FIRST LECTURE.
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of nature herfelf caught the paffions as they rofe, andfamiliarized exprefiion : The period of Apelles , Proto genes , Ariftides, Euphranor , Paufias, the pupils ofPamphilus and his mailer Eupompus, whofe authorityobtained what had not been granted to his great prede-ceffor and countryman Polycletus , the new eftablifhment of the fchool of S icy on (y).
The leading principle of Eupompus may be traced inthe advice which he gave to Lylippus, (as preferved byPliny ) whom, when confulted on a ftandard of imita-tion, he directed to the contemplation of human varietyin the multitude of the characters that were palling by,with the axiom, £ that nature herfelf was to be imitated,not an artift.’ Excellence, faid Eupompus, is thy aim,fuch excellence as that of Phidias and Polycletus ; butit is not obtained by the fervile imitation of works, how-ever perfect, without mounting to the principle whichraifed them to that height; that principle apply to thypurpofe, there fix thy aim. He who with the famefreedom of accefs to nature as another man, contentshimfelf to approach her only through his medium, hasrefigned his birth-right and originality together ; hisjnafter’s manner will be his flyle. If Phidias and Poly cletus