Ruskin, John: The elements of drawing: in three letters to beginners (London, 1857)

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THE ELEMENTS OP DRAWING. [letter ir.

shapeless clouds over his sky, not perceiving the
sweeps of associated curves which the real clouds are
following as they fly ; and he breaks his mountain side
into rugged fragments, wholly unconscious of the lines
of force with which the real rocks have risen, or of
the lines of couch in which they repose. On the con-
trary, it is the main delight of the great draughts-
man to trace these laws of government; and his
tendency to error is always in the exaggeration of
their authority rather than in its denial.

Secondly, I say, we have to show the indivi-
dual character and liberty of the separate leaves,
clouds, or rocks. And herein the great masters
separate themselves finally from the inferior ones;
for if the men of inferior genius ever express
law at all, it is by the sacrifice of individuality.
Thus, Salvator Eosa has great perception of the
sweep of foliage and rolling of clouds, but never
draws a single leaflet or mist wreath accurately.
Similarly, Gainsborough, in his landscape, has great
feeling for masses of form and harmony of colour;
but in the detail gives nothing but meaningless