DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.75271#0018
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And if my ideas are raised, the sentiments excited in my mind
will be proportionably improved. So that supposing two men per-
fedly equal in all other respeds, only one is conversant with the works
of the bed masters (well chosen as to their subjeds) and the other
not; the former shall necessarily gain the ascendant, and have nobler
ideas, more love to his country, more moral virtue, more faith,
more piety and devotion than the other; he shall be a more inge-
nious, and a better man.
To come to portraits; the pidure of an absent relation, or friend,
helps to keep up those sentiments which frequently languid )by ab-
sence, and may be instrumental to maintain, and sometimes to aug-
ment friendsllip, and paternal, filial, and conjugal love, and duty.
Upon the sight of a portrait, the character, and mader-drokes of
the history of the person it represents, are apt to flow in upon the
mind, and to be the subjest os conversation : so that to sit for one's
pidure, is to have an abdraH of one's life written and published,
and ourselves thus consigned over to honour or infamy. I know
not what influence this has, or may have, but methinks it is rational
to believe, that piHures of this kind are subservient to virtue ; that
men are excited to imitate the good actions, and persuaded to shun
the vices of those whose examples are thus set before them; useful
hints mud certainly be frequently given, and frequently improved
into practice. And why should we not also believe, that considering
the violent third of praise which is natural, especially in the noblest
minds, and the better sort of people, they that see their pidures are
set up as monuments of good or evil fame, are often secretly ad-
monished by the faithful sriend in their own breads, to add new
graces to them by praise-worthy actions, and to avoid blemishes, or
deface what may have happened, as much as possible, by a future
good conduct. A ssattering mercenary hand may represent my
face with a youth, or beauty, which belongs not to me, and which
I am not one jot the younger, or the handsomer for, though I may
be
And if my ideas are raised, the sentiments excited in my mind
will be proportionably improved. So that supposing two men per-
fedly equal in all other respeds, only one is conversant with the works
of the bed masters (well chosen as to their subjeds) and the other
not; the former shall necessarily gain the ascendant, and have nobler
ideas, more love to his country, more moral virtue, more faith,
more piety and devotion than the other; he shall be a more inge-
nious, and a better man.
To come to portraits; the pidure of an absent relation, or friend,
helps to keep up those sentiments which frequently languid )by ab-
sence, and may be instrumental to maintain, and sometimes to aug-
ment friendsllip, and paternal, filial, and conjugal love, and duty.
Upon the sight of a portrait, the character, and mader-drokes of
the history of the person it represents, are apt to flow in upon the
mind, and to be the subjest os conversation : so that to sit for one's
pidure, is to have an abdraH of one's life written and published,
and ourselves thus consigned over to honour or infamy. I know
not what influence this has, or may have, but methinks it is rational
to believe, that piHures of this kind are subservient to virtue ; that
men are excited to imitate the good actions, and persuaded to shun
the vices of those whose examples are thus set before them; useful
hints mud certainly be frequently given, and frequently improved
into practice. And why should we not also believe, that considering
the violent third of praise which is natural, especially in the noblest
minds, and the better sort of people, they that see their pidures are
set up as monuments of good or evil fame, are often secretly ad-
monished by the faithful sriend in their own breads, to add new
graces to them by praise-worthy actions, and to avoid blemishes, or
deface what may have happened, as much as possible, by a future
good conduct. A ssattering mercenary hand may represent my
face with a youth, or beauty, which belongs not to me, and which
I am not one jot the younger, or the handsomer for, though I may
be