warm Applause of the Heart by an irrefiftible Force, and the Judgment fearfully fufpends the Exercise of her Faculties over the feeming Deficiencies at a diftance, as if each Stroke was the immediate Inspiration of Heaven, and there was nothing left for the human Mind to do, but to wonder and adore. Now if we look into the Lives of these two eminent Painters, we fhall obferve in them a correfponding Similarity to the different Defects and Excellencies in their respective Performances. The firft, MICHAEL ANGELO, lived in the most reclufe manner, was ftrict even to the greatest Severity in his Morals, and gave himself entirely up to the Cultivation of the Arts he profefs'd. Notwithstanding, all his Actions were blameless, nay rather commendable, when examin'd only by the Rules of Moral Rectitude; yet wanting that Eafe and gentle Deportment, which an habitual Intercourfe with Mankind imperceptibly gives us, he was fo difpleafing in Converfation that he was

avoided

avoided at last by every Acquaintance; and, whilft RAPHAEL'S Houfe was crowded with Friends and Difciples, the World willingly left him to the Enjoyment of his belov'd Solitude. RAPHAEL, on the contrary, was a Man of the World, violently addicted by his Conftitution to Pleafure, but more particularly to the Love of Women, infomuch that having, we are told, one Day abandon'd himself to the Enjoyment of feveral, he was taken ill of a burning Fever, and, concealing the Cause of his Diftemper from the Phy ficians, he was carried off in the thirtyfeventh Year of his Age, to the unfpeakable Grief of all who knew the Man, or admir'd the Artist. Notwithstanding these human Infirmities, he poffefs'd fuch a natural and acquir'd Sweetness of Temper, and Complacency in Behaviour, fo Analogous to that undefineable Grace in his Painting,

The dark gloomy Colouring we find in the Pieces of the Baffans, arofe from the Horror of their diftemper'd Imaginations,

"That

Painting, that he was univerfally belov'd by all who knew him, and the feverest Moralift was charm'd with his Converfation tho' he condemn'd his Conduct *. I cannot help obferving in this place, and I hope it is not foreign to the Subject, that frequent Converfation with Women harmonizes the Souls of Men, and gives 'em that enchanting Grace, which has fo often delighted us both in the Address of feveral of our Acquaintance, not very eminent for their Virtues or Underftanding. I am of Opinion, it was this conftant Idea of Delicacy and Softness, collected

"That furly Spirit Melancholy

"Had bak'd their Blood and made it heavy thick."

Shakespear's K. John.

Therefore they made choice of fuch Objects to paint, as were refponfive to the internal Shade in their Minds, particularly Night-Pieces, where their Souls poured forth their unconstrain'd Difpofitions upon the Canvass, and indulged in beloved Darknefs. Whenever they were, against their Choice, employ'd upon other Subjects, the ftrong Shades lower'd upon every Landscape, and even the chearful Light of the Sun itself was greatly obfcur'd by Geniuses which naturally delighted in his Abfence.

In the two Characters of MICHAEL ANGELO, and RAPHAEL, this Obfervation of Quintilian's was verify'd, In quibufdam virtutes non habent gratiam, in quibufdam vitia ipfa delectant. Lib. II. cap. 3.

lected from an habitual Intercourfe with these fair Polishers of our Sex, and united into one complicated Form of Beauty, which, playing perpetually in the Soul of RAPHAEL, diffus'd itself thro' his Pencil over all his Works; and thro' his Looks, Deportment, and Tongue, over all his Words and Actions. Such, by the Appointment of Heaven, has ever been, and ever will be the Power of these amiable Creatures!I have fo much Vanity to think you will read the latter part of this Letter to AMELIA, that every one, who efteems you, may in a great measure hereafter seem to pay her a kind of an indirect Compliment. She has often told me, you know, that I am one of the loyaleft Subjects the Sex ever had, and, I dare say, will not be difpleas'd with this fresh Proclamation of their Dominion, You may add farther, that I think Women are the Fountains from whence flow the blended Streams of Taste and Pleafure, and that the Draught of Life is more or less sweet as they are mingled in the Cup. Adieu. LET

LETTER V.

To the Same.

OU feem to think, EUPHEMIUS,

YOU

that I contradicted in Converfation the other Day, in a great measure what I advanc'd in a former Letter to you, by allowing CRONOPHILUS to be a Man of a ftrong Understanding and great Erudition, and yet at the fame time afferting he had little or no Tafte. But according to my Obfervation, what I wrote, and what I faid, are very reconcileable. For Tafte does not wholly depend upon the natural Strength and acquir'd Improvement of the Intellectual Powers; nor wholly upon a fine Conftruction of the Organs of the Body; nor wholly upon the intermediate Powers of the Imagination; but upon a Union of them all happily blended, without too great a Prevalency in either. Hence it falls out, that one Man may be a very great Reafoner;

another have the fineft Genius for Poe

try;