Matthew Prior. Dialogues of the Dead and Other Works in Prose and Verse. The Text Edited by A. R. Waller |
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To the Right Honourable the
Countess Dowager of DEVONSHIRE,
ON A
Piece of Wissin's;
Whereon were all her Grandsons Painted. |
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 | Matthew Prior. Dialogues of the Dead and Other Works |  |
31
To the Right Honourable the Countess Dowager of DEVONSHIRE, ON A Piece of Wissin's; Whereon were all her Grandsons Painted.
By Mr. PRIOR.
Wissin and Nature held a long Contest,
If She Created, or He Painted best;
With pleasing Thought the wond'rous Combat grew,
She still form'd Fairer, He still Liker drew.
In these Seven Brethren, they contended last,
With Art increas'd their utmost Skill they try'd,
And Both well pleas'd, they had Themselves, surpass'd,
The Goddess Triumph'd, and the Painter Dy'd.
That Both, their Skill to this vast Height did raise,
Be ours the Wonder, and be yours the Praise:
For here as in some Glass is well discry'd,
Only your self thus often multiply'd.
If She Created, or He Painted best;
With pleasing Thought the wond'rous Combat grew,
She still form'd Fairer, He still Liker drew.
In these Seven Brethren, they contended last,
With Art increas'd their utmost Skill they try'd,
And Both well pleas'd, they had Themselves, surpass'd,
The Goddess Triumph'd, and the Painter Dy'd.
That Both, their Skill to this vast Height did raise,
Be ours the Wonder, and be yours the Praise:
For here as in some Glass is well discry'd,
Only your self thus often multiply'd.
When Heaven had You and Gracious Anna
made,
What more exalted Beauty could it add?
Having no nobler Images in Store,
It but kept up to these, nor could do more
Than Copy well, what it well fram'd before.
If in dear Burleigh's generous Face we see
Obliging Truth, and Handsom Honesty;
With all that World of Charms, which soon will move
Reverence in Men, and in the Fair-Ones love:
His every Grace, his fair Descent assures,
He has his Mother's Beauty, She has yours.
If ever Cecill's Face had every Charm
That Thought can Fancy, or that Heaven can Form;
Their Beauties all become your Beauty's Due,
They are all Fair, because they're all like You:
If every Ca'ndish great and charming Look,
From You that Air, from You the Charms they took.
In their each Limb your Image is exprest,
But on their Brow firm Courage stands confest;
There, their great Father by a strong Increase,
Adds Strength to Beauty, and compleats the Piece.
Thus still your Beauty in your Sons we view,
Wissin Seven-Times one great Perfection drew,
Whoever sate, the Picture still is You.
So when the Parent Sun with genial Beams,
Has Animated many goodly Gems;
He sees himself improv'd, while every Stone,
With a resembling Light, reflects a Sun.
So when great Rhea many Births had given,
Such as might govern Earth, and People Heaven;
Her Glory grew diffus'd, and fuller known,
She saw the Deity in every Son:
And to what God soe'er Men Altars rais'd,
Honouring the Off-spring, they the Mother prais'd.
In short-liv'd Charms let others place their Joys
Which Sickness blasts, and certain Age destroys:
Your stronger Beauty, Time can ne'er deface,
'Tis still renew'd, and stamp'd in all your Race.
What more exalted Beauty could it add?
Having no nobler Images in Store,
It but kept up to these, nor could do more
Than Copy well, what it well fram'd before.
If in dear Burleigh's generous Face we see
Obliging Truth, and Handsom Honesty;
With all that World of Charms, which soon will move
Reverence in Men, and in the Fair-Ones love:
His every Grace, his fair Descent assures,
He has his Mother's Beauty, She has yours.
32
That Thought can Fancy, or that Heaven can Form;
Their Beauties all become your Beauty's Due,
They are all Fair, because they're all like You:
If every Ca'ndish great and charming Look,
From You that Air, from You the Charms they took.
In their each Limb your Image is exprest,
But on their Brow firm Courage stands confest;
There, their great Father by a strong Increase,
Adds Strength to Beauty, and compleats the Piece.
Thus still your Beauty in your Sons we view,
Wissin Seven-Times one great Perfection drew,
Whoever sate, the Picture still is You.
So when the Parent Sun with genial Beams,
Has Animated many goodly Gems;
He sees himself improv'd, while every Stone,
With a resembling Light, reflects a Sun.
So when great Rhea many Births had given,
Such as might govern Earth, and People Heaven;
Her Glory grew diffus'd, and fuller known,
She saw the Deity in every Son:
And to what God soe'er Men Altars rais'd,
Honouring the Off-spring, they the Mother prais'd.
In short-liv'd Charms let others place their Joys
Which Sickness blasts, and certain Age destroys:
Your stronger Beauty, Time can ne'er deface,
'Tis still renew'd, and stamp'd in all your Race.
Ah! Wissin, had thy Art been so refin'd,
As with their Beauty to have drawn their Mind,
Thro' circling Years thy Labours would survive,
And living Rules to fairest Virtue give
To Men unborn, and Ages yet to live;
'Twould still be wonderful, and still be new,
Against what Time, or Spight, or Fate could do,
'Till Thine confus'd with Nature's Pieces lie,
And Cavendish's Name, and Cecill's Honour Die.
As with their Beauty to have drawn their Mind,
Thro' circling Years thy Labours would survive,
And living Rules to fairest Virtue give
To Men unborn, and Ages yet to live;
'Twould still be wonderful, and still be new,
Against what Time, or Spight, or Fate could do,
'Till Thine confus'd with Nature's Pieces lie,
And Cavendish's Name, and Cecill's Honour Die.
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