fes, To remove which, and confequently their Effects, and to procure the contrary Good is what I am about to Endeavour, and hope in some measure to Accomplish.

Nor is this a Trivial Undertaking; I have already been giving the Principles of it, and Here I recommend a NEW SCIENCE to the World, Or one at least little known, or confider'd as fuch: So New, or fo little Known that 'tis yet without a Name; it may have one in time, till then I must be excus'd when I call it, as I do, The Science of a Connoiffeur for want of a Better way of expreffing my felf: I open to Gentlemen a New Scene of Pleasure, a New Innocent Amufement; and an Accomplishment which they have yet scarce heard of, but no lefs worthy of their Attention than most of those they have been accustomed to acquire. I offer to my Countrey a Scheme by

which its Reputation, Riches, Virtue, and Power may be increased. And This I will do (by the help of God) not as an Orator, or as an Advocate, but as a strict Reasoner, and fo as I am verily perfuaded will be to the Conviction of every one that will impartially attend to the Argument, and not be prejudiced by the Novelty of it, or their own former Sentiments.

My prefent business then in short is to endeavour to perfuade our Nobility, and Gentry to become Lovers of Painting, and Connoiffeurs; Which I crave leave to do (with all Humility) by fhewing the Dignity, Certainty, Pleasure, and Advantages of that Science.

One of the principal Caufes of the General neglect of the Science I am treating of I take to be, that very few Gentlemen have a Juft Idea of Painting; 'Tis commonly taken to be an Art whereby Nature is

to

to be reprefented; a fine piece of Workmanship, and Difficult to be perform'd, but produces only pleafant Ornaments, mere Superfluities. This being all they expect from it no wonder they look no farther; and not having apply'd themfelves to things of this nature, overlook Beauties which they do not hope to find; So that many an Excellent Picture is pafs'd over, and difregarded, and an Indifferent, or a Bad one admired, and that upon Low, and even Trivial Confiderations; from whence arifes naturally an Indifference, if not a Contempt for the Art, at beft a degree of Efteem not very confiderable: Efpecially fince there are (comparatively) fo Few Pictures in which is to be found Nature reprefented, or Beauty, or even fine Workmanship.

Tho' I have already in the entrance of my Theory of Painting, and indeed throughout all I have B publifhed

published endeavour'd to give the World a just Idea of the Art, I will in This place more particularly attempt it, as being very pertinent to my Present Defign; And perhaps it may be fome Advantage (as we find 'tis to Pictures,) to place it in Several Lights.

PAINTING is indeed a Difficult Art, productive of Curious pieces of Workmanship, and greatly Ornamental; and its Business is to reprefent Nature. Thus far the Common Idea is juft; Only that 'tis More Difficult, More Curious, and More Beautifull than is Commonly Imagin'd.

'Tis an entertaining thing to the Mind of Man to fee a fine piece of Art in Any kind; and every one is apt to take a fort of Pride in it as being done by one of his Own Species, to whom with respect to the Universe he ftands related as to one of the Same Countrey, or the Same Family.

Family. Painting affords us a great Variety of This kind of Pleasure in the Delicate, or Bold management of the Pencil; in the mixture of its Colours, in the Skilful Contrivance of the feveral parts of the Picture, and infinite Variety of the Tincts, fo as to produce Beauty, and Harmony. This alone gives great Pleasure to thofe who have learn'd to see these things. To fee Nature justly reprefented is very Delightfull, (fuppofing the Subject is well chofen) It gives us pleafing Ideas, and Perpetuates, and Renews them; whether by their Novelty, or Variety; or by the confideration of our own Eafe, and Safety, when we fee what is Terrible in themselves as Storms, and Tempefts, Battels, Murthers, Robberies, &c. Or else when the Subject is Fruit, Flowers, Landscapes, Buildings, Histories, and above all our Selves, Relations,

or Friends.

B 2

Thus