And as the center of some convex glass,

390

Draws to a point the congregated mass
Of dazzling rays, that, more than nature bright,
Reflect each image in an orb of light,
While from that point the scatter'd beams retire,
Sink to the verge, and there in shade expire;
So strongly near, so softly distant throw

On all thy rounded groups the circling glow.

395

As is the Sculptor's, such the Painter's aim, Their labour different, but their end the same; What from the marble the rude chissel breaks, The softer pencil from the canvas takes: 400

285

Sintque ita discreti inter se, ratione colorum,
Luminis, umbrarumque, antrorsum ut corpora clara
Obscura umbrarum requies spectanda relinquat;
Claroque exiliant umbrata atque aspera campo.
Ac veluti in spcculis convexis, eminet ante
Asperior reipsâ vigor, et vis aucta colorum
Partibus adversis; magis ct fuga rupta retrorsum
Illorum est, (ut visa minùs vergentibus oris,)
Corporibus dabimus formas hoc more rotundas.

Mente modoque igitur plastes, et pictor, eodem Dispositum tractabit opus; quæ sculptor in orbem Atterit, hæc rupto procul abscedente colore Assequitur pictor, fugientiaque illa retrorsum

290

404

And, skill'd remoter distances to keep,
Surrounds the outline pale in shadows deep;
While on the front the sparkling lustre plays,
And meets the eye in full meridian blaze.
True Colouring thus in plastick power excells,
Fair to the visual point her forms she swells,
And lifts them from their flat aërial ground
Warm as the life, and as the statue round.

* In silver clouds in ether's blue domain,
Or the clear mirrour of the watry plain,
If chance some solid substance claim a place,
Firm and
opaque amid the lucid space,

Jam signata minùs confusa coloribus aufert:
Anteriora quidem directè adversa, colore
Integra vivaci, summo cum lumine et umbra
Antrorsum distincta refert, velut aspera visu ;
Sicque super planum inducit leucoma colores,
Hos velut ex ipsâ naturâ immotus eodem
Intuitu circum statuas daret inde rotundas.
▾ Densa figurarum solidis quæ corpora formis
Subdita sunt tactu, non translucent, sed opaca

* XXXII. Dense and opaque bodies with translucent

ones.

410

295'

XXXII. Corpora densa

et opaca translucentibus.

Rough let it swell and boldly meet the sight,

Mark'd with peculiar strength of shade and

light;

There blend each earthly tint of heaviest sort, 415 At once to give consistence and support,

While the bright wave, soft cloud, of azure

sky,

Light and pellucid from that substance fly.
z Permit not two conspicuous lights to shine
With rival radiance in the same design;

But yield to one alone the power to blaze
And spread th' extensive vigour of its rays,

420

In translucendi spatio ut super aëra, nubes,
Limpida stagna undarum, et inania cætera debent 30
Asperiora illis prope circumstantibus esse;

Ut distincta magis firmo cum lumine et umbra,
Et gravioribus ut sustenta coloribus, inter
Aërias species subsistant semper opaca :
Sed contra, procul abscedant prelucida, densis
Corporibus leviora; uti nubes, aër, et undæ.

a

Non poterunt diversa locis duo lumina eâdem In tabulâ paria admitti, aut æqualia pingi :

XXXIII. There must not be two equal Lights in the Picture.

a

310

XXXIII. Non duo ex cœlo Lumina in tabulam æqualia.

There where the noblest figures are display'd; Thence gild the distant parts, and lessening fade: As fade the beams which Phoebus from the

East

425

Flings vivid forth to light the distant West,
Gradual those vivid beams forget to shine,
So gradual let thy pictur'd lights decline.
The sculptor'd forms which some proud
Circus grace,

In Parian marble or Corinthian brass,
Illumin'd thus, give to the gazing eye
Th' expressive head in radiant Majesty,
While to each lower limb the fainter ray
Lends only light to mark, but not display:

Majus at in mediam lumen cadet usque tabellam
Latius infusum, primis qua summa figuris
Res agitur, circumque oras minuetur eundo':
Utque in progressu jubar attenuatur ab ortu
Solis, ad occasum paulatìm, et cessat eundo;
Sic tabulis lumen, tota in compage colorum,
Primo à fonte, minus sensim declinat eundo.

430

315

320

Majus ut in statuis, per compita stantibus urbis, Lumen habent partes superæ, minus inferioris; Idem erit in tabulis; majorque nec umbra, vel ater Membra figurarum intrabit color, atque secabit:

So let thy pencil fling its beams around,

435

Nor e'er with darker shades their force con

found.

For shades too dark dissever'd shapes will give, And sink the parts their softness would relieve; Then only well reliev'd, when like a veil

Round the full lights the wand'ring shadows.

steal;

440

Then only justly spread, when to the sight A breadth of shade pursues a breadth of light. This charm to give, great Titian wisely made The cluster'd grapes his rule of light and shade. b White, when it shines with unstain'd lustre clear, May bear an object back, or bring it near;

Corpora sed circum umbra cavis latitabit oberrans ;
Atquè ita quæretur lux opportuna figuris,
Ut late infusum lumen lata umbra sequatur.
Unde, nec immeritò, fertur Titianus ubique

Lucis et umbrarum normam appellâsse racemum.

C

445

326

Purum album esse potest propiusque magisque

remotum:

330

D XXXIV. Of White • XXXIV. Album et

and Black.

Nigrum.