ccfsfül attempts to defign the elegant time-pieces ofVulIiamy,
Supported by beautiful figurés o f white marble, fupplicated my
affiftance in a matter which hé repréfented as o f the laft importance
to himfelf. It Was in vain to allure him that I was no
draughtfman; he was determined to have the proof o f it ; and
he departed extremely well fàiisfied in obtaining a very mean
performance with the pencil, to copy after or cover with hi's
China ink. Every part o f the machines, except the naked
figures which fupported the time-piece and a barometer, he
drew with neatnéfs and accuracy, but all his attempts to copy
thefe weré urifuccefsfuU Whether it was owing to any real
difficulty that exifts in the nice turns and proportions o f the human
figure, or that b y being better acquainted with it w e more
readily perceive the defe&s in the imitation o f it, or from the
circumftance ô f the huihari form being Concealed in this country
in loofé folding robes, that caufed the Chinefe draughtfman
fo Completely to fail, I lëâvé to the artifts o f our own country
to determine: but the fa il was as I ftate it ; all his attempts
to draw thefe figures were prCpofterous.
As to thofe fpecimens o f beautiful flowers, birds, and infects,
fometimes brought over to Europe, they are the work o f ar-
tifts at Canton Where, from being in the habit o f copying
prints and drawings, carried thither for the purpofe o f being
transferred to porcelain, or as articles o f commerce, they have
acquired a better tafte than in the interior parts o f the country.
Great quantities o f porcelain are lent from the potteries to Canton
perfectly white, that thé pUrchafer may have them painted
to his own pattern : ahd fpecimens o f thefe bear teftimony that
they
they are-no mean copyills., It has been obferyed, however, that
the fubjeSts o f natural hiftory, painted by them, are .frequently
inporreit; that it is no unufual thing to meet with the flower o f
one plant fet upon the ftalk o f another, and having the, leaves o f
a third. This may formerly have been the cafe, from their following,
imperfect patterns, or from fuppofmg they could improve
nature; but having found that thereprefentations of natural ob-
jedfs are in more requeft among foreigners, they pay a
ftrifter attention to the fubject that may be required ; and we
found them indeed fuch fcrupulous copyifts, as not only to draw
the e x a d number o f the petals,, the 'ftamina, and piftilla o f a
flower, but alfo the very number o f leaves, with the thorns or
fpots on the foot-ftalk that fupported it. They will even count
the number o f fcales on a.fiih, and mark them out in their reprefentations,
and it : is iinpoffiblc to imitate the brilliant colours o f
nature more clpfely. I.brought hpme fevqral. drawings o f
plants, birds, and infeffs, that, ha,ve been greatly admired for
their accuracy and clofe colouring,; but they want that effeSf
which the proper application o f light and fhade never fails to
produce. T h e coloured prints o f Europe that are carried out
to Canton are copied there with wonderful fidelity. But in
doing this, they exercife no judgment o f their own. Every defeat
and blemiih, original or accidental, they are fure to copy,
'being mere fervile imitators, and not in the Jeaft feeling the
jqree or tlje beauty o f an y fpecimen o f the arts that may come
before them ; for the fame perfon who is one. day, employed in
copying a beautiful European print, will fit down the next to a
Chinefe drawing replete with, abiiardity.
Whatever