Singular Anecdote respecting the Author of the Letters of Junius,--Of Lachlan McLean.--Anecdote of the Duke of Grafton.--Of the Marquis of Lansdowne.--Of Sir Philip Francis; Critique on the Transfiguration of Raphael by Sir Philip Francis, and Objections to his Opinion.
Observations on Mr. West's Intercourse with the King.--Anecdote of the American War.--Studies for the Historical Pictures at Windsor Castle.--Anecdote of the late Marquis of Buckingham.--Anecdote of Sir Joshua Reynolds; and of the Athenian Marbles.--Election of Mr. West to the Presidency of the Royal Academy.--His Speech to the Academicians on that occasion.
The first Discourse of Mr. West to the Students of the Academy.--Progress of the Arts.--Of the Advantages of Schools of Art.--On the Natural Origin of the Arts.--Of the Patronage which honoured the Patrons and the Artists.--Professional Advice.--Promising State of the Arts in Britain.
Discourse to the Royal Academy in 1794.--Observations on the Advantage of drawing the Human Figure correctly.--On the Propriety of cultivating the Eye, in order to enlarge the Variety of our Pleasures derived from Objects of Sight.--On characteristic Distinctions in Art.--Illustrations drawn from the Apollo Belvidere, and from the Venus de Medici; comprehending critical Remarks on those Statues.
Discourse to the Academy in 1797--- On the Principles of Painting and Sculpture.--Of Embellishments in Architecture.--Of the Taste of the Ancients.--Errors of the Moderns.--Of the good Taste of the Greeks in Appropriations of Character to their Statues.--On Draiwing.--Of Light and Shade.--Principles of Colouring in Painting.--Illustration.--Of the Warm and Cold Colours.--Of Copying fine Pictures.--Of Composition.--On the Benefits to be derived from Sketching.--and of the Advantage of being familiar with the Characteristics of Objects in Nature.