THE

ART OF ENGLISH POETRY.

Ir Whim our wildest artist led,
For once, to paint a human head
Join'd to a horse's neck; and shew,
In various colours clad below,
Limbs hardly Fancy could avail
To couple; in a fish's tail

The monster ending, that with grace
Above adorn'd a woman's face;

'Would you not, wondering at his style,
Who pleased us in the nightmare, smile?

EPISTOLA AD PISONES.

HUMANO capiti cervicem pictor equinam
Jungere si velit, et varias inducere plumas
Undique collectis membris, ut turpiter atrem

Desinat in piscem mulier formosa supernè
'Spectatum admissi, risum teneatis amici ?

I

Own, bards, that such a picture seems
Scarce stranger, than a book, like dreams
That scare the sick, with fancies fraught
Betraying no consistent thought;

In which the whole is void of art,
And neither head nor tail a part.
Taste does not coldly, nor e'er did,
Inventions somewhat bold forbid ;
The poet's and the painter's tribe
Both wont with freedom to describe.

We know, and mutually, 'tis true,

Demand and make the allowance due:

But fury never let us find

In mildness: to each other kind

I

Credite, Pisones, istæ tabulæ fore librum. Persimilem, cujus, velut ægri somnia, vanæ Fingentur species, ut nec pes, nec caput uni Reddatur formæ. Pictoribus atque poetis Quidlibet audendi semper fuit æqua potestas ; Scimus, et hanc veniam petimusque damusque vicissim : Sed non ut placidis coëant immitia, non ut

Nor birds and serpents let us see,
Nor tigers bid with lambs agree.

On labours oft, that boast pretence
Of plan to higher consequence,
Some splendid purple patches sewn,
The attention will arrest alone.

* With groves at large described, we meet Round veil'd' Religion's chaste retreat; Or happy language shews, confined

3

By verdant banks, enchanting, 3 wind

4 The clear Garonne, where mountains range; And tints of air the landscape change.

Your power confess'd is out of place;

6

For why an oak tree would you trace,

Serpentes avibus geminentur, tigribus agni.
Inceptis gravibus plerumque, et magna professis
Purpureus latè qui splendeat unus et alter
Assuitur pannus; cùm lucus et ara Dianæ,

3 Et properantis aquæ per amonos ambitus agros,
* Aut flumen Rhenum, aut pluvius describitur 5 arcus.
Sed nunc non erat his locus; et fortasse cupressum

Employ'd on canvas to express

The shipwreck'd mariner's distress?

Your art a vase was to reveal;

Why comes a pitcher from the wheel?
Then still let Unity attract

The mind, nor Beauty's self distract.
Most of us, friends of every age,
(For none forswears the noble rage)
Some excellence pursuing, fail.
I wish conciseness to prevail

In what I write, and grow obscure;

Of praise for sweetness too secure,

One flows inanimately soft;

The aspiring strain is turgid oft:

Scis simulare; quid hoc, si fractis enatat exspes
Navibus, ære dato qui pingitur? amphora cœpit
Institui, currente rotâ cur urceus exit ?

Denique sit quidvis simplex duntaxat et unum.
Maxima pars vatum 'pater et juvenes patre digni,
Decipimur specie recti. Brevis esse laboro,

Obscurus fio: sectantem lævia nervi

Deficiunt animique; professus grandia turget: