We are to have no manner of relish for Gothic ornaments, {240.} as being in effect so many monsters, which barbarous ages have produced; during which, when discord and ambition, caused by the too large extent of the Roman empire, had produced wars, plagues, and famine, through the world, then I say, the stately buildings and colosses fell to ruin, and the nobleness of all beautiful arts was totally extinguished. Then it was that the admirable, and {245.} almost supernatural, works of painting were made fuel for the fire; but that this wonderful art might not wholly perish, [*†247.] some relicts of it took sanctuary under ground, “in sepulchres and catacombs,” and thereby escaped the common destiny. And in the same profane age, sculpture was for a long time buried under the same ruins, with all its beautiful productions and admirable statues. The empire, in the mean time, under the weight of its proper crimes, and undeserving to enjoy the day, was enveloped {250.} with a hideous night, which plunged it into an abyss of errors, and covered with a thick darkness of ignorance those unhappy ages, in just revenge of their impieties. From hence it comes to pass, that the works of those great Grecians are wanting to us; nothing of their painting and colouring now remains to assist our modern artists, either in the invention, or the manner, of those ancients. Neither is there any man who is able to restore [*†256.] the {255.} chromatic part, or colouring, or to renew it to that point of excellency, to which it had been carried by Zeuxis; who by this part, which is so charming, so magical, and which so admirably deceives the sight, made himself equal to the great Apelles, that prince of painters; and deserved that height {260.} of reputation, which he still possesses in the world. And as this part, which we may call the utmost perfection of painting, is a deceiving beauty, but withal soothing and pleasing; so she has been accused of procuring lovers for [*†263.] her sister, and artfully engaging us to admire her. But so little have {265.} this prostitution, these false colours, and this deceit, dishonoured painting, that, on the contrary, they have only served to set forth her praise, and to make her merit farther known; and therefore it will be profitable to us, to have a more clear understanding of what we call colouring. [*†267.] The light produces all kinds of colours, and the shadow gives us none. The more a body is nearer to the eyes, and the more directly it is opposed to them, the more it is enlightened. Because the light languishes and lessens, the farther it removes from its proper source. The nearer the object is to the eyes, and the more {270.} directly it is opposed to them, the better it is seen; because the sight is weakened by distance. [Sidenote: XXXI. The conduct of the tints of light and shadows.]