THE ART OF PAINTING.

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TRUE Poetry the Painter's power displays ;
True Painting emulates the Poet's lays ;
The rival sisters, fond of equal fame,
Alternate change their office and their name ;
Bid silent Poetry the canvas warm,
The tuneful

page with speaking picture charm.
What to the ear sublimer rapture brings,
That strain alone the genuine Poet sings;
That form alone where glows peculiar grace,
The genuine Painter condescends to trace :
No sordid theme will verse or paint admit,
Unworthy colours, if unworthy wit.

IO

DE ARTE GRAPHICA.
UT Pictura Poesis erit; similisque Poesi
Sit Pictura ; refert

par
æmula

quæque sororem, Alternantque vices et nomina; muta Poesis Dicitur hæc, Pictura loquens solet illa vocari.

Quod fuit auditu gratum cecinere Poetæ ; Quod pulchrum aspectu Pictores pingere curant : Quæque Poetarum numeris indigna fuêre, Non eadem Pictorum operam studiumq; merentur :

ز

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From you, blest Pair! Religion deigns to claim
Her sacred honours ; at her awful name
High o'er the stars

you
take

your soaring flight,
And rove the regions of supernal light ;
Attend to lays that flow from tongues divine,
Undazzled gaze where charms seraphick shine;
Trace beauty's beam to its eternal spring,
And pure to man the fire celestial bring. .

Then round this globe on joint pursuit yestray, Time's ample annals studiously survey ; And from the eddies of Oblivion's stream Propitious 'snatch each memorable theme.

Thus' to çach form, in heaven, and earth,

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and sea,

25

That wins with grace, or awes with dignity,

Ainbæ quippe sacros ad religionis honores Sydercos superant igncs, aulanıque tonantis Ingressæ, Divům aspectu, alloquioque fruuntur; Oraque ¡nagņa Deûm, et dicta observata reportant, Coelestemque suoruin opcrum mortalibus ignem. Iode per

bunc Orbem studiis coëuntibus errant, Carpentes quæ digna sui, revolutaque lustrant Tempora, quærendis consortibus argumentis.

Denique quæcunq; in cælo, terrâque, marique Longius in tempus durare, ut pulchra merentur,

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To each exalted deed, which dares to claim
The glorious meed of an immortal fame,
That meed ye grant. Hence, to remotest age,
The Hero's soul darts from the Poet's page; 30
Hence, from the canvas, still, with wonted

state,
He lives, he breathes, he braves the frown of

Fate.
Such powers, such praises, heaven-born Pair,

belong
To magick colouring, and creative song.

But here I pause, nor ask Pieria's train, Nor Phæbus self to elevate the strain : Vain is the flow'ry verse, when reasoning sage And sober precept fill the studied page;

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Nobilitate sua, claroque insignia casu,
Dives et ampla manet Pictores atque Poetas
Materies ; inde alta sonant per sæcula mundo
Nomina, magnanimis Heroibus inde superstes
Gloria, perpetuoque operum miracula restant :
Tantus inest divis honor artibus atque potestas.
Non mihi Pieridum chorus hic, nec Apollo vo-

candus,
Majus ut eloquium numeris, aut gratia fandi
Dogmaticis illustret opus rationibus horrens :

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Enough if there the fluent numbers please, With native clearness, and instructive ease. 48

Nor shall my rules the Artist's hand confine, Whom practice gives to strike the free design ; Or banish Fancy from her fairy plains, Or fetter Genius in didactick chains : No, 'tis their liberal purpose to convey 45 That scientifick skill which wins its

way On docile nature, and transmits to youth, Talents to reach, and taste to relish truth; While inborn Genius from their aid receives Each supplemental art that practice gives. 50

• 'Tis Painting's first chief business to explore, What lovelier forms in Nature's boundless store

Cum nitida tantum et facili digesta loquela,
Ornari præcepta negent, contenta doceri.

Nec mihi mens animusve fuit constringere nodos o
Artificum manibus, quos tantùm dirigit usus ;
Indolis ut vigor inde potens obstrictus hebescat,
Normarum numero immani, Geniumq; moretur :
Sed rerum ut pollens ars cognitione, gradatim
Naturæ sese insinuet, verique capace
Transeat in Genium ; Geniusq; usu induat artem.

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