BLES

The travell'd Artift to his native fhore !

His mind enlighten'd, and his fancy fraught

With finest forms by ancient genius wrought;

Whose magic beauty charm'd, with fpell fublime, 5
The scythe of Ruin from the hand of Time,
And mov'd the mighty leveller to spare

Models of grace fo exquifitely fair.

While you, whom Painting thus infpir'd to roam, Bring these rich ftores of ripen'd judgment home; 10

While now, attending my accomplish'd friend,
Science and Taste his soften'd colours blend;

- Let the fond Mufe, tho' with a tranfient view,

The progress of her sister art pursue ;

B. 2

Eager

Eager in tracing from remotest time

The steps of Painting through each favour'd clime,
To praise her dearest fons, whose daring aim
Gain'd their bright stations on the heights of fame,
And mark the paths by which her partial hand
Conducts her ROMNEY to this radiant band.

15

20

Painting, fweet Nymph! now leaves in lifeless trance Exhaufted Italy and tinfel France,

And fees in Britain, with exulting eyes,

Her vot❜ries profper, and her glories rise.

Yet tho', my friend, thy art is thus careft,

25

And with the homage of the public bleft,
And flourishes with growing beauty fair,
The child of Majesty's adoptive care,
The youthful artist still is doom'd to feel
Obftruction's chilling hand, that damps his zeal: 30
Th' imperious voice of Vanity and Pride

Bids him from Fancy's region turn afide,

And quit the magic of her scene, to trace

The vacant lines of some unmeaning face:

E'en in this work his wifhes ftill are croft,

35

And all the efforts of his art are lost ;

For when the canvas, with the mirror's truth,

Reflects the perfect form of age or youth,

The

The fond affections of the partial mind

The
eye of judgment with delufion blind:
Each mother bids him brighter tints employ,

And give new spirit to her booby boy;
Nor can the painter, with his utmost art,
Exprefs the image in the lover's heart:
Unconscious of the change the feafons bring,
Autumnal beauty afks the rofe of fpring,
And vain felf-love, in every age the fame,
Will fondly urge some vifionary claim.
The luckless painter, deftin'd to submit,

40

45

Mourns the loft likeness which he once had hit,

50

And, doom'd to groundless cenfure, bears alone

The grievous load of errors not his own.

Nor is it Pride, or Folly's vain command,

The hoop extended with enormous fize,
The corks that like a promontory rise;

The stays of deadly fteel, in whose embrace
The tyrant Fashion tortures injur'd Grace.
But Art, defpairing over fhapes like these
To caft an air of elegance and ease,
Invokes kind Fancy's aid-fhe comes to spread
Her magic spells-the Gothic forms are fled;
And fee, to crown the painter's just desire,

Her free positions, and her light attire!
Th' ambitious artist wishes to pursue

This brilliant plan with more extensive view,
And with adopted character to give

A lafting charm to make the portrait live;
All points of art by one nice effort gain,
Delight the learned, and content the vain;

Make history to life new value lend *,
And in the comprehenfive picture blend
The ancient hero with the living friend.

65

70

75

Most fair device!" but, ah! what foes to fenfe, 89
What broods of motley monfters rife from hence!"

The ftrange pretenfions of each age and fex
Thefe plans of fancy and of taste perplex;

* Ver. 77. See NOTE I.

For

For male and female, to themselves unknown,

Demand a character unlike their own,

85

Till oft the painter to this quaint distress
Prefers the awkward fhapes of common dress.
Sweet girls, of mild and pensive softness, choose
The fportive emblems of the comic Muse;

And sprightly damfels are inclin'd to borrow

The garb of penitence, and tears of forrow:

၄၁

While awkward pride, tho' fafe from war's alarms,
Round his plump body buckles ancient arms,

And, from an honeft juftice of the peace,
Starts up at once a demi-god of Greece;

Too firm of heart by ridicule to fall,

The finish'd hero crowns his country hall,
Ordain'd to fill, if fire his glory spare,

The lumber-garret of his wifer heir.
Not lefs abfurd to flatter NERO'S

Arofe the portrait of coloffal fize :

eyes

Twice fifty feet th' enormous sheet was spread,
To lift o'er gazing flaves the monster's head,
When impious Folly fway'd Oppreffion's rod,
And fervile Rome ador'd the mimic God.

95

100

105

Think