Elements of Art, a Poem in Six Cantos: With Notes and a Preface, Including Strictures on the State of the Arts, Criticism, Patronage, and Public Taste |
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Page xiii
... , it is not for him to anticipate ; he fears however , that the didactic poet who does not succeed in amusing his reader , will teach him to little purpose . The present essay , is intended but as pre- paratory PREFACE . xiii.
... , it is not for him to anticipate ; he fears however , that the didactic poet who does not succeed in amusing his reader , will teach him to little purpose . The present essay , is intended but as pre- paratory PREFACE . xiii.
Page xxiii
... fears for himself , and if the adoption of their sentiments were to be made a condition essential to his success , he would spurn the degrading stipulation , and ex- claim , " Let Fortune do her worst ! I cannot choose " To prosper in ...
... fears for himself , and if the adoption of their sentiments were to be made a condition essential to his success , he would spurn the degrading stipulation , and ex- claim , " Let Fortune do her worst ! I cannot choose " To prosper in ...
Page xxv
... fear and pride debased , And leave to sycophants - the curse of taste . If the Author did not dread the evil of a ... fears , be found an unconscionable culprit in this respect , would shrink before the vigour and variety of illustration ...
... fear and pride debased , And leave to sycophants - the curse of taste . If the Author did not dread the evil of a ... fears , be found an unconscionable culprit in this respect , would shrink before the vigour and variety of illustration ...
Page 3
... fear , that while the Government continues to set the fashion of apathy and indifference , it will not cease to prevail amongst that numerous class of society , who think their coldness excused under the sanction of such an authority ...
... fear , that while the Government continues to set the fashion of apathy and indifference , it will not cease to prevail amongst that numerous class of society , who think their coldness excused under the sanction of such an authority ...
Page 20
... fear of restriction or reproof . An acquaintance with pictures is commonly mistaken for a knowledge of art ; hence , many persons of learning and ingenuity labouring under this delusion , imagine that they must be critics , because they ...
... fear of restriction or reproof . An acquaintance with pictures is commonly mistaken for a knowledge of art ; hence , many persons of learning and ingenuity labouring under this delusion , imagine that they must be critics , because they ...
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admiration ambition amongst ancient ancient Greece appears ardour Artist attainment Author beauties behold character Cicero claim colouring common connoisseur considered Correggio criticism defects dignity display divine ductions eazel effect endeavour Euphranor example excellence excited exhibition expression faculties fame fancy favour feeling fire Genius glory grace graphic Greeks honour hope human imitation impression influence judgment judicious labours Laocoon lence liberal Line Louvre mannerist means ment merits Michael Angelo mind modern Muse Nature neglect o'er object observation painter painting palette panegyric passion patriot pencil perfection perhaps Phidias picture Pliny poet poetry powers praise precept prejudice pride principles productions propriety pursuit qualities racter Raphael refinement Rembrandt respect Reynolds rise rival Roman School Rubens scene School sculpture sense sensibility shew skill spirit splendour sublime superior talents Taste terrestrial animals Timanthes tion Titian toil triumph truth vanity vigour Virtù virtue vulgar zeal
Popular passages
Page 12 - ... talents, industry will improve them; if you have but moderate abilities, industry will supply their deficiency. Nothing is denied to well-directed labour: nothing is to be obtained without it. Not to enter into metaphysical discussions on the nature or essence of genius, I will venture to assert that assiduity unabated by difficulty, and a disposition eagerly directed to the object of its pursuit, will produce effects similar to those which some call the result of natural powers.
Page 194 - Such faults may be said to be the ebullitions of genius; but at least he had this merit, that he never was insipid, and whatever passion his works may excite, they will always escape contempt. What I have had under consideration is the...
Page 202 - ... which is shown in composing such an infinite number of figures, or the art of the distribution of the light and shadow, the freedom of hand, the facility with which it seems to be performed, and what is still more extraordinary, the correctness and admirable taste of drawing of figures fore-shortened, in attitudes the most difficult to execute, we must pronounce this picture to be one of the greatest efforts of genius that ever the art has produced.
Page 156 - But each man's secret standard in his mind, That casting-weight pride adds to emptiness, This who can gratify ? for who can guess...
Page 193 - the great sublime they draw," and rave like methodists, of inward lights, and enthusiastic emotions, which, if you cannot comprehend, you are set down as un-illumined by the grace of criticism, and excluded from the elect of Taste.
Page 280 - ... material disadvantage: the Hours, for instance, as represented by Julio Romano, giving provender to the horses of the Sun, would not strike the imagination more forcibly from their being coloured with the pencil of Rubens, though he would have represented them more naturally: but might he not possibly, by that very act, have brought them down from the celestial state to the rank of mere terrestrial animals ? In these things, however, I admit there will always be a degree of uncertainty.
Page 15 - It is of no use to prescribe to those who have no talents ; and those who have talents will find methods for themselves — methods dictated to them by their own particular dispositions, and by the experience of their own particular necessities.
Page 12 - Vouet; but as he soon excelled him, so he differed from him in every part of the art. Carlo Maratti succeeded better than those I have first named, and I think owes his superiority to the extension of his views ; beside his master Andrea Sacchi, he imitated Raffaelle, Guido, and the Caraccis. It is true, there is nothing very captivating in Carlo Maratti ; but this proceeded from a want which can not be completely supplied; that is, want of strength of parts. In this certainly men are not equal ;...
Page 65 - And kept unconquer'd and uncivilized ; Fierce for the liberties of wit, and bold, We still defied the Romans, as of old. Yet some there were, among the sounder few Of those who less presumed and better knew, 720 Who durst assert the juster ancient cause, And here restored wit's fundamental laws. Such was the Muse, whose rules and practice tell, ' Nature's chief masterpiece is writing well.
Page 325 - ... a circumstance in placing the model, though to some it may appear trifling. It is better to possess the model with the attitude you require, than to place him with your own hands : by this means it happens often that the model puts himself in an action superior to your own imagination. It is a great matter to be in the way of accident...