FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101  
102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   >>   >|  
performed by the most moving Eloquence. These invaluable Pieces are very justly in the Hands of the greatest and most pious Sovereign in the World; and cannot be the frequent Object of every one at their own Leisure: But as an Engraver is to the Painter what a Printer is to an Author, it is worthy Her Majesty's Name, that she has encouraged that Noble Artist, Monsieur _Dorigny_, [5] to publish these Works of _Raphael_. We have of this Gentleman a Piece of the Transfiguration, which, I think, is held a Work second to none in the World. Methinks it would be ridiculous in our People of Condition, after their large Bounties to Foreigners of no Name or Merit, should they overlook this Occasion of having, for a trifling Subscription, a Work which it is impossible for a Man of Sense to behold, without being warmed with the noblest Sentiments that can be inspired by Love, Admiration, Compassion, Contempt of this World, and Expectation of a better. It is certainly the greatest Honour we can do our Country, to distinguish Strangers of Merit who apply to us with Modesty and Diffidence, which generally accompanies Merit. No Opportunity of this Kind ought to be neglected; and a modest Behaviour should alarm us to examine whether we do not lose something excellent under that Disadvantage in the Possessor of that Quality. My Skill in Paintings, where one is not directed by the Passion of the Pictures, is so inconsiderable, that I am in very great Perplexity when I offer to speak of any Performances of Painters of Landskips, Buildings, or single Figures. This makes me at a loss how to mention the Pieces which Mr. _Boul_ exposes to Sale by Auction on _Wednesday_ next in _Shandois-street_: But having heard him commended by those who have bought of him heretofore for great Integrity in his Dealing, and overheard him himself (tho a laudable Painter) say, nothing of his own was fit to come into the Room with those he had to sell, I fear'd I should lose an Occasion of serving a Man of Worth, in omitting to speak of his Auction. T. [Footnote 1: Swift to Stella, Nov. 18, 1711. Do you ever read the SPECTATORS? I never do; they never come in my way; I go to no coffee-houses. They say abundance of them are very pretty; they are going to be printed in small volumes; Ill bring them over with me.] [Footnote 2: _Pictura Poesis erit_. Hor.] [Footnote 3: Brotherly] [Footnote 4: coelestial] [Footnote
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101  
102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Footnote

 

Auction

 
Occasion
 

Pieces

 

greatest

 

Painter

 

Perplexity

 

Integrity

 

heretofore

 
Figures

bought

 
Dealing
 
overheard
 
Pictures
 
inconsiderable
 

Passion

 

single

 

Performances

 

Wednesday

 

exposes


Landskips

 

Painters

 

Shandois

 

commended

 

Buildings

 

street

 

mention

 

pretty

 
abundance
 

printed


houses

 

coffee

 

volumes

 

Brotherly

 
coelestial
 
Poesis
 

Pictura

 
SPECTATORS
 
directed
 

laudable


serving
 
Stella
 

omitting

 

Modesty

 

publish

 

Raphael

 

Dorigny

 

encouraged

 

Artist

 

Monsieur