The artists repository and drawing magazine: exhibiting the principles of the polite arts in their various branches (1.1787)

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properly be claffed here) were ornaments to
France.

In England, the little encouragement given
to hiftorical painting, obliged the painters to
attend almoft entirely to portraits. Holbein
(who died 1554) particularly was eminent in
this ftudy; but efpecially fince the time of
Van Dyck, we may challenge a fuperiority
in this department over all Europe -} whether
we fhall ever excel in hiftorical painting, I
pretend not to fay. The arts have of late
been highly honored and encouraged; they
feem to have acquired a permanent eftablifh-
ment, not only in a public fchool, but like-
wife in public patronage : may that patronage
be long merited, and long continue! may the
arts long flourifh to the honor of the British
name, and be tranfmitted as one branch of
^British excellence to the lateft pofterity!

LECTURE