different forms and characters, be introduced in a work where many figures are required, care must be taken that those different characters have a certain consonance of parts among themselves, such as is generally found in nature a fat face, for instance, is usually accompanied with a proportional degree of corpulency of body; an aquiline nose for the most part belongs to a thin countenance, with a body and limbs corresponding to it; but these are observations which must occur to every body.

Yet there are others that are not so obvious; and those who have turned their thoughts this way, may form a probable conjecture concerning the form of the rest of the figure from a part, from the fingers, or from a single feature of the face: for instance, those who are born crook-backed have commonly a peculiar form of lips and expression in the mouth, that strongly denotes that deformity.

R.

Learn action from the dumb, the dumb shall teach How happiest to supply the want of speech.

Gesture is a language we are born with, and is the most natural way of expressing ourselves: Painting may be said therefore in this respect to have the superiority over Poetry.

:

Fresnoy, however, certainly means here persons either born dumb, or who are become so from accident or violence; and the translator has, therefore, rendered his meaning justly but persons who are born dumb are commonly deaf also, and their gestures are usually extravagant and forced; and of those who have become dumb by accident or violence examples are too rare to furnish the Painter with sufficient observation. I would wish therefore to understand the rule, as dictating to the Artist, to observe how persons, with naturally good expressive features, are affected in their looks and actions by any spectacle or sentiment which they see or hear, and to copy the gestures which they then silently make use of: but he should ever take these lessons from nature only,

and not imitate her at second-hand, as many French Painters do, who appear to take their ideas, not only of grace and dignity, but of emotion and passion, from their theatrical heroes; which is imitating an imitation, and often a false or exaggerated imitation.

NOTE XXIV. VERSE 180.

Fair in the front, in all the blaze of light,
The Hero of thy piece should meet the sight.

R:

There can be no doubt that this figure should be laboured in proportion as it claims. the attention of the spectator, but there is no necessity that it should be placed in the middle of the picture, or receive the principal light; this conduct, if always observed, would reduce the art of Composition to too great a uniformity.

It is sufficient, if the place he holds, or the attention of the other figures to him, denote him the hero of the piece.

The principal figure may be too principal. The harmony of composition requires that the inferior characters bear some proportion, according to their several stations, to the hero of the work.

This rule, as enforced by Fresnoy, may be said more properly to belong to the art in its infant state, or to be directed to young students as a first precept; but the more advanced know that such an apparent artificial disposition would be in reality for that reason. inartificial.

NOTE XXV. VERSE 192.

In every figured group the judging eye
Demands the charms of contrariety.

R.

The rule of contrasting figures, or groups, is not only universally known and adopted, but it is frequently carried to such excess, that our Author might, perhaps, with more propriety have fixed his caution on the other side, and recommended to the artist, not to destroy the grandeur and simplicity of his design by violent and affected contrasts.

The artless uniformity of the compositions of the old Gothick Painters is far preferable to this false refinement, this ostentatious display of academick art. A greater degree of contrast and variety may be allowed in the picturesque or ornamental style; but we must not forget that they are the natural enemies

of simplicity, and consequently of the grand style, and destroy that solemn majesty, that soft repose, which is produced in a great measure by regularity and uniformity.

An instance occurs to me where those two qualities are separately exhibited by two great Painters, Rubens and Titian. The picture of Rubens is in the Church of St. Augustine at Antwerp; the subject (if that may be called a subject where no story is represented) is the Virgin and infant Christ, placed high in the picture on a pedestal, with many saints about them, and as many below them, with others on the steps, to serve as a link to unite the upper and lower part of the picture.

The composition of this picture is perfect in its kind; the artist has shown the greatest skill in disposing and contrasting more than twenty figures without confusion and without crowding; the whole appearing as much animated and in motion as it is possible, where nothing is to be done.

The picture of Titian, which we would oppose to this, is in the church of the Frari at Venice. The peculiar character of this