A P P E N D I X. 179 



Some parts of a Poem require to be amply written, and with 

 all the force and elegance of words : others mud be caft into 

 fhadows; that is, patted over in filence, or but faintly touched. 

 This belongs wholly to the judgment of the Poet and the 

 Painter. The moft beautiful parts of the Picture and the 

 Poem muft be the mod: finished j the colours and words moft 

 chofen j many things in both, which are not deferving of this 

 care, muft be miffed off, content with vulgar expreffions ; 

 and thofe very fhort, and left, as in a fhadow, to the imagi- 

 nation of the reader. 



We have the proverb, " Manum de tabula," from the 

 Painters, which fignifies to know when to give over, and to 

 lay by the pencil. Both Homer and Virgil pradifed this 

 precept wonderfully well ; but Virgil the better of the two. 

 Homer knew that when Hedor was flain, Troy was as good 

 as already taken; therefore he concludes his adion there: 

 For what follows in the funerals of Patroclus, and the re- 

 demption of Hedor's body, is not, properly fpeaking, a part 

 of the main adion. But Virgil concludes with the death of 

 Turnus ; for, after that difficulty was removed, ^neas might 

 marry, and eftabliih the Trojans when he pleafed. This rule 

 I had before my eyes in the conclufion of the Spanifli Friar, 

 when the difcovery was made that the King was living; 

 which was the knot of the Play untied : the reft is mut up in 

 the compafs of fome few lines, becaufe nothing then hindered 

 the happinefs of Torifmond and Leonora. The faults of that 

 Drama are in the kind of it, which is Tragi- comedy. But 

 it was given to the people, and I never writ any thing for 

 rnyfelf but Anthony and Cleopatra. 



This remark, I muft acknowledge, is not fo proper for the 

 colouring as the defign; but it will hold for both. As the 



Z 2 words, 



