'Twas there the Goddess fix'd her blest

abodes,

135

There reign'd in Corinth, Athens, Sicyon,

Rhodes,

Her various vot'ries various talents crown'd,
Yet each alike her inspiration own'd:
Witness those marble miracles of grace,
Those tests of symmetry where still we trace 149
All art's perfection With reluctant gaze
To these the genius of succeeding days
Looks dazzled up, and, as their glories spread,
Hides in his mantle. his diminish'd head.

P Learn then from Greece, ye youths, Proportion's law,

Inform'd by her, each just POSITION draw;

99

Quos inter, Graphidos Gymnasia prima fuêre Portus Athenarum, Sicyon, Rhodos, atque Corinthus, Disparia inter se modicùm ratione laboris ; Ut patet ex veterum Statuis, formæ atque decoris Archetypis; queis posterior nil protulit ætas Condignum, et non inferius longè, arte modoque. • Horum igitur vera ad normam positura legetur :

P VII. Design or Position,

the second

part of Painting.

VII. Graphis seu Positura secunda Picturæ pars.

Skilful to range each large unequal part,
With varied motion and contrasted art;
Full in the front the nobler limbs to place,
And poise each figure on its central base.

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But chief from her that flowing outline take, Which floats, in wavy windings, like the snake, Or lambent flame; which, ample, broad, and long,

Reliev'd not swell'd, at once both light and

strong,

Glides thro' the graceful whole.

divine

Her art

Cuts not, in parts minute, the tame design,
But by a few bold strokes, distinct and free,
Calls forth the charms of perfect symmetry.

Grandia, inæqualis, formosaque partibus amplis
Anteriora dabit membra, in contraria motu
Diverso variata, suo librataque centro;

155

105

Membrorumque sinus ignis flammantis ad instar, Serpenti undantes flexu; sed lævia, plana, Magnaque signa, quasi sine tubere subdita tactu, Ex longo deducta fluant, non secta minutim: Insertisque toris sint nota ligamina, juxta Compagem anatomes, et membrificatio Græco

True to anatomy, more true to grace,

She bids each muscle know its native place; 169 Bids small from great in just gradation rise, And, at one visual point, approach the eyes. Yet deem not, youths, that perspective can

give

Those charms complete by which your works shall live:

What tho' her rules may to your hand im

part

A quick mechanick substitute for art,

165

Yet formal, geometrick shapes she draws; Hence the true Genius scorns her rigid laws; By Nature taught he strikes th’unerring lines, Consults his eye, and as he sees designs.

170

Deformata modo, paucisque expressa lacertis,
Qualis, apud veteres; totoque Eurythmia partes
Componat; genitumque suo generante sequenti "S
Sit minus, et puncto videantur cuncta sub uno.
Regula certa licet nequeat prospectica dici,
Aut complementum graphidos; sed in arte juvamen,
Et modus accelerans operandi: at corpora falso
Sub visu in multis referens, mendosa labascit :
Nam Geometralem nunquam sunt corpora juxtâ
Mensuram depicta oculis, sed qualia visa.

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Man's changeful race, the sport of chance

and time,

Varies no less in aspect than in clime;
Mark well the difference, and let each be seen
Of various age, complexion, hair, and mien,

Yet to each separate form adapt with care 175 Such limbs, such robes, such attitude and air, As best befit the head, and best combine To make one whole, one uniform design: Learn action from the dumb; the dumb shall teach

How happiest to supply the want of speech. 189

"Non eadem formæ species, non omnibus ætas Equalis, similesque color, crinesque figuris : Nam, variis velut orta plagis, gens dispare vultų

est.

* Singula membra, suo capiti conformia, fiant Unum idemque simul corpus cum vestibus ipsis : Mutorumque silens positura imitabitur actus.

VIII. Variety in the Fi

Figures.

IX. Conformity of the Limbs and Drapery to the Head.

125

" VIII. Varietas in Fi. guris.

* IX. Figura sit una membris et vestibus.

7 X. Mutorum actiones

t X. Action of the Mutes imitandæ. to be imitated.

Fair in the front, in all the blaze of light, The Hero of thy piece should meet the sight, Supreme in beauty; lavish here thine art, And bid him boldly from the canvas start;

While round that sov'reign form th' inferior

In

train

groups collected fill the pictur❜d plain ;

185

Fill, but not croud; for oft some open space
Must part their ranks, and leave a vacant place,
Lest artlessly dispers'd the sever'd crew
At random rush on our bewilder'd view;
Or parts with parts, in thick confusion bound,
Spread a tumultuous chaos o'er the ground,

190

139

'Prima figurarum, seu princeps dramatis, ultrò Prosiliat media in tabula, sub lumine primo Pulchrior ante alias, reliquis nec operta figuris.

с

Agglomerata simul sint membra, ipsæque figuræ

Stipentur, circumque globos locus usque vacabit; Nè, malè dispersis dum visus ubique figuris Dividitur, cunctisque operis fervente tumultu Partibus implicitis, crepitans confusio surgat.

* XI. The principal Figure. * XII. Groups of Figures.

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XI. Figura princeps. • XII. Figurarum globi seu cumuli.