Say, curious painter - Turner, Elizabeth

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◈ Genre → Arias ♬ Voicing → solo high ¶ Language → English

Parts 1

Instruments Basso continuo, violin

Pages 4

CPDL # 76034

Editor Christopher Shaw

Posted 2023-10-04

License Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike

¶Lyrics / Text

Say, curious painter, can thy art Angelic beauty give? Then draw the mistress of my heart, And bid the canvas live. First let her easy-flowing hair, Whose am'rous locks entwine, In wanton ringlets sport in air And negligently shine. Her temples draw divinely fair As Parian marble bright, Through which meandering veins appear And beautify the white: Her brow, like Cupid's fatal bow, Her eyes (ye gods! what fire!) In pearly liquids sparkling glow And raise intense desire. Her blooming cheek, the peachless sweet, Strikes all description dumb; Where roses with soft lilies meet, But blush to be o'ercome. Her vermile lips sweet smiles bedeck, Where sense with beauty dwells; The polish'd iv'ry of her neck A poet's thought excels. The rest, her air, her shape, her mien, So sprightly, gay and free, Copy it from the Cyprian queen, Just rising from the sea. Proceed, and when with happiest art You think your piece complete, I'll show her picture on my heart Shall all your skill defeat.