PROTOGENES AND A PELLE S.

WA

HEN poets wrote, and painters drew,

As nature pointed out the view :
Ere Gothic forms were known in Greece,
To spoil the well-proportion'd piece :
And in our verse ere monkish chimes
Had jangld their fantastic chimes :
Ere on the flow'ry lands of Rhodes
Those knights had fix'd their dull abodes,
Who knew not much to paint or write,
Nor car'd to pray, nor dar'd to fight :
Protogenes, historians note,
Liv'd there, a burgess scot and lot ;
And, as old Pliny's writings fhow,
A pelles did the same at Co.
Agreed these points of time and place,
Proceed we in the present case.

Piqu’d by Protogenes's fame,
From Co to Rhodes Apelles came;
To see a rival and a friend,
Prepar'd to censure, or commend,
Here to absolve, and there object,
As art with candor might direct.
He fails, he lands, he comes, he rings :
His servants follow with the things:
Appears the governante of the house:
For such in Greece were much in use :
If young or handsome, yea or no,
Concerns not me, or thee to know.
VOL. II.

с

Does 'Squire Protogenes live here? Yes, Sir, says she with gracious air, And curt'sey low; but just call'd out By lords peculiarly devout; Who came on purpose, Sir, to borrow Our Venus, for the feast to-morrow. To grace the church : 'tis Venus' day : I hope, Sir, you intend to say, To see our Venus : 'tis the piece The most renown'd throughout all Greece, So like th' original, they say, But I have no great skill that way. But, Sir, at fix ('tis now past three) Dromo must make my master's tea : At fix, Sir, if you please to come, You'll find my master, Sir, at home,

Tea, says a critic big with laughter, Was found fome twenty ages after : Authors, before they write, thou'd read. 'Tis very true : but we'll proceed.

And, Sir, at present wou'd you please To leave your name-fair maiden, yes. Reach me that board.

No sooner spoke But done. With one judicious stroke, On the plain ground Apelles diew A circle regularly true; And will you please, sweet heart, said he, To shew your

master this from me ? By it he presently will know, How painters write their names at Co.

He gave the pannel to the maid. Smiling and curt'ling, Sir, she said,

I shall not fail to tell

my

master :
And Sir, for fear of all disaster
I'll keep it my own self: safe bind,
Says the old proverb, and safe find.
So, Sir, as sure as key or lock
Your servant Sirmat fix o'clock.

Again at six Apelles came ;
Found the same prating civil dame,
Sir, that my master has been here,
Will by the board itself appear.
If from the perfect line he found,
He has presum'd te swell the round,
Or colours on the draught to lay ;
'Tis thus (he order'd me to say)
Thus write the painters of this isle:
Let those of Co remark the style.

She said ; and to his hand restor'd
The rival pledge, the missive board.
Upon the happy line were laid
Such obvious light, and easy shade;
That Paris' apple stood confeft,
Or Leda's egg, or Cloe's breast.

A pelles view'd the finish'd piece;
And live, said he, the arts of Greece!
Howe'er Protogenes and I
May in our rival talents vie ;
Howe'er our works may have express’d,
Who truest drew, or colour'd best;
When he beheld my flowing line;
He found at least I could design:
And from his artful round, I grant,
That he with perfect skill can paint.

tale :

ο

O F M s.
The dullest Genius cannot fail
To find the moral of my
That the distinguish'd part of men,
With compass, pencil, sword, or pen,
Shou'd in life’s vifit leave their name,
In characters, which may proclaim,
That they with ardor ftrove to raise
At once their arts, and country's praise ;
And in their working took great care,
That all was full, and round, and fair.

D

EMOCRITUS, dear droll, revigt earth,

And with our follies glut thy heighten'd mirth:
Sad Heraclitus, serious wretch, return,
In louder grief our greater crimes to mourn.
Between you both I unconcern'd stand by :
Hurt, can I laugh? and honest, need I cry?

For my own Tomb stone.

10 me 'twas giv'n to die: to thee 'twas giv'n

To live: alas! one moment fers us, ev'n. Mark! how impartial is the will of Heav'n?

GUAL TERUS DANIS TONUS ad Amicos.

D'

UM ftudeo fungi fallentis munere vitae,

Adfectoque viam fedibus Elyfis, Arctoa forens fophia, Samiifque fuperbus

Discipulis, animas morte carere cano.

Has ego corporibus profugas ad fidera mitto ;.

Sideraque ingreflis otia blanda dico;
Qualia conveniunt divis, queis fata volebant

Vitai faciles molliter ire vias:
Vinaque coelicolis media inter gaudia libo ;

Et me quid majus suspicor effe viro.
Sed fuerint nulli forsan, quos spondeo, coeli;

Nullaque fint Ditis numina, nulla Jovis.
Fabula fit terris agitur quae vita relictis ;

Quique superftes, homo; qui nihil, esto Deus. Attamen effe hilares, et inanes mittere curas

Proderit, ac vitae commoditate frui,
Et foftos agitaffe dies, aevique fugacis

Tempora perpetuis detinuiffe jocis.
His me parentem praeceptis occupet orcus,

Et mors ; feu divum, feu nihil effe velit :
Nam. fophia ars illa eft, quae fallere fuaviter horas

Admonet, atque orci non timuiffe minas.

I'M I TA TED.

ST

Tudious the busy moments to deceive,

That fleet between the cradle and the grave, I credit what the Grecian dictates say, And Samian founds o'er Scotia's bills convey. When mortal man resigns his trangent breath; The body only I give o'er to death, The parts dissolv'd, and broken frame I mourn: What came from earth, I fee to earth return. The immaterial part, th' aethereal soul, Nor can change vanquish, nor can death controul.