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Dissertations On The Polite Arts. No. Ii.
But let those who seek to enlig hten their ideas , despise this allegoric pomp that blinds them . Let them consider enthusiasm as a p hilosopher considers great men , without any regard to the Vain shew that surrounds them . The spirit which inspires excellent authors when they compose , is like that which animates heroes in battle .
Sua cuinue Deus fit dira Cupida . In the one it is a boldness and a natural intrepidity , provoked by the presence even of danger itself . In the others it is a great fund of Genius , a just and exquisite wit , a fruitful imagination ; and , above all , a heart filled with noble fire , and which easily acts at the sig ht of objects . These privileged souls receive strongly the impression of to themadorned
those things they conceive , and never fail reproduce , with new beauty , force , and elegance . This is the source and princip le of enthusiasm . We may already perceive what must be the effect with regard to the arts which imitate nature . Let us call back the example of Zeuxis . Nature has in her treasures all those images of which the most beautiful imitations can
be composed : they are like sketches in the painters tablets , The artist , who is essentially an observer , views them , takes them from the heap , and assembles them . He composes from these a complete whole , of which he conceives an idea that fills' him , and is at the same time both bright and lively . Presently his fire glows at the
sig ht of the object ; he forgets himself ; his soul passes into the things he creates ; he is by turns Cassar , Brutus , Macbeth , and Romeo . It is in these transports that Homer sees the chariots and courses of the Gods , that Virgil hears the dismal streams of Phlegyas in the infernal shades ; and that each of them discovers things which are nowhefe to be found , and which notwithstanding are true .
Poeta cum tabulas ccpit sibi , Oueerit quod niisquam est gentium , reppent tamen . It is for the same effect that this enthusiasm is necessary for painters aud musicians . They ought to forget their situation , and to fancy themselves in the midst of those things they would represent . If they would paint a battlethey transport themselves in the same
, manner as the poet , into the middle of the fight : they hear the clashof arms , the groans of the dying ; they see rage , havoc , and blood . They rouse their own imaginations , till they find themselves moved , distressed , frig hted : then Deus ecce Deus . Let them write or paini , it is a god that inspires them ,
• Bella horrida bclla , Et Tybrim mulio . spumantem sanguine Cerno . It is . what Cicero calls , Mentis viribtts exciiari , divino spiritu ajflari . This is poetic rage ; this is enthusiasm ; this is the god that the poet invokes in the epic , that inspires the hero in tragedy , that transforms himself into the simple citizen in comedy , into the shepherd in pastoral , that gives reason and speech to animals in the apologue or fable , In short , the god that makes true painters , musicians , and poets . ( To be continued . J
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Dissertations On The Polite Arts. No. Ii.
But let those who seek to enlig hten their ideas , despise this allegoric pomp that blinds them . Let them consider enthusiasm as a p hilosopher considers great men , without any regard to the Vain shew that surrounds them . The spirit which inspires excellent authors when they compose , is like that which animates heroes in battle .
Sua cuinue Deus fit dira Cupida . In the one it is a boldness and a natural intrepidity , provoked by the presence even of danger itself . In the others it is a great fund of Genius , a just and exquisite wit , a fruitful imagination ; and , above all , a heart filled with noble fire , and which easily acts at the sig ht of objects . These privileged souls receive strongly the impression of to themadorned
those things they conceive , and never fail reproduce , with new beauty , force , and elegance . This is the source and princip le of enthusiasm . We may already perceive what must be the effect with regard to the arts which imitate nature . Let us call back the example of Zeuxis . Nature has in her treasures all those images of which the most beautiful imitations can
be composed : they are like sketches in the painters tablets , The artist , who is essentially an observer , views them , takes them from the heap , and assembles them . He composes from these a complete whole , of which he conceives an idea that fills' him , and is at the same time both bright and lively . Presently his fire glows at the
sig ht of the object ; he forgets himself ; his soul passes into the things he creates ; he is by turns Cassar , Brutus , Macbeth , and Romeo . It is in these transports that Homer sees the chariots and courses of the Gods , that Virgil hears the dismal streams of Phlegyas in the infernal shades ; and that each of them discovers things which are nowhefe to be found , and which notwithstanding are true .
Poeta cum tabulas ccpit sibi , Oueerit quod niisquam est gentium , reppent tamen . It is for the same effect that this enthusiasm is necessary for painters aud musicians . They ought to forget their situation , and to fancy themselves in the midst of those things they would represent . If they would paint a battlethey transport themselves in the same
, manner as the poet , into the middle of the fight : they hear the clashof arms , the groans of the dying ; they see rage , havoc , and blood . They rouse their own imaginations , till they find themselves moved , distressed , frig hted : then Deus ecce Deus . Let them write or paini , it is a god that inspires them ,
• Bella horrida bclla , Et Tybrim mulio . spumantem sanguine Cerno . It is . what Cicero calls , Mentis viribtts exciiari , divino spiritu ajflari . This is poetic rage ; this is enthusiasm ; this is the god that the poet invokes in the epic , that inspires the hero in tragedy , that transforms himself into the simple citizen in comedy , into the shepherd in pastoral , that gives reason and speech to animals in the apologue or fable , In short , the god that makes true painters , musicians , and poets . ( To be continued . J