ADVERTISEMENT.*

THIS last volume has been long written, and even printed. The publication, though a debt to the purchasers of the preceding volumes, was delayed from motives of tenderness. The author, who could not resolve, like most biographers, to dispense universal panegyric, especially on many incompetent artists, was still unwilling to utter even gentle censures, which might wound the affections, or offend the prejudices of those related

* [Prefixed to the Fourth Volume, 1780.]

It was not published till October 9, 1780, though printed in 1771. [Mr. W. means the last volume of the Anecdotes of Painting. The volume of the Engravers had been published in 1762. Farther information respecting the "Anecdotes," and their appearance, may be collected from Mr. W.'s correspondence, and which is of course the most authentic.

In 1770, to Mr. Cole. "The last volume of my Anecdotes is completed." In 1780, "The first edition of the Anecdotes was of 300 of the two first volumes; and of as many of the third volume, and of the volume of Engravers. Then there was an edition of 300 of all four." "I am ashamed at the price of my book, though not my fault; but I have so often been guilty myself of giving ridiculous prices for rarities, though of no intrinsic value, that I must not condemn the same folly in others." With regard to certain microscopic criticisms, Mr. W. observes, "I took my dates and facts from the sedulous and faithful VERTUE, and piqued myself on little but on giving an idea of the spirit of the times, with respect to the arts, at the different periods."]

to the persons whom truth forbad him to commend beyond their merits. He hopes, that as his opinion is no standard, it will pass for mistaken judgment with such as shall be displeased with his criticisms. If his encomiums seem too lavish to others, the public will at least know that they are bestowed sincerely. He would not have hesitated to publish his remarks sooner, if he had not been averse to exaggeration.

The work is carried as far as the author intended to go, though he is sensible he could continue it with more satisfaction to himself, as the arts,* at least those of painting and architecture, are emerging from the wretched state in which they lay at the accession of George the first. To architecture, taste and vigour were given by Lord Burlington and Kent-They have successors†

* [Sculpture should not have been passed over in silence, with any just appreciation of the talents of Nollekins, Banks, or Bacon, which were exhibited before the year 1780. The present age has estimated the merit of these artists individually;-as a classic, Banks has deserved the palm. Flaxman had not distinguished himself at that period.]

[Mr. W. here clearly alludes to the external ornaments upon the walls of the Adelphi buildings and the gateway which leads to Sion House, by the Adams's. The works of Robert and James Adam were published in numbers, four of which had appeared before 1776, and contained architectural plans and descriptions of Sion House, Caen Wood, Luton Park House, and Lansdowne House, Berkeley Square; the two last mentioned were built for the Premier, Lord Bute, who greatly patronised them. None of these structures " degenerate into

worthy of the tone they gave; if, as refinement generally verges to extreme contrarieties, Kent's ponderosity does not degenerate into filligraineBut the modern Pantheon uniting grandeur and lightness, simplicity and ornament, seems to have marked the medium,* where Taste must stop. The architect who shall endeavour to refine on Mr. Wyat, will perhaps give date to the age of embroidery. Virgil, Longinus, and Vitruvius† afford no rules, no examples, of scattering finery.

This delicate redundance of ornament growing into our architecture might perhaps be checked, if our artists would study the sublime dreams of

filligraine," but display decorations selected from entablatures of classic antiquity. The house at Keddlestone, which they designed for Lord Scarsdale, abounds in parts, copied from the finest examples of Palmyra and Spalatro.]

* [This temple of elegance and pleasure was so nearly destroyed by fire, about thirty years ago, that it has not been since applied to its original destination. The walls only remain. The architect had not exceeded his twenty-first year, (1764) when he astonished and delighted the world of architectural science and taste. Praise so bestowed, seconded, as it certainly was, by superior merit, soon placed JAMES WYATT in a very eminent rank among English architects; and he was consequently engaged, during a long period, 'till he had reached. the age of seventy years, in works most distinguished by taste, magnificence and boundless expense. The future historian of the arts, in the reigns of George the Third and Fourth, will find in them an ample field for the display of his powers of description and criticism.]

* ["Eum Architectum oportet usû esse peritum et solertem, qui demere aut adjicere prescriptis valet." Vitruvius.]

Piranesi, who seems to have conceived visions of Rome beyond what it boasted even in the meridian of its splendor. Savage as Salvator Rosa, fierce as Michael Angelo, and exubérant as Rubens,* he has imagined scenes that would startle geometry, and exhaust the Indies to realize. He piles palaces on bridges, and temples on palaces,' and scales Heaven with mountains of edifices. Yet what taste in his boldness! what grandeur in his wildness! what labour and thought both in his rashness and details! Architecture, indeed, has in a manner two sexes; its masculine dignity can only exert its muscles in public works and at public expence its softer beauties come better within the compass of private residence and enjoyment.

How painting has rekindled from its embers, the the works of many living artists demonstrate.† The prints after the works of sir Joshua Reynolds

[GIOVANNI BATTISTA PIRANESI (died at Rome 1778, aged 71) whose works are well known. They consist of nearly twenty large volumes in folio, containing, upon an average, fifty plates each. The "Antiquities of Rome," are in a bold and free style of etching, peculiar to himself. His views of ruins are, many of them, the effort of his own imagination, and strongly characterise the magnificence of his ideas. Gilpin, (Essay on Prints, p. 118.) speaking technically, says that "his great excellence lay in execution, of which he was a consummate master. His faults are many. His horizon is often taken too high-his views are frequently ill chosen-his objects crowded; his forms ill shaped-of the distribution of light and shade, he has little knowledge, &c. &c."]

+ [The prints after the designs of Sir Joshua Reynolds

have spread his fame to Italy, where they have not at present a single painter that can pretend to rival an imagination so fertile; that the attitudes of his portraits are as various* as those of history. In what age were paternal despair and the horrors of death pronounced with more expressive

amount, according to the most authentic catalogue, published in Northcote's Life of Sir J. R. to those of historical and fancy subjects, 132. Portraits 150, and chiefly in mezzotinto. A complete collection of prints from his entire works are now in the course of publication, by W. Reynolds.]

* Sir J. Reynolds has been accused of plagiarism for having borrowed attitudes from ancient masters. Not only candour but criticism must deny the force of the charge. When a single posture is imitated from an historic picture and applied to a portrait in a different dress and with new attributes, this is not plagiarism, but quotation: and a quotation from a great author, with a novel application of the sense, has always been allowed to be an instance of parts and taste; and may have more merit than the original. When the sons of Jacob imposed on their father by a false coat of Joseph, saying, "Know now whether this be thy son's coat or not?" they only asked a deceitful question-but that interrogation became wit, when Richard I. on the Pope reclaiming a bishop whom the King had taken prisoner in battle, sent him the prelate's coat of mail, and in the words of scripture asked his holiness, whether THAT was the coat of his son, or not? Is not there humour and satire in Sir Joshua's reducing Holbein's swaggering and colossal haughtiness of Henry VIII. to the boyish jollity of Master Crewe? One prophecy I will venture to make; Sir Joshua is not a plagiary, but will beget a thousand. The exuberance of his invention will be the grammar of future painters of portrait.

+ Master Crewe, painted for J. Crewe, Esq. now at Crewe Hall, Cheshire. Engraved by Smith, 1776.