d shade there are cases of this kind
in which the outline may with advantage, or even must for truth of
effect, be omitted. But the facts of the solid form are of so vital
importance, and the perfect command of them so necessary to the
dignity and intelligibility of the work, that the greatest artists,
even for their finished drawings, like to limit every solid form by a
fine line, whether its contour be visible to the eye or not.

26. An outline thus perfectly made with absolute decision, and with a
wash of one color above it, is the most masterly of all methods of
light and shade study, with limited time, when the forms of the
objects to be drawn are clear and unaffected by mist. But without any
wash of color, such an outline is the most valuable of all means for
obtaining such memoranda of any scene as may explain to another
person, or record for yourself, what is most important in its
features.

27. Choose, then, a subject that interests you; and so far as failure
of time or materials compels you to finish one part, or express one
character, rather than another, of course dwell on the features that
interest you most. But beyond this, forget, or even somewhat repress
yourself, and make it your first object to give a true idea of the
place to other people. You are not to endeavor to express your own
feelings about it; if anything, err on the side of concealing them.
What is best is not to think of yourself at all, but to state as
plainly and simply as you can the whole truth of the thing. What you
think unimportant in it may to another person be the most touching
part of it: what you think beautiful may be in truth commonplace and
of small value. Quietly complete each part to the best of your power,
endeavoring to maintain a steady and dutiful energy, and the tranquil
pleasure of a workman.

II.

LIGHT AND SHADE.

28. In my last Lecture I laid before you evidence that the greatness
of the master whom I wished you to follow as your only guide in
landscape depended primarily on his studying from Nature always with
the point; that is to say, in pencil or pen outline. To-day I wish to
show you that his preeminence depends secondarily on his perfect
rendering of form and distance by light and shade, before he admits a
thought of color.

I say "before" however--observe carefully--only with reference to the
construction of any given picture, not with reference to the order in
which he learnt his mechanical p