ly before their eyes. In the works of art, even the most
enlightened mind, when warmed by beauties of the highest kind, will by
degrees find a repugnance within him to acknowledge any defects; nay, his
enthusiasm will carry him so far as to transform them into beauties and
objects of imitation.

It must be acknowledged that a peculiarity of style, either from its
novelty, or by seeming to proceed from a peculiar turn of mind, often
escapes blame; on the contrary, it is sometimes striking and pleasing;
but this it is vain labour to endeavour to imitate, because novelty and
peculiarity being its only merit, when it ceases to be new, it ceases to
have value.

A manner, therefore, being a defect, and every painter, however
excellent, having a manner, it seems to follow that all kinds of faults,
as well as beauties, may be learned under the sanction of the greatest
authorities.

Even the great name of Michael Angelo may be used to keep in countenance
a deficiency, or rather neglect of colouring, and every other ornamental
part of the art.

If the young student is dry and hard, Poussin is the same. If his work
has a careless and unfinished air, he has most of the Venetian School to
support him. If he makes no selection of objects, but takes individual
nature just as he finds it, he is like Rembrandt. If he is incorrect in
the proportions of his figures, Correggio was likewise incorrect. If his
colours are not blended and united, Rubens was equally crude.

In short, there is no defect but may be excused, if it is a sufficient
excuse that it can be imputed to considerable artists; but it must be
remembered that it was not by these defects they acquired their
reputation: they have a right to our pardon, but not to our admiration.

However, to imitate peculiarities or mistake defects for beauties that
man will be most liable who confines his imitation to one favourite
master; and, even though he chooses the best, and is capable of
distinguishing the real excellences of his model, it is not by such
narrow practice that a genius or mastery in the art is acquired. A man
is as little likely to form a true idea of the perfection of the art by
studying a single artist as he would be of producing a perfectly
beautiful figure by an exact imitation of any individual living model.

And as the painter, by bringing together in one piece those beauties
which are dispersed amongst a great variety of individuals, produces a
figure