le connoisseur! "And did you step in to take
a look at the grand picture on your way back." "It is a melancholy daub!
my lord, not one principle of the pyramid in any one group; there is
nothing of the colouring of Titian, the expression of Rubens, the grace
of Raphael, the purity of Domenichino, the corregiescity of Corregio, the
learning of Poussin, the airs of Guido, the taste of the Caraccis, or the
grand contour of Angelo." "Grant me patience, just heaven! Of all the
cants which are canted in this canting world, though the cant of
hypocrites may be the worst--the cant of criticism is the most
tormenting! I would go fifty miles on foot, for I have not a horse worth
riding on, to kiss the hand of that man whose generous heart will give up
the reins of his imaginations into his author's hands; be pleased, he
knows not why, and cares not wherefore. Great Apollo! if thou art in a
giving humour, give me--I ask no more--but one stroke of native humour
with a single spark of thy own fire along with it, and send Mercury with
the rules and compasses if he can be spared, with my compliments, to--no
matter."

This is all very amusing, and I don't know that the case upon that side
could be better stated, except that it is overstated; for, if this be
true, there ought to be no such thing as criticism at all, and all rules
are worse than useless. Everybody may do as he pleases. And yet we know
that not only is there a right way and a wrong of painting a picture,
writing a book, making a building, or composing a symphony, but there are
rules which, if disobeyed, will destroy the work. These rules,
apparently artificial, have their foundation in nature, and were first
dictated by her. Only we must be careful still to appeal constantly to
her as the source and fountain of our rules.

"First follow nature, and your judgment frame
By her just standard, which is still the same,
Unerring nature, still divinely blight,
One clear, unchanged, and universal light,
Life, force, and beauty must to all impart,
At once the source, and end, and test of art."

By too much attention to theory, by too close a study of books, we may
become narrow-minded and pedantic, and gradually may become unable to
appreciate natural beauties, our whole attention being concentrated on
the defects in art. We want to listen to the call of the poet,

"Come forth into the light of things,
Let nature be your teacher."

It is n