[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] We know of course that in many nice Cities there are several Guilds, with which the Inhabitants have a special privilege: {Guilds, amongst whom necessary.} […] and it is not so much for the liberal Art practice such as the Art of Painting, which is open to practice to anyone from another profession out of Love and Desire. But notwithstanding this is the truth, the Guild and Brotherhoods, especially with regard to the Art of Painting, are truly unnecessary, as (which is what happens most frequently) such coins with which one buys the Freedom from such a Guild or Brotherhood, and has to pay yearly, are not used for the goal for which they were originally installed: {For which goal a Guild is supposed to exist.} namely to be placed in a Treasury, so that in case of need the poor, sick and miserable Guildsman may use it for their weekly sustenance, or to raise their surviving Orphans, to found a Guildhall; or if one would receive this through the criminal provision of the honorable Magistrate, to fill it with all sorts of Art works, like Paintings, Sculptures, Drawings and Art Books, to found Schools for Practice and what else can be thought of for the continuation and Luster of the general Art of Drawing: Then such Cities would get an onrush, the diligence would be ignited and the Art would be pushed towards the highest summit and be upheld. Yet one may contradict by saying that without the Guilds and the preservation of their privileges, the Inhabitants or Free men would not be able to make a living, or exist; {Whether the Inhabitants could exist without a Guild.}, on which one will be answered that the fault should be placed on those who come from outside, but rather on the laziness or incapability of the Inhabitants themselves, who often would not be able to show anything from their hand to a capable eye, or it would oftentimes be humiliated by a general foreigner. But if Freedom would be given to all Minds, there is generally a rather big chance to cultivate good Masters and lure others in from common Cities; as these seem to be unnatural laws, that one would want to protect bunglers and botchers with a special privilege, so that they will not be outdone any time soon by Quicker or more diligent [men]. {Freedom provides the possibility to cultivate Arts and draw [them] into the Cities.}

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] …like the Physicians and Surgeons by the dozens (since mass-producers are botchers?) have pointed out different Shapes of Heads; which – as they most of all diverge from the generally Beautiful and Well-made – do not need to be repeated here, while the Art of Painting can do without all Deformity. There are so many elements in the common Lump or Form of the Head, that a Portrait or Face that is Painted after Life, cannot even resemble it a bit, if the General [characteristics] of the whole Head have not been observed in it, as we have elaborately taught in our Teykenkunde [ndr: reference to his own book].

GOEREE, Willem

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Such that is truly to be regretted that we daily witness so many adequate minds turn into botchers, and this only because of bad instruction. It is true that Nature has a lot of power, besides the instruction: but we have to admit, that instruction is powerless without the help of Nature: Because Nature is blind, if Art does not open her eyes.

[suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] […] as it frequently happens, that – instead of learning something beautiful and special – you are for a long time forced to paint in the galleys, as it is called there [ndr: Rome], for a low price on which you can barely stay alive; it is called to work for executioners. There you run all former practice to the ground and you cannot find a way to save yourself from it, meaning you will stay a botcher and daubing-monkey all your life.