h

And emulous alone of genuine fame,

305

Be Grace, be Majesty thy constant aim,
That Majesty, that Grace so rarely given

To mortal man, nor taught by art but Heaven.
In all to sage propriety attend,

Nor sink the clouds, nor bid the waves

ascend;

Lift not the mansions drear of Hell or Night
Above the Thunderer's lofty arch of light;
Nor build the column on an osier base;
But let each object know its native place.

310

* Servetur: Sit nobilitas, Charitumque venustas,
(Rarum homini munus, Cœlo, non arte petendum.)
Naturæ sit ubique tenor, ratioque sequenda.

1 Non vicina pedum tabulata excelsa Tonantis
Astra domus depicta gerent, nubesque, notosque;
Nec mare depressum laquearia summa, vel Orcum;
Marmoreamque feret cannis vaga pergula molem :
Congrua sed propriâ semper statione locentur.

225

h XXVII. Grace and Ma

jesty.

i XXVIII. Every thing in its proper place.

k XXVII. Charitas et Nobilitas.

1 XXVIII. Res quæque locum suum teneat.

316

Thy last, thy noblest task remains untold, Passion to paint, and sentiment unfold; Yet how these motions of the mind display Can colours catch them, or can lines pourtray? Who shall our pigmy pencils arm with might To seize the Soul, and force her into sight? 320 Jove, Jove alone; his highly-favour'd few

Alone can call such miracles to view.

But this to rhet'rick and the schools I leave, Content from ancient lore one rule to give:

66

325

By tedious toil no passions are exprest, "His hand who feels them strongest paints

them best."

n Hæc præter, motus animorum, et corde re

postos

230

Exprimere affectus, paucisque coloribus ipsam Pingere posse animam, atque oculis præbere videndam, "Hoc opus, hic labor est. Pauci, quos æquus amavit› "Jupiter, aut ardens avexit ad æthera virtus, "Dis similes potuere" manu miracula tanta.

Hos ego rhetoribus tractandos desero; tantùm Egregii antiquum memorabo sophisma magistri: "Verius affectus animi vigor exprimit ardens, "Soliciti nimiùm quàm sedula cura laboris."

235

m XXIX. The Passions.

n XXIX. Affectus.

Yet shall the Muse with all her force pro

scribe

Of base and barbarous forms that Gothick tribe, Which sprung to birth, what time; thro' lust

of sway,

330

Imperial Latium bade the world obey:
Fierce from the north the headlong demons flew,
The wreaths of Science wither'd at their view
Plagues were their harbingers, and war accurst,
And luxury, of every fiend the worst:

;

Then did each Muse behold her triumphs fade, Then pensive Painting droop'd the languish'd head 1;

336

▸ Denique nil sapiat Gothorum barbara trito Ornamenta modo, sæclorum et monstra malorum: Queis ubi bella, famem, et pestem, discordia, luxus, Et Romanorum res grandior intulit orbi, Ingenuæ periere artes, periere suberbæ Artificum moles; sua tunc miracula vidit Ignibus absumi Pictura, latere coacta

240

245

• XXX. Gothick Ornament to be avoided.

P XXX. Gothorum Ornamenta fugienda.

And sorrowing Sculpture, while the ruthless

flame

Involv'd each trophy of her sister's fame,

Fled to sepulchral cells her own to save,
And lurk'd a patient inmate of the grave. 340
Meanwhile beneath the frown of

angry heaven,
Unworthy every boon its smile had given,
Involv'd in error's cloud, and scorn'd of light,
The guilty empire sunk. Then horrid Night,
And Dullness drear their murky vigils kept, 345
In savage gloom the impious Ages slept,
Till Genius, starting from his rugged bed,
Full late awoke, the ceaseless tear to shed
For perish'd art; for those celestial hues,
Which Zeuxis, aided by the Attick Muse, 350

250

Fornicibus, sortem et reliquam confidere cryptis ;
Marmoribusque diu Sculptura jacere sepultis.
Imperium interea, scelerum gravitate fatiscens,
Horrida nox totum invasit, donoque superni
Luminis indignum, errorum caligine mersit,
Impiaque ignaris damnavit sæcla tenebris.
Unde coloratum Graiis huc usque magistris
Nil superest tantorum hominum, quod mente modoq.
Nostrates juvet artifices, doceatque laborem ;

255

r

Gave to the wond'ring eye: She bade his

name,

With thine, Apelles, gild the lists of fame; With thine to colouring's brightest glories soar, The gods applaud him, and the world adore.

Alas! how lost those magick mixtures all! 355 No hues of this now animate the wall; How then shall modern art those hues apply, How give design its finish'd dignity? Return fair COLOURING! all thy lures prepare, Each safe deception, every honest snare, Which brings new lovers to thy sister's train, Skilful at once to charm, and to retain ;

360

Nec qui Chromaticês nobis, hoc tempore, partes
Restituat, quales Zeuxis tractaverat olim,
Hujus quando magâ velut arte æquavit Apellem
Pictorum archigraphum, meruitque coloribus altam
Nominis æterni famam, toto orbe sonantem.
Hæc quidem ut in tabulis fallax, sed grata venustas,
Et complementum graphidos, mirabile visu,
Pulchra vocabatur, sed subdola, lena sororis :
Non tamen hoc lenocinium, fucusque, dolusque

260

COLOURING the third

Part of Painting.

S CHROMATICES tertia Pars Picturæ.