lected by
Atticus, or copied by the hand of Boccaccio and Petrarch, must have
risen in value, associating it with the known taste and judgment of the
COLLECTOR.

THE HISTORY OF THE CARACCI.

The congenial histories of literature and of art are accompanied by the
same periodical revolutions; and none is more interesting than that one
which occurs in the decline and corruption of arts, when a single mind
returning to right principles, amidst the degenerated race who had
forsaken them, seems to create a new epoch, and teaches a servile race
once more how to invent! These epochs are few, but are easily
distinguished. The human mind is never stationary; it advances or it
retrogrades: having reached its meridian point, when the hour of
perfection has gone by, it must verge to its decline. In all Art,
perfection lapses into that weakened state too often dignified as
classical imitation; but it sinks into mannerism, and wantons into
affectation, till it shoots out into fantastic novelties. When all
languishes in a state of mediocrity, or is deformed by false tastes,
then is reserved for a fortunate genius the glory of restoring another
golden age of invention. The history of the Caracci family serves as an
admirable illustration of such an epoch, while the personal characters
of the three Caracci throw an additional interest over this curious
incident in the history of the works of genius.

The establishment of the famous _accademia_, or school of painting, at
Bologna, which restored the art in the last stage of degeneracy,
originated in the profound meditations of Lodovico. There was a happy
boldness in the idea; but its great singularity was that of discovering
those men of genius, who alone could realise his ideal conception,
amidst his own family circle; and yet these were men whose opposite
dispositions and acquirements could hardly have given any hope of mutual
assistance; and much, less of melting together their minds and their
work in such an unity of conception and execution, that even to our days
they leave the critics undetermined which of the Caracci to prefer; each
excelling the other in some pictorial quality. Often combining together
in the same picture, the mingled labour of three painters seemed to
proceed from one palette, as their works exhibit which adorn the
churches of Bologna. They still dispute about a picture, to ascertain
which of the Caracci painted it; and still one prefers Lodovico for hi