Classic and Contemporary Poetry
TO MY FRIEND MR. LELY, ON HIS PICTURE OF THE .. LADY ISABELLA THYNN, by CHARLES COTTON Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Nature, and art are here at strife Last Line: A painter, no creator art. Subject(s): Lely, Sir Peter (1618-1680); Paintings & Painters | ||||||||
NATURE, and Art are here at strife; This Shadow comes so near the life, Sit still (Dear Lely) th' hast done that Thy self must love, and wonder at; What other Ages e'er could boast, Either remaining yet, or lost, Are trivial toys, and must give place To this, that counterfeits her face: Yet I'll not say, but there have been, In every past Age, paintings seen Both good, and like from every hand, That once had maistry and command, But none like her; surely she sat Thy pencil thus to celebrate Above all others that could claim An echo from the voice of Fame. For he, that most, or with most cause, Speaks, or may speak his own applause, Can't, when he shows his Masterpiece, Brag, he e'er did a face like this. Such is thy chance to be the man, None, but who shares thy honour, can; If such another do arise, To steal more glory from her eyes; But 'twould improvident bounty show To hazard such a Beauty so; 'Tis strange thy judgment did not err, Or want a hand, beholding her, Whose awing graces well might make Th' assured'st pencil to mistake. To her, and Truth then, what a crime, To us, to all the World, and Time (Who most will want her copy) 'twere To have it then unlike appear! But she's preserved from that fate, Thou know'st so well to imitate, And in that imitation, show What oil and colour mixed can do; So well, that had this piece the grace Of motion, she and none else has, Or, if it could the odour breathe That her departing sighs bequeath, And had her warmth, it then would be Her glorious self, and none but she. So well 'tis done; but thou canst go No farther than what Art can do: And when all's done: this, thou hast made, Is but a nobler kind of Shade; And thou, though thou hast played thy part, A Painter, no Creator art. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...1801: AMONG THE PAPERS OF THE ENVOY TO CONSTANTINOPLE by RICHARD HOWARD VENETIAN INTERIOR, 1889 by RICHARD HOWARD THERE IS A GOLD LIGHT IN CERTAIN OLD PAINTINGS by DONALD JUSTICE DUTCH INTERIORS by JANE KENYON INVITATION TO A PAINTER: 3 by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM THE CHINA PAINTERS by TED KOOSER ELEGY FOR SOL LEWITT by ANN LAUTERBACH ON THE SEPARATION OF ADAM AND EVE by TIMOTHY LIU AN EPITAPH ON M.H. by CHARLES COTTON LAURA SLEEPING; ODE by CHARLES COTTON RESOLUTION OF A POETICAL QUESTION CONCERNING FOUR RURAL SISTERS: 2 by CHARLES COTTON |
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