Which sprang to birth, what time, thro' lust

of sway,

Imperial Latium bade the world obey:

330

Fierce from the north the headlong demons

flew,

The wreaths of Science wither'd at their view; Plagues were their harbingers, and war accurst, And luxury, of every fiend the worst:

Then did each Muse behold her triumphs fade, Then pensive Painting droop'd the languish'd head;

336

And sorrowing Sculpture, while the ruthless flame

Involv'd each trophy of her sister's fame,
Fled to sepulchral cells her own to save,
And lurk'd a patient inmate of the grave. 340

Ornamenta modo, sæclorum et monstra malorum :
Queis ubi bella, famem, et pestem, discordia, luxus,
Et Romanorum res grandior intulit orbi,
Ingenuæ periere artes, periere suberbæ
Artificum moles; sua tunc miracula vidit
Ignibus absumi Pictura, latere coacta
Fornicibus, sortem et reliquam confidere cryptis ;
Marmoribusque diu Sculptura jacere sepultis,

245

Meanwhile beneath the frown of angry Heaven,
Unworthy every boon its smile had given,
Involv'd in error's cloud, and scorn'd of light,
The guilty Empire sunk. Then horrid Night,
And Dullness drear their murky vigils kept, 345
In savage gloom the impious Ages slept,
Till Genius, starting from his rugged bed,
Full late awoke, the ceaseless tear to shed
For perish'd art; for those celestial hues,
Which Zeuxis, aided by the Attick Muse, 350
Gave to the wond'ring eye: She bade his

name,

With thine, Apelles, gild the lists of fame;

250

Imperium interea, scelerum gravitate fatiscens,
Horrida nox totum invasit, donoque superni
Luminis indignum, errorum caligine mersit,
Impiaque ignaris damnavit sæcla tenebris.
Unde coloratum Graiis huc usque magistris
Nil superest tantorum hominum, quod mente modoq;
Nostrates juvet artifices, doceatque laborem ;
Nec qui Chromaticês nobis, hoc tempore, partes
Restituat, quales Zeuxis tractaverat olim,

Hujus quando magâ velut arte æquavit Apellem

255

CHROMATICES tertia Pars

Picturæ.

With thine to colouring's brightest glories

soar,

The Gods applaud him, and the world adore. Alas! how lost those magick mixtures

all!

No hues of his now animate the wall;

355

How then shall modern art those hues apply,
How give design its finish'd dignity?
Return fair COLOURING! all thy lures prepare,
Each safe deception, every honest snare,

Which brings new lovers to thy sister's train,

360

Skilful at once to charm, and to retain ;

Come, faithful Siren! chast seducer! say,

What laws control thee, and what powers

obey.

260

Pictorum archigraphum, meruitque coloribus altam
Nominis æterni famam, toto orbe sonantem.
Hæc quidem ut in tabulis fallax, sed grata venustas,
Et complementum graphidos, mirabile visu,
Pulchra vocabatur, sed subdola, lena sororis :
Non tamen hoc lenocinium, fucusque, dolusque
Dedecori fuit unquam; illi sed semper honori,
Laudibus et meretis; hanc ergo nosse juvabit.

265

1

Know first, that light displays and shade

destroys

Refulgent Nature's variegated dyes.

Thus bodies near the light distinctly shine With rays direct, and as it fades decline.

365

Thus to the eye oppos'd with stronger light They meet its orb, for distance dims the sight. Learn hence to paint the parts that meet

the view

In spherick forms, of bright and equal hue ;
While, from the light receding or the eye,
The sinking outlines take a fainter dye.

371

Lux varium, viyumque dabit, nullum umbra, colorem.

Quo magis adversum est corpus, lucique propinquum.

Clarius est lumen; nam debilitatur eundo.

Quo magis est corpus directum, oculisque pro

pinquum,

Conspicitur melius; nam visus hebescit eundo.
"Ergo in corporibus, quæ visa adversa, rotundis,
Integra sunt, extrema abscedant perdita signis

279

'XXXI. The conduct of

"XXXI. Tonorum Lu

the Tints of Light and Shadow.

minum et Umbrarum ratio,

Lost and confus'd progressively they fade, 375 Not fall precipitate from light to shade. This Nature dictates, and this taste pursues, Studious in gradual gloom her lights to lose; The various whole with soft'ning tints to fill, As if one single head employ'd her skill. 380 Thus if bold fancy plan some proud design, Where many various groups divide or join, (Tho' sure from more than there confusion springs,)

One globe of light and shade o'er all she

flings;

Yet skill'd the separate masses to dispose, 385
Where'er, in front, the fuller radiance glows,
Behind, a calm reposing gloom she spreads,
Relieving shades with light, and light with
shades,

Confusis, non præcipiti labentur in umbram
Clara gradu, nec adumbrata in clara alta repentè 275
Prorumpant; sed erit sensim hinc atque inde meatus
Lucis et umbrarum; capitisque unius ad instar,

Totum opus, ex multis quanquam sit partibus, unus
Luminis umbrarumque globus tantuminodo fiet,
Sive duas, vel tres ad summum, ubi grandius esset 289
Divisum pegma in partes statione remotas.