No. XXII. Quique pii vates, et Phœbo digna locuti ; VIRGIL. There sacred poets stood, Who sung with all the raptures of a god ; PITT, My last paper was closed with an allegorical history-piece, which fills the first pannel in a side wall of the inner room; and now I shall point out the representations, which adorn the three remaining pannels; the subject of which will be found answerable to the three verses I quote from Virgil; of whom it may be proper in this place to observe, that no writer ever delivered more just and more sublime moral notions, than those which shine throughout this admirable poet. The painting on the second pannel comes next in order to be viewed. From the top of the piece a strong light strikes the eye, and through an opening of the heavens appears a man playing on a harp. His countenance is ruddy and beautiful; and in it may be discerned the transports of music, poetry, and devotion. By him, on one side, lies a sling; and on the other are the helmet, spear, sword, and coat of mail, of a vast giant: a glory blazes round his temples, and on his head is a regal crown. Below rises an high mountain, cleft into two summits it is shaded all over with bay-trees; and in the middle, between the two summits, a fountain springs up into a wide bason, which empties itself in a large cascade. The waters at the bottom unite into a crystal stream; and, on a bank of the stream, sits a lovely youth full of comeliness, with bright flowing hair: across his shoulders hangs a quiver stored with ar rows; and by him hangs a silver bow, and a golden lyre: he is attended by nine beautiful nymphs: both the youth and his fair attendants seem big with expectation and doubt, and fix their eyes on two persons weighing before them. In the scale on the right hand is a cheerful old man: there is a dignity and boldness in his features, and his whole aspect discovers great liveliness and uncommon sublimity of thought. His grey hairs lie almost hid under a wreath of bays; and he is covered with a loose mantle, which is wrapt over his hands. In the foldings of the open, which the painter's pencil has intitled Princip. Natural. Philosoph. Mathemat." In the rising scale is a cluster of smart men, in tawdry dresses, with little rapiers, cocked hats, and tied wigs; holding divers sorts of mathe matical instruments. Beneath are several persons, whose merit is distinguished by their pe culiar marks of honour. This man leans upon a plough; that holds a line and plummet, and points to the plan of a house; one looks through a telescope; another observes a mariner's compass; and a third winds up a pendulum-clock. Amongst them are two women: the first holds a distaff under her left arm, and a weaver's shuttle in her right hand: the second plays upon an organ, and seems ravished with the sound of the instrument. At a proper distance, and in a due position, sits a man with a piece of strained canvass placed before him; over his left thumb, is a painter's pallet, with a mixture of colours upon it; in his right hand he holds a pencil; and he casts his eyes full upon Astrea and her balance. I come now to the fourth pannel, which contains the representation of the last psychostatical experiment. In the prevailing scale sits a man whose looks are full of goodness and compassion; and with both his hands he scatters admiration and gratitude) towards the old man who holds the little rolls in the folding of his garment; and he stretches out his arm, as if he meant to present him with a book, lettered on the back" Telemaque." Not far off is drawn a large group of men; some with buskins on their legs; others with a particular kind of slight pumps on their feet; and two or three with vizard masks on their faces. At some distance up in the air is seen a figure with a human face, and the legs and body and wings of a swan; it seems to direct its flight to the clouds; and beneath, on a plain, are represented some games of exercise, as, running, wrestling, horse and chariot races, with crowds of spectators. In the third pannel, the figure that first engages the eye is Astrea, sitting on a broad blue arch of a circle, in which are shadowed out darkly in miniature, the likenesses of several animals: in her hand she holds the balance, of which she was the inventress. In the scales are human figures lessened in due proportion: in the descending scale is only one person, bearing in his lap a sphere, and upon it lies the draught of a city besieged, with several engines of an ancient form planted on the walls. He beckons to a man of a studious aspect, who seems intent upon a prism of glass, and holds a book marked, however, that the figures of Homer and Virgil, which possess several characteristic touches in accordance with the general opinion of criticism, are, nevertheless, inferior to the succeeding sketches of Pope, who, in his Temple of Fame, having placed these masters of the Epopea on lofty columns, thus gives us, in bold relief, their attitudes and attributes: High on the first the mighty Homer shone; His silver beard wav'd gently o'er his breast. A golden column next in rank appear'd, Troy flam'd in burning gold; and o'er the throne, |