Anecdotes of Painting in England (Volume 3)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1786. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAP. I. Painters in the Reign of Charles II. THE arts were in a manner expelled with the Royal Family from Britain. .The anecdotes of a Civil War are the history of Destruction. In all ages the mob have vented their hatred to Tyrants on the pomp of Tyranny. The magnificence the people have envied, they grow to detest, and mistaking consequences for causes, the sirst objects of their fury are the palaces of their masters. If Religion is thrown into the quarrel, the most innocent arts are catalogued with sins. This was the cafe in the contests between Charles and his parliament. As he had blended asfection to the sciences with a lust of power, nonsense and ignorance were adopted into the liberties of the subject. Painting became idolatry; Vol* III, A monuments monuments were deemed carnal pride, and a venerable cathedral seemed equally contradictory to Magna Charta and the Bible. Learning and wit were construed to be so heathen, that one would have thought the Holy Ghost could endure nothing above a pun. What the fury of Henry VIII. had spared, was condemned by the Puritans: Ruin was their harvest, and they gleaned after the Reformers. Had they .countenanced any of the softer arts, what could thoie arts have represented? How picturesque was the figure of an Anabaptist? But sectaries have no ostensible enjoyments; their plea.fures are private, comfortable and gross. The arts that civilize society are not calculated for men who mean to rise on the ruins of established order. Jargon and austerities are the weapons that best serve the purposes of heresiarcs and innovators. The sciences have toeen excommunicated from the Gnostics to Mr.Whitfieldv The restoration of royalty brought back the arts, not taste. Charles II. had a turn to mechanics, none to the pol...