Page:Thoughts on art and life.djvu/142

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eye, without the guide of reason, is like the miror, which reflects all the objects which are placed before it and knows not that they exist,

53.

Many will consider they can reasonably blame me by alleging that my proofs are contrary to the authority of many men held in great esteem by their inexperienced judgements : overlooking the facft that my works are solely and simply the off spring of experience, which is the veritable master.

54.

They who are enamoured of practice without knowledge are like the mariner who puts to sea in a vessel without rudder or compass, and who navigates without a course. Practice should al- ways be based on sound theory; perspective is the guide and the portal of theory, and without it nothing can be well done in the art of painting.

55.

The youth should first learn perspective, and then the measurements of every object; he should then copy from some good master to accustom himself to well-drawn forms, then from nature to acquire confirmation of the theories he has learnt; then he should study for a time the works of various masters, and finally attain the

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