Statuary, instead of following the wild Lure of his own Imagination, or the Whims of modern Originals, fhould modeftly content himself to make PRODICUS's Judgment of HERCULES in XENOPHON'S Memorabilia; the perfect Beauty of LUCIAN; or the mythological Picture of Human Life written by CEBES, the Subject of his Imitation; I dare answer for it he would prefently excell his Brethren, and verify this Obfervation, that the most faithful Difciples of Nature are always the greatest Masters of Art. This Juftice, however, I must do my Countrymen, to observe, that there are still feveral among us *, who, in fpite of publick Depravity, retain a virtuous Love for the Arts, and make Ufe the End of their Endeavours. A Friend of mine, who is an Admirer of the three Pieces above-mentioned, took me to fee a Collection of Pictures, which were most of them taken from the Defigns of thofe celebrated WriAmong the reft I was particularly

ters.

* HOGARTH and WILSON have given the World fufficient Proofs of as true Genius for Defign as ever adorned the Art of Painting, however their ignorant Countrymen may have neglected fuch uncommon Talents.

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pleafed

pleased with four, which exceeded any modern Performances, I ever faw, in Contrivance and Execution. The Subjects were INFANCY, YOUTH, MANHOOD, and AGE, which were represented in the following manner. The principal Figure of the first Piece was a naked Child coming into a Wilderness, fupported by INNOCENCE and WONDER. At the Entrance

the FANCIES of various kinds stood ready to receive it, who were conducted, for the most part, by Impofture, Ignorance, and Error; fome few indeed by Reafon and Truth. Thofe, belonging to the former, were the Minifters of Mifery; those, to the latter, of Happiness. Both Parties feemed very defirous to allure the new Comer to their refpective Dwellings, and Doubt and Pleasure were blended together in the Infant's Countenance.-The fecond Piece was compofed of a Group not unlike the firft. A young Man was represented walking in a beautiful Garden, where all the Trees in full Bloffom were arranged in the most natural Manner; the Loves, the Graces, and Pleafures were courting his Embrace, whofe Careffes he returned

returned with mutual Ardor. Beneath the Feet of these was a Serpent crawling out from under a Bordure of Flowers; and, at a little Distance from thence, three or four Cupids binding Reafon in Chains. VENUS appeared above, defcending in a Chariot drawn by Doves, with her Idalian Son upon her Lap, and Indolence amidft her Court of infant Vices lolling on a Couch below. - MANHOOD, the Subject of the third Piece, was characterized by a sedate Person in a Vineyard at the time of Vintage. He was leaning in a thoughtful Posture, against a large Olive-Tree, whofe Fruit was falling round him. Ambition ftood on one side, pointing to the Temple of Glory, and Care on the other Side, with a wrinkled Forehead, looking at Neceffity. To these the Arts and Sciences were offering their Afsistance, and the Laws protecting them, with their written Tables in one hand, and the Sword of Justice in the other. But amidst all this Group, the Figures that looked the most amiable were Friendship, conjugal Love, and parental Affection. To give these the most heavenly Sweetness, the Painter

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Painter had exerted his utmoft Skill; and to these the principle Image feemed most attentive, as if he regarded the rest only as fubfervient to them.The fourth Piece remains to be defcribed. There was an old Man standing in a leaflefs Grove, with his unactive Arms folded together, as if he was fixed in the deepest Meditation. His Beard was long and white, and his Garments like thofe worn by the Athenian Sages. Reflection and Experience came behind him, and their Offspring Forefight and Precaution went before. Reafon, the great Queen of the intellectual Train, appeared in a triumphal Car, with the Paffions chained to the Wheels, and Opinion waiting on her Look: at fome Distance Hope and Peace were ready to conduct the Sage to the Temple of Death, who fate upon a Throne with Time, (his Train of Hours and Days attending round,) and feemed to invite the approaching Gueft with a friendly Smile of Salutation, and not to deter him with the Looks of Horror, in which the Guilty are accustomed to paint him.—In these four Pictures, the Seafons of Life, the

Paffions,

Paffions, &c. are most beautifully perfonified, and may ferve as a Specimen of what was esteemed ingenious and beautiful among the Ancients.

But befides thefe, I was not a little delighted with another fingle Piece in the fame Collection. It was the Wreck of a large Ship on a Rock; the Veffel is fup-posed to have just bulged, the Mariners are all in the utmost Confufion and Defpair, and in the midst of them upon the Deck ftands a beautiful young Woman looking down upon the Waves below, where an old Man is expiring with a dead Infant in his Arms: the one is fuppofed to be her Father, the other her Child: the lively Anguish, mixed with the most tender Looks of parental and filial Love, which the expreffes, never fails to raise in the Spectator of this Mafter-piece of Art, the most heart-ennobling Pity, and gives us a filent Leffon of Duty and Affection. Such Subjects as these ought to employ the Time of every Artist, where natural and moral Beauty would be again united as they were of old; for whenever a good Tafte prevails in the