Previous Page Close Next Page

fol. 10v	Chapter II in Part I, Section I: 'Definition of Greatness in Art' (3.90-92) ?
      
      
      
     has in itself  .. {high} powers of attraction and ent<ice>ertainment - wholly
     independent
     of the ideas it conveys.  and not less in degree - <*.*> nor demanding less
     exertion of mind & devotion of time to bring to perfection than the whole
     art of music .
 5   
      
      
      
10   
      
      
      
15   
     and for the language - therefore - <only> {only} insomuch <as it> {as it} is necessary
     to the clear convey<ance>{ing}
     of those thoughts
      
20   
fol. 11r		Chapter II in Part I, Section I: 'Definition of Greatness in Art' (3.90-92)
      
      
      
     painting is not only <most> {very} attractive and entertaining to the spectator . but
     requires no small exertion of mind and no limited devotion of time
     to bring {it} to any degree of perfection.    That which is both difficult to
     to do and attractive when done . naturally draws to itself much of the effort
 5   of the artist - & attention of the critic . and is frequently thought by the
     one to be the end - and by the other - the test of art.  <And> <t>Thus men
     have frequently fancied that they were becoming rhetoricians & poets -
     when they were only learning to speak <plain> {melodiously} . and the judge has
     over and over <-> again  - advanced to the honour of authors those who
10   were never more than ^ {ornamental} writing masters .
     It <is not thus that the claims of artists to distinction are to be determined -
     or> that the taste of the multitude always awake to the ^ {lowest} pleasures of which
     art can bestow - & blunt to the highest . is to be formed or elevated .   It
     must be the part of the judicious critic <of*> carefully to distinguish what is
15   language . & what is thought. & to rank and praise pictures for their
     thoughts only. ^ considering <the language,> as {& <especially in[?] its[?]>
     {the}decorative part of language}< entirely> a <secondary> point of
     excellence . ^ {in totally different & inferior matter} and one which cannot be
     compared with or weighed against
     thought in any way or in any degree whatsoever .     *Vol 2.  Pa. 2 .    The
     picture . <down> to end -
20   We lay down then . an universal rule    *That the greatest painting is

Previous Page Close Next Page

MW