will be of superfluities, of outworks, or of figures to let, as they have been termed. The more that the costume, and suitableness, and propriety are exactly observed, and the draperies cast and folded with art, so as to betray the naked without clinging to it; the more plainly and clearly it speaks to the mind; the more, in a word, that it is conformable to beautiful nature, so much the nearer will it approach to perfection. But it will become bad in proportion as it shall be disagreeable, insignificant, without understanding, overcharged, confused, obscure, or contrary to nature. This last fault proceeds often from the ridiculous and startling disproportion between the size of different objects.

Thus the great Raphael himself has committed two striking faults against nature and linear perspective, in his famous picture of the Transfiguration, by the ridiculous smallness of his Mount Tabor, and by the disproportionable size of the Christ, and of the two prophets.

Besides the signification of the word composition, of which I have just given an account, there is another in more common use, by which it is employed to designate both the invention of the subject, and the manner in which it is composed and distributed; in short, the whole parts of invention. Very many painters, and very many writers also, confound these two significations. A composition taken in this latter sense, may offend against nature by offending against unity; that is to say, when it unites in one picture things which

could never find themselves together, or events which have happened in different epochs, or in different places. It were well that this defect, sufficiently rare amongst the ancients, were less to be found amongst the moderns.

The rules which I have laid down are sufficient to enable every person who has eyes and good sense to judge of any composition, except such as belong to the historical class. These require in the spectator a knowledge of history, true and false, still more extensive than in the artist. For the latter has only occasion to know well the subjects which he himself undertakes to execute; while the spectator ought to be in a situation to judge of the compositions of all painters without exception; to unravel historical subjects, even the least characterised, fabulous subjects the most confused, and allegories the most absurd and odd, which it so often pleases painters to produce, without giving themselves any concern about being understood by others, provided they understand them themselves. Those then amongst amateurs who are ignorant of fable or of history, ought to consult such as are informed in order to judge of this matter, unless they are willing to content themselves with the pleasure they may derive from a picture of this class, in regard of its disposition, design, and what belongs to colour and handling, irrespective of its truth, correctness, and historical propriety. On the other hand, every amateur whose reading puts him in a situation to judge of historical compo

sitions, has a right to hold all obscurity as a capital fault. For he may require with reason that there shall be sufficient distinctness to enable him to tell without difficulty the subject which is represented, and characteristics enough to prevent him from misunderstanding it, or confounding it with other analogous subjects. This happens too often in ancient pictures of the historical class, but much oftener still in the works of modern painters, when, from a desire to be original in their compositions, they render them unintelligible, and produce pictures in which nothing is determinate nor specific in subject,-painted enigmas, true hieroglyphics, of which themselves alone possess the key!

SECT. VI. - Of the Disposition of the Subject.

DISPOSITION, OF ORDONNANCE, is nothing else than the arrangement of all the objects which form part of the composition. It contributes to the "goodness" of the picture if it be ingenious and natural; if it avoid uniformity and positions that are too symmetrical; if it distribute the light well; if, by means of it, the groups pyramid and unite well; and if it give value to all the parts of the picture by means of each other, in such a manner as that the result shall be a satisfactory whole. On the contrary, it will render the picture bad in proportion as it departs from these requisites. In a word, disposition is in the hands of the painter, what words, ideas, and phrases are in the mouth of

the orator, or under the pen of a writer. The dross of Ennius becomes gold under the pen of Virgil; what wearies in Chapelain, amuses in Voltaire.

SECT. VII.

Of Design, the Airs of the Heads, the Attitudes, and the Expression.

I trust I have said enough in regard to the choice which the painter has made of his subject, and the different parts implied therein. It remains to examine all the other parts of painting, viz. design, the airs of the heads, the attitudes, expression, perspective, as well linear as aërial, the colours, proper and local, the general tone, the clear-obscure, the transparency, the harmony, the effect, the empasto, and the touch, in order to be able to decide by the execution, whether the artist has "well represented" the subject he has chosen.

The DESIGN, as well as the airs of the heads, the attitudes, and the expression, which all three depend upon it, fall under the rule which the definition of painting imposes without distinction on all its parts, namely, that they ought each for its own part to co-operate in the imitation of the object, such as one sees it, or may conceive it visible, in nature. Hence, if the forms of an object are determined, either by the reality, or by common opinion founded upon its character and attributes, the design and its three dependencies must be conformable to these forms, in order to its being

well represented. In imaginary and fantastic objects, the painter may choose his forms at his pleasure; but if they displease the spectator, the painter will have offended against the "well represented."

The more the design is correct and precisely similar to its model, the more the airs of the heads are diversified and appropriate to each individual character, the more the attitudes and expression are varied, natural, well balanced, and conformable to the action and to the emotions of the mind required by the subject, the more these parts will contribute each for itself to the quality of good representation in the picture. Of all these the spectator will judge, by comparing them, in subjects taken from existing things, with nature herself; and in fabulous subjects, with the idea he has conceived of them from the character usually attributed to them. To do this is much more easy than my readers in general will believe it to be, accustomed as they are to the imposing tone with which very many painters hold forth upon the importance and the difficulties of design, and the parts which depend on it, especially as regards the human frame. The decided manner in which these painters express themselves, imposes on their auditors to such a degree as to render them timid in this matter; for the latter comparing the ignorance which they suppose to be in themselves, with the self-sufficiency of the former, forget that the artist makes pictures, but it is the public that