Enough if there the fluent numbers please, With native clearness, and instructive ease. 40 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 : 45 50 'Tis Painting's first chief business to explore, What lovelier forms in Nature's boundless store Cum nitida tantum et facili digesta loquela, Nec mihi mens animusve fuit constringere nodos 3 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. b Præcipua imprimis artisque potissima pars est, I. Of the Beautiful. I. De Pulchro. 35 Are best to art and ancient taste allied, 56 For ancient taste those forms has best applied. 61 When first the orient rays of beauty move 65 The conscious soul, they light the lamp of love; Nosse quid in rebus natura creârit ad artem Ut curare nequit, quæ non modo noverit esse ; Cognita amas, et amata cupis, sequerisq; cu pita; Passibus assequeris tandem quæ fervidus urges : 43 Love wakes those warm desires that prompt our chace, To follow and to fix each flying grace 70 The symmetry supreme of perfect art: Yet if those charms too closely we define, Our end is lost. Not such the Master's care, Curious he culls the perfect from the fair; 76 Judge of his art, thro' beauty's realm he flies, Selects, combines, improves, diversifies; With nimble step pursues the fleeting throng, And clasps each Venus as she glides along. 80 Illa tamen quæ pulchra decent; non omnia casus Marte suo, formæ Veneres captando fugaces. Yet some there are who indiscreetly stray, Where purblind practice only points the way; Who every theoretick truth disdain, And blunder on mechanically vain. 1 Some too there are, within whose languid breasts A lifeless heap of embryo knowledge rests, 86 When nor the pencil feels their drowży art, Nor the skill'd hand explains the meaning heart. In chains of sloth such talents droop confin'd: 'Twas not by words Apelles charm'd mankind. Hear then the Muse; tho' perfect beauty towers Above the reach of her descriptive powers, 55 Utque manus grandi nil nomine practica dignum Assequitur, primum arcanæ quam deficit artis Lumen, et in præceps abitura ut cæca vagatur; Sic nihil ars operâ manuum privata supremtim Exequitur, sed languet iners uti vincta lacertos; Dispositumque typum non linguâ pinxit Apelles. Ergo licet totâ normam haud possimus in arte 60 Ponere, (cum nequeant quæ sunt pulcherrima dici,) * II. De Speculatione et Praxi. с tice. II. Of Theory and Prac Yet will she strive some leading rules to draw From sovereign Nature's universal law; Stretch her wide view o'er ancient Art's do main, Again establish Reason's legal reign, Genius again 'correct with science sage, 95 Right ever reigns its stated bounds between, "And taste, like morals, loves the golden mean." 100 • Some lofty theme let judgement first supply, Supremely fraught with grace and majesty; For fancy copious, free to every charm That lines can circumscribe or colours warm; Nitimur hæc paucis, scrutati summa magistræ Quos ultra citraque nequit consistere rectum." f 65 His positis, erit optandum thema, nobile, pulchrum, III. Of the Subject. III. De Argumento. |