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the art； and are to be for the future under the guidance of your own
judgment and discretion
I consider you as arrived to that period when you have a right to think
for yourselves； and to presume that every man is fallible； to study the
masters with a suspicion that great men are not always exempt from great
faults； to criticise； compare； and rank their works in your own estimation；
as they approach to or recede from that standard of perfection which you
have formed in your own mind； but which those masters themselves； it
must be remembered； have taught you to make； and which you will cease
to make with correctness when you cease to study them。 It is their
excellences which have taught you their defects。
I would wish you to forget where you are； and who it is that speaks to
you。 I only direct you to higher models and better advisers。 We can teach
you here but very little； you are henceforth to be your own teachers。 Do
this justice； however； to the English Academy； to bear in mind； that in this
place you contracted no narrow habits； no false ideas； nothing that could
lead you to the imitation of any living master； who may be the fashionable
darling of the day。 As you have not been taught to flatter us； do not learn
to flatter yourselves。 We have endeavoured to lead you to the admiration
of nothing but what is truly admirable。 If you choose inferior patterns； or
if you make your own FORMER works； your patterns for your LATTER；
it is your own fault。
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The purpose of this discourse； and； indeed； of most of my others； is to
caution you against that false opinion； but too prevalent amongst artists； of
the imaginary power of native genius； and its sufficiency in great works。
This opinion； according to the temper of mind it meets with； almost
always produces； either a vain confidence； or a sluggish despair； both
equally fatal to all proficiency。
Study； therefore； the great works of the great masters for ever。 Study as
nearly as you can； in the order； in the manner； on the principles； on which
they studied。 Study nature attentively； but always with those masters in
your company； consider them as models which you are to imitate； and at
the same time as rivals which you are to combat。
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A DISCOURSE VII
Delivered to the Students of the Royal Academy on the
Distribution of the Prizes； December 10th； 1776； by the President。
Gentlemen；It has been my uniform endeavour； since I first addressed
you from this place； to impress you strongly with one ruling idea。 I
wished you to be persuaded； that success in your art depends almost
entirely on your own industry； but the industry which I principally
recommended； is not the industry of the HANDS； but of the MIND。
As our art is not a divine gift； so neither is it a mechanical trade。 Its
foundations are laid in solid science。 And practice； though essential to
perfection； can never attain that to which it aims； unless it works under the
direction of principle。
Some writers upon art carry this point too far； and suppose that such a
body of universal and profound learning is requisite； that the very
enumeration of its kind is enough to frighten a beginner。 Vitruvius； after
going through the many accomplishments of nature； and the many
acquirements of learning； necessary to an architect； proceeds with great
gravity to assert that he ought to be well skilled in the civil law； that he
may not be cheated in the title of the ground he builds on。
But without such exaggeration； we may go so far as to assert； that a
painter stands in need of more knowledge than is to be picked off his
pallet； or collected by looking on his model； whether it be in life or in
picture。 He can never be a great artist who is grossly illiterate。
Every man whose business is description ought to be tolerably
conversant with the poets in some language or other； that he may imbibe a
poetical spirit and enlarge his stock of ideas。 He ought to acquire a habit
of comparing and divesting his notions。 He ought not to be wholly
unacquainted with that part of philosophy which gives him an insight into
human nature； and relates to the manners； characters； passions； and
affections。 He ought to know something concerning the mind； as well as
a great deal concerning the body of man。
For this purpose； it is not necessary that he should go into such a
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compass of reading； as must； by distracting his attention； disqualify him
for the practical part of his profession； and make him sink the performer in
the critic。 Reading； if it can be made the favourite recreation of his
leisure hours； will improve and enlarge his mind without retarding his
actual industry。
What such partial and desultory reading cannot afford； may be
supplied by the conversation of learned and ingenious men； which is the
best of all substitutes for those who have not the means or opportunities of
deep study。 There are many such men in this age； and they will be
pleased with communicating their ideas to artists； when they see them
curious and docile； if they are treated with that respect and deference
which is so justly their due。 Into such society； young artists； if they make
it the point of their ambition； will by degrees be admitted。 There； without
formal teaching； they will insensibly come to feel and reason like those
they live with； and find a rational and systematic taste imperceptibly
formed in their minds； which they will know how to reduce to a standard；
by applying general truth to their own purposes； better perhaps than those
to whom they owed the original sentiment。
Of these studies and this conversation； the desired and legitimate
offspring is a power of distinguishing right from wrong； which power
applied to works of art is denominated taste。 Let me then； without
further introduction； enter upon an examination whether taste be so far
beyond our reach as to be unattainable by care； or be so very vague and
capricious that no care ought to be employed about it。
It has been the fate of arts to be enveloped in mysterious and
incomprehensible language； as if it was thought necessary that even the
terms should correspond to the idea entertained of the instability and
uncertainty of the rules which they expressed。
To speak of genius and taste as any way connected with reason or
common sense； would be； in the opinion of some towering talkers； to
speak like a man who possessed neither； who had never felt that
enthusiasm； or； to use their own inflated language； was never warmed by
that Promethean fire； which animates the canvas and vivifies the marble。
If； in order to be intelligible； I appear to degrade art by bringing her
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down from her visionary situation in the clouds； it is only to give her a
more solid mansion upon the earth。 It is necessary that at some time or
other we should see things as they really are； and not impose on ourselves
by that false magnitude with which objects appear when viewed
indistinctly as through a mist。
We will allow a poet to express his meaning； when his meaning is not
well known to himself； with a certain degree of obscurity； as it is one
source of the sublime。 But when； in plain prose； we gravely talk of