DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20658#0029
OF DRAWING. 15
would have treated this subject, and work yourself into a belief, that your picture is to be seen, and
criticised, by them, when completed. Even an attempt of this kind will rouse your powers.
' It is necessary to keep your mind and attention fixed on the highest excellencies of the most
eminent in this art. If you compass them, and compass nothing more, you are still in the first
class. We may regret the innumerable beauties which you may want: you may be very imper-
fect ; but still you are an imperfect person of the highest order.
' I inculcate, as frequently as I can, your forming yourselves upon great principles and great
models ; your time will be much mispent in every other pursuit. Small excellencies should
be viewed, not studied: they ought to be viewed, because nothing ought to escape a painter's
observation ; but for no other reason.
( There is another caution which I wish to give you : be as select in those whom you endeavour
to please, as in those whom you endeavour to imitate. Without the love of fame, you can never
do any thing excellent; but by an excessive and undistinguishing thirst after it, you will come to
have vulgar views; you will degrade your style, and your taste will be entirely corrupted. It is
certain that the lowest style will be the most popular, as it falls within the compass of ignorance
itself, and the vulgar will always be pleased with what is natural, in the confined and misunder-
stood sense of the word.
f Study, therefore, the great works of the great masters, for ever: stud}r, 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 have to
imitate, and, at the same time, as rivals whom you are to combat.'
The same great man (Sir Joshua, Reynolds) reprobates that idea so generally entertained and
propagated by the professors of the polite arts ; namely, the sufficiency of native genius alone,
and the incompetence of acquirements to produce a good artist. He cautions students in this art
to beware of being deterred from their pursuits by too implicit a belief in the existence of this
exclusive charter. Genius he considers always capable of improvement, and never to be destroyed
by the most excessive, if well directed, application ; and generally displaying its beauties and per-
fections in proportion to the number and quality of the ideas early collected, and digested, in,
the mind.
CHAP. I1L
PARTICULAR RULES AND LESSONS.
THE first and principal requisite in this art is, that the student be able to use his black-lead
pencil, chalk, or crayon, with perfect ease and freedom. The pencil or crayon (as before observed)
must be held at a greater distance from the point than a pen in writing. To acquire a perfect
command of this useful implement, .he should accustom himself to draw straight and curved lines
of different lengths, and in every direction.
A very useful practice is to draw a straight line perpendicularly through the middle of a whole
sheet of paper by the help of the ruler; then to draw other lines by hand, parallel to the ruled line,
about an eighth of an inch distant from each other, drawing one upwards, and theother downwards,
alternately ; and also to draw horizontal lines in a similar manner from the right, to the left, and
from left to right: likewise inclined straight lines,some inclined to the right, and others to the left,
drawing these also alternately from top to bottom. By these means the learner will be able to draw
straight
would have treated this subject, and work yourself into a belief, that your picture is to be seen, and
criticised, by them, when completed. Even an attempt of this kind will rouse your powers.
' It is necessary to keep your mind and attention fixed on the highest excellencies of the most
eminent in this art. If you compass them, and compass nothing more, you are still in the first
class. We may regret the innumerable beauties which you may want: you may be very imper-
fect ; but still you are an imperfect person of the highest order.
' I inculcate, as frequently as I can, your forming yourselves upon great principles and great
models ; your time will be much mispent in every other pursuit. Small excellencies should
be viewed, not studied: they ought to be viewed, because nothing ought to escape a painter's
observation ; but for no other reason.
( There is another caution which I wish to give you : be as select in those whom you endeavour
to please, as in those whom you endeavour to imitate. Without the love of fame, you can never
do any thing excellent; but by an excessive and undistinguishing thirst after it, you will come to
have vulgar views; you will degrade your style, and your taste will be entirely corrupted. It is
certain that the lowest style will be the most popular, as it falls within the compass of ignorance
itself, and the vulgar will always be pleased with what is natural, in the confined and misunder-
stood sense of the word.
f Study, therefore, the great works of the great masters, for ever: stud}r, 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 have to
imitate, and, at the same time, as rivals whom you are to combat.'
The same great man (Sir Joshua, Reynolds) reprobates that idea so generally entertained and
propagated by the professors of the polite arts ; namely, the sufficiency of native genius alone,
and the incompetence of acquirements to produce a good artist. He cautions students in this art
to beware of being deterred from their pursuits by too implicit a belief in the existence of this
exclusive charter. Genius he considers always capable of improvement, and never to be destroyed
by the most excessive, if well directed, application ; and generally displaying its beauties and per-
fections in proportion to the number and quality of the ideas early collected, and digested, in,
the mind.
CHAP. I1L
PARTICULAR RULES AND LESSONS.
THE first and principal requisite in this art is, that the student be able to use his black-lead
pencil, chalk, or crayon, with perfect ease and freedom. The pencil or crayon (as before observed)
must be held at a greater distance from the point than a pen in writing. To acquire a perfect
command of this useful implement, .he should accustom himself to draw straight and curved lines
of different lengths, and in every direction.
A very useful practice is to draw a straight line perpendicularly through the middle of a whole
sheet of paper by the help of the ruler; then to draw other lines by hand, parallel to the ruled line,
about an eighth of an inch distant from each other, drawing one upwards, and theother downwards,
alternately ; and also to draw horizontal lines in a similar manner from the right, to the left, and
from left to right: likewise inclined straight lines,some inclined to the right, and others to the left,
drawing these also alternately from top to bottom. By these means the learner will be able to draw
straight