DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61012#0160
12 6 THE SE VEN TH DISCO URSE.
of dignity, and preserves something of the modern for the
sake of likeness. By this conduct his works correspond
with those prejudices which we have in favour of what we
continually see; and the relish of the antique simplicity
corresponds with what we may call the more learned and
scientific prejudice.
There was a statue made not long since of Voltaire,
which the sculptor, not having that respect for the preju-
dices of mankind which he ought to have had, made
entirely naked, and as meagre and emaciated as the original
is said to be. The consequence was what might have been
expected : it remained in the sculptor’s shop, though it
was intended as a public ornament and a public honour
to Voltaire, for it was procured at the expense of his
contemporary wits and admirers.
Whoever would reform a nation, supposing a bad taste
to prevail in it, will not accomplish his purpose by going
directly against the stream of their prejudices. Men’s
minds must be prepared to receive what is new to them.
Reformation is a work of time. A national taste, however
wrong it may be, cannot be totally changed at once ; we
must yield a little to the prepossession which has taken
hold on the mind, and we may then bring people to adopt
what would offend them, if endeavoured to be introduced
by violence. When Battista Franco was employed, in
conjunction with Titian, Paul Veronese, and Tintoret, to
adorn the library of St. Mark, his work, Vasari says, gave
less satisfaction than any of the others : the dry manner of
the Roman school was very ill calculated to please eyes
that had been accustomed to the luxuriancy, splendour, and
richness of Venetian colouring. Had the Romans been the
judges of this work, probably the determination would have
been just contrary ; for in the more noble parts of the art
of dignity, and preserves something of the modern for the
sake of likeness. By this conduct his works correspond
with those prejudices which we have in favour of what we
continually see; and the relish of the antique simplicity
corresponds with what we may call the more learned and
scientific prejudice.
There was a statue made not long since of Voltaire,
which the sculptor, not having that respect for the preju-
dices of mankind which he ought to have had, made
entirely naked, and as meagre and emaciated as the original
is said to be. The consequence was what might have been
expected : it remained in the sculptor’s shop, though it
was intended as a public ornament and a public honour
to Voltaire, for it was procured at the expense of his
contemporary wits and admirers.
Whoever would reform a nation, supposing a bad taste
to prevail in it, will not accomplish his purpose by going
directly against the stream of their prejudices. Men’s
minds must be prepared to receive what is new to them.
Reformation is a work of time. A national taste, however
wrong it may be, cannot be totally changed at once ; we
must yield a little to the prepossession which has taken
hold on the mind, and we may then bring people to adopt
what would offend them, if endeavoured to be introduced
by violence. When Battista Franco was employed, in
conjunction with Titian, Paul Veronese, and Tintoret, to
adorn the library of St. Mark, his work, Vasari says, gave
less satisfaction than any of the others : the dry manner of
the Roman school was very ill calculated to please eyes
that had been accustomed to the luxuriancy, splendour, and
richness of Venetian colouring. Had the Romans been the
judges of this work, probably the determination would have
been just contrary ; for in the more noble parts of the art