Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield Quote

Sculpture and painting are very justly called liberal arts; a lively and strong imagination, together with a just observation, being absolutely necessary to excel in either; which, in my opinion, is by no means the case of music, though called a liberal art, and now in Italy placed even above the other two--a proof of the decline of that country.

Letters Written by the Earl of Chesterfield to His Son (ed. 1827)