fected it) to teach all the fciences by them alone; and that with as much certitude, and infinitely more expedition, than by the most accurate method that was ever yet produced. What a specimen of this, Jo. AMOS COMMENIUS, in his orbis fenfualium piltus, gives us in a nomenclator of all the fundamental things and actions of men in the whole world, is public, and I do boldly affirm it to be a peice of fuch excellent ufe, as that the like was never extant, however it comes not yet to be perceived. A thoufand pities it is, that in the edition published by Mr. HooLE, the cuts were fo wretchedly engraven: I do, therefore, heartily wish, that this might excite fome gallant and public minded perfon to augment and proceed farther upon that moft useful defign; which yet comes greatly fhort of the perfection it is capable of, were fome additions made, and the prints reformed, and improved to the utmoft by the fkilful hand of fome rare artift. In the mean time, what a treasury of excellent things might by this expedient be conveyed and impreffed into the waxen tables and imaginations of children! feeing, there is nothing more prepofterous, than to force thofe things into the ear, which are vifible and the proper objects of the eye; for PICTURE is a kind of UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE, how diverse foever the tongues and vocal expreffions of the feveral nations which speak them may appear; [folet enim pictura tacens loqui, maximeque prodeffe]" a picture, though it has no tongue, can "fpeak, and convey useful inftructions; as NAZIANZEN has it: fo as, if ever, by this, is that long fought for art most likely to be accomplished,

Nor

Nor can any words whatever hope to reach thofe descriptions, which, in a numberless fort of things, picture does immediately, and as it were at one glance interpret to the meaneft of capacities: for initance, in our herbals, books of infects, birds, beasts, fifbes, buildings, monuments, and the reft which make up the cycle of the learned ABBOT; fome of them haply never seen before, or so much as heard of, as ELIAN does upon occafion ingenuously acknowledge. And what do we find more in request amongst the ancients, than the images of their heroes and illuftrious predeceffors, fuch as ATTICUS and MARCUS VARRO collected? All which confidered, we do not doubt to affirm, that by the application of this ART alone, not only children, but even ftriplings well advanced in age, might receive incredible advantages, preparatory to their entrance into the fchool intellectual, by an univerfal and choice collection of prints and cuts well defigned, engraven and difpofed, much after the manner and method of the abovenamed VILLELOIN; which fhould contain, as it were, a kind of encyclopædia of all intelligible and memorable things, that either are or have ever been in rerum natura. It is not to be conceived of what advantage this would prove for the institution of PRINCES and noble perfons, who are not to be treated with the ruder difficulties of the vulgar grammar schools only, and abstruser notions of things in the rest of the fciences, without these auxiliaries; but to be allured and courted into knowledge, and the love of it, by all fuch fubfidiaries and helps as may beft reprefent it to them in picture, nomenclator, and the most pleasing

defcriptions

defcriptions of fenfual objects, which naturally flide into their fluid and tender apprehenfions, fpeedily poffeffing their memories, and with infinite delight preparing them for the more profound and folid ftudies.

SENECA, indeed, seems to refuse the graphical fciences thofe advantages which others of the PHILOSOPHERS have given to them amongst the most liberal, as reckoning them fomewhat too voluptuary for his ftoical humour: yet did SOCRATES learn this very art of carving of his father; DIOGENES drew the picture of PLATO; and the orator MESSALLA Commends it moft highly. But what more concerns our present inftance, is, that it was by the approbation of the great AUGUSTUS himself, that queen PODIUs the mute fhould be diligently taught it. We could tell you of a perfon of good birth in England, who (labouring under the fame imperfection) does exprefs many of his conceptions by this ART of drawing and defigning: and if (as 'tis obferved) it furnish us with maxims to discern of general defects and vices, especially in what relates to the proportions of human bodies, it is certainly not to be esteemed fo inconfiderable as by many it is. POLYGNOTUS Could exprefs the paffions, and ARISTIDES the very interior motions of the foul, if we will believe what is recorded. But whether it advance to that prerogative; this we read of for certain, (as to our pretence for the educa tion of children) that when L. PAULUS demanded of the conquered Athenians a philofopher to instruct his little ones, they preferred one METRODORUS an excellent painter before any of the reft. What QUIN

TILIAN

TILIAN fays of EUPHRANOR is fufficiently known: and if fome great PRINCES have not difdained to take the pencil in the fame hand in which they fwayed the Scepter and the fword; and that the knowlege of this DIVINE ART was useful even to the prefervation of the life of an emperor (for fuch was that Conftantinus Porphyrogenitus*;) it is not without examples fufficient to fupport the dignity of thefe ARTS, that we have with fo much zeal recommended them to PRINCES and illustrious perfons.

And now we have but one thing more to add before we conclude this chapter, and it is for caution to those who fhall make thefe Collections for curiofity and ornament only; that where we have faid all that we can of THIS or any other particular ART, which may recommend it to the favour and endearment of great perfons; our intention is not, that it fhould fo far engage them in its perfuit, as to take from the nobler parts of life, for which there are more fublime and worthy objects; but, that with this (as with the rest which are commendable, innocent, and excellent company) they would fill up all fuch spaces and opportunities, as too often lie open, expofe and betray them to mean compliances, and lefs fignificant diverfions. For. thefe, was ARATUS a great collector, nor less knowing in the judgment of pictures; fo was VINDEX and many others:

-Namque bac quoties Chelyn exuit ille

Defidia eft, bic Aoniis amor avocat antris†.

*Luitprand. Hift.

↑ STATIUS Vind. Herc. Epitrapez.

"He

"He allows himself thefe relaxations only when he "is tired with the more weighty affairs and con"cernments." Finally, that they would univerfally contend to do fome great thing, as who fhould moft merit of the fciences, by fetting their hands to the promotion of experimental and ufeful knowlege, "for the universal benefit and good of mankind.

This, this alone, would render them deservedly honourable indeed; and add a luftre to their memories, beyond that of their painted titles, which (without fome folid virtue) render but their defects the more confpicuous to thoft, who know how to make a right eftimate of things, and, by whofe tongues and pens only, their trophies and elogies can ever hope to furmount and out-laft the viciffitudes of fortune.

CHAP.