Tum demum sana mentis oculus acule cernere

incipit. ubi corporis oculus incipit hebescere.

Sencca.

Publipid according to Act of Parliament. March 11-89 by TCadell Strand.

THE

WORKS

OF

SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS, KNIGHT;

LATE PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY.

CONTAINING

HIS DISCOURSES, IDLERS,

A JOURNEY TO FLANDERS AND HOLLAND,

AND HIS COMMENTARY ON DU FRESNOY'S ART OF

PAINTING;

PRINTED FROM HIS REVISED COPIES,

(WITH HIS LAST CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS)

IN THREE VOLUMES.

TO WHICH IS PREMTED

AN ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF THE AUTHOR.

BY EDMOND MALONE, ESQ.

ONE OF HIS EXECUTORS.

THE FOURTH EDITION CORRECTED.

-QUASI NON LA PRÆCIPIAM ALIIS, QUÆ MIMI IPSI DESUNT. CICERO,

VOLUME THE FIRST.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR T. CADELL AND W. DAVIES, IN THE STRAND, By C. and R. Baldwin, New Bridge-street.

ΤΟ

THE KING.

THE regular progress of cultivated life is

from necessaries to accommodations, from accommodations to ornaments. By your illustrious predecessors were were established Marts for manufactures, and Colleges for science; but for the arts of elegance, those arts by which manufactures are embellished, and science is refined, to found an Academy was reserved for Your Majesty.

Had such patronage been without effect, there had been reason to believe that Nature had, by some insurmountable impediment, obstructed our proficiency; but the annual improvement of the Exhibitions which Your

VOL. I.

Majesty has been pleased to encourage, shows that only encouragement had been wanting.

To give advice to those who are contending for royal liberality, has been for some years the duty of my station in the Academy; and these Discourses hope for Your Majesty's acceptance, as well-intended endeavours to incite that emulation which your notice has kindled, and direct those studies which your bounty has rewarded.