And, warp'd by Vanity, prefume to hold,

Our northern Genius dark, confin'd, and cold:
Painting, sweet Nymph, unconscious of their chain,
In this fair Ifland forms her new Domain,

And freely gives to BRITAIN's eager view

Those charms which once her fav'rite ATHENS knew.
'Tis true, when Painting, on ITALIA's fhore,
Display'd thofe Graces, which all Realms adore,
No kindred forms of English growth appear;
Age after age the hapless Pencil here
Dropt unsuccessful from the Native's hand,
And fail'd to decorate this darker Land.
But freely let impartial History say,

20

25

Why Art on BRITAIN fhone with later ray.

30

When on this Ifle, the Gothic clouds withdrawn,

The diftant light of Painting feem'd to dawn,

Fierce HARRY reign'd, who, foon with pleasure cloy'd, *
Now lov'd, now fcorn'd, now worship'd, now deftroy'd.
Thee as his Wives, enchanting Art! he priz'd,
Now fought to crown thee, now thy death devis'd:

35

* Ver. 33. See NOTE XLI.

Now

Now ftrove to fix, with liberal fupport,

Thy darling RAPHAEL in his fumptuous Court;
Now o'er the hallow'd fhrines, thy hand had grac'd,
"Cried havock, and let flip the Dogs of Waste."
When timid Art faw ruin his delight,.

She fled in terror from the Tyrant's fight.

The Virgin Queen, whom dazzled eyes admire,
The fubtle Child of this imperious Sire,
Untaught the moral force of Art to feel, *
Profcrib'd it as the flave of bigot Zeal,.
Or doom'd it, throwing nobler works afide,
To drudge in flatt'ring her fantastic Pride :
And hence the Epic pencil in the shade
Of blank neglect, and cold obstruction laid,
E'en while the Fairy-sprite, and Muse of fire,
Hung high in Glory's hall the English lyre.

JAMES, both for Empire and for Arts unfit,,
(His fenfe a quibble, and a pun his wit)
Whatever works he patroniz'd debas'd,
But haply left the Pencil undisgrac'd.

Ver. 45. See NOTE XLII. .

3

40.

45

50

55

With

With fairer mind arofe his nobler Son, Seduc'd by Parafites, by Priefts undone :

Unhappy CHARLES! oh! had thy feeling heart

65

But regal Pride, with vain Ambition blind,
Cut off the promise of thy cultur'd mind.
By wounded Liberty's convulfive hand
Unbound, fierce Anarchy ufurps the Land;
While trembling Art to foreign regions flies,
To feek a refuge in ferener skies.

Thefe ftorms fubfiding, fee her once again,
Returning in the second CHARLES's train!
She comes to copy, in licentious fport,

The Minions of a loose luxurious Court;

From whence the modeft Graces turn their eyes,

Where Genius fees, and o'er the prospect fighs,

LELY's foft tints, and DRYDEN's nobler Lyre,

Made the mean Slaves of diffolute Defire.

70

75

Once

Once more, alarm'd by War's terrific roar,
The fweet Enchantress quits the troubled shore;
While facred Freedom, darting in disdain
Her vengeful Thunder on th' apostate Train,
And, pleas'd the gloomy Tyrant to disown,
Gives to NASSAU the abdicated Throne.

The peaceful Prince may rifing Art defend,
And Art shall crown her Patron and her Friend.
In tumults, from the cradle to the grave,
'Tis thine, O! WILLIAM, finking realms to fave.
To thee no leisure mightier cares allow,

To bind the laurel on the Artist's brow:
'Tis thine to fix, with tutelary hand,

The Bafe of Freedom, on which Art must stand.
Yet to thy Palace KNELLER'S skill supplied
Its richest ornament in Beauty's pride.
Unhappy KNELLER! Covetous though vain ;
Thee Glory yielded to seducing Gain :
While partial Taste from modeft RILEY turn'd, +
By diffidence depriv'd of praise well earn'd.

⚫ Ver. 93. See NOTE XLIII.

↑ Ver. 97. See NOTE XLIV.

F

*

Tho' in fucceeding years the Mufes taught,

"How ANN Commanded, and how MARLBRO' fought;" 100 And THORNHILL's blaze of Allegory gilt*

The piles, that WREN'S fuperior genius built;

Contending Factions, in her closing reign,

Like winds imprison'd, fhook fair Freedom's Fane.

Painting, foft timid Nymph, ftill chose to roam, 105. And fear'd to fettle in this fhaking Dome..

f

At length, the fury of each storm o'erblown,

That threaten'd BRUNSWICK's race on BRITAIN's throne,. Rebellion vanquish'd on her native fhore,

1

Her clans extinguish'd, and her chiefs no more:

The youthful Noble, on a princely Plan, †

Encourag'd infant Art, and firft began

Before the ftudious eye of Youth to place

The ancient Models of ideal Grace..

When BRITAIN triumph'd, thro' her wide domain, 115 O'er France, fupported by imperious SPAIN,

And, fated with her Laurels' large increase,

Began to cultivate the plants of Peace;

* Ver. 101. See NOTE XLV.
+ Ver. 111. See NOTE XLVI.