DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18825#0096
so history OF ART, [lECT. tt*<
accurately resemble it: and evidently the same may
be said of any figure, or form whatever.
It is true, that in imitating the general forms of
nature, we find very few of them strictly squares, or
circles, but herein consists the superiority of these
mathematical figures for the purposes of instruction,
they are so simple and perfect, that any deviation
from their true line is easily detected ; and if it be
suspected only, a pair of compasses, and a ruler, de-
termine whether that suspicion be just.
Proportion regulates the situation of parts, and of
objects, to each other; for if one part be too far
from another, then the line between them is too long ;
and consequently some other line must be too short;
if one object be misplaced in respect to others, the
others may be regarded as misplaced in respect to that,
from whence what confusion must arise !
Handling is the habit of hand, acquired by
practice, of readily producing certain effects; it
may be considered as proposing to itself the acqui-
sition of the following qualities.
I. Truth :—f. e. that the effect it produces, both
in parts, and in the whole, should be conformable to
the original it imitates; which original is, ultimately,
Nature. This is certainly the first principle of all
imitative arts; and the nearer any master approaches
to this, the better ; and to this a good habit of hand-
ling contributes, because, many effects can be pro-
duced by a practised hand which are impossible to a
novice, and because, the nicety of those effects escape
the perception of the uninstructed eye, as they elude
the gross management of the unskilful hand.
II. Fa-
accurately resemble it: and evidently the same may
be said of any figure, or form whatever.
It is true, that in imitating the general forms of
nature, we find very few of them strictly squares, or
circles, but herein consists the superiority of these
mathematical figures for the purposes of instruction,
they are so simple and perfect, that any deviation
from their true line is easily detected ; and if it be
suspected only, a pair of compasses, and a ruler, de-
termine whether that suspicion be just.
Proportion regulates the situation of parts, and of
objects, to each other; for if one part be too far
from another, then the line between them is too long ;
and consequently some other line must be too short;
if one object be misplaced in respect to others, the
others may be regarded as misplaced in respect to that,
from whence what confusion must arise !
Handling is the habit of hand, acquired by
practice, of readily producing certain effects; it
may be considered as proposing to itself the acqui-
sition of the following qualities.
I. Truth :—f. e. that the effect it produces, both
in parts, and in the whole, should be conformable to
the original it imitates; which original is, ultimately,
Nature. This is certainly the first principle of all
imitative arts; and the nearer any master approaches
to this, the better ; and to this a good habit of hand-
ling contributes, because, many effects can be pro-
duced by a practised hand which are impossible to a
novice, and because, the nicety of those effects escape
the perception of the uninstructed eye, as they elude
the gross management of the unskilful hand.
II. Fa-