An Exposition of Vulgar and Common Errors, Adapted to the Year of Grace MDCCCXLV, by Thomas Brown Redivivus (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1845 edition. Excerpt: ...any sweat of their own brow; a happiness which hath befallen no man, I think, since Adam: and yet we may daily hear persons excuse themselves from pursuing this or that study, because "they have no genius for it"--a manifest self-deception; since excepting in the instance of music, wherein the fineness of the organ supersedeth some of the rudimentary part of learning, and a child shall thus be found sometimes to accomplish at once, what to others would cost a longer application, I know of nothing that is to be gained without labour. Nay, even among these early prodigies, though for children, their skill be marvellous, yet if this precocious display of talent be not followed up by farther teaching and exercitations, maturer years will disappoint the early promise: and yet in this case the tools are in a measure ready made, and their use familiar: for the voice can execute, without schooling, much of what the ear demandeth. But in other things it is not so--the painter must learn the art of mixing and laying on of colours by a deep study of the nature of the materials, and a long experience of their effect; their " behaviour" under particular circumstances, as it may be an experimental chemist would shape his phrase. The sculptor, however great his conceptions, must learn to temper and mould the clay of his model, and to use the chisel skilfully: and if artists had disdained this patient toil, and trusted to their heaven born genius, the world would never have been delectated by the sight of their works; which yet we shall hear men term efforts of such sublime genius that no one who is not so gifted can ever hope to rival them. Could one of these supine admirers of excellence ask these men how they arrived at such a...