whom the same may not be said? Afterwards in Rome, where he lived four years in the house of Mengs, he executed under his eye some excellent works; as a Nativity, for which Mengs made the sketch; which, when painted on a larger scale by Ratti, was placed in a church in Barcelona. Being called on to paint a St. Catherine of Genoa, afterwards placed there in the church of that saint, Mengs designed for him the face of the saint, of an enchanting expression, and afterwards retouched the picture, rendering it a delightful performance. On this it may be observed, that great masters were not accustomed to shew such favours to their scholars and friends, except when they discovered in them considerable talent. As a copyist Ratti excelled in the opinion of Mengs; the latter purchasing, at a considerable sum, a copy of the S. Jerome of Coreggio, which Ratti had made in Parma. Another proof of the esteem in which he held him was his instigating him to write on art; for which they must have amassed great materials during the four years they lived together. In the before-mentioned _Difesa_ we read of the academies that elected him, the poets and men of letters that extolled him, the cross of a cavalier that he obtained from Pius VI., the direction of the academy of Genoa, conferred on him for life if he had chosen to retain it; finally, the numerous commissions for pictures he received from various places; all these things have their weight, but the favourable opinion of Mengs is the strongest protection that this Defence affords to shield him from his enemies. When the materials were prepared for the new edition, the _Elogio_ of the Cav. Azara was published, where it is said that the MSS. of Mengs were given in a confused mass into the hands of Milizia, who took the liberty of modifying at his pleasure the opinions of Mengs respecting the great masters. This information, which comes from a very creditable quarter, I have wished to insert here for many reasons. It takes away from Mengs the odium of some inconsiderate criticism, or at least lessens it. It confirms what the _Difesa_ of Ratti says respecting the true author of the Life of Coreggio, who was in fact Ratti; but, with some retouching, it was published as the work of Mengs, without reflecting that the author was there placed in contradiction with himself. It also shews us that Mengs, for his great name, was indebted not only to his acknowledged merit, but also to his good fortune, which gave him greater patrons and friends than were perhaps ever enjoyed before by any painter in the world.