66

The bone of the arm, called Humerus, is the length of two faces from the shoulder to the elbow.

66

you

From the end of the elbow to the root of the little finger, the bone called Cubitus, with part of the hand, contains two faces. From the box of the shoulder-blade to the pit berwixt the collar-bones, one face. 66 If would be satisfied in the measure of breadth, from the extremity of one finger to the other, so that this breadth should be equal to the length of the body, you must observe, that the boxes of the elbows with the humerus, and of the humerus with the shoulder blade, bear the proportion of half a face when the arms are stretched out. The sole of the foot is the sixth part

of the figure.

"The hand is the length of a face. • The thumb contains a nose.

"The inside of the arm, from the place where the muscle disappears, which makes the breast, (called the Pectoral muscle,) to the middle of the arm, four noses.

"From the middle of the arm to the beginning of the head, five noses.

"The longest toe is a nose long.

"The two utmost parts of the teats; and the pit betwixt the collar-bones of a woman, make an equilateral triangle.

"For the breadth of the limbs, no precise measures can be given, because the measures themselves are changeable, according to the quality of the persons, and according to the movement of the muscles." Du Piles.

The measures of the ancient statues, by Audran, appear to be the most useful, as they are accompanied with the outline of the figures which are most distinguished for

correctness.

NOTE XIX. VERSE 150.

But chief from her that flowing outline take,

R.

The French editor,* who republished this poem in the year 1753, (eighty-five years later than the first edition of Du Piles,) remarks here, that Noël Coypel, (called Coy

He calls himself, in the Paris edition, intitled,

Ecole d'Uranie," Le Sieur M. D. Q. The Abbe De Marsy's Poem, intitled, Pictura, is annexed to Du Fres noy's in that edition,

him to convey

pel le Poussin,) in a discourse which he published and addressed to the French Academy says, "That all which our Author has delivered concerning outlines (contours) in this passage, does not appear to any precise or certain rules. He adds, that it is indeed almost a thing impossible to give them, particularly in what regards grace and elegance of outline, Anatomy and proportion, according to him, may enable a person to design with correctness, but cannot give that noble part of the art, which ought to be attributed to the mind or understanding, according to which it is more or less delicate." I think Fresnoy has hinted the very same thing more than once; and, perhaps, like Coypel, lays too great a stress on the mental faculty, which we call Strength of Genius: but the consideration of this does not come within the province which I have allotted myself in these critical notes.

M.

NOTE XX. VERSE 162.

Yet deem not, Youths, that Perspective can give Those charms complete, by which your works shall live.

The translator has softened, if not changed the text, which boldly pronounces that Perspective cannot be depended on as a certain rule. Fresnoy was not aware that he was arguing from the abuse of the Art of Perspective, the business of which is to represent objects as they appear to the eye, or as they are delineated on a transparent plane placed between the spectator and the object. The rules of Perspective, as well as all other rules, may be injudiciously applied; and it must be acknowledged that a misapplication of them is but too frequently found even in the works of the most considerable artists. It is not uncommon to see a figure on the foreground represented near twice the size of another which is supposed to be removed but a few feet behind it: this, though true according to rule, will appear monstrous. This error proceeds from placing the point of distance too near the point of sight, by

which means the diminution of objects is so sudden as to appear unnatural, unless you stand so near the picture as the point of distance requires, which would be too near for the eye to comprehend the whole picture ; whereas, if the point of distance is removed so far as the spectator may be supposed to stand in order to see commodiously, and take within his view the whole, the figures behind would then suffer under no such violent diminution. Du Piles, in his note on this passage, endeavours to confirm Fresnoy in his prejudice, by giving an instance which proves, as he imagines, the uncertainty of the art. He supposes it employed to delineate the Trajan Pillar, the figures on which, being, as he says, larger at the top than the bottom, would counteract the effects of perspective. The folly of this needs no comment. I shall only observe, by the way, that the fact is not true, the figures on that pillar being all of the same dimensions. R.