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Page 13, 14. "The first affec"tions of the eye are always ill placed; it is enamoured with "the fplendid impofitions of Ru"bens," &c -Why impofitions, by way of reproach? when, in a proper fenfe, it would be the highest praife for the very bafinefs of painting is to impofe; and he who does it moft effectually is the greateft artift.

It may justly be faid of Rubens, that in many refpects he has had no equal; and particularly in colouring, not only as to the truth of the local colours, but in all the effects produced by colours; in the chiaro ofcuro, or general light and fhadow, in the keeping or degradation, in the arrangement or diftribution of the parts, lo as to produce a great and beautiful whole, or tout enfemble, as the French exprefs it. And as to the drawing, in which he has been thought by fome to be deficient, who have dwelt too much on a few negligences, owing merely to the rapidity VOL. IX.

of his pencil; in drawing, or defigning, he feems as much fuperior as in any of the other effentials, efpecially after fome allowance made for the ftyle of his fift manner, which kind of allowance, or indulgence, is never refuted to any other mafter, not even Raphael, who ftands in as much ned of it to the full as Rubens. His beft works difcover great knowledge of anatomy, a correctness of outline, a certain truth of character, an ease of action or motion, a force and fpirit beyond what is to be fe n in any other pictures whatsoever; and fuch an apparent facility in the execution, as at once convinces the fpectator of the readlinefs of his apprehenfion, and the certainty of his principles.

When his anatomical knowledge is mentioned, he will probably be compared with Michael Angelo; who is generally allowed the molt knowing of all in this part. Michael Angelo, it is true, has marked the mufcles in their places, perhaps, with the greateft juftnefs; but Rubens, only, feems to have known their ufe, and the different appearances they exhibit in action and at reft; infomuch that one fees their energy collected (as it were) to a point, in certain movements; and hence it follows, that his figures appear more animated than thofe of other painters. Many of their laboured figures feem motionlefs, though intended to reprefent immediate action.

To confirm and corroborate thefe obfervations on the genius, penetration, and fpirit of Rubens, it may be added, that he alone has fucceeded in fubjects that require the moft quick and lively conceptions, and where nothing more

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could be obtained of the originals than what could be caught by the glance of an eye; fuch as animals of every kind, and particularly the moft favage, wild, and indocile. He alone has reprefented lions, tygers, &c. in all their various paffions and actions, and as correctly as if they had waited the execution of his pencil, to perfecily has he been able to feize and to retair the idea; whereas, with many other painters of no fmall note, the reprefentations of animals, compared with his, appear little better than fuch as are to be feen in the compartments of heraldry.

It has been objected, that his figures are too fhort and too flefhy, that is, too much of the Flemith caft. This is justly obferved with relpect to many of his pictures, efpecially of his firft manner, as above obferved; but then it must alfo be acknowledged that, in many others, his latter pictures, he has avoided this fault, and produced as elegant and delicate figures as any painter whatever. His kill and judgment ought to be rated by his beft productions; ard, if fo, perhaps, upon the whole, when all his talents are taken into the ac count, he may, at leaft, be faid to be one of the greatest painters whofe works remain.

"excellence of defign," &c.net What follows, to the end of this paragraph, is very judicious, pat ticularly where the author remarks, "that careless decency, and unaffected grace, which ever attends the motions and gestures of men un confcious of obfervation."

Page 86. "Can paint exprefs "a quickening peripiration The "mellowift tints of the Venetian "fchool furnifh no fuch ideas."No-but the fpectator furnishes them to himself. How often have we heard a man of a warm imagination, though of lenfe and ge nius, pretend to fee excellencies in pictures which the painter never intended? Nothing is more common than for fuch to find all the delicacies of expreffion which they conceive fhould be attempted, and impute to an artift (efpecially if otherwife celebrated) not only the utmoft perfection, but often what is not within the compa's of the art. Many reflections of this kind may be made in reading Pliny, who, at other times alfo, difcovers great ignorance in the obfervations that efcape him, particularly where he remarks of a certain painter, that he was the firft who, in a portrait, drew the eyes with fo peculiar a fk., that they feered to follow the fpectator as he changed his place, and ftill to kat him; whereas this effect is conftant, and impoffible to be otherwife. The moft ignorant painter does the fame thing without intention; and the most skilful can never reprefent the eyes 'ooking at the fpectator ftanding in one place, but they will allo appear to have the fame direction to him standing in any other. The caule of this effect it is plain he did not know.