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agitations of nature are represented; and I am here tempted to parody that frequently quoted passage of Shakspeare, "in the very torrent, tempest, and whirlwind of the elements, the artist, in painting them, must acquire a breadth that will give them smoothness."

ture.

There is, however, no small difficulty in uniting breadth, with the detail, the splendid variety, and marked character of naClaude is admirable in this, as in almost every other respect: with the greatest accuracy of detail, and truth of character, his pictures have the breadth of the simplest washed drawing, or aquatinta print, where little else is expressed, or intended. In a strong light, they are full of interesting and entertaining particulars ; and as twilight comes on, I have often observed in them the same gradual fading of the glimmering landscape, as in real

nature.

This art of preserving breadth with detail and brilliancy, has been studied with great success by Teniers, Jan Steen, and many

Ostade's pictures

of the Dutch masters. and etchings are among the happiest examples of it; but above all others, the works of that scarce and wonderful master, Gerard Dow. His eye seems to have had a microscopic power in regard to the minute texture of objects (for in his paintings, they bear the severe trial of the strongest magnifier) and at the same time the opposite faculty of excluding all particulars with respect to breadth and general effect. His master, Rembrandt, did not attend to minute detail; but by that peculiar and commanding manner, which marked with equal force and justness the leading character of each object, he produced an idea of detail, much beyond what is really expressed. Many of the great Italian masters have done this also, and with a taste, a grandeur, and a nobleness of style, unknown to the inferior schools; though none have exceeded, or perhaps equalled Rembrandt, in truth, force, and effect. But when artists, neglecting the variety of detail, and those characteristic features that well supply

its place, content themselves with mere breadth, and propose that as the final object of attainment-their productions, and the interest excited by them, will be, in comparison of the styles I have mentioned, what a metaphysical treatise is to Shakspeare or Fielding; they will be rather illustrations of a principle, than representations of what is real; a sort of abstract idea of nature, not very unlike Crambe's abstraet idea of a lord mayor.

As nothing is more flattering to the vanity and indolence of mankind, than the being able to produce a pleasing general effect with little labour or study; so nothing more obstructs the progress of the art, than such a facility. Yet still these abstracts are by no means without their comparative merit, and they have their use as well as their danger; they shew how much may be effected by the mere naked principle, and the great superiority which that alone can give to whatever is formed upon it, over those things which are done on no principle at all; where the separate

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objects are set down, as it were, article by article; and where the confusion of lights so perplexes the eye, that one might suppose the artist had looked at them through a multiplying glass.

I may, perhaps, be thought to have dwelt longer on this article, than the principal design of my book seemed to require; but although (as I mentioned in a former part) the study of light and shadow appears at first sight to belong exclusively to the painter, yet, like every thing which relates to that charming art, it will be found of infinite service to the improver. Indeed, the violations of this principle of breadth and harmony of light and shadow, are, perhaps, more frequent, and more disgustingly offensive than those of any other.

Many people seem to have a sort of callus over their organs of sight, as others over those of hearing; and as the callous hearers feel nothing in music but kettledrums and trombones; so the callous seeers can only be moved by strong opposi

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tions of black and white, or by fiery reds. I am therefore so far from laughing at Mr. Locke's blind man for likening scarlet to the sound of a trumpet, that I think he had great reason to pride himself on the discovery.

It might well be supposed, that the natural colour of brick was sufficiently stimulating; but I have seen brick houses painted of so much more flaming a red, that according to Mr. Brown's expression, they put the whole vale in a fever. White, though glaring, has not that hot sultry appearance; and there is such a look of neatness and gaiety in it, that we cannot be surprised, if, where lime is cheap, only one idea should prevail-that of making every thing as white as possible. Wherever this is the case, the whole landscape is full of little spots, which can only be made pleasing to a painter's eye, by their being almost buried in trees: but where a country is without natural wood, and is im proved by dint of white-wash and clumps of firs, a painter, were he confined there,

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