A Painter is allow’d sometimes to depart even from Natural, and Historical Truth.
Thus in the Carton of the Draught of Fishes Rafaëlle has made a Boat too little to hold the Figures he has plac’d in it ; and this is so visible, that Some are apt to Triumph over that great Man, […] ; but the Truth is, had he made the Boat large enough for those Figures his Picture would have been all Boat, which would have had a Disagreeable Effect ; […].

The Goût is a mixture of Poussin’s usual Manner [ndr : il s’agit ici du Tancrède et Herminie, réalisé par Poussin], and (what is very rare) a great deal of Guilio, particulary in the Head, and Attitude of the Lady, and both the Horses ; Tancred is naked to the Wast having been stripp’d by Erminia and his ’Squire to search for his Wounds, he has a piece of loose Drapery which is Yellow, bearing upon the Red in the Middle Tincts, and Shadows, this is thrown over his Belly, and Thighs, and lyes a good length upon the ground ; ’twas doubtless painted by the Life, and is intirely of a Modern Taste. And that nothing might be shocking, or disagreeable, the wounds are much hid, nor is his Body, or Garment stain’d with Blood, only some appears here, and there upon the ground just below the Drapery, as if it flow’d from some Wounds which That cover’d ;

Every Picture should be so contriv’d, as that at a Distance, when one cannot discern what Figures there are, or what they are doing, it should appear to be composed of Masses, Light, and Dark ; the Latter of which serve as Reposes to the Eye. The Forms of These Masses must be Agreeable, of whatsoever they consist, Ground, Trees, Draperies, Figures, &c. and the Whole together should be Sweet, and Delightful, Lovely Shapes and Colours without a Name ; of which there is an infinite Variety.
And ‘tis not enough that there be Great Masses ; they must be Subdivised into Lesser Parts, or they will appear Heavy, and Disagreeable : Thus tho’ there is evidently a Broad Light (for Example) in a piece of Silk when covering a whole Figure, or a Limb, there may be Lesser Folds, Breakings, Flickerings, and Reflections, and the Great Mass yet evidently preserv’d.