EPISTLE To Mr. JER VAS, With Mr. DRYDEN'S Tranflation of FRESNOY'S Art of Painting. TH HIS Verse be thine, my friend, nor thou This, from no venál or ungrateful Muse. NOTES. Epifle to Mr. Jervas.] This Epiftle, and the two following, were written fome years before the reft, and originally printed in 1717. P. Smit with the love of Sifter-Arts we came, And met congenial, mingling flame with flame; Like friendly colours found them both unite, 15 And each from each contract new strength and light. How oft' in pleasing tasks we wear the day, 20 How oft review; each finding like a friend Something to blame, and fomething to commend? What flatt'ring scenes our wand'ring fancy wrought, Rome's pompous glories rising to our thought! 25 30 With thee, on Raphael's Monument I mourn, Each heav'nly piece unwearied we compare, 35 Match Raphael's grace with thy lov'd Guido's air, Carracci's ftrength, Correggio's fofter line, Paulo's free stroke, and Titian's warmth divine. How finish'd with illuftrious toil appears 4I This small, well-polish'd Gem, the* work of years! purer Then view this Marble, and be vain no more! Yet still her charms in breathing paint engage; Her modest cheek fhall warm a future age. 56 Beauty, frail flow'r that ev'ry season fears, Blooms in thy colours for a thousand years. Thus Churchill's race fhall other hearts furprize, And other Beauties envy Worfley's eyes; NOTES. 60 * Fresnoy employed above twenty Years in finishing his Poem. P. Each pleafing Blount fhall endless smiles bestow, And foft Belinda's blush for ever glow. Oh lafting as thofe Colours may they shine, Free as thy ftroke, yet faultless as thy line; New graces yearly like thy works difplay, 65 Soft without weakness, without glaring gay; Led by fome rule, that guides, but not constrains; And finish'd more thro' happiness than pains. The kindred Arts fhall in their praise conspire, One dip the pencil, and one string the lyre. 70 Yet fhould the Graces all thy figures place, And breathe an air divine on ev'ry face; Yet fhould the Muses bid my numbers roll Strong as their charms, and gentle as their foul; With Zeuxis' Helen thy Bridgewater vie, 75 And these be fung till Granville's Myra die: Alas! how little from the grave we claim! Thou but preferv'ft a Face, and I a Name. EPISTLE To Mrs. BLOUNT, With the WORKS of VOITURE. IN N these gay thoughts the Loves and Graces fhine, 5 And all the Writer lives in ev'ry line; ΙΟ Ev'n rival Wits did Voiture's death deplore, 15 And the gay mourn'd who never mourn'd before; |