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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
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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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