that could lead you to the imitation of any living master, who
may be the fashionable darling of the day. As you have not been taught
to flatter us, do not learn to flatter yourselves. We have endeavoured
to lead you to the admiration of nothing but what is truly admirable. If
you choose inferior patterns, or if you make your own _former_ works,
your patterns for your _latter_, it is your own fault.

The purpose of this discourse, and, indeed, of most of my others, is to
caution you against that false opinion, but too prevalent amongst
artists, of the imaginary power of native genius, and its sufficiency in
great works. This opinion, according to the temper of mind it meets
with, almost always produces, either a vain confidence, or a sluggish
despair, both equally fatal to all proficiency.

Study, therefore, the great works of the great masters for ever. Study
as nearly as you can, in the order, in the manner, on the principles, on
which they studied. Study nature attentively, but always with those
masters in your company; consider them as models which you are to
imitate, and at the same time as rivals which you are to combat.

A DISCOURSE
Delivered to the Students of the Royal Academy on the Distribution of the
Prizes, December 10th, 1776, by the President.

Gentlemen,--It has been my uniform endeavour, since I first addressed you
from this place, to impress you strongly with one ruling idea. I wished
you to be persuaded, that success in your art depends almost entirely on
your own industry; but the industry which I principally recommended, is
not the industry of the _hands_, but of the _mind_.

As our art is not a divine gift, so neither is it a mechanical trade. Its
foundations are laid in solid science. And practice, though essential to
perfection, can never attain that to which it aims, unless it works under
the direction of principle.

Some writers upon art carry this point too far, and suppose that such a
body of universal and profound learning is requisite, that the very
enumeration of its kind is enough to frighten a beginner. Vitruvius,
after going through the many accomplishments of nature, and the many
acquirements of learning, necessary to an architect, proceeds with great
gravity to assert that he ought to be well skilled in the civil law, that
he may not be cheated in the title of the ground he builds on.

But without such exaggeration, we may go so far as to assert, that a
painter