The artists repository and drawing magazine: exhibiting the principles of the polite arts in their various branches (3.1789)

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with avidity, it is much more common for ar~
tists to depend on the dogmas os science, than
on the observation of nature; insomuch, that
geometry has been considered as the sovereign,
rather than as the assistant of perspeflive ; and
because hereby we procure such and such repre-
sentations of objedts, it has been asserted (some-
what prematurely, as I suppose) that those re-
presentations are conclusively accurate, and de-
monstrative.
I ssatter rnyself, not any of my auditors whom
I have had the honour to add ress in the preced-
ing Lectures, will entertain a thought that I am
insensible to the advantages arising from ma-
thematical asiistance, or that I undervalue our
obligations to that science, which alone has
afforded, or can afford, certainty and exadtness to
the study of perspective ; and yet I cannot entire-
ly acquiesce in attributing so much pulsiance to
geometrical inductions: nor do I think such
assertions would have been made by writers on
perspedbive, if they had extended their views,
and considered Nature as the supreme autho-
rity in the imitative arts.
But, since I avow this sentiment, I requesl your
indulgence while I notice some differences be-
tween the effects of geometry and those of per-
spedtive; or rather, I shall offer remarks on a few
particulars.