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P  R   E   FA      C   E. 
fupp0rted by the above precept of Michael Angeloi 
which was firft pointed out to me by Dr. Kennedy, a 
learned antiquarian and connoiffeur, of whom I after- 
wards purchafed the tranflation, from which I have 
taken feveral paffages to my purpofe. 
Let us now endeavour to difcover what light anti- 
quity throws upon the fubjed in queftion. 
Egypt firft, and afterward Greece, have manifeiled 
by their works their great fkill in arts and fciences, and 
among the reft painting, and, fculpture, all which are 
thought to have iflhed from their great fchools of phi- 
lofophy. Pythagoras, Socrates, and Ariflotle, feemn to 
have pointed out the right road in nature for tihe Rludy 
of the painters and fculptors of thofe times. (which they 
in all probability afterwards followed through thofe 
nicer paths that their particular profeflions required 
them to purfue) as may be reafonably colle&ed from the 
anfwers given by Socrates to Ariftippus his difciple, and 
Parrhafius the painter, concerning FITNESS, the firtti 
fundamental law in nature with regard to beauty. 
I am in fome meafure faved the trouble of colledting 
an hiftorical account of thefe arts among the ancients, 
by accidentally meeting with a preface to a trad, call'd 
the Beau Ideal: this treatife * was written by Lambert 
Hermanfon Ten, Kate, in French, and tranflated into 
Englifh by James Chriftopher le Blon; who in that 
preface fays, fpeaking of the Author, " His fuperior 
I know- 
Publifh'd in 1732, and fold by A Millar.