ladies; of the last of which, how destructive it must be to health

and long life, the professor of anatomy took an opportunity of

proving a few days since in this Academy.

It is in dress as in things of greater consequence. Fashions

originate from those only who have the high and powerful advantages

of rank, birth, and fortune; as many of the ornaments of art, those

at least for which no reason can be given, are transmitted to us,

are adopted, and acquire their consequence from the company in

which we have been used to see them. As Greece and Rome are the

fountains from whence have flowed all kinds of excellence, to that

veneration which they have a right to claim for the pleasure and

knowledge which they have afforded us, we voluntarily add our

approbation of every ornament and every custom that belonged to

them, even to the fashion of their dress. For it may be observed

that, not satisfied with them in their own place, we make no

difficulty of dressing statues of modern heroes or senators in the

fashion of the Roman armour or peaceful robe; we go so far as

hardly to bear a statue in any other drapery.

The figures of the great men of those nations have come down to us

in sculpture. In sculpture remain almost all the excellent

specimens of ancient art. We have so far associated personal

dignity to the persons thus represented, and the truth of art to

their manner of representation, that it is not in our power any

longer to separate them. This is not so in painting; because,

having no excellent ancient portraits, that connection was never

formed. Indeed, we could no more venture to paint a general

officer in a Roman military habit, than we could make a statue in

the present uniform. But since we have no ancient portraits, to

show how ready we are to adopt those kind of prejudices, we make

the best authority among the moderns serve the same purpose. The

great variety of excellent portraits with which Vandyke has

enriched this nation, we are not content to admire for their real