While new to beauty's charms, your eager soul age. * When duly taught each geometric rule, Approach with awful step the Grecian school, The sculptur'd reliques of her skill survey, Muse on by night, and imitate by day; 720 No rest, no pause, till, all her graces known, 725 Dum vacua errorum, nulloque imbuta sapore 506 mam; 510 Nec mora, nec requies, noctuque dieque labori, Illorum menti atque modo, vos donec agendi Praxis ab assiduo faciles assueverit usu. Mox, ubi judicium emensis adoleverit annis, Singula, quæ celebrant primæ exemplaria classis, *LXXI. The Method of † LXXI. Ordo Studiorum. Studies for a young Painter. 735 Admire the proud productions of their skill, 740 Romani, Veneti, Parmenses, atque Bononi, 516 Partibus in cunctis pedetentìm, atque ordine recto, Ut monitum suprà est, vos expendisse juvabit. Hos apud invenit Raphael miracula summo Ducta modo, Veneresque habuit quas nemo dein ceps. 520 Quidquid erat formæ scivit Bonarota potenter. 745 His triumphs more than mortal pomp adorns, Grandeur of style, and chastity of hue. 750 Yet higher still great TITIAN dar'd to soar, He reach'd the loftiest heights of Colouring's power; His friendly tints in happiest mixture flow, 755 His shades and lights their just gradations know; Quæque coronatis complevit bella triumphis colorum, Compagemque ita disposuit Titianus, ut inde 530 Hence deem'd divine, the world his merit own'd, Did ANNIBALE compose his wond'rous style: 760 * If then to praise like theirs your souls aspire, 770 Divus sit dictus, magnis et honoribus auctus, 534 Fortunæque bonis: Quos sedulus Hannibal omnes In propriam mentem, atque modum mira arte coëgit. + Plurimus inde labor tabulas imitando juvabit Egregias, operumque typos; sed plura docebit Natura ante oculos præsens; nam firmat et auget *LXXII. Nature and Ex- † LXXII. Natura et Experience perfect Art. perientia Artem perficiunt. Her precepts, best of teachers! give the powers, Whence art by practice to perfection soars. These useful rules from time and chance to save, In Latian strains, the studious FRESNOY gave: On Tiber's peaceful banks the Poet lay, 775 What time the pride of Bourbon urg'd his way Through hostile camps and crimson fields of slain, To vindicate his race and vanquish Spain; High on the Alps he took his warrior stand, And thence in ardent volley from his hand His thunder darted: (so the Flatterer sings, In strains best suited to the ear of kings) And like ALCIDES, with vindictive tread, Crush'd the Hispanian Lion's gasping head. 780 Vim genii, ex illâque artem experientia complet. 541 Hæc ego, dum memoror subitura volubilis ævi Cuncta vices, variisque olim peritura ruinis, Pauca sophismata sum graphica immortalibus ausus Credere pieriis, Romæ meditatus: ad Alpes, 545 Dum super insanas moles, inimicaque castra Borbonidum decus et vindex Lodoicus avorum, Fulminat ardenti dextrâ, patriæque resurgens Gallicus Alcides premit Hispani ora Leonis. |