Some Account xix
the student satisfies himself with the appear-
ance of doing something ; he falls into the
dangerous habit of imitating without selecting*
and of labouring without any determinate
object: as it requires no effort of the mind,
he sleeps over his work, and those powers of
invention and disposition which ought par-
ticularly to be called out and put in action,
lie torpid, and lose their energy for want of
exercise. How incapable of producing any
thing of their own, those are, who have
spent most of their time in making finished copies,
is an observation well known to all
who are conversant with ourart.” 11 We may
be assured, therefore, that this great painter
did not fall into the errour here pointed out
did not long continue the practice of copying
the great works 12 which were at this period
11 This observation occurs nearly in the same words in
the first Discourse.
12Of the few copies which he made while he was at
Rome, two are now in the possession of the Earl of In-
chiquin, who married his niece, Miss Palmer; St. Mi-