had not an Unifon of Soul, began to regard my Enthusiasm with a cool air of Derifion. The next Day's Journey however afforded me an Opportunity of making Reprifals, and to pity many of our Party for the joyful Aftonishment with which they were ftruck by the aukward Magnificence of unmeaning Grandeur. You know the MANY among Mankind are affected only by prodigious Actions and Deeds of HEROISM in the Moral World, and, according to my Observation, have confequently a correfpondent Relish for the Great and Wonderful in the Phyfical; ALEXANDER, CÆSAR, and PYRRHUS are their ador'd Images in the one; and Caftles, Mausoleums, Pyramids, Mountains, immenfe Plains, and Cataracts in the other. How natural then was it for those who could pafs over the Paradise of our English TEMPE without Emotion, to gape their filent Wonder at H-Caftle! I defire you would minutely obferve, the next time you take a mixed Company into your elegant Collection

of

of Pictures, and read their Characters by the choice of their Pieces. The Revengeful will find great Excellence in your APOLLO fleaing the unfortunate MARSYAS; the Man, who is fubject to be discompos'd by violent Paffions, will felect out one of Vandervelt's Storms to amuse himfelf with; and the Eyes of those, who are ennobled by filial Piety and the delightful Sympathy of Pity, will drop a Tear of Pleasure over your Roman Charity. If the Weather will permit I propose to be with you at next Month, but wherever I am, you will always be present with me. Adieu, my dear EuPHEMIUS, and do me the Justice to think, I am,

Your most fincere Friend, &c,

LETTER

C 3

IN

LETTER IV.

To the Same.

NDEED, EUPHEMIUS, the Compliments you are pleas'd to pay me upon the Obfervations I made in my laft Letter to you concerning Analogy, would not fail to enflame my Vanity, did not I very well know that you view every thing,, which comes from me, through the magnifying Medium of Friendship. This Reflection, 'tis true, leffens the Satisfaction which would flow from a Consciousness of Merit, but at the fame time augments my Happiness another Way, by informing my Heart how deep an Interest I have in yours. You tell me that upon Recollection, you know of no living Artist whose Life does not greatly correspond to his Performances; and that you have read of very few of the Dead, whose Works do not fhadow forth, by this Analogy, the general Caft of their Moral

Con

Conduct. HOMER, we are told by the very ingenious and learned Author of his Life, had perfonally accompanied his Fancy wherever the rov'd upon the Face of the Earth, and I make no Doubt fuch was the reftlefs Activity of his Soul, that he ardently with'd to fpurn this dull Globe, and foar to the Seats of his Immortals. To contrast his Character, we need only caft our Eyes on his poetical Difciple VIRGIL, whofe modeft Majesty in private Life bore fo great a Refemblance to all his Compofitions. But Monf. DE PILES, the ingenious Author of the Lives of the Painters, will furnish us with some remarkable Examples to this Pur pofe. I dare fay you have often observ'd, that feveral Pieces of MICHAEL ANGELo's, which you have feen in ITALY, tho' finish'd in a grand gout, and with a C 4 vaft

VOLTAIRE has the following remarkable Paffage concerning the Character and Writings of the Cardinal de Retz. Cet homme fingulier s'eft peint lui-meme dans fes memoires, écrits avec un air de grandeur, une impétu ofité de genie, et une inegalité, qui font l'Image de fa conduite. Dans le fiecle de Louis XIV. vol. 1. p.61.

vaft Extent of Genius, want that Purity, Softness, and Elegance, which afford fo much Pleasure in the Works of feveral much inferior Painters. There is a Fiercenefs in the Looks, and a Wildness in the Attitudes of all his Figures, which, tho' they are indeed correct, and agreeable to Nature in fome Moods, and cannot be condemned by the Judgment, are by no Means agreeable to the Eye; and tho' they fully fatisfy the Understanding, never captivate the Heart. You might observe at the fame time, on the contrary, that RAPHAEL'S, for want of the Ufe of the Chiaro Ofcuro, had not that Prominency, nor feem'd to come out from the Canvass fo boldly as those of his Rival; that hẹ was rather deficient in Colouring, and preferv'd too great a Sameness in the Drapery of all his Figures; yet nevertheless blending the Elegance of the Antique and the Simplicity of Nature together, and spreading that undefineable Grace, which was fo bounteously beftow'd upon him, over every Piece, he feizes at once upon the

warm