645

But as the blushing fruits, the breathing flowers,
Adorning Flora's and Pomona's bowers,
When forcing fires command their buds to swell,
Refuse their dulcet taste, their balmy smell;
So labour's vain extortion ne'er achieves
That grace supreme which willing Genius gives.
• Thus tho' to pains and practice much we owe,
Tho' thence each line obtains its easy flow,
Yet let those pains, that practice, ne'er be join'd,
To blunt the native vigour of the mind.

650

* When shines the Morn, when in recruited

course

The spirits flow, devote their active force

460

Fructibus utque suus nunquam est sapor, atque venustas Floribus, insueto in fundo, præcoce sub anni "Tempore, quos cultus violentus et ignis adegit : Sic nunquam, nimio quæ sunt extorta labore,

Et picta invito genio, nunquam illa placebunt.

To every nicer part of thy design,

y But pass no idle day without a line:

2

And wandering oft the crouded streets along,655

The native gestures of the passing throng

Attentive mark; for many a

a casual grace, Th' expressive lines of each impassion'd face That bears its joys or sorrows undisguis'd, May by observant taste be there surpriz'd. 660 Thus, true to art, and zealous to excel,

Ponder on Nature's powers, and weigh them well;

Explore thro' earth and heaven, thro' sea and skies.

The accidental graces as they rise;

Nec tamen obtundat genium, mentisque vigorem. 465

a

Optima nostrorum pars matutina dierum,

Difficili hanc igitur potiorem impende labori.

b

Nulla dies abeat, quin linea ducta supersit : Perque vias, vultus hominum, motusque notabis Libertate sua proprios, positasque figuras Ex sese faciles, ut inobservatus, habebis.

470

LXVII. Singulis diebus aliquid faciendum.

b LXVIII. Affectus in. observati et naturales.

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

To Temperance all our liveliest powers we

owe,

She bids the Judgement 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 quod cumque 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,

• LXIX. Of the TableBook.

475

480

d LXIX. Non desint pugillares.

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:

680

For paltry gold let pining Misers sigh,
His soul invokes a nobler Deity;
Smit with the glorious avarice of fame,
He claims no less than an immortal name;
Hence on his fancy just conception shines, 685
True judgement 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, Condigna 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 em

power

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; 700 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,

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

491

496