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。 Even the meanest of them is difficult enough to attain； and the first place being already occupied by the great artists in either department； some of those who followed thought there was less room for them； and feeling the impulse of ambition and the desire of novelty； and being at the same time perhaps willing to take the shortest way； they endeavoured to make for themselves a place between both。 This they have effected by forming a union of the different orders。 But as the grave and majestic style would suffer by a union with the florid and gay； so also has the Venetian ornament in some respect been injured by attempting an alliance with simplicity。
It may be asserted that the great style is always more or less contaminated by any meaner mixture。 But it happens in a few instances that the lower may be improved by borrowing from the grand。 Thus； if a portrait painter is desirous to raise and improve his subject； he has no other means than by approaching it to a general idea。 He leaves out all the minute breaks and peculiarities in the face； and changes the dress from a temporary fashion to one more permanent； which has annexed to it no ideas of meanness from its being familiar to us。 But if an exact resemblance of an individual be considered as the sole object to be aimed at； the portrait painter will be apt to lose more than he gains by the acquired dignity taken from general nature。 It is very difficult to ennoble the character of a countenance but at the expense of the likeness； which is what is most generally required by such as sit to the painter。
Of those who have practised the composite style； and have succeeded in this perilous attempt； perhaps the foremost is Correggio。 His style is founded upon modern grace and elegance； to which is super； added something of the simplicity of the grand style。 A breadth of light and colour； the general ideas of the drapery； an uninterrupted flow of outline； all conspire to this effect。 Next him （perhaps equal to him） Parmegiano has dignified the genteelness of modern effeminacy by uniting it with the simplicity of the ancients and the grandeur and severity of Michael Angelo。 It must be confessed； however； that these two extraordinary men； by endeavouring to give the utmost degree of grace； have sometimes； perhaps； exceeded its boundaries； and have fallen into the most hateful of all hateful qualities； affectation。 Indeed； it is the peculiar characteristic of men of genius to be afraid of coldness and insipidity； from which they think they never can be too far removed。 It particularly happens to these great masters of grace and elegance。 They often boldly drive on to the very verge of ridicule； the spectator is alarmed； but at the same time admires their vigour and intrepidity。
Strange graces still； and stranger flights they had； 。 。 。 Yet ne'er so sure our passion to create Ae when they touch'd the brink of all we hate。
The errors of genius； however； are pardonable； and none even of the more exalted painters are wholly free from them； but they have taught us； by the rectitude of their general practice； to correct their own affected or accidental deviation。 The very first have not been always upon their guard； and perhaps there is not a fault but what may take shelter under the most venerable authorities； yet that style only is perfect in which the noblest principles are uniformly pursued； and those masters only are entitled to the first rank in； our estimation who have enlarged the boundaries of their art； and have raised it to its highest dignity； by exhibiting the general ideas of nature。
On the whole； it seems to me that there is but one presiding principle which regulates and gives stability to every art。 The works； whether of poets； painters； moralists； or historians； which are built upon general nature； live for ever； while those which depend for their existence on particular customs and habits； a partial view of nature； or the fluctuation of fashion； can only be coeval with that which first raised them from obscurity。 Present time and future maybe considered as rivals； and he who solicits the one must expect to be discountenanced by the other。
A DISCOURSE
Delivered to the Students of the Royal Academy on the Distribution of the Prizes； December 10； 1772； by the President。
Gentlemen；I purpose to carry on in this discourse the subject which I began in my last。 It was my wish upon that occasion to incite you to pursue the higher excellences of the art。 But I fear that in this particular I have been misunderstood。 Some are ready to imagine； when any of their favourite acquirements in the art are properly classed； that they are utterly disgraced。 This is a very great mistake： nothing has its proper lustre but in its proper place。 That which is most worthy of esteem in its allotted sphere becomes an object； not of respect； but of derision； when it is forced into a higher； to which it is not suited； and there it becomes doubly a source of disorder； by occupying a situation which is not natural to it； and by putting down from the first place what is in reality of too much magnitude to become with grace and proportion that subordinate station； to which something of less value would be much better suited。
My advice in a word is this： keep your principal attention fixed upon the higher excellences。 If you compass them and compass nothing more； you are still in the first class。 We may regret the innumerable beauties which you may want： you may be very imperfect： but still； you are an imperfect person of the highest order。
If； when you have got thus far； you can add any； or all； of the subordinate qualifications； it is my wish and advice that you should not neglect them。
But this is as much a matter of circumspection and caution at least as of eagerness and pursuit。
The mind is apt to be distracted by a multiplicity of pursuits； and that scale of perfection； which I wish always to be preserved； is in the greatest danger of being totally disordered； and even inverted。
Some excellences bear to be united； and are improved by union； others are of a discordant nature； and the attempt to join them only produces a harsher jarring of incongruent principles。
The attempt to unite contrary excellences （of form； for instance） in a single figure； can never escape degenerating into the monstrous； but by sinking into the insipid； taking away its marked character； and weakening its expression。
This remark is true to a certain degree with regard to the passions。 If you mean to preserve the most perfect beauty in its most perfect state； you cannot express the passions； which produce （all of them） distortion and deformity； more or less； in the most beautiful faces。
Guido； from want of choice in adapting his subject to his ideas and his powers； or in attempting to preserve beauty where it could not be preserved has in this respect succeeded very ill。 His figures are often engaged in subjects that required great expression： yet his 〃Judith and Holofernes；〃 the 〃Daughter of Herodias with the Baptist's Head；〃 the 〃Andromeda；〃 and even the 〃Mothers of the Innocents；〃 have little more expression than his 〃Venus attired by the Graces。〃
Obvious as these remarks appear； there are many writers on our art； who； not being of the profession； and consequently not knowing what can or what cannot be done； have been very liberal of absurd praises in their descriptions of favourite works。 They always find in them what they are resolved to find。 They praise excellences that can hardly exist together； and above all things are fond of describing with great exactness the expression of a mixed passion； which more particularly appears to me out of the reach of our art。
Such are many disquisitions which I have read on some of the cartoons and other pictures of Raffaelle； where the critics have described their own imagination； or indeed where the excellent master himself may have attempted this expression of passions above the powers of the art； and has； therefore； by an indistinct and imperfect marking； left room for every imagination； with equal probability to find a passion of his own。 What has been； and what can be done in the art； is sufficiently difficult； we need not be mortified or discouraged for not being able to execute the conceptions of a romantic imagination。 Art has its boundaries； though imagination has none。 We can easily； like the ancients； suppose a Jupiter to be possessed of all those powers and perfections which the subordinate Deities were endowed with separately。 Yet； when they employed their art to represent him； they confined his character to majesty alone。 Pliny； therefore； though we are under great obligations to him for the information he has given us in relation to the works of the ancient artists； is very frequently wrong when he speaks of them； which he does very often in the style of many of our modern connoisseurs。 He observes that in a statue of Paris； by Fuphranor； you might discover at the same time three different characters； the dignity of a judge of the goddesses； the lover of Helen； and the conqueror of Achilles。 A statue in which you endeavour to unite stately dignity； youthful elegance； and stern