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fol. 29v 'Of Ideas of Truth' (Pt I, Sn I, Ch V) (3. ?, 105-6)
5 #58#< A man looking in a painting for imitation - does not reflect on forms
or tints - but endeavours to find places in which his senses are deceived -
and commonly dwells altogether on one truth - that of space & projection .
And so little are other truths thought of - that their presence is only partially
necessary to the illusion - So that there be >
10
idea of imitation only requires so many ideas of truth as the senses are usually
cognizant of . Now the senses are not ^ {<usually>} {accurately} cognizant of ^
{any} truths <of Form> {but those of space & projection} It requires
{long} attention and study before they give certain evidence of the simplest forms .
For instance - the quay in Claudes seapiece is egregiously out of perspective .
15 The eye of this artist - even with all his study . had not <therefore> acquired the
power of <giving> taking accurate cognizance of the form ^ {even} of a simple
parallelogram
How much less of the complicated forms of boughs - leaves or limbs: ^
{Although therefore} Something resembling the form is necessary therefore - to
deception - {this something} <but> there
are no degrees of Truth {is not worthy of being called a truth of form - for strictly
speaking.} - <and therefore it appears that no Truths of form are
20 necessary to ideas of imitation> .
Still less <a>is the eye cognizant of the uncert<ain truths of colour> . The only
fol. 30r 'Of Ideas of Truth' (Pt I, Sn I, Ch V) (3.106-7)
59
#59#< the contemplation of the various ideas of truth united i<t>n it - this would be true .
But it does not . <An idea> The pleasure derived from imitation consists solely
in the surprise at a things looking like what it is not - and involves no attention
to nor contemplation of - the truths it involves - <ab[?]> but a careless abandonment of
5 the senses to their united impression - or rather to the impression of two of them -
colour, and projection. If these two be observed - <and> {the} others <present> are
altogether >
#60#neglected - and so that there be just as> much approach to truth of form ^ {& colour}
as
^ {that little} we are usually cognizant of - though thousands of <truths> {other
principles}be violated and
of <truths> {facts} absent - the idea of imitation is complete . I would undertake
10 to paint an arm with every muscle out of its place - and every bone of an
impossible form and <a> dislocated articulation - and yet to observe certain course
and broad truths of outline - {which} with careful <colour and> shade would induce
deception -
<and make> and draw down the praise and delight of the discerning public.
The other day at Bruges. while I was endeavouring to set down in my note book
15 something of the ineffable expression of the Madonna in the Cathedral <->(which -
<(>- whether it be <s>Michel Agnolos#61# [sic] or not - is one of the noblest pieces of
marble in
Europe -) a French Amateur came up to me - to enquire if I had seen the
modern ^ {French} pictures in the neighbouring church . I had not - and felt little
inclined
to leave my marble for all the canvass that ever suffered from French brushes.
20 My <want of taste> apathy was attacked with gradually increasing energy of praise .
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MW