230 Sir Joshua Reynolds on
performances of artists also. It is the thoughts expressed in the works of Michael Angelo, Correggio, Raffaelle, Parmegiano, and perhaps some of the old Gothic masters *, and not the inventions of Pietro da Cortona, Carlo Marati, Luca Giordano, and others, that I might mention, which we seek after with avidity : from the former we learn to think originally.
May I presume to introduce myself on this occasion, and even to mention, as an instance of the truth of what I have remarked, the very Discourses which I have had the honour of delivering from this place ? Whatever merit they have, must be imputed, in a great measure, to the education which I may be said to have had under Dr. Johnson. I do not mean to say, though it certainly would be to the credit of these Discourses, if I could say it with truth, that he contributed even a single sentiment to them 2 ; but he qualified my mind to think justly. No man had, like him, the faculty of teaching inferior minds the art of thinking. Perhaps other men might have equal knowledge ; but few were /-so communicative. His great pleasure was to talk to those who ( looked up to him, ft was here "h"e exhibited his wonderful powers. In mixed company, and frequently in company that ought to have looked up to him, many, thinking they had a character for learning to support, considered it as beneath them to enlist in the train of his auditors ; and to such persons he certainly did not appear to advantage, being often impetuous and overbearing 3 .
1 f Under the rudeness of Gothic 2 He wrote the Dedication. Life, essays a skilful painter will find ii. 2, n. i, and ante, ii. 29. original, rational, and even sublime 3 ' On Saturday, May 2, I dined inventions. The works of Albert with him at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, Durer, Lucas Van Leyden, the where there was a very large corn- numerous inventions of Tobias Stim- pany, and a great deal of conversa- mer and Jost Ammon afford a rich tion ; but owing to some circum- mass of genuine materials, which stance which I cannot now recollect, wrought up and polished to elegance I have no record of any part of it, will add copiousness to what, per- except that there were several people haps, without such aid could have there by no means of the Johnsonian aspired only to justness and pro- school; so that less attention was priety.' Reynolds's Sixth Discourse, paid to him than usual, which put Works, 1824, i. 137. For Gothic him out of humour ; and upon see also ante, i. 478. some imaginary offence from me he
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