Without light,
  Without form,
  Without color,
  Without distance,
  Without an instrument, or medium.

Things which are not to be learned, and which make an essential part of painting.

First, the subject must be noble.  It should have received no quality from the mere workmen; and to allow scope to the painter to display his powers, he should choose it capable of receiving the most excellent form.  He must begin by composition, then ornament, propriety, beauty, grace, vivacity, probability, and judgment, in each and all.  These last belong solely to the painter, and cannot be taught.  The nine are the golden bough of Virgil, which no man can find or gather, if his fate do not lead him to it.”

POUSSIN AND THE NOBLEMAN.

A person of rank who dabbled in painting for his amusement, having one day shown Poussin one of his performances, and asked his opinion of its merits, the latter replied, “You only want a little poverty, sir, to make a good painter.”

POUSSIN AND MENGS.

The admirers of Mengs, jealous of Poussin’s title of “the Painter of Philosophers,” conferred on him the antithetical one of “the Philosopher of Painters.”  Though it cannot be denied that Mengs’ writings and his pictures are learned, yet few artists have encountered such a storm of criticism.

POUSSIN AND DOMENICHINO.

Next to correctness of drawing and dignity of conception, Poussin valued expression in painting.  He ranked Domenichino next to Raffaelle for this quality, and not long after his arrival at Rome, he set about copying the Flagellation of St. Andrew, painted by that master in the church of S. Gregorio, in competition with Guido, whose Martyrdom of that Saint is on the opposite side of the same church.  Poussin found all the students in Rome busily copying the Guido, which, though a most beautiful work, lacks the energy and expression which distinguish the Flagellation; but he was too sure of his object to be led away by the crowd.  According to Felibien, Domenichino, who then resided at Rome, in a very delicate state of health, having heard that a young Frenchman was making a careful study of his picture, caused himself to be conveyed in his chair to the church, where he conversed some time with Poussin, without making himself known; charmed with his talents and highly cultivated mind, he invited him to his house, and from that time Poussin enjoyed his friendship and profited by his advice, till that illustrious painter went to Naples, to paint the chapel of St. Januarius.

POUSSIN AND SALVATOR ROSA.