AN IDEA Of the Perfection OF PAINTING: DEMONSTRATED From the Principles of Art, and by Examples conformable to the Observations, which Pliny and Quintilian have made upon the most celebrated Pieces of the Ancient PAINTERS, Paralleled with some Works of the most famous Modern Painters, LEONARDO damn VINCI, RAPHAEL, JULIO ROMANO, and N. POUSSIN.  
Written in French By Roland Freart, Sienr de Cambray, And rendered English By I. E. Esquire, Fellow of the ROYAL SOCIETY.  
In the SAVOY: Printed for Henry Herringman at the Sign of the Anchor in the Lower-walk of the New-Exchange. 1668.   

THE PREFACE.  
THere is hardly that Man living, but has some inclination for PAINTING, and that does not even pretend sufficient Abilities to control the Works which it produces: for not only Learned men, and persons of Condition, who are ever probably the most rational, are emulous of this Knowledge; but the very Common-People will adventure to spend their Judgements too; so as it seems, this Art is in some sort, the Universal Mystery.  
Neither is this presumption a Vice peculiar to the French alone, or of this Age of ours only; 'tis as old as Painting itself, and sprung from her very Cradle in Greece. This is evident by that which Pliny has recorded of Apelles; who before he gave the last touches to his Pieces, was wont to expose them in Public to the Censure of all the Passengers, whilst he concealed himself behind them, that he might hear what every one said, and make use of it accordingly; whence the Proverb, Apelles post Tabulam. Most of our Painters do to this day observe something of this very Custom, or at least, something like it, but which they have turned into a kind of Compliment: For they usually request such as have the Curiosity to visit their Works, freely to tell them what they think of them; and whether they observe any thing which needs reforming. But as Compliments are but vain and insignificant words, they seldom produce any real Effects upon these encounters; and to speak sincerely, these Painters would be but justly punished, should one really take the liberty of effectually rendering them this friendly Office, which they ask but in Ceremony, and that instead of those ordinary compliances with which they usually flatter them, they did ingeniously discover to them their miserable failings. But instead of receiving this Instruction in good part, and gratifying the Censure as becomes them, they would certainly be offended at the freedom, and we should see them rather Confounded than Reformed by it; because they do not so much seek to be Able men, as they desire to appear so. The days of Apelles are now past, and our Modern Painters are quite of another strain from these Old Masters, who never came to be Considerable in their Professions, but by the study of Geometry and Perspective, the Anatomy of Bodies, the assiduous Observation of those Characters which expressed the Passions and Emotions of the Soul; by the Lecture of the Poets and good Historians; and in fine, by a continual re-search of whatever might best contribute to their Instruction.  
They were in those days so Docile and Humble, that they not only would submit their Works to the Criticisms and Animadversion of Scholars and Philosophers, but even to the Common People also, and to Artificers of all Trades, who did frequently and sometimes judiciously reprehend them. This was (I confess) something a tedious way, and is indeed inaccessible to a great part of our Painters in this Age, who have neither the Genius of these illustrious Ancients, nor the same Object in their working.  
In effect, those Painters proposed to themselves, above all other things, the Glory and Immortality of their Names, for the sole, and principal Recompense of their Labours; whereas, most of our Moderns, regard only the emergent Profit, and therefore they hold a quite different Method, and strive as much as they can to compass only their proposed aim.  
To this purpose, they have introduced into their Cabals I know not what kind of licentious Painting, totally differing from those pretended subjections, which heretofore rendered this Art so incomparable and so difficult, whilst this incapacity of theirs makes them imagine, that this rare Painting of the Ancients, was but an old Dotaress, who had only slaves in her service.  
Under this pretext, they have dressed themselves up a new Mistress, trifling, and full of tattle, who requires nothing of them but Fared and Colour to take at first sight, without being at all concerned whether she pleased long or not.  
See then, this Idol of the present Age, to which most of our Painters sacrifice all their Pains, whilst those of more sublime and noble Spirits, and that find themselves capable of this excellent Profession, run generously in the same path, by which those renowned Ancients arrived to the perfection of their Skill; and leaving those lazy Ignorants behind, pronounce it with as much compassion as disdain, Aulaedus sit, qui Citharaedus esse non possit, compassionating those whom Nature having denied those necessary Endowments of being capable to attain the Principles of the Art, are compelled by that weakness and want of Talon, to acquiesce in the single Practice of doing Things as Mechanically as they first learned them from their ignorant Masters.  
But how despicable are those poor-spirited men, who are so affrighted at the study, that to avoid the trouble of it, they chose rather to oppose with the revolted Cabalists, and to pull on the same hypocritical Vizor, than give themselves the trouble of acquiring, and effectually possessing the Thing itself, which they so unjustly affect the reputation of?  
What's now become of the Glory with which those ancient Greeks, those Gallant souls had Crowned Painting, when they pronounced her Queen of all the Arts, and permitted only the most noble and renowned of men to be of her Retinues? what regard, think you, would they have to this Age of ours, which has so unworthily abandoned her? and to these abject spirits who daily dishonour her by the contempt and disrespect which they put upon her Laws, and who by a yet more insufferable attempt, have resigned her sacred Name to this fantastic Idol which they have established in her place? with what indignation may we suppose do true and able Painters look on the temerity of these insolent Rivals, whom they behold so gay and jovial in this present Age, by the Capriciousness of Fortune, and the favour of an ignorant conjuncture? I must confess, I am strangely surprised at it; and though I know there is nothing less permanent, or more Caduque than this false esteem, I cannot but be sensibly touched, and even altogether impatient of seeing once a period to this odious Abuse, so reproachful to an Age, that is otherwise extraordinarily flourishing in the knowledge of Letters, and of all other Sciences, which we find every day entertained, and more perfectioned than ever, maugre the importunate jars and hostilities which have uncessantly molested them for so many years past; nay, even Painting itself, whose diminution and decadency we so much deplore, and which seems not to have been born for times of Peace and Tranquillity, was happily never in higher esteem amongst us, nor more sought after, than it is at present; which may partly be the occasion of its Corruption and decay: For as Arts flourish, and are cherished by the Honours which are conferred upon excellent Artists; so, on the contrary, a blind Affection, and indiscreet flattery ruins and destroys them.  
To recover then its pristine Lustre, and restore her to original Purity, we must of necessity recall that Primitive severity, by which they were wont to examine the Productions of those renowned Painters, who were of old so esteemed; and whose Works have survived their Authors so many Ages, and rendered their own Names Immortal.  
To accomplish this, there is nothing more expedient, than the exact observation of those Fundamental Principles, which consummate its Perfection, and without which 'tis impossible she should subsist.  
But forasmuch as the long neglect hereo● has almost banished the Science, to the infinite loss and prejudice of those who are curious of Painting; and since, without this succour, they can never enjoy the satisfaction which a clear and perfect understanding will present them; I have made it here my particular enquiry; that laying before them in this Dissertation the same Compass by which the Ancients steered their Course, they may sail by the same Rout themselves, and discover those things to the very bottom, which they had never attained to without it, but superficially, and with much imperfection.  
And since I consider how extremely difficult it is to disabuse those who are already infected with so common, and pernicious an abuse, under the pretence of a specious Liberty: I could not think it sufficient to talk of things only, and to prove them from pure and undeniable Reasons; had I not also made it appear, of what importance it is by authentic Demonstrations and examples.  
For this effect, I have made choice of some amongst the Works of our most celebrated Painters; to which, having applied all those Principles which I have produced, there remains no more cause for us to suspect their Fidelity. And that I may the better and more generally comprehend the good and bad effects which result from them, by either observing or neglecting these Rules, I shall here present them in Order.  
Raphael Vrbino, the most excellent of the Modern Painters, and universally so reputed by those of the Profession, is the Person whose Works I shall propose as so many Demonstrations of the absolute necessity of exactly observing the Principles which we have established in this Treatise. And on the contrary, Michael Angelo, superior in Fame, but far inferior to him in Merits, shall by his extravagant Compositions, amply furnish us to discover the Ignorance and Temerity of those Libertines, who trampling all the Rules and Maxims of Art under their feet, pursue only their own Caprices.  
It is in this part chiefly, that the disinteressed Reader may possibly find my Animadversions most agreeable: But to enjoy the diversion more entirely, it were requisite he laid before him those Prints of Raphael which I pretend to examine and propose, as just, and regular Works, conformable to my Principles: These are the designs of the judgement of Paris; That of the slaughter of the Innocents', and our B. Saviour's taking down from the Cross.  
These three first Stamps, were Engraven by Marc. Antonio, and are indeed very rare and curious pieces. The Fourth is a most noble Composition, usually called The School of Athens. The Graving is one of the best hands, nor in truth so good as the other; but the Ordnance of the Figures is much more magnificent and stately.  
As for Michael Angelo, we'll content ourselves with that representation of the Universal judgement, which has rendered him so famous amongst the Vulgar, and this Work is possibly the most Numerous of Figures that was ever painted; as it is likewise in my opinion, the most copious subject that can be proposed to disabuse those who have the Name of this Painter in so great veneration, that they commonly admire whatsoever is his, with so strange a preoccupation of their judgements, as to prefer even the very Abuse which is in Vouge, before Reason herself, and dare not examine, that with Candour and justice, to which they manifestly incline without her.  
For my own part, I am not altogether so blind, nor scrupulous; as having no other design then to investigate and find out the Truth; and I hope that the Researches which I have endeavoured to make after her in the following discourse, may be accordingly received of all who are real Lovers of Painting; as for the approbation of the Cabalists, despise them perfectly.   

AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER.  
A Friend of mine, who Fortuned to see this Treatise of Painting, whilst I was writing it, understanding that it was my intention to Publish it, and that my principal design was to expose it to the view of the Court; advertised me of certain obscure Italian Terms, which I had made use of in my Discourse; the understanding of which would doubtless be very difficult to many, who were not acquainted with that Tongue; and that one should strive to render things as clear and intelligible to the Reader as was possible. And truly, though I conceived the Counsel was but reasonable, it gave me a great deal of trouble; nor was I able to find out words which were purely ours, capable to express those Barbarismes, which Custom has as it were naturalised amongst our Painters: And therefore I was resolved to retrench as many of them as I could, especially, the least necessary. But for the rest which really are proper Terms of Art, I believed it would be sufficient to make an explanation of them for the introduction of those who are Lovers of Painting, and that would discourse of the Art like Knowing Persons with those of the Profession.  

STAMPI, or Prints.  
THe most remarkable in my Opinion, because most of all mentioned in this Discourse, and which gives Title to many Sections of this Book, is that of Stampo or Print: There is not one Designer or Curious man in this Art but knows that it signifies an Engraven or Printed design, which the Vulgar and such as Vend them commonly call by the names of Taille-Douces, Cutts and Pictures: There is yet this difference between them, that Stampi, Prints, consist of more considerable things, and Designs of more reputation: And of these there are great variety; for some are graven on Copper with the Burine, some with Aqua fortis, and others are cut in Wood Albert Durer, a Germane Painter, and a most incomparable Workman, has published some things in all these kinds. The Original of the word is in Italian, Stampare, and signifies in our Language, to Print or make Impression.   

TRAMONTANO.  
I Make use of this Term, when ever I mention Albert Durer, whom I maintain to have been the greatest Master of the Tramontani: For so do the Italians call almost all Painters that are Strangers to them; especially, the Germans, and those of Flanders, who inhabit the Northern parts; because that Quarter, and the Wind which spires from thence, is named in the Italian tongue La Tramontana.   

ELEVATO.  
THis Term is particularly attributed to the Learners and Disciples of the most renowned Painters. Thus Raphael had for his Scholar or Elevato JULIO ROMANO: HANNIBAL CARACIO was GVIDO and DOMINIQVINO'S Master, and so of others. The Italians call them Allievi, and in France they familiarly say, such a young man has been bien essleve, that is, well Instructed.   

SCHIZZO.  
THis Term is entirely Italian, though it be now universally understood: 'Tis as it were, the first draught, or light touch, and attempt of a Work yet under meditation. The Italian calls it Schizzo.   

ATTITUDO.  
I Have made use of this Term in several places of my discourse, though we retain the Words, Action and Posture, which are in a manner the same thing; however, methinks, upon some encounters, the term Aptitude is more expressive; for besides, that 'tis more general, 'tis also more significative on many occasions, than either that of Posture or Action: For Instance, the Word Action is not applicable to a dead person who is deprived of Action; and it were better to say the Disposition of a Dead Corpse, than the Posture of it, which seems a Term too gross, nor were it too speak like a Painter, to say, this Figure is in an handsome Posture, but in a graceful Disposition and Aptitude. The Italians says Attudine.   

PELLEGRINO.  
THis Term the Italians familiarly use when they would express some Rare thing, excellent and singular in its kind; but they more particularly apply it to Wit, and say Ingegno Pellerino.  
I conceive, there is nothing more which needs any great Explication, and it would be but a kind of Pedantry to make any farther Glosses. I shall therefore conclude this with a Remark, which is, in my opinion, a great deal more important; and that is, an Objection which several Persons have made to me concerning the Reputation of Michael Angelo, whom they conceive I ought not to have attaqed so boldly: But upon my Request, that for their own satisfaction, they would themselves take the pains to examine not only That Work of his which I produce in this Dissertation, but likewise several other Pieces of the same hand, which I have addresed them to; they in fine assented, that I had reason for what I said; and are now as much astonished as myself, that the World has been so long abused, and his Reputation so extravagantly asserted; which could certainly proceed from no other cause, but that pitiful Juncto, the Wits of Michaelo's standard, who are ever in greater Numbers than the others: But 'tis as the Proverb has it, Afinus Afino Pulcher, Every one loves his Like.    

To the Illustrious HENRY HOWARD OF NORFOLK Heir-apparent to that DUKEDOM.  
Sir,  
THere is no man who has heard of the House of Norfolk, and especially of that of Arundel and Surrey, but will justify the resolution I have taken to Inscribe Your Name in the Front of this Piece; since the names of Painting, and Sculpture (two of the most celebrated and renowned Arts that ever appeared in the world) had scarce been known amongst us in England, but for your Illustrious Grandfather, who brought into, and adorned this Nation with more polite and useful things, than it had received for some Ages before, and who continued a Maecenas and Protector of all the sublimer Spirits, as long as this Island was Worthy of him, which was as long as it remained Loyal.  
I have great reason to Consecrate thus his Memory, of whose more particular Favours I have so frequently tasted both at Home and Abroad; especially in Italy, where I had the honour to be cherished by him, and from whence I afterwards received one of the last Letters that ever he Writ, which I reserve by me amongst the choicest of my Treasures.  
From Him, through a most Illustrious Father, this Affection to great and noble things is derived to You: Witness, the Asylum which the ROYAL-SOCIETY found in your own Palace, when the most fierce and merciless of the Elements subverted her first Abodes; and now (besides other Accumulations) your free and glorious Donation of a fonds upon your own Ground, to establish her on for ever, and fix her at your very Threshold, by which you not only oblige the most grateful and useful Assembly, that any Age has produced, but do honour likewise to His Majesty our Founder, by signifying your respect so eminently to his Royal Institution.  
But, Sir, I have something yet to add, and the very Stones would even exclaim against me, should I omit your never-to-be-forgotten Munificence to the University of Oxford; because it was upon my First and Sole Suggestion (for Instigation, the Generosity of your Nature needs not) that You were pleased to enrich that renowned Seat of the Muses, with a greater Gift, than all the World can present it; because the World cannot show such a Collection of Antiquities: And this Great Thing You did, when You placed the MARMORA ARUNDELIANA There. First, the Greek, and then, the Latin Inscriptions; by which You not only nobly Consulted the most Lasting way to perpetuate Your Name in the Learned World, and gave Eternity to those (almost) obliterated Titles, by transferring them to a less Corrosive Air; but did likewise a piece of Justice, and Piety too, in Restoring that to the Daughter, which came from the Mother, and Consigning those Antiquities to Oxford, which were taken away from Athens.  
Sir, in my Letter to You into Surrey, (now about a Year since) concerning this Largesse, I cannot forbear to repeat a line or two, which was to move your Honour in one particular more; and that is, that you would one day, cause the choicest of your Statues, Basse relievoes, and other noble pieces of Sculpture, standing in you Galleries at Arundel-House, to be tightly designed by some sure hand, and engraven in Copper, as the late Justiniano set forth those of Rome, and since him (and several others) Monsieur de Lion-Court by the Draughts of Perier; as formerly that incomparable Historical-Columne of the Emperor Trajan, was cut by Villamena with the Notes of divers Learned men upon them: Because by this means, the World might be informed in whose Possession those Rarities are; and that it would so much contribute to the Glory of the Country, their Illustrious Owner, and his Family; as it has formerly, and yet does, to those noble Italians, and great Persons beyond the Alps, who have not been able to produce such a Collection as You are furnished with, but who are honoured, and celebrated for it, all the World over, by this virtuous, and yet no very expenseful Stratagem.  
I was the rather incited to mention This here, because I understand there are some Learned Persons now at Oxford, adorning a new Impression of the Marmora, in which, such a Work could not pass without due veneration, and would prove a considerable ornament to the design; and indeed, because the Argument of the Discourse I am entertaining your Honour with, (dedicated lately to the French Kings only Brother) does prompt me to it, as my very great Obligations, to subscribe myself.  
Illustrious Sir, Your most obedient and most humble Servant. J. EVELYN Says-Court, june 24. 1668.   

TO THE READER.  
I did once think, and absolutely resolve, that I had for ever done with the drudgery of Translating of Books, (though I am still of the opinion, that it were a far better, and more profitable Work to be still digging in that Mine, than to multiply the number of ill Ones, by productions of my Own) But this small piece coming casually to my hands and from an Author whose knowledge of the most polite and useful Arts has celebrated him Abroad; and upon a Subject I had formerly bestowed some Reflections on; partly, in that Parallel of Architecture (which from the same hand, I not long since published for the Assistance and Encouragement of Builders) and partly my History of Sculpture; I did believe I might do some service not only to Architects and Sculptors, but to our Painters also, by presenting them with this curious Treatise, which does, I think, perfectly consummate that design of mine, of recommending to our Country, and especially to the Nobless, those Three Illustrious and magnificent Arts, which are so dependent upon each other; that they can no more be separated, than the very Graces themselves, who are always represented to us holding hand in hand, and mutually regarding one another.  
The Reader will find in this discourse (though somewhat verbose, according to the stile of this overflowing Nation) divers useful Remarks; especially, where he Treats of Costúme which we have interpreted decorum, as the nearest expression, our Language will bear to it; and I was glad our Author had reproved it in so many instances; because it not only grows daily more licentious, but even ridiculous and intolerable: But it is hoped this may universally be reformed, when 〈…〉 darn Workmen shall consider, that neither the exactness of their design, nor skilfulness in Colouring has been able to defend their greatest Predecessors from just reproaches, who have been faulty in this particular: I could exemplify in many others whom our Author has omitted; and there is none but takes notice what injury it has done the fame of some of our best reputed Painters; and how indecorous it is to introduce Circumstances wholly improper to the usages and Genius of the Places, where our Histories are supposed to have been acted: This was not only the fault of Bassano, who would be ever bringing in his Wife, Children, and Servants, his Dog and his Cat and very Kitchenstuff, after the Paduan mode; but of the Great Titian himself; Georgion, Tintoret and the rest; as Paulo Veronese is observed also to have done in his story of Pharaohs Daughter drawing Moses out of the River, attended with a Guard of Swisses; this puts me in mind of that piece of Malvogius in His Majesty's Gallery at Whitehall, who not only represents our first Parents with Navils upon their bells, but has placed an Artificial stone-Fountain carved with imageries in the midst of his Paradise. Nor does that excellent and learned Painter Rubens escape without being perstringed, not only for making most of his Figures of the shapes of brawny Flemings, but for other sphalmata and circumstances of the like nature; though in some he has acquitted himself to admiration in the due observation of Costúme, particularly in his Crucifixes, etc. as I might largely exemplify: Raphael Urbino was doubtless one of the first who reformed these inadvertency's; but it was more conspicuous in his latter, than in his former piece.  
As for Michael Angelo, though I heartily consent with our Critic in reproving that almost idolatrous veneration of his Works, who had certainly prodigiously abused the Art, not only in the Table this Discourse Arraigns him for; but several more which I have seen; Yet I conceive he might have omitted some of those imbittered reproaches he has reviled him with, who doubtless was one of the greatest Masters of his time: and (however he might succeed as to the decorum) was hardly exceeded for what he performed in Sculpture and the Statuary Art by many even of the Ancients themselves, and haply by none of the Moderns, witness his Moses, Christo in gremio, and several other Figures at Rome; to say nothing of his Talon in Architecture, and the obligation the world has to his memory, for recovering many of its most useful Ornaments and Members, out of the neglected Fragments which lay so long buried; and for vindicating that Antique and Magnificent manner of Building, from the trifling of Goths and Barbarians.  
The next usual reproach of Painting, has been the want of judgement in perspective, and bringing more into History, then is justifiable upon one Aspect, without turning the Eye to each Figure in particular, and multiplying the points of Sight; which is an error into which our very Author (for all the pains he has taken to magnify that celebrated decision of Paris) has failed in: For the knowing in that Art do easily perceive, that even Raphael himself has not so exactly observed it; since instead of One (as Monsieur de Cambray takes it to be, and as indeed it ought to have been) there are no less than four or five, as du Bosse has well considered in his late Treatise of the Converted Painter; where by the way also, he judiciously numbers amongst the faults against Costúme, those Landscapes, Grotesq●s, Figures, etc. which we frequently find (Abroad especially, for in our Country we have few or none of those graceful supplements of Steeples) painted Horizontaly, or Verticaly on the Vaults and Ceiling of Cupolas; since we have no examples for it from the Ancients, who allowed no more than a Fret to the most magnificent and costly ones which they erected.  
But would you know from whence this universal Caution in most of their works proceeded, and that the best of our Modern Painters and Architects have succeeded better than others of that Profession: It must be considered that they were Learned men, good Historians, and generally skilled in the best Antiquities: Such were Raphael, and doubtless his Scholar julio; and if Polydore arrived not to the glory of Letters, he yet attained to a rare habit of the ancient Gusto, as may be interpreted from most of his Designs and Paintings: Leon Baptist Alberti was skilled in all the politer parts of Learning to a prodigy, and has written divers curious things in the Latine-tongue: We know that of later times, Rubens was a Person universally studied, as may be seen in several Latin Epistles of his to the most famous Scholars of his Age: And Nicholas Poussin the French man, who is so much celebrated, and so deservedly; did, it seems, arrive to this Culture, by his indefatigable industry: as the present famous Statuary Bernini, now living, has done to so universal a Mastery; that not many years since, he is reported to have built a Theatre at Rome, for the adornment whereof he not only cut the Pigures and Painted the Scenes, but writ the Play, and Composed the Music which was all in Recitativo: And I am persuaded that all this is not yet by far so much, as that Miracle and Ornament of our Age and Country Dr. Christopher Wren were able to perform if he were so disposed, and so encouraged; because he is Master of so many admirable Advantages beyond Them.  
I allege these Examples partly to incite, and partly to show the Dignity and vast Comprehension of this rare Art; and that for a Man to arrive to its utmost perfection, He should be almost as universal as the Orator in Cicero, and the Architect in Vitruvius: But certainly some tincture in History, the Optics, and Anatomy are absolutely requisite, and more (in the Opinion of our Author) than to be a steady Designer, and skilled in the tempering and applying of Colours, which amongst most of our Modern Workmen, go now for the only Accomplishments of a Painter.  
I had once thoughts to have added the Stamps and Prints themselves, which our Author does so critically discourse upon; but then considering, that as this Piece is of most use to the Virtousi, and that such as are Curious, must needs already be furnished with them; and that it had been doubtless impossible to have procured Originals sufficient to adorn this Impression, and would have immensly exalted its price (I myself having been offered Twenty shillings but for one of them) I soon laid those intentions aside: Besides that our Author has also published his Book without them, and to have gotten them well Copied, had been equally difficult.  
J. EVELYN.   

ERRATA  

To the READER.  
PAge 1. line 15 r. parallel. p. 4. 17. r. former pieces.   

ADVERTISEMENT.  
Sub tit. Attitudo, l. ult. r. the Italian says Atitudine.   

PREFACE.  
P. 3. l. 9 r ingenuously. 7.3. put on. 14. Retinue. 8. penult. r. diminution. 9 l. 1. add, but for times. 13.6. none of the best. ibid. 16. add, numerous Assembly. 14. l. ult. r. I despise it.   

In the BOOK:  
Page. 4. line. 15. r. Worthiest. p. 19 l. 11. deal as. ibid. 20. add, and regular. 36 14. deal by. 43. 1. r situated. 44.17. situation. 49.14. for Piew r. Piece. 59.12. r. Which we. ibid. r. their own Nature. 82.12. School. 84.1. Timantes. 85. ult. r. Memoires. 86.14. Price. 90.8. r. drole and fantastic. ibid. l. antepenult. r. gentileness, and so in p. 115. l. 1. pag. 116.18. for where, r. were. 126.5. deal the. 129.22. r. Noblest. l. 27. Oevure. 130.7. r. these Works. etc. The rest are literal, and pardoned with less violation to the Sense.    

AN IDEA of the Perfection OF PAINTING.  
'tIs a very subtle and curious Enquiry, to know, from whence it should come to pass, that the Art of Painting is so much degenerated from that perfection, which it once obtained, and how it happens, that considering the weakness of its productions, compared with those admirable Masterpieces of the Ancients, it seems of late to present the World with nothing but the mere shadow and phantosmes of it?  
For my own part, I conceive, the principal cause of its decadence to have proceeded from that little esteem which it preserved, during the ignorance and barbarity of the Lower Empire, which did so far ignoble and debase it of its pristine Honour; that instead of that pre-eminence which it then held amongst the Sciences, it is now reduced and reckoned amongst the most vulgar Trades; sufficient to let us see, how much the spirit and Genius of these latter Ages, have declined, in which the rare Inventions and Lights of this Divine Art are, for want of encouragement, almost totally extinguished.  
However yet, that good Genius, which by a certain providence of Nature does still preside over Noble things, has always furnished us with some excellent Men, preserving, as it were, some Seeds of them from time to time: But as we find it in Trees, and even in the most perfect Bodies, that they attain not to their consummate form upon the sudden, and till after many years; notwithstanding which they are yet obnoxious to destruction every instant, without any means of restauration, but the same from whence first they sprung: even so it is in the productions of Wit, which coming once, through negligence, to be lost, or oppressed under the Tyranny of evil Government, never recover themselves but by a long and laborious re-search; so, as 'tis realy prodigious; that in the Age of Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael (who were the Protogenes and Apelles' of the Modern Painters) we should see the Art revive again with so much vigour, and flourish in so short a space. For Painting is none of those simple Arts, which Chance does now and then present us with, without any disquisition, and which every one may light on without an extraordinary Talon, or study to attain them.  
There is haply nothing of Ingenious amongst Men of more sublime, and whose Perfection is more difficult to attain, than that of Painting, the Noblest Instance which humane wit can boast of: 'Tis therefore plainly an insupportable abuse, to obscure and confound her amongst the Mechanical Arts; since she is established upon a demonstrative Science, infinitely more enlightened and reasonable, than that Pedantic Philosophy, which produces us nothing but frivolous Questions and uncertainties, whence some have styled it, The Art of Doubting, a sterile and idle speculation; whereas Painting, founded upon the real Principles of Geometry, makes at once a double demonstration of what she represents: But it will indeed require different Eyes to contemplate and enjoy her Beauty entirely: For the Eye of the Understanding, is the first and principal judge of what she undertakes.  
It will, in my opinion, be necessary therefore, in order to the restauration of her Honour, to evince by undeniable reasons, that she is still as worthy of the rank and dignity, which she formerly possessed amongst the Greeks, the worthies of Genius's that ever Nature formed, and that the shameful desertion, which has since arrived her, could proceed from no other cause but an universal depravation.  
She has moreover had this particular misfortune, that all the Writings and Works which should contribute to her Instruction, and that divers excellent Painters had long since published for the better intelligence of their Art, have been buried and lost by tract of time. Nor is it strange, that this accident has more concerned them, than all that has happened to the Books of Orators, Philosophers, Historians, and divers others; since 'twas sufficient for them to find out People that could transcribe them again, and by that means continually replenish their Libraries; whereas, for the Writings of our great Master-Painters, the Copyists were of necessity to be good Designers, and knowing in the Matter, which they transcribed, to be able but to accomplish a very few Volumes in a great deal of time; so as one could hope for no better event than what is come to pass, by reason of those tedious and very difficult Figurations, which go to the composure of its principal, and most essential Parts, as may easily be deduced from that Treatise of Leonardo da Vinci, which it had been impossible to have explained, without the advantages of the Art of Graving, and of Printing, which this latter Age of ours has produced.  
The same unhappiness arrived to Architecture: All the Ancient Books of it being utterly lost, that single work of Vitruvius being only excepted, which is very defective too, for want of its Profiles and lineal Demonstrations, which this Author set forth in a particular Volume that is perished; but which was to have been the Crown of all his labours; though we may yet affirm, that the Moderns; persueing his steps, have made that Glorious and Magnificent Art to flourish and revive again.  
In my opinion, one might render the same service to that of Painting; since we have a Philostratus to our guide in so worthy a design: But as Architecture is more gross and material in what it undertakes; the Solidity of it, which constitutes one of its very Principles, has honoured it with some pre-eminence, even above Painting itself. It stands firm, and has continued many of its productions, which wonderfully supply the defect of those Books that are lost; whereas Painting, which is, as it were, altogether spiritual, has not been able to furnish us with such permanent monuments. And yet for all this, she has within these two Ages revived with so much vigour, as if she had received the very same assistances. And truly, she seems to me to have been the Restauratrix of Architecture; since we find, that almost all the first Masters of that Profession were also great Painters; such as Bramante, Baldassar Petrucci, Raphaelo, julio Romano, and several more, which is no other than the result of being able to design well, which is in truth the veritable Principle and only Basis, not of Painting alone; but, as one may well affirm, the universal Organ and Instrument of all the politer Arts.  
'Twas a singular felicity and advantage to the re-establishment of this rare Profession, that its Mechanical part did preserve itself so entire; in which particular I conceive we have nothing more to desire of the Ancients. On the contrary, the very use of Oil only, which the Moderns have discovered, does infinitely advance it. Add to this, its refining on Colours; and their improvements to that multiplicity of different kinds, as even superabound, and are more than necessary; so as now a man needs only to understand, and be well versed in what this excellent Talon of the great Masters of Antiquity consists, and the prodigious Effects, which Historians report of them in their Works. Nor is this a thing so difficult to resolve; since by that only Treatise of Leonardo da Vinci, one may easily make it out, that a Painter well instructed from his Youth in all the necessary Precepts so methodically prescribed in the first Chapter of his Book, cannot fail of proving to be an able Man in the Profession: but if to this, Nature likewise favour him with the Genius of the Art, which consists in a certain vivacity and flowing of Invention and Grace (which all the study in the World will never attain) he must then of necessity be excellent. And if his Works perfectly conform to the Rules of the rest of that exact Dissertation; one may safely pronounce as much of his Pieces as of those of Apelles himself, Zeuxis, or Parrhasius. But forasmuch as our Author put not the last hand to his Book, but left it us imperfect; or the Project rather of a more finished Composure, which he had under contemplation; I shall here adventure to set down some general Notions and Observations for the supply of what seems most defective.  
Supposing then, that all Arts whatsoever have their Fundamental Principles, the knowledge whereof is absolutely necessary for those who intent the Profession, and that This of Painting is superior to the rest, and consequently more difficult: It is not to be expected, there should any considerable progress be made without a due and perfect cognisance of those Principles; and they consist of no mean speculations, Perspective and Geometry; without which, a Painter can never emerge good Artist.  
Seeing now, it is not enough, that to the forming an able Painter, he be learned in these two Points alone (which study will soon accomplish) without three or four other more curious Qualities, which he ought to be Master of; but which are not usually attained to without a singular favour of Nature; it happens that there appear so very few good Workmen amongst the multitudes of this Profession, that it may well be verified of Them, which was said of the Poets; That a Painter is so born, not made; and really their Genius is so conform, as it became Proverbial; That Picture was mute Poesy, and Poesy vocal Painting. The reason of which will appear very obvious in the ensueing periods, where we shall Treat of the different Talents, which necessarily concur to the production of an acomplisht Painter.  
Those renowned Ancients who exalted the Art to its utmost perfection, and rendered it so famous, observed in their Works five particulars exactly, as so many Fundamental Principles, without which, Painting is nothing but a mere Chimaera and confusion of Colours. But before I proceed to the parts, I must first defer the honour of this Observation to that Learned Hollander, Francis junius, who about Five and twenty years since, published a Noble Treatise of the Painting of the Ancients, wherein the entire History of this Art, from the original to its utmost perfection, is rarely deduced; and were not the Book in Latin, and by that means much concealed from most of our Painters, I should satisfy myself to refer them to the Author. See what he writes at the beginning of his Third Book.  
The Ancients, says He, constantly observed these Five Parts in all their Works.  

1. Invention, or the History.  
2. Proportion, or Symmetry.  
3. Colour, (wherein is also contained the just dispensation of the Lights and Shades.)  
4. Motion, in which are expressed the Actions and Passions.  
5. And lastly, the Collocation or regular Position of the Figures of the whole Work.   
But these four being Treated of in so general Terms, that it were almost impossible, our Workmen should derive the Fruit and Instruction which is so necessary for them to practise; I will here explain them in Order, and more at large, and endeavour to render them intelligible, both by Reasons and Examples.  

Of INVENTION. 1. PART.  
INvention, or the Genius of Historizing and framing a Noble Idea upon the Subject one would Paint, is a particular Talon, not to be acquired by Study or Labour; but is properly a certain ardour exciting the Imagination, prompting and enabling it to Act. And as this part of Invention has Naturally the pre-eminence in the Nature of things (since it would be ridiculous in a Painter to prepare his Colours and his Pencils, without resolving before hand, what to Paint) so does it more than any other, discover the quality and force of the Spirit; as whether it be pregnant, judicious, and exalted; or, on the contrary, barren, confused, abject, and plainly repent.   

Of PROPORTION. 2. PART.  
AS touching Proportion, (i.e.) the Symmetry and Congruity of the whole to its parts; 'tis sufficiently easy to attain, there is no great difficulty in it, and therefore the ignorant are without all excuse; since it may be gained with very little pains, and by operations purely Mechanical: but the only way to arrive at its perfection, and be perfectly acquainted with it, is to pass through that of Geometry, which is indeed the source and original of all the Arts. Now amongst the Painters and Sculptors of the Ancients who have most excelled in this, Pliny and Quintilian, and others, principally instance in Parrhasius, Praxiteles and the famous Asclepiodorus, to the exactness of whose Proportions, the most celebrated Apelles would always subscribe.   

Of COLOURING. 3. PART.  
BY this third Particular, which is that of Colouring, you are not only to understand the Painting; since this Talon (though truly very important) must yield to the Science of Lights and Shades, which is a certain Branch of Perspective, in which the Centre of the Luminous body represented to the Eye, and the Section, which the beams make upon the Plan, or any other superficies, precisely expresses the Contours and exact form of the body so illuminated; and therefore, whoever is Master of this remark, furnishes himself with several commodious ways, how to put any thing into Perspective, even the most capricious and conceited, such as we sometimes encounter upon irregular Surfaces, and that appear so surprising and difficult to those, who comprehend not the secret of it.   

Of MOTION and EXPRESSION. 4. PART.  
BUt as the three first Parts are highly necessary for all Painters in general; this Fourth, which concerns the Expression and Motion of the spirit, excels them all, and is indeed admirable; for it gives not only life to Figures, by representing their Gestures and Passions; but seems likewise to make them vocal and to reason with you. It is from hence, a Man is enabled to judge of the worth and abilities of a Painter; for such an Artist paints Himself in his Tables, and represents, as in so many Mirrors and Glasses, the temper of his own humour and Genius.  
There is none but easily perceives, by paralleling the Compositions and Figures of Raphael, with those of Michael Angelo; that the First was the very sweetness of Grace itself; whereas, on the contrary, Mic. Angelo was so rude and unpleasing, that he retained not so much as any regard to Good-manners. This is evident in that great Work of his in the Chapel of the Vatican; where, being to represent the Final judgement over the very Altar itself, he introduces certain Figures in Actions extremely undecent; whereas Raphael observes a Modesty, even in the most licentious of Subjects. From hence it is, we may conjecture, how highly important this Talon of Expression is in a Painter; 'tis really his greatest Excellency, and should accordingly be accompanied with a peculiar judgement and Circumspection; since by that alone, one may conjecture at the force of his understanding, which being far from ever acquiring any renown by his Works, whilst he violates the forms of Civility, will doubtless, be the scorn and reproach of every Man; seeing the greatest Libertines amongst Persons of Condition, generally abstain from lewd and impure expressions; which, though but in passing, as we say (which makes not so lasting impressions as what affects the eye) are taken up only by the dregs and vilest of the People. And therefore, a Painter who makes profession of so noble and excellent and Art, is extremely obliged to Modesty and good Manners in all his productions, and should never pollute his Pencil with any Subject, but what may endure the chastest eyes to behold it; for as he endeavours to render his Works famous, and worthy to be sought of all the World; it oftentimes fortunes, that those pieces, which are expressed with too much Liberty, happening to fall into the hands of scrupulous persons, never appear in the light, by which means those Workmen are deservedly deprived of what they most of all affected.  
I do not infer from hence, that one should be so precise, as not to endure any kind of Nudities whatsoever, and be so peevish and moross, as altogether to neglect both the excellency of a Work, and the History which they often represent so; or in case they do retain some of them, that they should clothe and cover them, by the hand of some wretched Dauber, which not only more defiles the Picture, but renders it more ridiculous: But I would show our Painters, what are the Rocks and Shelves they ought to avoid in that which concerns Expression: For though this Animadversion may at first seem but impertinent; since commonly our Wits and Actions are more vigorous and inventive upon such occasions; yet when men shall seriously reflect upon the indignity and vileness of the Liberty which some of them assume; and consider, how much more easy it is to succeed in those wanton representations, than in more worthy and Heroic Subjects; (as 'tis easier to make one Laugh, than to make one Admire) Men will but despise their extravagance and brutality: And in effect, they are never seen but in obscure Corners, as ashamed to behold the Light; or in the houses of lewd and abandoned Persons, who feed themselves with such impurities. If therefore a Painter would consult the honour of his Profession, let him endeavour to pursue more Noble Ideas, and hold it for an assured Maxim, that there is nothing praiseworthy which is dishonest. Be this then spoken for prevention, and, but by the way, till I come to the more particular applications, and examine exactly what may farther concern this Advice.   

Of the Regular Position of Figures 5. PART.  
BUt in the first place, let us dispatch what we have to offer, touching the due Collocation and Position of Figures in a Piece; since it is the Base and Foundation of the whole Edifice of Painting; or, as I may term it better, the Ligature of all those four Parts we have hitherto discoursed upon; which without this, have neither Form, nor indeed, subsistence. For as it is not sufficient in an Architect, to have amassed together, and made a vast provision of Materials, nor even to have assigned each Member of his Building its particular form, unless he also skill how to dispose of them all in their proper places; Nor that a Sculptor should carve out each Member of a Statue with just and due Proportion, without he know how to unite them in their natural Postures, and not place an Arm where a Leg should stand, nor the Foot where should be the Hand; but he must not so much as take one hand for another, nor the left Leg for the right, which would be to form a Monster instead of a Man. In like sort, a Painter would be found to work in vain, and lose his time, if when he has laudably passed through the first four Parts, he should fall short of this last, in which the whole Eurithmie and perfection of the Art consists. It were the same folly to Invent and Compose a Subject, to have studied the Beauty, and just proportion of every Figure; to emerge as an able Colourist, and know how to give the Lights and the Shadows to each Body; their taints and natural Lustre, nay, and withal possess that Divine Talon of expressing the very Motions and Passions in his History, (which is the soul of Painting) if after all these noble accomplishments, he be ignorant, how to give his Figures their due regular Positions.  
We do therefore conclude, that if those other, or all of them united, or asunder, are advantageous to a Painter; this last which we have spoken of, is absolutely necessary. For though a piece may possibly not answer in every part, some one of the former requisites be weak, nay, in some measure, defective in all of them; yet, if this last be well performed, the Work will always deserve esteem, and credit the Painter. Order is the source and Principle of Science, and as it concerns the Arts, has this of peculiar, and to be admired, that it is the parent of all Beauty, imparting its graces to the meanest productions which it renders considerable.  
Let us then consider a while, in what this so important, and indeed accomplished part consists, which not only completes a Painter, but comprehends in it whatsoever the whole Art has of Scientific, and emancipates from the indignity of the Mechanics, to give it place even amongst the Sciences themselves.  
Our Geometricians, who are the genuine Masters of this Question, and can best explain it, have named it Optica, by which term they would signify, that 'tis an Art of seeing by our Reasons and Eyes intellectual; for 'twere impertinent to imagine, that our corporal Eyes alone should be capable of so sublime an operation as to pretend themselves judges of the Beauty and perfections of a good Picture, whence a thousand absurdities would ensue. And should the Workman think to imitate things according to their external appearance; 'tis certain, that if he place them ill, he represents them so, and will form but an ill resemblance of them; so as before he takes the Crayon and the Pencils in his hand, he should first adjust his Eye with his Reason by the Principles of Art, which teaches us to behold things, not as they appear in themselves only, but as they ought to be; and it were a fault unpardonable to paint them precisely as they are seen, how Paradoxical soever the assertion seems.  
Now this so necessary Art, which the learned call Optical, Painters and Designers Perspective, prescribes us infallible Rules of exactly representing upon any surface (be it Cloth or Table, a Wall, sheet of Paper, or the like) whatsoever is visible at one view or aperture of the Eye, without changing our place.  
I shall not here insist upon the Principles, and various Methods, which the Masters of the Art have invented for the execution of it, which were to digress from my present Institution: But presupposing my Reader competently knowing in it, shall show him here by divers Instances, and a Critical examen of sundry Pieces engraven after Raphael (the most renowned certainly of our Modern Painters, and most accurate in his Works) of what importance this Perspective, or regular Collocation of Figures is; since by that, a man may precisely determine, and pronounce definitively what is well or ill done in a Picture. Nor let any impute it a presumption, if in this survey, which I pretend to make of Prints, I spare not even Raphael himself, where I find him defective; since, it is neither my purpose to injure or flatter any man; besides, many of the errors, which I take notice of, may possibly proceed from the impertinence and ignorance of the Graver, who perhaps have abused, or altered the Original Drawing; as I have frequently observed, that the Prints of Andrea Mantegna, and Albert Durer, which were cut by their own hands, appeared a great deal more regular and just, than those of Raphael, which had not the same advantage. And if the manner of those two great Painters designs, had been as pleasant, and noble, as they were accurate, their stamps had been without comparison; those only excepted, which Marc. Antonio executed by the direction of Raphael, who took extraordinary care, not only to furnish him with Drawings, extremely finished, but instructed him likewise in the very Graving of them; so as one would esteem those Papers of Marc. Anthony, amongst the greatest curiosities that Painting has produced of the kind. And it were to be wished, for the Virtuosi's sakes, that the same hand had Graved all that are to be found after this great Master; at least, those larger Compositions of his which are painted in the Vatican, the Capitol, and divers other places at Rome, as the Battles of Constantine against Maxentius; the School at Athens; the Assembly of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church about the Sacrament, with several more, which ill-Gravers have wretchedly abused.  
To fix our Critic then on a favourable Augur, I suppose, it will redound both to the Glory of Raphael, and our own satisfaction; to begin with good Examples, and to propose Four or Five of the best of Marc. Antonios-pieces, as Antipasts of the rest; that from what we shall observe from those which follow, we may the better judge, how great a misfortune it is for a Painter to fall into the hands of ill Gravers, and how infinitely our loss has been, that so many excellent Works of the same Genius, have been so vilely lamed under their tools.   

The First Stamp. The JUDGEMENT of PARIS.  
THe very First sheets which carried the name of Raphael out of Italy, and that showed all the Painters of his Age, who was their Coripheus and Captain, was that noble and famous Print of the judgement of Paris; in which, Raphael made so happy an Essay, both for his own, and his Scholar Marc. Antonio's reputation, that from thence forward he continued him in the same Employment; and for that end, expressly designed him several other rare things, which probably we had never seen, but upon this occasion, because he never did paint them.  
Let us now examine in the Figures of this Stamp, whether our Painter have sufficiently acquitted himself in our five Fundamental points; and that we may proceed orderly in the research, commence at the First, which is the Invention: But forasmuch, as it is absolutely necessary, ere we can rationally discuss it, to understand the circumstances of this Poetique-History, we shall briefly repeat it.  
Paris, Son to King Priamus, being soon after his Birth exposed on Mount Ida, and there abandoned to the wild Beasts (by reason of the funest dream, fatal indeed to his Country, which his Mother Hecuba had of him, during her great belly) happened to be taken up by one of the Country Shepherds, who bred him up as his Son. This young Prince (unknown of his Foster-Father, and indeed to himself) by a strange and secret virtue of the Royal-bloud in him, became so accomplished in his Youth, as to surpass all his other Contemporaries in Strength, Beauty and Address, and in sum, in whatsoever was esteemed most qualified amongst them. Hitherto, it holds some resemblance of a true History; but the Poets, who are somewhat near of kin to the Painters, have refined upon all this, and mingled it with several capricious fancies; and pretend, that once upon a time, as all the Deities were invited together to the Nuptials of Peleus and Thetis, the Goddess Discordia only excepted; this malicious Lady, in revenge of the affront, secretly conveyed amongst the Crowd that were at the wedding, a Golden-Ball, upon which there was engraven, Be it given to the Fairest.  
Mercury, the busiest of all the rest, perceiving the Ball, catches it up, and reads the words aloud; which inflamed all the Goddesses (emulous, who should be counted fairest) with so burning a jealousy, that jupiter himself refused to decide the controversy, fearing to displease his Wife juno, should he pronounce in favour of any of the rest; or at least, be suspected of Interest. The only Rivals of juno, were the fierce Minerva, and the lovely Venus; so as the difference being by mutual consent of the Competitors, referred to the decision of the Royal-Shepherd, (who was in those days himself a handsome Youth) Mercury was immediately dispatched from jupiter with the Apple or Ball, with order to deliver it to Her, who of the Three, Paris should judge to be the Fairest.  
You have here, what Raphael intended to represent by this Design, wherein, for a general consideration, and almost ever a necessary one; he has placed the principal Figures of his Story in the Centre of his Ordnance; and that with admirable variety both of Aspect and Expression. There, you may behold Minerva, filled with disdain for missing the Prize she pretended to, turn her back upon her judge with a malicious regard: Venus, in whose favour the Sentence was pronunc'd, stands in the middle of her two Rivals, and receiving the Symbol of her Victory with a Modesty, accompanied with a marvellous Grace: The Painter has made her be seen by a side Profile, as the most advantageous to discover the shape and regularity of each part of a beautiful face. juno, the haughtiest of all the rest, enraged with despite, that she had not the preference, seems altogether transported with rage at poor Paris, who appears not for all this the least concerned, but continues sitting as becomes a judge, pronouncing Sentence with the Fatal-Apple that soon after occasioned those tragical dissasters amongst the Greeks, and concluded in the total subversion of Troy, which was the place of his Birth.  
This last Goddess presents herself in front, as the most confident of the Three; and Raphael has expressly designed them all with different aspects, to make as great an emulation, even between his own very Figures, as possibly he was able. I observe likewise in that of the Shepherd Paris, a certain variety in the Profile from that of Venus; for where this fair Deesse discovers a little of her breast, Paris on the other hand, shows a part of his shoulders side-long; so extraordinary a care our Painter took, that each part of his piece, should have something diversified.  
Besides these Four, by which indeed the whole History had been sufficiently illustrated, he has yet introduced Mercury (having finished his Commission) in a posture of returning to carry back the news of the event to jupiter, who that happy person was, that obtained the Victory.  
After this, the rest of the Composition is nothing but a Poetic expression of the Genius of the Painter, to enrich the Ordnance of his Table: For the Nymphs with their Cruses, and the two naked Men, who sit near them with Bulrushes in their hands so unconcerned with what passes, relates only to Mount Ida, which abounds in Rivers and Springs of Water; and 'tis evident, that he whom you see leaning upon the Bank, is the River Xanthus, which washes the very walls of Troy; next to him, is the River Simois, both whose Sources rising in the same Hill, with their frequent Meanders refresh the large and irriguous Campanias of the Troada, and at last unite themselves at the mouth of the Hellespontic sea, near the Sigean Promontory.  
Now, as there is not the least particular, in this whole Composure, which our Painter has not managed with admirable, address to show that Mount Ida was of an exceeding height, and abundantly fertile; he discovers a part of it only, which successively ascending towards one of the Angles of his piece, and being not only already parallel with, but even piercing some of the very Clouds, makes one thence easily to conjecture its prodigious altitude. The plenty of Trees and cattle which adorn it, speaks also its great fertility: But of all this Representation, the most difficult to interpret, is that which passes amongst the Gods in the Clouds: For at one hand you have jupiter sitting on his Eagle, armed with Thunder, born up of one of the Winds, and accompanied by Diana, and two other Deesses; and on the other part, Apollo, (the brother of Diana) environed with his Zodiac, and attended by two young Cavaliers (whom I suppose to be Castor and Pollux, the Brothers of Helena) hastening to meet jupiter, and seeming to be placed there as a kind of Prognostic of the Catastrophe which this jealous contention produced, and which soon after kindled so dire a Flame against the unfortunate Umpire, that it reduced both his House, his whole Race, and his City into ashes; and made so strange a discord, even amongst the Deities themselves, that every one of them siding with his own passion, banded such a League in Heaven, as was not ended till ten years after.  
The rest of the Fable, for containing little that concerns our Piece in it, I need not explain here; and haply, I may already be thought over tedious; but I have expressly enlarged, that after we have well considered in the Print all these observations; and that there is nothing in the entire Composition but what is essential to the Subject; the Idea and freedom of our Painter's invention, may appear with the more lustre and advantage; for seeing, that in so small a space, at one view, and with so few Figures, he has showed us such a consequence of varieties, we must needs the more admire the force of his Invention, which is the Talon we so much celebrate, and the first Member of our present disquisition.  
The Second, which concerns the Proportion of the Figures, will not require any large discussion; 'tis too apparent to those who look with Painter's eyes: we may only observe in passing, what a judicious difference Raphael has assigned to every one whom he Personates, as their particular qualities distinguish them: for the three Goddesses, being the most illustrious and principal ones of his Piece, he makes of a more august and stately Mine than the rest.  
The Shepherd Paris, Mercury and Apollo, discover a more light and Airy proportion, such as the Italians would call Svelta. The two Rivers are made more robust and heavy; and the Fountain Nymphs fatter than usual, to denote their fertility and abundance.  
The Third Division, which imports the projection and disposure of the Shades and Lights upon the Objects, needs as little particular enquiry into, as the former; since it is generally very regular. We shall only take notice of a certain licence, familiar amongst Painters upon such occasions; which is, that Apollo (who signifies the Sun, and consequently the Fountain and Centre of the universal Light) appearing here in humane shape but as a particular Figure of the story, does not only impart no light to the rest of the Figures, but receives both light and shadow with the other, as the point requires, which our Painter has given to his Table.  
Touching the Fourth Part, which is the Expression, that admirable and peculiar Talon of Painting, which not only discovers what every Figure does, and speaks, but even what it thinks also, a thing almost incredible; I shall likewise pass it over without much enlargeing my discourse, as having sufficiently examined it in the narrative of this History; and in particular, where I treat of the Invention, and Intention of the Painter; where I observe no less than three distinct passions most judiciously expressed in the Contentions of the Goddesses; as first Disdain in Minerva, who turning her back towards her judge, casts a sleer over her shoulder, and lifts up her arm after a very disrespectful manner. In the second, which is Venus (receiving the Prize of her glorious Conquest) I remark a certain secret, and bashful complacency, accompanied with all the grace that Beauty is capable of. As for juno, she is sufficiently conspicuous, according to the Poet's description of her, full of Choler, Revenge and Arrogancy, threatening her judge with her very looks, and extending her arm towards him after an extreme audacious and haughty manner. The next is Mercury, in a Posture perfectly describing his sedulity and diligence, since he seems both to speak and to move forwards at the same instant, and that with an address and Meene, which sufficiently denotes his agility, and how proper he is for his Employment. The Royal Shepherd in the interim, who is here one of the Principal Personages, though encompassed with Divinities, preserves still a settled Countenance, as becomes a judge; nay the very Dog by his side, neither sleeps, nor importunately barks as Curs use to do; but seems as it were to bear some part, and give attention to his Master's Sentence. All the other Figures of Rivers, and Springs seem very little concerned at what passes, as I have already noted.  
I confess yet, at first, I once imagined, that the Nymph who sits so near the two Rivers, and seems so extremely melancholy, might have been Oenane the Mistress of Paris; and he might well be jealous at what he saw; but her tresses of herbs about her head, and the Waterpot which she holds, do not quadrate with this conjecture: Above in the Clouds the two young Harbingers full of heat, and precipitancy, appear as augurs of the ensuing War, which soon overflowed all Greece, by the furious resentment of the angry Goddesses, enraged at their judge, and by that direful revenge which they espressed against all his Posterity, sufficiently cautioning us, how perilous a thing it is, to intermeddle with the affairs and contentions of Great Persons.  
Those who are knowing in the Principles of judiciary Astrology, will find also by the position of the Figures about the Zodiac, that our Painter was not only expert in placing them in their right order; but that he was likewise skilful in what concerns the Figuration of Horoscops, and erecting of Schemes: For, pretending to represent those great disasters which were to proceed from this fatal Contestation, he turned it to the place of Aries, which is the House of Mars, in which Thunders and Coruscations are engendered: the next is Taurus, the Domicile of Venus, who is fortunate in that Sign; Then succeed the lucky Twins, signifying to the History, and representing the two young Cavaliers who ride before Apollo. From these Particulars so accurately researched, we may infer with how great judgement and art he has composed this Piece. There is little else considerable; save the Figure of jupiter riding upon Aeolus in an extraordinary garb, accompanied with three or four Divinities, the Lightning in his hand, and an Eagle near him in a menacing posture, as being interested in the Difference, which also presages a Tempest to ensue.  
Let us now proceed to examine how our first and principal part, which concerns the position of the Figures in true Perspective, have been observed in this Ordnance. Our common Painters imagine Perspective to be no more than a certain particular manner of representing things in Architecture, as they call it; never conceiving that it signifies any thing in Histories which are composed of Figures, so as this may be: and I confess it does not appear so perspicuous to the eyes of our half- Painters, who do not comprehend it any farther than they are Mechanically taught by by a certain concourse of Lines, tending to a point of sight, which is the uttermost limit of their skill: But those grand Masters who own it for the Universal foundation of their Science, are curious to observe it in every the minutest touches of a Piece, as I pretend to demonstrate by this Instance, which is so much the more commodious for my purpose, as at first sight it seems as if Raphael had thought of nothing less in the Composition than of Perspective: so free and disengaged it appears from any kind of constraint imaginable; there being neither any degradation of the Plan, Buildings, or other form of Horizon, from whence those simple practisers of Lineal Perspective, can derive the least conjecture how to proceed by in their Mechanical way: But these men are to know, that 'tis a most subtle, and refined address in Painting, to work things exactly regular and precise, and yet to conceal the Art.  
Let us begin then first to determine the point of sight; since it is as it were, the very Centre, to which every part of the Table has reference; and for that we have in this Piece, no lineal guides to conduct us; our Reason must supply that defect.  
The Subject of this History being chiefly about Sight, and Paris the Person principally concerned in it; the Painter could not have placed the Visive point more judiciously, than in the Eye of Paris, which, for this very cause, he has represented in Profile, to show that there ought to be but One only, as Geometricians teach us in their Optics, where they represent Vision, or the function of Seeing, by a radiated Pyramid with an Eye fixed upon it.  
This established, and rightly understood, we proceed to observe in the Ordnance of this Composition, that the Plan on which the three rival Goddesses stand, has its degradation towards the Eye of their judge, towards which likewise all the rest of the Piece is converted. Now Perspective being an Art composed of reciprocal proportions, it follows, that from the knowledge of one part, one may easily pass to that of another; and by this alternative, arrive in fine, to the knowledge of them altogether: so as from this first point of Sight, and the consequent diminution of the three prime Figures, we likewise infer another essential point, exceedingly necessary for such as practise Designing; and this they usually call the point of Distance; because it determines the Interval between the Object or Table, and the Eye of the Spectator. As for the right-line, comprised between the point of Distance, and that of the Eye, it denotes the Axis of the visual Pyramid, which is always to remain fixed, and parallel to the surface of the Plan, and the height of the Horizon. This point of Distance has certain regular and constant limits, beyond which it works no effect; for approaching too near, it causes the Plan to be so far elevated, and the Diminutions of the Figures come so suddenly upon us, that it surprises the eye; and, on the contrary, if it be too remote, it renders things as much confused; so as there is that mediocrity to be observed, which the skilful in Optics have agreed upon in the opening of the Angles of Equilateral Triangles. By this general Maxim, one may immediately discover, where the precise term of Distance resides, which we are seeking: And therefore I will dwell no longer upon it; the particulars being also so absolutely important to those who are already versed in the practice, though something difficult, I confess, to be conceived by those who never heard any thing of it before.  
Presupposing then these first Operations disposed according to the Rules of Art; You are only to consider, whither the Figures (as well those which stand after the usual manner upon the Ground, as those who are elevated in the Air, and amongst the Clouds) be placed in an aspect agreeable to their Situations, with regard to the visual point; and whether they diminish, proportionably to the degradation of the Plan which they should observe; since it is only in these two particulars, that the whole intention and effect of Perspective in a Painting does consist. And though they are now adays much neglected by those of the Profession; Yet is the Consequence of such weight, that whosoever observes, or knows them not, is unworthy the name of a Painter; all Pictures defective in this part, being both contemptible, and ridiculous in the eyes of intelligent Persons, who instead of Bodies, look on them but as so many Chimeras, represented without any possibility of Nature.  
The importance of this Remark will be better understood by Instances of Ill-pieces, than by that of which we are now discoursing, wherein all is so regular and conformable to the Rules of Art: for if we shall examine the first effect of perspective in Figures, which consists in making them appear lesser, or greater, according as they are more or less advanced in the depth of the Plan; 'twill be manifest, that they successively dimimish; so as from the very first, which is that of Minerva, compared with that of Mercury (the farthest off in the piece) there is a considerable difference in the height: And that of Venus and juno is yet more remarkable, though the diminution be mediocre, and but just to the distance which they mutually observe between each other. Easie it were to pursue the examen through the rest of the Figures; and therefore I shall now pass to the last, and most important part, which concerns their Aspect and Position in reference to the Point of Sight; and that I may proceed methodically, and usefully in this enquiry, we shall first make some reflections upon these Axioms of Perspective.  

I. AXIOM.  
THe Point of Sight represents the Eye of him who beholds the Picture; and this Point is the first, and principal thing to be sought for in a Piece, to enable one rightly how to discern, whither it be the Work of an able, and knowing Painter, or of a simple Practitioner only.   

II. AXIOM.  
THe Point of Sight is constantly, and precisely the height of the Horizontal-line.   

III. AXIOM.  
WHatever appears above the Horizontal-line, is seen in the nether part; and whatever is placed below it, is seen in the upper, seeming to ascend and mount as it were towards the Horizon.   

IV. AXIOM.  
Figures of equal Altitude, being on the same Line parallel to the Base of a Table or Picture, are always equal.   

V. AXIOM  
Figure's, more or less advancing in the depth of the Plan in Picture, diminish proportionably to the degradation or distance of the same Plan: For example; suppose the Plan be graduated in a scale of Squares; the Figures shall observe the same Proportion one to another, as the graduated Squares do, upon which they are placed.   

VI AXIOM.  
Figures, situated Parallel to the Base of the Table or Picture, appear of the same Aspect in Perspective, with the Squares of the graduated Plan, upon which they have their position.  
Now let us apply these Axioms to every Figure of our Stamp.  
The Point of Sight (which is the first thing observable, as being indeed, the very Compass and Guide to all the rest) being precisely in Paris' Eye; the Figures which are aloft in the Air, as the Victoria putting the Garland on Venus; Apollo in his Zodiaque; Aeolus, who seems to support and forerun jupiter, and other of the Deities of his retinue; show altogether their Nether-partss, according to the Third Axiom. Descending then to the Earth, towards the right side, and most distant from the Point of Sight; You have the Figures of the River Xanthus, sitting, and half lying-along the Base of the Picture; so as by our last Axiom, this Figure must appear in the same Aspect in Perspective with the graduated Square of that particular place; and therefore as it regards the Point of Sight (which is here at a considerable distance from it) that part of the Breast (which according to the Position of the Body, could not be discovered, if it stood directly opposite to the Perpendicular of the Point of sight) shows it-self almost as fully at this interval, as if really the Figure had been designed to stand fronting; Whereas now, in relation to the Plan, it stands altogether in Profile; the traverse line of the Shoulders ascending also somewhat towards the Horizon, according to our Third Axiom. The same may be observed of the Nymph sitting near this River, whose Aspect (though different as to Faces) is yet upon the same Parallel, and situation on the Plan; both the one and the other being seen in Profile also. For, presupposing one should advance the Plan of their Position parallel to the Visual point; you would find, that as the Figures approached it, the Contours and out-lines of each of their parts, would diversify successively, without any alteration or change in their disposition and aptitude; and so coming at last to be perpendicularly opposite to the point of sight, would appear exactly in Profile, which is in truth, their proper and genuine Position in this admirable piece of Painting.  
Would you now proceed to place them on the other side, or beyond the point of Sight; the more they incline towards the lefthand of the piece, the more they alter the apparent Form, and will come in fine, to an Aspect so contrary to their First; that the Figure which here discovers part of the Breast, will there turn its back to you, and so would the other also.  
The knowledge of this Practical Demonstration will be no difficulty to those that possess the Genius of this Art, and that are any thing conversant in Geometry; but 'tis of such universal importance to all Painters, that whoever do not rightly comprehend it, will be found to work but like a Blindman in his Profession, and especially those, who would accommodate to their designs, Figures which they borrow, and Copy after Prints of several Masters; or indeed their own Academic studies, who, above all, should take especial care, so to place them in their Works, as may the most regularly adjust, and punctually answer the point of sight, under which they were first of all designed. For 'tis a Principle in perspective; that whatever Figure is once fixed upon a Plan, can never be transported from thence to another, without violating the present aspect; since (as we have sufficiently showed) the point of sight, is a thing stated, and immovable, so as 'tis absolutely impossible to place such a Theft out of another Painter's Works, with any tolerable certitude, or handsomeness in another Composition, without this assistance of perspective.  
I could enlarge these Remarks on the rest of the Figures of this particular Print, but to avoid repetition; and therefore I think it better to make choice of another Subject, in the examination whereof, and of those which follow it, I shall only insist upon what is most important, and worthy of observation; referring the rest to the diligence of particular students, who by the Plan, I have already traced out to them, may haply be curious to make the same disquisitions upon every one of our five Fundamentals, as I have established them in this Treatise.    

The second Print. The MASSACRE of the INNOCENTS'.  
THe Second Stamp which Raphael caused Marc. Antonio to grave, was the Slaughter of the Innocents'. The History is too well known to require Repetition: nor shall I need to examine the proportion of each particular Figure; it may suffice to say in general, that the judicious Painter has even laden the good Women with their swelling Duggs, like so many Nurses; and on the contrary, made the Executioners extremely meager, and lean, resembling those ragged Cutthroats, whom he has also left naked, and without clothes on their backs, to render them the more terrible. For this Painter did always observe an extraordinary Modesty in all his pieces; and doubtless, had not this impudent garb been the most proper to express this Subject, he had certainly clad them like Soldiers in their Arms. As to the Third part, which imports the Shades and the Lights; I find nothing that requires any particular observation; every thing appearing so regular: But in examining the fourth (which we call the Expression) I must confess, that I expected more from Raphael upon so advantageous an Argument; for to speak truth, he has handled those violent Passions with very little force; whence one may easily conclude, how averse his spirit and Genius was from such tragical and furious representations. I should have made those cruel assassins of fierce and extravagant Countenances; with fear, rage, and despair in the faces and actions of the unfortunate Mothers; their tresses dishevelled, and their limbs bruised with the strokes and blows in defending their innocent Sucklings against the savage and merciless Soldiers: That the ground should have been covered with Arms, Legs, Heads, cut off from their mangled and lacerated Trunks; that all about should have been nothing seen, save an horrible butchery, with the dreadful confusion of an affrighted People; some running up and down, others crying, and the tender Mothers even expiring for sorrow upon their dead and massacred Babes; others again, endeavouring by flight to save their Children: In sum, that on all parts, there should nothing have appeared but desolation, blood and Carnage: But our Painter's Idea was not, it seems, so warm, and would certainly have succeeded much better, in a less violent Composition, more conformable to his Genius.  
Let us now consider how punctually he has observed all the Rules of Perspective, which is the last proof of our Examen; and this we shall discuss with much less difficulty in this design, than in the precedent Piew; the Plan descending here in such manner, as that the point of sight, and all that depends upon it, salutes the Eye, without troubling it to search for it by conjectures, which are never so accurate and precise.  
Those who would be curious to observe critically the proportionable diminutions of each Figure, according to the degradation of the Plan which comprehends them (as formerly directed in the foregoing examples) will soon perceive, how just he has every where been. And for the second effect (which is yet more considerable, and indeed the principal part of Perspective) relating to the Aspect of the bodies and to their situation upon the same Plan, and visual point; there is nothing but what is most exactly regular: For, albeit the Figure of the Woman, whom we behold in front of the Table, with one of her knees upon the ground, holding her Child under her right arm, and protecting it with the other against a Soldier, who seems to deal a back-stroak with his sword at its head; and that the Figure of the Villain appear also at first, as if they should rather be seen by the side of the shoulders, than by that of the Breast; Yet, upon due and mature consideration of the line of their position, which is directly turned towards the Diagonal of the squares, and divisions of the Plan; one shall perfectly discover, that their Aspect ought to differ from those, whose situation is parallel to the Base of the Picture: Besides, that in the contention of those two Figures, one may perceive a great and violent contorsion in their Bodies, towards the parts which they discover to us.  
There is no more difficulty in what remains of this Composition, and therefore I shall pass to the Third Stamp; whilst of this, I shall have said in general; that omitting only the Passions; should we consider it by the exactness of the Design in the Figures, the Regularity of the Perspective, the graceful Contoures of each individual member, judgement, and softness in the Graving; we must be forced to acknowledge it for an incomparable piece of Art.   

The Third Print. Our Lord's DESCENT from the CROSS.  
BEhold here another Piece of the same hand, but infinitely more estimable for the subject it represents, and the greatness of its Idea, full of rare Invention, and of an admirable Expression: It is a descent from the Cross, at the foot whereof stands the B. Virgin, overwhelmed even with sorrow, and fainting between the arms of the other Maries, whiles joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus un-nail our Lord, and are working with St. john, his beloved Disciple, in taking him down from the Cross, to bear him to the Sepulchre which they had prepared for him.  
'Tis almost impossible to imagine, that this History should be represented with more devotion, more affection, more sorrow, or with expressions more sensibly touching, and better distributed Devotion, in joseph of Arimathea; Love in St. john; Grief in the Virgins and the Maries; and even the Landscape itself does infuse as it were a kind of Melancholy, by its seeming sterility and the asperity of its situation. These are general considerations only: But that we may not confound our established Order, which we have already observed in the Compositions that went before; let us commence with the first part; namely, the Invention, or Ordnance of the Figure in this design; one of the most considerable Maxims whereof it is, to place them so discreetly, that the principal Figure of the subject may be set towards the middle of the Table, or most conspicuous and eminent place, as we have already touched in the judgement of Paris. This I repeat here a second time, because it is seldom well observed but by the most judicious Painters; and the rather, that the example of Raphael may incite others to be exact in all our five Fundamental points; since there is no other expedient, whereby they can arrive to the perfection of the Art.  
But ere we speak of the Situation of the Figures in this Design, we must first consider, that the Square of this Table is very different from the two precedent ones, where the Extent of the Ground-plot exceeded that of the height; when as in this Piece, the height is superior to the breadth, by a great space, and as was meet, considering the form of the Cross, which is the principal Figure, and as it were the Scale of the Table; which I therefore observe, and mention beforehand, that when I shall hereafter come to discourse of the Site or Collocation which each Body has in Perspective, we may the better comprehend the Particular difficulty which is usually met withal in such Histories as these, where the greatest part of the Figures are up in the Air, and suspended above the Plan and Terrace.  
This being established, let us consider, with what circumspection our judicious Painter placed his Figure of Christ, not only in the midst of his Piece, but as he has turned him also towards the right side, whence he receives the Light; and so makes him to descend between the arms of his beloved Disciple, who receives him with a Compassion, and a Love, better perceived by the Figure, then possibly to be described.  
Now the Composition of this Piece has this singularity remarkable, that it comprehends as it were two several Ordonances of Figures; the one of Men, and the other of Women; the first of which being all in the air, represent those who are working to un-naile our B. Lord, and take down his Body from the Cross; and those are Men; as being of the most vigorous and active Sex, and therefore fittest to set their hands to this painful enterprise: The other Ordnance, which is disposed after the usual manner upon the Plan, consists of four Women, amongst whom the B. Virgin is the only considerable, and therefore has assigned her the most eminent place at the foot of the Cross, where the Maries, about her, do as it were, render her the same devoires, which joseph of Arimathea and his Companinions do to her Son. These judicious Observations you shall ever find in the Works of Raphael's Scholars; but since they are in very small number, and that Raphael sufficiently shows himself to have been their Master, as may easily be seen in comparing his Compositions with that of others, by some transcendent marks of his Invention above them, I will only touch one of them in passing, as being of that Mode which the Italians usually call ill Costume.  

Explication of Costume.  
SInce this Word is not a Term particularly affected to Painting only, but common both to Poets and Historians, who write but the same things, which Painters are used to represent; I will not reproach the Workmen of our Nation, for not having yet imposed any name on this rare piece of Art; which may haply infer, that it is not yet arrived either to their knowledge, or Practise. It shall therefore suffice us to explain the meaning of it, and to show wherein the force and intelligence of this Term does consist. Costume, is properly as much to say, as a knowing style, a judicious expression, a peculiar and specifique agreement suitable to every Figure of the subject in hand; so as this word rightly understood, comprehends, and would signify so many things essential to the purpose, that it can hardly be well explained; and therefore I shall yet endeavour to unfold it more demonstrably by some general Maxims and Examples, before I pass to any farther applications upon our Design.  
Suppose one were to paint the History of Adam and Eve in the terrestrial Paradise, when upon the suggestion of the Serpent they tasted of the prohibited Fruit: A Painter is here to be wary, that he introduce no other Figures of Men, or any Buildings in the Landscape, which would be a fault unpardonable, and repugnant to that Costume and Decorum of which we speak: And yet even this strange inadvertency has been committed by our famous Artist, in one of his best Pieces graven by Marc. Antonio; so important a thing it is we see, carefully to avoid those strange absurdities.  
But we have yet found a more unpardonable Error in a Piece of that great Tramontan Master, Albert Durer; where painting the Nativity of our Lord, with all the devotion he could imagine, fitted to each Figure, as well in the B. Virgin, as the Shepherds, who came to adore him; he makes the good old joseph on his knees, at prayers with a Chaplett of Beads, or Paternoster in his hands, by a strange impropriety, and altogether Gotick. One may observe a world of the like in divers of his Prints, of a meaner Idea, and if possible, more impertinent: Of this sort is, his tying an Ape (the most ridiculous, filthy and vicious Animal in Nature) close by the Virgin Mary, with Christ in her Arms; which is, in my opinion, the most sottish, and extravagant vision that could come into a Painter's fancy upon this subject, as not only against the Decorum we mention, but even common sense.  
These few Instances may suffice to demonstrate the importance of this piece of Art, without which a Painter, be he never so great a Designer, knowing in Perspective, good Colorist, and excellent a Practitioner: I say, if with all these, he be not well skilled in the Decorum, men will take exceptions at his work. And though these kind of faults are not so visible to others, as to the eyes of the judicious; they are nevertheless reproachable: On the contrary as they are frequently the most obvious to them, and subject to the Censures of Learned Persons; they prove the more unexcusable, and of worse Consequence; as it were a greater shame for an Historian to insert some false passage in his Relation, or talk extravagantly, and to no purpose, then to have used an obsolete Word, or un-usual Phrase.  
A Painter therefore who would aspire to some degree of reputation in his Profession, should be exceedingly exact in this Decorum, and make it indeed one of his principal studies, as being universally agreeable to all our Five Fundamental Maxims, and so far perfecting its harmony, that one may well esteem it for the crown of all the rest: But when all this is done, we are not yet to imagine, that to comply with these Essentials, 'tis enough we avoid the Impertinences, and grosser Mistakes which we have mentioned; but we must also endeavour to appear Ingenious, and knowing, how to express the subjects which we take in hand.  
For supposing a Painter, being to represent a Battle of Amazons, or Parthians; or the Triumph of the great Caesar; should content himself to observe only the general Considerations which usually accompany the Expression and Ordnance of Fights and Triumphs, without particularising any thing more proper and singular to each of those Historick Actions; such a Painter would by no means reach that which he would signify by our Costume and Decorum, which requires that the Parthians should be totally differenced from other Nations, as well by their Arms and Weapons as by their manner of Combat, which is to fight backward, and draw their Bows retiring. No less ought he to observe in the Amazons; for though he may imagine it sufficient to paint them Women, (since among the people of the Earth, there were never any of this timorous and delicate Sex, who had so far revolted against its own Nature, and that were so fierce and courageous as to invade the profession of the bravest Captains) yet will it be absolutely necessary, to add to them likewise some more peculiar marks, to show that the Workman knew how to have described them to be Amazons, though they had not been Fight and in Conflict; even by their very garb and clothes; which are not to cover their left shoulders, but expose it naked, as far as under the paps; and for the right Breast, which they used to cut off, and sear, when they were very young, to the end they might with less impediment draw their Bows; the Painter should leave it without any swelling or appearance under their Garments on that part of the Body; Besides, we do not read they used any Swords, but Battleaxes, Darts, and javelins, etc. with a small Buckler in shape of a Crescent, which covered their Arms.  
As for julius Caesar, we are to understand he was very bald, and that his manner was to raze his Chin close; and therefore it were out of all Decorum to paint him with an effeminate Perrucque, spruce head of Hair, or a prolix Beard, as they frequently do Pompey, and some other of the Roman Emperors; since it would offend the eyes of judicious Persons, and were not to paint the Man we would represent.  
And thus I have laid before you a specimen of all our Three examples, enough to guide a Workman in the path he ought to tread, and lead him to the perfection of his Art. For it is really in this, that the very Magistry and prime of the Science consists; and perhaps it was in This chiefly, that those famous Artists of old, Apelles, Timanthus, Protogenes,, Zeuxis, and others, so far surpassed our modern Workmen; since neither the Colouring, nor the regularity of the Perspective, nor the symmetry and proportion of Bodies, nor the different manners of Painting, or indeed any Mechanical advantage amongst them, discovers them to have had the least superiority above ours: It was doubtless for this alone, and that superexcellent Genius which shined through all their Productions and Works, that Philostratus, Quintilian, Pliny, and other grave Authors, have immortalised them in their Writings; as we may judge by what they have said concerning that noble Masterpiece, the Sacrifice of Iphigenia; where the ingenious Timantes having painted, and with wonderful judgement expressed all the marks of sorrow and pity in the Spectators faces of that funest story; when he had spent, the utmost Efforts of his Pencil, and Art, before he came to the Father of this innocent and deplorable Victim, and there now remaining no more for him sufficiently to express his unexpressable Grief, as he had done the others, in this sad and lugubrious Consternation; he drew a vail upon the good man's face, leaving that to Imagination which he was not able to express with his Colours.  
This is the sum of what Pliny has said in the 10th Chap. of his Thirty first Book; to which he a little after adds, in commendation of this great Master, that in all his Works he ever left something more for men to conjecture, than to see; and, that though Painting were both an excellent and sublime Art; yet this Spirit and Ingenuity of the Painter was infinitely superior to it. 'Twere greatly to be wished, that one could but show this rare and ancient Piece to some of our Modern Workmen, and expose it to their Examen I cannot believe but they would infinitely value it upon the high reputation which it has obtained amongst those famous men of Antiquity; But haply they would scarcely yet discern these new beauties, and Mode of the present Age, in which they now a-dayes place all the excellencies and curiosity of Painting, and have therefore invented a kind of jargon and magnifical Gibberish, to set forth and exaggerate what they would make men admire: As the Freshness and Grace of the Colouring; the Freeness of the Pencil; The Bold touches, The Colours well impasted and nourished; the separation of the Masses; the Draperies well cast; the rare Folds; the Master-strokes; the Grand Maniere; the Muscles throughly felt; the noble Contours; Sweet Complexion, Tender Carnations; Handsome Groupes and morsels, and a thousand other Chymaerical beauties of this Nature, which were never so much as once heard of amongst the Works of the old Painters, who doubtless proposed to themselves as great Perfections in what they represented: For certain it is after all these superficial, or rather imaginary Beauties, if the Invention of the Subject be not well, and properly applied; unless the Figures be judiciously dispossed, and appositely expressed; if the History be not amply furnished with all the necessary Circumstances; if the regularity of the Perspective be not exactly and throughly observed in the Position, and Aspects of the Figures, and consequently, even in the very shades and Lights; In fine, unless that Costume and Decorum (which we lately so fully explained for the importance of it) be not accurately observed; the Work shall never pay its Author with Reputation amongst knowing Persons. For even of all the old vulgar Painters, who had nothing to recommend them to Posterity, save the ordinary Mechanical talon, and that through the dryness and sterility of their low and empty Genius, went no farther than this shell and outside of Painting; there is not one of them to be found whose name has been transmitted to Posterity; the Critics of that Age being so nice and curious in their Examen of all those Pieces, that though they were indeed never so exactly wrought, according to the Rules of Art; if the Subject which they represented observed not a fit decorum to the places where they were painted, That alone was sufficient to decry them; so exceedingly did the Painters want of Judgement, vilify and debase his Workmanship.  
Vitruvius' in the fifth Chapter of his seventh Book, relates a story very pat upon this occasion of a certain Workman named Apaturius; and the instance is so express, that we shall need go no further to recover our eyes, and be freed from that fond preoccupation of esteem, which the fortune and luck of some Painters has procured them, and that with so absolute and tyrannical a Title, that one hardly dares to censure any thing they do, as passing universally for the very Originals of Perfection in the Cabal of the Curious, who content themselves in knowing the Names of the old Masters, and so as they can but distinguish of their Hands and Manners, pass for most profound and able Men. But since 'tis just that Reason should prevail over Custom, Let us examine the real truth of it, according to such Principles as are the most infallible and assured Guides. And to render a profitable and demonstrative Proof of what I affirm, we shall begin with that so renowned and incomparable Masterpiece, the greatest and most stupendious subject that could ever enter into the Idea of a Painter; namely the History of the most dreadful day, the final judgement and Catastrophe o● the World; as 'tis extant at Rome in the Vaticane-Chappel belonging to the Pope, over the Altar of that venerable place, and painted by the famous Michael Angelo Buonaroti, that Paragon, or rather indeed, that Antagonist of the Ancient Painters, and Coriphaeus of the Modern.  
What would one not have promised ones self of so important a Subject, in a Concourse so universally advantageous on all sides, from whence he might expect all imaginable assistance to perfect it with success. But Horace has in his Art of Poetry, (which is properly but the brother- Twin of Painting) expressed in two Verses, what these great Attempts do usually produce: 
Quid dignum tanto feret hic Promissor hiatu?  
Parturient Montes, nascetur ridiculus Mus.   
I should do but a very ill Office to the Author of this Prodigious Composition, should I make the same review here, which I have begun upon some of Raphael's pieces, and according to the Principles of this Treatise; since these two Genius's have so universal an Antipathy to one another, that what makes for Raphael is totally repugnant to Michael; and one may truly affirm, that one of them is the good- Angel of Painting, and the other the evil: For as we may observe in most of Raphael's Compositions a generous and free Invention, noble and Poetic; so in those of his Antagonist, a dull and rustical heaviness; and if Gracefulness were one of the prime and shining talents of the First; the other seems to have delighted in appearing rude and displeasing, by a certain affected hardness as it were in his very designing, musculous, and notched in the Contoures of his Figures, and by the extravagant and unnatural Contortions which he generally gives them without any variety of Proportions; so as he seems never to have made use but of some Porter or sturdy Booby for his Model: When on the contrary, our Raphael wrought after a sweeter manner, and more conform to Nature, who always takes pleasure in varying her Productions.  
He had this also singularly recommendable in him, never to paint any thing of Licentious, or which might give the least offence to modest eyes, or good manners; whilst the other, on the contrary, made it his glory, publicly, to be ashamed of nothing; no, not to profane either the most holy Places or Histories by the infamous freedom which he assumed; as does but too evidently appear in this Piece of his, which represents one of the most important Articles of our Faith, which was Figured, or to say better, plainly disfigured, by this Fanfaron of Painting Michael Angelo; and that with so impious a temerity, as if he had designed to render it but a pure Fable, and altogether Chimerical, by the sottish and ridiculous Grimaces which he gives to several of his Figures, with such odious and misbecoming actions, as were not supportable even in places the most profane and abandoned. I shall leave the particulars to the examination of those who have the curiosity, and the leisure to divert themselves, when I shall have in general only said something to what concerns the Decorum, which is our present Theme, and the principal Guide for us to define whether a Painter be judicious or knowing in his Art; Qualities absolutely necessary, and without which he is never to be reputed for an Able-man.  
Let us in the first place then consider what the Evangelist teaches us of this History, that we may the better see, whether the Idea which this great Wit Mich. Angelo forsooth had conceived, do afford us any tolerable representation and Image of it.  
We read in many passages of Holy Writ, particularly towards the end of St. Matthews Gospel, That at the last judgement day, the Sun shall be darkened, and the Moon shall not give her light. That the Stars of Heaven shall fall; and the Sign of the Son of Man shall be displayed before all the Nations of the Earth, who shall then be surprised with horrid consternation, when they shall see this terrible judge appearing in the Clouds, accompanied, and environed with all the Celestial Court, and sitting upon a dreadful Tribunal, with unexpressable Majesty; the twelve Apostles being at his right hand as judges and Assessors, with a most glorious assembly of Saints following in goodly Order; whilst there stands beneath at his left hand, an innumerable multitude of Reprobate and wicked Persons, in fearful and unimaginable Confusion.  
What shall we now say of this Piece of Mich. Angelos, if we find nothing of all this in it! Is it to be conceived he should not think of what he was to do, before he took Pencil in hand? Or that he should engage himself in a story so considerable without knowing of it, and a story of judgement!  
This modern Painter had been very unhappy to have lived in the days of those Ancient Critics, who used to be so rigorous and exact, as never to pardon any thing; no, not even in the greatest Masters, who by the excellency of their Pencils, and sublime Genius's, had so much exalted the Art, and born the renown of their Profession to that pitch, as had been altogether inaccessible to this Scrabler. I deny not but he might have passed among them, for the Mechanical part of Painting (as being one who well enough designed the Contours, out-strokes and Proportions of his Figures) but his strange impertinencies in what concerned Invention; his fanatical Ideas, full of filthy and ridiculous Expressions, had for ever rendered him uncapable of being admitted into the Society of good Painters; nor would he ever have been numbered amongst them but as a Sophist amongst true Philosophers, or as a Stone-cutter, or inferior Mason in the equipage of a good Architect.    

Examen Of the JUDGEMENT of MICHAEL ANGELO.  
TO make a pleasant and yet a demonstrable Instance of this, Let us suppose he had been present at the Examen of the Works of Timantes, representing the sacrifice of Iphigenia, of which we have already spoken; and that in the presence of the very same judges who gave their award for him against Colotes his Competitor on this occasion, our Michael should present himself in this honourable Contest, and there produce before them that his great Masterpiece of the Vatican-Chappel, with all those necessary Circumstances for the better comprehending of this Divine History, namely, the Last judgement; that so these Sovereign Arbiters of Painting may judiciously consider it; with this supposal in the mean time, that they pronounce it for an estastablished and fundamental Principle; Never to introduce any thing Fabulous, suspected, or Dissolute into any of the Mysteries of the Christian Religion, or mingle things profane, with Sacred.  
This being granted, Let us now enter into the Consistory, and see the preference divided between our Modern Painters, and the Ancient by the examination of this piece of Mich. Angelos which is in Controversy before us.  
But how will our new Artist be able to answer all those Objections which lie against almost every part of his Work, and which will be found to contradict those Maxims of their Examen, of which I shall present you with Four the most General and Essential?  

I. That in Historical Composures, the pure and rigid Truth be always religiously observed.  
II. That there be great Consideration had of the place where 'tis to be represented.  
III. That one never discover those Parts and Members of the Body which cannot honestly be exposed: This Maxim has ever been so solemnly observed amongst them, that they have frequently left the History defective, rather than transgress the limits of Modesty.  
IU. Lastly, for the fourth degree of perfection. That they strive to represent things after the most noble, ingenious manner, great and magnificent.   
These are the principal of the Consort, or as we may term them, the Harmony of Painting, as they are the result of a mutual Consent and relation to each other; and such as our Critics will so rigorously require in the Work which we are presenting them; but in which, I much fear they will hardly find what they expect to the advantage of our Modern Pretender. For to take things in Order: How shall they come to discover the Truth of this dreadful Story, when they shall see a young judge standing with so little Majesty on tiptoes as it were, and in a menacing posture, tumultuarily environed with several unmannerly Figures, without the least attention to what he is pronouncing, and without any regard of his presence; some turning their backs towards him, others confusedly talking to him, and to one another, of which the greater part are shamefully discovered; some sitting down before him, without any occasion and in most undecent postures? Then we have the B. Virgin all alone, and without any of the Sex to accompany her; encompassed with so many v●ll●●nous Nudities, and without the least deference or honour to her Quality, which in my opinion is very unbecoming, and almost insupportable. And after all this, what are we to expect of tolerable in this famous piece? there being so many strange and extravagant things, totally repugnant to the verity of the Gospels. For first, he paints the judge in a naked and uncouth posture, standing upon his feet; whereas the Sacred Text tells us expressly, That our Lord shall appear sitting upon a Majestical Tribunal, circled about with all his celestial Attendants: Then he makes him Young, and like a Beardless Boy, at the age of more than three and thirty years. Besides, he has omitted the Session of the Twelve Apostles about him, as Counsellors and Assistants as it were, in this Universal and mighty Act of justice; but we find them so dispersed and mingled in the Crowd, that they are hardly to be known. The same Evangelist tells us, That the Faithful shall stand on the right hand of our Lord, the Reprobate on the left; whilst this Libertine confounds them here, and there, without the least regard to this so essential a Circumstance. Moreover he represents the judge with a furious, and enraged Countenance, fulminating that dreadful Arrest, and Sentence, which will cause even the very Angels, and Nature herself to quake and tremble; when in the interim, and that we may well imagime all to be in the profoundest silence, and consternation imaginable, You have here the Trumpets sounding, and making all the noise they can; which must needs be extremely improper upon this occasion, were not the entire piece a composition of yet greater and less pardonable Impertinences. For in all this bustle and tintamarre, and the horrible dread which this irreversable Sentence must needs produce, and which does so infinitely concern every individual Soul; you scarcely find One who seems to give any attention to it; but for the most part, they are talking and entertaining one another, as if they had no interest or concernment in what was doing; and some there are embracing and Bussing each other, with a world of very apish and foolish postures.  
What would Timanthes now, and his Associates have said d' ye think, to this rash and ridiculous Composition! who really has not the least true talon of Painting; and yet has the face to intrude himself amongst judges so equitable and clear-sighted, and who must needs confound him with abashment and exile him from their Assembly; as neither finding in all his senseless Composure, the verity of the Story, nor the suitableness of the Figures to the Subject, or the Place; nor that decent modesty, which he ought to have observed, nor that grand and free manner of expression; nor, in sum, the least degree of that important decorum, which we have so much insisted upon in the former periods: so as in all this vast and tumultuary Army as it were of Figures, there is not to be found a grain of pure Invention, but the effects of a mean and barren Genius. Could he have told us, why he made his Angels without Wings (which is their inseparable character in all Paintings, and had been almost indispensably necessary) amongst such a Chaos of Figures; where those of Souls and Bodies, Angels and Demons, Elect and Reprobate are so jumbled together, as they cannot be distinguished? For he makes no difference in his painting of an Angel, and a Man, whom he forms so gross and material, and in postures so little agreeable to the function, he employs them in, that one can hardly behold them without aversion, by reason of the contortions of their Bodies, and extravagant Grimaces which he causes them to make, be it in the mouthing of their Trumpets, supporting of the Cross in the Air, with those other Instruments of our Lord's Passion; as if he had studied in derision to render them the most deformed, and more ugly than the very Devils themselves.  
That which gives me occasion to suspect him of so insolent a Libertinage, is, that I find him profaning his Works with yet a greater impiety, by his bold introduction into this sacred and serious History of the sottish Fable of the Ferryman of Hell, whom the Ethnical Poet's name Charon, and feign plying with his Bark upon the Banks of the Rivers Styx, Cocytus and Acheron, to transport the souls of the Dead into the other World; which I take to be (the Place and Subject considered) a more criminal, and abominable piece of Sacrilege, than all his other forgeries, which would never be excused by Timanthes, and the rest of his judges, though mere Pagans, who would certainly have detested the impiety of this hypocritical Christian.  
But I insensibly lose myself in the Labyrinth of this exorbitant Piece, in which, to speak sincerely, there is nothing but what is diametrically opposite to the Laws of that decorum which we so lately discoursed of, and established for the very Centre and Perfection of this Art, to which, all that is Reasonable, judicious, Knowing and Spiritual in Painting, aught to resign and submit itself. Had I not thought it expedient, or at least, extremely advantageous, in reference to the demonstration of the Principles of this Treatise, to instance in divers examples; and that after those excellent ones which we have observed in some of Raphael's, I would yet endeavour to render them more conspicuous, by producing their Contraries, to the end they might leave a deeper impression of their Effects. I would likewise willingly have spared this tedious dissertation, which I foresee will be but ill resented of those Workmen who have learned, and consider this noble Art but as a Trade, without endeavouring to arrive at any more skill in it, then to Design, and draw the Contours of what they see like a Workman, and to paint their things with the greatest Relievo they can devise, as in what they think consists the whole excellency of their Profession; though in this they sometimes succeed so well, that their Works are commonly much the worse for it; especially if you bring them to the Test of the Rules of Optics, and good Perspective; which I here repeat, for the sake of those that are judicious, whom this advertisement may suffice for the full comprehension of this Paradox.  
But 'tis now more than time we should resume our first Discourse, and bring Raphael into Michael Angelo's place, that so we may come again into that good way of Painting from whence we have so long been deviating: Let us therefore return to where we broke off, and finish the Examen of that ingenious and devout Idea, which that noble Painter Raphael has formed in his Picture of Christ's descent from the Cross, and in which, we have already observed all those Points which give Excellency, and consummate Perfection to a Work; the Decorum of Expression only excepted, in relation to which, we have lengthened this Digression upon the judgement of Michael Angelo.   

The Examen reassumed Of the Descent of our LORD from the Cross.  
SInce I have sufficiently explained, by variety of Examples, what this Costume or Decorum imports and signifies in Painting; it will be needless to make so exact a re-search in what remains, and concerns this Print of Raphael's, in which every individual Figure does amply testify, how circumspect our excellent Workman has been; This will soon appear, when we shall consider that of Nine Figures (of which this Ordnance is compossed,) That single One, which at first blush seems to be the least active, in a subject so full of Activity; and by consequent, to be the least studied in it too, is Mary magdalen's. But upon second thoughts, reflecting how she is described in the twentieth Chapter of St. Luke; where her sister Martha is complaining to our Lord, that she took so little care in the Menage, and was so little assistant in the service of the House, She will doubtless appear more ingeniously deciphered by that mere Compassion only, and interior grief which we behold in her countenance, then if Raphael had placed her also busy about the B. Virgin with the other two mary's who sustain her in their arms; or that he had represented her in those transports of inconsolable affliction, which vulgar Painters use to do, who conceive, that to make her known in their Pieces, she must be made to lie prostrate upon the ground, or embrace the foot of the Cross, in the most deplorable manner imaginable, with her hair lose about her Shoulders like a mad Woman, and the Box of Ointment in her hands; without all which, she would, they think, be in danger never to be known: But our noble Artist had far other Ideas, and more conformable to the sacred Text.  
I remit the rest of this Composure to the examen of the curious and intelligent, who by the application of our Costùme to all the rest of the Figures, will find them so well poised and judiciously considered, that after a little thought, they will doubtless have but a very ordinary opinion of M. Angelo's Rhapsodies, and of the rest of his Disciples; and ingeniously confess, how far the Schooll of Raphael has surpassed this Mechanic Designer, in the spirit and excellency of his Invention.  
But before I pass to the next Print, I would willingly resolve a Quoere, which may haply appear difficult to some, Why so near the Cross, upon a barren and rocky piece of ground, he should plant that single great Tree, furnished with leaves, and flourishing as in the height of Summer; the H. Gospel mentioning nothing of any such circumstance? Upon consideration of our learned and judicious Workman's intention, I perceived that it was a Cedar; tall, straight, and without any fruit: And in truth this Mystical Introduction is highly ingenious; the Cedar being the real Symbol of jesus Christ who is styled the Spouse in so many places of the Old-Testament, particularly the Canticles; where he is so curiously depainted for his ravishing beauty, by a comparison of the Cedars of Mount Libanus, Species ejus ut Libani, electus ut Cedri, etc. from the extraordinary pulchritude, incorruptibility, Odour, strength, use in Building, and salutary shade of this goodly Tree: so as from this assembly of so many transcendent Qualities, it does most fitly (of all other Trees) represent the Church, and those principal Heads that compose her; namely, the Apostles, Prophets, and holy Fathers: Besides, mystically applied, it may farther be taken for the Cross of our B. Saviour; since the Oil of Cedar is esteemed so sovereign a Remedy against Leprosy, which, 'tis reported, it both cleanses and heals. In sum, it most visibly appears, that it was placed in this Composition with so much reason and judgement, as from hence alone we may safely pronounce in favour of this rare, though modern Painter, worthy in truth of all that glory which has been attributed to the most renowned of the Ancients, since his Works discover to us the same Genius that they so much admired in their Trimantes: For even the least things to appearance are esteemed great and considerable, by the mysterious intention of the Painter, applied to the Circumstances of his Subject, and minister as much to the Contemplations of the Learned, as the most principal Figures of an History: This is the Talon which Pliny so singularly admires in all the Works of Timantes, and where he takes occasion to say of him, that In omnibus ejus operibus intelligitur plus semper quam pingitur, & cum ars summa sit, Ingenium tamen ultra artem est. Lib. 35. cap. 10. Words, worthy to be applied to this excellent Artist, and which I had already repeated upon occasion of that his incomparable Masterpiece, the Sacrifice of Iphigenia. I produce them here again on purpose that I may apply them to Raphael: However, as I foresee, that those amongst our knowing men, who have not the eyes of their mind so sharp as those in their head, and who are more taken with Pictures for their mechanic exactness (that is, the delineation of the Figures) than the Intention of the Painter, will be apt to judge this consequence of mine to the advantage of our modern Workman, somewhat bold and over-confident, as it concerns his foundation (not to judge of the greatness and strength of the Lion by one of his Claws;) I shall prevent their objections; if taking the sense of my Proposition rigorously, they conceive my intentions were to render the Merits of these two Painters so equal, as to assign them the same rank: I must then explain my meaning, That whatever my esteem for Raphael may be, my resolution is to render all just deference to those illustrious Ancients, and such as were like Timantes, and do cheerfully acknowledge, that the Painters of the latter Age are inferior to them; from whence I infer, in favour of Raphael, that he having best of all succeeded in discovering the path which those great Masters trod, and being born with a Genius equal to them, did not only arrive to the first degree of the Moderns, but seems to have even been incorporated of their Company, and of the same Sect with those ancient Originals themselves, who have transmitted to us such glorious Ideas of their excellency in the Memories of Historians.  
Now if we consider in what Language they speak of them, and what it was that we find so highly celebrated in their Works, we shall perceive, they esteemed nothing in them so much, as the Novelty, and (as I may call it) the arguteness and ingenuity of their Invention; by which they discovered, that Painting was an Art purely spiritual: For that which consists only in the Mechanical address, is so material and heavy, that they hardly made any account of it. Neither did they regulate the Prize of their Tables either by the number or largeness of the Figures; for it frequently happened, that the straitness and inconveniencies of the Place, and barrenness of the subject, gave occasion to those great Genius's to derive advantage from it; and to produce something which surmounted the reputation and renown of the more exuberant Compositions. This Pliny tells us also in the same Chapter, where he has made so handsome a recital, and elegant description of the Sacrifice of Iphigenia painted by Timantes, in which were assembled a very great number of Figures. For he afterwards speaks of another Work of the same hand, which represented a Polyphemus sleeping; but in so narrow a compass, that the straightness of the Table hindered the Painter to design so Gigantic a body, as that prodigious Cyclops required. But this distress gave Timantes occasion to show the World, that his Wit and Invention was superior to all the other rules of Art: He resolves therefore to supply this defect of Matter, and discover to the eye of the mind what he could not do to the eyes of the body.   

The Ingenious Representation OF A Vast CYCLOPS in a narrow Table, Painted by TIMANTHES.  
UPon this Occasion than he introduced a most gentile Parergon into this Subject, being in itself too simple, as having only one Sleeping heavy Figure to represent a hideous and enormous bulk. Now this addition was an assembly of Satyrs, whom he placed round about his snoring Cyclops; some of them seeming to be affrighted as it were at the unexpected encounter, were taking their flight, and running away; Others considering him at greater distance, had their countenances mingled with fear and admiration: some again more hardy than the rest, approaching nearer to him, endeavoured to take the dimensions of one of his Thumbs, as his Arms lay extended a good way off from the rest of his Body; and this they did with their Thyrses; but with extraordinary caution, and without so much as touching him, for fear lest they should rouse him up; so as by the comparison which one might make of these Satyrs to the Cyclops (to whom they appeared less than one of his Fingers) one would immediately conclude, how monstrously vast the Giant was; and this Invention of our Painter was thought so ingenious and new, that it proved a great reputation to his Piece, which was else but very indifferent of itself, and of an inconsiderable Subject.   

Imitation of the same kind By JULIO ROMANO.  
I Remember to have seen at Rome in the Palace di Vigna Madama, the same Subject treated after another manner, yet very noble, though the Invention were in truth, but in imitation of This; but it had something which I cannot so well express, of particular in it, which seemed to refine even upon the original. 'Tis a Work of the ablest Scholar that ever Raphael bred, and One whom indeed we may call his Master-Disciple, JULIO ROMANO, of the most singular spirit and fancy that this later Age has produced for Painting, and in whom Raphael seemed, as 'twere, to have transfused his own Genius, when he quitted the World; and indeed he constituted him for his principal Heir by his last Will and Testament.  
This Piece is painted a Fresco upon a Wall, which was larger than might well serve to design a Cyclops at his full extent, without obliging our Painter to any shifts, to represent his enormous stature: However, as the Hyperbole has sometimes as much Grace in Painting, as it has in Poetry; and indeed, that this Workman's Pencil was extremely poetical, he thought very pleasantly of introducing other Satyrs into his Composition, more drols and fantastics than those of Timantes, playing their Apish tricks about the Cyclops whilst he was asleep; some of which had seized on his Bagpipe, and carrying it some distance from him, were sliding one after another upon the Pipes, as Boys would do upon long Poles, the thyrses between their legs to make them more slippery, with an hundred other capricious and munky-tricks, that would make one smile, and yet served to show how wide and monstrous a throat this stupendious Musician must needs have, to be able to mouth and inspire this Instrument of his.  
This is a kind of Imitation so rare and excellent, that it may well be compared to the original itself; and I am persuaded, that had Timanthes seen it, instead of his being jealous of this gallant emulation, he would highly have esteemed the gentleness of our Modern Painter's invention, and made great account of the Piece.  
This single example of julio Romano, may serve for a guide to those, who having already attained to some habitude in Design, and Colouring, have no more to do but put themselves into the right path of the Art, and to awaken their Genius for Invention, as having then only to contemplate the Composures of those Masters whom they most affect, and study in general, what their Thoughts and Inventions were, without amusing themselves to take every piece of a work apart, and in severals, as the guise of our Copyists is, who discerning only the rind and outside of Painting, have always this misfortune in their Works, that they can never come to equal their original; whereas, by these more spiritual and inventive Operations, Nature is so unconfined, that the Imitator has almost ever the advantage of the Inventor.  
By this means it is, that Raphael, and julio Romano have not only exceeded all other Painters of their Age, but have in some degree rendered themselves comparable to the most renowned of the Ancients.  
That we may now make some useful reflections upon those two several Compositions of the same subject, viz. the sleeping Polyphemus': The first, which is that of Timanthes, will show us, that a small Piece may sometimes emerge a great and noble Masterpiece, according as the Idea of the Painter is qualified and heightened, whence one may judge, that there is no Argument so poor and barren, but what may be enriched by an ingenious and fruitful Invention; and that 'tis now and then more advantageous to the glory and reputation of the Work to be obliged to adorn and Cultivate a mean and sterile subject, than to be overwhelmed under the abundance of a more ample History, from which one should rather retrench, and abate something of Essential, than presume to add any thing of our own.  
For the other Composition of our modern julio Romano, it does in effect show us, that an ingenious Imitation, may equal, and even exceed the original; and that by consequent, it is not less glorious so to imitate by a certain concurrence of Wit and Invention the Thoughts of another, and refine upon them, as he has done, than it is reproachful in a Painter mechanicaly to Copy a whole Piece, Figure for Figure, without any thing of his own, but the pains he has taken, and the servile subjection of a simple Workman: Seeing this kind of Labour is not so much esteemed the work of a Painter, as the study of an Apprentice only. Hence we find, that those Copiers, who are so poorly spirited as to aspire no higher than to make that their aim, have never been reputed among the rank of Painters, but as eunuchs are among Men, uncapable of production, and defective in their particular species.  
This digression has a little deverted us again from Raphael, our first and principal Object, though we still kept sight of him, and pursued his footsteps, by the guidance and signal of julio. But 'tis now high time to rejoin again, and make no more such sallies from him, who has hitherto furnished us with all our matter, by his excellent productions, the examen whereof has greatly aided us in forming that visible and demonstrable Truth; namely, the necessity of those Principles which we have established, to attain the perfection of Painting. Let us therefore return to this first School of Raphael, and conclude our discourse in the same stile and spirit we began with. Now this incomparable Painter, whose Works are so many exemplars from whence we may deduce the Rules of the Art, has produced such variety of them, that amidst such Plenty and abundance, 'tis hard to resolve upon the choice of one before another, that which we saw last, always seeming to be the best. But since it is not our intention to Criticise his Compositions piece by piece, to judge decisively which of them to prefer, (which were an odious, and a rash undertaking) it shall suffice us to elect one of the most remarkable which is in Print, that the curious setting it before them, and studying it at leisure, may together with us, pass their opinions upon it.   

The First Print. The GYMNASIUM or ACADEMY of the Athenian Philosophers.  
IN this liberty of Election, I am resolved to seek for no other than that which I have at present in my hands; since occasion has offered it to me with so much advantage and satisfaction: verily it seems to me to be one of the noblest Ordonances that ever he Painted, and of a great, and magnificent Idea It is the Representation of one of those famous Gymnasiums of Greece, where we may behold a general Assembly of all the knowing persons of Antiquity, as well Philosophers as Geometricians, Astrologers and others.  
But before we proceed to the particulars of this Composition, I shall advertise the curious, that the Graver who designed and published it, was not so well acquainted with the Subject which it signifies, as may appear by the Subscription in these words. Paulus Athenis per Epicureos & Stoicos quosdam, etc. as it seems, taking it from the Preaching of St. Paul in the Areopago, upon occasion of an Altar which he there espied, dedicated by the Athenians TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. The History you have in the 17th of the Acts of the Apostles.  
That which makes me take notice of the Inscription is, the importance there is of knowing the truth of the History which lies before us: for if this great Doctor speak truth, Raphael's Composition will prove very extravagant; whereas, being rightly understood, and according to the Author's intention, 'tis both admirable and excellent, as we shall demonstrate in what we are going to add farther. As to what imports the Graver (whose Mystery, as well as that of all other simple Copyists, does not consist in over much spirit) his Ignorance had been the more excusable, had he been more just and accurate in the preciseness of his Design; but there are so many gross mistakes slipped in, in that which concerns the Perspective of the Architecture, and delineation of the Figures, that Raphael had certainly paid him some ill turn for it, had he but seen in what a manner he has altered and disfigured his Workmanship.  
But what shall we say to one of our modern Painters, as famous for his Pen, as his Pencils; that Historiographer of the Art, and Panegyrist of all his contemporary Painters and Predecessors for two or three Ages? Author of no less than three great Volumes upon this Subject, George Vasari by name; who in each of their Lives, has summed up, as in an Inventory, not only, all their Works, but the interpretation of them also; in which he has discovered the force of his acquaint Genius. This Gallant Talker undertaking to explain the Piece which we are describing, after he has in general terms told us upon what occasion he was called to the Service of Pope julius the II. begins in this manner. La onde Raphaelo nella sua arrivata havendo ricewte molte carezze da Papa Giulio, comminció nella camera della Segnatura una storia, Quando i Theologi accordano la Philosofia & l' Astrologia con la Theologia; dove sono ritratti tutti savi del mondo, ch● disputano in vari modi. Sonui in disparte, alcuni Astrologi che hanno fatto figure sopra certe tavolette & carratteri in vari modi di Geomanzia & d' Astrologia, & a i Vangelisti le mandano per certi angeli bellissimi, i quali Vangelisti le dichiarano. Frà costoro, è un Diogene con la sua Tazza a giacere in sù le Scale; Figura molto considerata & astratta; cheaper la sua bellezza, & per lo suo abito cosí accaso, é degna essere lodata. Similment vi é Aristotile & Platone, l'vno col Timeo in mano, l' altro con l' Etica; dove intorno, li fanno cerchio una grande Scola di Filosofi: ne si puó esprimere la bellezza di quelli Astrologi, & Geometry, i desegnano con le seste in sù le tavole moltissime figure & caratteri. Fra i medesimi nella figura d'vn giovane di formosa bellezza, il quale apre le braccia per maraviglia, & china la testa, è il ritratto di Fredrigo II. duca di Mantova, che si trovaua allora in Roma. E'uvi similment una figura, che chinata a terra con un paio di seste in mano, le gira sopra le tavole, laquale dicono essere Bramante Architettore, che egli non é men desso, che se fusse vivo, tanto è ben' ritratto. E allato a una figura, che volta il didietro, & ha' una palla del cielo in mano, è il ritratto di Zoroastro, & allato a esso, è Raffaello Maestro di questa opera, ritrattosi da se medessimo nello spechio: Questo è una testa giovane, & d' aspetto molto modesto, acompagnato da una piacevole & buona grazia con la berretta nera in capo. Ne si pu ò esprimere la bellezza, & la bonta, che si vede nelle teste, & figure de' Vangelisti, a quali ha fatto nel viso una certa attenzione, & accuratezza molto naturale, & massimament a quelli che scrivono. Et cosi fece dietro ad un san Matteo, mentre che egli cava di quelle tavole dove sono le figure, i caratteri tenuteli da un Angelo, & che le distend in sù un libro, un vecchio, che messosi una carta in su'l ginocchio, copia tanto quanto San Matteo distend. Et mentre che stà attento in quel disagio, pare che egli torca la mascella & la testa, secondo che egli allarga & allonga la penna. Et oltra le minuzie delle considerazioni, che sono pure assai, vi é il componimento di tutta la storia, che certo è spartito tanto con ordine & misura, che egli mostrò verament un si fatto saggio di se, che fece conoscere che egli voleva frá coloro, che toccano i pennelli, tenere il campo senza contrasto.  
Adornò ancora questa opera di una prospettira, & di molte figure, finite con tanto delicato & dolce maniera, che fù cagione che Papa Giulio facesse butt are a terra tutte le storie de gli altri maestri & vecchi, & moderni, etc.  
But since the Italian tongue is not universal, I shall interpret this tedious Passage.  
Whereupon Raphael having at his arrival received divers caresses from Pope julio, began to paint in the Chamber della Segnatura, the History of the Agreement made by the Divines, between Philosophy, Astrology and Theology, in which Table are represented all the Sages of the World, variously disputing with one another: At a little distance farther, stand certain Astrologers, drawing Figures upon little Tables with strange Geomantique Characters, which they send by the hand of certain beautiful Angels to the Evangelists for their explication. Amongst these, is Diogenes with his Dish, who lies along upon the Stairs, a wonderful abstracted and considerable Figure, that for its comeliness and garb is worthy admiration. There are also Aristotle and Plato, the one with his Timaeo in his hands, the other, his Ethics, compassed about with a whole Circle and School of Philosophers: The beauty of these Astrologers and Geometricians who are there making Diagrams and Figures with their Compasses upon the Tables, is almost inexplicable. Amidst these persons, in form of a most lovely young man extending his Arm in the posture of admiration, and a little inclining of his head, is the Portrait of Fredric the second, Duke of Mantua, who was then, it seems, at Rome. There is moreover, a Figure stooping down with a pair of Compasses in his hand, which he sweeps about a board, who they say, is the Architect Bramante, breathingly like him; Near this is a man with his back towards you, and holding the Celestial Globe in one of his hands, who represents Zoroaster; and close by his side, stands Raphael, the Author of this famous Piece, who, it seems, drew himself by the help of a Looking-glass. 'Tis the head of a young man, of a very modest aspect and extraordinary m●ld and graceful Meene, with a black Bonnet upon his head. It is not to be imagined the beauty, and excellency expressed in the heads and pictures of the Evangelists, to whose Countenances he has given a certain attention and liveliness extremely natural; especially, those who are writing. The same he has done behind St. Matthew, whilst he is copying of those Characters out of the Tablets full of Figures, which are held up to him by an Angel, and transcribed into a Book. In the mean time, an aged Person, having a sheet of Paper on his knee, copies all that St. Mark writ, and as he is intent upon his work, one would imagine he moved his very jaws, and turned his head as his Pen, runs farther or near on the Paper. Besides several other minute Particulars and Considerations, which are in great number, there is a Composition of the entire History which is in truth, ranged in such accurate Order and Measure, as discovers his extraordinary ability, and makes it appear, that amongst all that handled the Pencil, the Works of this Master had no Competitors. Moreover, he has adorned this Piece with a Perspective, and divers Figures, finished with so sweet and delicate a grace, as made Pope julio beat down and demolish all the Histories of other Masters, as well the Ancient as Modern, which were painted there before, etc.  
The Recital is somewhat prolix, but it was very necessary to discover to the bottom, the quality and spirit of this ample Historian; since by a lesser Instance, I should never have disabused the world, and showed them the weak and trifling reasonings of their great hablador; his Books and Writings having been, till now, in such esteem with the Lovers of Painting, and who in effect, have some reason for it; because generally you find in them the principal Circumstances of the Lives of the Painters, and a Catalogue of their most considerable Works: besides, the Author being a pretty tolerable designer, and (as indeed it appears sufficiently) had more wit in his fingers-ends, than in his head, he has enriched his discourse with their Pictures, which compose the best, and most curious part of his Books.  
But though from this quality of designs, one might reasonably conclude him a good Painter; yet the extravagance of his Idea (which has made him to fancy such strange Chimaeras in this Composure of Raphael, and render him strangely impertinent) appears to me an indubitable proof, not only of his Ignorance of any real knowledge in Painting, but of the weakness also and incapacity of his Genius, as to those two prime Talents of this incomparable and most judicious Profession, namely, Invention and Decorum, of which by his ridiculous admirations, he discovers that he had not so much as the least tincture, nor indeed any natural disposition of acquiring them; so as it has proved a kind of misfortune to Raphael, that he fell into the hands of so miserable a Panegyrist, who instead of celebrating him and his works, does miserably disgrace them by his wretched and ignorant descriptions. But  
As of old, it was not lawful for every one that had a mind to't, to go to Corinth; so, nor is it for every Painter to examine and discourse upon the works of this admirable Painter. It had far better become Vasari to have mentioned him as a simple Historian only, without presuming to the Interpretation of his Thoughts in his Composures: for if what he here describes after his guise, and which he endeavours to magnify by so many wild exaggerations, were no more visible than his Writings have rendered it; what can we tolerably judge or conclude of them? Verily, these fond Encomiums do more prejudice than honour to them; and we may well apply it upon this occasion, Pessimum inimicorum genus Laudantes; since impertinent Flatterers create us more mischief, than our cruelest Enemies.  
I would willingly demand of our new Philostratus, where he learned, that the Divines had ever any such design, of according Philosophy, Astrology and Geometry with the Holy Gospel, to accommodate this fantastic Vision of his, to one of the most ingenious of Raphael's Composures, so natural, and so easily understood? But presupposing it so; what made Diogenes amongst these learned persons? Diogenes, I say, who never pretended to any Science, led the life of a Dog, that eternally barks at all Mankind, without minding any other object in all his Morality, but to despise and trample upon all those honours, which were usually and justly attributed to Men of Parts; so as in this brutal affectation he rather chose to resemble a ragamuffin Vagabond, than a Philosopher, and had never declared himself of any Party upon such an Encounter, of which he plainly understood nothing; However, in the judgement of our profound Panegyrist, 'tis a Figure which seems highly considerable, amongst the rest of this famous Assembly. For 'tis one of the first he takes notice of, with this glorious Elegy, There is amongst them (says he) a Diogenes with his Dish, lying along upon the stairs, etc. doubtless, a very honourable place, and posture well becoming a Philosopher, as well as the pretty movable, which he would have him known by, of main concernment, upon this celebrious occasion. Me thinks he should rather have been with his Lantern than his treen-dish, considering the employment Vasari has assigned him, and all his Companions appear so dark and obscure, as might well require a Candle. But to engage the Reader with greater Admiration yet, at this rare Representation of his Cynic, he adds this sage reflection; that 'tis a Figure full of deep and abstracted Considerations, and worthy to be admired for its beauty and habit, etc. In good earnest, the style is so abstracted and Chimerical, that one would swear, Vasari rather played the part of a Mountebank or Harlequin, than of a sober Historian; at least, he discovers himself a very ill Physiognomist; and that he had yet less skill in the nature of this humorous and surly Cynic, who was so little abstracted, or endowed with any tolerable sense; his wretched manner of l●ving making him so despicable and altogether uncapable of those Qualities. Nor does Raphael vouchsafe him any such expression either in Countenance, Habit, or Looks, from whence one can deduce the least thing to his advantage; but on the contrary, to discover the base rusticity of this Savage Philosopher in the midst of a general Assembly of the most illustrious Persons of Antiquity, he has placed him in an obscure corner by himself, as unworthy their Conversation, abandoned of them all, and lying, like a Brute, as he was, upon the stairs of this Academic-Gymnasium, with his scowling looks, and an equipage suitable to his snarling and sottish Profession.  
But it is not my intention to gloss upon all this tedious Rhapsody of Vasari's, Enemy, as I profess myself, to the Critical disposition of some. However, I confess, I am not able to contain, when I see poor Raphael abused thus by the hands of so dangerous a Friend, who whilst he thinks to flatter, most insupportably abuses him, by his senseless undertaking to explain his Work, and be the Interpreter of his Intentions. This little Instance is so demonstrative a proof of it, that one must be stark Blind not to discern it; there being nothing so glorious, and without reproach, but what may be rendered ugly and deformed by such empty Pretenders, whose folly infects all things they undertake; because they do it always preposterously, and by the wrong handle.  
But what I find unsufferably ridiculous in this here, is, that he is not contented to decifer in the Historical-Ordonance of our Painter, the Figures which realy are visible to every body, but forsooth, he would fancy to have detected and found out Others, that never any body saw besides himself, and which Raphael, I am confident, never so much as dreamt of. These, you must know, are the pretty Angels, by whom he tells us, the Astrologers sent their Geomantique Characters to the Evangelists for Explication. Had this babbler understood what such Characters meant, he would never have employed Angels to propose them to the Evangelists, and would have known, that Astrologers never meddle with this kind of subterraneous and diabolical divination. But, I perceive that I insensibly engage myself in pursuit of these Dreams, which are mere Labyrinths, out of which it is difficult to extricate one's self, when one is once entered: we will therefore quit the Fabulist, and proceed to the consideration of the Thing itself in the design of Raphael: For albeit the stamp which they have published be defective enough in some parts of the Delineation, it will a great deal better serve to give us the Idea of this excellent Composition, than all that can be said in words; because the productions of Painting would be seen, and considered with one's eyes. And if these great Masters of Antiquity, whose works are no where visible, (save in the writings and records of History) had had the assistances, which we now enjoy by Graving of Prints, (which is realy an inestimable Treasure of this present Age, but which of old they never so much as heard of, to our immense loss) the precise Designs of those Tables which Philostratus describes to us, had certainly told their stories far better, than he has been able to do, and his Book had been exceedingly more estimable and useful, could he have thus transmitted them, as we are now able to do.  
Let Us then use the advantage of our own Eyes to contemplate this noble and magnificent stamp, which we shall certainly find much more intelligible and reasonable, than the amphibological discourses of Vasari, of which one may justly affirm Asinus portans mysteria; for he renders this Print so sottishly Emblematique by his extravagant imaginations, that instead of making wise men admire, (should one believe all he says) he renders both the Workman and the Work alike ridiculous; seek we no farther than for any thing in this Painting but what we shall behold with our own eyes; and rest most assured of it, that Raphael thought of nothing less, than the proposing of an Emblem in this Subject, which is in truth, nothing else but a natural and free Representation of one of those famous Gymnasiums of Greece, where the Philosophers and all sorts of Academicians used to Assemble themselves for their respective studies, and to exercise their learned Talents.  
Vitruvius describes the form of these public Edifices in the 5th Book, Cap. 11. of his Works, and calls them Xysti, Palestrae, Exedrae, according to their particular uses, as he there explains them; and Palladio, in his Treatise of Architecture, lib. 3. cap. 21. discourses of them more clearly, because he gives us an ocular demonstration, by an ample and very exact design; so as there is no need for me to speak any farther concerning it.  
But as the most celebrated and noble of them, was that of Athens; 'tis likely Raphael took his Pattern from it, and those who are curious in Prints, do frequently style this Piece the School of Athens. We may boldly say that Vasari did not regard this structure, but as a mere fragment of Perspective drawn at adventure, and without other intention, then to enrich the Ground of his Table; though in effect, it be one of the most principal parts of the History. He adorned (says Vasari) this Work with a Perspective: But 'tis an usual thing for those, as well as for him, who see things which are not, that they oftentimes perceive not the things which realy are; so depraved and reversed are the Optics of these men's judgement.  
Presupposing then that we have attained to some reasonable knowledge of the Form, and Use of these Gymnasiums, it may suffice that we here consider a little the several Apartments and Divisions of these Students and Philosophers; there being nothing to be seen in this design of any other corporeal exercises, which we must imagine to be done in certain places abroad, to prevent the noise and tumult which the Wrestlers and Fencers, and such as practised casting the Dart, Running and the like violent applications, made in that quarter, which would certainly have much disturbed the Conferences of these Learned persons, which required Silence and Repose. It is towards These that our Painter has enticed our eyes, to behold those two illustrious Chiefs of the Sciences that the World ever produced; namely, the Divine Plato, and his knowing Scholar Aristotle; though he were but little conformable to the sentiments and Genius of his Master, whose Rival he afterwards proved, out of an ungrateful malignity and jealousy, which procured him the extreme hatred of all Athens, from whence he was forced to fly till after Plato's decease. This I the more expressly consider, that we may take notice how naturally Raphael has in this Piece showed as much in their very Countenances, and by which he has described as 'twere, the difference of their Genius's: For the first, and doubtless the most considerable (since he merited the Title of Divine amongst the greatest Persons,) sufficiently shows by the action of his Arm and Hand, which he holds up to the Heavens, that he entertained his Auditors with the most sublime and transcendent speculations; whilst the Other (who was more versed in the Scholastic) has rather the meene of a severe and dogmatizing Pedant; as indeed he still dwelled in the Schols amongst them; whiles Plato's more generous Conversation has ever been with the great and most illustrious persons.  
Truly Raphael seems to Triumph in this Expression, which he has also accompanied with an air and countenance exceedingly conformable to the spirit and disposition both of the One and the Other, making Plato to discover a certain sweetness and noble affability in this aspect, which renders him extremely venerable; as on the contrary, Aristotle, with a frowning and contentious look.  
Having then, as he ought, placed these two principal Champions of Philosophy, in the middle, and most conspicuous part of his Table (for there were also other famous Men, celebrated for their Wisdom, and exemplary Morals, such as Socrates &c.) our Painter has not much applied himself to the rest of the Figures, of which the greater number are but Auditors of the two first: For though these appear to be several Classes of them, viz. Geomatrician, Astrologers, Cosmographers etc. Plato yet so far excelled, even in all those Arts, that the rest seemed to be but his Disciples: not that we might not well take them for such as Ptolemy, Archimedes, or Euclid, or imagine them of some other Principal Sects, since we have found Diogenes amongst them, who was neither profound ginger nor Sophist, but one we may rather conceive, intruded himself to jeer and scoff at them. For Painters have realy as much privilege in these things as the Poets themselves, and are not so precisely obliged to the Laws of Truth, but that they do as frequently introduce Fiction into their Representations, to adorn and enrich their Histories; And 'tis chiefly upon this occasion, that a Painter does best discover the ingenuity and gentleness of his Conceptions; besides, that such vague and incomposed Subjects as this is, leave ample field to Invention; so as 'tis sufficient, they do not exceed the limits of verisimilitude, without captivating their Genius to the rigour of precise Truth.  
Beholding our Table then in this Prospect, one may allow a much more ingenious application to each Figure, than by contenting ourselves in general, to pass them all for simple Academicians, Sectators of our two great Gymnasiarches: And 'tis probable enough, that Raphael did propose to himself something more refined in this ample and magnifical Composition. For wherefore should he else set a Crown upon the head of the ginger or Geographer (take Him for either) who holds a Globe in his hand, had it not been to show us by it, that he meant Ptolemy whom he would dignify with that Character; and for that he is called, by way of eminency, the Prince of Astrologers and Geographers? Notwithstanding yet, since he was neither Contemporary, nor so much as Compatriot with any of the former, it might well create some scruple amongst Critics to meet them here together. But this Licence is familiar amongst Poets, and consequently Painters too: Instance, the incomparable Virgil, who has so dexterously adjusted Queen- Dido with his Aeneas, that at last he puts them in bed together, though there was a very considerable interval of time between the one and the other, and that Dido was the younger by at the least three whole Ages. One might farther believe, and that with greater probability, (with respect to the Synchronisme) that this Figure situated in the middle of the piece, and just before the Plan, in so pensive and melancholy a posture, leaning his head upon his arm, and reposing his elbow on the corner of a Table, where the Philosopher Epicurus, who wrote his Testament in a Letter which he addressed to Idomenaeus his intimate friend, as Diogenes Laertius reports; because it was the very last of his Actions, and, indeed, the most stupendious; since being then attacqed with a Paroxysm of that most inconceivable torment of the Stone (of which he soon after died) he remitted nothing of his accustomed Tranquillity of Spirit, but reasoned, and discoursed to the last minute, in the same manner as he was wont to do, when he enjoyed the greatest health; which abundantly testifies, that the Sentiments, and Precepts of this great man, were not such as the vulgar reported, or that the Pleasure which he styled the Soveraign-Good, consisted in that shameful and voluptuous satisfaction which some have described.  
'Twere easy to form the like Remarks upon the rest of the Figures of this Table, which would furnish abundant matter to the studious, who had a mind to divert themselves: For in this universal-School, open to all sorts of Learning, they did not only treat of the speculative Sciences, but of the Art Military and Tactics; of Polity, Oeconomie, Medicine and the Mechanics; as appears by the Writings of Aristotle; so as in this so great variety, there stands not a single Figure in the whole Gymnasium, how extravagant soever it may seem, but for what we may find a sufficient and laudable pretence: And yet is not this altogether so unconfined, but that the bounds may be transgressed, as appears by our Historiograph Vasari, who without any Wit or Discretion, and against all shadow of possibilily, has so confounded the order of Times, and Things in that Chimaerical application he has made upon this Table, that it were enough to astonish a credulous Reader, who should seek for any Fruit from his fantastic dreams; For out of I know not what itch to appear Learned, he brings us in there by head and shoulders, a certain King, called Zoroaster, of whom I dare say, Raphael never had heard a word in his life; and who came into the World some two thousand years before Plato was born, in a Country also far distant from Greece: Besides, this old Scythian Prince was never famous for any thing but Magic, of which Pliny affirms him to be the Inventor, which is a st●●y they never made any Profession of in those Schools: but see the admirable address of our perspicacious Italian, who could espy him out amongst such a crowd of others. There is a Figure (says he) with his back turned towards you, which is the Picture of Zoroaster. Another than Vasari would doubtless have been much put to it, to divine whose that Picture was, that had his back in that posture.  
I dare not pursue to examine the rest of what this Rhapsodist says, for fear of importuning both my Reader and my self, and therefore, I shall here close this dissertation, which I confess to have protracted a great deal beyond what I had proposed to myself at first, when I intended nothing more than to give a general Idea of the perfection of Painting, conformable to the Maxims of the most ancient Masters, and to derive from thence a kind of ocular demonstration from some Instances of the most regular works of Raphael, that I might awaken thereby, and open the eyes of some of the Painters of our times, who realy have great dispositions of emerging, and becoming excellent in their Profession, and that have need only to be advertised in some Fundamentals, relating to the perfection of the Art, which yet are easily attainable; but, without which, like to Blind men, they will always be groping in the spiny and delicate ways of Painting.  
This is a verity so firmly established upon the Principles which we proposed at the entrance of this discourse, that it can never be so much as called in question by any rational person: It may yet possibly happen, that the preoccupation of those whom Fortune has elevated with a false reputation (as before their days, St. Martin of Boulognia, Rosso, Tintoret, Paulo-Veroneze, Parmesano, Freminet, josepin, and a number of such designers, Practitioners of the same form) may render them so remiss and stupid, that they will rather choose to remain and dwell in the possession of this deceitful good, than take the pains which the sedulous study and application of these knowing Masters do necessarily exact of them: For certain it is, that Things which are excellent, cost in their Production, and are attained with difficulty; the second-Thoughts of Wisemen are commonly the more judicious and advised than the first; whence 'tis just to conclude, that those Painters to whom all subjects seemed alike, who find no more difficulty in one, than in another, and who after the first Idea which they form of a Table, set down, and excogitate no farther, by either changing or adding any thing in their Pieces; I say, such Painters have but superficial endowments, whose productions will never gratify Intelligent men, who finding nothing of rare and well studied in their Works extraordinary, will be soon wearied with a transitory view of their Labours.  
Now I call nothing studied, but that which concerns the operations of the Mind, and those judicious Observations upon that part of decorum, which is the very ligament and band of Invention and Expression, the noblest of our Five Principles, and in which all that's ingenious and sublime in Painting does consist. The other Three, namely, Proportion, Colouring and Perspective, import rather the Mechanical part of the Art, than the more spiritual and refined, and are, as one may say, the Instruments of the Science of Painting, so as those who bend all their studies only upon them, work rather like Men of a Trade or Mystery; and therefore have never obtained other name amongst the universally knowing, than Practitioners in designing, who would never have been considerable amongst the Antient-Painters: Howbeit, seeing they far exceed the rest in multitude, the current Abuse, and a certain presumptuous Ignorance, which at present tyrannises over this Art, has so abandoned the Possession of the Name of Painters to them, and added so many fortunate advantages above Those who are truly the Sons of Art; that the last we speak of, come seldom to enjoy the fruit, and glory which is due to them, till it be very late; continuing for the most part oppressed as long as they live, by the Numbers and Cabals of the Ignorant, amongst whom, Painting is at this day but a material and gross Idol, whereas heretofore she was considered as a Deity altogether spiritual.  
The poor Dominiquin, who was questionless the most able of all Caraces Scholars, and haply, the most worthy the name of Painter, had long succumbed under this disgrace; though almost all his Competitors were inferior to him, and not worthy to be named in the day with him; excepting Guido, who was indeed by Nature more favoured than the other for a Gracefulness which rendered him singular in his time; but who was no ways comparable to him for Expression, and less yet in the skill of Regular Perspective: What shall we say then of the blindness and stupidity of the Painters of our days; who prefer a josepin, a Lanfranc, and such Manierists before him, whose Works containing nothing save the false dazzle of I know not what Novelty, which they style, forsooth, a Fury of Design, and Freedom of Pencil, that their ignorance of the native Beauty, and true Principles of Art makes them admire, never preserved their Reputation any longer, than this transitory favour and partiality of Fortune continued to indulge them; so as they are now banished out of the Cabinets and Collections of the Virtuosos, who being at last disabused, are grown quite weary of them.  
The same perversion of judgement, seconded with the natural jealousy of the Italians (who will by no means endure, that Painting should smile upon any other Nation but their own) had begun to exercise the like Injustice towards that illustrious Frenchman, Nicolas Poussin, the worthiest certainly, that has appeared since the days of those renowned Ancient Painters, Apelles Timantes, Protogenes, and the rest of those famous men.  
But since it were difficult for me to render this Testimony of him without suspicion of flattery, speaking of a person (so lately) living, and born a French man; yet as his Works have already gained so many Triumphs over all their Envy, and that his merit has been so powerful (though in a strange Country) to produce, and elevate itself with so much Luster, above its Rivals, at no less than four hundred Leagues distance from the Court of France, and in the Reign of the greatest Favourer, that the Virtuosos must ever hope for, since the King himself (who has so far honoured him as to call him to his service) is an excellent Designer, and universally knowing in all good Arts: It has proved a conjuncture infinitely advantageous to our Painter, and a justice which Fortune owed him; so as it seems, she is not always blinded, nor envious at the merits of deserving-men. Since that time, all the reputation of his Competitors has rather served to establish his Glory, than be an obstacle to it; and now we see visibly, by comparing their Works together, that this Poussin is in effect a great Eagle in his Profession, or to say better, and without a Trope, the most perfect and accomplished Painter of all the Moderns.  
There is no difficulty in making this appear to knowing-men, who examine and judge things like Geometritians, that is to say, rigorously, and as they ought, by pure demonstration, and the analysis of its Principles, without gratifying Opinion, or Favour; which are the very bane and peste of Truth: But those who are Masters only of superficial knowledge, and will yet be presuming upon their judgements, may haply take this for a Paradox, and thereby render themselves uncapable of being enlightened: I shall therefore quit this discussion, and content myself to have in this Treatise established the Fundamental Maxims and Method which we make use of in examining the Works of Painters, without any farther interesting myself in this Controversy: Only, I would add by way of Advise, that those who have the Curiosity to come to the decisive Proof of what I affirm, will find it sufficiently demonstrated in that Work of his of the Seven Sacraments, which are to be seen at Paris, in the Possession of Monsieur de Chantelou, Master of the Household in Ordinary to the King, an intimate and dear Friend of this incomparable Painter. 'Tis a Consequence of Seven Uniform Tables, of a middling size, but consisting of an extraordinary study, where this noble Artist, seems to have given us the utmost proof, not only of the regularity of the Art, according to all the Parts explicated in the Discourse, but of its supremest excellency likewise, by the Novelty of his Invention; the greatness of his Idea upon every Argument, by the profound and judicious observation of the decorum, (in which he is almost singular) by the vigour of his the Expressions, and in a word, by all the very Qualities of those illustrious Genius's of the Ancients, amongst whom (I persuade myself) he had obtained one of the most eminent ranks; since we generally find in his Works, the same excellencies which Pliny and others have observed of their Apelles, Zeuxis, Timantes, Protogenes, and the rest of that first Class of Painters: For if Apelles appeared so rare a Person amongst them for his knowing how to represent the noise of Thunder; one may see in the subject I am speaking of, that our Poussin has even painted the very Voice; which is so much the more difficult to express, as in effect it is less sensible: I have remarked this ingenious stroke in his first Piece of the Seven Sacraments, where St. john, conferring Baptism on our B. Saviour, the Standers-by who were present, and ready to receive him for their Lord and Master, do visibly discover it by the surprise and astonishment in which they appear looking up to Heaven, and on every side about them, from whence the Voice seemed to descend, This is my Beloved Son, etc.  
The same Author who proposed (as altogether miraculous in Painting) this expression of Thunder, adds farther, that this great Master Apelles, took delight to represent the Histories of Agonizing and dying Persons; And we here meet with (by I know not what fortuitous encounter) that the Sacrament of extreme Unction presented the same Subject to our Painter; who being about to handle this holy Mystery, under a noble and magnificent Idea, suitable to his Genius, has expressly chosen the Person of a Roman Captain in his last Agony, environed by all his Relations; Mother, Wife and Children, and a number more of his Domestics, every one of them severally afflicted with regret or compassion; amongst whom, and in the most conspicuous place, he has painted the Priest assisting the poor Dying-man, and administering the Holy Oils with a devotion full of Piety.  
I should be over tedious to undertake here the description of all those other Considerations, and judicious Circumstances to be seen in this admirable Composition: I should sooner have said in a word, that 'tis the real Parallel of that famous Masterpiece of Timanthes upon the Sacrifice of Iphigenia, which I have already mentioned, and which Pliny and Quintilian describe to us as the rarest, most ingenious and accomplished Table of Antiquity. But to determine whether of the Two; their Old, or our Modern has expressed his Subject with greater Art, and more Pathetically, is a Question I cannot resolve; contenting myself in affirming this, that amongst all our Modern Painters, our Poussin appears another Timantes.  
The same reason which restrains me from any farther engaging in the Examen of this excellent Composition, obliges me to pass over the rest of this great Work, which makes up but its Seventh part; besides, that the Enterprise would prove too vast for me, who have already transgressed the limits which I proposed to myself at my first setting out.  
I will only add one thing in general, which seems very considerable to me, and worthy of remark, with which I shall conclude. That every one of these Pieces are so admirable in their kind, that 'tis Impossible to particularise in any single one of the whole Seven, which appears to have the least advantage of the other, as to what concerns the Artist: For though the story of the respective Mysteries which they represent, were not always equally redundant, and fit for expression; yet this puissant Genius knew so well how to proportion each part of his Subject to the terms of their mutual equalities, and give so relative a perfection to the whole, that he has left us no place for our choice, or that we could wish for any one of them, preferable to another: For though each Table, considered by itself, and separated from this Union, or, as one may say, this Encyclopedia of Sacraments, be usually looked on as a complete and independent History from the rest; yet our Painters original Intention, being to form of them One particular mystical body, composed of these seven holy Members (which is the oblest Idea could be conceived in the Mind of a Christian Painter, and which is so peculiar, that it seems not to have been ever thought of by any before him) strived to render it a Chef d' Oeure, in which he has discovered himself such a Master of the Subjects he undertakes, that we may easily conclude, he knew how to have done as much, even in the most barren and simple Argument, as in the most rich and magnificent; the fecundity of his spirit having no need of any aids from Matter, which at first appears as incredible to be affirmed of him, as it is realy true, and visible in the Works of his, by the equality which he has introduced with so much Art in each particular, that there is nothing which domineers above the rest; And this uniformity of Perfection is an Effect of the most Consummate Excellency which is to be attained.  
I thought to finish this demonstration, which certainly had been very glorious to him, in setting one of these seven Compositions in Parallel with a subject resembling it, treated of either by Leonardo da Vinci, or Raphael; for after these two Sovereign Painters, we need seek no more of the Moderns capable of this noble Contestation. But when I had well considered, that those kinds of Comparisons are almost always odious, I resolved to refer the Decision to all the World, without a syllable more, and content myself to affirm, that I had for this reason cast mine eyes upon the principal work of Leonardo, that renowned Supper of our B. Saviour, which he painted at Milan, in the time of our great King Francis the First; which succeeded so well for the fortunate Artist, that it purchased him the good Grace of their illustrious Monarch, who did him the honour to invite him to his Court, and retain him ever after in his particular Service. We have in the Royal Parish of St. Germains at Paris, an excellent good Copy of this Supper, which many believe to be of the very hand of Leonardo himself. But the same History has been frequently treated of by Raphael, and are all to be seen in Stamp, which is a most commodious expedient by which to paragon them, with that which we have in our Poussins' Work of the Seven Sacraments.  
But to arrive to this accurate Criticism with the requisite circumspection, and follow the guidance of our Principles; we must above all things remember, with what importance we have there established the diligent observation of decorum, in which consists the principal Magistry of Painting, and which is indeed (as we may say) the very Rational Soul of it, as the rest of the Mechanical supplements, Colour and the delineation of Figures compose the Body only with its Organical members: so as without the intelligence of this first part, nothing can be acceptable to the eyes of knowing men, who are always more offended with errors in judgement, the most essential and necessary Circumstances in an History, than in what may possibly be defective in the Mechanical part. Behold here the very knot of the Question, which yet will not prove so difficult to unravel, when we shall be fully instructed in the Ceremonial of this Supper, and above all in the posture which they used at Table in those days, which is here a very important consideration, and without which it is impossible to conceive, how St. john could decently repose his head upon the bosom of our Lord; since in that which we may observe in some representations of it, there is expressed a most unpardonable indecorum.  
In pursuit of this grand remark (the fame whereof is totally due to our knowing and most judicious Poussin; since before him we find it scarce considered by other Painters) it must visibly appear, that as this Action passed at Night, the Figures could not be conspicuous, but from an artificial light; for what other circumstance could represent it to be a Supper, and not a Dinner as well? Now these two are points so essential and necessary, that they are not to be dispensed withal without an inexcusable fault, and against all decorum. After these two rigorous observations, one may make other less important recherches; which yet would be attended with certain obvious and remarkable Circumstances, without which something will still be defective: As suppose upon that sudden emotion amongst the Apostles, when our B. Lord had advertised them, that One of them should that very night betray him; one should see St. john not only leaning, but asleep upon his dear Master's bosom, without so much as taking any notice with the rest, of what was said: This would certainly be a most unseasonable and altogether disadvantageous Posture in this Instance. I purposely take notice of this Absurdity amongst others, because it is realy so usual amongst our common Painters, and did once escape even Albert Durer himself, as is to be seen by one of his stamps, though this great Master had few equals in his Profession; but it seems he was not much acquainted with decorum.  
It would in like manner be a notable mistake to set St. john in any other place than by the side of our Saviour; because than he could not have inclined on his Master's Breast, as the Gospel does expressly observe it to us.  
By the sedulous examination of such like Particulars, we should soon be qualified to determine concerning the Spirit and judgement of a Painter, and after that, give Sentence boldly in favour of the most Ingenious and correct in this observation of Decorum; thereby imitating the example of those celebrated Arbiters of Antiquity, whom we have brought upon the Theatre, and to whom we are no less obliged, than are those whom they have immortalised by their Writings; seeing by the descriptions which they have left us of their Pieces and Works, with those excellent Reflections of theirs upon the merits and quality of the different Genius's of those renowned Painters of Greece, they have preserved that Idea of the Perfection of the Art, which would never have descended to us without them.  
'Twas from these incomparable Books that our illustrious Modern N. Poussin has been so well instructed, emulating even the most renowned of the Ancients, by the extraordinary Advantage which he gained by studying Humane-Letters, before he so much as ever took Pencil in hand; which is a thing at present as rare amongst Painters, as it is in truth absolutely necessary in those who aspire to its perfection: For since Poetry and Painting are but one and the same form of Genius; and that to emerge a good Poet, 'tis not held sufficient to be able to compose a well-measured Verse, with numbers agreeable to the Ear, unless what you write be sublime and ingenious also; it follows that in the School of Painting, he who applies not himself but to the designing of a Model, and relies upon his Pencil only, shall never prove other than a Mechanical Workman; unworthy the Character of a Painter, as our Poetaster would pass but for a simple Versificator.  
From all which we deduce, that in the service of this noble and glorious Princess of Arts, Painting, which is altogether composed of Spirit, One had need be endowed with Talents and Notices extraordinary, to pretend only to the honour of her good-Graces: And Those who by the meaness and dulness of their Nature, arrive no farther than the Mechanical part, resemble those ill-Courtiers of Penelope, who not having the Wit to insinuate themselves into her particular Esteem and Conversation, nor address enough, or Merit to render themselves considerable with the Lady, were forced to stay behind the more sprightly Gallants, and make Love to her waiting-women.   
FINIS.