, 
 that they have a public who will meet their work 
 with correfpondent feelings, who will give it the 
 fame generous, becoming patriotic reception, 
 which has ever fo peculiarly and fo exemplarily 
 charadterifed that gallant nation! As this new 
 ftyle of painting, founded upon the Grecian cha- 
 racter of defign, is of fuch recent introduction 
 in France, is fo utterly the reverfe of every 
 purfuit of art that was in ufe with them in my 
 time, it would be a great fatisfaCtion (to me at 
 
 F leaft 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 kali; an exceeding great one) to know by what 
 artift this revolution in the ftyle of dehgn was 
 firft introduced; in what pidture it was firfl: 
 fliewn ; when, where, and whether the hrfl lUg- 
 geftion of the idea of this revolution in the tafte 
 of art, had no other circumftance connedted with 
 it, than the general fpirit of reform, and the de- 
 fire of preparing and adapting art to the purity 
 and feelings of thofe defcendants of Brutus, Dion, 
 and Cato, who would be likely to come forward 
 in the caufe of the public and of virtue. The 
 Britifh artiils on this fide of the Channel are na- 
 turally anxious obfervers of what is doing by their 
 brethren on the other fide. We have long been 
 endeavouring to have the glory of rivalling and 
 winning from them the palm of vidory ; and in 
 many inftances we have greatly profited by that 
 endeavour. They would themfelves have great 
 fatisfadlion in what we could fiiew them of our 
 Reynolds, Wilfon, Barret, and fome others, who 
 in their feveral departments will perhaps with diT 
 ficulty be outdone. We feel difpofed to dilpute 
 and contend with our brethren in France, juft as 
 they do with each other, by every generous effort 
 to excel, and diftinguifh ourlelves for rendering 
 fuperior fervices to the art, and to the public, 
 without in the leaft detrafling from that candour, 
 efteem, and fraternal refpedt and affedtion which 
 ought, and I hope will, ever refult from the con- 
 geniality 
 
( 67 ) 
 
 geniality of our feelings and purfuit. The grand 
 ftyle of art now purfuing in France does high 
 honour to their choice who adopted it 5 and as 
 my attention has been fo long turned that way, as 
 to give me a clear view of its value, I fincerely 
 hope they will now, in the clofe of the eighteenth 
 century, and with the glorious colledion of pic- 
 tures which gives fuch brilliancy to the Louvre, 
 be able wifely to keep the right channel between 
 the Scylla and Charybdis on either fide. The 
 Statuino manner, the dry, miferable, bald poverty, 
 refulting from fuch an over-fcrupulous attention, 
 as even to imitate the very imperfedtions which 
 attach from the nature of the materials, or of the 
 want of fcience in many of the Greek balTo-re- 
 lievos, may pofiibly be as wide of the true mark, 
 as if no attention had be paid to thofe antiques ; 
 although, to the unfkilful, who are not of the 
 art, fuch work might, from its conformity with 
 certain inevitable defedts in all imitations with 
 fuch a material as marble, and with the imper- 
 fedl ilate of the fcience in the ancient bafs-reliefs, 
 appear more Grecian than the truer and better 
 ftyle, which with a wife and juft licence, and 
 adoption of completer fcience, might be formed 
 out of the fame admirable materials. Pouflin has 
 made an excellent ufe of the antiques ; but it 
 might ftill be carried further, and of a higher zeft , 
 particularly in large works. The fuperior energy 
 F 2 and 
 
( 63 ) 
 
 and animation of Rafaelle may be as compatible 
 with the moit refined Greek forms as with anv 
 othen The ftyle and perfections of Laocoon 
 might be blended with the fine piClurefque ingre- 
 dients of the manner of Rubens, Vandyk, Paul 
 Veronefe, or Rembrandt, not only without in- 
 jury, but with much, nay infinite advantage ; the 
 form of the Laocoon would then be at home, 
 accompanied with what naturally belongs to it. 
 This would be art indeed ; and from my foul I 
 wifh the French artifls fuccefs in the purfuit, and 
 that their men of genius may never know the 
 vexation of having their hands brutally tied up 
 from it by influence, combination, cabal, or curfe 
 of any kind. Nothing can exceed the mortiflca- 
 tion of being only enabled to fpeak or to fcribble 
 about that which one feels an eagernefs and a ca- 
 pacity for executing in another and a much more 
 effeClual way. 
 
 This fublime union of all the great qualities of 
 art was the lafl; undertaking neceffary towards its 
 completion. Contracted to a point at the oufet, 
 a mere embryo and grofs imperfeCf refemblance of 
 the general form of ©bjeCts, it required a long traCl 
 of time, and ingenious, various and great labour 
 in developing, difcriminating, and working up 
 the component parts of this mafs. Looking back, 
 for a moment, upon this early progrefllonal flate 
 of things, one cannot help remarking, and it is 
 
 for 
 
( 69 ) 
 
 for the intereft of mankind to remark fuch a fa6l, 
 that the whole entire growth of art is peculiarly 
 and exclufively to be afcribed to the laborious, 
 generous, fuccefsful culture of the citizens of the 
 little Republic of Florence. Malvafia, and the 
 other writers of the different fchools of art in 
 Italy, may contend for the mere barren fa6t of 
 having painters at the fame time, and equally un- 
 formed with Cimabue, Giotto, or fuch like ; but 
 they cannot pretend that the people under any 
 other government in Italy had been able to raife 
 the arts out of this flate of general barbarifm, 
 until they were taught it by imitating and form- 
 ing themfelves upon the fuccefsful labours of that 
 carriere which commenced at Florence with Brun- 
 elefchi, MalTaccio, Ghiberti and Donato, and 
 finifhed almoft a century after with Lippi, Da 
 Vinci, Fra. Bartolomeo, and Michael Angelo. 
 But little could have been expe6ted at Rome in 
 that time, as the Popes newly returned from their 
 exile at Avignon had ample employment in efta- 
 blifhing their government ; a circumftance the 
 mofl fortunate for art, as by that means fpace was 
 left in that capital of the world, for the reception 
 of that art which the Republic of Florence had 
 foflered and reared up to maturity, and which, 
 from this very circumftance had, by fo filling their 
 churches and palaces with the produdions of the 
 feveral necejhary ftages of this progrefs, left tliem 
 F 3 little 
 
f 70 ) 
 
 little or no fpace remaining for the enjoyment of 
 any fpecimens of what they had thus brought to 
 its mature perfe6tion. Happily, Divine Provi- 
 dence feems to have kept Rome in referve, as a 
 magnificent theatre for the exhibition of this grand 
 fpeftacle of intelledual entertainment, from whence 
 it fhould foon be communicated to the reft of 
 Europe. 
 
 Would to Heaven that fome great and good 
 man, poflefled of the eloquence of a Burke, a 
 Roufteau, aBoffuet, or a Fenelon, ftiould in this 
 ^ momentous crifis of Revolutions (when the happi- 
 nefs or mifery of ages is pending upon the iffue), 
 come nobly forward, at any rilk, as the blefled 
 advocate for that conftitution of things which is 
 likely to be moftprodu6tive of that happinefs which 
 refults from intelledual, virtuous culture, and 
 from thofe ingenious arts which conftitute the very 
 pabulum and nutriment of this virtue and culture 
 of the intelled ! The vindi(ftive, tempeftuous 
 paflions of our nature will be always fure to make 
 ample provifton for occafions of ftrife, for military 
 eftabliftiments, and confequently for thofe modes 
 of government which are beft adapted to fuch 
 views : although this is, perhaps, inevitable for 
 the moft part ; yet one might hope there would 
 be always found magnanimity enough in human 
 nature to permit, as the Greeks had fo glorioufly, 
 and for fuch a long time, permitted, a facred 
 
 territory 
 
 1 
 
( 7^ ) 
 
 ccrritory apart governed by its own pacific laws, 
 which were refpeded by all contending parties. 
 There is nothing in all the Grecian flory which can 
 -exhibit that very belligerent people in a more 
 graceful, amiable, and becoming point of view, 
 than their admirable, falutary, exemplary condu6l 
 in this particular : and yet, what could any man 
 lay of the facred territory of Elis, that might not 
 be afErmed (with many additional arguments of 
 inexpreffible advantage ) of the Papal government 
 at Rome ? How eafy would it be, without 
 ralhly deftroying it, to weed out difcreetly. and 
 prudently any of thofe defe6ls and abufes which 
 might attach from length" of time, and from the 
 very excufable infirmity ever infeparable from 
 human nature in all conceivable fituations and con- 
 cerns ! How eafy, without lofs of its dignity, to 
 accommodate it to any exifliing circumftance ! But 
 there will be no need to wifh for the eloquence 
 of a great man, on an occafion fo deeply intereft- 
 ingto humanity : the French are a wife and a great 
 people, who have been long diftinguifhed by their 
 predile6bion for thofe arts which humanize, and are 
 not likely to forego any occafions of pradifing their 
 ufual magnanimity. The Papal government cannot 
 want perfuafive advocates among a people fo happily 
 enlightened : and as for any republics that might 
 grow up in Italy, they will be fo well acquainted 
 with the value of the Papal government, as to 
 
 F 4 make 
 
( 72 ) 
 
 make every effort for preferving it in a flourifliing- 
 (late. The infinite importance of fuch a govern- 
 ment as the Papal to the arts which humanize 
 fociety, has been long an obje6l of my deepeft 
 meditation •, and I have before had occafion, in my 
 printed letter to the Society for the Encouragement 
 of Arts, from the 24th to the 3zd page, to touch a 
 little upon the great and elTential advantages de- 
 rived to Europe from its connexion with the Papal 
 governmentj and as it is impoffible to reflect upon 
 the growth and advancement of thofe arts which 
 tend to meliorate and humanize fociety, without 
 recurring to the fame venerable fource, I have, in 
 the introdudlory Le6lure to my Courfe in the Aca- 
 demy, been alfo led to take notice of a few par- 
 ticulars which, as they will come in very well here, 
 I fhall tranfcribe, without caring much whether it 
 be digreffing or not. 
 
 It is curious to refledt, that the exertions of art 
 feem to arife from the difappointment of the human 
 mind, fated, difgufted, and tired with the mo- 
 notony of the real perfons and things which this 
 world affords, fo full of imperfedtion, and accom- 
 panied with fo much mifery, ftrife, and injuftice. 
 In proportion to the ferenity and goodnefs of the 
 mind, it naturally turns away from fuch a ftate of 
 things, in fearch of fome other, more grateful and 
 confoling 5 and it has a natural horror of thofe athe- 
 iftical cavils which would malignantly deprive it of 
 
 all 
 
( 73 ) 
 
 all other refource, by mercilefsiy chaining it down 
 to the fcene before it. Hence it arifes that the 
 minds of men, in all ages and places, where they 
 were at leifure, and happily relieved from the op- 
 preflions of war, tyrannies, and all their horrid 
 train of confequent miferies, have naturally dilated 
 and found confolation in the objefts of religion, 
 which they would anticipate and realize by their 
 endeavours to cut or carve them in blocks of 
 v/ood or ftone, which, whether detached from their 
 parent rocks, and fet up in high and honoured 
 plates of frequent refort, or, as was probably the 
 more ancient way, cut into and making part of 
 immenfe excavations, as is feen in the mountains 
 of India. Whether the fubjeft matter of religion 
 be well or ill reafoned upon in thefe detailed ef- 
 forts ; whether it be taken from the various incar- 
 nations of the Indian Viftnou, from the more 
 elegant ideas and forms of the Greek Mythology, 
 or from the more confoling, juft, and happily 
 adapted matter refulting from the more equitable 
 rational hopes and fears inculcated by the Chriftiaa 
 religion ; yet the whole taken together forms an 
 aftonifliing chain of the moft indubitable proof of 
 the extreme thirft of the mind for a more fatisfadory 
 ftate of things, and of its natural recurrence to the 
 arts of defign, as the firft, the univerfal and moft 
 natural written language, which, in furnilhing the 
 rneans of exprefling this univerfal teftimony, affords 
 
 a happy 
 
( 74 ) 
 
 a happy and the only opportunity of tracing human 
 nature through an immenfe trad of ages ; through 
 India, Egypt, Greece, and Italy. And although 
 whatever was not conneded with the religion of 
 thofe people, was not thought of as worthy the 
 commemorating, yet many other matters and 
 ufages are luckily preferved by their incidental con- 
 nexion with this fuperior matter, which otherwife 
 would now be utterly loft to us : and, every thing 
 fairly and fully conftdered, what ftiould we have 
 known of the ancient nations, their arts and know- 
 ledges, were it not for the ftimulus which religion 
 afforded to the human exertions? What other 
 motives ever did or could fupply its place ? 
 
 The deplorable calamities of wars, rapine, and 
 every mifery which for many centuries deluged 
 Italy, during the ambitious contefts of rival Em- 
 perors, eleded by the different legions and bands 
 of foldiery ; the incurftons of the northern barba- 
 rians, who deftroyed thofe Emperors, and divided 
 the fpoil of the country ; and the ftruggles of thefe 
 with the fucceeding innundations of other northern 
 hordes, equally favage ; their long contefts in 
 the aggregate maffes, and afterwards in the no lefs 
 mifehievous fragments into which they were frit- 
 tered, left the mind no leifiire, but wholly occu- 
 pied it in contriving for the neceffary fecurity of 
 mere bodily exiftencc. However, though late, this 
 fermentation did at 1 aft, more or lefs, fubfide into 
 
 fettled 
 
( 75 ) 
 
 fettled governments 5 and the embers of the arts of 
 defign, and indeed of all other arts and knowledges, 
 which had been providentially kept alive by the 
 (poor and ever to be efteemed) monks of the Greek 
 and Latin churches, were again kindled into a 
 flame, by a people who at lafl felt themfelves at 
 eafe, and in a condition to cultivate intelledual en- 
 joyments ; and therefore, in the 13th century, 
 John Cimabue, the difciple of a Greek Mofaic 
 painter at Florence, was the glorious inftrument of 
 the refurredlion of the arts of defign in Italy, which a 
 happy combination of moral caufes had greatly con- 
 tributed to advance and to perfe6t. The Chriftian 
 ‘ religion, which happily was then univerfally eflab- 
 lifhed, opened a new and a large field for the exer- 
 cife of the arts, in order to provide pictures and 
 ftatues for their churches, as neceffary helps and 
 furtherances to piety ; ferving at once as books, 
 intelligible to the unlettered, and for memorials 
 to affift the recolle6lion and give a fervour to the 
 hearts of thofe who were better informed. And 
 whenever the works of art have not anfwered thefe 
 purpofes, it is an abufe to which every, even the 
 beft things, are liable, as the fault lies not in the 
 art, but in the artift, or in the employer, who 
 fuffers, or rather more frequently conditions for, 
 and encourages the abufe. 
 
 From what has been obferved refpedHng the 
 Egyptians, it is very apparent that nothing can be 
 
 a greater 
 
( 75 ) 
 
 a greater bar and impediment to the advancement 
 and dignified exertion of art, than a contraded, 
 mean, grovelling dirpofition in the artift, whether 
 it arifes from the political debafement of the rank 
 he fills in fociety, or from his own fordid, con- 
 temptible eledion ; as under either of thefe flates 
 men are deprived of the neceflary advantages of 
 education, and cannot give the reins to that noble 
 heroic fpirit which is the true foundation of original 
 expanfive ability and perfonal worth- But, under 
 the Chriflian difpenfation, the fucceffors of Cima- 
 bue were fortunately annoyed by no influences ob- 
 llrudtive to their advancement. Chriflianity had 
 fb elucidated that queftion concerning the natural 
 rights and legal equality of mankind, as to make 
 the fallen fpirit of defpotifm or abfolute tyranny 
 utterly inconfiflent with all its governments, of 
 whatever form 5 and even the philofophy of Socrates 
 (fo creative of exalted worth and ability among 
 the Grecians) was not more generous or further 
 removed from narrow unprodudlive felflfhnefs, 
 than the rigid felf-denial, philanthropy, benefit 
 cence, and unceafing intelledfcual culture, which 
 Chriflianity fo prefTingly recommends. Chrif- 
 tianity is indeed the perfedlion of the Socratic doc- 
 trines, with elucidations and motives for the per- 
 formance of them of which Socrates had no know- 
 ledge. Thefe are the great and only fources of all 
 admirable, fublime exertions ^ and therefore, if 
 
 the 
 
( 77 ) 
 
 the Italians have not carried fome parts of the art to 
 as high a pitch of perfection as the Grecians, other 
 caufes, fufficiently obvious, will fully account for 
 it, without our fooliflily fuppofmg that religion 
 prevented it ; and, notwithilanding what Shaftef- 
 bury, Webb, or other late writers, have unwifely, 
 peevifhly, infinuated to the contrary, yet alTuredly 
 Chriftianity is far fronn being hoftile to genius ; 
 and there have been too many noble monuments of 
 Chriftian art executed within the three laft cen- 
 turies, for us to entertain the kail doubt of the 
 compatibility of our religion with the highefl flights 
 of imagination. If we be but fufliciently grounded 
 in other matters, in fcience and general education, 
 the materials of Chriilianity are capable of any 
 thing. Phidias, Parhafius, and Apelles, knew no- 
 thing which in our fituation they might not em- 
 ploy with fuccefs. 
 
 Notwithflianding the inevitable jarrings from the 
 varieties of men's difpofitions, interefts, and cir- 
 cumftances, yet it is a well known and a true 
 maxim. That in all Republics or conftitutions of 
 fociety, according to whatever way the citizens are 
 reared up, fo they fliall be found to be.~But, 
 without entering upon abftraCl reafonings, on all 
 the polTible advantages that fcience and art might 
 fairly derive from the doctrines of Chriftianity, from 
 the fuppreflion of barren felfifhnefs, and fraternal 
 equality, and the intdleClual culture which, upon 
 
 a juft 
 
( 78 ) 
 
 a Jufl ftatement^ will be found to form the tiffue 
 and the very effence of Chriflianity^ we may even 
 content ourfelves with the mere matter of fadb, as 
 exhibited in the Papal Government at Rome ; and 
 there it has been abundantly apparent, that the 
 time, the attention, and the wealth employed for 
 the public in the culture of thofe arts and intel- 
 le£lual accomplifhments which elevate human 
 nature to its real dignity, above mere fenfual and 
 brutal exiftence, forms an asra in the hiftory of 
 mankind, not lefs new than admirable and amiable, 
 more efpecially if we compare this pacific feene of 
 intelledtual exertion with the horrors and carnage 
 of preceding military Governments of brutal force, 
 under the pompous titles of Roman Common- 
 wealth or Roman Empire, which for fo many 
 ages had deluged or difgraced the world. The 
 name of Civil Society was, is, and ever will be, ill 
 bellowed upon fuch hordes and combinations of 
 robbers and afTalTins. 
 
 Neither our time nor the fubjedl we have in hand 
 will allow us to go far in our remarks on this Pon- 
 tifical Republic at Rome, this univerfal treafury 
 and theatre for the culture and fupport of the edu- 
 cation of Europe, where, throwing afide all privilege 
 of rank, and claims of family, and primogeniture, 
 every thing was devoted to the general promotion 
 of inteile6l. All its honours and rewards, its 
 mitres, purple hats, and tiara, accellible to all, 
 
 to 
 
{ 79 ) 
 
 to every condition, where fuperior worth and 
 ability could be found, difFufed fuch a fpirit 
 throughout Europe, as was beft calculated to 
 wreflle with the brutal ferocity of the dark Gothic 
 ages, and, fooner or later, could not fail of being 
 attended with the moft extenfive falutary effeds. 
 Their afcendancy and power derived fronn intel- 
 ledb ; whatever could be gained in this way, was 
 from the Hate of celibacy to which they had reduced 
 themfelves, neceffarily difpenfed in the way beft 
 calculated to furnifn the means and increafe to this 
 afcendancy, and confequently in a manner moft 
 profitable to the world. It is to nopurpofe to cavil 
 at thofe abufes which, from the frailty of man, will 
 fometimes accompany the ufes of the beft things. 
 We all know that the worft conceivable things arc 
 the abufes of the beft ; and we may therefore fairly 
 and juftly give them fall credit for the early nurture, 
 cultivation, and, I had almoft faid, mature and 
 vigorous perfeddon of whatever we have moft 
 reafon to value ourfelves for, either as compared to 
 the animals beneath us, or to the reft of our own 
 fpecies, fcattered over the other parts of the globe. 
 With refpedl to thofe arts which principally form 
 the objedt of attention in this Academy, however 
 pleafing it may be to refledl on the different monu- 
 ments of their culture, in the churches and con- 
 vents of the feveral countries of Europe ; yet it waSj 
 at Rome where all this intdledfual influence concen- 
 trated f 
 
 I 
 
, ( 8o ) . .. 
 
 trated ; it was there that the mind was ailonllHed^ 
 delighted, and enabled 'to contemplate with rap- 
 ture, the fublimities to which art had arrived : and 
 it will not be from ou^ purpofe to clofe thefe ob- 
 fervations with remarking, that even in the here- 
 ditary arifl'ocracy at Venice, where the profelTion 
 of arts and letters were foolifhly confidered as be- 
 neath the nobles, the commonalty intimidated at 
 an awful diftance, andconfequently deftitute of the 
 neceflary ambition of excelling, and there being no 
 third eftate, its effects in the arts may be feen ac- 
 cordingly ; for whilil the human mind made the 
 nobleil excurfions in the Vatican and Capella Sifti- 
 na, under the aufpices of the Roman Pontiffs, the 
 genius of the Venetians was cultivating the mecha- 
 nical branches of art, the colouring and chiaro-feuro, 
 which Giorgione had imported from L. da Vinci, 
 the Florentine. 
 
 Art has never flourifhed as a ufelefs foppery and 
 appendage to luxury quite the reverfe : worth- 
 leffnefs, imbecility, and deflrdidtion, have always 
 been the confequence of its paffing into that ilate ; 
 and the vulgar error of fuppofmg otherways, can 
 only have arifen from inattention, want of feeling, 
 and the abfurdity, not to fay mean adulation, of 
 magnifying its accidental cafual connexion with 
 patronage, into fomething ftaminal and effential to 
 its growth and perfection. No, no, bafe time- 
 fervers 1 it may anfwer your finifter views to fay fo, 
 
 but 
 
 \ ' 
 
( 8i ) 
 
 but nothing can be more irreconcileable witb fact. 
 Art appeared in Greece and Italy with fo much 
 fplendor, only becaufe the public of Greece and 
 Italy had the feeling, wifdom, and love of virtue, 
 to difcover the peculiar extenfion and facility of its 
 application to purpofes the mod intereding and 
 valuable. It was then as a matter of public utility 
 and intered, that the churches and convents of 
 Italy, (which may be confidered as powerful citi~ 
 zens of a great republic, completely independent, 
 and fo uninfluenced by each other, as to admit of 
 the. mod liberal, generous a rivalfliip,) by their 
 collifion^ happily afforded for advancing and per- 
 fe6ting art, a mafs of continued employment, the 
 mod deady, uninterrupted, extenfive, and dimu- 
 lating, the world had ever known. In fafhibnable 
 language, this mafs of employment, this com- 
 merce of mutual confiderations and advantages has 
 been called patronage ; a term the mod imperti- 
 nent and ill -applied, as is abundantly evident in the 
 hidory of art, where unhappily we too often find 
 its vigour and growth dunted and liable to blight 
 when the great and their patronage came unluckily 
 to interfere and camper with it. 
 
 As I have in another place^^ had occafion to 
 touch a little upon an indance or two of domedic 
 
 mif- 
 
 * See the ohfervations on Sir Jofliua Reynolds, at the end, 
 and from page 77 to 83, of my Letter to the Society for the En- 
 couragement gf Alt*, SiQ> printed in 1793. 
 
 G 
 
( 82 ) 
 
 misfortune in the way of patronage, I fhall go Ofl 
 to fomething of more importance, though lefs 
 likely to give offencei as the parties are all long 
 fince removed from this fcene of ftrife, and fome- 
 times of oppreflion : and although I cannot fpare 
 the time for the polifhing and labour necelkuy 
 to fit thefe obfcrvations for the public view, yet 
 they muil not be thrown away ; and as they regard 
 very illuflrious perfonages, and very important 
 events^ I mufl at leaft find the time to fling them 
 out as they occur to me, and rely for my excufe 
 upon, the candour and indulgence of the Dilettanti 
 Society, and of the public* The life of Lionardo 
 da Vinci furnifhes abundant illuflration of all 
 that we have been obferving, and to a degree 
 fo mifchievous and defi:ru 61 :ive, that there are no 
 W’’ords of weight and magnitude fufficient to 
 fatisfy me in fpeaking of it* This (I was going 
 to fay more than rnan) Vinci appears to have 
 been about three years older than the celebrated 
 Magnifico Dorenzo de Mcdicis, and lived, or 
 father lounged away at Florence and under his 
 eye, the forty-fotir years of the life of this Mag- 
 nifico, pofiibly without notice, but certainly 
 without any opportunity afforded him for the 
 exercife of his talents 5 and when in 1494, two- 
 years after the death of the Magnifico, Lionardo, for 
 the firfl time, quitted Florence, upon the invitation 
 of Duke .Sforza, at Milan, and it appears, accord- 
 
 ing 
 
( 83 ) 
 
 mg to the account in Vafari: that he, to give it 
 in his own words, “ Fu condotto a Milano con gran 
 riputatione Lionardo al Duca^ il quale molto ft 
 dilettava del Juono della lira^ perche Jonajfe^ e 
 Lionardo porto quello ftromento^ cF egli haveva 
 di Jua mano fahricato d' argent o gran parte^ in 
 €« forma d'm tejchio di cavallo, coja hizzarra^ e 
 nuovay accioche Varmonia fojfe con maggior tuha^ 
 “ e piu fonora di njoce^ laonde fupero tutti i mufict^ 
 che quivi erano concorji a fonare, Oltra do fu il 
 migliore dicitore di rime aW improvijo del tempo 
 /uo, Sentendo il Duca i ragionamenti tanto mF 
 rahili di Lionardo^ talmente s'innamoro delle Jue 
 virtu^ cF era cofa incredihileF Here it appears, 
 that even Lionardo, with all his abilities, as the 
 creator or difcoverer of all thole feveral perfe 61 :ion$ 
 that have ennobled modern art, and that, even 
 though disjoined and broken by his fuccefibrs, 
 have given the glorious chara6lerillic to their 
 feveral fchools. Rafaelle at Rome, with one 
 part, M- Angelo with another, and Giorgione, 
 Titian, Fra, Bartolomeo, and Correggio, with the 
 remaining fragments. Yet, with all this, his own 
 peculiarly fo, and united and incorporated into 
 the fame mafs, under his fagacious hands, it not- 
 withftanding appears, that the principal inducement 
 for inviting him to Milan was of quite another 
 kind, viz. to play on his curious filver lyre, to 
 declaim and fing extempore verfes 5 and out of 
 G 2 the 
 
( U ) 
 
 the mere accident of this concurrence of qualities 
 in the fame perfoii, arofe the fubordinate fecondary 
 confideration of giving him fome employment as 
 a painter. After Sforza’s death, and the breaking 
 up of the academy at Milan, in the manage- 
 ment of which, as well as in the aquedu6l bu- 
 finefs, Lionardo muft have wafted much time ; 
 we find him again at Florence, when that town 
 had, by driving out the Medici, recovered its 
 liberty, and then, for the firft time, Lionardo 
 was employed (by the Chief Magiftrate and 
 Senate) in the public work of the famous Battle 
 for the Standard, the cartoon of which he 
 executed in the Town-Hall, in concurrence 
 with the other celebrated work of M. An- 
 gelo ; and afterwards upon the return of the 
 Medici to Florence, we find Lionardo quitted 
 that place, and went to Rome, offering his 
 fervices to Leo X, the younger fon of the Mag- 
 nifico, his old, ufelefs, unfeeling, looker-on 5 
 and we find him fo mortifyingly received at Rome, 
 that he Ihortly afterwards quitted, not only Rome 
 but Italy, and threw himfelf into the arms of 
 ftrangers, where he laid down a life of anxiety 
 and vexations, reftilting from the confcioufnefs of 
 talents that had been almoft unemployed, never 
 in the extent to which they were adequate ; and, 
 to crown all, v/ith the addition of knowing that 
 his rivals, or more properly, his imitators and 
 
 followers. 
 
( 85 ) 
 
 followers, had the good fortune of enjoying an 
 ample field for exercifing thofe fhreds of ability they 
 had borrowed from him. The profpe6t fickens 
 me j I cannot go on. Were we to enquire, why 
 fo fhocking a wafle, and of fuch capabilities, 
 fhould have been permitted in the wife defigns 
 of all governing Providence, I know of no 
 other anfwer likely to occur, but that this matter 
 was thus harfhly, forcibly, and glaringly held out 
 as a beacon or great light, qompafTionately dif- 
 covering the delufions of patronage and its fmifler 
 politics, the better to excite the horror and exe- 
 cration of all fycceeding generations. Let me, 
 however, make my acknowledgments here, which 
 I do with every" recognition and congratulation, to 
 Mr. Rofcoe, for the great pleafure I have received 
 in reading his yery admirable, manly work of 
 the life of this (I muft, after ^]1, call him our) 
 Magnifico ; as it is well Ihewn, and in a manner 
 chat does honour both to the head and heart of Mr, 
 Rofcoe, that the great Lorenzo pofTelTed fo rpuch, 
 and fuch great excellence, that I cannot pofTibly 
 refufe to honour his name with refpe6t and vene- 
 ration. Indeed, every man's experience has but too 
 often file wn, with how much unhappy facility great' 
 men, deeply engaged in the furthering of one pur- 
 fuit, are liable to overlook excellence, however 
 iranfcendent, when it lies out of the vortex of their 
 pvvn enquiries. Befides, as the Magnifico could have 
 G 3 been 
 
( 86 ) . 
 
 been of no other ufe to the Artift, than to furnifh a 
 field for the exercife of talents, in which he could 
 have no part but as a patron, he might be eafily 
 inclined to turn his attention another way, in which 
 , himfelf could be more an a6lor : and it is not an 
 uncommon thing, at this day, to fee great men 
 engaged in fimilar purfuits, of antiquities, books, 
 and medals (though in an inferior degree to Lo- 
 renzo,) who find (unhappily for their country and for 
 art) more fatisfa6lion in foflering and endeavour- 
 ing to inftrud, and to rear up young artifts, than 
 in contriving to find employment for thofe whofc 
 talents are formed, and with an induftry that 
 had been better fpared, thus perverfeiy mul- 
 tiply, and fuccelTively perpetuate, that which is 
 never to be ufed, and indeed never has been ufed, 
 but by men of a very different and a much nobler 
 charader, who can bear to fee grand exertions 
 without fickening at the prolpe(5l. Was there no 
 great man at Florence who could endure the 
 iplendor and tranfcendency of Vinces abilities j or 
 did the Magnifico prevent it ? How many meda- 
 lifls, little gem cutters, and fuch like, had the 
 ear of the Magnifico ? and could he have been fo 
 abfurd as to efliraate Vinci only from their reports 
 of him ? Impoffible ! he mufl have known better ’ 
 there mufl have been fomething rotten and bad at 
 heart in the Magnifico, and indeed in all that fpe- 
 cies of charad'er ; they only want a cloak to conceal 
 
 their 
 
( §7 ) 
 
 tfieir envy, and they can eafily find it at all times. 
 However, out of compliment to Mr. Rofcoe, I 
 will fuppofe Qtherwife, and that it is from the 
 mere pre-occupation of little inferior artifts, that 
 thefe patrons, tjiefe Magnihco’s are generally fo 
 jll-direciled in all times, and has more than any- 
 thing elfe contributed to obftrudl and to prevent 
 the public from deriving that fatisfa(flion and 
 benefit which would refult from the unreflrained, 
 glorious exertions of great artifts. They are 
 much miftaken who would fuppofe that art can 
 derive any advantage from the circumftance . of 
 feeing artifts much in the familiarity, or at the 
 tables of the great. Not to fpeak of the pimps 
 and buffoons upon whom thefe favors are ufually 
 lavifhed in corrupt times : yet, at the beft, the 
 great feldom think of arts, but merely, pour 
 delajfevy as an amufing relaxation from ferious 
 purfuits, and generally find it much pleafanter, 
 more grateful to feif-importance, to have thofe 
 about them to whom they can communicate ideas 
 and teach, rather than run the danger of being 
 themfelves taught, how the ^irts, might be em- 
 ployed to fome grand purpofe in the fervice of 
 the community. Such a man as Vind could not 
 anfwer half fo well to laugh at, or to play the 
 under part of adulation, in receiving the luminous 
 hints which flafh from the heads of thefe Mecenatu 
 as a more inferior trifling artift : and I believe in 
 G- 4 general 
 
( 88 ) 
 
 general it will be found true, that great artiHis, 
 and their cognate ideas and intentions of great 
 public fervice, have but feldom received benefit 
 or afliflance from any individual of very fhining 
 talents. I fay individual ; for it may be different 
 when that individual a6ts in community, as in a 
 Society like that for the Encouragement of Arts, 
 that of the Dilettanti and fuch like, or when fuch 
 individual a6ts fubordinately as a truftee, which 
 was the cafe of Mec^nas and Colbert. It is 
 only the men of plain, ufeful, good fenfe, with 
 hearts flrongly biaffed to integrity and the public 
 fervice, like Mr. Tooke, of the Temple, that 
 will ever think of the liberality of raifing a fence 
 for the fecurity of a man of genius and abilities, 
 perfecuted and driven from one profelTion to 
 another, like Mr. John Horne j and, as the world 
 is at no time without good men, it is. much to 
 be regretted that fuch a charadler as Vinci had 
 not found out, or was not found, by fome good 
 citizen, like Mr. Tooke. The glory that would 
 have infalliby followed his name, annexed to that 
 of Vinci, would have been well and honeftly pur- 
 chafed by that effential fervice to the art, and to 
 the public, which fuch timely affiflance would 
 have enabled Vinci to perform. 
 
 I have been fometimes almofl of opinion, that 
 the overmuch attention to intaglio’s, cameo’s, 
 bronzes, manuferipts, and other antiquities, is 
 
 likely 
 
( 89 ) 
 
 likely to be often attended with mifchievous con- 
 fequencesj more efpecially in princes and great 
 men : their minds will be contradted and narrowed 
 by fuch ftudies, which cannot fail to make them 
 like little artills, fo filled with the vanity;, felf- 
 importance, and rarity of their own acquifitions, 
 as that they feldom or never are of any ufe in 
 furthering great men, or great, original, national 
 works ; indeed their hoftility is more to be feared* 
 than their fupport is to be expeded. Thefe 
 {Indies are of admirable ufe to an artiil who cart 
 make them fubfervient to his grand views with 
 refpedf to modern original compofitions in paint- 
 ing and fculpture. And, fo far as the expending 
 large fums in colle6Hng and making mufeums, 
 filled with thofe antiques for the iludy of the 
 public, both artiils and cognofcenti, the Medici 
 family, and other great colle£lors, have been ufeful 
 to art and great artifts. But I believe it will be 
 found, on mature candid examination, that the 
 utility of thofe great colled ors goes no further. 
 Thefe refledions can by no means apply to the col- 
 ledions of fuch gentlemen as Mr. Townley, or the 
 late Dr. Hunter, the overplus of whofe limited for- 
 tunes could not be more wifely, defirably, or ufefully 
 employed, than when folely and exclufively thus 
 applied in the ferviceof the public, more efpecially 
 when we recoiled their manly, patriotic difpofitlon ; 
 and a few others of fimilar charader that might be 
 
 mentioned. 
 
( 90 ) , 
 
 mentioned, equally zealous and ardent for the fuc- 
 - cefs of all enterprizes that might add to the repu ta- 
 tion of national art, I fliall never forget the fatis- 
 faclion I received when in company with Meffrs. 
 Townley, Knight, Windham, Wilbraham, and I 
 believe Mr. Peechy : the late Mr. Wedgwood, on 
 fbewing us his copy of the famous antique large 
 cameo vafe, together with the original, informed 
 us, that when the Duke of Portland favoured him 
 with the loan of this fo very deiervedly celebrated 
 antique, his Grace added, that nothing could give 
 him more pleafure than to fee fome native who was 
 able to do a fiixiilar work of more excellence. Such 
 truly noble patriotic charadlers as thefe will always 
 fland as exceptions to our obfervation above ftated, 
 and do not interfere with its application as generally 
 true j we may then go on with dating, that the 
 great perfonages who are likely to employ great 
 artifts in works of much confequence, are men of 
 a very different charader from thofe of the Medici ; 
 fuch as Pope Julius the Second, Agoftino Ghigi, 
 the merchant. Cardinal Farnefe, and, above all, 
 thofe who adminider for the churches and convents. 
 The famous works of the Vatican, and the Sidene 
 Chapel, by Rafaelle and M. Angelo, were both 
 begun by Julius the Second, of the family of Re- 
 vere, to whom we ought to give the whole credit 
 of the patronage (if it is to be fo called) ; and, 
 fliocking to think, but it alfo appears, that even 
 
 M. Angelo, 
 
( 91 ) 
 
 M. Angelo, though reared up by Lorenao dc 
 Medici, with his children Peter, John, and Julian, 
 lounged away (as Condi vi complains) many years 
 without work ; and the employment which Leo 
 the Tenth gave him, or rather forced upon him, 
 was puzzled, infidious, and eventually proved of 
 the mod excruciating and vexatious kind ; and the 
 tears with which poor Michael fet out for Florence, 
 where the commiffion lay, were ominous, and 
 almoft inftin6Hve prefages of the deftru6tion of fo 
 much of his time in contriving roads for the quar- 
 ries of Seravezza, and in all the other miferable, 
 contemptible attentions in which he was employed 
 during the life of Leo the Tenth, and thus with- 
 held and prevented from finifhing his grand work of 
 the monument for Julius the Second, where all 
 his abilities as a fculptor would have concentrated. 
 Let any man only put together in his imagination, 
 the celebrated Mofes at St. Pietro in Vincoli, and 
 the thirty-nine other flatues with the bas-relievos, 
 and he may well conclude with Vefari, that it 
 would have been ottimo teftimonio della virtit 
 di Michelagnolo^ che di hellezza, e di/up erbia^ e di 
 grande ornament o e ricchezza di ftatuepajjava ogni 
 antic a ^ et Imperiale Jepolturad' During the 
 papacy of Adriano, the fuccelTor of Leo the Tenth, 
 all patronage of the arts was withdrawn, and M. 
 Angelo happily left to carry on his Caput Opera, 
 this monument for Julius i but unfortunately 
 
 Adrian's 
 
( 92 ) 
 
 Adrian’s reign \vas ihort, and, on the coming ia 
 of Clement VII. another of this bleifed family of 
 the Medici, M. Angelo was again torn from his 
 monument, nev^er to go to it any more, and 
 obliged to employ himfelf upon matters of (com- 
 paritively fpeaking) infinitely lefs importance in 
 the Capella I.aurentiana. We may add to this, by 
 way of finifhing, that the only employment of 
 Rafaelle, that originated in Leo the Tenth, feems 
 to have been the Cartoons, or defigns for the ta- 
 peftries, v/hich, at the expence of 50,000 fcudi 
 d’oro, were executed in Flanders, and brought 
 from thence to Rome, according to Fanvinio, by 
 Leo, for ornamenting the pontifical apartments, 
 whilfl: the admirable original cartoons, from 
 whence this trafh of the tapeftries were copied, were 
 left at the manufactory in Flanders, negleCted as 
 things of little value, to be (fortunately for us) 
 purchafed by the Parliament of Great Britain for 
 7 or io,oool. (I forget which) almoft a century 
 afterwards. 
 
 But to come home ; we have, however, fome 
 great characters, with minds of an admirable ex- 
 panfion and catholicity, fo as to embrace the whole 
 concerns of art, ancient as well as modern, do- 
 meftic as well as foreign ; who, fuperior to ajl 
 fmifter motives, can, whilft they find delight in 
 fowing for the next generation, enjoy, and find a 
 fuperior fatisfaCtion, in endeavouring to perfuade, 
 
 and 
 
( 93 ) 
 
 atid to enable the public to reap and apply to im« 
 mediate ufe, whatever harveft of cotemporary 
 abilities the good providence of God had placed 
 within their reach. Such a man was Mr. Edmund 
 Burke : his means, indeed, would not allow him 
 to enter far upon thofe expenfive exertions which 
 might attract: much public notice ; but as far as 
 ardent patriotic inclination and information, the 
 moft extenfive and happily feledled, could be 
 united in the fame perfon, they were united in him ; 
 he was the completeft fpecimen of that kind I 
 have ever met with ; this was v/ell known to his 
 friends, Athenian Stewart, to Sir Jofhua, to myfelf, 
 and others, and might have been well expe< 5 bed from 
 the author of thofe admirable trades with which he 
 began his career of life. And however others 
 might think, they will, I hope, allow me to regret 
 that he had ever been diverted from this track to 
 the purfuit of politics, in a fcene where matters 
 had been fo embroiled by inveterate ufages, of 
 long {landing, that it was impoiTible for him, or 
 any one elfe, to do much good. Of this truth he 
 has himfeif, after fome years experience, and when 
 it was too late to retreat, left an admirable record 
 in his ‘^Thoughts on the Caufe of the Preient 
 Difcontents,’* printed by Doddey, in 1770. This 
 book he gave me himfdf ; and, by the unufually 
 formal, fignificant manner in which he gave it, I 
 have often thought fince, that he wiihed, and 
 
 meant 
 
( 94 ) 
 
 meant me to read and confider, with due atten- 
 tion, the opinion (which to the great fhame of the 
 time) he had formed of his own hopes and 
 profpefts, and how little reafon I fhould have to 
 exped him to be my ftickier in any difference that 
 might arife (and which he faw rifing) between me 
 and Sirjofhua, to whom, as he often told me (and as 
 has fince appeared to the public by Sir Jofhua's 
 will), he was under very confiderable pecuniary 
 obligations, and even at the time that he was 
 himfelf obliging me in a fimilar way. Had I then 
 rightly confidered the matter, or had he ventured 
 to be a little more explicit, my precipitate eflrange- 
 ment could not have taken place. But his ac- 
 quaintance with Sir Jolhua Reynolds was of longer 
 landing than his acquaintance with me ; I was a 
 continued trouble and expence to him, and I 
 could no longer bear the thought of continuing 
 to render his houfe unpleafant by my frequent 
 bickerings with Sir Jofhua, who, to fay the truth, 
 a6led fomewhat weakly v/ith refpecl to me ; and, 
 on the other fide, I was myfelf much, to blame 
 with refpedf to him : my notions of candour and 
 liberality between artifls who were friends, were 
 too juvenile, and romantically ftrained too high for 
 human frailty in the general occurrences of life. 
 Difappointed in not finding more in poor Sir 
 Jolhua, I was not then in a humour to make a juft 
 eftimate of the many excellent qualities I might 
 
 have 
 
( 95 ) 
 
 have really found in him. But there is nothing 
 rightly appreciated without that comparifon with 
 other things of the fame nature, which time and 
 long experience only can enable us to make. I 
 have, however, fome confolation in refledling 
 that, for the iaft two years of his life, we were both 
 fo fenfible of our mutual miflakes, as to admit the 
 renewal of a friendly intercourfe, which will ever 
 be grateful to my recolle(5lion. Perhaps, nay, 
 indeed, I now believe, that every thing has been 
 providentially ordered for the bell. My exertions 
 have necelTarily been more vigorous and more 
 variegated, in the infulated ftate which this dif- 
 ference with Sir Jolhua occafioned, than they 
 would have been in any other. This is the defi-- 
 deratum of exiftence ; and happily, although I 
 quitted, and fomewhat harlhly, the neft Mr. 
 Burke’s kindnefs and friendfhip afforded me, yet it 
 was not before I was in a condition to fly and pro- 
 vide for myfelf. But Mr. Burke, my firfl: friend^ 
 is now gone ! the peace of God be for ever with 
 him ! and, notwithflanding the whirlwind of poli- 
 tics, in which (to the great injury of Art) the 
 public attention has been fo long, and is ftilL fo 
 deeply engaged, there is flill, thank God, yet 
 remaining, and I hope with unabated ardour, a 
 Society of Dilettanti, a Society for the Encourage- 
 ment of Arts, and fome others, interefted in what-* 
 ever is for the reputation and real honour of the 
 
 nation % 
 
C 95 ) 
 
 nation ; and it may be looked for, from the high 
 information of the age, that a little time, expe- 
 rience, and true patriotifm, will add to their 
 number. 
 
 But to come back to Lionardo, and to the family 
 of the Medici. — Had fuch a man as the Magnifico 
 fortunately bellowed no attention on art, and em- 
 ployed, or, to ufe the vulgar phrafe, encouraged 
 no artift whatever, he could have been then 
 chargeable with only an ad of omiffion ; but he 
 never could have countenanced, encouraged, em- 
 ployed, or recommended any painter, during his 
 whole life, without hoftiiity and injury, not only 
 to the feelings and reputation of Lionardo da 
 Vinci, but alfo to the art, to his country, and to 
 fucceeding generations. Such great men as the 
 Magnifico, with all conceivable influence in their 
 hands, cannot build or raife up any thing, without 
 endeavouring to deftroy and level with the dufl: 
 whatever Hands in the way of their intentions : the 
 one prefuppofes the other. I have been fometimes 
 tempted to think, that this negled of Vinci by the 
 Magnifico, and his fon Leo the Tenth, arofe from 
 fomething too myflerious and enveloped with 
 fecrecy and darknefs, to have made its way to our 
 knowledge. Can it be that the Magnifico envied 
 him, as Cardinal Richlieu is faid to have envied 
 and endeavoured to injure Corneille ? but then he 
 mull have been politician enough to have provoked 
 
 Vinci 
 
( 97 ) 
 
 Yinci to fome adl which would continue the 
 quarrel in his family to his fon Leo. Or fhall we 
 fuppofe that there was fomething fo nobly becom- 
 ing a free citizen in Vinci’s charader, which could 
 not be reliflied by this family of the Medici, who 
 were fubverting the liberties of their country ? 
 Something like this fuppofition will form a good 
 clue to the rightly underftanding certain particulars 
 in the life of M. Angelo alfo, who, though greatly 
 alTifled in his‘ education by this Magnifico, was 
 found affiiling his fellow citizens in 1526, by em- 
 ploying his Ikill in fortifying the town againft that 
 army with which this Medici family reinftatedthem- 
 felves after their expulfion. How hypocritical, how 
 deep are the difguifed politics of ambition, what- 
 ever be its objeft ! how ingenioufly perplexing is 
 the gordian knot, in which it entangles all the events 
 of hifbory where thofe great perfonages take any 
 concern. Good men, like Whitaker of Manchefter, 
 may come forward to tear oft the inaik which had 
 for fo long a time fuccefsfully concealed the fiend- 
 like charader of Elizabeth ; but fuch matters as 
 amount to no more than the merely obflrudling the 
 progrefs and advancement of ingenious arts, and 
 only tyrannizing over the feelings of a Vinci or a 
 Michael Angelo, and preventing the exertion of 
 their talents, had been too often overlooked, or 
 regarded as trifles by the ordinary clafs of hiflo- 
 rians, who have generally confidered the world as 
 
 LI ' made 
 
( 9B ) 
 
 made for Csefar, and have but very rarely looked 
 any further than the mere grofs matters of force 
 or artifice, the field or the cabinet, by which his 
 power has been maintained or taken front him by 
 fome other charadler mote or lefs formed of the 
 fame materials. A good writer might, notwith- 
 {landing, gather laurels in this field, as thefe mat- 
 ters are very differently efli mated, not only in the 
 judgment of an Eachus or Rhadamanthus, but alfa 
 by the good men of all places and times : and the 
 caufe of fuch men as Fenelon, Milton, Newton, 
 Yinci, or Bonarottv is more or lefs the caufe of 
 every man who endeavours at being ufeful in his 
 generation, and will fooner or later be recognifed 
 accordingly. However, whether any man may of 
 not think it worth his pains to detedl thefe impofi- 
 tions in the hiflory of the arts, I cannot, without 
 difgufl, fee how Vafari trifles with his readers, iit 
 mentioning fo frequently the verfatility of Li- 
 onardo’s difpofition, his difiatisfadion with his 
 ivorks', his fo frequently leaving things unfinifhed,. 
 and fo forth. One is fliocked to find thofe flimfy 
 remarks occurring fo often in writings upon art and 
 artiils. i\ny man might know, from his own woe- 
 ful experience, that diis is often occafioned by 
 the necefTity of finding occupation. Then it is 
 that an acfcive genius, debarred from purfuing the 
 darling objeil. of his wifhes, is obliged to look out 
 in fearch of fomething elfe ; and his energy, though 
 
 always 
 
C 99 ) 
 
 Mways greats has a defultory, fickle appearance^ 
 and feems to want the (lability necefTary for the 
 completion of a fmgle purfuit; this, perhaps, 
 occafioned Vafari’s midake, if he was miftaken, 
 and if his obfervation did not proceed from the 
 little policy of making his court to the great, or at 
 lead avoiding to date any thing that might give 
 them offence ; a pradice frequent enough with the 
 makers of books, and is even fometimes attempted 
 to be jiidified under the foft, ill-applied appellation 
 of the honed, little arts of life 3 as if omiffion in 
 certain matters did not conditute worthleffnefs as 
 well as commifTion. However, poor Vafari is in 
 general free enough from this meannefs, as appears 
 in rriany ticklifh places of his excellent hidory ; 
 and he was, perhaps, only withheld from doing 
 ample judice, in confequence of his partialities for 
 M. Angelo. 
 
 No man can rejoice and be more thankful to 
 Providence than I am, for the happy opportunities 
 of exertion that v/ere bedewed on M. Angelo and 
 Rafaelle; at the fame time one cannot, without 
 great regret, think how the world diould have 
 been robbed of the exertions of the original proprie« 
 tor and fabricator of thofc admirable principles 
 upon which M. Angelo and Rafaelle pradifed. 
 When we refied that from the cafual, fortuitous 
 reparation and combination of circumdances, 
 many artids, and much time mud be lod, before 
 
 H 2 the 
 
( ^<^0 ) 
 
 tke unique^ identical combination of ingredients 
 iliall be brought together by accident, which form 
 the charadler of fuch a man as Vinci, hov/ profligate 
 then, and horridly foolifh, when you have fuch a 
 man, to make no other ufe of his time and talents, 
 than to employ him in rearing up others^ of whom 
 the fuccefs mufb be always uncertain. If Milton 
 had been always teaching, he probably never wmuld 
 have made fuch a rnan as himfelf, and the Paradife 
 Loll, with a long et cetera, would never have 
 exifled. Great men ought to be employed to the 
 utmoU flretch of their abilities ; they ought to have 
 repeated opportunities of improving upon them- 
 felves ; this would be the grand defideratiim ; their 
 works would be the befl; teachers. I have no 
 doubt but that if Annibal Carrache had patiently 
 borne the brutal treatment, which unhappily and 
 foolifhly he permitted to break his heart , had he 
 wifely pafled it by as the fault of others, in which 
 he could have no participation ; and had he, after 
 three or four years exercife of the public judg- 
 ment, and of his own reflection upon what he had 
 done, both as to matter and manner, at the Far- 
 nefe Gallery, colleded his fpirits and good humour, 
 and employed himfelf upon fome other great 
 work, even for nothing, if he could not get at it 
 otherw^ays, there can be no doubt, at leafl: I have 
 no doubt, but that he w'ould have rifen inflnitely 
 above his former v/ork. This v/ould be teaching 
 
 indeed. 
 
C 101 ) 
 
 indeed, and would be of more importance towards 
 advancing and exalting art, than all the fcat- 
 tered, heedlefs, ill-dirediecl, and perhaps peeviih 
 and infidioLis patronage of all the Princes in Eu- 
 rope, thrown away as it fo frequently is, upon 
 hopelefs, barren, worthlefs matter. It is im- 
 poihble for an artift to reflebt upon this tranfa6lion 
 relpebHng the difappointment and chagrin which 
 occafioned the death of Annibal Carrache, without 
 indignation and horror. For, although it mull: be 
 allowed, that the fubjefts painted in the Farnele 
 Gallery are of a mod: unhappy choice, neither con- 
 nedted with ethicks, public utility, or with any 
 thing exemplary or proper for the decoration of 
 the great gallery or chamber of audience of fuch a 
 perfonage as Cardinal Far nefe, yet thefe were the 
 fubjedls in general ufe at the time, and might then 
 pafs in the palace of a great Roman Prince of the 
 Farnefe family ; and Odoardo Farnefe probably 
 forgot the ecclefiaftical part of his charadter, when 
 he approved, and no doubt encouraged, the carry- 
 ing thefe deiigns into execution at the outfet, and 
 required nothing farther but to fee them terminated 
 in perfedlion; and this Annibal performed with 
 fuch ability and fplendor of talents, as to carry after 
 them the admiration of the world ever fince. As 
 to the objedtion, however juft it was, it looks like 
 an after- thought, which had efcaped both the 
 artift and his noble employer, and probably was 
 
 H 3 over*. 
 
( 102 ) 
 
 overlooked, until the work came before the 
 tribunal of the public. It would be too much to 
 fuppofe, that Cardinal Farnefe fhould have been 
 for fo many years altogether ignorant of the defigns 
 and fubjedts that Annibal was painting for him in 
 his great gallery, or hall of audience ; and yet 
 nothing but this could (I will not fay excufe) even 
 afford the leaf!: palliation for the inhuman brutality 
 of his condudt to fuch an artift. 
 
 But let me have done with thefe refledlions ; I 
 have no. time to put them in any order. I wifh 
 they had been made by fomebody elfe, who could 
 command more leifure, fo as that I might have 
 been left to purfue my own work ; it is a great; 
 lhame, that in the courfe of 3Q0 years fome of 
 them (at leafl) have not been made before. If an 
 artift can bring himfelf to take av/ay any confi- 
 derable portion of his time and application from his 
 own proper concerns, in order to colledt any matter 
 of writing that he may think of public utility, no 
 more ought to be expected from him ; it would 
 be unreafonable in others to demand, and filly in 
 him to enterprife, any thing further. Other men, 
 who, have nothing elfe to do, may eafily, and with 
 great propriety ought to beftow all neceffary time 
 ,and attention in trimming, fhortening, and po- 
 lilhing what they write •, and, though they need 
 not fcrupuloufly adhere to the letter of Pope’s, 
 advice, by keeping it nine years, yet there is 
 
 nothing 
 
nothing to hinder their keeping it long enough for 
 revifion, and all the neceBary purpofes of cor- ' 
 redlions and poliBi ; but this matter is very dif- 
 ferent with an artiil : ; let him only take care to be 
 underftood, and that is enough. However, this 
 bufmefs of patronage is fo big with delufion, and 
 clelufion of the moll mifchievous and treacherous 
 kind, that I do moil ardently wilh that fome man 
 of fufficient leifure, and fuch independence of cir- 
 cumftances and difpofition as an advocate for truth 
 ought to have, would, for the public benefit, 
 handle this fubjed in its full extent, of times, 
 places, perfons, and circumftances ; it w^oiild 
 afford room for a fine difplay of tafte and knov/- 
 ledge, exceedingly variegated ^ and, with refped 
 to the more effential matters of difpofition and 
 charader, Tacitus himfelf could not wifh for a 
 fubjed more replete with occafions for ufeful ob- 
 fervation. He would here meet with matter of 
 the mofl invidious, malignant kind, and yet fo 
 artfully concealed, confounded, and fo politically 
 envelloped, with the very reverfe and moft amiable 
 appearances, as would require the utmofl effort of 
 his difcriminating fkill and penetration, before he 
 could ftrip and drag it into the light in all its 
 native deformity. And what fuch a man as 
 Tacitus would relilh much more, he might, in a 
 Francis the Firft, and Lev/is uhe Fourteenth, find 
 fomething for the exercife of his panegyric, which 
 
 H 4 no 
 
( 104 ) 
 
 no man knew better how to employ and work up 
 with a grace j and Venuftas, fo finifhed, and 
 admirably adapted to engage and intereft hu- 
 manity, as could not fail of leaving the miind of his 
 reader with a grateful relilh not eafily to be ob- 
 literated. Such a mafterly hand might prelcnt his 
 readers with a moil delightful pidure in this part 
 of the charadter of Alexander regarding patron - 
 age : the unboundedly generous, magnanimous, 
 unenvious nature of the man who could find delight 
 to be the witnefs and commemorator of the utmoft 
 difplay of all the unreftrained abilities of the 
 heroes, of every fpecies, who formed the circle 
 about him, and were probably more attraded to 
 him by the very circumftance of this opportunity 
 and fafety of unreftrained difplay, than by any 
 other hopes or rewards whatever. This would 
 furely form (properly handled) one of the moft 
 ftriking paflages in the hiftory of human exertions ; 
 and yet it ought to be acknowledged in jufb 
 vindication of human nature, that in certain ftages 
 of education (which are not uncommon), thefe 
 great chara6lers may be always found ready to 
 come forward, when our Alexanders will have the 
 candour and fair dealing to bear with the difplay ^ 
 anci, inftead of fpreading terror by their meddling, 
 will have the magnanimity to permit a fmile or a 
 reproof, even from mere colour-grinders, when 
 they may be fo imprudent and forgetful of them- 
 
 felves 
 
C los ) 
 
 felves as to venture upon the decifion of matters 
 beyond their knowledge. Such a beautiful, and, 1 
 am forry to add, uncommon feature in the cha- 
 rafter of Alexander, would engage his generous 
 encom.iaft to combat with Voltaire, or wnth any 
 other, and oblige him to do right and juftice to his 
 hero in the other parts of his charafter. He would 
 infill upon the pall, and the expefted injuries of 
 the Grecian people from the great King of the 
 Afiatics, he would fend Nemefis herfelf as the 
 conduftor of Alexander acrofs the Hellefpont ; 
 and whenever youth, fuccefs, and human frailty, 
 might fully any part of his journey with afts, of 
 paffionate indifcretion, they would be obliterated 
 by the graceful unftion of the felf- condemnation 
 which followed, and by thofe admirable, equi- 
 table laws, and truly civilifed Grecian ufages, 
 which his conqueft enabled him to bellow upon 
 the conquered, in lieu of that deftruftive barbarifm, 
 fo hollile to every generous exertion which had 
 long degraded the extenfive and populous coun- 
 tries of Afia. In fo much magnanimity, virtuous 
 fortitude, and fuperiority to envy, vanity, and all 
 thofe hateful bafe qualities, fo obftruftive to grand 
 enterprifes of every kind, hov/ eafily, and how fatis- 
 faftorily we may recognife the Scholar of Arillotle. 
 Had the exertions of Alexander’s magnanimous 
 difpofition been difplayed, even in a manufaftory of 
 artificial Hone, or in a great feene of art, like that 
 
 at 
 
( io6 ) 
 
 2t the Vatican, the hardihood of his own example, 
 and the attradions of his equitable, candid qualities, 
 would foon encircle him with a band of heroes in 
 the feveral departments of art, whofe abilities would 
 allonifh Europe. Something like this appeared 
 under the amiable and admirable Carraches at St. 
 Michael, in Eofco, at Bologna. 
 
 The deep refearches and difcoveries fo infinitely 
 important, for which art is indebted to Lionardo da 
 Vinci, have been long a fubjedt of my attention ; 
 and, during the thirteen years of my ProfefTorfhip 
 in the Academy, I have annually, in one mode 
 or other, endeavoured to call the attention of the 
 ftudents to this great charadler, from whom fo 
 much had been and was ftill to be learned. It was 
 abfolutely from his loins, that all the Schools of 
 Art in Europe have been impregnated with almoft 
 all the perfedlions that ennoble modern art. M. 
 Angelo might, no doubt, have feen many draw- 
 ings of Vinci, even of more importance to a young 
 artift forming himfelf, than the fmall pen and ink 
 drawing, which, with fome others allb engraved 
 by Mr. Bartolozzi, were publilhed by Mr. Cham- 
 berlain laft year, from his Majefty’s colledbion. 
 Yet, fuppofing M. Angelo only to have feen that, 
 or fomething like it, with G. Fran. Ruftici, or any 
 other friend of Vinci’s, fuch a mind as Angelo's 
 muft there fee at once almoft all that he appears to 
 have been in fearch of during his whole life, the 
 
 naked 
 
( »07 ) 
 
 naked body, employed in all the various adlions 
 and ways of pufhing and pulling, variegated with 
 fuch exquifite grace and delicacy, and with a 
 purity and truth almoft unequalled. In a word, 
 he might fee there all that could be defired from 
 the mofl natural, faithful, and juft ufe of the fludy 
 of anatomy, in delineating the human body with 
 fidelity and felicity, in ail poffible atlions, which 
 was Angelo’s' chief defideratum, and is now 
 his greateft glory. What ftiidies Vinci might 
 have made from the antique ftatues or fragments, 
 it is now difficult to fay. His mafter Verrocchio 
 muft have had fomething in this way, as well as 
 Ghiberti, Squarcione, and others. Moulding and 
 making piafter cafts, then much in ufe, muft have 
 fo difteminated thefe matters, that no man, eager 
 after perfedtion, could fail in obtaining them, and 
 alfo the marble and bronze originals, colledled by 
 Cofmo and Lorenzo de Medici, though probably 
 thefe laft were buftos or other antiques more imme- 
 diately conneffed with literary hiftory ; therefore, 
 fomething in the way of ancient perfedion, Vinci 
 might, and probably did, fee and ftudy. A fmall 
 matter would be fufficient for fuch a mind as his, 
 who, of all the m.oderns, feems to have ieaft flood 
 in need of any fuch affiftance ; as he had himfelf 
 flatted, and in the moft admirable and com-plete 
 manner, the very identical track of ftudy purfued 
 by the ancient Greeks ^ and I have little doubt but 
 
 that 
 
( loS ) 
 
 that if he had been rightly employed, he was 
 (with refped to every thing regarding the human 
 form) able to difpute the palm with the ftoiiteft of 
 thofe Greeks, at the very time that he was obliged 
 to trifle away his attention upon the Academy at 
 Milan, or upon the ftill more damnable bufinefs of 
 contriving the aquedu61: for the river Adda. But 
 to confine ourfelves to what he aflually did perform: 
 Correggio Teems to have formed himfelf upon Vinci 
 more than on all the world befides. The truly 
 divine fweetnef? and allegriay fo fpiritual and fen- 
 timentally exquifite, of fome of Vinci’s heads, is 
 found every where in the works of Correggio : 
 here he borrowed much, and ably, with the fame 
 fame relievo and fine broad jpiazzafa manner. 
 When I think of the copy of his S. Anna, Madonna, 
 See. in S. Celfo, and of our unfinifhed Cartoon 
 of the fame defign, in the Academy, and of fome 
 other fimilarveftiges of Vinci’s abilities in this way, 
 I cannot help regarding him, not only as divine 
 (to ufe the warm Italian phrafe), but alfo as 
 unique, I have endeavoured at it and yet I do 
 not, nor cannot recoiled even one fingle example 
 amongfl all the ancient ftatues, not to mention 
 of the fame excellence, but even of the fame an- 
 gelic exquifitely fentimental fpecies. It feems fome- 
 thing fuggefted by ideas arifing from Chriftianity, 
 which had never been called into exiftence before, 
 I could much wilh that fome able man was to 
 
 make 
 
( 109 ) 
 
 make a print of this Cartoon of S. Anna, &c. 
 even in its unfiniflied, wretched flate the Academy 
 could not do better, than to tempt to that end 
 by fome premium, in order to compenfate for 
 any poffible negled or inattention in the public to a 
 work in fuch a flate. I do not know whether there 
 be any print of that at S. Celfo : but if there be 
 one, or any drawing of it, in the pofTeffion of any 
 perfon who may chance to read this letter^ I would 
 be much obliged to him for a fight of it. I have, 
 in another place, had occafion to touch a little 
 upon the exaltation and mielioration which Rafaelle 
 endeavoured after, from what he faw in Vinci, and 
 alfo upon what Giorgione, Titian, Fr. Bartolomeo, 
 and Fra. Bafliano, borrowed from the fame fource, 
 in the way of relievo and colouring. As to fome 
 cold-blooded, fhallow remarks, which Scannelli,, 
 and other fiimfy obfervers after him, have made 
 from the ruined appearance of Vinci’s famous 
 Cenacolo in the Refe6lory at Milan, thefe remarks 
 fhould have been confined to the fingle inflance 
 from whence they arofe, to the mere circumflance 
 of the oil-colours (with which, unfortunately, the 
 pi6lure was painted on the v/all of that convent,) 
 having (as Scannelli himfelf obferves) been con- 
 taminated, and in great meafure deflroyed by the 
 falts exuded from the mortar underneath. Scan- 
 nelli, who was one of thefe eager prejudiced par- 
 tifans, which have been the fcandal of the feveral 
 
 fchools 
 
( no ) 
 
 fchools of Italy, had done better to have referved 
 his loquacity for fome more pertinent occafion, as 
 no one could then have any doubt, but that for a 
 work of painting on mortar, oii-coloiirs will not 
 anfwer fo well as frefco, and that Correggio was 
 very right in preferring frefco to oil, in the 
 painting his admirable dome at Parma : but to 
 transfer the fault from the material to the work, 
 and to apply it generally to other works where the 
 material is not the fame, mull appear fcandaioufly 
 falfe and impertinent, particularly to any one who 
 had feen Vinci’s picture (half- figures) of Chrift 
 Ipeaking to thofe around him, about his refurrec- 
 tion on the third day, in the poffeiTion of Don 
 Paolo Borghefi. Or, not to go from the famous 
 Cenacolo itfelf, any man that had feen the glorious 
 {Indies in chalks and other crayons of die fame fize, 
 for the heads and other elTential parts of this very 
 pidure, mull have been fhocked at the injufliice, 
 rafcality, and v/ant of feeling of fa ch obfervations* 
 But as 1 mean to take a final leave of Lionardo, 
 after the publication of this letter, it may not be 
 amifs to terminate my little remarks on this illuf- 
 trious chara6ter, by inferring here the following 
 paffage, tranfcribed from my Third "Le6lure, firft 
 read in the Academy, April 4, 1785. In the 
 ftronger expreffions alfo, Lionardo feems to have 
 gone greater lengths than any cotemmorary or 
 fucceeding artift, in marking the emotions of the 
 
 foul 
 
( ) 
 
 ioul in the aflion and counterianice ; his enthti- 
 £a.fm, though great, is always equalled by the 
 eoolnefs and folidity of his judgment. Truth and 
 energy go hand in hand, in whatever I have feen, 
 that was really his : there could not be a more 
 happy example of this union, than his famous 
 pidure of the Lafl Supper at Milan. There is 
 a print of this pidure done from a drawing of 
 Rubens ; the deformities, flovenly and precipitate 
 incorreftnefs of Rubens’ ftyle of drawing, is 
 vilible throughout j it gives but a lame idea of 
 Vinci’s work. The fmall copy at S. Germain 
 Auxerrois is much better, though greatly wanting 
 in the fpirit and decifion of the original : all that 
 happy finefle in the diverfity Qf charader, exprelTive 
 agitation, and tender fentiment, appear to have 
 been but little felt, and are ill rendered by the 
 cold, timid hand of the copyift. It may be that! 
 faw this copy to too great a difadvantage (from the 
 want of light and proximity j, to do it juftice*, but 
 the original, the glorious work of Cionardo, is now 
 no more. I faw the laft of it at Milan j for inpafiing 
 through that city on my return home (in company 
 with my long-efteemed, amiable, and ingenious 
 friend and brother Academician, Mr. Rigaud), I faw 
 a fcaffold eredled in the Refedlory, and one half of the 
 picture painted over by one Pietro Mazzi. No one 
 w^as at work, it being Sunday ; but there were two 
 men on the fcaffold, one of whom was fpeaking to 
 
 the 
 
C 112 ) 
 
 the other with much earneftnefs about that part of 
 the pi6ture Vv^hich had been repainted : I felt much 
 agitated ; and having no idea of his being an artift 
 fmuch lefs the very identical artift who was em- 
 ployed to defiroy fo beautiful and venerable a 
 ruin), I objecSfed with warmtli to the fhocking 
 and ignorant manner in which this was carried on, 
 pointing out at the fame time, the immenfe dif- 
 ference between the part that was untouched, and 
 what had been repainted. He anfwered, that the 
 new work was but a dead colour, and that the 
 painter meant to go over it all again. Oh! 
 malore, faid I, worfe and worfe ! If this painter 
 has thus loft his way, when he was immediately 
 going over the lines and features of Lionardo*s 
 figures, what will become of him when they are all 
 thus blotted out, and that, without any guide in 
 repairing over the work, he Ihall be utterly aban- 
 doned lo his own ignorance ! On my remonftrating 
 afterwards with fome of the Friars, and intreat- 
 ing them to take down the fcaffoid, and fave 
 the half of the pidture which was yet remaining, 
 they told me the Convent had no authority in this 
 matter, and that it was done by die order of the 
 , Count de Firmian, the Imperial Secretary of 
 State. I'hus perilhed one of the moft juftly 
 celebrated monuments of modern art, particularly 
 for that part of defign which regards the fldlful 
 delineation of the various fentiments of the ibul, in 
 
 aU 
 
( ”3 ) 
 
 all the diverfitles of chara6ler, exprefTion of coun^ 
 tenance, and of a6lion.^ 
 
 Lail March I read what follows, inferted in this 
 place, of that Le6ture: — Wright, in his ac- 
 count of the curiofities of Milan, mentions a room 
 of the Marquis Cafenedi, entirely furnifhed with 
 drawings of Rafaelle, Carrachi, Del Sarto, and 
 others •, but, to ufe his own words, Thofe 
 w^hich are moil admirable in this colle6lion, are 
 the Cartoons of Lionardo da Vinci, done in 
 chalks, but raifed a little higher with other crayons ; 
 they are fo excellent, that Raphael, as they affirm,^ 
 there copied them all. He has certainly taken 
 the countenance of one of them in his Transfigu- 
 ration Piece ; it is the figure below the mount, 
 which holds the poflefied boy *, at leafl the one put 
 me very much in mind of the other. Eleven of 
 them are defigns of all the heads, and fome of the 
 hands, which Leonardo put into his celebrated 
 piece of the Laft Supper, painted by him in frefco, 
 in the Refe6tory of the Gratie, which is now in 
 a manner fpoiled. Two of thofe Cartoons con- 
 tain 
 
 * The reader may depend on the above relation, to be a true 
 ftatementof this remarkable and melancholy fa<5l ; I committed it 
 to writing on ray return to the inn, and it made part of a letter 
 which I fiiortly after wrote to Mr. Edmund Burke ; and either 
 that gentleman, or vSir Jofhua Reynolds, Hiewedthat letter to M”. 
 Thomas Hollis, who inlerted that part of it in his memoirs, with 
 a very polite and obliging mention of me. 
 
 I 
 
( ) 
 
 tain two head's a piece •, fo that in the eleven Car- 
 toons are drawings of thirteen heads. 
 
 Thefe Cartoons of Leonardo, were fomc 
 years finee piirchafed of the family of dais Mar- 
 quis Cafenedi, by Robert Udny, Efq. a gentle- 
 man well known for his public fpirit, and love of 
 virtu. On niy enquiring after thefe Cartoons of 
 Mr., Udny, the account he gave me was, that they 
 were well preferved, even in . excellent condition ; 
 they were framed, and covered with the old 
 bliilered glafs of the time, eafily cognifable from 
 its irregular undulating furface : that, as his wilh 
 was to enrich his country with thefe ftudies of 
 Vinci j he did not include them in the colle<d:ion 
 he fold to the Emprefs of Ryfiia, but fent them 
 to the Palace at Buckingham-Houfe, where Mr. 
 Dalton had engaged to iliew them to his Majefty, 
 and where they might have been purchafed for 
 any fum, even for tool, as Mr. Udny wanted 
 n.otliing fO; much as that they fhould remain here. 
 Eut after about five weeks remaining at the Palace, 
 and neither feeing or hearing any thing from Mr. 
 Dalton in all this time, Mr. Udny was furprifed 
 one morning, on coming down to breakfaft, to 
 find thefe invaluable Cartoons returned to him^ 
 with no other meffage, than that they would not 
 do. It is more than probable that Dalton, in this 
 procedure, adled only on the defcnfive, as all fuch 
 contrafted, miferable reptiles generally do, by re- 
 
 curring 
 
( 1 15 ) 
 
 curring to his cunning and left-handed policy, in 
 contriving fome mean dirty deception to difcredit 
 this work of Lionardo, and confequently to pre- 
 vent the owner of it from being perfonally known 
 to his Majefly, and thereby having an opportunity 
 of interfering with the opinions of Mr. Dalton on 
 any future occafions. When inferior, worthlefa 
 men, are about great Princes, thus will they be 
 ever deceived, and even turned afide from doing 
 the good they intended ; and, unfortunately for the 
 country, but very naturally, Mr. Udny, piqued 
 and full of honeft indignation, wrote to Ruflia, 
 prefented thofe Cartoons to the Emprefs, and re- 
 ceived a very honourable acknowledgment and 
 prefent in return. On my fuggefting to him the 
 idea of getting them back ; that poffibly their 
 importance might not be known in fuch a country 
 as Ruffia, more efpecially as they were divefled 
 of all glitter in their homely modeft garb, of old 
 glafs and frame *, that the Academy would be glad 
 to have them ; and that even I, though perfecuted, 
 plundered, and traverfed for fo many years by a 
 fcoundrel combination and cabal, ^ eagerly em-* 
 ployed to marr both my reputation and intereft, 
 and with fuch an unexampled brutality — ^yet flill, 
 matters were not fo bad, but that I could, and 
 would raife more than lool. in order to be the 
 happy means of depofiting them in fome public 
 place, for the ufe and entertainment of this great 
 
 I 2 city 5 
 
( ”6 ) 
 
 city >, Mr. tJdny lliook his head and told me, h<r 
 had a memorial of one of them remaining, a copy, 
 in the fame fi?e and material, made by the in- 
 genious Mr. John Mortimeri, which he immedi- 
 ately produced, and generoufly obliged me to 
 accept of, as an anodyne for my uneafinefs at fo 
 great a national lofs : a lofs that I felt in its full 
 force, from my recollection of being prefent, in 
 paffing through Milan, at the deftrudlion of the^ 
 picture in the Refettorio at the Gratie, which Lio- 
 nardo painted (not in frefco, as Wright fays, but 
 in oil^ from thefe Cartoons, which were now, not 
 only the originals, but unique. 
 
 Gentlemen, here is a marginal note upon this . 
 palTage, which it may not be amifs to read to 
 you. If ever thefe matters come to be publifhed, 
 the reader ought to be informed, by way of apo- 
 logy, that when the above converfation with Mr. 
 Udney (refpcdling fuch an important concern of 
 art) was related in the Academy, I thought it 
 would be criminal not to give it hiftorically, faith- 
 fully, fcrupuloufly. That I was very little in the 
 habit of mentioning my own mere concerns, either 
 in the Academy, or any where elfe ; and that, per- 
 haps, the reafon why my own unpleafant lituation 
 was fo prefent to me at the time I had this con- 
 verfation with Mr. Udny, was, that my houfe had, 
 but a few weeks before, been broke open and rob- 
 bed of a confiderable fum, which I had provided 
 
 to 
 
( 117 ) 
 
 to purchafe the leafe of a houfe, where I wlfhed 
 quietly and retired to carry on another work for the 
 public, about which I had been for fome time 
 engaged. What aggravated the matter ftlli more 
 was, that I had good reafon to be alTured, that this 
 robbery was not committed by mere thieves, who 
 who wanted what was frolen, but by fome limbs 
 of a motley, fhamelefs combination, fome of 
 whom paired for my friends, well knew what I was 
 about, and wanted to interrupt and prevent it, by 
 flripping me of the necefiary means of carrying 
 it on. In the higher concerns of life fuch mean 
 proceedings are common enough, particularly in 
 this country and fuch great men as MelTrs. Burke, 
 Fox, Sheridan, or Pitt, may laugh at the malig- 
 nity or impudent rafcality that purfues and would 
 impede them, furrounded and kept in counte- 
 nance as they are, by large parties of powerful 
 confederates, united with them in the fame in- 
 tereft. But politics in private life, employed to 
 deftroy the credit and intereft of a man, labour^ 
 ing to ferve the public in the arts, where he muft 
 neceflarily be infulated, and without confederates 
 — good God ! how horrible ! And how much are 
 you, David, to be envied, bleft as you are, 
 amongft a public but little acquainted with this 
 bear-garden bufinefs, and which, even in its worft 
 times, was habitually exercifed in honeftly and 
 urbanely meeting the efforts of art with an indui- 
 
 I 3 gence. 
 
C irS ) 
 
 gence, eftimation, and reception, fo adequate, and 
 fo generous ! But let us turn from thefe reflexions 
 to Lionardo da Vinci, the copy mentioned above, 
 of the two heads from Lionardo by Mr. Mor- 
 timer 5 here it is, ably performed, and will, I dare 
 fay, give you a very good idea of the reft» 
 
 As to Lionardo’s ability in drawing the naked, 
 we may fafely conclude, from what appears in the 
 Battle for the Standard, that nothing but the 
 fcarcity of his works could have prevented his ob- 
 taining the higheil degree of reputation in this part 
 of his art alfo. His Treatife on Painting difeovers 
 the utmoft fagacity, depth and familiarity of know- 
 ledge, refpeding the human figure in all its diver* 
 fity of charadlers, actions, and motions. His 
 occafional obfervations upon the anatomy of the 
 human body, the articulations of the bones, the 
 figure and offices of the mufcles, the equipon- 
 deration of its parts, with and without adventitious 
 weights, and its curious and neceflary mechanifm 
 to obtain the power of vigorous exertion, — thefe 
 mafterly obfervations have long fince made all in- 
 telligent people regret, that the treatife he had ex- 
 prefsiy written on the fubjed: of anatomy, and to. 
 which he fo often refers, fliould unfortunately have 
 been fo long buried in the library at Buckingham- 
 Houfe, where it can be of no ule or entertainment 
 to the artifts of ours, of other academies, or to the 
 world in general What may not be expeded 
 
 from 
 
( II9 ) 
 
 from fuch an author, on fuch a fubjedl Befides, 
 it may illuflrate the hiftory of anatomy, as this 
 book is perhaps the earlieil treatife on the fubjeft 
 of Ofteology and Myology •, it mull: have been 
 near fifty years prior to the publication ofVefalius: 
 and the fliort work of Mondinius, written about 
 the year 1478, treats of very little befides the 
 vijcera, I Ipoke feveral times to our late Profef- 
 for of Anatomy, Dr. William Hunter, requeu- 
 ing him to endeavour at obtaining the publication 
 of this work, which does fo mmch honour to our 
 art ; and I now addrefs myfelf to my brethren of 
 the Academy, fubmitting it to their confideration, 
 whether it would not highly become this Inftitu- 
 tion, to petition his Majefty to grant us the honour 
 of printing this work, under the infpedion, and 
 at the expence of the Academ_y. If it ihould be 
 imperfedl in any part, this can be no reafon for 
 withholding it ; it would be gratefully accepted by 
 the public in any ftate : it cannot recover any thing 
 where it is, and it may lofe. The importance of 
 this digreffion (if it be one) will plead its excufe. 
 
 After fo many years repeated efforts to ob- 
 tain, for the public, the printing of this v/ork, 
 and regret at not fucceeding, you may judge, 
 young Gentlemen^ what my fatisfadion muft have 
 been, about a mouth fince, on receiving from Mr. 
 Chamberlain (the keeper of the King’s drawings 
 and medals) the firil number of this invaluable 
 I 4 work 
 
( »20 ) 
 
 work ofLionardo, whicli, to judge from thisfpc- 
 cimen now publifhed, is likely to come forward 
 in a manner the mod complete and adequate. — 
 The engraved part is a fac fimile^ where the writ- 
 ing is reverfed in the manner Lionardo has left it. 
 On the other fide, the writing is printed fo as to 
 read in the ufual way \ to which is alfo added, an 
 Englilh tranflation. There is nothing further to 
 wifh on this head, but that his Majefly may foon 
 enjoy the fatisfadlion of receiving, for this benefit 
 conferred on the art, the hearty thanks of Europe, 
 I ought to fay of all civilifed fociety ^ fince, for- 
 tunately, the lovers of art, and readers of fuch 
 works who will have to thank his Majefly tor this 
 favour, are now not confined to Europe. Barto- 
 lozzi, whofe great profeflional abilities have con- 
 tributed fo eflentially to the advancement of regu- 
 lar, found art in this country, has a glorious op- 
 portunity afforded him of preferving the fidelity, 
 vigour, fpirit, and beauty of thefe defigns, of the 
 father of his own fchool, and, every thing con- 
 fidered, of all the other fchools. The, extreme 
 purity of defign in the figures at work in the third 
 plate of this firfl number, cannot be feen and 
 confidered without extacy. It is to be hoped there 
 are many defigns of this kind ^ and you have all 
 of you an interefl in wifhing mofl ardently that 
 no other bufinefs might interfere to prevent, this 
 valued, refpedable Member of our Academy from 
 
 devoting 
 
( ) 
 
 devoting himfelf entirely to this more than maftcr- 
 work, for which he is peculiarly fitted; and, as 
 he has already run through a long and glorious 
 career, how defirable it would be to endeavour as 
 much as pofTible at precluding accident, and to 
 employ himfelf firft upon thofe defigns, which, 
 like that juft mentioned, require all his depth and 
 Ikill in drawing, leaving thofe others, which arc 
 more laboured, for the laft, or to be done by 
 others if time ftiould fail him. 
 
 So much I thought myfelf bound to fay of 
 Leonardo da Vinci ; and if any man was to affirm, 
 that the exaltation of the Medici family was the 
 real blight which interrupted the further growth 
 ' of Art at Florence, I fhould not feel difpofed to 
 contradid him. A man who had honeftly devoted 
 his genius, induftry, his whole life to qualify 
 himfelf for ferving his country in any art of public 
 eftimation, has furelyjuft, honourable, incontro- 
 vertible claims, upon the attention of that public; 
 and when Vinci, as became a true citizen, had 
 placed his reliance on the good faith of the public, 
 and of his country, he had every good and lawful 
 reafon to expedt that no man or men, pretending 
 to any integrity of charadter, would prefume to 
 trample upon his honeft claims, by employing 
 either the force or fraud of authority or influence 
 in fupplanfmg and preventing the exercife of his 
 abilities, by preferring to the occafions of public 
 
 fervicc 
 
( 122 ) 
 
 fervicc men of inferior talents. This family of 
 the Medici had much and ferious matter to anfwer 
 for. Such a man as Vinci, reduced to the necefiity 
 of firfi: fmuggling his unfoiight-for works out of 
 his country through the hands of merchants, and 
 even after his return from Milan being again re- 
 duced to fmuggling and concealment, and without 
 advantage either to his intereil or reputation, 
 finding nothing elfe to do with his time than 
 fecretly to employ it in alTifting to perfedbionatc 
 the work of his friend Gio. Fran. Ruftichi, and 
 perhaps to have been the innocent occafion of ex- 
 tending the perfecution which had fo long fol- 
 lowed himfelf to the very work for S. Giovanni 
 which he had afilfted his friend Ruftichi to per* 
 form, and for which (notwithftanding its acknow- 
 ledged excellence) Ruftichi was fo ill paid as to 
 Cccafton the ruin of his affairs. Difingenuous, 
 diftioneft, hellifti influence ! how baneful, how 
 mortal, and how difgufting, is its interference in 
 fuch matters ! No man in his fenfes can think of 
 drawing any arguments in favour of infidelity or 
 irreligion^ from the artificial, bafe, hypocritical 
 condud of fuch Popes, Cardinals, and Mag- 
 nifico's. Wretched mien ! although they might 
 have thus lived politicians, yet they might poffibly 
 have repented, and died Chriftians. But even 
 this may be well doubted, as we hear of no 
 reJHtution made either to Vinci or Angelo, nor 
 
 any 
 
( 125 ) 
 
 any acknowledgment for the reflitution that coisld 
 not be made, in the irreparable injury done to the 
 Art, to the country, and to pofterity, who were 
 all thus equally defrauded in their juft and honeft 
 claims. 
 
 I fhall now take up our little ftatement of more 
 recent fads 5 and mention, that fhortly after my 
 return from my ftudies on the Continent, I found 
 that Sir Jofhua Reynolds, who was then much 
 employed in painting portraits, had thoughts 
 about railing his prices, in order to ieften his 
 bufinefs, and thereby obtain more time for the 
 profecution of hiftorical works, which lliortly 
 after took place, to his great honour. His bias 
 for chiaro feuro and colouring, in which he was 
 fo excellent, inclined him, generally fpeaking, to 
 reft contented with the mode of defign purfued 
 in the Bolognefe plan (as ftated in the before- 
 mentioned little poetical gem of Agoftino Car- 
 rache), and refolving to employ his v/hole force 
 in adding to this refpedable plan a degree of 
 energy, grace, and beauty of chiaro feuro and 
 colouring, which had never been united to it 
 before. Hogarth was dead ; and Hayman, who 
 never aimed higher than to be the follower of 
 Peter Cortona, retired. Wright (of Derby) and 
 Mortimer were for the moft part employed in 
 reftraining and confining their abilities to the 
 effeds of fire-light, and to imitations of Salvator 
 
 Rofa i 
 
C IH ) 
 
 Rofa ; which was much to be regretted, as they 
 were both very capable of matters much more 
 important. I could with pleafure dwell longer 
 upon many admirable qualities in the defervedly- 
 dleemed works of thofe very ingenious Artifls, 
 and lliali take fome more proper occalion to 
 gratify myfelf in that refpedtj and as to thofe 
 Artifls who are happily Hill the ornaments of 
 their feveral departments, pofterity will have too 
 much intereft in the reputation of their labours 
 not to do them ample juflice. Things being in 
 this flace, and a Royal Academy recently founded, 
 I had great hopes of being able, in fome way or 
 other, either by converfation, writing, or painting, 
 or all together, to imprefs on the minds of our 
 young Artifls, whom we fhould educate, fuch an 
 idea of the urgent neceffity for perfedtion, as 
 Would induce them to the warm purfuit of that 
 plan of fludy, of uniting the Grecian with the 
 Italian art, which had been the unremitting folc 
 objedl of my own attention ; as would no doubt 
 be tirefomely apparent to any one who was at the 
 pains of looking over that inquiry above men- 
 tioned, and that other work at the Adelphi, 
 which followed as a remaining part of the fame 
 undertaking*, and however lightly either he or 
 I might eflimate the little that has been done, yet 
 I have been obliged to pafs through a very hard, 
 
 long. 
 
( 125 ) 
 
 long, and illiberal gauntlet, to perform even that 
 little. 
 
 Tt would be arrogating too much to fuppofc 
 I had, of myfelf, fallen upon this fcheme of 
 ftudy, or that I was any other than a follower in 
 the track Mr. Huffey had chalked out ; and 
 which his impatience or his misfortune, his own 
 want of fortitude, or the impudent, lhamelels 
 perfeverance of his opponents, prevented him 
 from carrying into execution, and I fear brought 
 about a tendency to mental derangement which 
 left the matter hopelefs. To be the happy in- 
 ftrument of introducing to his country the tme 
 fublime flyle of hiflorical art, founded upon the 
 Grecian purity of defign, and blended with what- 
 ever was great and eftimable in the celebrated 
 leaders of the Italian fchools, and their followers, 
 who imitated and improved upon them, required 
 an unufual felicity and extenfive concurrence of 
 circumftances, which were liable to interruption 
 and impediment from many and very different 
 quarters. Like neighbour Goodfellow, Pliable, 
 and the other occafional companions of Chriflian 
 in the Pilgrim’s Progrefs, many artifts, however 
 right at the outfet, would be liable to flick by 
 the way in the particular fciences, which, though 
 of indifpenfable ufe confidered as neceflary means, 
 are notwithflanding moil baneful and deflrudlive 
 when purfued too far, without reference to the 
 
 propofed 
 
( 126 ) 
 
 propofed end ; and this unhappily has been but - 
 too often exemplified in almofl every human 
 purfuit of any complexity. There are many 
 reafons which induce me to think that this im- 
 portant plan of art, adopted by Mr. HulTey, was 
 a fubjedl of pretty deep and general attention at 
 Bologna, particularly am.ongfc the young artifiis, 
 when Huffey was fiudying there under Ercole 
 Lelli; and it 'is not improbable, but that Lelii 
 himfelf was the author of it ; his drawing is fo 
 remarkable for purity and fcience, and his fmall 
 anatomical figure, confidered independently of 
 the anatomical flcill, is of fo admirable a flyle as 
 to form and charadler, and the excellent, moft 
 pertinent traditionary remarks upon the defedts of 
 fome of the fineft antique flatues, which I occa- 
 fionally heard from fome of Lelii’s fcholars who 
 were ftill alive in my time, puts the matter, with 
 me at lead, out of all doubt, they are all fymme- 
 trical parts of the fame total. It is then to be 
 regretted that Eelli had not himfelf followed up 
 this purfuit, and left to others the laborious mere 
 anatomical bufinefs of the feveral wax preparations 
 built upon the Ikeletons, running into all the infi- 
 niteffimal details of the gravid uterus, the organs 
 of hearing, vifion, and other minute particulars 
 of endlefs mere obfervation, upon which fo much 
 of his time and attention was thrown away ; for 
 fuch time and attention are always thrown away 
 
 when 
 
( *27 ) 
 
 when thus employed upon what may be as well 
 done by inferior chara6ters. But men rauft live 
 by their labour ; and perhaps Benedidl XIV. who 
 employed Lelli’s talents in this way, would not be 
 inclined to give encouragement and employment 
 to his talents in another way, which very pro- 
 bable was infinitely above the comprehenfion even 
 of this excellent Pope. And as men of genius 
 are fiire to carry their energy into whatever they 
 undertake, the reputation which follows their 
 efforts, even in thofe purfuits where we regret 
 their having been engaged, is apt to miflead, and 
 give a kind of countenance to the notion of 
 ihallow people, of I know not what inconflancy 
 and unfettled purfuit of new enterprifes, which 
 they abfurdly would have us to believe is the 
 reafon why men of great genius have very often 
 left their undertakings unaccomplifhed ; and thus 
 that virtue, which is able to content, accommo- 
 date, and make the beft ufe of what hard necefTity 
 forces upon it, is by men of fhallow obfervation 
 (and perhaps a little envy and malignity) miftaken 
 for a fickle, defultory weaknefs, which would 
 really imply the very reverfe of genius and 
 vigour of mind. Lelli then, HufTey’s predecefTor, 
 Was thus loft, by wafting his time and attention 
 upon the purfuits of anatomy *, and Stewart, 
 Hufley’s fucceftbr or follower, fhared a ftmilar ill 
 fate in another necdTary means, and hniftied an 
 
 Antiquarian 
 
( ) 
 
 Antiquarian and Architeft •, whilft Huffey him- 
 felf, with fublimer and more advanced talents than 
 cither, eager to crown his art with the higheft 
 conceivable perfe6lion, appears unfortunately to 
 have loft himfelf by wandering too far in theolo- 
 gical fpeculations. But fuppofing even that Lelli 
 had not wafted his life in multiplying anatomical 
 preparations, but that he, or any of his fcholars, 
 had endeavoured to blend and incorporate the 
 anatomical with all the other neceifary ftudies 
 which formed the conftituent parts of this admi- 
 rable plan 3 yet, at Bologna, how were they to find 
 employment for it ? Woeful experience would foon 
 ftiew them, that the time for exertion was long fmce 
 pafted, and that all the churches and palaces at 
 Bologna being filled with pidbures of celebrity 
 upon the old and lefs perfedt plan, this mere 
 circumftance of pre-occupation would neceftarily 
 prevent their being employed to do much, or 
 to have any followers; and the fcheme would 
 inevitably become abortive or infignificant from 
 want of general or fufficient culture. . Huftey’s 
 hopes were likely to be better founded in a new 
 country like England, where happily this pre- 
 occupation was prevented by our former religious 
 bigotry, which kept out art of all kinds, except 
 mere fervile face-painting, and a little landfcape. 
 Here then, in England, if Huftey had fucceeded, 
 and contrived to throw himfelf out in fome 
 
 noble 
 
( J29 ) 
 
 noble example of this fiiblimated ftyle, it would 
 foon excite imitation, and a defire to eclipfe it. 
 Even thofe who would be mofl: likely to under- 
 rate it openly, would fecretly profit, and form 
 themfelves by it; any little ftorm from combi- 
 nation and cabal would foon blow over; and if 
 it did not, the continuation of his exertions 
 would be his beft defence. Cool impartiality, 
 if not gratitude, would foon grow up, and his 
 fucceiTors would be enabled to expand and to 
 follow the clue he had given, as they could 
 want for nothing in the way of materials, but 
 what an academical or national colle6tion of 
 pidfures and plafter calls would happily fupply. 
 No doubt, thefe pidtures of the old maflers, 
 leparated, and in private hands, befides the mif- 
 chief of pre-occupation, are in other refpedls 
 alfo likely to perplex and retard the progrefs 
 of good tafte. From an infirmity ,very natural, 
 and too frequently inet with, the proprietors of 
 thofe old works become, after a little time, fo 
 many zealots and blind contradled partizans, not 
 iefs hoflile to the reputation of living artifls, 
 than to the growth of the art ; and they are often 
 equally deceived by the exceflive praife and ad- 
 miration which may be lavilhed on their old 
 pidlures ; as, in fome cafes, nothing more is 
 meant than the old game, well known in the 
 world, of paying court to them, through this 
 
 K medium. 
 
( ^30 ) 
 
 medium, for fome orher end: but, even when 
 the praife is honeft, it often happens that this 
 praife and admiration, however warmly expreffed, 
 is confined to fome part of the miechanical con- 
 dud, the mere mode of pencilling or handling 
 this or that particular, folds, leafage, gradations 
 ©f tint, or fome fuch matter, which an artift 
 might vfifh to incorporate with his own manner. 
 
 I remember meeting Mr. Wilfon one day, looking 
 over a colledion of pictures at Preflage’s audion- 
 room : on his pointing out, with much enthu- 
 fiafm, fome excellence in the middle diftance of a 
 pidure, to which he wifhed to dired my atten- 
 tion, ‘‘ Yes, yes, very true, I heartily agree with 
 you,” faid I ; furely there is no man living 
 who is able to paint a landfcape of fo much 
 excellence !” Though this was faid almofl 
 laughingly, yet I faw his countenance lower, like 
 a temped gathering on his own Snowdon; and 
 feizing him by the elbow, My dear Wilfon,” 
 faid I, “ don’t be angry, I only wanted to fhow 
 ‘‘ you the ufe, or rather the abufe, to which 
 your remark might be converted, after you 
 had left the room, by fuch men as Blackwood, 
 or the Dodors Chauncy or Bragge, had any 
 thing in their poiTelTion been the fubjcd of 
 your remark. I very well know that your 
 approbation went no further than your remark, 
 and that, as a whcle, and painted by any one 
 
 at 
 
( JSI ) 
 
 at prefent, it could not be fufFered, and much 
 lefs put in competition with any work of yours, 
 or of a man much your inferior. To fay the 
 truth, T cannot fee (iiitereft and vanity apart) 
 what fatisfa 61 ;ion men who are not of the art 
 can derive from the inlpedtion of fuch per- 
 formances of contemptible, uninterefting to- 
 tality, inapplicable to any purpofe of general 
 concern. You and I might find great pleafure 
 in looking at what you have fo judicioufly 
 pointed out, but what the devil are they to 
 look for But all this evil of old pidures is 
 not only removed, but the higheft public utility is 
 derived, by arranging them together in a national 
 or academical gallery, where freedom of remark 
 can be fafely indulged. The work of each old 
 mafter then becomes the corredive of the other | 
 and the voice of truth, and the road to advance- 
 ment, happily refuks from their general tefti- 
 mony. 
 
 In a converfation I once had with the late Duke 
 of Northumbeiland (who was HufTey’s friend 
 and patron), his Grace told me, as a matter 
 which he could not account for, that he had once 
 propofed to Mr. Huffey an employment which 
 he thought would be perfedly agreeable, which 
 was, to make drawings, large as the originals, 
 of all the celebrated antique flatues, that he 
 would build a gallery to place them in, and that 
 K % Huffey 
 
( 132 ) 
 
 HulTey refufed. I could not help o-bferving to 
 the Duke^ that I was not furprifed at Mr. HulTey’s 
 declining fuch a propofal ; that it was to be expelled 
 from a man who had been forming himfelf (to- 
 gether with other ftudies) upon \ thofe antiques, 
 in order to acquire abilities for the produdlion 
 of other and original works, in which opportu- 
 nities might occur of difpUting for the palm of 
 excellence with thofe very antiques themfelves ; 
 — that perhaps what Huffey had in his mind, 
 ftill remained to be done 3 — that the work for 
 the Adelphi, v/hich introduced me to the honour 
 of his Grace’s notice, was, circumftanced as I 
 found myfelf, the bell attempt in my power to 
 fupply a part of this grand defideratum, which 
 no doubt was Mr. Hufley’s objedts — and that 
 another part of it would (with God’s affiftance) 
 be attempted in another work of the ftory of 
 Pandora, which I had long in contemplation, and 
 for which I had made many fiudies. The Duke 
 feemed to feel what I faid refpedLing this excellent 
 man, and, in a manner that did his Grace great 
 honour, expreffed much regret that he had not 
 thought of fome other way of employing his 
 abilities, and that Hufiey himfelf was much to 
 blame in not pointing out fome undertaking which 
 might meet both their wifhes. 
 
 A good deal of time has elapfed fince that work 
 of mine at the Adelphi has been out of my 
 
 hands. 
 
( ^33 ) 
 
 hands, furely more than enough to allow for the 
 fubfiding of any of thofe little tennporary heats 
 which muil ever unavoidably happen between 
 different parties, in tranfadions of fuch long du- 
 ration, and where my own infirmity of temper, 
 whatever it might amount to, would be fo likely 
 to interfere. The general tenour of the Society’s 
 conduct, in the carrying on of that work, has 
 been great, examplary, and really worthy the bell 
 age of civilifed fociety. The more I refledl: on 
 the whole of that tranfadfion, the more I feel my 
 heart difpofed to overflow with every acknow'- 
 ledgment and gratitude to God, as the prime 
 caufe, and to the Society as the happy inftrument 
 and means by which the occafion v/as provided 
 of enabling me to make one effedlual attempt in 
 the art. Such a Society only, where nothing was 
 perfonal, and whofe views were widely extended 
 through fo many branches of knowledge, and 
 almoft to every thing that could meliorate and 
 tend to give perfeclion to civilization, could 
 have allowed of the exertion which it was my 
 wifh to make *, and although I made it a con^ 
 dition with them, on undertaking the work, that 
 the fubjedts, and the matter of which they were 
 compofed, fhould be entirely of my own choice 
 and fabrication, without interference from any 
 quarter; yet the cheerful politenefs and punc- 
 tuality with which they performed this condition^ 
 
 K 3 fo 
 
( *34 ) 
 
 !b delicate, and fo alluring to interference, and 
 the heads and nnennbers of the Society fo numerous, 
 and many of them of fuch confequence, both as 
 to knowledge and rank, I can never think of it 
 without heart-felt fatisfa6lion, and the greateft 
 refpedl and thankfulnefs to them. I then, alone, 
 am accountable for the fubjedl matter depidled 
 on their walls : and as almoft 300 years had 
 intervened fince the painting of Rafaelle^s Camera 
 della Senatura in the Vatican, and that every 
 branch of knowledge had been greatly advanced 
 and perfeded during that interval, the education 
 of the 1 8 th century furnifhing numberlefs ad- 
 vantages in the fcience of civil polity, of ethics, 
 phyfics, and other knov/ledges of the moft im- 
 portant, deepeft intereft, there remained nothing 
 to wifh for, but to devote myfelf zealoufly to the 
 work ; and though my means of fupport were 
 indeed fmall, yet my hopes were great, founded 
 upon affiduity, and fortitude enough to facrifice all 
 perfonal vanity, comforts, and even conveniences, 
 that might interrupt and ftand in the way of what 
 I had undertaken. 
 
 Some of thofe who, by the courtefy of lan- 
 guage, are commonly called friends, were ready 
 enough to advife me to make an effort on this 
 occafion, to launch out a little in figure and ap- 
 pearance, to hire a fmart fervant to open my door, 
 with a long et c^tera^ like other artifls, whom 
 
 they 
 
C I3S ) 
 
 they were pleafed to confider as Infinitely rny 
 inferiors, and who notwithfianding found their 
 account in doing all this, and even much more ; 
 that it was a matter of decent conformity, which 
 every man owed to the fociety he lived in ; that 
 to adopt a contrary condud, and tQ live like a 
 hermit in his cell, would appear odd and ilrange ; 
 that it would be liable to a thoufand fcoundrel 
 interpretations, of wrongheadednefs, mifanthropy^ 
 meannefs, avarice, what not ; and that I mull 
 well know, that fome of my competitors would 
 be ready enough to make this rafcally ufe of it, 
 more efpecially in fuch a tov/n as London, where 
 there were many people fo giddily and difii- 
 patedly occupied, as to make them the facile, 
 certain dupes of any mifinformation, even lefs 
 fupported by appearances ; and that very un- 
 pleafant, and even vexatious confequences might 
 follow, that would give me caufe to repents 
 What you fay is all true,” faid I, and you muft 
 very well know how grating fuch facrifices muft 
 “ be to my feelings, as no man is more calculated, 
 both by nature and the habits of education, to 
 relilh and to lap myfelf in the elyfium of focial 
 ‘‘ enjoyments, than I am, nor can more heartily 
 “ detefl any unfocial principles that tend to 
 difqualify and eftrange us from it ; this all 
 my friends mull: well know to be remarkably 
 the cafe with me. But, alas ! you fee I have 
 K 4 no 
 
r 136 ) 
 
 no choice left, but either to relinquilh the 
 thought of doing the work, or to carry it on 
 in the manner I have been ftating to you, by 
 making the bell, mofl decent, but m.oft manly 
 ufe of the means within my power, by confider- 
 ing this work as claiming my fird concern, and 
 “ every thing refpeding myfelf in fubordination 
 to it i and that although my prefent expendi- 
 ture, already too contra6led in your opinion, 
 could not be increafed even ten pounds a year, 
 without throwing me into debt and dependance, 
 breaking my Ipirits, and perhaps leaving me in 
 a jail ; yet, as my hopes are not grounded 
 upon the being able to increafe my expenditure, 
 and as the undertaking is of that noble, gene- 
 rous kind as is truly worthy any perfonal- facri- 
 free I can make, you mud permit me to alTure 
 you, that notwithdanding all that you or any 
 one elfe can fay to the contrary, yet I fhall not 
 hefitate to go on, and meet all, and even more 
 “ than you have dated, with whatever patience 
 and refignation I can j and though I cannot add 
 to my expenditure and appearance, yet perhaps, 
 if it be necedary, I can dill retrench, and do 
 without many things ; that with God’s afTidance 
 the attempt fhould be made diredtly ; and that, 
 after all, there was no great hardlhip in being 
 ‘‘ my own fervant, even if I was obliged to go 
 out of lodgings, and to take a houfe : that a 
 
 hole 
 
( 'iJ7 ) 
 
 hole might be cut in the door to receive mef- 
 “ fages when I Ihould be from home ; and that 
 this expedient could not be very difcreditable, as 
 it was probably of pretty general ufe formerly, 
 in times of lefs parade, and was ftill kept up by 
 the ftudents in the inns of court.” Dialogues 
 to this eifed I have had many ^ and this is inferted 
 here for the perufal of any one who- might have 
 been fo foolifh as to fuffer himfelf to be deceived by 
 the impertinence of any mean, artful fellow, with 
 whom I never had any perfonal acquaintance, and 
 who might wifh to ingratiate and recommend 
 himfelf to the good favour of my opponents. But 
 even this would not have been a fufficient induce- 
 ment for my inferting it, but that I am perfuaded 
 it will have its ufe with young artiils, as there can 
 be but very few of them who 'will ever find them- 
 felves in a fituation lefs eligible for great under- 
 takings, particularly thofe who may happen to be 
 born on this or the other fide of the Tv/eed ; as 
 it is a native of Ireland only that is likely to experi- 
 ence the fuperior excruciating curfe of ilruggling 
 alone, his befl friends perhaps fo warmly engaged 
 in the interefts of feme of his rivals, as to leave him 
 unaided by any cheering partialities, and without 
 other reliance than what may be expeded from 
 magnanimity and generous candour. An Irifhartif!^ 
 may think himfelf well off, if his countrymen arc 
 not againft him, in order to curry favour for them- 
 
 felves ; 
 
( 138 ) 
 
 felves ; and that he be not facrihced to their 
 timidity, fervility, or convenience, whenever he 
 {hould attempt high matters, where the fuccefs 
 would juftify pretenfion to take any lead or fu- 
 periority. A candidate for a watchman's place, 
 or to carry milk or a fedan chair, may ftand a com- 
 mon chance ; but that it is very different in higher 
 matters, is too well known, to need my offering 
 inilances of great luftre, which mufl occur to every 
 man’s recoliedlion. I know very well that many 
 will doubt the prudence of ftating fuch harfh 
 fads, however true; but then they muft allow 
 me to fay, that any artift who will have the pa- 
 tience to acquire the glory of going through fuch 
 an ordeal, will not want the courage, and may well 
 be allowed the little indulgence of looking back 
 with triumph and gratulation for having paffed it. 
 However grating this flate of things may be to 
 our feelings, yet, as it is more a matter of regret 
 and pity than of blame, it can be patiently endured 
 by a man of fome philofophy : as he mufl v/ell 
 know that the Irifb, like other men, are formed 
 by circumflances j that they are of an excellent 
 nature, as might naturally be expeded from their 
 almofl peculiarly mild and genial climate, and 
 have truly nothing reprehenfible that is not fairly 
 chargeable upon their political, debafed, wretched 
 fituation. Since it is by every party acknow- 
 ledged, one may obferve, without palliation, or 
 
 fear 
 
( 139 ) 
 
 fear of giving offence, that our government is, from 
 the accumulation and inveteracy of certain abufes 
 of ancient ufages, neceffarily carried on by in- 
 fluence and corruption, and until fome falutary 
 reform be adopted cannot be carried on otherwife ; 
 and that the filent baneful operations of this great 
 evil of corruption, the prolific parent of fo many 
 others, have been in fome degree refilled and 
 counteradled by that extenfive purfuit of improve- 
 ment in all the various branches and articles of 
 manufactures and commerce, which has given oc- 
 cafion for fo much redlitude, amenity and polifh 
 of the right kind, and have imprinted on the 
 minds of the good people of England a deep fenfe 
 of the value of excellence. How wifely and how 
 much is comprifed in that beautiful allegory of the 
 ancients, in making Ceres the caufe and parent of 
 legiflation ! How admirably and gracefully does it 
 extend to every fpecies of honefl, commendable 
 induflry, to manufablures, to arts, and to com- 
 merce ! Nothing can exceed the ingenuity, onc- 
 tion, and wonderful identity ( or, if that term is 
 inaccurate, connedtion) of all the' parts of this 
 allegorical idea 5 it fuppofes (and moll truly, that 
 we even cannot, for any time, or in any tolerable 
 degree, enjoy thofe gifts of God, v/ithout difpofing 
 ourfelves to merit and preferve them by juft and 
 equal laws 3 and even, to confider it on the other 
 fide, that whenever we have the juftice and mag- 
 nanimity 
 
( 140 ) 
 
 nanimity to fubmit ourfelves to the guidance of 
 thofe laws, we lhall not be long before thofe fruits 
 and blefiings of induftry are fhowered down upon 
 us ; and further, that under certain degrees of 
 brutal violence, injuftice, preffures, and partialities, 
 cither thefe bleffings will never be given to us, or 
 they will fly from us and be withdrawn, whene er 
 we have rendered ourfelves thus unworthy of the 
 divine favour. This allegory of Ceres will explain, 
 pertinently enough, any difference that may be 
 found in our two iflands ; for, on the fuppofition 
 that the fpirit of influence and corruption is equally 
 extended in Ireland as it is here, and that the 
 purfuit of improvement in manufadfures and com- 
 merce is lefs, this will eafily and very naturally 
 account for any difference of manners in the people 
 of the two countries. Children of the fame parent 
 happy clime, there can be no difference between 
 them but what is created by the difference of cir- 
 cumftances. I will not attempt to fay what would 
 be the event, or how long thefe contrary principles 
 of improvement and corruption would be likely 
 to continue in collifion, if left to themfelves to 
 fight it out here ; but it may be affirmed, with 
 great certainty, that the prefent altered flate of 
 Europe, the exifcing circumfbances here, and all 
 around us, will now foon put an end to this fcuffle 
 oneway or other: either a falutary reform mull foon 
 take place, to the annihilation of influence and 
 
 corrup- 
 
( I4I ) 
 
 Corruption ; or manufadlures, and the commerce 
 with thofe manufadlurers, muft fink from our pro- 
 fpedl. The eagle penetration of Mr. Burke had ' 
 long forefeen this ; and, in his Thoughts on the 
 Caufe of the Frefent Difeontents (before -men- 
 tioned), where he ftrenuoufly endeavours to 
 recommend the beft mode of public adminifera- 
 tion the circumflances of the time would then 
 allow of, he concludes with the following remark- 
 able words : ‘‘ This, with allowances for human 
 frailty, may, probably, be the general charader 
 of a minillry, which thinks itfelf accountable to 
 the Houfe of Commons, when the Houfe of 
 Commons thinks itfelf accountable to its con- 
 ftituents. If other ideas iliould prevail, things 
 mull: remain in their prefent confufion, until 
 they are hurried into all the rage of civil vio- 
 lence, or until they fink into the dead repofe of 
 defpotifm.’' But as things mend, when they 
 can be no worfe, direful necefiity, though always 
 an undefirable, is yet fometimes a mod; falutary 
 and admirable teacher ; and the time is, perhaps, 
 fait approaching, when the liberal principles and 
 good fenfe of the men of England and Ireland will 
 find their true intereft in fpurning all undue influ- 
 ence and corruption, and in regarding nothing 
 but the indulgence of thofe generous feelings which 
 are the natural offspring of ftri 61 ; and common 
 juftice, of equal privileges and equal laws: and 
 
 when- 
 
( ) 
 
 whenever, by the mercy of God, that time fliall 
 arrive, it will be then, and not before, that an 
 ingenious artift may exped to find himfelf the 
 native of a country that will not be afraid to take 
 an honefi: interefi; in the integrity and glory of his 
 labours. 
 
 But to refume our narration ; with the fpace in 
 the great room at the Adelphi, and die generous, 
 liberal views of the Society, who were to hold 
 their fefiions in it, ample opportunity offered for 
 a work, which, though in a feries, fliould be 
 and entire j comprehending a beginnings a middle ^ and 
 an end^ illuftrative in all its various parts of this 
 moral maxim, viz. the abfolute neceffity of culti- 
 vating both our mental and bodily faculties, and 
 fubflituting the fuperior love and purfuit of truth 
 and juftice, neceffarily required as the foundation 
 of civilifed fociety, in lieu of that brutal violence, 
 fraud, and the confequent miferies of the favage 
 ftate. In fuch a work, I forefaw fomething might 
 be attempted on Huffey’s plan ; and what 1 va- 
 lued much more was, that the fubjeds, which oc- 
 curred to me, would alfociatc that plan with 
 matter of fuch interefi, as might confecrate the 
 work to the melioration^ lihertiesy and reform of 
 mankind. Refolving then, in the very outfet, to 
 throw afide and fpurn all beggarly adulation which, 
 had contaminated and difgraced fo many illuflrious 
 works, and confeientioufly, and without fear, to 
 
 follow 
 
( 143 ) 
 
 follow truth andjuftice, and melioration, wherever 
 they fhould lead, it does not furprife me, and I 
 feel no forrow or repentance to find my work and 
 my felf involved in the fame fate with my country 
 in its ftruggles for that political happinefs which 
 refults from the genuine freedom of equal laws^ 
 uncontaminated with either perfonal, party, or 
 local privileges. And although I felt myfelf in the 
 very focus of that influence, which is fo unwifely, 
 and fo much againfl its true intereft, operating 
 ruin and deftru6lion in Ireland, yet I have no 
 fmall fatisfadlion in refledHng, that the bufmefs 
 tranfadted in the group oflegiflators in the Elyfium, 
 goes all the length of the remedy for the diforders 
 of Ireland, the application of which remedy 
 has been fo long defired, prayed for, and hoped 
 for. Yv^ere our legiflators to confult their jullice, 
 their humanity, and the general interefts of the 
 empire, by adopting this remedy in time, were 
 they once more to fend over Lord Fitzwilliam, and 
 fmcerely and honeflly permit him to finifli what he 
 had fo glorioufly begun, there can be no doubt 
 of its faiutary effedls in removing every eviL 
 However, whether they may choofe to adopt it or 
 not, there it is, forming the bufmefs of my prin- 
 cipal group of Legiflators in Elyfium 5 and as a 
 man canfpeak with confidence of the devices of his 
 own heart, mofl: afluredly introduced with the befl:, 
 moil honed intentions, and with the highefl refer- 
 
 ence 
 
(^ 44 ) 
 
 cnce to the good order, melioration, and happU 
 nefs of fociety. 
 
 As the concerns of art, and the attempt to apply 
 it more immediately (to ufe Bacon’s phrafe) to 
 ourbufinefs and bofoms, are ilridly inunifon with 
 the views of the Dilettanti Society, there needs no 
 apology for this mention of my own work, as it 
 unavoidably followed from flating that reform in 
 the plan of fludy of the Carracci, which Annibal 
 begun on his coming to Rome, which Mr. HuiTey 
 was difappointed in his endeavours to introduce 
 into England, and which, for want of a better, 
 came into my hands. I lhall therefore, go on 
 with the matter I was upon, by obferving, that as 
 the pidlure of Elyfium, and its companion, the 
 Vidlors at Olympia, were each forty- two feet in 
 length, and the prints I had » made of them were 
 only three feet long, in order to be comprehended 
 in a Tingle fheet of paper, the details of the w^ork, 
 reduced to fo fmall a compafs, were unavoidably 
 liable to be overlooked ; and having another 
 reafon, befides this for making a feparate print 
 of this group of the Legiflators in Elyfium, where, 
 
 from 
 
 * This reafon was, the defire of reftlfying a miftake I w^as 
 induced to commit in the group of legiflators, by foliowdng Mon- 
 tefquieu, and other wTiters, refpedting the perfon to wdioin civil 
 Society is indebted, fo? firft fetting the glorious example of eftab- 
 lifhing equal laws, civil and religious. The reader will find this 
 matter ftated at fome length, in a printed Letter which I addrefied 
 to the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, in 1793. 
 
( 
 
 ( 145 ) 
 
 from the enlarged fize of the figures, the details 
 would become more apparent, I have been fmce 
 induced to add three prints of other groups in the 
 fame enlarged fize ; one, the group of Diagoras 
 and his Sons, from the pidlure of the Vidlors at 
 Olympia. Thefe Diagorides afford a fubjedt of 
 fuch peculiar felicity for a group , in fculpture, 
 that I have often complimented myfelf by fup- 
 pofing that there muff have been (notwithftanding 
 the filence of Paufanias) fomething like this of 
 mine, fet up in the Aids at Olympia ; the charac- 
 ters of the men in their different ftages of life — • 
 father, fons, and grandfons, fuch a race of heroes, 
 where the naked occurred with fuch peculiar pro- 
 priety, and fo glorioufly connedted with ethics, 
 with all the duties of the good citizen, that I can 
 recoiledl: nothing remaining of the ancients, where 
 the fubjedt matter is more exemplary, more im- 
 pregnated with that onddon, fpirit, and venuftas^ 
 which are the infeparable charadleriftics of Grecian 
 genius. The other tv/o are, one the colloquial, 
 adjoining group to that of the Legiflators in the 
 Elyiium, confiding of the fextumvirate , to which 
 Swift fays, all ages of the world have not been 
 able to add a feventh, where Socrates is proving 
 fomething to Epaminondas, Cato, the younger and 
 the elder Brutus, and Sir Thomas More. As the 
 effigies of Brutus, and thofe other generous advo- 
 cates for civil liberty, have lately been much 
 
 L fought 
 
( 146 ) 
 
 fought after, and even in the midll of this mighty 
 ftrugglc which is ftill agitating Europe^, I am happy 
 to refledl, that in the print of this group of the 
 heroes of civil liberty, what is pafllng in the 
 back-ground, where angels are prefenting and in- 
 terceding for the inlperfed Legiflators, Bruhma, 
 Confucius, and Mango Capae, tends to (hew where 
 all the various talents which infure beatitude centre, 
 and that virtue and all thofe generous qualities 
 that reflect fuch luftre and true glory on the cha- 
 rader of the good citizen, are but emanations 
 from the higher principle of religion, and piety to 
 God (the fovereign good, the elTence of perfec- 
 tion, whofe law is rectitude), where all the virtues 
 root. Alas ! how much miflaken are thofe writers 
 who would expedl this branch of civil liberty to 
 flourifh, feparated and cut off from the nutriment 
 it derives from this root ! Trying occafions, ter- 
 rors, allurements, and the felfifhnefs infeparable 
 from our nature, fairly confidered, what motives 
 to aflion, or forbearance, can ftimulate the man 
 whofe views terminate with his exifiience here ? 
 
 It is impoffible to conceive any thing more 
 completely above, and difconneCled with all human 
 modes of government, than the Chriftian religion. 
 Genuine Chriilianity is nothing more nor lefs than 
 the moft cornplete conceivable morality, offered 
 and recommended by the moil perfuafive of all 
 conceivable motives ; and if Chriilianity can be 
 fuppofed to predifpofe men to a prediledlion for 
 
 any 
 
( »47 ) 
 
 any particular mode of government, it muft be 
 chat of the greateft conceivable freedom, like 
 that of the Quakers, and the difference between 
 the Quakers and the other religious orders of St, 
 Benedi61:, St. Francis, See, is lefs than is vulgarly 
 imagined ; a very flight alteration, in one or two 
 particulars, and they are the fame. D’Alembert, 
 Diderot, and other great men, may have (and 
 with a good confcience too) done every thing in 
 their power to diferedit and to deftroy the wretched 
 appearance, under the name of religion, which, 
 like a ftalking-horfe, fabricated and held up for 
 political ftate purpofes, by the Jefuit Tellier, the 
 Cardinals Biffi and Du Bois, and their odious cor- 
 rupt confederates, during the years of the dotage 
 of Lewis XIV. and the worthlefs, diffipated 
 Regent, his immediate fucceffor. Chriflianity 
 could have no concern here ; and it is a lhame for 
 any man not to know and acknowledge, that all 
 • the Parliaments of France, all the men of con- 
 fcience, true honour and probity, the Dagueffeau, 
 Fleury’s, Noailles, and the long and glorious 
 caterdy who were overwhelmed by this ftate 
 religious mockery, had, notwithftanding, pre- 
 vioufly manifefted their execration of the decep- 
 tion, and left fuch a ftigma of infamy upon it, that 
 it was, almoft immediately after, hunted down 
 with eafe by the philofophers, to whom this pa- 
 triotic talk devolved. This furely, and no other, 
 can be the reafon for- the little temporary credit 
 
 L 2 given 
 
( h8 ) 
 
 given to atheifUcal opinions, as a battery for im- 
 mediate ufe, the better to enable them to demo- 
 lifh this ftate engine of mock religion, no lefs 
 injurious to the genuine, generous chara6ler of 
 Chriftianity, than to the virtuous freedom, peace, 
 and happinefs of civil fociety. But as that work is 
 now done, there is no longer any occafion for 
 that atheiftical battery; for, it is to be hoped, no 
 man can be weak enough to believe, or to endea- 
 vour to make others believe, that the chilling tor- 
 pors of Atheifm, like the horrid, inert, deadly 
 filence of the polar regions, can be of any ufe, or 
 ever coalefce with the generous ardors of a ftate 
 of liberty, and civil freedom, founded as it always 
 -mud be, upon all the fraternal charities, the 
 adlive, energetic, internal virtues of a good heart, 
 which can only be truly known to God, and to a 
 man himfelf. Well might the amiable and admira- 
 ble Fenelon fay, ’That it is impojjihle to point out a 
 man^ s true and perjonal charaSler from his wit^ 
 profejfion^ arty or education and learning ; whereas 
 we give an infallible definition of hinty by mentioyiing 
 his virtue and inward uprightnefsy ''when we have 
 /olid proofs of them. And it might be affirmed, 
 with the mod fecure confidence, that any philofo- 
 phers or citizens, of the mod free and well-ordered 
 government in the world, could no where find a 
 fuite of principles fo aptly and cogently calculated 
 to preferve and to perpetuate thofe bleffings of 
 
 freedom 
 
( 149 ) 
 
 freedom and good order (as far as human 
 matters can be preferved and perpetuated) than 
 thofe charities which are enumerated in the ijtiv 
 Chapter of St. Paul’s firfl Epiflle to the Co« 
 rinthians ; even the whole of the illuftrious com- 
 ments on this truly citizen-like palTage, by the 
 ever-venerable Archbilliop juft mentioned, would, 
 treafured up in the memory of a good citizen, be 
 his fureft guide through all the focial, becoming 
 duties which conftitute the felicity of every ftation. 
 Away, then, with Atheifm ! the men of France 
 have wifely and becomingly thrown it afide •, and 
 let us hear no more of it in England ; the phi- 
 lofophers but made an occafional life of it, and 
 never intended that any well-ordered fociety fhould 
 really be the dupe of fuch a peftilential opinion. 
 
 By way of border and ornament to Eparninodas’s 
 fhield, which, near the feet of M. Brutus clofes 
 the circle of this colloquial group, it would come 
 well (particularly as there is no portrait remaining 
 of him) to write the following truly heroic advice, 
 which this Theban General gave his countrymen, 
 to diftuade them from enQaving the Orchomenians: 
 
 A nation (fays he; afpiring to command the 
 Greeks, ought to preferve, by its humanity, what 
 it acquired by its valour.” Plato and Ariftotle, 
 juft behind this group of the fextumvirate, are 
 going towards the group of the moft perfeeft 
 legiflators in the other print, at whom Plato is 
 
 L 3 pointing. 
 
( ) 
 
 pointing. The other print is the group adjoining, 
 where angels are unveiling and explaining a folar 
 fyftem to Newton, Gallileo, Copernicus, and 
 Bacon, whofe admiration at what is communi- 
 cated, intimates how much is referved for a here- 
 after, which even the wifeil: could not otherways 
 have known. In the advanced ground is Thales, 
 Des Cartes and Archimedes, and below them, the 
 Friar, Roger Bacon, and his fagaclous and excel- 
 lent friend, Biihop Grouthead, with his letter to 
 Pope Innocent JV, in his hand. Some friends have 
 wifhed me to make feparate prints, on the fame 
 enlarged plan of other groups, in this and the other 
 pidtures, which are not without pertinence j but 
 I am fatisfied with what is already done, and 
 will leave the reft to any one who may think it 
 worth his pains. I had hopes thefe prints would 
 have been done fooner, fo as to have enabled me to 
 have given up a couple of months, in the fummer, to 
 the retouching of that work at the Adelphi : there 
 are fome parts of it which want vigour, and may 
 be very much meliorated ; and I fhould be very 
 much obliged to any gentleman of the Dilettanti 
 Society, or to any other, who would be fo good 
 as to take the pains of communicating to me any 
 remarks to that end, as, with God’s blefting, I 
 mean to leave that work as perfect as I can. If 
 ever I could have doubted of the wifdom and eli- 
 gibility of honeftly applying and devoting art to 
 
 utility 
 
( I5I ) 
 
 Utility and focial improvement, fuch doubt would 
 ^have been long fince fatisbed, when I fee, and 
 have feen, fo many great events daily occurring, 
 which afford an illuftrious comment on the truth 
 and efficacy of the principles purfued in that work. 
 With the fubjedl matter of it I am perfedlly fatis- 
 fied, and fee nothing to alter, to add, or to take 
 away ; but I am eager and an^tious to add more 
 energy to its effed, and to the execution of feveral 
 parts, and for many reafons I feel happy and for^ 
 tunate that this had not been done before. I mean 
 then, with God’s permiffion, very ffiortly to re- 
 queft this indulgence from the Society. What I 
 wiffi to do will not take up much time, or give 
 any interruption to the courfe of their bufinefs in 
 the room ; and I am their debtor for as much 
 colour as will, I believe, do the bufmefs ^ it was left, 
 after what I had done, when I was lad at work in 
 the room, and I did not think it worth the troubling 
 them by fending it. 
 
 Upon a recolledion of the ground I have gone 
 over in this Letter, there is no doubt but that 
 many apologies ought to be made, not only for 
 any flovenly negled, lazinefs, or inability in the 
 ftyle, and in the arrangement, where things have 
 been flung out m the hurry with which they oc- 
 curred, but, what is much more to be regretted is, 
 the neceffity under which I felt myfelf, of handling 
 freely many matters which unfortunately lay too 
 L 4 dirc(dly 
 
( 152 ) 
 
 diredly in my way, to pafs them by without notice. 
 I muft, however, rely upon the generous feelings 
 and candour of my readers, as (if I know myfelf ) 
 I certainly have nothing to apologize for as to 
 any want ofredlitude in my intentions. Superior, 
 I hope, to every bafe motive of malignity or 
 refentment, I have been direded by nothing but 
 a moll ardent delire of rendering every fer vice in 
 my power to a profelTion which has been the con- 
 llant and unremitting obje6l of my alFe6lions, and 
 the fource of whatever happinefs I have enjoyed. 
 To the glorious memory of my illullrious prede- 
 celfors, who had prepared fo much for my happi- 
 nefs, I felt myfelf bound by the llrongell ties, 
 fo that it became a duty incumbent upon me to 
 defend them from any injullice, to the utmoll of 
 my power, and to tranfmit what had devolved 
 from them to me, as little impaired, and with as 
 many advantages as I could obtain for thofe who 
 were to come after me. Nothing can Hand higher 
 in the ellimation of any man than my profeffion does 
 in mine. No doubt, many things may be, and 
 are over-rated every day ; but if there be any 
 matter about which men are employed, which is 
 really above our ellimation, it is certainly the Art 
 of Painting, fairly and juftly confidered. The rank 
 ignorance, foolilh (yet rafh) iconoclallic Ipirit of 
 feme of our would-be reformers, make it necelTary 
 to touch a little upon this matter. 
 
 Painting 
 
( 153 ) 
 
 Painting has been, by ingenious writers (who 
 perhaps meant to pay it a compliment;, defined 
 to be a filent poem, and Poetry a fpeaking pidture. 
 As precepts, nothing can be more admirably faid ; 
 but, as definitions, nothing can be more falfe and, 
 inadequate, though very artfully ftated, and well 
 calculated to coincide with the prediledlions and 
 prepofiefiions of men much engaged in literary 
 purfuits : and others, who are but little concerned 
 with literary matters, are too eafily caught by the 
 apparent civility of thofe definitions, to fufpedl; 
 that the poet Simonides, from whom (if my re- 
 colle6lion is right) they came, did, infiead of 
 conceflions to a rival Art, adlually purloin from 
 that rival Art an excellence and honour for the 
 decoration of his own, to which, in truth and 
 juftice, it had no pretenfions of claim. It is now 
 fome years that I have been aware of the injufticc 
 of thefe definitions, by which^ this mafler Art, 
 this Art far excellence^ has been fo unfairly, un- 
 feelingly, .and artfully, placed below the fuperior 
 ftation it ought to fill ; and I have, in one of my 
 Ledtures in the Acacemy, had occafion to enter 
 upon this difpute refpediing the comparifon of 
 Painting with Poetry, and have not fcrupled to 
 give the preference and fuperiority to my owm 
 Art ; and, in addition to what is there urged, I 
 fhall here obferve, that Monfieur Bailii was, no 
 doubt, exceedingly right, and that fome almofi: 
 
 unknown 
 
( 154 ) 
 
 unknown people, now buried in the remotenefs of 
 antiquity, muft, however, have been in polTeffion 
 of a body of very extenfive and complete know- 
 ledge, of which the Chaldeans, Egyptians, Gen- 
 tbos, and other ancient nations, polTelTed only 
 the fragments, which Homer, Thales, Pythagoras, 
 Plato, and others, brought into Greece.* Ac- 
 cording 
 
 ^ The a6lual exiftence of the ancient people above alluded to, 
 who appear from fo many unqueftionable veftiges to have been 
 in polTefTion of fo much united, completer knowledge, was a fa6t 
 of which I can have no doubt j but whether they were the fame as 
 the Atlantic people, of whom Plato was informed through the chan- 
 nel of the Egyptian Priefts, or whether they were the identical Scy- 
 thian Conquerors to whom Alia paid tribute for 1500 years, until 
 the beginning of the AfTyrian Empire, in the time of Ninus, who 
 lived 2*00 years before Chrift, and, according to Juftin, was the 
 hrft to difeontinue the payment of that tribute j and alfo, whether 
 we are to comprehend in this conqueft of Afia, Hindoftan and 
 China, as well as Chaldea and Egypt, againft which latter nation 
 the war commenced j thefe queftions are not eafily anfwered, 
 although it is eafy to fee that they allude to matters utterly irre* 
 concileable with our commonly received chronology. This 
 chronology is alfo contradifted (and with good reafon) by many 
 late difeoveries refpefting the natural hiftory of our globe, fo 
 that it muft furely be highly criminal any longer to fuppofe this 
 chronology to be fupported .and warranted by Divine Revelation, 
 if this alfo be ill foui;ded. 
 
 There is nothing in revealed religion to hinder our admitting 
 the mere fa6l of. the antiquity of the globe to any extent of time. 
 It may, or it may not, have been many times totally melted into 
 that fluid, vitrified mafs, for which, according to the weighty 
 opinion of Mr. Pott, its component materials are fo aptly calcu- 
 lated in certain fituations of he.at, and as often frittered and 
 
 broken 
 
( I5S ) 
 
 cording to the mythology of the Greeks, the 
 Mufes prefide over the feveral departments of 
 poetry, and the other knowledges, as we may 
 
 find 
 
 broken up in^ other temperatures, and rendered proper for 
 vegetable and animal exiftence. We have in nature no data^ 
 nor is there any revelation for fixing the precife time of this 
 beginning, or Genefis, either of the earth itfelf, or of the vege- 
 table and animal natures which receive their fupport from it, 
 though they do not feem to have been produced by it j for there 
 has appeared, in no time, any material combinations, or mere 
 elementary natural powers, adequate to the formation of any 
 new fpecies, either animal or vegetable, which might be added 
 to thofe originally created by the Almighty (whenever that 
 creation was), and which have been co-exiftent ever Cnee: and 
 the writer, whoever he was, of the venerable book at the head 
 of the Old Teftament, which bears the name of Genefis, has 
 fixed no time for that produ6Hon, but ufed the words in the 
 beginning” applicable to any time, although he has according to 
 the beautiful ancient ufage of allegory, reprefented this Almighty 
 jiat of imlantaneous creation, into the detailed and feparate a6ls 
 of fix days, perhaps the better to imprefs upon our minds the 
 necefiity and beneficence of this Almighty agency, and fo to com- 
 memorate it upon every feventh day, through all fucceeding 
 time, as to preferve us from the rafii folly of feekiug any other 
 and material caufe, nvhich could have no reference to that morql 
 and focial perfe6fion upon w'hich our happinefs depended. As to 
 the hiftorical and chronological accounts of the Jewifh nation, 
 how far they may have been well or ill preferved, before, or 
 even long after, the Revelation to Mofes, this is a curious and 
 intereiling queftion, but of mere human matters of fa61:, which 
 do not, or cannot affeft the verity of revealed religion, under 
 either difpenfation. In a long courfe of ancient hiftory, like that 
 of the Jewifh nation, many matters of mere human concern (very 
 intereiling to the writer, and to his countrymen) were, from 
 inattention, indifereet zeal, paffion, intereil, prejudice, and other 
 
 human 
 
( >56 ) 
 
 find detailed in every writer treating of tkefc 
 matters, from Hefiod and Homer, down to the. 
 prefent times. But to Minerva, which is the 
 abftrad idea, or perfonification, and the very 
 
 ’ identity 
 
 Jiuman infirmities, liable to be confounded and mixed with facred 
 matters, when the mention of thefe matters might incidentally 
 occur in hiftorical relations, where Revelation was not neceflary. 
 In fuch a mixture of divine and human alfairs, which coinpofc 
 a great part of the Old Teftament in its prefent (always vene- 
 rable, though probably very imperfect and mutilated) ftate, 
 tranfmitted as it has been in a courfe of fo many ages, and fuch 
 various feenes of national diftrefs and calamity, it is no wonder 
 then, if weak and unwary readers, amidft all the difficulties of 
 diferiminating, ffiould ftumble at many other rugged matters, 
 befides thofe of chronology. And thus the indiferiminate raffi 
 zeal of weak friends cannot fail of being encountered by fonie- 
 thing at leaft equally niifchievous from the contemptuous pre- 
 cipitation of foes ; and the moft facred matters are equally 
 injured, whether mere human concerns are indifcreetly raifed to 
 the pinnacle of divine truths, or whether thofe divine truths are 
 raffily lowered to the mere ordinary level of human affairs, 
 governed by paffion and interefts. It is much to be regretted, 
 that the moft interefting, moft ufeful, moft extenfively luminous, 
 as w'dl as the moft venerable body of ancient knowledge now in 
 the worM (which after all it moft undoubtedly is), ffiould not be 
 more ufefully and lefs dangeroufly employed. Nothing can be 
 more happily calculated to meet, and to remedy all thefe evils, 
 than the wife, valuable differtations and notes which accompany 
 I)o6tor Geddes’s vigorous, moft accompliffied Tranftation of the 
 Ribie, a good part of which has been publiffied In 1792; and 
 the remainder, I am happy to, hear, is in great forwardnds. 
 Such a work as this of Dr. Geddes, though fo long and fo 
 ardently defired, could not, before the prefent century, have 
 made its appearance with fo many accumulated advantages from 
 all the various quarters of the knowledge fo peculiarly effentiiU 
 so its efficacy. 
 
( J57 ) 
 
 identity of the wifdom of Jove, what is the art 
 over which (he was fuppofed to prefide ? This 
 queftion is anfwered by the univerfal teftimony of 
 all ; and we find, that the employment for which 
 Minerva is peculiarly diftinguifhed from all the 
 celeftial perfonages, is her (kill in the labours of 
 the loom, or in other words, that will convey the 
 idea of the ancients more properly, that fhe was 
 fovereignly fkilful in the art of painting in tapeftry, 
 and could employ that univerfal language of 
 forms, both adlual and polTible, to all the grand 
 ethical purpofes of information, perfuafion and 
 inftrudlion. But the Art of Painting is debafed 
 by the complaifance of calling it a language. It 
 is a mode of communication as much fuperior to 
 language, as the image of any thing in a looking- 
 glafs is more fatisfa<5lory and fuperior to any mere 
 account of the fame thing in words. It is 
 difficult, and would lead us into the depths of 
 philofophy, to fay, what is the difference between 
 any adtual thing and its image in a glafs ; and yet 
 fo much only, and no more, can be the difference 
 between that actual thing and its reprefentation in 
 painting. In the former cafe, the difference, 
 perhaps, confifts in the mere a6luality, and yet, 
 even that may be doubted, as they are both equally 
 adlual to the fenfe of feeing in a third fpeclator ; 
 but the objedt painted is equally permanent wit!; 
 what we may call the affual or real one. The 
 ' truth 
 
( '58 ) 
 
 truth is, that they are all pidures alike, painted 
 equally on the retina or optical fenforium. — But 
 to come back to Minerva : her art can even do 
 ftill morej it can, by new moulding, and dif- 
 ferent arrangement of the a6tual, the created 
 objefts, call to our view as in a Jpeculum^ that 
 ftill higher order of a new creation, where thofe 
 objedls, fublimated and purged from all drofs 
 and alloy, appear before us in gala^ in all con- 
 ceivable and poflible fplendor. This was* an Art 
 indeed, and the ancients were well juftified in 
 placing it above the reach of Calliope and her 
 lifter Mufes and, by a happy effort of that admi- 
 rable, wonderful penetration, which, when rightly 
 underftood, is found to be the ufual charadteriftic 
 of all their knowledge, they therefore, neceftarily, 
 wifely and juftly, referved this Mafter Art, this 
 Art far e^ccellence^ to employ the more adequate 
 exertions and Ikill of the miftrcfs of all, of 
 Minerva, or Wifdom herfelf. Can any man then 
 hefitate to acknowledge, but that the Ancients, 
 by appropriating this art to Minerva, intended to 
 Ihew the fuperiority of that purfuit which employs 
 and exhibits things inftead of words, or the mere 
 names of thofe things ? a talk which implies fo 
 fmall a portion of knowledge and fkill as does 
 not deferve to be named, much lefs compared 
 with the other. Painting then is the real art of 
 wifdom, and Poetry is only an account or relation 
 
 of 
 
( 159 ) 
 
 of it, more or lefs animated as the poetry is more 
 or lefs excellent. Although this tapeftry-work, 
 which (as to the inftruments and materials em- 
 ployed in it) was a more laborious and lefs perfect 
 mode of imitation, does adually and neceffarily 
 pre-fuppofe antecedent exemplars, executed with 
 inftruments and materials more manageable, facile, 
 and better adapted to follow with rapidity, the 
 divine flatus of the imagination, yet, as I have 
 had occafion to obferve in my Le6lure in the 
 Academy, from Homer’s ftlence, as to this ante- 
 cedent art, of which the tapeftry-weaving fo 
 frequently mentioned, is only, and can be nothing 
 elfe, but a mere fragment and veftige, we again 
 find ourfelves, in this inftance, as in fo many 
 others, obliged to have recourfe to fome more 
 ancient people, where all thefe knowledges exifted 
 together in a more complete and united ftate. It 
 is not, I hope necefiary to obferve, that by the 
 fkilfui labours of the loom the ancients always 
 underftood the art of making pidures in tapeftry, 
 and that the perfe6tion of thofe pictures, the 
 happinefs of their imitation, and the admirable 
 ethical application, are the fine qualities always 
 alluded to (fee the ftory of Penelope, Arachne, 
 &c.) and not any delicacy or perfedlion in the 
 texture, fluff, or materials employed, as every 
 one in the leaft converfant with ancient reading 
 muft well know all this. Thus it appears, that 
 
 the 
 
( ) 
 
 the Conclufion I have above infifted on^ viz. the 
 fiiperiority of Painting over Poetry, and which I 
 have been infenfibly led to, by the mature con- 
 fideration of fo many fa6ts, was a conclufion long 
 fince made, and thus beautifully illuftrated with 
 all the venuftas and un6lion of the ancients them- 
 fclves, in their very mythology, although it has 
 efcaped (for any thing I know to the contrary) the 
 obfervation and refearches of all the commen- 
 tators, and of thofe writers whofe opinions 1 had 
 undertaken to refute. It is then evident, that, 
 not the merely copying of actual, cafual, ordinary 
 nature, but the new moulding and imitation of it, 
 as it might poffibly be combined, according to 
 the more perfed: and wifer views of completenefs, 
 utility, and ethical adaption, was the true reafon 
 why the ancients placed this art in the hands of 
 Minerva herfelf. Since this alone appears to be 
 the difference between her work and that of 
 Arachne, and therefore our conclufion of the fupe- 
 riority of Painting over Poetry, is, by the highefl 
 authority, eflabiifhed, not only with all defirable 
 amplitude and cogency, but aifo with an addi- 
 tional, molt pertinent illuflration and confirmation 
 of the truth of that principle of wife feledion in 
 all the conftituent parts of painting, and that 
 ethical adaptation of it, as a totality which form 
 the very fuhfiratum and effence of my Ledures to 
 the Students of the Academy. Nothing can be 
 
 more 
 
( i6i ) 
 
 more noble, or more juft, than thefe principles ; 
 and it is only to be regretted that they have not a 
 better advocate, more adequate to the dignity of 
 the undertaking; and happily fupplied with the 
 necefTary materials for obfervation, which I had 
 almoft faid, had been defignedly withheld from 
 me, as much as influence and combination could 
 withhold them : however, the intention and the 
 attempt mufl: fatisfy me ; if happily I can leave 
 fomething to this end," though but in outline, 
 merely fketched out, it may be hereafter filled up, 
 and gracefully finiflied by fome perfon more for* 
 tunately circumflanced. 
 
 A further elucidation of this allegory of Minerva 
 appears from her breafli-plate, or defence of the 
 vital parts, which is a large ferpent's fkin, hang- 
 ing from her right fhoulder acrofs her brea'fl:, and 
 pafling over the heart to her left fide, where it 
 turns round under her arm as a broad-fword belt 
 or baudrier, in the ancient m.ode, when the 
 weapon hung high. The edges of this fkin appear 
 bordered with fmaller living, and, as it were, 
 embryo ferpents, twirling about different ways ; 
 but upon a more attentive infpe6tion they are 
 found to be only the feveral necks and heads of the 
 great ferpent, whofe fkin is thus wrapped round 
 Minerva ; and there is generally on the top of 
 her helmet an entire ferpent, as it were, ccuchant, 
 and juft launching, according to the diredion of 
 M Minerva’s 
 
( ) 
 
 Minerva’s head, as appears in the fine antique co^ 
 iolTal head at the Marquis of Lanfdown’s, and many 
 others. Now, as Minerva is the perfonification of 
 mind, or rather of the fovereign mind, and ifTuing 
 full formed from the head of Jove himfelf, if we 
 fuppofe thefe ferpents to reprefent thoughts or ads 
 of the mind, the myftical fenfe becomes apparent 
 in a moil beautiful and forcible manner, even to 
 the very circumflance of the heart and head, where 
 thoughts are firft conceived, and fent up to be 
 matured for ufe. This folution, fo happily cor- 
 refpondent in all its parts, like mofl other cafes 
 of the difcovery of any particular leading fad in 
 aggregate maffes of knowledge, affords day-light 
 and fatisfadion in unfolding fome perplexing diffi- 
 culties, widely extended through thofe veftiges of 
 art v/hich remain of the mqft ancient nations, and 
 the oblations to the ferpent, fo frequently found 
 amongfl the Egyptian antiquities : the fmall ferpent 
 on the heads of Ifis and Ofiris, and between the 
 horns of Apis, the Serapis, or the large ferpent 
 with a human head, become fo many manifefla- 
 tions of their being Theifts, worfhippers of the 
 fovereign mind or intelled j and poor Cadmus, 
 and his wife Harmonia, or Hermione, whole 
 transformation into ferpents was a melancholy 
 punifhment, for which, as a fchool-boy (when 
 reading Ovid), I could fee no juflice or reafon. 
 But if we confider him and his old and amiable 
 
 com- 
 
( 1^3 ) 
 
 companion as difTolving _ (according to this ex-i 
 plication) into pure intelled:, it will then become 
 an apotheohs, or at leafl a handfome compliment, 
 and a reward more reconcilable with the ideas 
 of even fciiool-boy jufrice, and well merited by 
 the introducer of literary or alphabetical knowledge 
 into Greece ; and Medea’s chariot, drawn by dra- 
 gons or winged ferpents, alfo becomes a chariot 
 Carried forward by the winged intelled: of this il- 
 iuftrious forcerefs ; alfo the traditionary myiVical 
 relation of the origin of the Scythians, refpebbing 
 the woman or forcerefs, with her lower limbs ter- 
 minating in two ferpents, whom (according to 
 Herodotus) Hercules met at Hylsa is evidently 
 made up of the fame leaven. 
 
 The ferpent with five heads, which fo fre- 
 quently occurs in the Hindoo antiquities, and 
 of which Mr. Tov/nley has a moil complete 
 fpecimen in bronze, and employed with the 
 mofV decifive fignification, where the figure of 
 Bruhma is reprefented as lying at reft in 
 eternity, within the circular, or rather elliptical 
 Ipace formed by the coils of this ferpent, whofe 
 five heads rife and hang over in a ftate of watch- 
 fulnefs. This apparent inabtion or eternal reft of 
 the Supreme Power, whilft the all-fbvereign 
 wifdom or intelled is in a ftate of waking and 
 watchfulnefs, is happily exprefied with the utnioft 
 depth and perfpicuity. How completely does it 
 M 2 exclude 
 
( 1^4 ) 
 
 exclude every thing illicit^ heterodox, and tend-* 
 ing to any of the dangerous modifications of 
 Spinofifm, old or new ! Whether the univerfe be 
 confidered as the garment, or elegant Virgilian 
 tenement of this anima mundi^ fleeping as it were 
 in the very energy and perfedtion of its adfion, 
 and, to ufe a very familiar image, like the v/ell- 
 whipped fleeping top of a fchool-boy, v;hich, 
 from the rapidity of its motion, appears perfedlly 
 at refi: ; or whether we fuppofe it to denote rdling 
 in that portion of eternity before the energy of 
 creation ; yet that eternal objehl of love and vene- 
 ration, the Almighty intelledl, the adorable / arriy 
 ■which was, is, and will be, is thus ingenioufly 
 and happily reprefented in this fpecimen of 
 Hindoo art, as ever awake, watchful, confeious, 
 and diflind from all modifications of matter. As 
 to the pidurefque licence (vulgarly called poetical) 
 of giving five heads to this ferpent (which gene- 
 rally is of the hooded, or covra capella kind) whilft 
 in this flate of watchful fuperintendence, like the 
 dragon at Colchos, or in the Hefperian garden ; 
 — whether by this licence it was (fliill farther) 
 intended to denote the live organs of fenfations, 
 by which the mind, or internal inhabitant, receives 
 every fpecies of the various information refpedting 
 all the furrounding exterior objedls, it is remark- 
 able, that as we have had but thofe five organs, 
 the number of heads, always the fame, fhould fo 
 
 exadUy 
 
( 1^5 ) 
 
 cxi^dly correfpond. But whatever might have 
 been intended by taking this liberty with the 
 ferpent, of putting five heads on this fame body, 
 although it may be as little warranted by the 
 natural hiflory of this animal, as the licence taken 
 with hum*an nature, of giving a hundred hands to 
 Briareus ; yet there are many reafons why this 
 liberty is not fo {hocking in the former as in the 
 latter cafe. Laying afide the myftical, and con- 
 fidering the mifehievous and dreadful power of 
 the ferpent, probability is not offended by the 
 feven-headed 'Hydra of Lerna, or the five-headed 
 Covra Capella of the Hindoos. Perhaps this, or 
 fomething fimilar, might be the bell reprefenta- 
 tion of the Hindoffan idea of the divine power in 
 its deftroying agency, like that terrible image with 
 fo many teeth in the Bagvat Geta, fwallowing 
 whole armies and nations. But good tafle muff 
 be for ever offended with any fuch licentious 
 indulgence, in any reprefentations where human 
 nature is concerned. — But to come back to Mi- 
 nerva : if, together with the remarkable inferiptien 
 on her temple, at Sais in Egypt, I a?n whatever 
 was^ is^ and will he^ and my vail no mortal 
 “ hath raifed,’* we add the obfervation, which 
 occurs in the fame tradt of Jfis and Oliris, where 
 Plutarch, fpeaking of the animals wdiich were 
 fuppofed to denote and accompany the ideas of 
 the feveral celeflial perfonages, the dove Venus, 
 
 M 3 the 
 
( 166 ) 
 
 the ferpent Minerva, &c. ; and alfo the informa-^ 
 tion to be gathered from the Greek flatues and 
 bafsT-reiiefs ; . Minerva then, in all the different 
 ways in which fhe is employed, whether as feeding 
 the ferpent in the elegafit little bafs-relief on the 
 triangular altar or pedeftal of the famous Barberini 
 Candelabrum (now in the Papal Mufeum), or iri 
 thofe of Hygeia, or in the Minerva at the Jufli- 
 niani, &c. with the large ferpent at her feet, 
 and raifing its head at her fide (fimilar, perhaps, 
 to that of Phidias at Athens, of which there is a 
 flight account in Paufanias ) ; but fhe is always fo 
 enveloped with this breaft-plate, or broad belt of 
 the living flcin of this many headed ferpent, as to 
 denote the fame identity with the ferpent itfelf, 
 according to the more elegant, gujiojo^ Grecian, 
 mode of rendering the fame old idea of the 
 Gentoos and Egyptians •, — it does appear then, 
 that the circle formed by the ferpent with his tail 
 in his mouth, which was fuppofed to denote 
 eternity, has ftill much more in it, and was 
 adually intended to typify the eternity of the 
 fupreme mind or intelledl : and the ferpent en- 
 veloping the globe, or the mundane egg, its 
 involudons round the Hindoflan lingham, or 
 playing round the Greek feven-ftringed lyre of 
 Apollo. How important are thefe leffons, and 
 how admirably and gracefully conveyed I 
 
 The 
 
( 1^7 ) 
 
 This ancient afTociation of ideas, which conneft 
 wifdom with the ferpent, made its way down to 
 the very promulgation of Chriilianity^ where 
 it is recommended to conned the v/ifdom of 
 the ferpent, with the innocence of the dove ; 
 and the ferpent, in the beautiful allegorical or 
 myftical reprefentation refpeding the ilate of 
 innocence, is denominated the fubtileft beaft of 
 the field. Were we to examine this matter 
 in another way ; the old ferpent, the great dragon 
 with hideous Cerberean heads, who,^ after hav- 
 ing fpread its peflilendal infedions far and 
 wide, is chained down by the angel in the Reve- 
 lations, how happily does it pourtray the felf- 
 importance, pride, and malignant, though im- 
 potent enterprifes of the creature, rebelling againfl 
 his Almighty Creator, and impioufly abufing his 
 allotted portion of intelled in the reprobate 
 atheiflical barkings, and perverfe, hellifh yells of 
 thofe dodrines of materialifm, which with fuch a 
 mifchievous, hateful induflry, is, in the true fpirit 
 of Anti-Chrift, attempted to be obtruded on the 
 world, under the fpecious much-abufed name of 
 philofophy ! However, God forbid that our 
 horror and hatred of the dodrine fhould be ex- 
 tended to the men who poffefs it ! their ftate of 
 mind, whether arifing from reflivenefs, vanity, or 
 miftaken calculation, is comfortlefs and gloomy 
 jcnough, v/ithout any further addition from the want 
 
 M 4 of 
 
 t \ 
 
( 168 ) 
 
 of kindnefs and charity in their fellow men: their 
 opinions ought to be left to God and theinfelves, 
 which I hope, in future, will ever be the cafe ; 
 and that they will themfelves endeavour generoufly 
 to make the bafis of citizenihip as broad as may 
 be, and give every encouragement and example to 
 this pacific difpofition, by adopting fuch a temper, 
 and even toleration, in the management of their 
 difputes, as will comport better with the necefTary, 
 focial charities. Their information does by no 
 means entitle them to afTume fo many magifterial 
 airs of fupercilious contempt for their believing 
 opponents : it would better become them to be 
 more fparing of uncivil, ofFenfive epithets; fu-» 
 perftition, bigotry, or ignorance, need not be 
 flung fo liberally and indifcriminately on all reli- 
 gious belief whatever, fo as to include a Socrates, 
 a Plato, a Bacon, a Fenelon, Milton, or Locke, 
 Boerhaave, Grotius, and many fuch. Alas ! it is 
 very certain that the moft hopelefs and unmanage- 
 able of atheiftical difputants would be the man of 
 ieaft information refpe6ting all that beauty, order, 
 and wife, admirable adaptation, which conftitute 
 the phaenomena of the natural and moral world ; 
 and it is to be lamented, that but few men are 
 likely to feel themfelves difpofed to afford the 
 necelfary time or patience for communicating the 
 previous information, upon which the fubfequent 
 convidion of fuch a would-be philofopher, mufl: 
 
 be 
 
( 169 ) 
 
 be founded. Humility is a Chriftian virtue, of 
 no fmall utility in the numerous clalTes where 
 enquiry cannot be conveniently purfued. 
 
 If any one Ihould Hart a query, why the ancients, 
 who reafoned fo deeply, fhould, in their perfoni- 
 fications of the fovereign wifdom, have chofen 
 Minerva a female ; why the Mufes, who prefide 
 over the feveral fubordinate modes of intelligence, 
 3cc. are all females ^ and why the converfation of 
 the ferpent was held with Eve, in order that her 
 influence might be employed in perfuading Adam^ 
 fuch queries could have been well and pertinently 
 anfwered, by the eloquent, generous, amiable fen- 
 fibility of the celebrated and long-to-bedamented 
 Mary Wolfbone craft, and would interv/eave very 
 gratefully with another edition of her Rights of 
 Women. Her honefl heart, fo eftranged from 
 all felflfhnefs, and which could take fo deep and 
 generous an interefl in whatever had relation to 
 truth and juftice, however remote as to time and 
 place, would find fome matter for confolation, in 
 difcovering that the ancient nations of the world 
 entertained a very different opinion of female ca- 
 pabilities, from thofe modern Mahometan, tyran- 
 nical, and abfurd degrading notions of female na- 
 ture, at which her indignation was fo juHly raifed* 
 Civil fociety has many obligations to that excel- 
 lent woman, and would do well to difcharge feme 
 of them, by kind attentions to the two female 
 
 children 
 
( ) 
 
 children fhe has left behind her, if ever they Ihould 
 need them, which I am happy .to fay is not the 
 cafe at prefent, nor likely to be fo, whilft God 
 Almighty fpares the life and health of the inge- 
 nious Mr. Godwin, the father of one, and the kind 
 and generous prote6lor of the other. 
 
 Thefe obfervations refpeding the patronage and 
 prefidency of Minerva in our art, have fuggefted 
 themfelves to me in the painting of a work which 
 is now under my hands, and, though very large, 
 makes but part of another v/ork of confiderable 
 extenfion (J pray God 1 may be fuffered to carry 
 it on, and hnilli it* in peace ; horrid to think ! but 
 Jet me go on) : it is the ftory of Pandora, or the 
 Heathen Eve, brought into the Alfembly of the 
 Gods, preparatory to the fending her down to 
 Epimetheus, her deftined hufband ; where, whilft 
 Pandora is dreffing by the attendant Graces, Mi-, 
 nerva is difoourfing to her on the domeflic duties 
 of a wife, with a fhuttle in her right hand, and 
 in her left a tapeftry robe wov^n with it, in which 
 is reprefented, by a few intimations in the en- 
 lightened parts of the folds, the ftory of Jove 
 fulminating the Titans, or the punifhment of that 
 pride and arrogance which was likely foon to be- 
 come apparent in the defcendants of our poor 
 Pandora. The moment I came to alk myfelf, 
 what it was that Minerva was teaching to Pandora, 
 it opened upon me all at once, that fhe was teach- 
 
( I?! ) 
 
 lag her to painty teaching her an art which was fa 
 capable of being made fubfervient to all the focial 
 duties, and where it was inapoffible to excel in it, 
 without the acquifition of fuch information, re- 
 fpefling all the concerns and dearell interefts of 
 humanity, as could not fail, when joined with the 
 fjperior fentiment and graces of femine foftnefs, 
 to become the folace and anodyne againft the 
 numberlefs and unavoidable miferies of life j and 
 as wives, mothers, daughters, fillers, citizens, and 
 above all, as friends, thefe endearing accomplifh- 
 ments, which would thus attach, could not fail of 
 rendering them the graceful ornaments of all na- 
 tions. Hurried, as I am, to clofe this letter, I 
 mull, however, here allow myfelf juft to obferve, 
 that this matter refpedling the utility, propriety, 
 and peculiar adaptation of Minerva's interference 
 \n female education^ coming as it does, with all the 
 recommendations of refpedlability from fuch re- ^ 
 mote antiquity, and through that claffical, grace- 
 ful channel, where civiiifation muft recognife fo 
 many obligations, fuch a matter as this is moft af- 
 furedly highly worthy the ferious conhderation of 
 the females of our iflands. Pandora herfelf, let us 
 fuppofe what we may, could not poffibly have 
 higher pretenfions to ail the beauties and graces of 
 form, colour, and natural difpofition, than many 
 which, according to the confeftion of all Europe, 
 it is the pride and glory of our mild and genial 
 
 climate 
 
( ) 
 
 climate to produce : a race of women better cal- 
 culated to difplay the falutary effeds of fuch an 
 education, certainly never exifled. It is painful 
 to me to be obliged to cenfure, and yet it has been 
 my fortune to be much concerned in matters where 
 the performance of this harfh talk became a duty, 
 from which I ought not to Ihrink. I mull then, 
 with all becoming fubmilTion to my delliny, pro- 
 ceed to Hate, though as briefly as may be, that 
 our females { of fuch independent eafy means as 
 might place them above drudging, for the necef- 
 faries of fubfillencej would do well, or at leaft 
 thofe who are interelled in their real advantage, to 
 fubftitute this art of Minerva, which is conneded 
 with fo many benefits to themfelves, and to every 
 thing conneded with them, in lieu of that art of 
 Mufic, upon which fo much female time and at- 
 tention is wafled, and where, after the greated, or 
 at lead the mod important part of life (becaufe it 
 is that part which is devoted to the acquifition of 
 what is to be ufed and pradifed upon ever after), 
 where this mod important time and attention is 
 employed in the purfuit of the infinitelTimal divi- 
 dons and arrangements of flats and lharps, and a 
 long et c^teray altogether unconneded with the 
 acquifition of even one Angle idea towards the 
 expanfion or improvement of cither the head 
 or the heart, and which, even after fo much 
 
 labour 
 
( 173 ) 
 
 kbour and application, is likely to leave them 
 nothing better than a mere toy of amufement for 
 tickling the ear, inftead of being what they might 
 be, the well-inftm6bed companion and confidential 
 afifociate, fo peculiarly calculated for the commu- 
 nication of many intereding concerns, where a 
 man is likely to want a true friend, if he does not 
 find it in a female, for men have naturally too 
 much rivaljhip, to expefb any utility or aflift- 
 ance from them : on certain trying occafions of 
 daily occurrence men never can have the fame 
 interefts. Nothing could be more wifely and ad- 
 mirably adapted to this moft interefting end than 
 female nature, when its education co-operates with 
 that defire and endeavour implanted by its Crea^ 
 tor, of recommending itfelf by the dear heart-felt 
 offices of fatisfa6lion and utility ; or, as tho old 
 phrafe nobly and pithily words it, of being indeed 
 a helpmate both in body and mind. Even the 
 very faults of women arife from this generous 
 fource of fociability, from the efforts to excel each 
 other in pleafing, and creating a fuperior intereft 
 in the other fex, which appears to be their wife, 
 as well as their deftination, at all events ; and the 
 means they are obliged to employ to this end, are 
 generally well adapted, and in unifon with the 
 difpofitions on which they were intended to ope- 
 rate. Indeed their endeavour is generally and 
 generoufiy to outdo and go even further than the 
 
 male. 
 
C 174 ) 
 
 male, in the objed of his own wiflies, whatever it 
 may be. Hence it is, that the wife of a cheating 
 Ihopkeeper or dealer, is generally a greater, or 
 more complete cheat than her hufband : the 
 vromen attaching to a camp, a banditti, or a horde 
 of Indians, are (merely to recommend themfelves) 
 generally more refined in cruelty than the men : 
 and as a few exceptions cannot prevent the ad- 
 miffion of general truths, fo we might well expe6t 
 to find the wife of a Phocion, Brutus, Barneveldt, 
 Grotius, and Roland, fo much of a texture with 
 their excellent hufbands. And I will, from the 
 memoirs relating to the Archhifhop of Paris, 
 Cardinal de Noailles, one of the laft glorious 
 affertors of the fev/ Gallican liberties then furviv- 
 ing, add the following paffage (well worthy re- 
 marking) refpe6ling that admirable, excellent 
 man, Dagueffeau, the Procureur General of 
 France, who, when he was obliged to go into the 
 King's prefence at Verfailles, Auguft ii, 1714, 
 with the alternative before him, either to facrifice 
 his confcience and duty, by an acquiefcence with 
 the Royal defpotic Declaration, or incurring the 
 King’s difpleafure by refufing it : Avant que de 
 
 partir, il dit adieu a la Procureufe Generale, Sc 
 iui fit fentir qu’il ne f^avoit pas s’il n’iroit point 
 coucher a la Bafliile ; mais fans etre etonee de ce 
 ‘‘ difcours, & fans s'attendrir fur le fort d’un 
 epoux qui lui eft fi cher, elle lui repondit avec 
 
 “ courage : 
 
( >75 ) 
 
 courage : Allez^ Monfieur^ & comme fi 
 
 vous tC aviez ni femme ni enfans 5 f aime infiniment 
 mieux vous voir conduire avec honneur a la Baftille 
 “ que de vous voir revenir ici deshonorL^'' I have 
 much pkafure in believing that I know fome 
 women who could equal all the dignity of Madame 
 Daguefleau’s admirable condu6l, had their huf- 
 bands (if in fimilar circumftances) the magnani- 
 mity to furnifh the occahon. With fuch a coad- 
 jutor at a man’s elbow, how patiently, ferenely, 
 and, I had almofl: faid, good-humouredly, might 
 he not pafs through any florms ! how little could 
 the envy or malignity of any combinations affed 
 him ! 
 
 It is much to be wifhed that the illuftrious ex- 
 ample of female education at Windfor, which has 
 been attended with fuch grateful fruits in the many 
 interefting and univerfally acknowledged accom- 
 plilhments of our amiable PrinceJfeSy was more 
 imitated than it has been by all parents, after her 
 moft gracious Majefly the ^een had held out to 
 them a fpecimen fo exemplary and fuccefsful. I 
 am happy to have long fmce taken fuch notice of 
 this wife, graceful fpecimen of female education, 
 as to have interwoven it with my work on the ne- 
 ceflity of human culture, at the Adelphi, as appears 
 from my fketch for the fpace in the centres, over the 
 fire-places, which accomipanied the prints of that 
 work, publifhed in May, 17*91 : and I could notre- 
 
 fufe 
 
( 176 ) 
 
 ftifernyfelf thepleafure of recognizing that incident 
 of jiiftice to her Majefty'^ moft fagacious conduft 
 upon an occafion where the very important buhnefs 
 of female education again occurred to my obferva- 
 tion. I am glad to have arrived at the end of my 
 letter; it has gotten immoderately long, and has tired 
 even myfelf: but ftill, as the refpe6lable name of 
 Sir Jofhua Reynolds has fo frequently occurred in. 
 it, a name interefting to the Art and to the Nation, 
 and in which you had more than a participation of 
 the common property ; as he was a Member of 
 your Society, it will very well coincide with the 
 publicity of our views, to mention his name again^ 
 and to tranfcribe here a few obfervations upon the 
 charafler of his works, which I took occafion to 
 mention in the Academy (jufl: after his death), 
 under a hope of inducing that body to fet on foot a 
 fubfcription for ere6Hng a monument to his me- 
 mory. It came in at the conclufion of my Leflure 
 on Colouring, and was as follows : 
 
 A jufc attention to the admirable principles of 
 chiaro-fcuro and colouring, difcoverable in the 
 fine works of Titian, Rubens, Rembrandt, and 
 » Vandyck, muft, more than any thing, lead us to 
 refiedt upon the great lofs this Academy has fuf- 
 tained by the death of its late illuflrious Prefident. 
 In this very important part of the Art, Sir Jofhua 
 Reynolds was fingularly excellent ; and we might 
 call to our recolledion many of his works which 
 
 have 
 
( 177 ) 
 
 have been exhibited on thefe walls, that may be 
 ranked with the fineft examples for colouring and 
 chiaro-fcuro. For a great part of his life, he was 
 continually employed in the painting of portraits, 
 undoubtedly becaufe there was no demand in the 
 country for any thing elfe, as the public tafte had 
 been formed to this by the long line of the Hud- 
 fons, Highmores, Jervoices and Knellers, who 
 had preceded him, and whofe works fufficiently 
 teftify, from what a wretched ftate Sir Jofliua 
 raifed this branch of the art, and how vigorous, 
 graceful, and interefting it became, by the mafterly 
 way in which he treated it. In many of Titian’s 
 portraits, the head and hands are mere flaring, 
 lightilh fpots, unconne6ted with either the drapery 
 or back ground, which are fometimes too dark, 
 and mere obfcure nothings : and in Lely, and 
 even in Vandyck, we fometimes meet with the 
 other extreme, of too little folidity, too much 
 flicker and wafhinefs. Sir Jofhua’s obje6l appears 
 to have been, to obtain the vigour and folidity of 
 the one, and the buflle and fpirit of the other, with- 
 out the exceffes of either, and in by far the greatefl 
 part of his portraits he has admirably fucceededo 
 His portrait of Mrs. Siddons is, both for the ideal 
 and executive, the finefl pidlure of the kind, per- 
 haps, in the world ; indeed, it is fomething more 
 than portrait, and may ferve, to give an excellent 
 idea of what an enthufiaftic mind is apt to conceive 
 
 N of 
 
( >78 ) 
 
 of thofe pi6lures of confined hiftory, for which 
 Appelles was fo celebrated by the ancient writers. 
 But this pidure of Mrs. Siddons, or the Tragic 
 Mufe, was painted not long fince, when much of 
 his attention had been turned to hiftory ; and it 
 is highly probable that the pi6lure of Lord Heath- 
 field, the glorious defender of Gibraltar, would 
 have been of equal importance, had it been a 
 whole length; but even as it is, only a buft, yet 
 there is great animation, and a fpirit happily 
 adapted to the indications of the tremendous fcene 
 around him, and to the admirable circumftance of 
 the key of the fortrefs, firmly grafped in his 
 hands, than which imagination cannot conceive 
 any thing more ingenious, and heroically charac- 
 teriftic. 
 
 It is, perhaps, owing to the Academy, and fo 
 his fituation in it, to the difcourfes which he 
 biennially made to the pupils upon the great prin- 
 ciples of Hiftorical Art, and the generous ardour of 
 his own mind, to realife what he advifed — to thefe 
 alone (and not to any profped of patronage or 
 of great emolument) we are indebted for a few 
 expanfive efforts of colouring and chiaro-fcuro, that 
 would do honour to the firft names in the records of 
 Art; Nothing can exceed the brilliancy of light, the 
 force and vigorous effedl of his pidture of the 
 Infant Hercules ftrangling the ferpents : it pof- 
 feffes all that we look for, and are accuftomed to 
 
 admire 
 
(■ *79 ) 
 
 admire in Rembrandt, united to beautiful forms, 
 and an elevation of mind, to which Rembrandt 
 had no pretenfions. The prophetical agitation of 
 Tirefias and Juno, enveloped with clouds, hang- 
 ing over the fcene, like a black peftilence, can 
 never be too much admired, and are indeed truly 
 fublime. It is very much to be regretted, that this 
 pidure is in the hands of ftrangers, at a great 
 diftance from the leffer works of Sir Jofhua,* as it 
 would communicate great value and hlat to them. 
 What a becoming, graceful ornament it would be 
 in one of the halls of the City of London 1 But 
 from an unhappy combination of evils, generally 
 attendant upon human affairs (particularly on thofe 
 which, from their fuperior importance, are likely 
 to excite much attention), there is, and almoft 
 always has been, occafion to lament, that nearly 
 nine out of ten of thofe great opportunities of the 
 exertions of Art have been little better than thrown 
 away. When a great corporation, or any other 
 great employer, are willing to beftow attention upon 
 Art, and expend largely for the gratification of the 
 public tafte in this way, there is then done all that 
 can fairly be expeded from them ; but whether this 
 lhall be well or ill direfted, is very fortuitous, andj 
 as Fenelon, and all men of obfervation tell us, will 
 depend greatly upon fuch tricks, artifices and 
 fcrambling, as muff bring it more within the 
 reach of meannefs and cunning, frona whom little 
 
 N a 
 
 can 
 
( 1^0 ) 
 
 can be expeiled, than of that elevation of foul, anti 
 important ability, that alone couH do adequate 
 honour to the undertaking. The great employer 
 is the greateft (I had almoft faid the only) lofer, 
 when he does not fortunately light upon an artift 
 at par with the undertaking : the labours of rg- 
 noraoce can be the vehicle of nothing creditable 
 with pofterity : the good favour of the employers, 
 or the greatnefs of the undertaking, cannot give 
 fuch an artift the neceflary requifites. Although 
 then there is no reafonable ground for blame or 
 cenfore,- yet there is much for regret and concern, 
 as thefe combinations of artifice on the one fide, 
 and miftake on the other, are fo often infeparablc 
 concomitants in the concerns of Art. A very 
 ftriking inftance of this unlucky combination hap- 
 pened not long fince in a fifter kingdom, where it 
 appears that the Viceroy, and all the chief per- 
 fonages of the country, were fo far infatuated, as 
 to throw away their countenance and attention upon 
 a large hiftorical pidbare, painted by an engraver, 
 which was to be a glorious record and commemo- 
 ration of a great kingdom, of a new Order of 
 Knighthood, and of St. Patrick, the patron of 
 both. How fuch an artift could, in an enlightened 
 age, and in the face of a Royal Academy, miiftcr 
 up the neceflary effrontery for fuch an undertaking, 
 and expedl, and really find fo much fupport in it, 
 is a matter of real aftonilhment. 
 
 Nothing 
 
( ) 
 
 Nothing could be more fatal, than that the 
 Students of the Academy Ihould ever be deluded 
 into the notion, that there are any Ihort cuts to be 
 found, by which the ends of Art may be obtained, 
 without all that long and previous education and 
 labour that have been heretofore judged fo ne- 
 cefTary. The rejection of all the drawings for 
 the Academy Figure, at the laft contention for 
 the Medals, * which never happened before, 
 
 would 
 
 , • In the above-mentioned reje^ion of all the drawings of the 
 Academy Figure, offered by the ftudents in their competition for 
 that filver medal, the fault, from whatever caufe, inuft reft with 
 the ftudents themfelves, as every necefiary afiiftance towards 
 drawing from the li<vmg model was liberally provided for them in. 
 the Academy. Under a hope that our inftitution may be fur- 
 niflied with a limilar exculpation, in the higher, moft important 
 concern of all, relpe^ling that gold medal, which is the prize of 
 painting, and the laft feal of the Academy fet to the abilities of 
 the ftudents, before they are fent into foreign countries, it may 
 be to the purpofe to infert here the following obfervations, with 
 which I thought it necefiary to conclude my firft lecture, a fort- 
 night lince, January i, 1798; they arofe from another melan- 
 choly difgraceful faft, which affords additional proof of the ab- 
 folute necefiity for that public colleftion of pictures, for the forn.a- 
 tion of our young painters, of which fo much has been faid in the 
 above letter. The obfervations follow : 
 
 “ Young Gentlemen, it muft be a matter of moft ferious con- 
 cern to every one who has any feeling for the national charafter, 
 for its glory, or its difgrace, to call up the recollection of what 
 happened in this room at our laft meeting a month fmee, on the 
 «n the loth of December. At that meeting, which was called for 
 the diftribution of the Prizes, I am afhamed to fay, there was 
 no medal given for painting} and further, that, preparatory to 
 that meeting, I was of the fame opinion with all the other acade- 
 
 N 5 micians. 
 
( iSi ) 
 
 would incline one to think, that fome of the ftu- 
 dents are in too great a hurry, and wifli to appear 
 
 at 
 
 midans, that the pidures which were fent by the candidates for 
 the prize of painting, did not any of them deferve the medal, and 
 ought to be, and were accordingly voted out of the room, fo as 
 that they might not be feen by the public on the day of the dillri- 
 bution of the prizes. 
 
 “ Under a hope that this might never happen again, I thought 
 it neceflary topropofe to the Academy to adopt two regulations 
 to operate henceforward : one, that all future candidates for the 
 prize in painting, be required to fend forae pidlure of their per- 
 formance, to be infpeded by the Academy, in order to obtain 
 its confent to their becoming candidates for that meual j the other 
 law' was, that their performances Ihould be fent without any outfide 
 frame, in order to lave the candidates from any unneceflary ex* 
 pence : and I am happy to inform you that the Academy thought 
 with me, and adopted both thofe regulations. I do not. Gentle- 
 men, mention this vexatious faft of the rejedlion of thofe pi6fures, 
 as a matter of any blame to you. No, no, far from it j the fault 
 lies not with you, but with the inftitution itfelf, which unreafon- 
 ably, cruelly requires from you, what it does not furnifh you with 
 the means of performing. The Academy, at prefent, is but a 
 drawlng-fchool, no more ; and although itholdsout the tempta- 
 tion of a gold medal, inviting you to paint, yet it does not pro- 
 vide you with any authorifed, legitimate exemplars, for the ftudy 
 of painting. You can all bear witnefs how long and zealoully I 
 have been labouring to obtain for you this neceflary deciflve aflifl- 
 ■ance, without which your time and application will be cruelly arid 
 wickedly wafted, without utility or credit to the public, and 
 with extreme injuftice and injury to you: this afliftance would 
 even have fupplied all that was wanting in the performance of 
 thofe pidtures rejedled laft month, which w^ere not defeftive in 
 point of genius. I have however one hope yet remaining, from a 
 matter which is now in the prefs, where I have brought together 
 every thing that occurred to me, as likely to induce his MajeJlj 
 , gracioufly 
 
( ,) 
 
 at the end as cheaply as poffible. Although this 
 be too much the charadler of the age we live in, 
 yet it ought to be hoped that the ftudents, young 
 men, with time before them, would heartily 
 defpife it, and learn to think more generoufly ; 
 they, I perfuade myfelf, were led into tliat precipi- 
 tation, by a late regulation, regarding the duration 
 of (ludy, but which has been fince done away : to 
 this we fhall aferibe it, and not to any want of 
 modefty in the fbudents. They will let no exanir 
 pies of any feeming temporary fuccefs prevail with 
 them, to have any reliance on whatever may be 
 
 obtained 
 
 gracioufly to extricate the Academy from this vexatious dilemma, 
 which it is in his power to do, with much eafe, no expence, and 
 great glory, both to himfelf and the nation. It is a Letter to the 
 Dilettanti Society, refpedling the obtention of certain matters 
 efientially neceffary for the improvement of the public tafte, and 
 for accomplifhing the original views of the Royal Academy of 
 Great Britain j leaving to the wifdom and diferetion of the 
 Dilettanti Society, the proper mode of forwarding it to the King, 
 And as I had no perfonal end of intereft, and nothing in view but 
 your necelTary fervice and advancement, the reputJttion of the 
 Academy, and the ultimate glory of the King and Country, I 
 bare allowed myfelf all the latitude of that manly and free dif- 
 cufllon the nature of the cafe fo preflingly required. Adulation 
 could be of no ufe with either the King or the Public j there has 
 been already but too much of it, by which both have been gi iev- 
 oully abufed and milled. The friendly phyfician, who aims to do 
 good, and to fave, will, in many cafes, feel himfelf ol^liged to 
 withhold mollients, until they can be fafely indulged after the 
 gangrene has been done away by the necefl'arj caullic remedies.’* 
 
 N4 
 
( jH ) 
 
 obtained by the difingenuous arts of cabal and 
 intrigue ; they will remember, that 
 
 “ Painful and flow, to noble Arts we rife, 
 
 “ And long, long labours, wait the glorious prize.'* 
 
 ' Let it be the happinefs of the ftudents, that this 
 is the fad, that the acquifition of Art requires 
 much time and great labour s this it is that 
 will fecure to themfelves, all that is valuable in 
 their Art, free from the invafions of vain people of 
 rank ^nd fortune, who, though they may be in- 
 clined to dabble, and may fomctimes obtain medals 
 and little diftindions from other focieties, yet will 
 never bellow the neceflary labour in the previous 
 ftudies, which only can enable them ultimately to 
 produce what is worthy of Art. Devote yourfelves 
 then generoully to an honourable procedure, with 
 a hearty contempt for all low cunning and Ihort 
 cuts; detefl: all clubs, and occafions of cabal 
 their prime objed is to level every thing, and give 
 ftrength to the malignity of ignorance and in- 
 capacity, by extenfive alTociations. Go home 
 from the Academy, light your lamps, and exer- 
 cife yourfelves in the creative part of your Art, 
 with Homer, with Livy, and all the great cha- 
 raders, ancient and modern, for your companions 
 and counfellors. 
 
 Thefe general refledions, which led us from Sir 
 Jofliua, have brought us to him again : the lullre 
 of his charader cannot but be profitable to you, in 
 
 what- 
 
( >85 ) 
 
 whatever way it be confidered. His efforts of the 
 hiftorical kind were all made within the compafs of 
 a few years before his death. No ftudent in the 
 Academy could have been more eager for improve- 
 ment, than he was for the laft twelve years ; and 
 the accumulated vigour and value which charac- 
 terife what he has done within that period, to the 
 very laft, could never have been forefeen or eXf 
 pe6ted from what he had done, even at the outfet 
 of the Academy, and for fome years after. It is 
 to be regretted fo much of this earneftnefs Ihould 
 have been fuftered to evaporate, without fecuring 
 fomething more for the public. His mind was full 
 of the idea of advancement, and purfuit of the 
 extraordinary and grand of the Art 3 he even, in 
 his laft difeourfe, feems to fpeak flightingly of his 
 own purfuits in the Art, and faid, that, were he to 
 begin the world again, he would leave all, and 
 imitate the manner of Michael Angelo. But 
 nothing could be more unjuft than to take this paf- 
 fage too literally : it is the natural language of a 
 mind full of generous heat, making but litde 
 account of what it had attained to, and rapidly in 
 progrefs to fomething further. But furely, with- 
 out either alteration or farther advancement, had 
 it been Sir Joftma*s fortune to have lived a little 
 longer, and, whether commiilioned or not, had he 
 contrived to have left in this great city fome work 
 of the fame majefty of efteeft, vigour, harmony, 
 
 and 
 
( *86 ) 
 
 ^nd beaut)^ of colour, the fame clafTical, happy 
 propriety of charader and intelledual arrange- 
 ment, as is confpicuoiis in his Infant Hercules, the 
 bufinefs of his reputation had been completed, and 
 his country would have the fatisfadion of ftiewing 
 a work that, upon a fair balance of excellence and 
 deficiency on both fides, would not fhrink from a 
 comparifon with the moft efteemed works : and 
 you, Young Gentlemen, would be thereby pof- 
 fefled of a great advantage in aflifting your ftudies, 
 particularly in the chiaro-feuro and colouring, in 
 which he was fo fingularly excellent, and which 
 are fo eflentially neceflary to the perfedion of your 
 Art. 
 
 We fhall long have occafion to remember the 
 literary (I might fay clafiical) talents, which form 
 another part of the charader of this great man, 
 gracefully, highly ornamental, and moft becoming 
 his fituation in this Academy. From the congeni- 
 ality of mind, which aflbeiated him in friendly habits 
 with all the great literary charaders of his time, they 
 followed him into this inftitution ; and we have 
 the honour of Ihewing their names, fet like bril- 
 liants of the firft water, in the ornamental appen- 
 dages of profeiTors of ancient literature, and other 
 fuch fimilar accomplilhments aflbeiated with the 
 Academy. As to thofe admirable difeourfes which 
 he biennially read here, you will, I am fure, have 
 reafon to participate with me in the fatisfadion of 
 
 know- 
 
( 187 ) 
 
 knowing, that, together with the edition of them 
 which is now printing, there will be publiflied, 
 Obfervations on the Pidures in Flanders,” 
 which Sir Jolhua had made during a fumnner’s 
 cxcurfion to that country. How fitted to each 
 other, fuch a man, and fuch a work ! Although 
 the time at prefent will not allow us any further 
 recognition of the many fingular merits of this 
 great man, which do fo much honour to our m- 
 ftitution, and to the nation \ yet, as above all 
 things, we are molt interefted in the becoming, 
 generous feelings of the heart, it is impoflible to 
 withhold myfelf here from anticipating the exulta- 
 tion with which I ftiall fee the young artifts and 
 ftudents coming forward in a body, and with 
 honeft ardour petitioning, that a contribution from 
 them be accepted of as a part of a fund for defray- 
 ing the expence of a monument for this father 
 and ornament of the Academy. The value of 
 fuch a contribution would be derived from the en- 
 dearing exemplary circumftance of its coming frona 
 them, and not from the fum : it would be be- 
 ginning life well, and be a kind of pledge and 
 furety for the exercife of the fame feelings through 
 their remaining career ; half a crown from each 
 would be better than ten pounds. Such honeft, 
 generous intercourfe between matter and fcholan 
 the dead and the living, cannot be exercifed with- 
 out fatisfaftion and improvement to their own 
 
 hearts. 
 
( m ) 
 
 hearts- I fpeak as if there was a monument 
 to be erefted to the memory of Sir Jofhua Rey- 
 nolds j but, to my afloniiliment, I have heard 
 of no fuch matter as yet. The Academy will 
 furely foon wake and roufe itfelf^ it can never 
 fuffer that the engravers alone Ihould do themfelves 
 and their profefTion honour by eroding a monu- 
 ment to the memory of WooUet (but it ought to be 
 to Robert Strange). If fo much is done in the com- 
 memoration of fmall and fubordinate excellence, 
 what ought not the Academy to do, in a matter 
 where themfelves, the honour of the Art, and of 
 the Country, are fo deeply interefted ! Originat- 
 ing in the Academy, all the Artifts and Dilettanti 
 of the Nation would come forward, and this 
 Royal Inftittition (which, I truft, will live for 
 ever), founded in the Metropolis of the Britifli 
 Empire, would fet out in a noble becoming 
 manner. God forbid that it Ihould ever appear to 
 our fucceflbrs, in the next generation, that wc 
 too have been fo devoted to the hellilh arts of 
 mean, felfifli policy, as to negled the incumbent 
 duty of tranfmitting to them an honeft, exemplary 
 teflimony of our recognition of fo much excellence. 
 
 Read in the Academy^ Feh. i8, 1793. 
 
 The eflential fervice rendered to the Art, and to 
 the Public, by the Dilettanti Society, in affording 
 the means of completing that valuable work of 
 
 Steward's 
 
ii 
 
 l| ( 189 ) 
 
 ii Steward’s Antiquities of Athens, and alfo the othcf 
 
 I excellent work of the Ionian Antiquities, by Meflrs* 
 
 I Revet and Chandler, have induced me to hope, 
 j that fimilar good confequences will follow from 
 il their patriotic interpofition in this other matter, of 
 i even ftill higher importance, refpedting a public 
 collection of the exemplars of^ Art* 
 
 i With all due confideration, therefore, 
 
 I have to the honour to fubferibe myfelii 
 
 j My Lords and Gentlemen, 
 
 I Your fincere, and moft obedient fervant, 
 
 I JAMES BARRT, R.A. 
 
 II 
 
 ! PROFESSOR OF PAINTING TO THE KOTAt ACADEWT* 
 
 I 
 
 ji CaJHe- Street i Oxford^Market, 
 
 Jidj 2 s> 1797 * 
 
 '! . ■ 
 
 l| 
 
 :| P^ S. As it may happen, at fbme time or other, 
 
 I , that your Society, or fome Member of it, may 
 I think of colle6bing for the Public, original writ- 
 ings or letters of great Artifts, in the manner of 
 j that valuable work publifhed at Rome, in 5 vols. 
 
 ! quarto, by Monfeigneur Bottari ; I had thought of 
 j inferting here, for the benefit of fuch a colledlion, 
 
 ! a few letters written by a great man, who would 
 1 have been much greater, had he lived in a country 
 j more advanced, and better fitted to his very ex-* 
 
 ! traordinary 
 
 ! 
 
 ! 
 
 I 
 
( 19 ° ) 
 
 traordlnary attainments. Thefe letters were written 
 by Mr. Hufley, famous even from his difappoint- 
 ment, by which^ the Art and nation have loft fo 
 much. But as their infertion would have occa^ 
 fioned too great a delay in the printing, the idea 
 was given up> though with much regret, as I 
 hoped they would be the occafion of bringing to 
 light fome other writings,* letters, or interefting 
 anecdotes, of this truly great, though unfortunate 
 man, which would give me fome reafon to claim 
 merit with the public on that account. 
 
( m ) 
 
 A M 
 
 APPENDIX 
 
 DILETTANTI SOCIETY. 
 
 Containing a Continuation of Details of certain Fails winch 
 may affeil the fuccefsful Profecution of Art in the British 
 School 5 and which fully explain and comprehend the Matter 
 and Mode of the Dispute between the Royal AcademT* 
 
 Society, in page yj, quarto edition, the reader 
 will find a long note, refpefling the diftrefling 
 (ituation of the Pupils of the Royal Academy, 
 where, as the ProfefTor leduring to thofe Pupils, I 
 had occafion, on Jan. i, 1798, to advert to the 
 very difgraceful circumftance of the rejedlion of 
 all the piftures of thofe Pupils which had been re- 
 
 TO THE 
 
 LETTER 
 
 TO THE 
 
 and the Professor of Painting, from its Commencement 
 to its Termination. 
 
 the'clofe of the Letter to the Dilettanti 
 
 cently 
 
( 192 ) 
 
 tently offered for the Premium of the Academy ; 
 although at the fame time I was candidly obliged 
 to acknowledge in exculpation of thofe Pupils^ 
 that the defed:s for which their pi(5i:ures were 
 rejefted, manifeftly arofe more from the want of 
 the neceflary afliflance of legitimate old pictures, 
 as exemplars for the ftudy of the colouring and 
 mechanical condudb, than from any want of 
 genius, in which it did not appear that thofe 
 Pupils were any otherways defedtive, than in the 
 fimple circumftance of their misfortune under a 
 defective education, in having this neccffary affift- 
 ance to be derived from old pidures withheld from 
 them ; more efpeciaily at that time, when they 
 were feduced, and even hooted from fuch parts 
 of the old traditional ufage of painting as might 
 have reached them, by the very impudent, though 
 very abfurd impofture of the pretended Venetian 
 fecret, which with lo many circumftances of quack- 
 ing was at that time obtruded, or at lead attempted 
 to be obtruded upon the public attention. 
 
 Convinced as I was of this moft important 
 truth, I felt rnyfelf bound by every principle of 
 duty to the King, to the Academy, to its Pupils, 
 to the National Honour, and alfo to my own 
 charadler and feelings, never to reft in my fituation 
 as Profeflbr, nor to let others reft, until this 
 point of obtaining an Academical or Public Col- 
 k<ftion of Exemplars ftiould be happily effeded. 
 The honour of being in fome meafure inftru- 
 
 mental 
 
mental towards the obtaining of this Colleftion, fo 
 replete with public benefit, was my moft dear and 
 interefting feeling, and for which my heart was 
 ready to make any perfonal facrifice; and although 
 I had been fo long, fo invidioufly and malignantly 
 oppofed by an extenfive combination, yet 1 was 
 determined to make one more experiment, which 
 had been as yet untried, and which I had every 
 reafon to hope would force my opponents of the 
 cabal to come forward, before the funds of the 
 Academy fhould be otherways difpofed of, and 
 to take fome notice of this growing mifchief, or 
 of me ; more efpecially, as at worft, it would be 
 impoffible for them to flrip me of my Profeffor- ' 
 fhip and feat as an Academician, without at the 
 fame time bringing fuch notice and general atten- 
 tion on this fubje^l of our difference, as would 
 foon furnifh the means of applying the neceffary 
 remedy, by exciting the patriotic fpirit of fome 
 clafs or other of an intelligent and generous Public; 
 and in which, thanks be to God, my experiment 
 has fucceeded beyond any expedtation I could 
 have formed. In fuch a cafe, the hazard of the 
 facrifice was the matter of duty, and confequencly 
 of glory; and I neither could nor did hefitate to 
 prefer it to the retention of a wretched falary of 
 30I. a year, annexed to my Profefforfhip, or to 
 the fears of any temporary imputations of dif- 
 grace, arifing from either impofture, or from the 
 O giddinefs 
 
C «94 ) 
 
 giddinefs ‘ and culHbility of thofe who might be 
 deceived by it. Adluated by this fenfe of duty, 
 and leaving the confequences to God, I began by 
 Jaying the whole matter before the King and the 
 Public, in that Letter to the Dilettanti Society, 
 and determined to follow it up by other adts in the 
 fame open and fearlefs manner ; and accordingly, 
 a few days after the tranfaclion of Jan. f, 1798, 
 tited in the note above mentioned, I alfo took 
 occafion to write the following letter refpedling 
 thefe*' Academical Tranfadlions, in which it will 
 appear that the interefts of fuperior Art, and the 
 reputation and glory of the Britifh School, are 
 both deeply concerned. 
 
 €aJ}le-Streeti March 5, 179 S. ; 
 
 Dear Sir> 
 
 It was my intention to have called on you 
 this morning, in order to give you, viva voce^ 
 fome account of the bufinefs carried on at the 
 Academy lad night ; but as I have been obliged to 
 wait at home on a matter which could not be 
 difpenfed with, I muft now be at the trouble of 
 tranferibing for your perufal the notes which I 
 made iaft night, after my return from the meeting 
 at the Academy. — Good God ! when v/ill all this 
 fcribbling about the curfed intriguing at the Aca- 
 demy be at an end ? But no matter, we are in 
 for it, and muft therefore go on with patience. 
 
 On 
 
( 195 ) 
 
 On the a 8th day of February, 1798, the following 
 letter was fent me from the Academy : 
 
 Sir, 
 
 You are defired to meet the Prefident, and 
 the reft of the Academicians, on Saturday next, 
 the third day of March, at feven o’clock in 
 the evening, on particular bufinefs. 
 
 “ 1 am, See. 
 
 J. Richap.ds, R.A. Sec,” 
 
 As nothing was fpecified by the vague words 
 particular bufinefs, my fufpicion was excited, that 
 fome new attack was intended on the little pro- 
 perty of the Academy, At that meeting the buft- 
 nefs was, a refolution of the Council, adopting a 
 propofai made by the Prefident, which was fol- 
 lowed by a motion of Mr. Wyat, that the Aca- 
 demy ftiould give 500I. in aid to Government at 
 the prefent crifis. As I well knew this motion would 
 be carried, and had little or no objection to it 
 myfelf, I was refolved, by concurring in it, to 
 try if the Academy could not be perfuaded to 
 blend another matter with it, and good-humouredly, 
 by a vote at the fame time of another 500I. for 
 the purchafe of fome old piflure or pidlures, for 
 the ufe of the Students, to make a beginning of 
 that Repofitory of the Materials for Art, which 
 had been fo long the deftderatum. After my 
 
 O 2 having 
 
( ^9^ ) 
 
 having Rated that this political call on the Aca- 
 demy for 500I. might be repeated next year, and 
 my difficulty of knowing where it would end, I 
 requefted, that before the Academy proceeded any 
 further, they would permit me to read to them a 
 few ffiort obfervations on the application peculiarly 
 attaching to the nature of that property acquired by 
 the Academy, with a motion founded upon thofe 
 obfervations, which I had prepared, and which 
 being but a few lines, would be no great trefpafs 
 on their time ; and I accordingly read what 
 follows : 
 
 As the Royal ACa'derny was inRituted with the 
 commendable, patriotic view of giving founda- 
 tion and efficacy to fuch a National School of 
 Art, as would be, if not adequate, at leaft not 
 unworthy the high reputation the Empire had 
 attained to in all other ref^6ls. 
 
 As the funds of the Academy have ever fince 
 its inftitutlon, for more than five and twenty 
 years, been moffc becomingly, nobly, and pa- 
 triotically employed in the endeavour of crown- 
 ing the national reputation, by the happy ad- 
 dition of this graceful and only remaining orna- 
 meat : 
 
 And as the alterations that have recently 
 taken place in Europe, make it no longer either 
 pradicable or eligible to continue the ufage 
 hitherto adopted by the Academy, of fending 
 
 its 
 
( 197 ) 
 
 its Pupils abroad for the completion of their 
 education, I have now flrong hopes of being 
 fupported with the countenance and concurrence 
 of the Academy, in moving (which I now do). 
 That of the f 4,000!. property the Academy 
 is poflefled of, whatever part of it can be 
 fpared from the neceflary ufes of the Academy 
 and from its ordinary charities, as well as from 
 the extraordinary afliflance which I hope will 
 not be withheld from fuch of its members as 
 might he neceffitated to apply for it, in this diC- 
 trefling and calamitous crifis of our affairs. What* 
 ever can be fpared after thefe neceffary atten» 
 tions, I again movcy that it be immediately laid 
 out, by a Committee appointed for the purpofe, 
 in the purchafes neceffary towards forming fuch 
 a Colie6lion of the Materials of Study, as may 
 be neceffary for completing the views of Public? 
 Education in the Arts, as well that of the Pupils 
 as of the people at large. There will be no ufe 
 or need to think impradiicably on this occafion, 
 or that fuch a colle6tion is wanting as that at the 
 Louvre, in France ; much lefs will do > for as 
 in other cafes, fo in this, according to the. wife 
 “ application of the qld adage, perhaps the half 
 would, for many reafons, b,e better than the 
 whole. Affifted with a few found Examples 
 “ in the different Walks of Art, which might he 
 “ eafily had, I Ihould haye no fear^, that the 
 
 genius 
 
( 198 ) 
 
 genius of our people would need to fhrink from 
 ‘‘ a fair 'comparifon with any thing that the 
 proudeft of our rival neighbours could oppofe 
 to us. I am well aware of the 'gallantry, high 
 abilities, and great advantages of our rival 
 brethren in Arts, on the continent 5 and yet 
 my greateft v/ilh would be to fee our Artifts 
 fairly engaged with them. Let but the Aca- 
 demy do its part on the prefent occafion, by 
 immediately giving a beginning to this necefiary 
 Storehoufe of Materials, and there can be no 
 doubt but that all Europe would be entertained, 
 and our rivals tl^emfelves not a little benefited, 
 by the exertion that the defire of keeping pace 
 with us would naturally occafion. This furely 
 is the befl, mofl becoming ufe that can be made 
 of whatever means may be in the difpofal of the 
 Academy : this would be the proper, the moft 
 effeflually Antigallican ufe that could be made of 
 thofe means : and it is but doing an act of mere 
 juftice to our rulers, in fuppofmg that it is 
 what they exped from us upon the prefent 
 occafion. Since our very Premier himfeif, in 
 his Bill for the Affeffed Taxes, has very wifely 
 and humanely taken into his confideration the 
 diflreffed flate of the Artifts of our Academy at 
 this crifis, and accordingly placed them on the 
 fame eafy and moderate footing with the keep- 
 ers of lodging-houfes. This indulgence, to the 
 
 members 
 
■ ( 199 J 
 
 members of the Academy, this recognition of 
 their inability to bear any great pecuniary pref- 
 fure, is not imputed to them by the Minifler, 
 as any derogation from the national importance 
 of their genius and abilities, as he well knows 
 that thofe pecuniary means and thefe important 
 merits are not always commenfurate. And by 
 thus immediately and eagerly embracing this 
 prefling occafion of employing your whole at- 
 ‘‘ tendon and means in furthering thofe important 
 national views of Art which have been com- 
 mitted to your integrity and care, you will give 
 the Miniiler the fatisfadlion of knowing that he- 
 wa,s not miflaken in the good opinion he had' 
 formed of this Academy, which I hope on this 
 and other occafions will be ever found to place 
 its true glory in that Artift-like exertion fof 
 the National Reputation, which the King an 4 
 People ought naturally to expedt from them.’" 
 
 This motion was made by James Barry, March 
 Z. 1793 - 
 
 When I had done reading, Mr, Wyatt afked me 
 (acrofs the tabled, if my intention by the inter- 
 vention of this paper, was to fet aflde the motiou> 
 for the contribution of 500I. aid to Govern-- 
 ment ? My anfwer was, No ; My intention is, 
 that they fhould go together, and that the Aca- 
 demy, by thus expending 500I. to give beginning^ 
 
 O 4 to 
 
( 200 ) 
 
 to a Colle6lion of Pi6lures, would thus manifeft 
 the neceffity of the thing, and thereby induce the 
 King and the Public to complete it. However, 
 as no one offered to fecond my motion, it was 
 neceffarily withdrawn, and I accordingly co- 
 operated with the reft in voting the 500I. to Go- 
 vernment, without faying any thing more refpeCl- 
 ing the defired Colledlion of Exemplars, the Pupils, 
 or the Public. One of the Academicians afked 
 me (in the courfe of defultory converfation) what 
 I meant by the 14,000!. ftated as the funds of the 
 Academy, and^ whether I did not know, that the 
 Academy at prefent had no unappropriated fund. 
 Upon enquiry, I find he was in the right, and 
 that thefe 14,000!. had been difpofed of in the 
 penfions to the Academicians, Affociates, and 
 their relatives, mentioned in the 14th and 15th 
 pages of my Letter to the Dilettanti Society, 
 quarto edition, although his Majefty’s acqui- 
 efccnce and fignature confirming that refolution, 
 had, to my certain knowledge, never been notified 
 at the general meeting of the Academy. How- 
 ever, a fafhion has obtained lately, of contenting 
 themfelves with what is known in the Council, 
 without giving themfelves any unneceffary trouble 
 about the General Meeting of the Academicians. 
 
 Another particular which alfo occurred that 
 night, tends to fhew how completely this 14,000!. 
 property of the Academy is alienated from any 
 
 other 
 
( 201 ) 
 
 Other application of it than to the mere penfion ^ 
 bufinefs, charity, and necelTary ordinary expences 
 of the Academy. 
 
 According to the ftatement of the Prefident, 
 
 Mr. Weft, the 500I. now voted to Government, 
 is to be paid down diredUy to a Banker by the 
 immediate fale of fome part of our ftock, or to be 
 paid out of the produce of the firft weeks of the next 
 coming Exhibition ; from the perplexed fumbling 
 manner in which this was ftated, it is difficult to de- 
 cypher his meaning but I believe we ffiall find that 
 both thefe particulars, the fale of fome part of the 
 ftock, and the produce of the coming exhibition, 
 were conjointly implied in it. It is to be hoped 
 that thefe firft weeks of the coming exhibition will 
 be very produ 61 :ive, and that the Academy may 
 incur no rifk from .its recent initiation in the 
 political trade of mortgaging its income to make 
 fplendid donations, or to what is even worfe, in 
 confining the application of this income, in the 
 prefent and all the future ftages of its growth and 
 increafe, to this mere penfion bufinefs, which is fo 
 much in the difpofal of the Council, or rather, o£ 
 any influence or cabal which poffibly might here- 
 after govern in the Council. So much for po- 
 litical intriguing, combination, and cabal, mixed 
 with the academical and interefting concerns of 
 the Belle Artu I hope there will never more be 
 any cccafion for my meddling in fo hateful a matter. 
 
 as 
 
C 202 ) 
 
 as there neither is, nor can be any other new pro* 
 pcrty to tempt to any further enterprizes of mif- 
 chievous application. 
 
 You will, I hope, carry in your recolledion> 
 that the Council of the Academy is not (as 
 many miflakenly have fuppofed) a permanent 
 body of eight Artifls, felefted for their peculiar 
 wifdom and fkill, from the forty Academicians, 
 the better to affift in regulating and governing 
 the Academy, like the Privy Counfellors in the 
 executive governments of great Princes ; quite 
 the- contrary, our Council of the Academy is 
 biennially changed, until all the Academicians 
 have ferved in rotation, and according to the laws 
 of the Royal Academy, and its uniform unre- 
 mitting ufage, ever fince its inftitution, for twenty- 
 eight years, to the 7th of November, 1796. 
 The authority of the Council appears to have 
 been delegated from the general body of the 
 forty Academicians, merely to compafs two fer- 
 viceable, defireable ends j firft, to obtain an ex- 
 ecutive inftrument of authority, manageable and 
 convenient, in order to fuperintend the due exe- 
 cution of the laws of the Academy already efta- 
 blilhedi and, fecondly, for the convenient and 
 more manageable inftrumentaiity of framing all 
 new laws and regulations which mdght be thought 
 neceffary to add to the old laws, and which thus 
 prepared and propofed by the Council, at the 
 
 general 
 
( ,203 ) 
 
 general aiTennbly of the Academicians, were 
 adopted or rejeded according to the majority of 
 the votes in that general aifembly of the Aca- 
 demicians, and, if adopted, confirmed at the next 
 meeting of the faid general alT^mbly : and ftill 
 further, the one hundred pounds charity annually 
 given away by the Academy, through the hands 
 of its executive ferviceable inftrument the Pre- 
 fident and Council, the faid executive inftrument 
 was diredled and governed in the diftribution of 
 that charity by the diferetionary confideration of 
 the majority of the recommendatory letters of 
 the feveral Academicians, or the preffing necef- 
 fities of the poor claimants ftated in thofe let- 
 ters. And for all this fervice and trouble taken 
 by the Council, two pounds five fhillings was 
 to be divided amongft the attending members 
 at each meeting of the Council, four of which 
 Council, with the Prefident or his Deputy, being 
 fufticient to make a Quorum, and the Secretary, 
 who had a regular annual falary, not being in- 
 cluded in the divifion of this money. 
 
 Since November 7, 1796, by the law pafied 
 on that night, if it can be confidered as being 
 regularly pafted according to ufage (fee pages i2, 
 13, 14, and (5, of my letter to the Dilletanti 
 Society, quarto edition) 5 but by that law, the 
 Council thinks itfelf now completely empowered 
 to difpofe of the prefent and future income of 
 
 the 
 
( 204 ) 
 
 the Academy in annual penfions of from fifty 
 to feventy pounds each, See. without any notiee> 
 communication, interference, or concurrence of 
 the general aflembly of the Academicians, who 
 are thus henceforward fuperfeded, and reduced to 
 the condition of mere idle lookers-on. The Coun- 
 cil has lately been applied to by certain members 
 of the Academy for pecuniary affiftance amount- 
 ing to fome hundred pounds j their determina- 
 tion on thefe applications they have never deigned 
 to lay before the general meeting of the Academy, 
 where the very interefting bufinefs of acquiefcence 
 or refufal would be attended with fo much the 
 more credit, or the lefs chagrin. Surely, if a 
 power of fuch magnitude is fufFered to operate on 
 the property and feelings of the Academy, it would 
 be much fafer lodged with the'^ Academy in its 
 general meeting, than in the hands of a Council, 
 which might be fo much more eafily influenced as 
 well as appointed by a cabal. 
 
 Alas ! poor Sir Jolhual how many melancholy 
 Gonfequences have taken place fince your removal ; 
 what an error, and evil, to fupprefs or withhold 
 any notes you might have left of the vexatious con- 
 flidts you had with this cabal. The publication 
 of fuch matters would be attended with utility to 
 thofe who come after great men, and who ma/ 
 and ought to derive at leaft this advantage of a 
 luminous deteftion and difeovery of thofe evils by 
 
 which. 
 
( ^05 ) 
 
 whlch> perhaps for this very end. Providence per- 
 mitted them to be fo traverfed and affli6bed. 
 
 But as you may be defirous of knowing fome- 
 thing more particularly of the nature of this penfion 
 bufinefs fo often mentioned, however ardently I 
 wifli to have finally and for ever done with it, I 
 will notwithftandlng gratify you, by tranferibing a 
 few pafTages from our Abftrad of the Inftrument 
 of Inftitution and Laws of the Royal Academy, 
 which have been lately reprinted, and which I 
 received from our Secretary on Monday the 5th 
 of February, 1798, (on the night of my Le.durc 
 on Chiaro Scuro). I ought firft to flate, that by 
 the Treafurer’s report of the 31ft of December, 
 1797, the folid funds of the Academy were 
 io,oool. and the charity fund 7500I. What I 
 lhall fet down here from our before-mentioned 
 Abftradl of the Laws, &c. begins at page 27. 
 
 The money received at the Exhibition, after 
 payment of the annual or contingent expences, 
 and the ufual charitable donations, lhall be 
 hereafter applied towards the increafe of the 
 Stock in the Three per Cents. Confolidated 
 Annuities, which lhall be called the Penfton 
 Fund : And when the faid Hock lhall amount 
 to ten thoufand pounds, the Council lhall have 
 power to give the following penfions, viz. 
 To an Academician, a penhon not exceeding 
 
 fifty 
 
( ^2o6 ) 
 
 5^ fifty pounds per annum, provided the fum given 
 does not make his annual income exceed one 
 hundred pounds. 
 
 “ To an AlTociate a penfion not exceeding 
 thirty pounds per Annum, provided the fum 
 does not make his annual income exceed eighty 
 
 “ To a Widow of an Academician, a penfion 
 not exceeding thirty pounds per annum, pro- 
 vided the fum given does not make her annual 
 “ income exceed eighty pounds. 
 
 To a Widow of an AiTociate, a penfion not 
 exceeding twenty pounds per annum, provided 
 the fum given does not make her annual income 
 exceed fifty pounds. 
 
 When the fund fhall be increafed to fifteen 
 thoufand pounds, the Council fhall have power 
 “ to give the following penfions, viz. 
 
 To an Academician, a penfion not exceeding 
 fixty pounds per annum, providedithe fum given 
 ‘‘ does not make his annual income exceed one 
 hundred pounds. 
 
 To an AfTociate, a penfion not exceeding 
 thirty-fix pounds per annum, provided the fum 
 given does not make his annual income exceed 
 eighty pounds. 
 
 ‘‘ To a Widow of an Academician, a penfion 
 not exceeding thirty-fix pounds per annum, 
 
 “ provided 
 
 pounds. 
 
( 207 ) 
 
 provided the fum given does not make her 
 annual income exceed eighty pounds. 
 
 To a Widow of an Aflbciate, a penfion not 
 exceeding twenty-five pounds per annum, pro- 
 yided the fum given, does not make her annual 
 income exceed fifty pounds. 
 
 When the fund fhall be encreafed to twenty 
 thoufand pounds, the Council fhall have power 
 to give the following penfions, viz. 
 
 To an Academician, a penfion not exceeding 
 feventy pounds per annum, provided the fum 
 given does not make his annual income exceed 
 one hundred pounds. 
 
 ‘‘ To an Aflbciate, a penfion not exeeding fifty 
 pounds per annum, provided the fum given 
 does not make his annual income exceed eighty 
 pounds. 
 
 “ To a Widow of an Academician, a penfion 
 not exceeding fifty pounds per annum, pro- 
 vided the fum given does not make her annual 
 income exceed eighty pounds. 
 
 To a Widow of an AlTociate, a penfion not 
 exceeding thirty pounds per annum, provided 
 the fum given does not make her annual income 
 exceed fifty pounds. 
 
 Every Academician, AlTociate, Widow of an 
 “ Academician, and Widow of an Afibciace, who 
 is a claimant for a penfion from the Royal 
 Academy, fhall produce fuch proofs, as the 
 
 “ Frefident 
 
( 208 ) 
 
 Prefident and Council may require, of their 
 fituation and circuniftances ; and in this examl- 
 ‘‘ nation the Prefident and Council fhall confider 
 themfelves as fcrupuloufly bound to inveftigate 
 each claim, and to make proper dlfcriminations 
 between imprudent condu6b, and the unavoid- 
 ** able failure of profeffional employment, in the 
 ** Members of the Society ; and alfo to fatisfy 
 tliemfelves in refpedt to the moral condu6l of 
 “ their widows. 
 
 ‘‘ Any Academician or Afibciate who fhall 
 omit exhibiting in the Royal Academy for two 
 fucceHive years, fliall have no claim on the 
 “ penfion fund, under any of the regulations 
 ** above-mentioned, unlefs he can give fatisfa6lory 
 proof to the Prefident and Council, that fuch 
 “ omilTion was occafioned by illnefs, age, or any 
 other caufe, which they fhall think a reafonable 
 excufe. This limitation not to extend to 
 Sculptors, who are to be allowed three years, 
 nor to Academicians or AfTociates, who ha^ e 
 attained the age of fixty. 
 
 Thefe penfions fliallnot preclude any Acade- 
 mician, AfTociate, or their Widows, in cafes of 
 ‘‘ particular diflrefs, arifing from young children, 
 or other caufes, from receiving fuch temporary 
 relief, as may appear to the Council to be 
 necefiary or proper to be granted. But it is to 
 be ftridlly underflood, that this Penfion Fund 
 
 fliall 
 
{ 209 ) 
 
 iliall, on no account, be confidered as liabicr 
 to claims to relieve fuch difficulties. All fums 
 paid on account of claims of fuch a nature, fhall 
 be carried to the current expences of the year. 
 
 After the Penfion Fund is made up twenty 
 thoufand pounds three per cents, all future fav^ 
 ings (hall be veiled in the public funds, and be 
 applied to the general purpofes of the Academy.’’ 
 
 A few qu^eries naturally occur here, viz. In any 
 elTential alterations in the places, or new acquifi- 
 tions to the objeds of ftudy in the Academy, is it 
 not ftill the duty of the Council previoufly to lay 
 the whole matter before the General Meeting of 
 the Academy, either to be determined by its 
 united ikill, or by any Committee it might think 
 proper to appoint for that exprefs purpofe. 
 
 As the authority of the Prefident and Council 
 is a derived, fubordinate authority, extending no 
 further than to the framing and propofmg new 
 laws for the confideiation of the Academy, or 
 to the over-feeing the due execution of the laws 
 already ellablifhed, it cannot be a qusere, and the 
 Prefident and Council (for many other and weighty 
 reafons, befides their having no authority or com- 
 miffion from the Academy for it,) moil afTuredly 
 ought not by any means to be permitted to treat 
 with the Minifler, with any Corporation, or 
 any other people of importance, refpefting any 
 P matter 
 
( 210 ) 
 
 matter v/here the honour or interefts of the Aca- 
 demy may be concerned, without the complete and 
 entire knowledge of the Academy, who ought to 
 fupervife all the ftages of the progrefs of fuch 
 tranfa6]:ions, in order that no impediment from 
 mifmanagement or other caufe might difablc the 
 Academy from terminating fuch tranfaftion with 
 honour and fatisfadion. The honour and intereil 
 of the Academy abfolutely require this ^ the Pre- 
 fident and Council might be utterly inadequate in 
 ^ many cafes that might occur, and they ought not 
 in any cafe whatever be permitted to envelop any 
 thing with myldery and concealment, nothing 
 fliould ever be permdeted to be fmuggled, and 
 erafure and undoing would in fome cafes be utterly 
 impradlicable, and in all cafes mufl ever appear 
 unbecoming, odious, and difgracefui to fuch a 
 body as the Royal Academy of Great Britain. * 
 The abfolute necefiity for this cautious prudence 
 of the Academy muft be very apparent even from 
 what occurred at the very lafl meeting of the 3d 
 * of March, 1798. When the propofed bufmefs of 
 that meeting, confiding of Mr. Wyatt’s motion 
 of 500I. aid to Government, was read to the 
 Academy, and fure to meet its general concur- 
 rence, a Member (Mr. Farrington) got up and 
 faid, he had been privately informed that there 
 was fomething elfe corinc6led with that motion 
 of Mr. Wyatt’s, and that he wondered much 
 
 why 
 
( an ) 
 
 ^hy it had not been read. After fome , boggling 
 and difficulties, it was at laft acknowledged, that the 
 motion was indeed uffiered in by a little preamble 
 from Mr. Weft, the Preftdent, the reading of which 
 preamble was not judged ricceftary to the bufinefs 
 in hand. The cry of. Read it immediately^ 
 coming from every fide of the table, the Secre- 
 tary complied ^ and the Academy, on hearing it^ 
 rofe up with indignation, and ordered that the 
 two leaves which contained this preface or preamble 
 ihould be immediately erafed — torn from the 
 book. It was then obferved, that as this was the 
 book of the minutes of the Council, the erafure 
 could not be properly made but by the Council 
 themfelves. The Academy immediately appointed 
 a Committee to retire into the next room, in order 
 to draw up another preface, which they could 
 admit without fhame or lofs of dignity : and when 
 they returned with it, the Academy retired to 
 another part of the room in v;hich they held their 
 feffions, and left the table to the Council to make 
 the necefiary erafure, and the infertion of the ^ 
 alteration, which they did accordingly. On en- 
 quiry fmee, I find the two leaves have adlually 
 been torn from the books of the Council. I am 
 perfuaded, however, that this erafure was a rafh, 
 ill-judged meafure, and that it would h^ve been 
 much better to have left the v/hole matter ftanding 
 feithfully in our hooks, and to have inferted the 
 
 P % altera" 
 
( 2i2 ) 
 
 alterations as minutes of the next meeting; and 
 this would certainly have been done, had the 
 Academy the advantage of that recolledlion which 
 a fecond meeting would have afforded ; as fuch a 
 memento would (land ufefully, exemplarily , oi> 
 their books. It would be a good illuftration of 
 the perilous nature- of all finifter tranfadtions, the 
 fuccefs of which depend either on previous con- 
 cealment, or fuSfequent effrontery, or both ; for 
 if this matter had not been fortunately brought 
 to light at the general meeting, it mull however 
 at fome tirfie or other have been generally known, 
 that the next morning after that meeting a tranf- 
 adtion was laid before his Majefty, as coming from 
 the Royal Academy, of which that Academy had 
 no knowledge whatever, and which never could be 
 known to it without exciting its difguft and re- 
 probation. After all, perhaps there is little to 
 value in the moft refined Machiaviiian politics ; it 
 might have pufhed this inflance of mere illiterate 
 mother cunning one or two removes further ; but 
 ^ they mufl: both eventually be found to terminate 
 in the fame difgrace. Surely, if the moft unre- 
 ferved and generous opennefs and publicity is 
 peculiar, and to be expedted in any matters, it 
 ought to be in thofe of the moft liberal of Arts, 
 and of a Royal Academy where the King himfelf 
 I deigns to be its Chief and Patron. However, for- 
 tunately, this unbecoming tranfadtion was only 
 
 between 
 
( 213 ) 
 
 between the Council and the Academy, where the 
 opportunity was fliJl in referve of faving. our 
 credit, by availing ourfelves of the very cultivated 
 underftanding and information of feveral valuable 
 members of our bod). But in lieu of the Aca- 
 demy, had this been a tranfafbion of the mere 
 Prefident and Council ("unaided by the Academy) 
 with his Majefty's Miniflers, or with any other 
 fociety, or people of importance, it muft: chili 
 with horror to think of the confequences. Re- 
 voking, alteration, erafure, would be then im- 
 pofTible, and the Royal Academy, however inno- 
 cent, muft inevitably be committed without re- 
 medy. 
 
 It may be proper alfo to mention another par- 
 ticular of feme importance, as well from its im- 
 mediate effe(5ls, as from the pofTibility and pro- 
 bability of its being hereafter converted into a 
 precedent. I am informed that the Prefident and 
 Council have notified by public advertifement, that 
 the admittance to the Exhibition, including the 
 catalogue, is raifed to one fhilling and fixpence. 
 Quaere, is not this a matter of fuch magnitude as 
 ought npt to be prefumed upon without the know- 
 ledge, authority, and confirmation of the general 
 affembly of the Academicians ? If fuch a licence is 
 permitted, it may be extended or comradfed to— 
 but it is no lefs vexatious than difgraceful to dwell 
 longer on a fubjed of fuch humiliation to the im- 
 
 P 3 portance 
 
t ii4 ) 
 
 I 
 
 portancc and authority of the Royal Academy ; and 
 therefore to finifh, and come to our immediate 
 pointy you may now fee clearly that the funds of 
 the Academy are already fo difpofed of, that there 
 remains no further expedlation from that quarter 
 for the CoHedfcion of the Materials for the Study 
 of our young Painters^ fo often mentioned. Our 
 only hopes now remaining mu ft be from his 
 Majefty and the Public : if fomething be not done 
 by them in this way, tfie Academy, the Pupils, 
 and the Lovers of Art, mrnftgo without, andfteer 
 their courfe as well as they can amidft the perils 
 and difficulties of fraud, folly, and ignorance, to 
 which they are fo peculiarly expofed in this 
 country* 
 
 I have the honour to be, See. 
 
 JAMES BARRT. 
 
 CaJHe-Street, March 1798. 
 
 Not long after writing the above Letter, an 
 occafton offered for another Letter on Academical 
 and very National Concerns, which I addreffed to 
 the . Committee of the Lords of his Majefty’s 
 Moft Honourable Privy Council, refpedling the 
 Coinage, of which the following is a copy : 
 
 Mv Lords, 
 
 Your Lordfhips having lately, and very much 
 to yolir honour, confided the Public Truft reiped- 
 
 ing 
 
'ing the Taile of the Coinage to the Royal Aca<^ 
 demvj Mr, Barry^ ProfefTor of Painting to that 
 Acadeiny, thinks it his duty .to communicate the 
 inclofed information to your Lordfliips, requefting 
 you will be fo good as to excufe the hurry with 
 which it is drawn up, as Mr. Barry is working at 
 the Adelphi againft time, during the recefs of the 
 Society for the Encouragement of Arts ; has con- 
 fequently but very little leifure, and could not at 
 preferit be induced to meddle with any other 
 bufinefs, but from a fenfe of the duty he ov/es to 
 the Public Service, on this very interefting occa- 
 fion of a Reformation of the Coinage, to which 
 he in common with the other Academicians has 
 been called by your Lordihips graceful and very 
 exemplary invitation. 
 
 The information offered to your Lordihips 
 attention is what follov/s ; 
 
 On the meeting of the Academy, July 17, a 
 Letter was read from the Lords of the Committee 
 of the Council, requiring the Academy to feled 
 fuch a Committee of a few of its members as might 
 be beft furnifhed with that peculiar information 
 which would beft enable their Lordihips to im- 
 prove and perfed the Coinage of the Country, as 
 a becoming work of Tafte and Art. The reading 
 of this Letter was prefaced and followed by lome 
 obfervations of the Prefident, ftill further elucidat- 
 ing the views of their Lordihips. Mr. Barry then 
 
 got 
 
( ) 
 
 got up, Ind propofed, as the beft method of 
 getting all defirable neceflary information on this 
 head, that, previous to appointing a Committee, 
 all luch Academicians as chofe to fugged any 
 advice on this matter might be permitted to offer 
 it, either viva vcce, or by a written motion, at that 
 or at the next meeting, which, as expedition was 
 required, might be convened for the purpofe next 
 day, or the day after 5 and that the Committee 
 which we might then appoint, w^ould as well as 
 their Lordfhips, be in full polfelTion of ufeful in- 
 formation, which might otherways never reach 
 them. This would not comport with the views 
 of the majority, and accordingly Mr. Tyler 
 moved. That a Committee of four, with the 
 Prefident, be immediately appointed to confer 
 with their Lordihips on this bufinefs. Mr. Barry 
 objedled to this, urging. That, as this Committee 
 might be appointed by a cabal, whofe views were 
 very different from what the fubjed and their 
 Lordfhips required, the very people who ought 
 to be confulted, and whom their Lordfhips would 
 wifh to confuk, would by this means be kept out 
 of view, and their opinions concealed with them. 
 Mr. Tyler obferved. That any th’ng they had to 
 fuggefl might be communicated to the Com- 
 mittee, who would be very thankful for it ; and 
 without further ceremony made his motion for the 
 appoimment of the Cominittee, which was feconded 
 
 by 
 
( 217 ) 
 
 by Mr. Catten, and carried immediately. It may 
 not be improper to remark, that Mr, Catten is a 
 Coach Painter, and Mr. Tyler Bricklayer to the 
 Board of Ordnance. Here, my Lords, you may 
 behold fome fmall part of thefe combined evils 
 which fooner or later, according to the ethics 
 of the time, to effrontery and political cunning, 
 operate with fuch fatal fuccefs upon all public in- 
 ffitiicions ; atleaft, they have fo operated upon all 
 public Academies, as not only to prevent great 
 and effedlual exertions and advancement, but to 
 introduce, fofter, and give currency to imbecility 
 and wretchednefs. This has been long a paradox 
 which has puzzled Europe : Public Acade- 
 mies originally receive reputation and eclat from 
 the few great men who unfortunately contributed 
 to form and occafion their being inftituted. But 
 in a Society of forty Academicians, where the 
 majority muff be very different, and where, not- 
 withftaiiding every thing goes by vote, fo many 
 opportunities and temptations offer for fuccefsful 
 combination and cabal, as will completely level 
 all charadlers 5 nay, much worfe, it will be foon 
 found that low Artifts will fway and govern in an 
 Academy, who could never have been known to 
 the Public, if that Academy was not in exigence. 
 Shortly after the appointment of this Corr mittee, 
 the cabal, as if afraid or afhamed of what they had 
 done, confented that this Committee Ihould be 
 
 em- 
 
( 2lS ) 
 
 cnripowcred no further than to receive their Lord- 
 Ihips ideas, and report them to the Academy. At 
 the next meeting (laft Friday) the Prefident, af- 
 ter reporting the conference with their -Lordfhips, 
 obferved, that the Committee being now diflblved;, 
 the Academy might proceed to appoint another, 
 or reappoint the fame Committee, or increafe 
 their number. As this pafled without any - ob- 
 fervation, and a paufe enfuing, Mr. Barry then 
 got up and obferved, That as the Academy was 
 now in complete polTefTion of their Lordfhips 
 public- fpirited, truly noble ideas, our refpedt for 
 them would be beft fhewn, by fuch Academicians 
 as chofe immediately offering their bed advice on 
 this head •, and that, to this end, he had in his 
 pocket a motion, which he intended reading at the 
 lad meeting, if opportunity had been permitted, 
 which he would now, and accordingly did read to 
 them. Here it follows : 
 
 As the mod fecure mode of providing againd 
 the injuries refulting from the ufage, and confe- 
 quently the mod fufceptible of admitting and in- 
 dulging all the defiderata refpeeding the perfedtion 
 and mod Artid-like execution of Gold and Silver 
 Coins, I move ‘ That the Academy recommend 
 to the Lords of the Committee, that the valuable 
 part of the workmandiip of the Coin be funk be- 
 neath the furface, as it were in a coffer, like the 
 rofes in the Archileclonic SofHtas, and like the ob- 
 
 jefts 
 
( 2'9 ) 
 
 je& In bas-relief on the Egyptian obelifks, as well 
 as thofe bas-reliefs of the ancient Hindoos, which 
 are all defended in the farne v^^ife exemplary man- 
 ner. The reafons for treating Coin the fame way 
 are not only exa6Uy fimilar, but infinitely ilronger, 
 and muft be too obvious to need my repeating 
 them. There are even fome of the ancient Greek 
 Coins treated in the fame way, though partially 
 and but imperfedly, although at prefent it does 
 not occur to my recolledlion which of them. All 
 this might comport very well with milling the 
 edges, and raifing the letters on the furface, (if 
 that worfe than ufelefs cuftom is ifili adhered to), 
 and they may pafs by weight as the Coin does at 
 prefent. 
 
 Ni B. ‘ Such workmanfhip as Simon’s Head of 
 Charles the Second, Cromwell, the Strozzi, 
 Medufa, or as may be found on many of the Papal 
 and qther Coins, thus^ fecurely bedded in coffers, 
 is all that can be defired on this head, for fetting 
 the mofl; becoming, mod glorious, national exam- 
 ple that occurs in the hiftory of Coinage; an 
 honour mod juftly merited by the modefly, public 
 fpirit, and true patrlotifm with which their Lord- 
 fhips the Committee of the Council have referred 
 this matter to the Academy. 
 
 (Signed) ‘ JAMES BAR R T: 
 
 J798. 
 
 P. S, 
 
( 2^0 ) 
 
 P. S, ' Once more, I cannot help faying that 
 tills idea, properly executed, would not only be 
 original and unique in the ftory of Coinage, would 
 be the leaft expofed to injury from friction, would 
 require no ingrailing, indented, or engraved lines 
 or pitrs, which might furnlfh occafion for frau- 
 dulently charging the Coin with any bafe metal ; 
 would allow of every Artiil-like perfedion with 
 refped to the defigning part, v/hether any new 
 device be adopted, or whether, which is rather 
 to be hoped, we adhere to the old ones, vene- 
 rable thi ough long ufage ; and in either cafe, I 
 would pledge my life or reputation with their 
 Lordfhips for the certainty, eafe, and fimpiicity of 
 its execution. The fulphur impreffions of very 
 many of the Greek Intaglios may afford fome idea 
 of what might be done on modern Coins.’ 
 
 It may be as well now, my Lords, to continue 
 wTiting in my own perfon, and proceed to Jay, 
 that as I well forefaw would happen, a great 
 deal of unpleafant altercation followed the reading 
 of my motion, ^ and it was then thought proper to 
 infiff that the Committee was not diffolved, but was 
 fllli e^iifling ; and this, as every thing elfe moved 
 by the cabal, was immediately confirmed by put- 
 ing it to the vote, notwithftanding my appealing 
 to the books, and even to the fpeech of the Pre- 
 fident at the beginning of the meeting^ although 
 
 , after 
 
( 221 ) 
 
 after fome further altercation, and Mr, Coply s 
 obferving, that they ought at leaft to have ap- 
 pointed fuch a Coinmittee as would be molt likely 
 to be bed acquainted with thefe particular matters, 
 and in no need of confuking any other Academi- 
 cians, and fome other remarks to the fame elfed, 
 made fuch an impreffion, that it was at lad agreed, 
 that the Committee fhould be only a Committee 
 of communication between their Lordlhips and 
 the Academy, and this was fet down accordingly 
 in our books. Thus the matter is, according to 
 my apprehenfion, in a date of fome little confudon 
 and unfortunately liable to much mifunderdandlng 
 on the part of their Lordlhips. What they wifely 
 required of the Academy was a Committee of 
 Veritly and what we have given them is only a 
 mere vehicle, a Committee of communication be- 
 tween their Lordlhips and the Academy, where the 
 Periti dill remain. 
 
 Your Lordlhips feem to have been well aware 
 that the particular alTidance you required of the 
 Academy could lie in the way of but a very few 
 Artids, and that men may be very excellent 
 painters in many departments of the Art, who 
 never could have had any occadon to furnilh them- 
 felves with information rcfpedfing the tade of 
 Coins, and other matters of antiquity, which 
 many of them, ridiculoully following the foolilh 
 part of the example of a great man (Rembrandt), 
 
 defpife 
 
( 222 ) 
 
 delpife and reprobate, as contemptible niceties, 
 below the notice of the imitators of nature, 
 which they would exclufrrely and fhort-fightedly 
 arrogate to vulgarity and a mean choice. How- 
 ever, occafions fometimes occur, where the little 
 politics and arts of life might make it neceffary 
 for them not to appear to want this knowledge, 
 and perhaps oblige them to play the part of the 
 dog in the manger, in withholding or marring the 
 enjoyment of that particular credit they cannot 
 obtain for themfelves ; and it might be poITibly 
 this motive that induced our cabal to adopt fuch a 
 mode of meeting your Lordfhips wifhes, as would 
 bed: keep out of view thofe who, they thought, hav- 
 ing already too much credit, it would be good po- 
 licy to obfciire. However, although I had refolved 
 never to have any further contefl; with this cabal 
 after my Letter to the Dilettanti Society fhould be 
 publifhed, where the condudf of the Academy, and 
 its fituation refpedling thofe public trudrs, w^as fully 
 difculTed and brought into public view, yet I 
 could not withhhold myfelf from once more em- 
 barking in thefe unfortunately boiflerous contedis, 
 as the occafion would not admit of delay, and was 
 fo exceedingly interefting to the Public. And 
 although I then told them wdth fome indignation, 
 that I would give myfelf and them no more trouble 
 in this bufinefs, and that I am ftill refolved 
 never to give another vote in the Academy, until 
 
 the 
 
( 223 ) 
 
 the Academicians fhall be bound by oath to ky 
 afide all cabal, and to have nothing in view but 
 the Public fervice •, yet I will very cheerfully de- 
 vote my attendance to your Lordlhips, and will 
 meet whomfoever you chufe to appoint, cither 
 at Mr. Wedgwood’s, at the Britifh Mufeum, or 
 Mr. Taffie’s, or at any other place, where we 
 might run over fome Coins, Medals, and Intag- 
 lios, or rather the cads from them, and where 
 I will undertake, without any other reward than 
 the gratification of contributing importantly to the 
 Public fcrvice, to demonilrate the pradicability of 
 an improvement in the Tafte of the Coinage, and 
 in the provifion againfl its confumption by the 
 wearing, which though fully warranted in fome 
 particulars by them all has notwithftanding never 
 yet been unitedly efieded, by Greeks, Romans^ 
 Italians, or any other. 
 
 I have the honour to be, with every recognition 
 of refped for your Lordlhips exalted fituation^ 
 and with the fincereil admiration of your exem- 
 plary, unprecedented condud in it, 
 
 ,My lloRDS, 
 
 Your mod devoted humble fervant, 
 
 JAMES BAKRT. 
 
 P. S. A.S the Public Truds refpeding matters 
 of Tade which are referred to the Royal Academy, 
 
 are 
 
C 224 ) 
 
 are gradually becoming more important, and as 
 I have, in my Letter to the Dilettanti Society, 
 entered very fully into what is likely to produce 
 fatisfadion or annoyance in that biirmefs, I lhall 
 pray your Lordfhips to accept a copy of it. You 
 will find, from page 13 to page 22, fome fads 
 regarding thefe Public Trufts brought forward, 
 which, as they are truly Hated, and cannot be con- 
 tradided, ought mofl: certainly to be remedied, 
 and fpeedily : had they been falfe, I muft acknow-- 
 ledge my felf to merit every reprobation. 
 
 The above article, refpeding our condud in 
 the matter referred to us by your Lordfhips, will, 
 perhaps, make another part, which will unite very 
 well with the reft in a Second Edition of that 
 Letter. 
 
 Great Roojn of the Society of Arts,John-Street, 
 
 Adelphit ‘Tuefday, July 31, 1798. 
 
 To this Letter their Lordfhips did me the 
 honour of fending the following Anfwer. 
 
 Council-Office, Wlntehall, AuguJ} 6 , 1798, 
 
 Sir, 
 
 I am direded by the Lords of his Majefty’s 
 Moft Honourable Privy Council to acquaint you, 
 that the Earl of Liverpool laid before their Lord- 
 Ihips your Letter of the jift ult. and I am to 
 
 return 
 
( 225 ) 
 
 return you their Lordfhips thanks for the ob- 
 ferraions and information contained therein. 
 
 I am. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 Your moft obedient. 
 
 Humble fervant, 
 srEPK COTTRELL. 
 
 James Eany, Efq, 
 
 Much about this time, or a little after, a con- 
 fiderable part of the public attention and converfa- 
 tion was occupied about the Italian part of the 
 Orleans Colledtion of Pidures, about what had 
 been done by the Dilettanti Society, and the con- 
 ference of fome of its members v»^ith the Minlfler 
 relpeding the purchafe of the whole or part of this 
 Orleans Colledtion, and the fubfequent happy in- 
 terference of three patriotic noblemen to pre- 
 vent this Colledlion being carried out of the 
 country; and the time of reading my Ledures 
 occurring a few days after thefe pidtures were ex- 
 hibited to the public view, I thought it right 
 eagerly to embrace the favourable opportunity 
 which nov7 offered, and to introduce into thofe 
 Le6tures fome remarks, and in fuch a manner 
 (refpedting the prefent momentous crifis and oc- 
 cafion, for happily employing the funds of the 
 Academy in the purchafe of fome part of this Coi- 
 
 ^ leftion}, 
 
( 126 ) 
 
 lection), as could not be overlooked^ and mtiff; 
 now inevitably bring my opponents to a public 
 iffue with me on this hitherto fo long procraftinated 
 bufinefs. And notwithftanding thofe palTages had 
 naturally more pertinence and forcC;, fupported as 
 they originally were by the other parts of the Lec- 
 ture with which they were interwoven : yet, 
 though divefted of this, I fiiall not hefitate to 
 introduce them here for the fatisfa61rion of the 
 reader, as they have fo happily contributed with 
 the other flimuii to efFe61: the purpofe for which 
 they were intended. 
 
 As to the new matter introduced this year into 
 my firfl: Le6lure, refpedling my remarks on and 
 refutation of fomie paifages in the Notes of the 
 venerable and fo juilly celebrated Dr. Lowth on 
 Ifaiah, concerning a particular in the Chaldaic 
 Antiquities, of very great importance in the 
 Hiftory of Ancient Arts and Knowledge, and my 
 additional obfervations refpedting fuch matters of 
 Hebrew Antiquity, as afford a clear and certain 
 elucidation of the Second Commandment, and 
 the error of our vulgar tranllation in that par- 
 ticular. Although I think thefe remarks and in- 
 veftigations of confiderable importance to the Art 
 and its Hiftory, yet as the cabal of the Academy 
 can be but little concerned in them, I ftiall infert 
 only the conclufion, where perhaps in fome mea- 
 fure they may feel its application. 
 
 It 
 
( ^^7 ) 
 
 It was my v/iOi to have carried to a much 
 greater extent thefe interefting remarks and 
 purfuit of fads refpediing the ilare of the Arts in 
 thofe early periods ; but the contradted, beggarly 
 flate of our Academical Library, is a real, a 
 “ mod: extenfive grievance, and to me more elpe- 
 dally, has been vexatious, and injurious in a 
 very great degree. From my eager wifhes and 
 ambition of giving fuch a ufeful, improving, 
 and enlarged tendency to what I have to oifer 
 from this Chair, as might bed: comport with 
 the views of Art, as exercifed by a Great 
 People, now jud: on the eve of the nineteenth 
 century, I am obliged to be frequently in tho- 
 habit of lofirig much time, and undergoing 
 much difappointment, in the endeavour of 
 borrowing fuch books as may bed: enable me to 
 “ colledt fuch fcattered obfervations and fadls as 
 ought to be united, and (what 1 was ill able to 
 fpare) it cod: me near ten pounds not long fincc 
 in the purchafe of a few books, v/hicli were 
 neceflariiy to be examined, for the fettling a 
 certain fad, which I had lail year the fatisfadion 
 of offering to your attention. This, young 
 Gentlemen, however it might coincide with my 
 ambition of being ufeful to you, yet it comports 
 ill, very ill, with the profefTorial falary of 
 thirty pounds a yeap At lead, now, after more 
 than five an<f twenty years eftablifhment of our 
 Qj^ Infti- 
 
( 228 ) 
 
 Inftitution, one might have expected that our 
 Library would have been filled with whatever 
 could be ufeful, and that the Profefibr might in 
 his night-gown and flippers have an opportunity 
 of examining them conveniently, either by hav- 
 ing a place of refidence on the fpot, or the per- 
 “ miffion of having them occafionally brought to 
 his own habitation. However, let us go on 
 with patience, and make the moil we can of 
 ‘‘ our wretched fituation : there is fome merit and 
 virtue even in that. I was fpeaking of the 
 ancient nations, &c. &c.’’ 
 
 Little new occurring in the fecond Ledlure, I 
 fhall proceed to the third, where obferving upon 
 the difrerent ftyles of defign, of drawing, and the 
 feveral degrees of merit of the great leaders of the 
 different Schools of Art, the following new ob- 
 fervation was introduced : 
 
 The Academicians and AiTociates having 
 been lately indulged with the opportunity of 
 ofinfpedting the Italian part of the Orleans Col- 
 ledion, I had no fmall fatisfadlion on this inter- 
 view with my old acquaintance and benefadors, 
 in indulging the hope that what had been fo 
 ‘‘ long the objedl of my ardent wifhes, would now 
 ‘‘ probably be foon obtained ; nay, would cer- 
 tainly, if rightly managed, with a becoming 
 
 fkill 
 
( 229 ) 
 
 llcill and dignity on the part of the Academy : 
 who can queftion it, that has a proper concep- 
 tion of the high, generoufly cultivated fpirit of 
 thofe out of the Academy, who might co- 
 operate in a tranfadion fo elTcntially necelTary 
 for the advancement of the Arts, for their de- 
 pendant Manufactures, for the public enter- 
 tainment, improvement, and glory, and for 
 the fair dealing, and the juftice that is due to 
 you, young Gentlemen, who receive your Edu- 
 cation in this Inftitution of a Royal Academy. 
 Although many, and fome of the beft of thefe 
 pictures are already difpofed of by private con- 
 traCt, yet I fliould not defpair, if this matter 
 be properly managed. Oh ! how necefTary and 
 faluiary is true greatnefs of mind, in all leading 
 “ departments, and how univerfally will every thing 
 wither and decay without it ; nothing, no artih- 
 cial dexterity or management can fiipply its place. 
 Poor Sir Jofhua Reynolds, God be with him ; 
 were he living, he could ftill find a remedy; and 
 “ I muft and will fay, that the occafion ought 
 not to be loft, and furely will not, canpot ; and 
 therefore, I think I may indulge myfclf in the 
 ‘‘ fatisfaCtion of reflecting that you, young Gen- 
 tlemen, will receive fubftantial and extenfive 
 “ benefit from an attentive confideration of m.any 
 of the mafterly, truly noble performances in 
 this Collection. In the very article on which I 
 0^3 had 
 
( 230 ) 
 
 had been Ipeaking, the cafligated, admirable 
 llyle of delign of Lodovico Carrache, there is 
 in the dead figure of the ChrifI:, No. 53, a fpe- 
 cimen in that way the mofl correct, happiefl, 
 moft exquifite that can be imagined, and moft 
 affu redly equal to any thing of his at Bologna, 
 I hope fome time hence to have a little leifure 
 for fome general remarks on a few of thofe fpe- 
 cimens of the old mailers which enrich this 
 colle6lion ; and in the mean time I fhall proceed 
 “ to obferve, that thefe important principles of 
 Defign or Drawing, which either feparately or 
 more united, &c.” 
 
 No matter relating to our prefent purpofe oc- 
 curring in [the fourth Ledure, I fhall proceed to 
 the fifth, where certain matters were introduced, 
 which I knew would kindle fome of the motley 
 members of the cabal into a flame, that would 
 foon be vifible ; and as they laid great fcrefs in the 
 charges againft the ProfefTor, upon what came for- 
 v/ard in this Ledlure refpeding a deceafed Aca- 
 demician, whom I had contrafted with another 
 deceafed Academician, the reader will excufe the 
 length of my citation from that Ledure, as it is my 
 wifh to leave nothing undone that may be in the 
 leafl: neceffary towards an honourable, full, and 
 compleat expofition of every thing that depends 
 upon me. By the bye, this fifth Ledure on 
 
 the 
 
( 231 ) 
 
 the fubje6t of Chiaro Scuro was firft read in the 
 Academy on Feb. 5, 17875 and I have been in- 
 formed that fome of the applications of thofe prin- 
 ciples to the works of archicedbure have been made 
 life of by Sir William Chambers in the fccond 
 edition of his worjc on Civil Architedlure, and 
 which he had not thought of, or perhaps known, 
 when he publiflied the firft edition of that work. 
 However, of that matter the reader will judge 
 apart, or at another time, as it has no relation 
 to the prefent fubjedl of my difference with the 
 cabal. 
 
 After a great deal of previous invefligation and 
 developement in that Ledlure, the following paf- 
 fages occur: 
 
 I have in a former difcourfe had occafion to take 
 “ notice that Architedlure (where it was not a me- 
 chanical art, dependant on mere convenience, and 
 upon the rule and plummet,) was an emanation 
 of the Arts of Defign, and confequently, in every 
 thing that regarded its more liberal concerns, i|:s 
 “ beautiful or majeftic effeds, as a whole and parts, 
 it was the pure offspring of Drawing or Model- 
 ing, and abfoiutely and folely depended upon the 
 the compofition of forms, and the compofition 
 of Chiaro Scuro and Relievo, which thofe forms 
 produced. The fame principles of uniformity 
 and variety, or of variegated unity, which muft: 
 
 0^4 be 
 
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 €( 
 
 tc 
 
 <C 
 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 
 €C 
 
 <C 
 
 «c 
 
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 <c 
 
 <c 
 
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 C( 
 
 cc 
 
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 ( 23a ) 
 
 be previoufly purfued, in fo arranging and con- 
 ftruding the figures and general forms of a 
 pidture, that they may ferve as a proper fub- 
 flratum for that Chiaro Scuro, which brings 
 them to the fight as a harmonious totality. 
 Thefe fame principles, and thefe only, are the 
 conflituents of all fimilar agreeable effedts in 
 Architedlure : fince the Architedt muft have 
 thefe efFedls prefent to his mind, that they may 
 follow as confequences from the arrangement of 
 forms which enter into the compofition of his 
 building. Thefe laws of variegated unity being 
 grounded upon the jufl confideration of the hu- 
 man faculties, and accommodated (as was before 
 obferved) to our abilities and inabilities of per- 
 ception, they are therefore equally applicable to 
 every whole and its parts, and are great agents 
 of fatisfadlion in other Arts, as well as in thole 
 which depend upon vifion ; nay, they aj e appli- 
 cable to Nature herfelf, which may be made 
 a great work of Art, with no fmall accumula- 
 tion of advantage, as is evident in gardening, 
 the laying out of grounds. See. Sec. When the 
 examples of beautiful and majeflical arrange- 
 ments of relative magnitudes and forms in 
 Architedlure were once executed, they might 
 be eafily copied and multiplied, by the rule and 
 compafs of mere mechanics. But the Hiflory 
 of Architedure and Architeds, both in Greece 
 
 and 
 
. ( 233 ) 
 
 and Italy, affords one continued chain of proofs 
 that all the great inventors, reftorers, and im- 
 provers of Archite6lure, were (as might natu- 
 rally have been expedted) Painters or Sculptors. 
 This by the bye, as it neither fuits our time, nor 
 the occafion, to go into any hifforical details. 
 But what is immediately for our purpofe, and 
 was indeed my inducement for mentioning 
 Archite6ture *in this place, is the occafion it 
 affords for the further illuflration of the utility 
 and importance of Chiaro Scuro, and the abfo- 
 lute neceflity of its being a leading confideration 
 in the fabrication of all obje6i:s prefented to the 
 fight. 
 
 Thus it is apparent that variegated unity 
 and its confequent relievo of a proportionate 
 light and fhade, is the operating caufe of the 
 beautiful arrangements in Architecture, as well 
 “ as in Painting and Sculpture. There is how- 
 ever this remarkable difference in thofe Arts. 
 In Architedure, the proportionate arrangement, 
 and its relievo of light and ffiade is, I had aimoft 
 faid, the whole of the Art ; but at leaft, it is 
 of much more eiTential confequence to that Art 
 than it is even to Painting and Sculpture ; and 
 for this plain reafon, that the particular inani- 
 mate, fquare or curve ingredients of the archi- 
 teeffonic compofition, have but little value or 
 intereft in themfelv es, when compared with th,e 
 
 various 
 
C 234 ) 
 
 various intrinfic beauties of animal and vegeta- 
 ble life, which enter into the compofitions of the 
 Painter and Sculptor. The fuccefsful manage^ 
 ment of this variegated unity and its relievo of 
 light and Ihade, can only be expeded from the 
 fkilful Defigner; it is he alone, who from thefure 
 and expanfivc principles of compofition and 
 ‘‘ chiaro-fcuro, can purfue beauty and fublimity in 
 a thoufand different ways, whilfl without thefe 
 effential requifites of Defign, men are but mere 
 builders, and mufl unavoidably copy, or plun- 
 der from the works of thdfe who have gone 
 before them ; and in either cafe, the abfurdities 
 that may refult from the difference of climate, 
 local fituation, and ill-according particulars, 
 hov/ever beautiful in their own original, proper 
 arrangement, &c. &c. 
 
 In purfuing this important part of the diftri- 
 “ bution and effeds of light and fhade, it gives me 
 no fmall pleafure to find that I have been led to 
 take notice of a particular which refleds great 
 honour upon our own age, as compared with 
 with the laid. Some of the mod diflinguiflied 
 Architeds, both here and on the continent, are 
 in the number of our ablefl Defigners : of this 
 truth, your own recolledion v/ill furnifh fuch 
 an inftance, in thofe very admirable drawings 
 of our worthy Profeffor of Architedure, which 
 are annually exhibited round this chair, as makes 
 
 it 
 
( 235 ) 
 
 makes it altogether unnece-iTary' for me to offer 
 further proofs of the found and enlarged priiH 
 ciples of Defign, and harmonious arrangement 
 ‘‘ of efFeds, which have been fo happily purfiied 
 by the Architefts of the prefcnt century.” 
 
 So much of what was written and read fince the 
 year 1787, I thought itnecelTary to tranfcribe here, 
 the better to ufher in the n^w matter read this year. 
 Here it follows : 
 
 My fatisfadlion in contemplating the very 
 pidurefque fine relifh which chara£lerife fome of 
 thofe admirable drawings of your late ProfefTor, 
 Mr. Sandby, was, I mud confefs, frequently 
 diflurbed by the vexatious recolleftion that they 
 were only drawings, and that they, or fome« 
 thing fimilar, had not been carried info execu- 
 tion, in lieu of the mafs of buildings which fur- 
 rounds us, and with fo little tafte and advantage 
 unhappily occupies one of the hneft fituations 
 perhaps in the world. The populous high road 
 of communication between the two great cities 
 of London and Weftminfter, and on the very 
 bank of the river Thames, with the Surry hills 
 ornamenting the oppofite fide. With all this, and 
 the liberal purfe of a great but a too incautious 
 people open to him, could Sir William Cham- 
 bers make no other ufe of all thefe advantages, 
 
 than 
 
( 23 ^' ) 
 
 than to make us regret our being unhappily 
 deprived of them whilft his unfortunate build- 
 ing lhall remain, and God knows how long 
 after, as the combination of all the circumftances 
 that adminifter occafion for the eredion of great 
 ‘‘ public buildings can but rarely occur. Had 
 the defigns or models for fuch a building been 
 expofed to the public infpe6Hon for any given 
 time, fome one would have fuggefted the hint 
 “ of contriving to leave apertures of gout, where 
 the eyes of pafiengers might from the Strand be 
 “ occafionally fafeinated by the diftant profpe6l, 
 which, together with the breaking open the 
 fouth-eaft and fouth>weft corners of that almoft 
 quadrangular well, would help to ventilate and 
 brufh away that noxious air which mull other- 
 ways hang about all confined fituations. Alas ! 
 what a confederation and arrangement of pi6tu- 
 refque beauties have here been loft, for want of 
 the talents and refources of fuch a man as Mr. 
 ‘‘ Sandby. His Painter- like relilh would have 
 given us fomething more of Father Thames 
 
 than a black ftatue in the entrance to no 
 
 “ matter what. How melancholy to refle6l on 
 the fituation in which almoft always great under- 
 takings of exertion in the Art are placed ; how 
 inacceftible to certain chara6bers, of that fuffici- 
 ency and integrity, who alone are calculated to 
 render them creditable to the public reputation, 
 
 and 
 
( 237 ) 
 
 and how much are thofe great perfonages to be 
 pitied in whofe difpofal thofe undertakings are, 
 furrounded as they have always, and will probably 
 ever be, by the fhamelefs, induflrious political 
 ‘‘ artifices, which are unhappily but too well cal- 
 “ culated to fubflitute the lefler for the greater 
 Artift, to furnifh fo many opportunities of exer- 
 tion to Sir William Chambers, and fo few to 
 Mr. Sandby.” 
 
 This little tribute I could not withhold my feel- 
 ings from offering to Art, to Truth, and to the 
 refpedable and amiable memory of Mr. Thomas 
 Sandby, your late Profeffor of Architecture ; and 
 it mull afford no fmall confolation to us all when 
 we refledl, that his place is likely to be fo ably 
 fupplied by the eminent charadter who fucceeds 
 him, and who is fo well furnifhed with whatever 
 can give it grace and ornament : and I expert 
 from him, from his integrity, information and 
 love of art in general, and exemplary renunciation, 
 or rather reprobation of all thofe finifler, bafe in- 
 vafions of the internal decorations of all buildings, 
 as well public as private, which for a long time 
 pafl our Archite6ls have mifchievoufly and impu- 
 dently affumed to themfelves. I hope to be fpared 
 the trouble of entering a formal protefl in the 
 name of the Britifh School of Painting and Sculp- 
 ture, againfl the further continuance of thofe finif- 
 ter proceedings, where merely from the confidera- 
 
 tion 
 
( ) 
 
 tioft of the poundage, which the Architeds receive 
 on fuch works, the infide of our walls, roomSj 
 and ftaircafes are frittered and broken by flucco 
 ornaments of griffins, cobwebs, honey- fuckies, 
 pannells, and fuch like inhpid, not to fay difguft- 
 ing trafh, as mifoccupy all the fpace around us, 
 which ought to have been wifely and happily re- 
 ferved for thofe highly cultivated efforts of Paint- 
 ing and Sculpture, fo worthy the national reputa- 
 tion, fo conducive to the cultivation of general 
 good tafle^ and of thofe humane feelings which 
 form the higheft gratifications of focial life. 
 
 Thefe Architedbs, nriay perhaps tell us, that they 
 fometimes employ our Painters, as well as the 
 other Artifls, in the internal decorations ; but will 
 they have the impudence to mifcall the painted 
 imitations of baffo relievo, which is itfelf an im- 
 perfect; and partial reprefentation of thofe entire 
 fcenes of nature, which it ought to be the Painter's 
 glory to rival and to outdo ; will they obtrude this 
 mifufe, this maiming and emafculation of Paint- 
 ing, which can have nothing to recommend or ra- 
 ther to apologize for its introdudcion, but the 
 mere conhderation of its helping to fill the pockets 
 of die Archited, and thus to bloat and fweli him 
 up into an imaginary confequence fo fatal to good 
 tafle: and is it for this bafe inilrumentality, that 
 we are to breed up Painters in a Britifli and R'oyal 
 Academy*, if fo, certainly the pupils wdll have no 
 
 need 
 
( 239 ) 
 
 need of* the affiftance of fuch a colle6ti(^n as the 
 Orleans Gallery, and the occahon of purchafing 
 fuch matters, may be fuiFered to pafs away with- 
 out regret : Fie upon fuch confiderations, let them 
 be for ever reprobated, even by common and vul- 
 gar fenfe. If one of the three arts of Painting, 
 Sculpture or Arehiture, were to dire6l for the other 
 two, no man but the moil unfeeling and narrow- 
 minded, could, for a moment, imagine it fhould 
 be Archite6lure. Oh ! how much is for ever loft 
 to the Public, from the want of a due confideration 
 of this truth. How many and deeply rooted evils 
 have operated in this Academy, and I fear will 
 long continue to do fo, from the lliallow, con- 
 tradled mind, and the unhappily too great authority,, 
 weight, and influence of Sir William Chambers. 
 
 The principles which mull operate in the growth 
 and expanfion of Academical National Glory, are 
 very different from thofe which are calculated for 
 the low Court Intrigues, which fill the pocket, 
 and give a fhort-lived momentary confequence wdth 
 unrefieding people. But to come back to the diP 
 gufting trafh of flucco and painted cobweb orna- 
 ments, with which thofe gentlemen the Architeds 
 defile the internal part of almofl all our buildings, ^ 
 private and public, as far as their advice, weighs 
 and influence can reach : How would old honeft 
 Vitruvius complain of fuch a nuifance, v/ere he 
 now living, may be well imagined from the follow- 
 ing 
 
( 240 ) 
 
 ing palTage, which I lhall hear read to you, re^ 
 Ipeding an abufe fomething fimilar, which prevailed 
 in his time. 
 
 From Newton’s Tranflation of Vitriivlus, Book 
 vi. Chap. 5. of the manner of Painting in Edifices. 
 
 In other apartments, that is, thofe for fpring, 
 autumn, and fummer, as alfo in the atrium and pe- 
 rifylium, the ancients have efliabliihed certain me- 
 thods of painting. A pi6ture is the reprefentatio;i 
 of things that are, or may be, as men, buildings, 
 Ihips, and other things ; of which the copy, by 
 having the .exadt form and outlines of the real body, 
 affumes the likenefs. The ancients, who origi- 
 nally inftituted this manner of decoration, at firff 
 imitated the varieties, and marks of marble incruf- 
 tation, then cornices, difpofing between them di- 
 vers filaceous and miniaceous coloured ornaments : 
 they proceeded afterwards to reprefent edifices 
 with columns and pediments projedingj but in 
 fpacious places, fuch as excedr^, on account of the 
 amplitude of the walls ; they reprefented the fronts 
 of fcenes in the tragic, comic, or fatyric man- 
 ner; and ambulatories, being of a great length, 
 they ornamented with landfcapes, expreffing the 
 appearances of particular places, painting har- 
 bours, promontaries, fea-coafts, rivers, fountains, 
 canals, temples, groves, mountains, cattle, and 
 
 fhep- 
 
( 241 ) 
 
 fliepherds ; in fome places alfo, large paintings 
 of figures reprefenting the gods, or fabulous hif- 
 tones, the Trojan war, or the wandering of Ulif- 
 fes, and other fubjeds of fimilar kind, which are 
 conformable to the nature of things. 
 
 But thefe fubjeds, v/hich our forefathers copied 
 from nature, are now, by our depraved manners, 
 difapproved 5 for monfters rather than the refena- 
 blances of natural objeds are painted on the due- 
 CO 5 reeds are fubftiuited for columns, and for the 
 pediments, fluted harpaginetuli,' with curling fo- 
 liage and volutes ; alfo candelabra fupporting the 
 forms of little buildings, their pediments rifi ng 
 out of roots, with numerous volutes, and tender 
 flialks, having, contrary to reafon, images fitting 
 on them : fo alfo the flowers from daiks have half 
 figures fpringing with heads, fome like thofe of 
 men, fome like thofe of beads ; which things nei- 
 ther are, nor can be, nor ever v/ere : and this new 
 mode fo prevails, that thofe who are not judges, 
 difregard the arts •, for how is it pofTible for reeds 
 to fupport a log, or candelabra buildings, and the 
 ornaments of pediments ; or dalks, which are fo 
 flender and fpft, fitting figures ; or the flowers of 
 dalks produce half images ; yet men being accuft 
 tomed to the fight of thefe abfurdities, do not cen- 
 fure, but are pleafed with them, without confider- 
 ing whether they be proper or not ; the judgment, 
 depraved by habit, examines not whether they be 
 
 R according 
 
( 242 ) 
 
 according to propriety or the rules of decor; for 
 pidliires fhould not be approved, unlefs they be 
 conformable to truth, even although they be well 
 executed ; they ought therefore to be immediately 
 condemned, unlefs they can bear the trial of ra- 
 tional examination, without being difapproved. 
 
 Thus at Thralles, whtn Apatureus of Alaban- 
 da had excellently well painted a feene in the little 
 theatre, which with them is called Ecclefi after! on, 
 and inftead of columns had placed ftatues and cen- 
 taurs, fuppofting the epiftylium, the circular roof 
 of the dome, and projedfting corners of the pedi- 
 ments, and ornamented the cornice with lion’s 
 heads, all which have reference to the roofing and 
 caves of edifices ; above thefe, neverthelefs, in the 
 epicent, domes, porticos, femipediments, and all 
 the various parts of buildings were again painted : 
 wherefore upon the appearance of this feene, when 
 by reafon of its enrichment, it was found pleaftng 
 to all, and they were ready to applaud the work, 
 Licinius the Mathematician, then advanced, and 
 faid, “ the Alabandines are fufticiently intelligent 
 in all civil affairs, but for a trifling impropriety .are 
 deemed injudicious; for the ftatues in their gym- 
 nafium are all in the attitude of pleading caufes, 
 while thofe in the forum are holding the difeufs, or 
 in the attitude of running or playing with bails ; 
 fo that the unfuitablenefs of the attitudes of the fi- 
 gures, to the purpofes of the places, throws a public 
 difgrace upon the city. Let us take care that 
 
 by 
 
( 243 ) 
 
 by the fcene of Apaturius, we are not deemed 
 Alabandines, or even Aldarites ; for who among 
 you places upon the tiles of the roofs of your houfes 
 columns or pediments ? thefe things are placed up- 
 on the floors, not upon the tiles. If then we ap- 
 prove in painting what cannot be in fa6l, we of 
 this city fliall be like thofe, who, on account of the 
 fame error, are deemed illiterate.” Apaturius 
 dared not to reply, but took down the fcene and 
 altered it, fo as to be confiflent to truth ; after 
 which it was approved. I wifh the immortal gods 
 would reftore Licinius to life, that he ipight cor^ 
 red this folly, and fafhionable disfigurement of our 
 ftucco work; but why a falfe overcomes a juft 
 mode, it will not be foreign to the purpofe to 
 explain. 
 
 The ancients, with labour and application, en? 
 deavoured to make their works be approved by 
 the excellencies of Art ; this is now fupplied by the 
 beauty of colours, and the ufe of thofe of the moft 
 coftiy kind ; and that value which was formerly 
 given to works by the flcill of the Artifts, is not 
 defired, fince the expence of the proprietor fup- 
 plies its place. Who among the ancients is known 
 to have ufed mnnium, otherwife than fparingly, 
 and as a medicine ? but now it is every where laid 
 over the whole wall ; it is the fame with chryfo- 
 colla, oftrum and armenium, which when laid, 
 although without any art, appear very brilliant 
 to th^ figkt, and they are fo coftiy, that it is 
 
 R z iifp.dJy 
 
( 244 ) 
 
 iifuaily fpecified in the articles of agreement that 
 they fhall be purchafed by the proprietor, and not 
 by the contractor, &c. &c. 
 
 My fixth LeCtnre, that on Colouring, was read 
 in the Academy the Monday after ; and the new 
 matter introduced into that LeClure was as follows, 
 (fpeaking of the neceOlty of ancient Examples of 
 found Art for the Colouring and Mechanical 
 ConduCl) •: 
 
 But alas! we have not yet been able to obtain 
 this bleiling in the many years we have prayed and 
 hoped for it. This long-continued infenfibility, 
 torpor j or what lhall I call this inattention to the 
 wants of the Academy, refpecling thefe fo very 
 eflential materials of fludy, is really aftonifhing ; 
 more efpecially aft^r the iliameful, difgraceful 
 quackery with which fo many people had been 
 duped in the recent pretended fecret of the old 
 Venetiaa Colouring. Our Pupils, many of our 
 Artifts, and a great part of the Public, will be 
 ‘‘ continually expofed to thefe difgraceful decep- 
 tions, in one fhape or other, without fome legi- 
 timate Exemplars of Ancient Art to refer to. 
 Nothing Ihort of this can adequately anfwer our 
 purpofe, either with the Pupils or the Public. 
 And is this BritiPn Royal Academy never to be 
 in reality what it has fo long pretended to be, a 
 
 “ School 
 
( 245 ) 
 
 School for the Education of Painters of an 
 enlarged, fublime charadler, comprehending 
 “ all the great requifites of Art. Where is the 
 “ generous patriotifm that has atchieved fo much 
 for the health, convenience, and information of 
 our Public, by the hofpitals, repofitories, and 
 other noble inlritutions, which grace this me- 
 tropolis of the Britifh Empire ? When will this 
 “ patriotifm be called out, and ftimulated to do 
 fomething towards compleating thofe views of 
 this School for the Arts, from which the nation 
 might and would derive fo much additional 
 glory, entertainment, and advantage ? Alas 1 
 furely his Majefty, our moft gracious Patron, 
 does not know it : I fliall take it for granted, 
 that it has never been properly and lufficientiy 
 reprefented to hirn. His Majeily can have no 
 intereft but his glory, and the glory of his people, 
 ** and he would never fuffer thefe to be tarnifhed 
 ‘‘ for the want of a fmall effort : his moft gracious 
 “ example, a few of thofe pidtures which might be 
 foqnd in the royal palaces (where they are com- 
 paratively but of little ufe) would be fufticient 
 to begin with. This is fo immediately pradlica- 
 ** ble, and attended with fo little expence, that 
 it muft be difEcult to account for its not beina: 
 adopted ; more efpecially, as there is ground 
 “ adjoining, which more than a year fince was, 
 with the ufual myftery which has envelloped all 
 
 R3 
 
 our 
 
( 246 ) 
 
 our concerns fince the death of poof Sif 
 “ Jofhuai myflery not arifmg from the fublimity, 
 but, perhaps, from the meannefs of the mea- 
 fure ; but, however it be, it was and is 
 unacademicaliy whifpered, that this adjoin- 
 ing ground was to have been given to the 
 Academy, where a gallery might be built, for 
 the reception of thefe, and any other pictures we 
 might hereafter receive, as donations or other- 
 ways, or which might be purchafed with the 
 funds of the Academy^ What a happy oppor- 
 tunity is now offered for afllfting, compleating 
 your ftudies, by a few pi6lures from the Orleans 
 Colledion, which is now on fale. The little 
 Giorgione hanging on the chimney-piece in 
 Pall-Mall, the Carrache of our Saviour at the 
 Well, the Titian on the right fide of Sebaftian 
 del Piombo^s RefurrecSiion of Lazarus, Titian’s 
 Refurredion of our Saviour, and a few others, 
 
 ’ the Academy might now eafily purchafe. My 
 Lord Carlifle, and the other noble perfon^ 
 ages who bought them, have too much magna- 
 nimity not to forego their claims, and rejoice 
 that the Academy, interfering for the nation, 
 ihould become the purchafer. The Academy 
 has fixteen thoiifand pounds, which it might lay 
 out in this way, without any fears of afling 
 erroneoufly ; for, from the reafons which have 
 been adduced in the 1 2th and 1 3th pages of my 
 
 ‘‘ Letter 
 
( 247 ) 
 
 Letter to the Dilettanti Society, quarto edition, 
 I can never confider the a6t of our voting away 
 the income of this money in pennons to our- 
 felves as a regular a6l of the Academy, but 
 quite the contrary, as irregular, incompleat, 
 fmuggled, and confequendy liable to feizure. 
 How gracefully and becoming the former repii- 
 tation of this Academy, would fuch an exem- 
 plary application of our funds to this generous, 
 national, and academical purpofe, meet the 
 patriotic conduft of his Grace the Duke of 
 Bridgewater, and the Earls of Carlille and 
 Gower, whofe never to be forgotten magnani- 
 mity came forward in the purchafe of the whole 
 Orleans Colledlion, in order to prevent it being 
 carried out of the country, and thereby to furnilh 
 the Academy with the opportunity of obtaining 
 what it wanted for the completion of its own and 
 the public views. All this is not only ftill 
 praddcable, but of the utmofl eafe and facility ; 
 and it is for ever to be regretted, if other my- 
 fterious whifpered fchemes be recurred to, under 
 the pretext of more dignity and expanfion, and 
 “ which perhaps can have no other objedl but to 
 procraftinate, to let the occafion flip, and thus 
 ultimately render the undertaking abortive. I 
 can never forget what happened a few months 
 fince, when, fpeaking with a perfon who was 
 likely to know of whatever fhould be done in 
 R4 this 
 
( 24S ) 
 
 bufinefs, and who (frona my fears for the fuc- 
 cefs of the meafure) I was forty to fee, meant 
 to have no advifers, coadjutors, or evert 
 lookers-on j and was throwing fuch a myftery 
 ‘‘ and concealment about the proceedings in this 
 61 very interefcirlg affair, as would prevent any 
 communication with me, who had fome little 
 claims of right to know what was doing, and 
 how. On my lamenting, and complaining to 
 him that nothing appeared to be done or doing, 
 with relpedl to the Academy’s obtaining for the 
 life of the Students any part of this Orleans 
 Collefbion ^ after a good deal of the ufual cir- 
 cuitoLls talk, he at fall ventured to tell me, that 
 it was likely, from the troubled ftate of Eu- 
 rope, that the Royal Colledion of Pi 6 lures in 
 the Efcurial might in their turn come foon to be 
 diflodged, and that then it would be advifeable 
 to endeavour at obtaining fome of them. I 
 was aflonifhed, as may well be fuppofed, at 
 fuch an artfwer, and therefore fuffered the con-- 
 verfation to terminate. But as I think, that, 
 according to the old adage, we had better not 
 wait for the Iky’s falling when we want to catch 
 larks 5 but that rather, in the name of God, we 
 make immediate ufe of the means he has put 
 ‘‘ into our power, by employing fpringes and 
 nets : fo by now making ufe of this fixteen 
 thoufand pounds, the Academy would Ihew an 
 
 example 
 
( H9 ) 
 
 example worthy itfelf, and worthy the nation^ 
 whofe offspring it is ; and 1 will pledge 
 my foul for its fructifying, by exciting fuch a 
 congenial generous patriotifm as would exceed 
 our molt fanguine expedtations. Men who have 
 a goufto for the fine Arts can never be infenfible 
 and ftrangers to fuch feelings. As for difpofing 
 this money in the wretched penfion bufinefs, it 
 can never be attended with any good ufe j it 
 will only create meannefs and fervility in the 
 “ Academy, utterly incompatible with that true 
 and legitimate fpirit, which only can advance^ 
 raife, and ennoble Art. 
 
 “ From what I had already attempted in my 
 printed Letter to the Dilettanti Society, refpe(5V- 
 ing the obtention of thefe fo very neceflary and 
 eflential materials for the Study of the Pupils, 
 whofe Education has , been undertaken by this 
 Academ.y, I cannot help feeling myfelf fledged 
 and called upon for my utmofi: attention and foli» 
 ‘‘ citude to this bufinefs in all the fbages of it j and 
 this, I hope, will be accepted as fufficient juftid- 
 cation and apology for any harfh, undefirable, 
 “ unavoidable matter which might have occurred 
 in the purfuit of my objeft. God knows, I 
 have not fought after any thing invidious or un- 
 pleafant, quite the contrary ; as much only, and 
 jufl fuch a ftatement of truth, as was neceiTarily 
 connedled with propriety and utility,' as well as 
 
 ^‘-with 
 
( 250 ) 
 
 with jufllce, alone fwayed me ; and let me be 
 permitted to add, that I feel myfelf in the moh; 
 unrefcrved charity, as well with thofe whom the 
 necefTity of the cafe obliges me to withftand, as 
 thofe with whom I co-operate/’ 
 
 The reading of the above palTage in my fixth 
 Le6lure was on the fixth Monday from lad T welfth 
 day and what occurred almofl; immediately after 
 between the Academy and me, will be found de- 
 tailed in the following pages of a Cafe which I had 
 drawn up fome time fince, although I have been 
 difappointed in my wilh of publifhing it earlier. 
 
 State- 
 
( 251 ) 
 
 Statement of the Cafe of Mr. BARfty, who after 
 a tedious conted: of many years with certain 
 Members of the Royal Academy, refpefting the 
 obtaining of fuch Materials for Art, and fudi 
 modes of procedure relative to Public Trufls, 
 and fuch application of the Funds of the Aca- 
 demy, as would be mod conducive to the 
 Advancement of Art and of the National Glory, 
 was, by a vote of the Royal Academy, re- 
 moved from his fituation in that body, April 15, 
 1799 - 
 
 Juft after the reading of my Ledtnres, and almoft 
 in the beginning of my mionth’s fuperintendance as 
 Vifitor in the living Academy, the following Letter 
 was fent me from the Secretary : 
 
 Sir, 
 
 A body of charges relative to the academical 
 condudl of the ProfeiTor of Painting, having been 
 received by the Council, together with perfonal 
 information in fupport of the fame, by fome mem- 
 bers of the Academy, the Council, on inveftigation 
 of both, and mature confideration, deem thofe 
 charges and information fufficiently important to 
 be laid before the whole body of Academicians, 
 to be examined ; and if they coincide in opinion, 
 the heads of thofe charges then to be communi- 
 cated to the ProfeiTor of Painting. In confe- 
 
 quencc 
 
( 252 ) 
 
 quence of which refolution, the Council think it 
 ino^rnbent on them to inform Mr. Barry of the 
 fame, 
 
 I am. Sir, ' 
 
 Your very hum.ble fervant, 
 
 J. Richards, R.A. Sec. 
 
 Rojal Acadewy, March 12, 1799, 
 
 James Bafrjf Efq. 
 
 And afterwards the following Letter : 
 
 Royal A-cade my, March ^799» 
 
 Sir, 
 
 You are requeued to meet the Prefident and 
 the reft of the Academicians, on Tuefday next, the 
 1 9th day of March, at feven o’clock in the even- 
 ing, to admit Henry Trelham and Thomas Daniel 
 Academicians, and give' their diplomas ; and after- 
 wards to receive thole nainutes of the Council, 
 rel^ding the charges brought before them, rela- 
 tive to the academical conduct of the ProfelTor of 
 Fainting. 
 
 I am. Sir, 
 
 Your moll humble fervant, 
 John Richards, R.A. Sec. 
 
 James Barry, Efq. 
 
 At this meeting of the 1 9th, after the buJfinefs of . 
 receiving the two new Academicians was over, 
 Mr. Weft, the Prefident, rofe, and prefaced the 
 
 Secre- 
 
( 253 ) ‘ 
 
 Secretary's reading the minutes of the Council 
 refpe6ling the charges brought againft the ProfeJTbr 
 of Painting, by acquainting the meeting that he 
 defired to be heard immediately after the charges 
 againft the Profeftbr were read ; and accordingly, 
 after they were read, he immediately got up, and 
 moved, that a Committee of eleven be appointed 
 to examine thofe charges. Mr. Barry obferved, 
 that this was a departure from what had been pro- 
 pofed in the above Letter from the Council, and 
 he therefore defired to have a copy allov/ed him, 
 of thofe two papers of charges and information 
 before, or whether they appointed any Committee 
 or not, about which he did not mean to concern 
 himfelf. But this allowance of any copy was 
 ^ repeatedly refufed to him, and the Academy pro- 
 ceeded to appoint the Committee. Although 
 this departure from the mode of procedure pro- 
 pofed in the above Letter from the Council, 
 might appear trifling, and of little confequence, 
 yet by this the cabal was enabled to decide upon 
 the whole matter themfelves, and to ftate and 
 modify, in the 'manner moft adapted tq their own 
 views, not only the charges made, and the matter 
 on which thofe charges were grounded j but ftill 
 further, by a chicanery the moft illicit and out- 
 rageous, precluded the Profeftbr from the allowed 
 liberty and privilege of every Britifti fubjeft, of 
 defending himfelf by his right to examine and to 
 
 dift 
 
( 254 ) 
 
 dilprove, as far as he was able, whatever may have 
 been alledged againft him. Mr. Barry, on his 
 return home that night, wrote the following me- 
 morandum of the bufinefs of that meeting : 
 
 Memorandum, March 19, 1799. The Letter 
 of Charges (or, to ufe the writer’s own phrafe,) 
 Denunciation, was written by Mr. Wilton. The 
 perfona] information was given by MelTrs. Dance, 
 Smirke, and Daniel ; and Mr. Farrington pro- 
 duced the charges from the Letter to the Dilettanti 
 Society. Mr. Wilton’s charges were fpecified to be 
 the ProfelTor’s departure from the line of his duty, 
 by making digreflions, in which he abufed fome 
 members of the Academy, both living and dead, 
 and taught the fcudents and encouraged them to 
 a licentious diforderly behaviour (though without 
 citing any inftance as proof), very dnfubordinate 
 and troublefome to him ; and that the ProfefTor 
 further charged the Academy with voting away, 
 in penfions to themfelves, a fund of fixteen 
 thoufand pounds, which Ihould have been laid out 
 for the Students. Mr. Dance mentioned an abufe 
 of the Prefident (though without fpecifying what j 
 the others were general confirmations, except Mr, 
 Farrington, who defcended to particulars, by 
 producing the Letter to , the Dilettanti Society, 
 When I moved for a copy of the paper that had 
 been read, containing the charges, Mr. Wyat ob- 
 jected. 
 
( 2SS ) 
 
 jcfted, on the pretence that it could not be copied 
 out, that 1 ought not to exped the Secretary to 
 copy the whole letter to the Dilletanti Society. I 
 told him he ought, on an occafion like the prefent, 
 to be afhamed of fuch chicanery,' that I only re« 
 quired a copy of that paper of charges which had 
 been juft now read to the General Meeting, and 
 that as no more was mentioned in that paper, than 
 the mere words, the letter to the Dilletanti Soci- 
 ety, fo, no more could be required in the copy, and 
 thateven to fave the Secretary the trouble, I would 
 inftantly copy the whole paper out myfelf at ano- 
 ther table, without interrupting them, w^hilft they 
 might proceed to terminate the matter in whatever 
 way they chufed ; that I neither aflced nor wiilied 
 any favour or indulgence from them. Mr. Banks 
 fome little time after obferved, with other matter^, 
 ridiculoufly malignant, that as I had laid I would 
 aftc no favour from the Meeting, fo it was not 
 neceflary to give me any copy of that paper, and 
 that the heads of it might be fufticient, if fent me 
 at fome future time. I told him the copy was not 
 alked as a favour, but inftfted upon as a right 
 that waving every thing elfe, I had claimed it as 
 a Britifti fubjed j and that if my opponents, my 
 impudent accufers, would fuffer me to be in pof- 
 feftion of that paper, I v/ould foon put an end to 
 the bufinefs, by annexing to thofe charges, a com- 
 pleat copy of thofe paflages in the ledures upon 
 
 wduch 
 
( 256 ) 
 
 which the charges were grounded; and thereby 
 fave the Academy much trouble : but that to pleafe 
 him I would alter my manner, and now fupplicate 
 and entreat for the copy of this paper as a great 
 favour done me, by furnifhing' the means of my 
 extricating the charadter of the Academy from this 
 bufinefs— to which 1 would not then give a name; 
 that the Academy had formerly been in the habit 
 of a6ling honourably, and that I hoped to fee the 
 day when it would do fo again ; and that I had a 
 great perfonal refpedl for many of its members ; 
 however they might be influenced or intimi- 
 dated by a combination. — Many of the mem- 
 bers obferved, that I ought to be allowed this 
 copy; but Meflfs. Weft^ Wyat, Burch, Farring- 
 ton, and others, infifted upon palling Mr. WefFs 
 m.otion firfl:, which was for the appointment of a 
 Committee of, I believe eleven Academicians to 
 examine this bufinefs ; and they accordingly pro- 
 ceeded to mark, and give in each, a lift to that 
 end ; I was deflred by the Prefident and others, to 
 make out a lift, and give it in alfo, which I abfo- 
 lutely refufed doing, telling them at the fame time, 
 that it was a matter of perfedl indifference to me 
 of whom the Committee was compofed, and that 
 the Academy and not the Committee, fhould be 
 attended to by me.— After the Committee was ap- 
 pointed, I retired to the other table, where I wrote 
 
 down 
 
(. ^S1 ) 
 
 down the following nnotion, which I then read to 
 them, viz. 
 
 The motion which Mr. Barry made in the be- 
 ginning of the evening, and which was feconded 
 by Mr. RuiTell, he now makes again, viz. — -That 
 the papers which were read, containing the charges 
 &c. againft the ProfelTor of Painting, be ordered 
 to be copied out by the Secretary, or that Mr* 
 Barry be permitted to copy them himfelf, for the 
 ule of the Profeflbr, who may thereby be furnifhed 
 with a juft opportunity of refuting or admitting 
 them. But this was again refufed me, and Mr. 
 Rufiell faid, he would not now fecond any motion 
 for my obtaining any more than the heads of the 
 charges, which might be fent me at any time, 
 (garbled I fuppofe, as the Committee fhould find 
 convenient). I then, as it was paft eleven, wilhed 
 them a good night, telling them, that it was not a 
 little aftonifhing, that the cabal, after fo many 
 weeks plotting, and preparation of thofe charges, 
 ftiould require any more confultation, and be ftill 
 afraid of their being brought into day-light, by 
 fuffering them to come into my hands, and that 
 there was fomething very finifter, clandeftine, and 
 ungentlemanly in agitating the matter for fo long 
 a time, without making me acquainted with a fin- 
 gie iota of the particulars, until I had heard them 
 
 S at 
 
( 258 ) 
 
 at the meeting on that night. I then left them 
 fitting. 
 
 On the 8th of next month I received the follow- 
 ing letter. 
 
 Royal Academy y April t799» 
 
 Sir, 
 
 You are requeiled to meet the Prefident, and the 
 reft, of the Academicians on Monday next, the 
 1 5th day of April, at feven oYlock in the even- 
 ing, to receive the report of the Committee on 
 the charges brought againft the Profeftbr of Paint- 
 ing. 
 
 I am. Sir, 
 
 Your moft humble fervant, 
 John Richards, R.A. Sec. 
 
 At this Meeting of the 1 5th of April, (of which 
 I made the following memiorandum that night) af- 
 ter the report of the Committee was read by Mr* 
 Dance, the Chairman of that Committee, I rofe 
 up, and demanded that I might be furniihed with a 
 copy of this report, which I would prove to be 
 made up of miftatements and direct falftioods, 
 which might be eafily diflipated. When I faw they 
 would not comply with this, but that Mr. Tyler’s 
 motion, that the Meeting fliould proceed to vote 
 upon the matter, and to take the whole of thefe 
 charges for granted, (as well thofe forwarded by 
 
 the 
 
( 259 ) 
 
 the Council, as thofe added to them by the Com- 
 mittee, and without giving me any copy whereby 
 I might be enabled to defend myfelf, by manifeft- 
 ing the falfhood and impudent chicanery of thofe 
 charges and ilatements) I then told them that they 
 ought to carry in their recolledlion, that fuch a 
 proceeding was altogether retrogade, and irrecon- 
 cileable with the ideas and pradlice of all courts and 
 orderly focieties of Britifh fubje6ls ; that it might 
 perhaps be allowed by the dark inquifitorial pro- 
 ceedings of Spain or Portugal, but that it would 
 not do here ; adding further, that it now appeared 
 evident, that the Cabal ultimately faw the weak- 
 nefs and infujfhciency of their own proceedings, 
 and had now changed their mode of condudt, and 
 were abfolutely afraid to furnifh me, as they ought 
 to have done (according to all legitimate ufage), 
 with copies of thofe indidlments. That 1 dared 
 them to venture thofe copies in my hands, and 
 that it was aftonifhing to me, with what face thefe 
 copies could be witheld, feeing that even accord- 
 ing to the very letter fent to me, and figned by the 
 Secretary, and which I then had in my pocket : 
 thofe charges and information were to be laid 
 before the whole body of the Academicians to be 
 examined, and if they coincide in opinion, the 
 heads of the charges then to be communicated 
 to the ProfelTor of Painting. In confeqnence of 
 which refolution, the Council think it incum- 
 S 2 ‘‘ bent 
 
( 26 o ) 
 
 bent ofi them to inform Mr. Barry of the fame.'* 
 Mr. Wyat faid he was not aware that any fuch let- 
 ter had been written. Mr. Tyler acknowledged it 
 had been written, but faid it was premature. I 
 cold them I would then leave them., to profecute 
 whatever they intended, but that if they proceeded 
 according to the illicit motion of Mr. Tyler, I 
 Ihould be afhamed to belong to them. Mr. Tyler 
 faid, accompanied with a very fignificant air^, 
 that they would notwithilanding proceed, without 
 doing what I required, and that the Academy were 
 either plaintiff or defendant, I forget which, but 
 he made a jumble, the purport of which was to 
 fignify, that it was not neceffary to give me any 
 opportunity of refuting and difproving what they 
 had brought forward. Thus with the fingle ex- 
 ception of their refufing and witholding from me 
 copies of thefe papers, the matter is exadlly in the 
 Hate I wiflied it : the Cabal have offered anfwers, 
 ( whenever they will fuffer them to be feen and 
 confidered) to the charges brought againft them 
 in my letter to the Dilletanti Society, and the two 
 men who came forward in the bufinefs were Meff. 
 
 * I could not help laughing, when Mr. Tyler, arching his brows, 
 and tofling back his head with the ftomach forward, faid this, as 
 it was the very action which had made fuch an impreffion on poor 
 Sir Jodnia Reynolds, and which he mimicked very happily, when 
 when he fpoke of the Motion made by the fame Mr. Tyler, 
 which occafioned Sir Jofhua’s refignation. 
 
 ¥ 
 
 Dance 
 
( 26i ) 
 
 Dance and Tyler, Auditors of Accounts, a new 
 office which began with them in the year 1796, at 
 the time of the paffing of the Penfion Law, of 
 which they were the identical framers, and which 
 I had criminated in my Letter to the Dilletanti 
 Society. Thus the cabal and I have both adled’ 
 like ourfelves; my condu6t in this bufinefs has 
 been as confiftent with the opennefs of what.I flatter 
 myfelf to be my own ufual chara6ler, as that of 
 the cabal is marked with the fame concealment, 
 eledlioneering tricks, and fraudulent deceit, which 
 has chara6lerized it all along from the time of their 
 beginning with Sir Joffiua to their termination 
 with me. 
 
 So much was fet down in the memorandum 
 which I made on my return home from that meet- 
 ing of the 15th, and as I took my leave and left 
 the room before they proceeded to any voting, I 
 was not furprized next morning to find that the 
 Cabal had afifumed all power to themfelves, and 
 were at once Appellants, Defendants, Jury, Judge, 
 every thing which could favour their views, and 
 determined the matter by voting my expulfion. I 
 then called upon a great man, who has long ho- 
 noured me with his friend ffiip, and on relating the 
 matter to him, he defired me to write to the Se- 
 cretary, and endeavour to flop all further proceed- 
 ings, until Copies of the Charges were fent me, and 
 to v/hich I might produce an anfwer at the fecond 
 S 3 Meeting 5 
 
( 262 ) 
 
 Meeting ; which, according to ufage, muft necef- 
 farily be called before even this Vote of Expulfion 
 could be confidered as an Acl of the Academy, 
 and in a ftate to be laid before his Majefty, for his 
 acquiefcence or difcountenance. But on my aflur- 
 ing him that I was perfedlly tired .and difgufled with 
 the bufinefs, felt a difmclination to meddle further 
 in it ; and that now it appeared to be a concern 
 more of the King and the Public than it was of 
 mine ; and I concluded laughingly, by ufing the 
 Law phrafe, of letting it go by default. He infilled, 
 however, that fomething fhould be written, and 
 accordingly diflated to me the following very ex- 
 cellent Letter, which was fent to the Secretary of 
 the Academy that morning. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 * I am informed that, after my departure from 
 the General Meeting of the Royal Academy yef- 
 terday evening, the Academy proceeded to a Vote, 
 tending to my Expulfion from their Body, and 
 that the profefied ground of that meafure was the 
 admiffion. imputed to me of the charges on which 
 it was founded. As that refolution, according to 
 the forms of the Academy, mull undergo further 
 difculTion at another Meeting, the intereft I take 
 in the good opinion of my fellow Academicians, 
 obliges me to iofe no time in applying to you for 
 information, whether fuch be the fa6t, and if it 
 
 be. 
 
( 2^3 ) 
 
 be, I am to requeft that you will take the earliefl: 
 opportunity to demand from the proper authority, 
 in my name, an authentic Copy of the Articles 
 exhibited againfl me ; which were publicly and 
 repeatedly refufed to me at the two lafl General 
 Meetings. It will afford me extreme fatisfa6lion, 
 if, by my timely poffeffion of that Paper, as well 
 as of all others in your cuftody, which may be 
 neceffary to the fair and full difcuffion of the cafe, 
 I ihall be enabled to offer fuch a defence as lhall 
 induce my colleagues immediately to recall their 
 mod: fevere and unmerited fentence. But if, un- 
 fortunately, I fliail be difappointed in that expec- 
 tation, you will be pleafed to acquaint thofe Gen- 
 tlemen with my mod: unwilling determination to 
 lay myfelf at his Majefly’s Royal Feet, with the 
 humble but affured hope of obtaining Redrefs from 
 his Majefty of an Oppreffion drawn upon me only 
 by my Zeal for that Inftitation of which his Ma- 
 jefty is the Great Founder and conftant indifpen- 
 fible Protedtor, and infli61:ed upon me with a con- 
 tempt of the forms pradtifed in every well-regu- 
 lated Society towards the mod. atrocious offenders? 
 
 I am, Sir, 
 
 Your very humble Servant, 
 
 JAMES BARRT. 
 
 S 4 
 
 P. S. I 
 
P. S. I exped you will favour me with a written 
 Anfwer to this Letter, as foon as may be. 
 
 To John Richards, Efq. Secretary to the Royal Academy, 
 dated from the Lyceum in the Strand, Tuefday, 
 
 April iS, 1799. 
 
 T o this Letter Mr. Barry received the following 
 Anfwer. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 The great prefs of bufinefs on me at this mo- 
 ment in the Royal Academy, prevented me giving 
 you an immediate Anfwer to your Letter ; and I 
 mull now beg to inform you, that by the Truft 
 repofed in me as Secretary of this Inftitution- I 
 cannot communicate to you any Proceedings of 
 the laft General Meeting of the Academicians, un- 
 lefs 1 am authorized by that Body, which, if I 
 fhould be, you will hear from me as foon as pol^ 
 fible. 
 
 I am. Sir, 
 
 Your obedient, humble Servant, 
 John Richards, R. A. Sec. 
 
 Rcyal Academy, Aprils.'], 1799. 
 
 James Barry, Efq. 
 
 Afterwards, without any thing intervening, Mr. 
 Barry received the following Letter. 
 
 Sir, 
 
( 2^5 ) 
 
 Sir, 
 
 The General Ailembiy of Academicians, having 
 received the Report of the Committee appointed 
 to inveftigate your Academical Condudl, decided, 
 that you be remioved from the Office of Profefibr 
 of Fainting 5 and, by a fecond Vote, that' you be 
 expelled the Royal Academy. 
 
 The Journals of Council, the Report of the 
 Committee, and the Refolutions of the General 
 AfTembly having been laid before the King ; his 
 Majefty was gracioufly pleafed to approve the whole 
 of the Proceedings, and flrike your Namie from 
 the Roll of Academicians. 
 
 I am. Sir, 
 
 Your moft obedient Servant, 
 
 John Richards, R. A. Sec. 
 
 James Barry, 
 
 Royal Academy, April T.eyh, 1799. 
 
 By all this it appears, that, in defiance and utter 
 contempt of all the ufual before- mentioned forms, 
 and by an a6b of the bafeft treachery both to the 
 King’s Majefly and to the honour and interefl of 
 Mr. Barry, thefe Papers of Charges were, during 
 this interim, laid before the King for his confirma- 
 tion, as if they had been regularly pafled, and ad- 
 mitted by Mr. Barry, and that he w^as unable to 
 difprove them. This being a true fiatement of 
 ^ - the 
 
( 266 ) 
 
 the cafe, Mr. Barry throws himfelf v/ith a firm re- 
 liBfice on his Majefly’s goodnefs, notwithftanding 
 this unjuftifiable, illicit procedure by which this 
 goodnefs has been furprized, and alfo upon the 
 candour and generous feelings of all orders^ ranks 
 and defcriptions of his fellow fubjedts, hoping that 
 they will take nothing for granted which is not 
 fairly proved; and that they will fufpend all judge- ^ 
 inent, until Mr. Barry can devife fome means or 
 other whereby he may obtain Copies of thofe 
 Charges, which he would long fince have fully 
 refuted, had not the framers of them., confcious 
 of their unfairnefs, infufficience and nullity, been 
 afraid to let them come into his hands. Mr. Barry 
 recommends himfelf particularly to thofe Gentle- 
 men who may be Editors, or otherways concerned 
 in Newfpapers, Roping that they may admit no- 
 thing premature, rafh, malignant or invidious, 
 which might bias or corrupt the public mind re- 
 fpeding this matter, until Mr. Barry, by being 
 furniflied with Copies of the Charges, is properly 
 enabled to defend himfelf in a manner becoming a 
 peaceable, orderly, and good fubjedb, and who 
 flatters himfelf with an idea, that he has fome 
 fair and honeft claims upon the public attention, 
 of a kind almofl unique in the hiftory of Art and 
 ArtiHs, and that when the truth is fathomed to the 
 bottom, it will be found that he has already been 
 LPJmoft a Martyr in the Caufe of this Art, and of 
 
 the 
 
( 267 ) 
 
 the intereft ip that Art, which it would be for the 
 Glory of the Nation to efpoufe ; and that the an- 
 noyance which has fo long followed him ^ by the 
 artful contrivances of an extenfive and Ihamelefsly 
 induftrious Combination and Cabal, has in a great 
 meafure arifen from the envy which attaches, and 
 which always attached to certain fituations fo pe- 
 culiar and individual : and from what he has done 
 for the Publick in the Adelphi, he hopes that Pub- 
 lick will not think it cither for their intereil or 
 their glory, that he fhould be borne down by 
 unfairnefs and oppreffion, that he fhould be 
 condemned without a lawful and fair hearing, 
 and thereby prevented from happily terminating 
 another work, of perhaps equal if not fuperior in- 
 tereil to the former one at the Adelphi, which the 
 good Providence of God has enabled him to con- 
 fecrate to the publick fervice and entertainment. 
 There is fomething ftrange and fingular in this 
 matter, which no one could have thought to be 
 polTible, if the fadt were not certain and out of all 
 diipute. In a conteft where the fecurity and af- 
 fairs of ftate can have no manner of concern, ut- 
 terly eilranged from either Jacobinifm, Illuminifm, 
 Revolutionifm, or any other dangerous, treafon- 
 fonable bufinefs, fubverfive of publick tranquility 
 and good order, and which amounts to no more 
 
 * See the Letter to the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, 
 page at the End of this Appendix. 
 
 than 
 
( ) 
 
 than a conteft and difpute between Artifts, con- 
 cerning the materials of Study in an Academy, 
 concerning old Pictures and Plaifter Calls of Sta- 
 tues and BalTo Relievo’s, and concerning the bell 
 manner of executing Publick Truils, refpefling 
 New Pi6tures and New Statues, and whether it 
 would be more for the honour and real interefrs of 
 that Academy to employ its funds in Penhons on 
 themfelves and relatives, or in the further Com- 
 pletion of their Colledion of Materials for Study, 
 fo efientially necelTary both for the Pupils and the 
 Publick, and perhaps for themfelves alfo. In a 
 difpute of this nature among Artifts, where the 
 Profeftbr of Painting is for perfuading the Aca- 
 demy to employ its Funds with thefe glorious pub- 
 lick Views, and where a Cabal in that Academy 
 are for employing thofe Funds felfifhly, and in a 
 manner diredlly calculated to render their influ- 
 ence irrefiftable. The ProfeflTor, defeated in the 
 Academy by the influence of the Cabal, appeals 
 to the King and the Publick in a printed Letter, 
 addreflTed to the Dilletanti Society : he is arraigned 
 by the Cabal in the Academy for this publick 
 Letter, and for certain paflfages in his Ledlures, 
 tending to the fame end, and he is condemned 
 without allowing him any Copy of this Accufation 
 or Indidlment, and confequently any poflibility of 
 examining and anfwering thofe Statements of 
 Charge. Condemned for paflTages affirmed to be 
 
 in 
 
( 2^9 ) 
 
 in that printed Letter, and alfo for certain palTages 
 in his publick Le6lures, read in the Academy be- 
 fore a numerous and evidently fatisfied audience. 
 This was the whole amount of the Charges made 
 by the Cabal, and read at the General Meetings of 
 the Academy. But, as in both inftances, the 
 Cabal alTumed it as proved, that the paflages ex- 
 illed and were criminal, as they alTerted them to 
 be, and that they had fairly and truly quoted, ftated, 
 and fully anfwercd them., which the Profeffor as 
 peremptorily denied,, and repeatedly demanded 
 Copies of them, which he claimed as his Rights as 
 that which could and would enable him to expofe 
 the falfehood or nullity of all they had brought 
 forward, and v/ithout which, the bufmefs could not 
 legally proceed further. In a contefl: of this na- 
 ture between Artifts, and to repeat it again about 
 the mere materials and interefts of their profeffion, 
 it might reafonably be expe6led and looked for, 
 that the ufual and ordinary habits and courfe of 
 national juftice would not be interrupted and laid 
 alide 5 and that if any of the higher orders of the 
 State were to take cognizance of thefe matters, it 
 could only induce them to efpoufe the caufe of the 
 Profeffor, whofe viev/s, like their own, had evi- 
 dently no other objed but the Advancement of 
 National Glory, and the better enabling it fuc- 
 cefsfully to ffruggle with and to combat all its 
 rivals and competitors, v/herever refident, and 
 
 what- 
 
C 270 ) ■ 
 
 whatfoever advantages they may poflefs : but ^las I 
 unfortunately for Mr. Barry, the King’s goodnefs 
 has been furprifed by the moil unfair imp^ofition — 
 the buiinefs is over — ^the ProfeiTor is expelled the 
 Academy. 
 
 In a country fo famous for its mild, equitable, 
 and juft laws, celebrated with fuch peculiarly tri- 
 umphant diftindlion even by ftrangers, and by the 
 Montefquieus, De Lolmes, and other excellent 
 writers, advocates for the caufe of humanity and 
 good government, it will be exceedingly hard, if 
 in fuch a country protedlion cannot be found, and 
 if the benefit of t|iofe laws ftiould be withheld from 
 the Painter of fuch a work as that on Human 
 Culture, in the Great Room of the Society cf Arts 
 at the Adelphi, which for public intereft, and 
 ethical utility of fubjed, for the >caftigated purity 
 of Grecian defign, for beauty, grace, vigorous 
 effed, and execution, ftands fo fuccefsfuliy irr the 
 view and neighbourhood even of the fo juftly cele- 
 brated Orleans Colled ion, where the efforts of fo 
 many and fuch diftinguifhed Heroes of the ancient 
 Schools of Art are fo happily united together, for 
 the advancement of Information and National 
 Tafte. It will be exceedingly hard indeed, if Mr. 
 Barry, after fuch a work, fnould want that pro- 
 tedion which ‘may enable him to obtain juftice ; 
 it will be hard, that he be lowered in the public 
 eftimation, from the mere barkings of an un- 
 . prin- 
 
( 271 ) 
 
 principled combination, who pretended to ground 
 charges againft him, drawn from his public Letter 
 to the Dilettanti Society, which is in the hands of 
 fo many people, who have found no foundation 
 for cenfure, but the di red contrary ; and from his 
 public Ledures, delivered before an audience fo 
 numerous, and fo fatisfied : and that this combina- 
 tion and cabal fhould exped to be credited on their 
 bare word, for thofe charges which they have not 
 dared to produce, although fo repeatedly defied to 
 it by Mr. Barry, who offered to fhew their faife- 
 hood and nullity whenever he fnould be furnifhed 
 with copies of them^ and that in reality and truth 
 he confidered (and in that he was not fingular), 
 that both his Ledures and his public Letter were 
 Gompofed of inaterials fo honeft, and fo ufefuliy 
 coinciding v/ith the public interefl and glory, as 
 could not fail, focner or later, to give him another 
 and new claim towards obtaining the protedion, 
 grace, and favour, both of the King and of the 
 Nation, in his future fcuffles with that cabal, if it 
 fhould any longer be fuffered to ex ill : for when 
 thefe matters are fully knowm and confidered, it 
 muft be apparent that his Majefly himfelf, as 
 Patron and Protedor of an Inflitiition for railing 
 and ennobling Art, is of all others in the kingdom 
 the moft really interelled in fupporting the Pro- 
 feffor I the caufe and the views of both can be 
 but one and the fame. 
 
 It 
 
 / 
 
( 272 ) 
 
 It is worth obfcrving, that the cabal have ac- 
 cufed and condemned the ProfelTor for dilTeminat- 
 ing difratisfa61:ion and infubordination among the 
 Students of the Academy, by having, both in his 
 Letter to the Dilettanti, and in his Le6lures, fo 
 frequently infilled on the infufficiency and incom- 
 pletenefs of the Academical Education, without 
 fuch a Colle6lion of Pidures of the old Mailers as 
 would enable the Pupils to paint *, and that with- 
 out this, the Academy was but a School of 
 Drawing, and failed, and even cruelly diffipated 
 the time, and milled the Pupils in one of the moll 
 important parts of what it had fo oftentatioufly 
 undertaken to perform for them. If this be dilTemi- 
 iiating dilTatisfadlion and infubordination, the Pro- 
 felTor has furely every reafon to glory in being fo 
 accufed. However, he mull confefs himfelf 
 unable to conceive how a charge of fo much ef- 
 frontery and ignorance (to fay nothing worfe of 
 it) can be any longer upheld ; for otherways, this 
 charge will alfo extend to thofe Noblemen and 
 Gentlemen, who being of the fame opinion v/ith 
 the ProfelTor, are now about to fupply and remedy 
 the defe6ls of this Academical Education, by mak- 
 ing public galleries of thofe old pidlures, where 
 the Pupils might be aillfted in the infpe£lion and 
 fludy ,of whatever is neceffary for the Colouring and 
 mechanical condud, and happy termination of 
 their v/ork. It is indeed a, providential circum- 
 
 Eance, 
 
( 273 ) 
 
 fiance, that thefe patriotic chara6lers have thus 
 embarked in the fame hitherto forlorn caufe with 
 the Pupils and the Profeffor ; as thefe illiberal, 
 abfurd accufations muft now ceafe, and the Pupils 
 and the Profeffor mufl be all exculpated froitl 
 every finifter, tricking imputation of infubordina- 
 tion, &c. which cannot now be extended with the 
 fame impunity to thofe noble and patriotic cha- 
 raders out of the Academy, as unfortunately they 
 have hitherto been to the poor Pupils, and to the 
 Profeffor in it. 
 
 Mr. Barry has long fince had occafion to regret, 
 that in repelling the very impudent bafe attacks of 
 this cabal, both in and out of the Academy, that 
 he has (befides the great lofs of time from the 
 pra£lice and theoretical invefligation of his Art, 
 which he fo dearly loves,) been flill further obliged 
 (in the detedlion of fo much chicanery and im- 
 poflure), fometimes to make ufe of expreffions, 
 though not adequate to the bafe, infidious, wicked 
 conduct of his opponents, yet much harfher than 
 was agreeable to his education and feelings, and 
 to the common charities which as a Chriflian he 
 held himfelf obliged to extend to all, whether good 
 or bad men. But what could he do otherways, 
 thus preffingly urged, kept at bay for fuch a 
 length of time, and with fuch an unexampled bru- ^ 
 tality ? The common and generous feelings of the 
 Public will furely not wifh to reftrain him from 
 
 T defend- 
 
( 274 ) 
 
 defending himfelf by the ordinary ufe of his native 
 language, confcious as he is, that the occahons far 
 outgo any thing that he has faid, or that he could 
 have faid ^ and that Artifts have enjoyed triumphs 
 in other countries, for far lefs atchievements than 
 thofe for which he has unfortunately been obliged 
 to defend himfelf in this. But as Almighty God 
 permits it, acquiefcence is duty ; nay, it is all for 
 the bell ^ honeft Columbus lived to fee the time 
 that his chains became an ornament which he was 
 proud ofwearing. 
 
 Surely no man of candour, even no mere looker- 
 on, can think it a fair or allowable procedure, to 
 conjure up all this annoyance to Mr. Barry, and 
 juft at this time, after he had for the greateft part 
 of laft fummer been conftantly on the wing, carry- 
 ing melioration and improvement through his ex- 
 tenfive fcenes at theAdelphi, from the Thracian 
 Orpheus, through the Heroes at Olympia, and the 
 retributions ofElyfium*; and after the honourable 
 and exemplary Society who are the confervators 
 and proprietors of this work, had, in a manner fo 
 very flattering and grateful to the feelings of Mr, 
 Barry, crowned his labours with fuch an honoura- 
 ble and never to be forgotten teftimony ; not as a 
 
 com- 
 
 ♦ • As fome new figures were at tkis time introduced into the 
 
 Picture of Elyfium, I fhall, for the latisfaftion of thofe who may 
 find any entertainment in that work, infert a copy of the Letter 
 which I wrote on that occafion, and which the reader will find at 
 the conclufion of this Appendix. ' 
 
( i?5 ) 
 
 compenfation for what he had done, which they 
 urbanely and with their ufual delicacy, affirmed to 
 be above their means, but as an avowal and tefti- 
 mony of their fenfe of his Public Zeal, and of the 
 eminent Merits of his Work on the Cultivation of 
 the Human Faculties in their great room. Whea 
 alfo, another particular, not lefs interefling, is 
 added to this, namely, the fatisfadion Mr. Barry 
 expected to enjoy on feeing the important matter 
 which, as appears by his Letter to the Dilettanti 
 Society, he had for fo many years, and with fo 
 much labour and anxiety to himfelf, been endea- 
 vouring to effe6l, refpe6ting that Colledtion of 
 Pi 61 :ures of the good Old Schools, which was fo 
 abfolutely neceffary to compleat the Education of 
 the generous youths. Students of the Academy, 
 and of the Public at large, who equally flood in 
 need of fimilar information, as they were ultimately 
 to appreciate the labours of thofe Students. The 
 obtention of this mod important obje6l of Educa- 
 tion, which Mr. Barry had fo much and fo long at 
 heart, was now at lafl efFe6led by the high-fpirited, 
 truly noble interference of his Grace the Duke of 
 Bridgwater, and the Earls of Carlifle and Gower, 
 who patriotically came forward with 43,500!. in 
 order to prevent that part of the Orleans Colledlion'' 
 of Pi£lures which yet remained, from being carried 
 out of the country ; and thereby furnifh the oppor- 
 tunity of affording that affiftance and gratification 
 T 2 to 
 
( ) 
 
 to our young Artifts and to the Public, which they 
 are now likely to enjoy in an ample, liberal, and 
 truly patriotic manner. Was it then well and 
 honeftly done, in the midfl of thefe well-earned 
 profpeds of fatisfadion, for the cabal of the Royal 
 Academy, which has long fince been too powerful 
 in that body, as poor Sir Jolhua Reynolds expe- 
 rienced but too bitterly, and which cabal is now 
 become uncontrouiable and abfolute, fince the 
 palling of the Penfion Law ; w^as it quite fair and 
 honourable in them (from their too eager and 
 vengeful delire of marring thofe profpeds of Mr, 
 Barry, and mixing dirt with his little, though well- 
 earned triumphs,) to contrive matters after fuch a 
 manner as to effed their purpofe, even though it 
 fhould fix an indelible llain upon the Academy, by 
 making it appear to be the firll example of an un- 
 warrantable, illegal inflrument for fub verting the 
 good old ufages of the land, by condemning one 
 of its members without allowing him a hearing, 
 and the privilege of defending himfelf before the 
 palling of judgment, and thereby wounding 
 through his fide the peace and fecurity of all other 
 focieties in the kingdom, whofe members would 
 by this evil example be unfortunately expofed to 
 the fame peril. However, there is feme good 
 which a refieding mind might draw^ from thefe 
 evils, as they render credible, and fo ftrengthen 
 former examples, as to enable us to eftablifh fuch 
 
 coral- 
 
r 277 ) 
 
 corollaries or general conclufions as cannot fail to 
 give the fureft dire<5lioii to our obfervations, rules, 
 and judgment on the affairs of life. 
 
 Thefe corollaries enable us to affirm with conr* 
 fidence, that great care ought to be taken that men 
 in the lower departments of Art haver not top 
 much countenance and patronage of a certain kind ; 
 for we may be well affiired, that in Academies 
 where the little people govern, the great will foon 
 be profcribedr Cain will endeavour to get rid 
 of his brother Abel, even for the foie reafon of 
 his being better than himfelf Who can fay what 
 bafenefs and confcious inferiority is not capable 
 of attempting in certain fituations which afford the 
 means ? Homer, Milton, and fuch like, would 
 Hand a poor chance with the votes of twenty 
 poetaflers againft them. What would have been 
 the fate of Mr. Pope, if he had not lived at large 
 in the world ; and if, for the public fervice, he had 
 pent himfelf up in an Academy ; his exiftence in 
 that Academy, or even in the country, would 
 have been very precarious indeed, if it depended 
 upon the votes of the Dennis's, Gildons, and the 
 whole race of poifonous infe6bs, which, as in a 
 Mufeum, are pinned up for the infpe<ffion of 
 after-ages, in the fine verfes of the Dunciad. 
 Surely, furely, nothing can be more injurious to 
 the public glory, and more fubverfive of all good, 
 
 T 3 (as 
 
( ^78 ) 
 
 (as far as Arts are concerned) than mean Artifls 
 powerfully countenanced and patronized : for let 
 them be ever fo mean and fcandalous, their firft 
 wifh muft and will be, to employ every artifice, 
 influence, means, and intereft, to lefTen their bet- 
 ters, and make them to appear more mean and 
 fcandalous than themfelves ; and the confcioufnefs 
 of their own turpitude and unworthinefs, muft fo 
 induce them to labour proportionably at this re- 
 dudlion and lowering bufmefs, that in certain 
 hands, as far as they can obtain credit, their oppo- 
 nents muft unfortunately be reduced very low 
 indeed. 
 
 Copy of a Letter to the Right Honourable the 
 President, Vice-Presidents, and the reft 
 of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of the 
 Society for the Encouragement of Arts, 
 &c. John-Street, Adelphi. 
 
 My Lords and Gentlemen, 
 
 I have to thank you, which 1 do very fincerely, 
 for your kind indulgence, in permitting me, dur- 
 ing your laft recefs, to retouch- my Work on 
 Human Culture, which is in your Great Room. 
 My heart had been long fet upon making a few 
 amendments in certain parts of that work i thofe 
 
 amend- 
 
( 279 ) 
 
 amendments are made, and in that refpedt I am now 
 gratified to the utmoft of my wiflies. However, 
 as our fatisfadlion is never to be complete, (at leaft 
 here below) a blemifh has, partly from the fug- 
 geftion of others, lately occurred to me, which, 
 from the numerous attentions neceffarily required 
 in fo much matter of fubjedt, had unhappily 
 efcaped my obfervation before, and v/hich, as it 
 is not too late to remedy, and as an eflential part 
 of what is neceflarily to be done, muft He with 
 your Society, I am ready moil chearfully to do 
 what depends on me, whenever it is your pleafure 
 to defire it. The unlucky blemilli is in the fifth 
 Pidlure of the Series, where the Society are occi?- 
 pied in the diftribution of Premiums, and where fo 
 much occurs of what is great and refpedtable as to 
 rank and talents ; there is nothing to fpecify the 
 City of London, except the view of St. Paul’s in 
 the diftance. Had I introduced the Lord^Mayor 
 of that City, which has always been fo remarkably 
 diftinguifhed for its numerous Hofpitals, Schools, 
 and for whatever could beft denote the moft truly 
 citizen-like and generous publicity, I had then 
 done it a juftice which would be in ftrid unifon 
 with the other parts of the work, and have left 
 my mind without a wifh at prefent. This may 
 Hill eafily be done, if it is your pleafure, and 
 without difturbing the arrangement of the feats, 
 and the Seffions of the Society, as there will be 
 T 4 no 
 
( 28 o ) 
 
 no inconvenience from the fcafFold, which has 
 Ipace enough in that part of the room, where it 
 might remain for a few days, for the purpofe of 
 transferring a Portrait or two into that Picture. ^ 
 As without putting out any thing, there is in that 
 Picture good fpace for the introduction of two por- 
 traits, I fhould feel happy in receiving the Sbciety’s 
 command for filling that fpace with a portrait of a 
 Lord Mayor of London, and alfo with a portrait of 
 the truly noble perfonage, both as to rank and talents, 
 who is at the head of their Prefidency •, and I am 
 not a little gratified in , this opportunity of faying 
 fo, as among the number of fcoundrel public at- 
 tacks that have been made upon my reputation and 
 intereft, one of the latefl: has been a lying ftory that 
 his Grace the Duke of Norfolk had done me the 
 honour to defire his portrait at my hand, and that 
 with the moft underbred brutality, I inftantly fhut 
 the door on his Grace, bidding him to look out for 
 fomebody elfe. This is the third noble Duke, with 
 whom I have, without knowing it, unhappily been 
 embroiled, fince the expofition of your work, by 
 the political artifices of a fcoundrel combination, 
 who are daily growing more defperate (as appears 
 by the late breaking open and robbing of my 
 houfe). The broad general fatire of denoting one 
 Ipecies of ambition by the ftar and garter in Tar- 
 tarus, was by artful whifpers (and during the very 
 critical time of exhibition, and the fubfcription for 
 
 the 
 
( 28i ) 
 
 the Prints, and by people, fome of whom, would 
 appear to be and pafs for my friends) faftened on 
 his Grace the late Duke of Northumberland : and 
 as if this was not fufficient to mar the fubfcription, 
 during the courfe of the two exhibitions, (where 
 they well knew I never came, whilft any one was 
 in the room) another fcoundrel lie was alfo at the 
 fame time, induflirioufly circulated refpefting my 
 infolence to the Duke of Rutland, on his offering 
 to fubfcribe. Thefe defperate, malignant attacks, 
 may by fome be thought glorious, when confidered 
 as the feal fet to merit j but notwithftanding, kis 
 hard, very hard indeed, that the reputation, and 
 confequently the interefl of a man who has no other 
 dependence than what is derived from his labours 
 — ■ — but complaining is ufelefs — Combination, en- 
 vy) malignity, and hireling affaffins, may execute 
 their work with impunity, in certain defencelefs 
 cafes, where neither time nor money can be fpared 
 in the fearch of redrefs. — To me the law is ufelefs, 
 however excellent it may be^. If my work had 
 
 had 
 
 » U]jpn adifcovery of any of thefe unprincipled, hired fcoim- 
 drels and affaffins, whether their baneful operations be carried on. 
 under the appearance of buffoonery, or more dire6Uy with a crape 
 and dark lanthorn, perhajis it would be more reconcilable with 
 wifdom and rectitude, and better for the community, that they 
 ■fliould not always be furfered thus to efcape and go away un- 
 punifhed, even though a man cannot afford the expence of either 
 time or money to profecute them at taw, and that no protet^or 
 
 offers 
 
( 282 ) 
 
 had obtained for me fome patron, or but half as 
 many a6live friends, as it has ailive enemies, and 
 
 that 
 
 offers with magnanimity, fpirit, or patriotlfm enough to do this 
 
 humane and worthy a6f for him. My friend Mr. , who is a 
 
 good fenfible man of the world, has more than once intimated to 
 me, that fuch infamous pells of fociety give the man they attack 
 every right over them, and that their nofes or ears are fairly at his 
 difpofal, whenever he chufes to put out his hand to fhave or blow 
 them off. That it is beft to feize hold of them in the beginning, 
 and make fome notable example ; for, as they are only to be 
 rellrained by the terror of punifhment, they hut grow more and 
 more impudent, and progreffively defperate, in proportion as they 
 are pacifically defeated by mere dete6lion only j and they will, 
 thus encouraged, moil affuredly go on from one rafcality to 
 another, until they finifn by holding you out for fome monfter, 
 like him who marked his nightly prowiings by flafhing and cutting 
 up all the women he met with at every corner, particularly thofe 
 that were young and handfome j and I was, he added, really re- 
 lieved from fome pain onyour account, when that monfter was de- 
 tected, and put inprifon; for I expeCled nothing fo much as, that 
 fome of the tools and emiflaries of your old enemy, that mifereant, 
 Richard Dalton, would have endeavoured to identify you with 
 his monfterfhip. The flighteft hints, though only fcattered in the 
 air, on the lobby gather like a fnow-ball as they roll along, an^ 
 acquire great weight by the time they get down theback-ftairs at 
 St. James’s. It may be that there is fome reafon in thefe notions 
 of my friend and his aflbclates, the men of the world, as they are 
 called, by way of diftinguiftiing them from our religionifts and 
 philofophesj and to confefs the truth, I begin myfelf to waver 
 on this matter, and do now feel, that a man may at fome time or 
 other be tempted to dafti forward and exercife this right over fome 
 of thofe mifereants, and commit the confequences to the public 
 geneiofity. Surely it is a difgrace to the country, to civilized 
 fociety, to humanity itfelf, that matters fliould any longer be per- 
 mitted to go on in fo fhameful a manner. The Public at large is 
 
 furely 
 
( ) 
 
 that the emoluments bore any proportion to the 
 envy, rankling and bitternefs it has occalioned, it 
 
 v/ould 
 
 fiirely interefted in prote6Hng thofe who can ferve them, with 
 expanhon and credit, from being infamoufly overborne by a con- 
 federation of narrownefs, imbecility, and let me add, impu- 
 dence. Would it not be mc/re becoming a generous people, to 
 recur to fuch a ufage as the ancient ojiracifm, where a man pof- 
 feffing too much, and too many talents, was permitted, though 
 baniihed, to carry all his honours and reputation with him ; 
 rather than thus to permit the infamous endeavours of a cabal 
 to tie up his hands, and annihilate him by a conlecutive fe- 
 ries and accumulated heap of rafcaily charges, under the hopes, 
 that at one time or other, fooner or later, fome of them niight 
 ftick and do the bufinefs. And yet it is much to be doubted, 
 whether the Public would find their account in allowing ojiracifm in 
 matters of Art. It but rarely happens that a great degree of 
 mechanical, laborious, various acquifitions in the pradlice of 
 Arts, have been happily united with that depth and expanfion of 
 improved, highly cultivated intellect, which fiiould always fur- 
 nifli the identical matter upon which laborious mechanical ability 
 ihould be employed, whenever credit and celebrity is looked for. 
 This being the cafe, it behoves us to confider, whether in all pro- 
 bability it would not be this very man only that would be marked 
 for the oftracifm, by the envy and bitternefs of confederates, and 
 combinations of the mere mechanical, limited Artifts, who, al- 
 though they might be excellent inftruments under the dire6lion of 
 aman of intelledt, can (in high matters) be but of little import- 
 ance without it. This mofc important truth appears to have been 
 jufily felt by thofe Gentlemen of the Houfe of Afiembly in Ja- 
 maica (fee page i6 of the quarto edition of my Letter to the 
 Dilettanti Society)^ who, in the matter of Lord Rodney’s fiatue, 
 wifiied to have premia offered for the beft defigns for that work, 
 the judgment on thofe defigns being left to the Royal Academy ; 
 and that afterwards the moft eminent Sculptor fhould be employed 
 to carry fuch defigns into execution. Monfieur Le Brun was> 
 
 as 
 
( 284 ) 
 
 would perhaps refied more credit upon the time I 
 Jived in, and I would not have had my hands almoft 
 tied up ever fince — but whether or not, let us con- 
 tinue to wreftle and ftruggle on chearfully a§ we 
 have honourably. 
 
 With refped to what has been recently done to 
 the work, all is remaining of the matter that was 
 there before ; I have put out nothing, and have 
 only invigorated and embelliflied where it appeared 
 neceifary. I have indeed, in the laft pidure, the 
 State of Final Retribution, introduced Something 
 new, which gives a- further extenfion and a more 
 v/eighty impreffion to the old matter. Behind the 
 Superior Intelligence, who is difcourfing upon 
 the Solar Syftem to the admiring Newton, Galli- 
 leo, Copernicus and Bacon, I have introduced 
 two fimilar intelligences, which necelTarily intF 
 
 mates 
 
 as h well known, employed in regulating this important matter 
 in Girardon’s monument for Cardinal Richlieu, and alfo for many 
 other diftinguilhed Sculptors, who were employed in thofe monu- 
 ments which give celebrity to the age of Lewis the XtVth. And 
 had fucb been the practice in the reign of his moil gracious 
 Majefty George the Illd, perhaps the Public would find lefs 
 matter of allegorical, taftelefs rubbifh to criticife, and more of 
 interefi, pertinence, and dignity, in fome of the fine mecha- 
 nical monuments of Sculpture, on which lo much money has 
 been expended. For thefe and many other weighty reafons, it 
 mull be evident that there is nothing which the Public ought fo 
 much and fo cautioufly to guard againft, as the cfamours and com- 
 binations of low Artifts, who, whenever they are indulged, are 
 and always have been fo blinded by that felf-love, envy, and 
 defperate bitternefs, as carry after them fuch a long et cetera of 
 difgracc and mifehief, as well public as private. 
 
( 235 ) 
 
 mates a Platonic mafs of fuperior intelleft In that 
 part. Alfo, over the center group, the general 
 arrangement is affifted by another angel ftrewing 
 flowers ; and by introducing three more angelic 
 charadlers among the guards in the advanced part 
 of the Elyfium, I have anfwered the double pur- 
 pofe of adding, by thofe three large ideal figures, 
 fomething more to the dignity of that part where 
 fo many portraits of mere individuals occurred, and 
 without introducing any thing new into Tar- 
 tarus, the a6lion and way in which thofe guards are 
 employed, necelTarily leads the attention into that 
 part, and confequently furnifhes another link for 
 uniting thofe two itates of final retribution, which 
 form the fubje6l of the picture. 
 
 Happening within thefe three years to meet fomc 
 of thofe truly noble works tranflated from the pre- 
 fent race of the literary heroes of Germany a moil 
 extraordinary admirable charadler of the true old 
 Grecian leaven, has fortunately come to my know- 
 ledge, and after a long and fruitlefs fearch for a 
 portrait of him, by the luckiefl accident imagina- 
 ble, only a fortnight fince, juft as I had terminated 
 what I was about in the Great Room, a very fine 
 medal was brought to me, by which I have been 
 enabled to enrich my Elyfium with another por- 
 trait, which would have ranged admirably near the 
 eye in that groupewith Plato, behind SirThoma.^ 
 More, had it not been that the vacant fpace, was 
 
 there 
 
( 286 ) 
 
 there necefTary for the compofition as a totality of 
 eafy and agreeable comprehenfion to the fight: 
 however Mofes Mendelflbhn, the illuftrious cha- 
 radter I allude to, was bleffed with fuch various 
 and graceful talents, that it was eafy to find in fuch 
 a fociety, a ftation and company which he would 
 relifh, and where he might give, as well as re- 
 ceive luftre ; I have therefore placed him fhaking 
 hands with Addifon, near T hompfon, Dryden and 
 Pope. 'Tis curious, though melancholy to refled, 
 that fuch a charader as Mofes MendelfTohn, with 
 all his virtues, could not have become entitled to 
 the citizenfliip of London, even though he were 
 born here, (without which he probably would not 
 do,) having previoufly attempted, aided or abetted 
 the fpilling of human blood, by firing at fome 
 enemy. However, I may fafely rely on God and 
 good men for my juftification in fpurning all fuch 
 brutal conditions for his admifiion to that Elyfium, 
 where he makes fo graceful an ornament. Con- 
 ftraint, encouragement, principle, — although thefe 
 words may pafs without any meaning with — but 
 reafoning is out of its place, and thrown away 
 upon certain matters, — Surely one cannot help 
 curfing that baneful, deflrudive hypocrify, which 
 by artfully contrived oppreffions, prevents any part 
 of the human race from emerging into fcience 
 and virtue, and then diabolically attempts to juf- 
 l^ify its condud by the very barbarifm thofe op- 
 
 prefTions 
 
( 287 ) 
 
 preflions naturally occafion. Let God Almighty 
 deal with them and us, with Jews and Chriftians, 
 according to his own wife and beneficent, though 
 infcrutable: defigns : this can furnifh no reafon for 
 our wicked and impious interference, in officioufly 
 tormenting each other, to the utter fubverfion of 
 all thofe charities that ought to grace our common 
 nature. — But to get to fomething lefs agitating : 
 Amongft thofe perfonages who have been dignified 
 with the title of Patrons of the Arts, and juft behind 
 Francis I. and Lord Arundel, I have introduced' 
 a bald-headed friar, holding a large feroie of 
 parchment, which by the writing' on it appears to 
 be the plan of the illuftrious Cafliodorus, for his 
 for his convent at Viviers in Calabria. This grace- 
 ful really patrician veftige of the antient nobility 
 of Rome, had, under Theodoric, and the other 
 Gothic Princes, employed the moft unremitting 
 induftry and wifdom in direding that power with 
 which he was entrufted by thofe ferocious ftran- 
 gers, in the manner beft calculated to mollify, and 
 give fome alleviation to the deplorable miferies of 
 his times : and when after many years of the beft 
 poffible adminiftration, and from the horrible dif- 
 order and confufions of changes, and new confli<ft- 
 ing hordes of thefe barbarians, it was no longer 
 in his power to be ufeful to the exifting generation, 
 he pioufly retired to this convent, which he had 
 previoufiy formed and furnifhed with whatever 
 
 could 
 
( 288 ) 
 
 could be obtained of ancient wirdom arfd literature, 
 to digefl, to teach, or at worfl to copy, mul- 
 tiply, dilTeminate and preferve it, for more happy* 
 times, when it might again germinate. From thefe 
 ftore-houfes, as from another Ark^ the world has 
 again been replenillied with Sciences and Arts : and 
 as to our own Arts of Painting and Sculpture, we 
 may truly and confidently fay, that Europe would 
 at this day be blind and dead to all feeling for the 
 perfections of ancient, even of Grecian art, were, 
 it not for the long courfe of education in thofe 
 Arts, which the piety of thofe convents af- 
 forded during the whole career, from Cimabue to 
 Rafaelle and the Carrache’s. This reafoning will 
 equally hold true of the Greeks themfelves ; that 
 perfection they had fuperinduced upon mere human 
 nature, arofe from a higher principle than the 
 liftlefs, cold-blooded apathy of materialifm, which 
 can love nothing, becaufe it leaves nothing worth 
 loving, and, fairly left to itfelf, exerts but to 
 deflroy. 
 
 I have alfo had the fatisfaCtion of introducing, 
 near Rubens and Vandyk, the portrait of our own 
 Sir Jofliua Reynolds; and, agreeable to the fenti- 
 ment expreifed in his laft difcourfe, I have made ^ 
 him pointing to M. Angelo, whom he fo much 
 admired. This great City of London would have 
 enjoyed more advantage from Sir Jofhua's fine 
 talents, had there been remaining in it fome of 
 
 thofe 
 
( 289 ) 
 
 thofe exploded, old, and happily falhioned con- 
 vents, where thofe fine talents might have taken 
 wing. Alas I how much it is to be wilhed that our 
 neighbours on the continent might think ferioufly 
 and deeply about this matter, whilft it is yet time. 
 Epicurifm will be, as -it always has been, barren 
 with refpe6l to excellence. Thefe our neighbours 
 have been long diftinguilhed for their love of Art, 
 and they will never be able to find any generous 
 principle of fufficient general interefl, to call out, 
 to concentrate, and give efEcacious exiftence to 
 the abilities of their Artifbs, but by the prefervation 
 of religion, and wifely feparating whatever it af- 
 fords of admirable, amiable, and confoling, from 
 thofe illiberal, mean, mifchievous perverfions, by 
 which, from its occafional, accidental mixture with 
 wretched political artifices, and mere low, mun- 
 dane concerns, it has been often fo much defiled. 
 Let no man talk of the labour and continual exer- 
 tion which fuch undertakings require; for it is 
 one of the unavoidable conditions of human exifl- 
 ence, that it can enjoy no blefling, and can liave 
 nothing good or perfecl;, either as to produclion 
 or confervation, but in proportion to its own gene- 
 rous unwearied exertions. Alas ! whither am I 
 hurrying? No doubt, the profped for Art is 
 gloomy enough all over Europe ; but let mie not 
 exceed all bounds cf indulgence, by dwelling too 
 long upon it ; let us .rather turn our attention to 
 U wliat- 
 
( 290 ) 
 
 whatever there may be of a confoHng nature : and 
 I thank God for it, fomething which (as far as it 
 goes) affords a mod: unalloyed fatisfadliion, has 
 taken place fince the v/riting of that Letter to the 
 Dilettanti Society, which I had the honour of 
 fending you before the clofe of your lafl feiTion. 
 The main obje6b of that 'Letter is, I find, com- 
 pletely obtained, or, at leafl, in a happy train 
 of being fo : for I have been well-airured, that 
 three of our high-fpirited Noblemen have given 
 43,500k for the Italian part of the Orleans Col- 
 ledion. This might have been well expelled from 
 his Grace the Duke of Bridgewater, and will affo- 
 ciate well with the other numerous a6ts of genuine 
 Cirizenfhip, in which he has obliged the Public. 
 Sir Jofliua Reynolds's prediledlion and friendfhip 
 for the Earl of Carlifle is well accounted for by the 
 part his Lordfliip has had in this tranfadiion ; and 
 every thing fully confidered, perhaps Lord Gower 
 could not have begun his career of public life by 
 any adh more replete with general, fubflantial ad- 
 vantage. Your Society for the Encouragement of 
 Arts, &c. is, with its other commendable atten- 
 tions, in the habit of giving a Medal for the 
 rearing up a certain number of Oak and other 
 Trees. But I believe that Medal is only voted to 
 a fingle proprietor; otherways, thefe exemplary 
 Noblemen have really done fomething which, if 
 rightly ufed, is likely to give growth to trees of 
 
 another 
 
( ^91 ) 
 
 another^, a higher, and an Intelledtual Ipecles, in 
 which the country has juft reafon to pride itfelf. 
 I have heard, that this admirable Colle6lion is 
 fhortly to be exhibited to public view, in order to 
 defray the expence of the frames ^ and as thefe 
 Piflures were my old mafters five and twenty years 
 fmcc, at which time I had been for many months 
 copying and ftudying in the Palais Royal, I (hall 
 have no fmall pleafure in renovating my acquaint- 
 ance, and trying and comparing them with my 
 prefent opinions of Art, and thofe opinions with 
 diem, in fome of my Ledfures tOs|:he Students of 
 the Royal Academy ; and I hope this may take place 
 foon, evenifitv/as only on their account. But 
 not to wander from the. concerns of your Great 
 Room, or rather (as your views extend to every 
 thing of high public concern), not to v/ander 
 from-my work in your Great Room, I fhall dole 
 this Letter with obferving, that perhaps thofe 
 Pidlures in your Room may in fome few places 
 feem to want a varnifh, to unite and bring the 
 parts more out ; but on fecond thoughts, it may 
 perhaps appear otherways ; it may be that the 
 public eye is a good deal corrupted by the glitter 
 of coach-pannels and Birmingham tea-boards : this 
 glitter would be horridly meretricious and out of 
 its place, in large works of a ferious and generoufty 
 unoftentatious nature ^ and befides, the Pidures 
 are yet frefh, and if any little matter of vanifning 
 ' . U 2 may 
 
( 292 ) 
 
 may be thought of ufe in certain parts, it will be 
 better fome time hence, and then it may be done 
 from a ladder or fleps, without any removal of or 
 annoyance to the furniture of the room. 
 
 I have the honour to be. 
 
 With the moll affectionate efteem and refpedf, 
 My Lords and Gentlemen, 
 
 Your obedient humble fervant, 
 
 JAMES BARRY. 
 
 No. 56, CaJHe-Street, Oxford-Market^ 
 OSlaber i) 1798, 
 
 “To the Right Hon. the PreJlJent, Vtce- 
 Prefidents-y a?id the reji of the Noble- 
 men and Gentlemen of the Society for 
 the Encourage?nent of Arts, 
 
 John-Street, Adelphi. 
 
 F I N I S.