THE

ART OF PAINTING,

WITH THE

ORIGINAL TEXT SUBJOINED.

THE ART OF PAINTING.

TRUE

RUE 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;

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Bid silent Poetry the canvass 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.

DE ARTE GRAPHICA.

Ur 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 fuere,

Non eadem Pictorum operam studiumque merentur:

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5

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 seraphic shine;
Trace beauty's beam to its eternal spring,
And pure to man the fire celestial bring.

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20

Then round this globe on joint pursuit ye stray,

Time's ample annals studiously survey;

And from the eddies of Oblivion's stream

Propitious snatch each memorable theme.

Thus to each form, in heaven, and earth, and sea, 25

That wins with grace, or awes with dignity,

To each exalted deed, which dares to claim
The glorious meed of an immortal fame,

Ambæ quippe sacros ad religionis honores
Sydereos superant ignes, aulamque tonantis
Ingressæ, Divûm aspectu, alloquioque fruuntur;
Oraque magna Deûm, et dicta observata reportant,
Cœlestemque suorum operum mortalibus ignem.
Inde per hunc Orbem studiis coëuntibus errant,
Carpentes quæ digna sui, revolutaque lustrant
Tempora, quærendis consortibus argumentis.

Denique quæcunque in cœlo, terrâque, marique
Longius in tempus durare, ut pulchra merentur,
Nobilitate suâ, claroque insignia casu,
Dives et ampla manet Pictores atque Poetas

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Materies; inde alta sonant per sæcula mundo