Du Fresnoy, whom I follow, makes _design_, or _drawing_, the second part of painting; but the rules which he gives concerning the posture of the figures, are almost wholly proper to that art, and admit not any comparison, that I know, with poetry. The posture of a poetic figure is, as I conceive, the description of his heroes in the performance of such or such an action; as of Achilles, just in the act of killing Hector, or of Æneas, who has Turnus under him. Both the poet and the painter vary the posture, according to the action or passion which they represent, of the same person; but all must be great and graceful in them. The same Æneas must be drawn a suppliant to Dido, with respect in his gestures, and humility in his eyes; but when he is forced, in his own defence, to kill Lausus, the poet shews him compassionate, and tempering the severity of his looks with a reluctance to the action which he is going to perform. He has pity on his beauty and his youth, and is loth to destroy such a masterpiece of nature. He considers Lausus rescuing his father at the hazard of his own life, as an image of himself, when he took Anchises on his shoulders, and bore him safe through the rage of the fire, and the opposition of his enemies; and therefore, in the posture of a retiring man, who avoids the combat, he stretches out his arm in sign of peace, with his right foot drawn a little back, and his breast bending inward, more like an orator than a soldier; and seems to dissuade the young man from pulling on his destiny, by attempting more than he was able to perform. Take the passage as I have thus translated it: Shouts of applause ran ringing through the field, To see the son the vanquished father shield: All, fired with noble emulation, strive, And with a storm of darts to distance drive The Trojan chief; who, held at bay, from far On his Vulcanian orb sustained the war. Æneas, thus o’erwhelmed on every side, } Their first assault undaunted did abide, } And thus to Lausus, loud with friendly threatening cried:— } Why wilt thou rush to certain death, and rage, In rash attempts, beyond thy tender age, Betrayed by pious love?—— And afterwards: He grieved, he wept; the sight an image brought Of his own filial love; a sadly pleasing thought.