Du Piles's version, Il ne nous a rien resté de leur peinture, being authorised to make this change by the late discoveries of ancient painting at Herculaneum ;" but I scarce think that, by these discoveries, we have retrieved any thing of ancient colouring, which is the matter here in question, therefore I have given my translation that turn.

M.

NOTE XXXVII.

VERSE 349.

for those celestial hues

Which Zeuxis, aided by the Attick Muse,
Gave to the wondering eye:

From the various ancient Paintings, which have come down to us, we may form a judgement with tolerable accuracy of the excellences and the defects of the art amongst the ancients.

There can be no doubt, but that the same correctness of design was required from the Painter as from the Sculptor; as if what has happened in the case of Sculpture, had likewise happened in regard to their Paintings, and we had the good fortune to possess what the Ancients themselves esteemed their master-pieces, I have no doubt but we should

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find their figures as correctly drawn as the Laocoon, and probably coloured like Titian. What disposes me to think higher of their colouring than any remains of ancient Painting will warrant, is the account which Pliny gives of the mode of operation used by Apelles; that over his finished picture he spread a transparent liquid like ink, of which the effect was to give brilliancy, and at the same time to lower the too great glare of the colour: "Quod absoluta opera atramento illinebat ita tenui, ut id ipsum repercussu claritates colorum excitaret; -et; cum ratione magna, ne colorum claritas oculorum aciem offenderet." This passage,

though it may possibly perplex the criticks, is a true and an artist-like description of the effect of glazing or scumbling, such as was practised by Titian and the rest of the Venetian Painters. This custom, or mode of operation, implies at least a true taste of that in which the excellence of colouring consists which does not proceed from fine. colours, but true colours; from breaking down these fine colours which would appear too raw, to a deep-toned brightness. Perhaps the manner in which Correggio

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practised the art of glazing was still more like that of Apelles, which was only perceptible to those who looked close to the picture ad manum intuenti demum appareret : whereas in Titian, and still more in Bassan and others his imitators, it was apparent on the slightest inspection. Artists who may not approve of glazing, must still acknowledge, that this practice is not that of igno

rance.

Another circumstance that tends to prejudice me in favour of their colouring, is the account we have of some of their principal painters using but four colours only. I am convinced the fewer the colours the cleaner will be the effect of those colours, and that four are sufficient to make every combination required. Two colours mixed together will not preserve the brightness of either of them single, nor will three be as bright as two; of this observation, simple as it is, an Artist, who wishes to colour bright will know the value.

In regard to their power of giving pe culiar expression, no correct judgement can be formed; but we cannot well suppose that men who were capable of giving that

general grandeur of character which so eminently distinguishes their works in Sculpture, were incapable of expressing peculiar passions.

The

As to the enthusiastick commendations bestowed on them by their contemporaries, I consider them as of no weight. best words are always employed to praise the best works; admiration often proceeds from ignorance of higher excellence. What they appear to have most failed in is composition, both in regard to the grouping of their figures, and the art of disposing the light and shadow in masses. It is apparent that this, which makes so considerable a part of modern art, was to them totally unknown.

If the great Painters had possessed this excellence, some portion of it would have infallibly been diffused, and have been discoverable in the works of the inferior rank of Artists, such as those whose works have come down to us, and which may be considered as on the same rank with the Paintings that ornament our public gardens. Supposing our modern pictures of this rank only were preserved for the inspec

tion of connoisseurs two thousand years hence, the general principles of composition would be still discoverable in those pieces: however feebly executed, there would be seen an attempt to an union of the figure with its ground, and some idea of disposing both the figures and the lights in groups. Now as nothing of this appears in what we have of ancient Painting, we may conclude that this part of the art was totally neglected, or more probably, unknown.

They might, however, have produced single figures which approached perfection both in drawing and colouring; they might excel in a Solo, (in the language of Musicians,) though they were probably incapable of composing a full piece for a concert of different instruments.

R.