Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1790 edition. Excerpt: ... L ET T E R CONCERNING D E S I G N. Mt? Lord, .. X HIS letter comes to your Lordship, accompanied with a small writing, intitled, A Notion: for such alone can that piece deservedly be called, which aspires no higher than to the forming of a project, and that too in so vulgar a science as painting. But whatever the subject be, if it can prove any way entertaining to you, it will sufficiently answer my design. And if possible it may have that good success, 1 should have no ordinary opinion of my project; since I know how hard it would be to give your Lordship a real entertainment by any thing which was not in some respect worthy and useful. On this account I must, by way of prevention, inform your Lordship, that after I had conceived my Notion such as you fee it upon paper; I was not contented with this, but fell directly to work; and, by the hand of a master- painter, brought it into practice, and formed a real design. This was not enough, I resolved afterwards to fee what effect it would have, when taken out of mere black and white, into colors: and thus a sketch was afterwards drawn. This pleased so well, that being encouraged by the virtuosi, who are so eminent in this part of the world, I resolved at last to engage my painter in the great work. Immediately a cloth was bespoke of a suitable dimension, and the figures taken as big or bigger than the common life; the subject being of the heroic kind, and requiring rather such figures as should appear aboye ordinary human stature. Thus my Notion, as light as it may prove in the treatise, is become very substantial in the workmanship. The piece is still in hand, and like to continue so for some time; otherwise the first draught or design should have accompanied the treatise, as the...
