The value and rank of every art is in proportion to the mental labor employed in it, or the mental pleasure in producing it.

The mind is but a barren soil; a soil which is soon exhausted, and will produce no crop, or only one, unless it be continually fertilized and enriched with foreign matter.

Excellence is never granted to man but as the reward of labor. It argues no small strength of mind to persevere in habits of industry without the pleasure of perceiving those advances, which, like the hand of a clock, whilst they make hourly approaches to their point, yet proceed so slowly as to escape observation.

Excellence is never granted to man, but as the reward of labour.

The excellence of every art, must consist in the complete accomplishment of its purpose

In portraits, the grace and, we may add, the likeness consists more in taking the general air than in observing the exact similitude of every feature.

Taste depends upon those finer emotions which make the organization of the soul.