"The mind, or genius has been compared to a spark of fire, which is smothered by a heap of fewel, and prevented from blazing into a flame: This simile which is made use of, by the younger Pliny, may be easily mistaken for argument or proof."
A Discourse, Delivered to the Students of the Royal Academy [Discourses on Art]
From 1769 to 1772 Reynolds' lectures were delivered annually, with each discourse published shortly after its delivery. After 1772, the lectures were delivered biennially. The first seven discourses were collected and published together in 1778. In 1797, the first collected edition of all fifteen appeared, with a second edition issued in 1798. See the <a href="http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/23429?docPos=1">ODNB</a>.<br>
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Text from <u>A Discourse Delivered to the Students of the Royal Academy, on the Distribution of the Prizes, Dec. the 10th, 1774. By the President.</u> (London: Printed for Thomas Davies, 1775). &lt;<a href="http://find.galegroup.com/ecco/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=ECCO&userGroupName=viva_uva&tabID=T001&docId=CW106272323&type=multipage&contentSet=ECCOArticles&version=1.0&docLevel=FASCIMILE">Link to ECCO</a>&gt;<br>
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See also Sir Joshua Reynolds, <u>Seven Discourses Delivered in the Royal Academy by the President</u> (London: T. Cadell, 1778). &lt;<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=FS4GAAAAQAAJ">Link to Google Books</a>&gt;<br>
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Also reading at <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2176/2176-h/2176-h.htm">PGDP</a>.