|P T R A V E L S IN
I c a n n o t glofe thefe'pages without mentioning an intention
which I entertained, after my laft journey, of undertaking
another from' the Ganges, through the Decan, to the
foeftern coaft of India; and. which I lbould recommend to-
the attention of any artift who may be induced to vifit India/
in future, with 'intentions fimilar to thole which drew me
From-my native country. I meant to have commenced my
journey at Benares, and finifhed at Surat. As this is a part
o f India untrodden by an artift, much matter might be collected
relative to the ftate of ancient India, as many’of the
Rajahs in that part of the country poflefs lands handed down
from the earlieft period of the Hindoo records. I muft think,
from what I have feen of the Hindoo character-, that fuch a
journey might be carried into execution with perfeCt fafety,
and.would add greatly to pur ftock of knowledge relative to
the Eaftcrn continent,
I t is but too true that the expences would be confiderable,
from the neceffity of being attended by a great number of
fervants; for, , as is juftly obferved by Mr. Orme, in his
fecond volume, “ The different cafts of the Indian religion
being appropriated to fpecific and hereditary vocations, many
of them are entirely prohibited from fervile offices and hard
labour; and. o f thofe allotted to fuch occupations, each muft
abide by that alone to which he was bom: the hufbandman
would be difhonoured by employing his mattock, excepting
in the field he is to fow j and even lower races have their dif-
I N D I A. *53
tifuftidns1, infomuch, that the ebèly, who-carries'a burden on
his head^jwill not carry it'bn'-his fhoulder; The reprit^
tion, however, that would neceffarily attend-the completion It
of fiich< an undertaking; Would be me/re, gratifying than wh’ati
ever wealth 'might ke-actrimulated iiT; the* ebmrhbn, ’track of
'profeftional purfüits. 1
r A p &in t e s ; for fuch purfuits ought nëceffarily to be en- vl
dowed with three great qualities; a perfect k'riowledgWo'ffhis
art^and .with pqwers/to lexeeute j readily;and^corrêCtlyï';i judges
merit to chufe his fubjeCts ; and fancy to combine and diA
pofe'fhém to advantage. ' .The'firft I muft fuppbfd-rti'rri pofl
feffed o f ; in the. fecond is included the choice of fubjeCt, -
with the knowledge of all the parts neCeflary for fuch a fub-
jeCt; and in the third is included the combination of all the
different parts, fo as to produce a general effedt: but the ,
imagination muff be1 under-the ftridt guidance ó f’ cool judgement,
or we fhall have fanciful reprefentations inftead of the
truth, which, above all, muft be the object of fuch refearches.
Every thing has a particular character, and certainly it is the ■
finding Out the real and natural character which is required ; ,
for fliould a painter be poffeffed of the talents of a Raphael, ,
and were he to reprefent a Cbinefe with the beauty of a Grecian
character and form, however excellent his work might
be, it would ftill have no pretenfions to reputation as charac-
teriftical of that nation.