may be in some degree ascribed that those qualities which make the
excellency of this subordinate style appear in him with their greatest
lustre. Indeed, the facility with which he invented, the richness of his
composition, the luxuriant harmony and brilliancy of his colouring, so
dazzle the eye, that whilst his works continue before us we cannot help
thinking that all his deficiencies are fully supplied.

Opposed to this florid, careless, loose, and inaccurate style, that of
the simple, careful, pure, and correct style of Poussin seems to be a
complete contrast.

Yet however opposite their characters, in one thing they agreed, both of
them having a perfect correspondence between all the parts of their
respective manners.

One is not sure but every alteration of what is considered as defective
in either, would destroy the effect of the whole.

Poussin lived and conversed with the ancient statues so long, that he may
be said to be better acquainted with then than with the people who were
about him. I have often thought that he carried his veneration for them
so far as to wish to give his works the air of ancient paintings. It is
certain he copied some of the antique paintings, particularly the
"Marriage in the Albrobrandini Palace at Rome," which I believe to be the
best relique of those remote ages that has yet been found.

No works of any modern has so much of the air of antique painting as
those of Poussin. His best performances have a remarkable dryness of
manner, which, though by no means to be recommended for imitation, yet
seems perfectly correspondent to that ancient simplicity which