they excite no Noble Sentiments; at least not as the other naturally does: These not only give us Pleasure, as being Beautiful Objects, and Furnishing us with Ideas as the Other do, but the Pleasure we receive from Hence is Greater (I speak in General, and what the nature of the thing is capable of) 'tis of a Nobler Kind than the Other; and Then moreover the Mind may be Inrich'd, and made Better. A Portrait is a fort of General Hiftory of the Life of the Perfon it reprefents, not only to Him who is acquainted with it, but to Many Others, who upon Occasion of feeing it are frequently told, of what is moft Material concerning Them, or their General Character at least; The Face; and Figure is alfo Defcrib'd and as much of the Character as appears by by These, which oftentimes is here seen in a very great Degree. These therefore many times answer the Ends of Hiftorical Pictures. And to Relations, or Friends give a Pleasure greater than any Other can. There are many Single Heads which are Hiftorical, and may be apply'd to feveral Stories. I have many fuch; I have for Instance à Boy's Head of Parmeggiano in whofe Every Feature appears fuch an overflowing Joy, and that too not Common, but Holy, and Divine that I imagine him a little Angel rejoycing at the birth of the Son of God. I have another of Leonardo da Vinci of a Youth very Angelical, and in whom appears an Air fuch as Milton defcribes -Dim Sadnefs did not Spare That time Celestial Vifages, yet mixt With Pity, violated not their blifs. This I fuppofe to be prefent at the Agony of our Lord, or his Crucifixion, or feeing him dead, with his Bleffed Mother in that her vast Distress. Single Figures may be alfo thus apply'd, and made Hiftorical. But Heads not Thus Applicable, must be reckoned in an Inferiour Class and more, or less fo according as they happen to be. As Portraits Unknown are not Equally confiderable with Thofe that are; Tho' upon account of the Dignity of the Subject they may be reckon'd in the firft Clafs of Thofe wherein the Principal End of Painting is not fully Answer'd, but capable however of the Sublime. The Kind of Picture, or Drawing having been confider'd, regard is to be had to the Parts of Painting; we should see in which of Thefe they excell, and in what Degree. And And these several Parts do not Equally contribute to the Ends of Painting: but (I think) ought to ftand in this Order. Grace and Greatness, The last can only Please; The next (by which I understand Pure Nature, for the Great, and Gentile Style of Drawing falls into another Part) This alfo can only Please, Colouring Pleases more; Compofition Pleafes at leaft as much as Colouring, and moreover helps to Inftruct, as it makes those Parts that do fo more con fpicuous; Expreffion Pleases, and Inftructs Greatly; the Invention does both in a higher Degree, and Grace, and Greatnefs above all. Nor is it peculiar to That Story, Fable, or whatever the Subject is, but in General raises our Idea of the Species, gives a moft Delightful, Vertuous Pride, and kindles in Noble Minds an Ambition to act up to That Dignity Thus conceived to be in Humane Nature. In the Former Parts the Eye is employ'd, in the Other the Understanding. By thus confidering in what rank of Eftimation the feveral Parts of Painting ought to stand, we may (by the way) obferve what Degrees of Merit each Mafter has, for That is More, or Less in proportion as he has Excell'd in those Parts which are Preferrable. Thus Albert Durer tho' 1 |