Page images
PDF
EPUB

Et teneras raptim veneres, blandosque lepores,

Et tacitos risus transtulit in tabulam.

Pingendo desiste tuum signare dolorem;

Filioli longum vivet imago tui;

Vivet, et æternâ vives tu laude, nec arte
Vincendus pictor, nec pietate pater.

THE

1

TEARS OF A PAINTER.

APELLES, hearing that his boy

Had just expir'd-his only joy!

M

Although the sight with anguish tore him,
Bade place his dear remains before him.
He seiz'd his brush, his colours spread;
TS4, 9219]
And Oh! my child, accept," he said,

"("Tis all that I can now bestow,)

"This tribute of a father's wo!"

1

Then, faithful to the two-fold part,ena in
Both of his feelings and his art,modo odT
He clos'd his eyes, with tender care,
And form'd at once a fellow pair.wo
His brow, with amber locks beset, il yno I
And lips he drew, not livid yet;roda 192
And shaded all that he had done it to 10

To a just image of his son.

[ocr errors]

Thus far is well. But view again

The cause of thy paternal pain!

Thy melancholy task fulfil! zab qÅ
It needs the last, last touches still.

J. Again his pencil's powers he tries,

[ocr errors]

For on his lips a smile he spies

And still his cheek unfaded shows

p

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

The deepest damask of the rose óbom si2

Then, heedful to the finish'd whole, 2010

eit

With fondest eagerness he stole, loe die 9512

tro einit idit bienın9vai muiqiɔan¶

Till scarce himself distinctly knew

The cherub copied from the true.

Now, painter, cease! Thy task is done. Long lives this image of thy son;

Nor short-liv'd shall thy glory prove,

Or of thy labour, or thy love.d as ww

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

AD

Ad dextram, ad lævam, porro, retro, itque reditque,ita mudo od vent das! an. 10 9 12

of

[ocr errors]

Deprensum in laqueo quem labyrinthus habet, Et legit et relegit gressus, sese explicet unde, Perplexum quærens unde revolvat iter. Bok Sta modò, respira paulum, simul accipe filum; Certius et melius non Ariadne dabit. T Sic te, sic solum, expedies errore; viarum W

Principium invenias, id tibi finis erit.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

FROM right to left, and to and fro, ̈ (t
Caught in a labyrinth, you go,

And turn, and turn, and turn again, 2407

To solve the myst'ry, but in vain;

Stand still and breathe, and take from me

A clew, that soon shall set

you free!

Not Ariadne, if you meet her,

Herself could serve you with a better.

You enter'd easily-find where

And make, with ease, your exit there!

[ocr errors][merged small]

"QUIS fuit infelix adeò! quis perditus æque!" Conqueritur mæsto carmine tristis amans.

Non novus hic questus, rarove auditus; amantes Deserti et spreti mille queruntur idem.

Fatum decantas quod tu miserabile, multus
Deplorat, multo cum Corydone, Strephon.
Si tua cum reliquis confertur amica puellis,
Non ea vel sola est ferrea, tuve miser.

NO SORROW PECULIAR TO THE SUFFERER.

THE lover, in melodious verses,

His singular distress rehearses,

Still closing with a rueful cry,
"Was ever such a wretch as I?".
Yes! thousands have endur'd before
All thy distress; some, haply more.
Unnumber'd Corydons complain,
And Strephons, of the like disdain:
And if thy Chloe be of steel,'

Too deaf to hear, too hard to feel;

Not her alone that censure fits,

Nor thou alone hast lost thy wits. A

[ocr errors]
« PreviousContinue »