THE ART OF PAINTING. TRUE Poetry the Painter's power displays; True Painting emulates the Poet's lays; 5 Alternate change their office and their name; DE ARTE GRAPHICA. UT Pictura Poesis erit; similisque Poesi 10 Non eadem Pictorum operam studiumq; merentur: From you, blest Pair! Religion deigns to claim Her sacred honours; at her awful name 16 High o'er the stars you take your soaring flight, 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, That wins with grace, or awes with dignity, Anbæ quippe sacros ad religionis honores Sydercos superant ignes, aulamque tonantis Ingressa, Divûm aspectu, alloquioque fruuntur; Oraque magna Deûm, et dicta observata reportant, Celestemque suorum operum mortalibus ignem. Inde per hunc Orbem studiis coëuntibus errant, Carpentes quæ digna sui, revolutaque lustrant Tempora, quærendis consortibus argumentis. Denique quæcunq; in cœlo, terrâque, marique Longius in tempus durare, ut pulchra merentur, 25 19 To each exalted deed, which dares to claim That meed ye grant. 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 Such powers, such praises, heaven-born Pair, belong To magick colouring, and creative song. But here I pause, nor ask Pieria's train, Nor Phoebus self to elevate the strain : 35 Vain is the flow'ry verse, when reasoning sage And sober precept fill the studied page; 20 Nobilitate suâ, claroque insignia casu, candus, Majus ut eloquium numeris, aut gratia fandi Dogmaticis illustret opus rationibus horrens : 25 Enough if there the fluent numbers please, With native clearness, and instructive ease. 40 45 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 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, 30 Nec mihi mens animusve fuit constringere nodos " 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 |