 | Poetical amusements at a villa near Bath |  |
109
SUBJECT, PAINTING. A Dream.
Mrs. M---ll---r.
Refulgent, thro' the shades of night,
Bright Cynthia rose, and shed her silver light
Thro' parting clouds, which o'er the dusky glade
Guided my steps to seek the peaceful shade,
Where Philomela, on the flowery thorn,
Prolongs her plaintive song 'till rising morn!
But ere her love-lorn tale she could disclose,
Sleep o'er my listless limbs her poppies throws:—
Bright to my fancy rose the Elysian plains,
Where faithful shades, with amaranthine chains,
Bind their chaste loves—who never more feel care;
(Eternal pleasures wait the constant Fair.)
There, Poets gain the never-fading wreaths;
There, Heroes from the toils of war find ease;
And there, the Sons of Science joy to find
Their due reward—of knowledge unconfin'd.
Bright Cynthia rose, and shed her silver light
Thro' parting clouds, which o'er the dusky glade
Guided my steps to seek the peaceful shade,
Where Philomela, on the flowery thorn,
Prolongs her plaintive song 'till rising morn!
But ere her love-lorn tale she could disclose,
Sleep o'er my listless limbs her poppies throws:—
Bright to my fancy rose the Elysian plains,
Where faithful shades, with amaranthine chains,
110
(Eternal pleasures wait the constant Fair.)
There, Poets gain the never-fading wreaths;
There, Heroes from the toils of war find ease;
And there, the Sons of Science joy to find
Their due reward—of knowledge unconfin'd.
Methought I wander'd thro' these sacred groves,
When sudden to my view a temple rose,
Majestic columns (in fair order plac'd)
Sustain'd the dome, with verdant chaplets grac'd;
Within the walls, I found my ravish'd sight
Surrounded with the works of each fam'd wight;
From him who costly Egypt once adorn'd,
And Isis and Osiris rudely form'd,
Down to those later times, when Europe caught
The mimic art, and to perfection brought.
When sudden to my view a temple rose,
Majestic columns (in fair order plac'd)
Sustain'd the dome, with verdant chaplets grac'd;
Within the walls, I found my ravish'd sight
Surrounded with the works of each fam'd wight;
From him who costly Egypt once adorn'd,
And Isis and Osiris rudely form'd,
Down to those later times, when Europe caught
The mimic art, and to perfection brought.
111
There, fam'd Apelles shew'd to wond'ring Greece
All beauty's charms collected in one piece.
In after ages, Michael form'd that school
Which Florence boasts, for just design the rule:
At Rome great Raphael toil'd—in him we see
Elegant forms, noble simplicity!
Then Milan own'd a Leonardo's fame—
Fair sculpture, music, painting, grac'd his name.
The glow of nature Titian's nymphs confess,
Aurora's charms their golden locks express.
For grace and ease, Guido with all may vie,—
Correct his groupes, and cloath'd with dignity.
On Carrach, Guercin, and Correggio great,
Were fix'd my gazing eyes:—when, wond'rous to relate,
A heav'nly form, array'd in azure bright,—
Radiant Britannia! stood before my sight:
“Hasten, she cry'd, and seek my happy isles,
“Where Royal Bounty on fair Genius smiles:
“There Nature on the canvas starts to view,
“With each revolving year their labours they renew:
“Thus emulous to rival Greece, and Rome,
“In a long line of artists yet to come.”—
Sudden I wak'd—a ray of Phœbus' light
Shot thro' the grove—Elysium fled my sight.
All beauty's charms collected in one piece.
In after ages, Michael form'd that school
Which Florence boasts, for just design the rule:
At Rome great Raphael toil'd—in him we see
Elegant forms, noble simplicity!
Then Milan own'd a Leonardo's fame—
Fair sculpture, music, painting, grac'd his name.
The glow of nature Titian's nymphs confess,
Aurora's charms their golden locks express.
For grace and ease, Guido with all may vie,—
Correct his groupes, and cloath'd with dignity.
On Carrach, Guercin, and Correggio great,
Were fix'd my gazing eyes:—when, wond'rous to relate,
A heav'nly form, array'd in azure bright,—
Radiant Britannia! stood before my sight:
112
“Where Royal Bounty on fair Genius smiles:
“There Nature on the canvas starts to view,
“With each revolving year their labours they renew:
“Thus emulous to rival Greece, and Rome,
“In a long line of artists yet to come.”—
Sudden I wak'd—a ray of Phœbus' light
Shot thro' the grove—Elysium fled my sight.
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