VENUS IN SEARCH OF CUPID, COMING TO DIANA.

Character, Contrast of Impassioned and Unimpassioned Beauty— Cold and Warm Colors mixed; Painter, Titian.

(Yet I know not whether Annibal Caracci would not better suit the demand for personal expression in this instance. But the recollection of Titian's famous Bath of Diana is forced upon us.)

Shortly unto the wasteful woods she came,
Whereas she found the goddess with her crew,
After late chace of their embrewed game,
Sitting beside a fountain in a rew;

Some of them washing with the liquid dew
From off their dainty limbs the dusty sweat
And soil, which did defile their lovely hue;
Others lay shaded from the scorching heat;
The rest upon her person gave attendance great.

She having hung upon a bough on high
Her bow and painted quiver, had unlac'd
Her silver buskins from her nimble thigh,
And her lank loins ungirt and breasts unbrac'd,
After her heat the breathing cold to taste;
Her golden locks, that late in tresses bright
Embraided were for hindering of her haste,
Now loose about her shoulders lay undight,
And were with sweet ambrosia all besprinkled light

Soon as she Venus saw behind her back,
She was asham'd to be so loose surpris'd,
And wak'd half wrath against her damsels slack
That had not her thereof before aviz'd,
But suffer'd her so carelessly disguiz'd

Be overtaken: soon her garments loose 32
Upgathering in her bosom she compriz'd,
Well as she might, and to the goddess rose
Whiles all her nymphs did like a garland her inclose

"Soon her garments loose," &c.-This picture is from Ovid, but the lovely and beautifully colored comparison of the garland is Spenser's own.

MAY.

Character, Budding Beauty in male and female; Animal Passion; Luminous Vernal coloring; Painter, the same.

Then came fair May, the fairest maid on ground,33
Deck'd all with dainties of her season's pride,
And throwing flowers out of her lap around:
Upon two brethren's shoulders she did ride,
The Twins of Leda; which, on either side,
Supported her like to their sovereign queen.
Lord! how all creatures laugh'd when her they spied,
And leap'd and danc'd as they had ravish'd been ;
And Cupid's self about her flùttered all in green.

33" Then came," &c.-Raphael would have delighted (but Titian's colors would be required) in the lovely and liberal uniformity of this picture, the young goddess May supported aloft; the two brethren on each side; animals and flowers below; birds in the air, and Cupid streaming overhead in his green mantle. Imagine the little fellow, with a body of Titian's carnation, tumbling in the air, and playfully holding the mantle, which is flying amply behind, rather than concealing him.

This charming stanza beats the elegant but more formal invocation to May by Milton, who evidently had it in his recollection. Indeed the latter is almost a compilation from various poets. It is, however, too beautiful to be omitted here.

Now the bright morning-star, day's harbinger,
Comes dancing from the east, and leads with her
The flowery May, who from her green lap throws
The yellow cowslip and the pale primrose.

Hail beauteous May, that dost inspire
Mirth, and youth, and warm desire!

Woods and groves are of thy dressing,
Hill and dale doth boast thy blessing.
Thus we salute thee with our early song,

And welcome thee, and wish thee long.

Spenser's "Lord! how all creatures laugh'd" is an instance of joyous and impulsive expression not common with English poets, out of the pale of comedy. They have geniality in abundance, but not animal spirits.

AN ANGEL, WITH A PILGRIM AND A FAINTING KNIGHT.

Character, Active Superhuman Beauty, with the finest coloring and contrast; Painter, the same.

During the while that Guyon did abide

In Mammon's house, the palmer, whom whilere
That wanton maid of passage had denied,
By further search had passage found elsewhere;
And being on his way, approachèd near
While Guyon lay in trance: when suddenly
He heard a voice that callèd loud and clear,
"Come hither, hither, O come hastily!"
That all the fields resounded with the rueful cry.

The palmer leant his ear unto the noise,
To weet who call'd so importunèdly;
Again he heard a more enforced voice,
That bade him come in haste. He by-and-bye
His feeble feet directed to the cry;

Which to that shady delve him brought at last,
Where Mammon earst did sun his treasury:

There the good Guyon he found slumbering fast
1a senseless dream; which sight at first him sore aghast

Beside his head there sat a fair young man,34
Of wondrous beauty and of freshest years,
Whose tender bud to blossom new began,
And flourish far above his equal peers;
His snowy front, curled with golden hairs,

Like Phoebus' face adorn'd with sunny rays,
Divinely shone; and two sharp winged shears,
Decked with diverse plumes, like painted jays,
Were fixed at his back to cut his airy ways

34 “Beside his head," &c.-The superhuman beauty of this angel should be Raphael's, yet the picture, as a whole, demands Titian; and the painter of Bacchus was not incapable of the most imaginative exaltation of countenance. As to the angel's body, no one could have painted it like him,-nor the beautiful jay's wings; not to mention the contrast between the pilgrim's weeds and the knight's armor. See a picture of Venus blinding Cupid, beautifully engraved by Sir Robert Strange, in which the Cupid has variegated wings.

AURORA AND TITHONUS.

Character, Young and Genial Beauty, contrasted with Age,—the accessories full of the mixed warmth and chillness of morning; Painter, Guido.

The joyous day 'gan early to appear,
And fair Aurora from the dewy bed

Of aged Tithon 'gan herself to rear

With rosy cheeks, for shame as blushing red.
Her golden locks, for haste, were loosely shed
About her ears, when Una did her mark
Climb to her chariot, all with flowers spread,
From heaven high to chase the cheerless dark:
With merry note her loud salutes the mounting lark.

THE BRIDE AT THE ALTAR.

Character, Flushed yet Lady-like Beauty, with ecstatic Angels regard. ing her; Painter, the same.

Behold, while she before the altar stands,
Hearing the holy priest that to her speaks,
And blesses her with his two happy hands,
How the red roses flush up in her cheeks!
And the pure snow, with goodly vermeil stain,
Like crimson dyed in grain!

That ev'n the angels, which continually
About the sacred altar do remain,
Forget their service and about her fly,

Oft peeping in her face, that seems more fair 35
The more they on it stare;

But her sad eyes, still fastened on the ground,
Are governed with goodly modesty,

That suffers not one look to glance awry,
Which may let in a little thought unsound.

35 Oft peeping in her face," &c.—I cannot think the words peeping and stare, the best which the poet could have used; but he is aggravating the beauties of his bride in a long epithalamium, and sacrificing everything to her superiority. The third line is felicitous.

A NYMPH BATHING.

Character, Ecstacy of Conscious and Luxurious Beauty; Painter Guido.

-Her fair locks which formerly were bound

Up in one knot, she low adown did loose,

Which flowing long and thick, her cloth'd around,

And the ivory in golden mantle gown'd,