A Description of the Antiquities in Wilton-House (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1769. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION TOT HE Antiquities and Curiosities I N WILTON- HOUSE. TH E flow progress of the arts of sculpture and painting in England is derived from many causes; two particularly deserve attention, these were the existence of the feudal policy for many ages and our insular situation. Liberty, the nurse of genius, was only to be found among the nobility, from the establishment of. the Saxons to the reign of Henry VII. The lower claries were in the most abject state of vassalage; dependant both for life and fortune on the nod of some haughty Baron.. The learning of those times was confined within very narrow limits; the poorer sort were totally ignorant of letters, and the highest a attain-- attainments of the clergy were to be able to read their breviary, and the legendary lives of their saints. These impediments resulting from our political constitution were further augmented by our insular situation, which excluded us from the advantages, which might have been expected from a free intercourse with continental nations. We, for the fame reason, retained longer our barbarism and national prejudices, and seemed, as it were, shut out from improvement, while other nations were advancing fast in it. After the coming in of the Normans, a communication was opened with the continent, and such architecture painting and statuary as was then practised in France, were introduced here. As for the first, our cathedrals are beautiful monuments of the taste of those ages. The number of finelyilluminated manuscripts shews painting was carried to tolerable perfection, and many images of kings and saints, still extant, give us no mean opinion of those antient artists. In this state things continued till the reformation, when a revival of the polite arts began in Italy, ..