Page:The reign of George VI - 1763.djvu/86

. The Arts and Sciences at this period, in England, wanted nothing but encouragement to raise them to a very splendid height, and to make the age of George VI. rival any of those remote ones that are so celebrated in history. It is both entertaining and curious to reflect on their state during this reign, and compare it with the present; those great men whose names alone would have immortalized the age of George VI. are now gone, and have left none to succeed them. Indeed they still live in their admirable works, but have left few successors to their genius and abilities. But to leave this digression, let us take a view of the Arts in the period of which we are speaking.

George had a natural taste for them; and what was of equal consequence to their success, was rich, liberal, and magnificent. Hitherto his time had been