ceptions to his own purpose. Nobody excelled him in that judgement, with which he united to his own observations on Nature, the energy of Michael Angelo, and the Beauty and Simplicity of the Antique. To the question therefore, which ought to hold the first rank, Raffaelle or Michael Angelo, it must be answered, that if it is to be given to him who possessed a greater combination of the higher qualities of the art than any other man, there is no doubt but Raffaelle is the first. But if, as Longinus thinks, the sublime, being the highest excellence that human composition can attain to, abundantly compensates the absence of every other beauty, and atones for all other deficiencies, then Michael Angelo demands the preference.

These two extraordinary men carried some of the higher excellencies of the art to a greater degree of perfection than probably they ever arrived at before. They certainly have not been excelled, nor equalled since. Many of their successors were induced to leave this great road as a beaten path, endeavouring to surprise and please by something uncommon or new. When this desire of novelty has proceeded from mere idleness or caprice, it is not worth the trouble of criticism; but when it has been the result of a busy mind of a peculiar complexion, it is always striking and interesting, never insipid.

Such is the great style, as it appears in those who possessed it at its height: in this, search after novelty, in conception or in treating the subject, has no place.*

But there is another style, which, though inferior to the former, has still great merit, because it shows that those who cultivated it were men of lively and vigorous imagination. This, which may be called the original

Though these Lectures were originally intended exclusively for the use of the Students of Painting, yet their excellence has gained them a place in all libraries, insomuch that some knowledge of the Art forms a branch of the higher orders of education. It were to be wished, therefore, that a more clear and definite idea of the great style could be given than what is in the power of words to convey. The smallest hint, consequently, is desirable, as it may lead to an examination of a subject where so much is involved, and which depends upon the conviction of the eye in the first instance. For example, every one can form a drawing by merely holding

or characteristic style, being less referred to any true archetype existing either in general or particular nature, must be supported by the Painter's consistency in the principles which he has assumed, and in the union and harmony of his whole design. The excellency of every style, but of the subordinate styles more especially, will very much depend on preserving that union and harmony between all the component parts, that they may appear to hang well together, as if the whole proceeded from one mind. It is in the works of art as in the characters of men. The faults or defects of some men seem to become them, when they appear to be the natural growth, and of a piece with the rest of their character. A faithful picture of a mind, though it be not of the most elevated kind, though it be irregular, wild, and incorrect, yet if it be marked with that spirit and firmness which characterise works of genius, will claim attention, and be more striking than a combination of excellencies that do not seem to unite well together; or we may say, than a work that possesses even all excellencies, but those in a moderate degree.

One of the strongest-marked characters of this kind, which must be allowed to be subordinate to the great style, is that of Salvator Rosa. He gives us a peculiar cast of nature, which, though void of all grace, elegance, and simplicity, though it has nothing of that elevation and dignity which belongs to the grand style, yet, has that sort of dignity which belongs to savage and uncultivated nature: but what is most to be admired in him, is the perfect correspondence which he observed between the subjects which he chose, and his manner of treating them. Every thing is of a piece: his

his hand above a light, so as to throw its shadow upon the ceiling; this will give some idea of several of its peculiarities. He will perceive a largeness of character from the boundary line taking precedence of all trifling markings; he will perceive the necessity of its taking a good general form, so as to express the action in the simplest and clearest manner; and by moving the hand so as to increase or diminish the fingers, as compared with the whole mass, he will observe how much is gained by the secondary portions acquiring importance; in short, some notion may be gathered upon what greatness of style depends. This may appear a trifling matter on so great a subject; but small things often suggest great schemes; and even to a shadow, Painting is said to owe its origin.

Rocks, Trees, Sky, even to his handling, have the same rude and wild character which animates his figures.

With him we may contrast the character of Carlo Maratti, who, in my opinion, had no great vigour of mind or strength of original genius. He rarely seizes the imagination by exhibiting the higher excellencies, nor does he captivate us by that originality which attends the Painter who thinks for himself. He knew and practised all the rules of art, and from a composition of Raffaelle, Caracci, and Guido, made up a style, of which the only fault was, that it had no manifest defects and no striking beauties; and that the principles of his composition are never blended together, so as to form one uniform body original in its kind, or excellent in any view. I will mention two other Painters, who, though entirely dissimilar, yet by being each consistent with himself, and possessing a manner entirely his own, have both gained reputation, though for very opposite accomplishments. The Painters I mean, are Rubens and Poussin. Rubens I mention in this place, as I think him a remarkable instance of the same mind being seen in all the various parts of the Art. The whole is so much of a piece, that one can scarce be brought to believe but that if any one of the qualities he possessed had been more correct and perfect, his works would not have been so complete as they now appear. If we should allow him a greater purity and correctness of Drawing, his want of Simplicity in Composition, Colouring, and Drapery, would appear more gross.

In his Composition his art is too apparent. His figures have expression, and act with energy, but without simplicity or dignity. His colouring, in which he is eminently skilled, is, notwithstanding, too much of what we call tinted. Throughout the whole of his works, there is a proportionable want of that nicety of distinction and elegance of mind, which is required in the higher walks of painting: and to this want it may be in some degree ascribed, that those qualities which make the excellency of this subordinate style, appear in him with their greatest lustre. Indeed the facility with which he invented, the richness of his composition, the luxuriant harmony and brilliancy of his colouring, so dazzle the eye, that

whilst his works continue before us, we cannot help thinking that all his deficiencies are fully supplied."

Opposed to this florid, careless, loose, and inaccurate style, that of the simple, careful, pure, and correct style of Poussin, seems to be a complete contrast. Yet, however opposite their characters, in one thing they agreed; both of them always preserving a perfect correspondence between all the parts of their respective manners: insomuch that it may be doubted whether any alteration of what is considered as defective in either, would not destroy the effect of the whole."

Poussin lived and conversed with the ancient statues so long, that he may be said to have been better acquainted with them than with the people who were about him. I have often thought that he carried his veneration for them so far as to wish to give his works the air of Ancient Paintings. It is certain he copied some of the Antique Paintings, particularly the Marriage in the Aldobrandini-Palace at Rome, which I believe to be the best relique of those remote ages that has yet been found.

No works of any modern have so much of the air of Antique Painting as those of Poussin. His best performances have a remarkable dryness of manner, which though by no means to be recommended for imitation, yet seems perfectly correspondent to that ancient simplicity which distin

5 A more detailed character of Rubens may be found in the "Journey to Flanders and Holland," near the conclusion.

6 Unless the student is careful to distinguish style from manner, he will engender qualities which will prove the greatest obstacles to his progress. It is to be observed, that Nature professes no manner, as she speaks all languages; and in the Antique sculpture we perceive less of it than in the Modern; in the works of Michael Angelo, more of it than in those of Raffaelle: and in going through the different schools, we find it stronger in Paul Veronese, and Tintoret than in Titian; more confirmed in Teniers than in Ostade; and in Berghem than in Ruysdael. And if we come to the English school, notwithstanding Vandyke had less of it than any portrait painter that ever existed, and in this degree stands at the head of his class, his example never took deep root, but was choked by those weeds which conceit and dispatch raised up. Kneller and Lely possessed it almost to the exclusion of every thing else; and in coming nearer our own time, Morland claims this character as much as any painter that ever existed. Every Artist who ceases to look carefully at Nature, and who does not estimate the peculiar touch and tone of colour, that gives each object its true resemblance, will acquire this distinctive mark, which is of as little value as a particular hand of writing, unless some advantage is involved in it.

guishes his style. Like Polidoro, he studied the ancients so much that he acquired a habit of thinking in their way, and seemed to know perfectly the actions and gestures they would use on every occasion.

Poussin in the latter part of his life changed from his dry manner to one much softer and richer, where there is a greater union between the figures and ground; as in the Seven Sacraments, in the Duke of Orleans's collection; but neither these, nor any of his other pictures in this manner, are at all comparable to many in this dry manner which we have in England.

7

The favourite subjects of Poussin were Ancient Fables; and no Painter was ever better qualified to paint such subjects, not only from his being eminently skilled in the knowledge of the ceremonies, customs, and habits of the Ancients, but from his being so well acquainted with the different characters which those who invented them gave to their allegorical figures. Though Rubens has shown great fancy in his Satyrs, Silenuses, and Fauns, yet they are not that distinct separate class of beings, which is carefully exhibited by the Ancients, and by Poussin. Certainly when such subjects of antiquity are represented, nothing in the picture ought to remind us of modern times. The mind is thrown back into antiquity, and nothing ought to be introduced that may tend to awaken it from the illusion.

Poussin seemed to think that the style and the language in which such stories are told, is not the worse for preserving some relish of the old way of painting, which seemed to give a general uniformity to the whole, so that the mind was thrown back into antiquity not only by the subject, but the execution.

If Poussin, in imitation of the Ancients, represents Apollo driving his chariot out of the sea by way of representing the Sun rising, if he personifies Lakes and Rivers, it is nowise offensive in him; but seems perfectly of a piece with the general air of the picture. On the contrary, if the Figures which people his pictures had a modern air or countenance, if

7 Now in the Bridgewater Collection, Cleveland House.