seven discourses on art-第28章

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　may　justly　rank　the　simplicity　of　them；　consisting　of　little　more　than　one　single　piece　of　drapery；　without　those　whimsical　capricious　forms　by　which　all　other　dresses　are　embarrassed。

Thus；　though　it　is　from　the　prejudice　we　have　in　favour　of　the　ancients；　who　have　taught　us　architecture；　that　we　have　adopted　likewise　their　ornaments；　and　though　we　are　satisfied　that　neither　nature　nor　reason　is　the　foundation　of　those　beauties　which　we　imagine　we　see　in　that　art；　yet　if　any　one　persuaded　of　this　truth　should；　therefore；　invent　new　orders　of　equal　beauty；　which　we　will　suppose　to　be　possible；　yet　they　would　not　please；　nor　ought　he　to　complain；　since　the　old　has　that　great　advantage　of　having　custom　and　prejudice　on　its　side。　　In　this　case　we　leave　what　has　every　prejudice　in　its　favour　to　take　that　which　will　have　no　advantage　over　what　we　have　left；　but　novelty；　which　soon　destroys　itself；　and；　at　any　rate；　is　but　a　weak　antagonist　against　custom。

These　ornaments；　having　the　right　of　possession；　ought　not　to　be　removed　but　to　make　room　for　not　only　what　has　higher　pretensions；　but　such　pretensions　as　will　balance　the　evil　and　confusion　which　innovation　always　brings　with　it。

To　this　we　may　add；　even　the　durability　of　the　materials　will　often　contribute　to　give　a　superiority　to　one　object　over　another。　Ornaments　in　buildings；　with　which　taste　is　principally　concerned；　are　composed　of　materials　which　last　longer　than　those　of　which　dress　is　composed；　it；　therefore；　makes　higher　pretensions　to　our　favour　and　prejudice。

Some　attention　is　surely　required　to　what　we　can　no　more　get　rid　of　than　we　can　go　out　of　ourselves。　　We　are　creatures　of　prejudice；　we　neither　can　nor　ought　to　eradicate　it；　we　must　only　regulate；　it　by　reason；　which　regulation　by　reason　is；　indeed；　little　more　than　obliging　the　lesser；　the　focal　and　temporary　prejudices；　to　give　way　to　those　which　are　more　durable　and　lasting。

He；　therefore；　who　in　his　practice　of　portrait　painting　wishes　to　dignify　his　subject；　which　we　will　suppose　to　be　a　lady；　will　not　paint　her　in　the　modern　dress；　the　familiarity　of　which　alone　is　sufficient　to　destroy　all　dignity。　　He　takes　care　that　his　work　shall　correspond　to　those　ideas　and　that　imagination　which　he　knows　will　regulate　the　judgment　of　others；　and；　therefore；　dresses　his　figure　something　with　the　general　air　of　the　antique　for　the　sake　of　dignity；　and　preserves　something　of　the　modern　for　the　sake　of　likeness。　　By　this　conduct　his　works　correspond　with　those　prejudices　which　we　have　in　favour　of　what　we　continually　see；　and　the　relish　of　the　antique　simplicity　corresponds　with　what　we　may　call　the；　more　learned　and　scientific　prejudice。

There　was　a　statue　made　not　long　since　of　Voltaire；　which　the　sculptor；　not　having　that　respect　for　the　prejudices　of　mankind　which　he　ought　to　have；　has　made　entirely　naked；　and　as　meagre　and　emaciated　as　the　original　is　said　to　be。　　The　consequence　is　what　might　be　expected；　it　has　remained　in　the　sculptor's　shop；　though　it　was　intended　as　a　public　ornament　and　a　public　honour　to　Voltaire；　as　it　was　procured　at　the　expense　of　his　cotemporary　wits　and　admirers。

Whoever　would　reform　a　nation；　supposing　a　bad　taste　to　prevail　in　it；　will　not　accomplish　his　purpose　by　going　directly　against　the　stream　of　their　prejudices。　　Men's　minds　must　be　prepared　to　receive　what　is　new　to　them。　　Reformation　is　a　work　of　time。　　A　national　taste；　however　wrong　it　may　be；　cannot　be　totally　change　at　once；　we　must　yield　a　little　to　the　prepossession　which　has　taken　hold　on　the　mind；　and　we　may　then　bring　people　to　adopt　what　would　offend　them　if　endeavoured　to　be　introduced　by　storm。　　When　Battisto　Franco　was　employed；　in　conjunction　with　Titian；　Paul　Veronese；　and　Tintoret；　to　adorn　the　library　of　St。　Mark；　his　work；　Vasari　says；　gave　less　satisfaction　than　any　of　the　others：　　the　dry　manner　of　the　Roman　school　was　very　ill　calculated　to　please　eyes　that　had　been　accustomed　to　the　luxuriance；　splendour；　and　richness　of　Venetian　colouring。　　Had　the　Romans　been　the　judges　of　this　work；　probably　the　determination　would　have　been　just　contrary；　for　in　the　more　noble　parts　of　the　art　Battisto　Franco　was；　perhaps；　not　inferior　to　any　of　his　rivals。


Gentlemen；It　has　been　the　main　scope　and　principal　end　of　this　discourse　to　demonstrate　the　reality　of　a　standard　in　taste；　as　well　as　in　corporeal　beauty；　that　a　false　or　depraved　taste　is　a　thing　as　well　known；　as　easily　discovered；　as　anything　that　is　deformed；　misshapen；　or　wrong　in　our　form　or　outward　make；　and　that　this　knowledge　is　derived　from　the　uniformity　of　sentiments　among　mankind；　from　whence　proceeds　the　knowledge　of　what　are　the　general　habits　of　nature；　the　result　of　which　is　an　idea　of　perfect　beauty。

If　what　has　been　advanced　be　true；　that　besides　this　beauty　or　truth　which　is　formed　on　the　uniform　eternal　and　immutable　laws　of　nature；　and　which　of　necessity　can　be　but　one；　that　besides　this　one　immutable　verity　there　are　likewise　what　we　have　called　apparent　or　secondary　truths　proceeding　from　local　and　temporary　prejudices；　fancies；　fashions；　or　accidental　connection　of　ideas；　if　it　appears　that　these　last　have　still　their　foundation；　however　slender；　in　the　original　fabric　of　our　minds；　it　follows　that　all　these　truths　or　beauties　deserve　and　require　the　attention　of　the　artist　in　proportion　to　their　stability　or　duration；　or　as　their　influence　is　more　or　less　extensive。　　And　let　me　add　that　as　they　ought　not　to　pass　their　just　bounds；　so　neither　do　they；　in　a　well…　regulated　taste；　at　all　prevent　or　weaken　the　influence　of　these　general　principles；　which　alone　can　give　to　art　its　true　and　permanent　dignity。

To　form　this　just　taste　is　undoubtedly　in　your　own　power；　but　it　is　to　reason　and　philosophy　that　you　must　have　recourse；　from　them　we　must　borrow　the　balance　by　which　is　to　be　weighed　and　estimated　the　value　of　every　pretension　that　intrudes　itself　on　your　notice。

The　general　objection　which　is　made　to　the　introduction　of　philosophy　into　the　regions　of　taste　is；　that　it　checks　and　restrains　the　flights　of　the　imagination；　and　gives　that　timidity　which　an　over…carefulness　not　to　err　or　act　contrary　to　reason　is　likely　to　produce。

It　is　not　so。　　Fear　is　neither　reason　nor　philosophy。　　The　true　spirit　of　philosophy　by　giving　knowledge　gives　a　manly　confidence；　and　substitutes　rational　firmness　in　the　place　of　vain　presumption。　A　man　of　real　taste　is　always　a　man　of　judgment　in　other　respects；　and　those　inventions　which　either　disdain　or　shrink　from　reason；　are　generally；　I　fear；　more　like　the　dreams　of　a　distempered　brain　than　the　exalted　enthusiasm　of　a　sound　and　true　genius。　　In　the　midst　of　the　highest　flights　of　fancy　or　imagination；　reason　ought　to　preside　from　first　to　last；　though　I　admit　her　more　powerful　operation　is　upon　reflection。

I　cannot　help　adding　that　some　of　the　greatest　names　of　antiquity；　and　those　who　have　most　distinguished　themselves　in　works　of　genius　and　imagination；　were　equally　eminent　for　their　critical　skill。　Plato；　Aristotle；　Cicero；　and　Horace；　and　among　the　moderns；　Boileau；　Corneille；　Pope；　and　Dryden；　are　at　least　instances　of　genius　not　being　destroyed　by　attention　or　subjection　to　rules　and　science。　　I　should　hope；　therefore；　that　the　natural　consequence　likewise　of　what　has　been　said　would　be　to　excite　in　you　a　desire　of　knowing　the　principles　and　conduct　of　the　great　masters　of　our　art；　and　respect　and　veneration　for　them　when　known。





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