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deformity for beauty。 But of this there is no danger； since the council has
determined to supply the academy with a variety of subjects； and indeed
those laws which they have drawn up； and which the secretary will
presently read for your confirmation； have in some measure precluded me
from saying more upon this occasion。 Instead； therefore； of offering my
advice； permit me to indulge my wishes； and express my hope； that this
institution may answer the expectations of its royal founder； that the
present age may vie in arts with that of Leo X。 and that 〃the dignity of the
dying art〃 （to make use of an expression of Pliny） may be revived under
the reign of George III。
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SEVEN DISCOURSES ON ART
A DISCOURSE II
Delivered to the Students of the Royal Academy； on the
Distribution of the Prizes； December 11； I769； by the President。
Gentlemen；I congratulate you on the honour which you have just
received。 I have the highest opinion of your merits； and could wish to
show my sense of them in something which possibly may be more useful
to you than barren praise。 I could wish to lead you into such a course of
study as may render your future progress answerable to your past
improvement； and； whilst I applaud you for what has been done； remind
you of how much yet remains to attain perfection。
I flatter myself； that from the long experience I have had； and the
unceasing assiduity with which I have pursued those studies； in which；
like you； I have been engaged； I shall be acquitted of vanity in offering
some hints to your consideration。 They are indeed in a great degree
founded upon my own mistakes in the same pursuit。 But the history of
errors properly managed often shortens the road to truth。 And although
no method of study that I can offer will of itself conduct to excellence； yet
it may preserve industry from being misapplied。
In speaking to you of the theory of the art； I shall only consider it as it
has a relation to the method of your studies。
Dividing the study of painting into three distinct periods； I shall
address you as having passed through the first of them； which is confined
to the rudiments； including a facility of drawing any object that presents
itself； a tolerable readiness in the management of colours； and an
acquaintance with the most simple and obvious rules of composition。
This first degree of proficiency is； in painting； what grammar is in
literature； a general preparation to whatever species of the art the student
may afterwards choose for his more particular application。 The power of
drawing； modelling； and using colours is very properly called the language
of the art； and in this language； the honours you have just received prove
you to have made no inconsiderable progress。
When the artist is once enabled to express himself with some degree of
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SEVEN DISCOURSES ON ART
correctness； he must then endeavour to collect subjects for expression； to
amass a stock of ideas； to be combined and varied as occasion may require。
He is now in the second period of study； in which his business is to learn
all that has hitherto been known and done。 Having hitherto received
instructions from a particular master； he is now to consider the art itself as
his master。 He must extend his capacity to more sublime and general
instructions。 Those perfections which lie scattered among various masters
are now united in one general idea； which is henceforth to regulate his
taste and enlarge his imagination。 With a variety of models thus before
him； he will avoid that narrowness and poverty of conception which
attends a bigoted admiration of a single master； and will cease to follow
any favourite where he ceases to excel。 This period is； however； still a
time of subjection and discipline。 Though the student will not resign
himself blindly to any single authority when he may have the advantage of
consulting many； he must still be afraid of trusting his own judgment； and
of deviating into any track where he cannot find the footsteps of some
former master。
The third and last period emancipates the student from subjection to
any authority but what he shall himself judge to be supported by reason。
Confiding now in his own judgment； he will consider and separate those
different principles to which different modes of beauty owe their original。
In the former period he sought only to know and combine excellence；
wherever it was to be found； into one idea of perfection； in this he learns；
what requires the most attentive survey and the subtle disquisition； to
discriminate perfections that are incompatible with each other。
He is from this time to regard himself as holding the same rank with
those masters whom he before obeyed as teachers； and as exercising a sort
of sovereignty over those rules which have hitherto restrained him。
Comparing now no longer the performances of art with each other； but
examining the art itself by the standard of nature； he corrects what is
erroneous； supplies what is scanty； and adds by his own observation what
the industry of his predecessors may have yet left wanting to perfection。
Having well established his judgment； and stored his memory； he may
now without fear try the power of his imagination。 The mind that has
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SEVEN DISCOURSES ON ART
been thus disciplined may be indulged in the warmest enthusiasm； and
venture to play on the borders of the wildest extravagance。 The habitual
dignity； which long converse with the greatest minds has imparted to him；
will display itself in all his attempts； and he will stand among his
instructors； not as an imitator； but a rival。
These are the different stages of the art。 But as I now address myself
particularly to those students who have been this day rewarded for their
happy passage through the first period； I can with no propriety suppose
they want any help in the initiatory studies。 My present design is to
direct your view to distant excellence； and to show you the readiest path
that leads to it。 Of this I shall speak with such latitude as may leave the
province of the professor uninvaded； and shall not anticipate those
precepts which it is his business to give and your duty to understand。
It is indisputably evident that a great part of every man's life must be
employed in collecting materials for the exercise of genius。 Invention；
strictly speaking； is little more than a new combination of those images
which have been previously gathered and deposited in the memory。
Nothing can come of nothing。 He who has laid up no materials can
produce no combinations。
A student unacquainted with the attempts of former adventurers is
always apt to overrate his own abilities； to mistake the most trifling
excursions for discoveries of moment； and every coast new to him for a
new…found country。 If by chance he passes beyond his usual limits； he
congratulates his own arrival at those regions which they who have steered
a better course have long left behind them。
The productions of such minds are seldom distinguished by an air of
originality： they are anticipated in their happiest efforts； and if they are
found to differ in anything from their predecessors； it is only in irregular
sallies and trifling conceits。 The more extensive therefore your
acquaintance is with the works of those who have excelled the more
extensive will be your powers of invention； and what may appear still
more l