have adopted a more liberal style of
imitation: Pelegrino Tibaldi, Rosso, and Primaticio did not coldly
imitate, but caught something of the fire that animates the works of
Michael Angelo. The Carraches formed their style from Pelegrino Tibaldi,
Correggio, and the Venetian School. Domenichino, Guido, Lanfranco,
Albano, Guercino, Cavidone, Schidone, Tiarini, though it is sufficiently
apparent that they came from the School of the Carraches, have yet the
appearance of men who extended their views beyond the model that lay
before them, and have shown that they had opinions of their own, and
thought for themselves, after they had made themselves masters of the
general principles of their schools.

Le Seure's first manner resembles very much that of his master Vovet: but
as he soon excelled him, so he differed from him in every part of the
art. Carlo Marratti succeeded better than those I have first named, and
I think owes his superiority to the extension of his views; besides his
master Andrea Sacchi, he imitated Raffaelle, Guido, and the Carraches. It
is true, there is nothing very captivating in Carlo Marratti; but this
proceeded from wants which cannot be completely supplied; that is, want
of strength of parts. In this, certainly men are not equal, and a man
can bring home wares only in proportion to the capital with which he goes
to market. Carlo, by diligence, made the most of what he had; but there
was undoubtedly a heaviness about him, which extended itself, uniformly
to his invention, expression, his drawing, colouring, and the general
effect of his pictures. The truth is, he never equalled any of his
patterns in any one thing, and he added little of his own.

But we must not rest contented, even in this general study of the
moderns; we must trace back the art to its fountain head, to that source
from whence they drew their principal excellences, the monuments of pure
antiquity.

All the inventions and thoughts of the ancients, whether conveyed to us
in statues, bas-reliefs, intaglios, cameos, or coins, are to be sought
after and carefully studied: The genius that hovers over these venerable
relics may be called the father of modern art.

From the remains of the works of the ancients the modern arts were
revived, and it is by their means that they must be restored a second
time. However it may mortify our vanity, we must be forced to allow them
our masters; and we may venture to prophecy, that when they