DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2057#0072
HOGARTH. 43
beauties! spirited touches! brilliant colours!
and the Lord knows what, of these ancient
worn-out wonders;—but whoever should
dare to hint that (admitting them to be ori-
ginally painted by Raphael), there is little
left to admire in them, would be instantly
stigmatized as villifying the great masters,
and to invalidate his judgment, accused of
envy and self-conceit. By these misrepre-
sentations, if he has an independent for-
tune, he only suffers the odium ; but if a
young man, without any other property
than talents, presumes boldly to give an
opinion, he may be undone by his teme-
rity; for the whole herd will unite, and
try to hunt him down.
" Such is the situation of the arts and
artists at this time. Credulity,—an impli-
cit confidence in the opinions of others,—
and not daring to think for themselves,
leads the whole town into error, and thus
they become the prey of ignorant and de-
signing knaves.
" With respect to portrait painting, what-
beauties! spirited touches! brilliant colours!
and the Lord knows what, of these ancient
worn-out wonders;—but whoever should
dare to hint that (admitting them to be ori-
ginally painted by Raphael), there is little
left to admire in them, would be instantly
stigmatized as villifying the great masters,
and to invalidate his judgment, accused of
envy and self-conceit. By these misrepre-
sentations, if he has an independent for-
tune, he only suffers the odium ; but if a
young man, without any other property
than talents, presumes boldly to give an
opinion, he may be undone by his teme-
rity; for the whole herd will unite, and
try to hunt him down.
" Such is the situation of the arts and
artists at this time. Credulity,—an impli-
cit confidence in the opinions of others,—
and not daring to think for themselves,
leads the whole town into error, and thus
they become the prey of ignorant and de-
signing knaves.
" With respect to portrait painting, what-