And while each present form the Fancy warms, Swift on thy tablets fix, its fleeting charms. 666

To Temperance all our liveliest powers we

nowe,

She bids the Judgment wake, the Fancy flow
For her the Artist shuns the fuming feast,
The midnight roar, the Bacchanalian guest, 670
And seeks those softer opiates of the soul,
The social circle, the diluted bowl:
Crown'd with the freedom of a single life,
He flies domestick din, litigious strife;
Abhors the noisy haunts of bustling trade, 675
And steals serene to solitude and shade;

Mox: quodcumque mari, terris, et in aëre pulchrum Contigerit, chartis propera mandare paratis, Dum præsens animo species tibi fervet hianti..

Non epulis nimis indulget Pictura, meroque Parcit Amicorum nisi cum sermone benigno Exhaustam reparet mentem recreata; sed inde Litibus, et curis, in cœlibe libera vita, Secessus procul à turba, strepituque remotos, Villarum, rurisque beata silentia quærit : Namque recollecto, totâ incumbente Minervâ,

475

480

d LXIX. Non desint pu

с

LXIX. Of the Table

Book.

gillares.

There calmly seated in his village bower,
He gives to noblest themes the studious hour,
While Genius, Practice, Contemplation join
To warm his soul with energy divine :
For paltry gold let pining Misers sigh,
His soul invokes a nobler Deity;

680

Smit with the glorious avarice of fame,
He claims no less than an immortal name;
Hence on his fancy just conception shines, 685
True judgment guides his hand, true taste re-

fines ;

Hence ceaseless toil, devotion to his art,
A docile temper, and a generous heart;
Docile, his sage Preceptor to obey,

Generous, his aid with gratitude to pay; 690

Ingenio, rerum species præsentior extat; Commodiusque operis compagem amplectitur om

nem.

Infami tibi non potior sit avara peculi

Cura, aurique fames, modicâ quam sorte beato, 485 Nominis æterni, et laudis pruritus habendæ, Condignæ pulchrorum operum mercedis in ævum. Judicium, docile ingenium, cor nobile, sensus Sublimes, firmum corpus, florensque juventa,

Commoda res, labor, artis amor, doctusque magister;

Blest with the bloom of youth, the nerves of

health,

And competence, a better boon than wealth. Great blessings these! yet will not these empower

His tints to charm at every labouring hour
All have their brilliant moments, when alone 695
They paint as if some star propitious shone.
Yet then, e'en then, the hand but ill conveys
The bolder grace that in the fancy plays :
Hence, candid Criticks, this sad truth confest,
Accept what least is bad, and deem it best; 7c0
Lament the soul in errour's thraldom held,
Compare life's span with art's extensive field;
Know that, ere perfect taste matures the mind,
Or perfect practice to that taste be join'd,

401

Et quamcumque voles occasio porrigat ansam,
Ni genius quidam adfuerit, sydusque benignum,
Dotibus his tantis, nec adhuc ars tanta paratur.
Distat ab ingenio longé manus. Optima doctis
Censentur, quæ prava minus; latet omnibus error;
Vitaque tam longa brevior non sufficit arti.
Desinimus nam posse senes, cùm scire periti

496

Comes age, comes sickness, comes contracting

pain,

705

And chills the warmth of youth in every vein. Rise then, ye youths, while yet that warmth

inspires,

While yet nor years impair, nor labour tires, While health, while strength are yours, while

that mild ray

Which shone auspicious on your natal day, 710
Conducts you to Minerva's peaceful quire,—
Sons of her choice, and sharers of her fire,
Rise at the call of art: expand your breast,
Capacious to receive the mighty guest,
While, free from prejudice, your active
Preserves its first unsullied purity;

eye

716

Incipimus, doctamque manum gravat ægra senectus; Nec gelidis fervet juvenilis in artibus ardor.

Quare agite, O juvenes, placido quos sydere

natos

Paciferæ studia allectant tranquilla Minervæ ;

500

Quosque suo fovet igne, sibique optavit alumnos ! Eja agite, atque animis ingentem ingentibus artem Exercete alacres, dum strenua corda juventus Viribus exstimulat vegetis, patiensque laborum est;

While new to Beauty's charms, your eager soul Drinks copious draughts of the delicious whole, And Memory on her soft, yet lasting page,

Stamps the fresh image which shall charm

thro' age.

720

* When duely taught each geometrick rule, Approach with awful step the Grecian school, The sculptur'd reliques of her skill survey, Muse on by night, and imitate by day; No rest, no pause, till, all her graces known, A happy habit makes each grace your own. 726 As years advance, to modern masters come, Gaze on their glories in majestick ROME;

Dum vacua errorum, nulloque imbuta sapore
Pura nitet mens, et rerum sitibunda novarum,
Præsentes haurit species, atque humida servat!

f In geometrali prius arte parumpèr adulti
Signa antiqua super Graiorum addiscite formam;
Nec mora, nec requies, noctuque diuque labori,
Illorum menti atque modo, vos donec agendi
Praxis ab assiduo faciles assueverit usu.

510

Mox, ubi judicium emensis adoleverit annis, Şingula, quæ celebrant primæ exemplaria classis, *

LXX. The Method of f LXX. Ordo Studiorum. Studies for a young Painter.