reading

The Oration, on entering into the Professorship, or First Lecture.	Page 1
LECTURE II, III.
Of the Nature and Origin of Poetry in General	13
Poetry defin'd	ibid.
Vossius's Definition rejected	ibid.
Prov'd against Vossius, and Mons. Dacier,
that Poetry does not imitate Actions only	14,15
That Poetry is an Art, properly so call'd	15
That Poetry consists in Imitation and Illustration	15,16
A Comparison between Poetry and Painting	16,17
The Meaning and Original of the Word Ποιητες	18,19
Prov'd, against Mons. Dacier, that fictitious Narrations,
written in Prose, are not properly Poems	20,21
That Fiction is not essential to Poetry	21
That Poetry does not differ from History in the Diction only	22
The Difference between Poesy, Poetry, and a Poem	ibid.
A Comparison between Poetry and Music	23
That the End of Poetry is twofold, to instruct, and to please	24
That Instruction is the principal End of Poetry	24,25
What the secret Sources of Pleasure are, which all receive from Poetry	25,26
That Poetry took its Rise from Love	26,27
Owes its first Increase and Progress to Religion	27
Who were the first Authors of Verses	28
The Rise of Poetry fetch'd farther back:
Shewn that the immediate Causes of it are
founded in that Love of Imitation and
Harmony which is natural to all; and that
Vossius has assign'd wrong ones	29
The Reason why Mankind is so much given to Imitation and Harmony	30
That Prose is more ancient than Poetry	30,31
Whether, in Poetry, Nature or Industry is of greater Force	31
The Meaning of that Saying, Poeta nascitur; non fit	32
Of the Inspiration attributed to Poets	ibid.
Explanation of poetical Fables rejected	33
The Difference between Poetry and Oratory	34
LECTURE IV, V, VI, VII.
Of the Style of Poetry.
What Style is; and in what its Beauty consists	37
The Style of Poetry so singular, that there
are many Expressions elegant in the
Writings of the Poets, which in Prose would be
contrary to the Rules of Grammar	ibid.
Examples cited	38,39,40,41
Other Expressions, which tho' not entirely poetical,
yet are much more suitable to Verse, than Prose	42
A beautiful Poem may, however, consist of those which
are common both to Prose and Metre	43
That it is the Property of Poetry to express the
whole of a Thing sometimes by some one Adjunct	ibid.
Sometimes by a Kind of Paraphrase, and little Description	44
To use Specials for Generals	45
That Poetry impresses upon the Mind the
Images of Things stronger than Prose	46,47
That Descriptions are almost peculiar to Poetry	47
That figurative Expressions are more suitable
to poetic Writings than Prose; and why	51
Of the Use and Abuse of Metaphors	51,52
Of Books that teach the Elements of Rhetoric	53
One and the same Thing express'd different Ways,
sometimes well, sometimes ill	54
A Comparison in this Particular, and some others
between Virgil and Ovid	ibid.
Repetition of the same Words, to be avoided
as much as conveniently may be	60
Great Regard to be had to the Sound and Order of Words	61
A Mistake in those who think Ovid, Claudian,and
others, excel Virgil in Versification	62
Of Verses that express the Thing they describe by
their Sound and Numbers	64,65,66
Of the Verses in the Æneid that break off short	67
An unwarrantable Liberty in modern Writers to imitate
Virgil, in this Particular	68
Or too boldly to violate the Laws of Quantity	68,69
Of the true and elegant Use of Epithets	69
Divided into two Sorts	ibid.
Of those that add to their Substantives new
and distinct Ideas	69,70
Of those that come nearer to the general
Nature of their Substantives, and are us'd
for Illustration and Explanation,
tho' they don't convey any new Idea to it	71
The Gradus ad Parnassum, and other Books of that
Nature, prejudicial to young Tyro's in Poetry	73
Other Kinds of Epithets	74
Of superfluous and redundant Epithets	76
A Mistake of those, on the other Hand, who think
that very few Epithets should be us'd	78
When a Thing is to be strongly express'd, and with great
Energy, by all Means to abstain from Epithets	80
All Adjectives and Participles not Epithets	81
An Enumeration of different Sorts of Style	82
Of the Sublime, the Turgid, and the Low Style	82-90
Of the Sarcastical and Severe	91
Of the Florid Style	92
Other Sorts of Style	ibid.
The Style to be varied; and not always preserve one even Tenor	93
Style of Comedy not poetical	94
This Question carried on with Respect to Comedies writ in the English Tongue	95
And to those in the French	ibid.
The Connexion between Beauty of Expression, and Beauty of Thought	96
LECTURE VIII, IX, X, XI.
Of the Beauty of Thought; or of Elegance And Sublimity	101
The Difficulty of treating of this Subject	ibid.
Definition of Wit	102
The Foundation of true Wit	ibid.
The Difference between a Thought simply consider'd,
and an ingenious one	102
The Difference between Falshood and Fiction	103
Specimens of false or spurious Wit	104
Thoughts partly true, partly false	105
The Difference between true and false Wit	106
Some Verses have gain'd Esteem, not from Reason,
or true Merit, but merely from popular Fame	107
The Opinion of the famous Boileau, and a Passage translated from him	108
That some Thoughts are true, tho' Poetical Fiction be added to them	109
Care always to be taken, that some Truth be the Basis of the Thought	112
That fine Thoughts and Words ought not to superabound	113
In the right Disposal of them much Art required	113
Beauty of Thought divided into two Kinds, the Elegant and the Sublime	115
How these differ	ibid.
Of a happy Genius	ibid,
Of the Impetus or Poetic Fire	116
Of moving the Passions	118
Under this Head the Fourth Book of Virgil's Æneis considered	120
Of Images	125-129
Of Antitheta	129
Of Transitions	132-135
Of Excursions of another Kind	135
Of Comparisons	136
That pretty Thoughts ill agree with the Passions	139
Of Delicate Thoughts	140,141
Of Strong Thoughts	142
That Severity and Gravity not inconsistent with Wit	ibid.
Of Sentences	ibid.
Of echoing Turns	143
Of Thoughts that seem to contradict each other	144,145
Of Æquivocations and Playing upon Words	145,146
Of Sublimity	147
The Substance of that Idea of Sublimity, which Longinus describes	ibid.
A Mistake of those who think that Sublimity is more especially,
if not only, suited to Exultation and Triumph	149
Examples of Sublimity, exciting Terror and Pity	ibid.
A Stricture upon Poetic Licence	151
LECTURE XII.
Of Epigram, and other lighter Species of Poetry	153
The History and Origin of Epigram	ibid.
No need of dividing Epigrams into so many distinct sorts as some do	154
Epigrams some Satirical	ibid.
Panegyrical	155
Upon the Subject of Love	ibid.
Upon any other Subject	155,156
Religious Epigrams	156,157
And sublime	157
The Nature of true Epigram in general	158
Some Poems consisting of a few Verses, in Martial
and others, not Epigrams properly so called	158
Of the Lent Verses made at Oxford, call'd Carmina Quadragesimalia	159
Of Elogies, Inscriptions, and Epitaphs	ibid.
Of Emblems or Symbols	ibid.
That Epigrams should be short	160
Of the Metre of Epigram	161
Of Hendecasyllables	ibid.
Whether the Ancients or the Moderns have deserv'd
greater Praise in this little Kind of Poems	ibid.
They are beautiful, and not without their Difficulty	161,162
LECTURE XIII.
Of Elegy
Few have treated of this Species of Poetry	163
The Nature of it, and the Etymology of the Name	164
Melancholy Subjects first and principally suited to Elegy	ibid.
Afterwards by Analogy others of a very different Kind	164,165
Death and Love the chief Subjects of Elegy	165
Tho' scarce any other sort of Matter repugnant to it	ibid.
But Circumstances of Joy with less Propriety agreeable to it	ibid.
Many Epistles are Elegies	166
Of Ovid's Heroine Epistles;
and the Difference between them and Elegies commonly so called	ibid.
What the chief Property of Elegies	167,168
Very few of our modern Poems, which are styled Elegies,
deserve our Notice	169
Of the Elegiac Metre	169
Among the Ancients we have scarce any Elegiac Poets but Latin	169,170
Of the Elegiac Writers, Ovid, Tibullus, and Propertius	170
Catullus not so properly reckon'd in the Number	ibid.
Of Gallus a Writer of Elegies	170,171
LECTURE XIV.
Of Pastorals
None of the Ancients have treated of this Species of Poem	172
The Original of Pastoral	172-174
The peculiar Nature of it	174
No Difference between Pastorals and Bucolics but the Name	ibid.
Virgil undeservedly censured, for mixing Philosophy
and the Sublime with Pastoral	ibid.
His Fourth and Sixth Eclogues true Pastorals	175
As also his Tenth	176
Eclogue and Idyllium according to their Etymology,
include nothing of Bucolic or Pastoral in their Meaning	177
These Poems, the more simple they are, the truer Pastorals	ibid.
They contain an elegant sort of Simplicity	178
More of the Nature and Turn of this sort of Poem	179
Certain vulgar Mistakes concerning this Poem noted	ibid.
The various Subjects of Pastoral	180
Whence the Delight arises that is peculiar to this Kind of Poem	181,182
Of Primitive Simplicity, and a Country Life	ibid.
A Comparison between the Works of Nature and Art	ibid.
Between Theocritus and Virgil	183
Pastoral less suitable to the present Times	186
LECTURE XV.
Of Didactic or Præceptive Poetry
Very few Writings now remaining upon this Subject	187
That Poetry is the best adapted to give Rules	ibid.
Four Kinds of Didactic Poems	189
Of those which relate to Morality	ibid.
——to Natural Philosophy	189
The Harmony between Poetry and Natural Philosophy	189
Lucretius the Prince of Poets in this Kind of Writing	190
What Things commendable in him, and what to be blamed	190,191
A Comparison between him and Virgil	192
That Poetic Fiction and the Explanation of Nature may be elegantly united	192
That this Kind of Writing may at this Day receive Improvements
from the Advantages of Experimental Philosophy	193
Of Poems which relate to the Business or Pleasures of Life	ibid.
Of Virgil's Georgics	ibid.
A Comparison between Hesiod and Virgil	194
Of the Various Methods of fetching in Ornaments to the Georgics	194-197
Few Writers in this Way among the Moderns	198
Two mention'd; Rapin of Gardens, and a Countryman of ours	199
Of Country Diversions, Hunting, &c. and of Gratius's Cygnegeticon	199
Of Oppian	ibid.
Of Rules concerning the Art of Poetry	199
A Didactic Poem may be writ upon any Subject	200
Some Subjects recommended for it hitherto untouch'd	200,201
LECTURE XVI.
Of Lyric Poetry
The Original and Antiquity of Odes	203
The Peculiar Nature of them	ibid.
Of Digressions and Transitions in Lyric Poetry	204,205
Notwithstanding this Liberty, it is the most difficult,
as it is the most elegant Kind of Writing	206
Two Kinds of Digressions	207
This more suitable to Music than other Poetry	209
Of the Music of the Antients	210
Of the various Subjects of Odes	211
Sublimity and Poetic Rage more suited to them than any other Poems	212
Treat of serious and moral Subjects	213
Whence the Pleasure arises that attends Lyric Poetry	214,215
Of Pindar	215
Of Anacreon	ibid.
Of Horace	ibid.
The Ancients excell the Moderns in this Kind of Poetry	ibid.
Of Casimire	215
Of Hannes	216
Of modern Pindarics	216,217
Of Songs	ibid.
LECTURE XVII, XVIII.
Of Satire
How the Word is spelt: Of the History and Origin of Satire	218
Difference between the Satyric Poetry of the Greeks and the Roman Satire	219
The Etymology of the Word	ibid.
Ennius a Writer of Satires	222
Pacuvius	ibid.
Lucilius	ibid.
Varro	223
That Satires not only expose Vices, but give Encomiums of Virtue	223
Prov'd against Mons. Dacier, that the Difference
between the Satyric Poetry of the Greeks,
and the Roman Satire, is not so great as he makes it.	225
Two Sorts of Satire: The Humourous, like that of Horace; and the Serious, like Juvenal's	227
This last the more excellent of the two	ibid.
Vossius judges wrong of the Nature and Difference of Satire	228
Horace's rightly entitled Discourses rather than Satires	232
All Juvenal's are properly Satires, except the last	ibid.
Horace is not too acrimonious in his Satires	233
Some Satires are Dialogues; some Epistles	ibid.
Some of Horace's Satires are Epistles, and some of his Epistles are Satires	ibid.
The different Nature of Juvenal's	ibid.
Persius more a Philosopher, than a Satirist	235-6
The Moderns not much inferior to the Ancients in this Kind of Writing	236
LECTURE XIX. &c.
Of the Drama in General
What Poetry is in the most proper Sense of the Word	237
Applicable to the Drama and Epic, beyond all other sorts
of Writing; but more especially to the Drama	237-8
The Difference between an Epic and Dramatic Poem	238
In what Respects this is preferable to that; and so vice versa	ibid.
Aristotle and Horace just touch upon other Species
of Poetry, and dwell only upon the Drama	ibid.
Many of the latter Times have treated fully of it	238
What proposed to be treated of in this Discourse	239
Two Species of the Drama; Comedy and Tragedy	ibid.
Tragic-Comedy rejected; and for what Reasons	239
Of a new Species of the Drama, called Opera's
The Ridiculousness of them	240
A Short History of the ancient Drama,
taken from Vossius's Institutiones Poeticæ	243
The Apparatus of the ancient Drama pass'd by	244
The Absurdity of the Mask among the Ancients	245
A Slight Stricture of the Soccus and Buskin	246
The Theatrical Music of the Ancients pass'd by likewise	ibid.
A Definition of the Drama in general	246
That the Action ought to be one	247
But that it may rightly sometimes seem to be two Actions, &c.	ibid.
That Kind of Drama the best however, where the Action is entirely one	ibid.
The Difference between the Fable, the Action, and Machinery of the Drama	248
The Manners, different Natures, Characters, Passions, and Diction in the Drama	248
The Subject Matter of the Drama called the Fable, tho' it is founded on true History	250
Some Poems are rather Dramatical Histories than Drama's	ibid.
Our Countryman Shakespear commended	ibid.
Various Foundations of a Drama.
1 - True History.
2 - Some private Action.
3 - A noted common Story.
4 - A fable, or Fiction less known.
5 - The mere Invention of the Poet's Brain	250,251
The last of these the best, and why	252
Three Unities in the Drama; viz. of Place, Time, and Action	253
Of Action before spoke of	ibid.
Of Time	ibid.
Of Place	254
The Necessity of observing these and other Rules	256
To these Unities a Fourth may be added, that of Characters	256
Of things partly related, and partly acted on the Stage; and the
great Difference between the Ancients and the Moderns in this Respect	257-259
Of Persons adventitious or superfluous, and brought only once upon the Stage	259
The Reason ought to appear why each Person comes in or goes out	260
Of the Division of the Drama into Acts; of Acts into Scenes	261
Of broken and disjointed Scenes	261
Of Soliloquies	262
Some Rules of the coming in, and going out
of the Number of the Actors, superfluous	262
Of the Number of the Actors	263
Vossius lays down wrong Rules of the Parts of Action to be divided to each Act	265
Of the Protasis, Epitasis and Catastrophe	ibid.
Vossius gives to these an improper Division in the Drama	266
The Catastrophe ill defined by Scaliger or Evanthius	268
The Unfolding of the Plot ought to be surprising and yet easy	268
The preposterous Artifice of some, who in the very
Title of their Play, discover the Catastrophe of it	268,269
To these three Parts a fourth (viz. the Catastasis) improperly added	269
Of Incidents	ibid.
Intire Scenes not to be added for Ornament sake only	269,270
Love the usual, but not the best Subject for a Drama	270
The Chorus of the Antients	271
Another Place reserv'd for a Comparison between the ancient and modern Dramatic Writers	ibid.
The last Clause of the Definition consider'd, containing the End of Drama	272
LECTURE XXIII, &c.
Of Comedy
The Etymology of the Word Comedy	273
Not very clear, whence this Kind of Poem arose	273,274
Three Species of Comedy; the Old, the Middle, and the New	275
Of the Old Comedy	ibid.
Of the Middle, and the New	277,278
A Definition of Comedy, such as it ought to be	279
Division of Comedy into the Moral and Ridiculous	ibid.
Scaliger's Definition of Comedy	280
Mirth essential to Comedy	ibid.
And Happiness in the Conclusion of it	281
Upon these Heads Scaliger and Vossius inconsistent with themselves	ibid.
Vossius's Definition of Comedy	ibid.
Persons and Things of a private Character, suitable to Comedy;
neither of them ought to be great, or concerned in the State	282
Nor yet only such as are of low Life	ibid.
Two sorts of Comedy; the Sublime, and the Low	ibid.
The Virtues, Vices, and Follies of Mankind,
the Subject of Comedy; but more especially the Follies	283
Proved against Mons. Dacier that the Γελοιος, or What is Ridiculous,
is not the only Subject of Comedy, tho' it is the principal; and that
Crimes of a more heinous Nature are not to be exposed in it	284
That not only Joy, but all the Passions are concerned in Comedy	288
But in a quite different Manner from what they are represented in Tragedy	289
The Difficulty of writing true Ridicule	290
Whether Comic Writers may be allow'd to draw the Characters beyond Truth	291
Of the Prologue and Epilogue	292
The Chorus, Mimus, and Cantica of the Ancients	ibid.

That to write Comedy is a difficult Task, notwithstanding it imitates common Life	293
Of the Diction of Comedy	294
Of Aristophanes and Menander; Plautus and Terence	ibid.
A Comparison between the Ancients and the Moderns	296
Between the French and our own Writers	298
Whether the English Comedies writ in Prose are properly Poems	298
Of the French Comedies writ in Rhyme and Heroic Verse	298
Whence the Pleasure that arises from Comedy	299
Why more are delighted with Comedy than Tragedy	300
LECTURE XVI, &c.
Of Tragedy
The Etymology of the Word	301
Aristotle's Definition proposed and examined	302
And Vossius's	303
A third offered made up of both	304
The several Parts of the Definition	ibid.
Every thing in Tragedy ought to be great and sublime	ibid.
Of the Subject of Tragedy	ibid.
Of the Morals, the Thought and Diction of it	ibid.
The higher Species of Satire of Affinity with Tragedy	307,308
The part of Tragedy to teach Virtue, even the most Heroic, no less than to expose Vice	308
Tragedy form'd for Sublimity	ibid.
How reconcileable to Nature that Things so elevated and composed with
so much Art, should be represented to make Part of Common Conversation	308
What has been said of the Magnificence of this Part of the Drama not
equally applicable to all Tragedies; since there are two Species
of it, the one sublime, the other more humble	309
Another Distinction between Tragedies; and that it is not
essential to them to end fortunately	310
Those, whose Catastrophe is unfortunate the more Tragical:
But such as have a fortunate Conclusion require more Art,
and afford more Improvement	314
Which Characters best adapted to move Pity, which Terror, and which both	315
What species of Tragedy are of all others the most Tragical	316
Of Dramatic Justice	ibid.
The End of Tragedy	317
How Tragedy purges the Passions; and even by putting them in Motion	319,320
What the Source of Delight which Tragedy
affords, or of that Pleasure which flows from Melancholy	323-326
A Comparison between the Ancients and Moderns
Between the French and our Countrymen	326
LECTURE XXIX, &c.
Of the Epic or Heroic Poem
The Dignity and Excellence of this Kind of Poem	328
Little remains now to be said of it; several Circumstances relating to it
having fallen in with the other Matter I have already discoursed of	329
What Bossu has done upon this Subject	329
Definition of an Epic or Heroic Poem	330
The Parts of this Definition	ibid.
The Method laid down of this Dissertation	331
In what Respects Tragedy and Epic differ and agree	331,332
Of the Action, Place, and Time of the Epic Poem	332,333
What the Action of the Poem in the strictest
or most proper Sense, and from whence it commences	333
The Duration of the Action of the Iliad, Odyssey, and the Æneis	ibid.
Proved against Bossu and Mons. Dacier,
that an Epic Poem ought not to imitate every Action,
but only the great Actions of great Personages	334
Of the Forming a Heroe	336
The Meaning of Aristotle, who asserts that the Fable in Epic ought to be Dramatical	ibid.
The Event in an Epic Poem ought always to end fortunately; and for what Reasons	336
Of the Marvelous	338
The Mistake of some, who confound the Marvelous with the Improbable	338-340
Essential to be founded upon History partly true	340
Of the Machines	341
Of the Versification of Heroic Poems	ibid.
A Translation of one Chapter of Bossu explaining the
Nature and Origin of the Epic Poem	ibid.
The Difference between the Eloquence of the Ancients and the Moderns	ibid.
What the first Use of Fables	342
Why Poetry, in Aristotle's Judgment, is more
grave and Philosophical than History	343-346
Epic more suited to the Manners and Habits than the Passions	346
Yet Epic not without Passion	347
Especially Joy and Admiration	ibid.
Of the Ancients and Moderns	348
Of Homer and Virgil	ibid.
Of Historical Poems	ibid.
Of Lucan	349
Of Silius Italicus	ibid.
Of Statius	350
Of Tasso	351
Of Spencer	ibid.
Of Milton	ibid.
Of too servile an Imitation of Homer and Virgil	ibid.
Some New Subject must be attempted	352
The Conclusion.	354

N. B. The several Passages cited from Virgil are printed in English from Dr. Trapp's Version. The other Poetical Translations without a Name, the Editor is to be accountable for, tho' he wishes he had as good a Title to the Excellence of two or three of them as he has to the Imperfections of the rest.

The Notes added to this English Edition are distinguish'd thus * or thus †; whereas those that were before in the Latin are referr'd to by Letters a, b, c, etc.

ERRATA.

Table of Contents

Pag. 3.	L. 31.	for our World r. their Orbits.
4.	L.3.	for this House r. that House.
19.	L. antep.	for consistent only with r. confined only to.
216.	L. 16.	dele Countryman.
248.	L. 30.	for adsunt r. adflent. And L. 32. for ipse r. ipsi.
317.	L. 16.	dele the

LECTURES ON
POETRY, &c.

The ORATION upon entering into the Professorship, or First Lecture.

LECTURE I.

Table of Contents

Altho', Gentlemen, I am sensible of the Obligation you have laid upon me, by making Choice of me to fill this Office, esteeming it an Honour to receive Commands, much more Favours from so venerable a Body; yet I must own myself under some Concern, when I consider that I enter into a Province unattempted by others, and wherein I have no Footsteps to guide me. For so it has happen'd, that tho' all other Sciences the World can boast of, have had their Instructors and Professors in this most flourishing University; Poetry alone, neglected, as it were, and overlook'd, has hitherto wanted Schools for her Reception. 'Twas much, indeed, that in the very Seat of the Muses that Art shou'd have found none, which the Muses esteem above all others, and claim as their peculiar Property: With You it has always been its Choice to live, and with You it always has liv'd; but has wanted, however, a fix'd Habitation, and (if I may speak more poetically) has wander'd here among other Sciences, as Delos, Apollo's native Place, did among the Ægean Islands, till that excellent Gentleman, whose Munificence I now commemorate, like another Apollo, fix'd its Situation, and honour'd it with an Establishment.

But to omit these imaginary Flights, and to represent Things without any Colouring, What Thanks are due to him, who has render'd himself a perpetual Mæcenas, not only to Poets, but to Poetry itself; who has bestow'd Honours upon that Art, which adds the greatest to whatever is meritorious; who has prescribed it Laws, and secured to it a Patrimony? But still without a Patrimony it had almost been, if the reverend and worthy Trustees[1] of the Muses Legacy had not to the Patron's Benevolence contributed no small Assistance of their own, and deserved little less Praise by receding from their Due, than the other, by his original Settlement. One of them[2], especially, who, as he is himself no small Part of our University, and of that venerable Assembly, and has an Intercourse with both, makes use of it to promote Good-will and Friendship mutually between them. How near had the Poetical Revenues been lost, if they had not been in the Hands of Men therefore the most zealous for Learning and the University, because they were adorned with the Insignia of each? If these good Men reject our Praises, at least let them permit us to return our Thanks. To the Living, then, we gratefully pay the Tribute of Gratitude; to the Deceased, whose Gift they augmented, that of Glory.

He well knew that Poetry did not boast so much of her learned Poverty (noted even to a Proverb) as utterly to reject all Acquisitions. He knew, moreover, that it was no less capable of Rules than other Arts, and no less deserving of them; that it proceeded upon certain Principles, which were founded upon Truth and right Reason; that our Master Aristotle, who has accurately treated of the other Sciences, and whose Authority we follow in them all, had bestowed likewise some of his Pains on this, and has left upon no Subject greater Monuments, either of Extent of Genius, or of Care and Application.

They therefore lie under a great Mistake, that think Poetry suited only to the Theatre, and would have it banished from the Schools, as of too unbounded a Nature to submit to the Regulation of Precept. Rage, indeed, is its Property; but a Rage altogether divine; not deviating from Reason, but rendering it more ornamental and sublime. It may be said, likewise, to be a Fire; not like our consuming ones, but like those of the celestial Orbs above, that have not only the Qualities of Heat and Brightness, but maintaining one uniform Course, are carried round their Orbits at once with equal Swiftness and Regularity.

We see, then, it is no Absurdity to have Rules prescribed to this Art. And what could have been thought of, of so delicate and refined a Nature, as the Office of prescribing them? What more worthy of an University to accept, or a Courtier to appoint? A Courtier, I say, for in the City he was an Ornament to the Court; as in the University he was to that House, which has always had the Credit of abounding, and we still have the Comfort of seeing it abound with Gentlemen of the most distinguish'd Wit, Birth, and good Manners. I am sure no Gift could have been more becoming a Friend of the Muses to bestow, and he was not only an Admirer, but an Intimate of them; not only a Lover of their Art, but a skilful Practitioner in it; nor could any one so properly make Poetry his Heir, as a Poet.

He knew, by Experience, that no Pleasure was equal to the reading ancient Poets, except that of imitating them. Happy they, that can partake of both; but the former ought to be the Employment of all, that desire to have any Taste for Letters, or Politeness. Some there are, however, to whom these Studies are disagreeable, and who endeavour to make them so to others: This is not owing to any Fault in Poetry, but in themselves. Formed as they are of coarse Materials, they have naturally a Disposition either slow and frozen, callous and unpolite, or harsh and morose; so, forsooth, whilst they would appear grave, as they are, they maliciously hate, or superciliously contemn these Exercises, as the great Disturbers of their Peace. They condemn what they know nothing of; and despise the Pleasure they want a Capacity to enjoy.

But if at least they pay any Deference to Antiquity (and with these Men nothing uses to be more sacred, looking upon every Thing with the greater Veneration, the more antient it is) they ought on this Account to allow the Art we are speaking of its due Honours. For not to urge that Poetry is coeval with the World itself, and that the Creator may be said in working up and finishing his beautiful Poem of the Universe, to have performed the Part of a Poet, no less than of a Geometrician[3]; it is well known, that those Books have had the greatest Sanction from Time, that have been dictated by God, or writ by Poets. Those, as it is fit, have the Precedence: But these follow at no very great Distance.

Nay, why should we make this Difference between the sacred Writers and Poets, since the sacred Writers were most of them Poets; on both Accounts deservedly called Vates (a Word expressing either Character) and acted by no feigned Inspiration? That the Devils then, heretofore, usurping the Title of Gods, gave out their Oracles in Verse, was owing wholly to their imitating, in this, as well as in other Particulars, the true God, that so they might gain Honour and Reverence from their Votaries. If in the Poems of Job, and David, and the other sacred Authors, we observe the inexpressible Sublimity of their Words and Matter; their elegant, and more than human Descriptions; the happy Boldness of their Metaphors; their spiritual Ardour breathing Heaven, and winging the Souls of their Readers up to it, triumphing, as it were, by a royal Authority, over the narrow Rules of mortal Writers, it is impossible but we must in Transport own, that nothing is wanting in them, that might be expected from the Strength of Poetry heighten'd by the Energy of Inspiration.

If this, then, be the Case, who would not wonder at the Ignorance or Baseness of those, who rashly reproach an Art with Impiety, which has the Honour of being not only pleasing to God, but taught and dictated by him. 'Tis true, Poetry, as well as Religion, has, by Length of Time, been corrupted with Fables; but this is no more to be imputed to the one than the other; and we can only from hence complain, that by the Depravity of Mankind the best of Things are most liable to Corruption.

Nor is it any more owing to the Art itself, that it is sometimes polluted by obscene Writers: To them alone the Infamy redounds: The Chastity of Poetry is violated like a Virgin's, and tho' it seems to be the Instrument of doing an Injury to Virtue, yet Virtue is not more a Sufferer than she is. She acts in her proper Sphere, when, with her native Purity, she discovers the true Attractives of Virtue, nor disguises Vice with false ones; when she inflames the Mind of Man with the Love of Goodness, recounts the Works of the Almighty, and sets forth all his Praises. Undoubtedly, as the divine and sister Sciences, Poetry and Music, owe their Origin to Heaven; they love to be employed about heavenly Things; thither they tend by their native Force, and, like Fire, seek those blessed Abodes from whence they first descended.

Since Poetry, then, is so venerable, both for its Antiquity, and its Religion; they are no less to blame, who look upon it as a trifling Amusement, an Exercise for Boys only, or young Men. The Injustice of this Calumny is plain from hence, that a good Proficient in this kind of Writing must not only excel in Wit, Elegance, and Brightness; but must be endowed with the maturest Judgment, and furnished with all sorts of Literature. He must, in Truth, turn over the Annals of Time, and Monuments of History; he must trace the Situation of Countries, understand the different Manners of Nations; the Actions and Passions of Mankind in general, must explore the inmost Recesses of the Mind, and secret Avenues to them; survey the whole System of the Universe; in short, make himself Master of all Nature. Who cannot but see and admire the Learning of Homer and Horace; in Virgil especially, his almost universal Extent of Knowledge in both sorts of Philosophy, in History, Geography, and the chief of all Science, Mathematicks? In Lucretius we see how perfectly Natural Philosophy and Poetry agree; and how properly these Schools of ours are appropriated to both: Nor have the severest Philosophers Reason to complain, that the Company of the one reflects the least Dishonour on the other.

This I am sure they have not, if we duly consider the Nature of this admirable Art; from whence it will appear to contain whatever is great or beautiful in Prose, and besides to be distinguished by its own proper Ornaments; which it abundantly displays, whilst it pleases our Ears, and ravishes our Souls with its Harmony; whilst it strongly imprints in our Minds the Images of the Things it represents; by a becoming Fiction sets off Truth to Advantage, and renders it more amiable; and by a decent Liberty keeps those Laws it seems to violate.

Another Reason of its Contempt, at least of the Abatement of its Esteem, is, that there are such Numbers of Writers, who give Offence to Men of Learning, by affecting the Title of Poets. This is a Fact we are very sensible of, and lament: I know not how it is, there's no sort of Learning to which more apply themselves, or fewer attain. Innumerable Pretenders there are, who, in spite of Genius and Nature, are daily troubling the World with their wretched Performances; who write Verse often, that scarce attempt to write any Thing else, and venture upon the most difficult of all Studies, that are unfit for any. This profane Mob of Poetasters are deservedly to be condemned, that arrogate to themselves the Credit of a Title, that no ways belongs to them; and which is due only to those who are of elevated Genius, and Souls divine. But so far is this from fixing any true Mark of Infamy on our Art, that it ought to redound to its Credit. For in this its native Excellence appears, that it is a Mistress, to whom all by natural Impulse, as it were, pay their Addresses, tho' there are so few, upon whom she bestows her Favours. Thus Wit, Wisdom, and Religion, have each those amiable Colours, in which all Mankind endeavour to appear.

Nor need we wonder it meets with such Esteem, since it excels all other Sciences, by mixing so agreeably Pleasure with Advantage. For it is found experimentally true, that by reading the ancient Poets, but especially by imitating them, the Mind is polish'd, enlivened, and enlarged; is enriched with a Stock of various Erudition, as well sacred as profane; with such Plenty of lofty Ideas, and lively Expressions, as is no small Addition to the Eloquence of even Prose itself. This no one will deny, that pays any Deference to Cicero's Opinion or Authority; who ingenuously tells us he owes no small Assistance to the Poets, runs out largely in their Praises, and seems to give them the first Place among the Learned. "We are told, says he[4], by Men of the greatestLearning, that the Science of all other Things depends upon Precepts and Art; but a Poet on Nature alone; that he is formed by the Force of Genius, and inspired, as it were, with somewhat of Divinity." This Topick he defends, and expatiates upon, with such Warmth, that Oratory seems never to have shone out brighter, or to have been more pleased with its own Force, than when it was employed in the Praise of Poetry.

But farther, it ought by all Means to be encouraged, because it raises the Mind to Virtue and Honour, by delivering down the Examples of great Men to Immortality. It not only celebrates Heroes, but makes them; and by lively Copies produces new Originals. What, in short, is it else, but the utmost Effort of the Mind of Man, that tries all its Nerves, while it infuses into it a Tincture of universal Learning temper'd with the greatest Sweetness. For its Votaries it affects with no small Pleasure, which its infinite Variety abundantly supplies. Oratory, like a River with all its Pomp of Water, confines its Waves within its own Banks; but Poetry, like the Ocean, diffuses itself, by a Variety of Channels, into Rivers, Fountains, and the remotest Springs. What can be more delightful, than to take a Survey of Things, Places, and Persons; what more elegant, than to see them represented in beautiful Pictures? Who is not charm'd with the humorous Turns of Epigram, the Softness of Elegy, the bantering Wit of one sort of Satire, the Anger of the other, the Keenness and Poignancy of both? And yet still more the Ode affects us with its daring Colours, its lofty Conceptions, its Choice of Expression, its agreeable Variety of Numbers, and (what is the distinguishing Character of the Lyrics) that Luxuriancy of Thought, conducted with the severest Judgment, by which it now and then expatiates into new Matter, connects Things it seem'd to separate, and falls by Chance, as it were, into its first Subject. Who is there that does not with Pleasure survey an Epitome of the World in the Dramatic Poets? The Life, Humours, and Customs of Mankind represented in Comedy; in Tragedy the tumultuous Passions of the Great, the Turns of Fortune and wonderful Catastrophes, the Punishment of Villainy and Rewards of Virtue, and sometimes the Misfortunes of good Men? Who, I say, is not affected with Pleasure, whether he laughs or weeps with them? For such is the Force of Poetry, that it makes us pleased with our Tears, and from Sorrow extorts Satisfaction. But far beyond all this, is the Epic Poem, that farthest Extent of the human Soul, the utmost Bounds of Study, and the Pillars, beyond which the Labours of the Mind can never pass. So abundant is it, that, besides its own peculiar Excellence, than which nothing can be greater, it comprehends within its Sphere all other Kinds of Poetry whatever; and is in this Art what the Organ is in Music, which with various Pipes, inflated with the same Breath, charms us not only with its own Harmony, but represents that of every other Instrument.

These are not Beauties only in Theory; we have Authors that have shone in each of these Branches of Poetry: Thus Martial pleases with his tart Facetiousness, Catullus with his sound Wit, tho' his Verse is sometimes a little harsh; Ovid, Tibullus, and Propertius, with their Ease and Fluency in both. The Man that does not admire the Boldness of Juvenal's Spirit, the Richness of his poetic Vein, and his fearless Rage in Satire; may he never love, may he never know the genteel and courtly Turns, the pleasant Sneers, the severe, and yet inviting Precepts of Virtue, the Remarks on common Life made with the greatest Penetration, Judgment, and Wisdom, with which the Satires of Horace, and especially his Epistles, are replete. In this kind of Writing, as we prefer him before all others; so in Lyric Poetry he stands not only first, but alone. With Regard to Comedy, if there were nothing remaining but what Terence has left us, viz. that Chasteness of Style, that never-failing Fund of Wit and Judgment, that Humour clear of vulgar Jests, those beautiful Images of Mankind and Nature, that exquisite Artifice in working up Plots, and unfolding them; we should ever have Reason to praise the Art and the Poet. If Tragedy has receiv'd but small Ornaments from the Latin Writers, as far as they have come to our Hands; by the Greeks that Loss has been abundantly compensated. Witness the Thunder and Vigour of Sophocles, the Grandeur and sententious Gravity of Euripides, the Art of both, with which they command the Affections of their Readers, and call forth Pity or Terror at Pleasure.

The Nature and Limits of this Discourse will not allow me even to touch upon the Characters of all the other Greek and Latin Writers that have excell'd in the several Species of Poetry. One, however, it would be unpardonable to omit, who as he is the greatest of all (not Homer himself excepted) may not improperly bring up the Rear of this shining Host, the immortal Virgil, I mean, beyond all Praises, in all Respects compleat. Who is not in Love with the plain and unaffected Beauty of his Eclogues, the finish'd and chaste Elegance of his Georgics, and in them the entertaining Descriptions with which they abound, with the Variety of their Expressions, the Usefulness of their Precepts in Husbandry, and their noble Excursions, upon every proper Occasion, into Subjects of a sublimer Nature? But the divine Æneid who can turn over without Transport, without being lost, as it were, in a happy Mixture of Joy and Wonder? Who can help being astonish'd at that Fire of Imagination temper'd with so cool a Judgment, such Strength united with so much Beauty? To nothing this Work can with Justice be compar'd, unless to that, whose Duration will have the same Period, the great Machine of the Universe. For where shall we find, in any human Composition, so exact a Harmony between the several Parts, and so much Beauty in each of them; such an infinite Fecundity of Matter, without the least Exuberance of Style, or Crowding of Incidents? It would be an endless Attempt to recount the different Images of Heroes, and other Personages that appear up and down in it, the Variety of Manners, the Conflict of Passions, almost every Object of the Imagination beautifully described, all Nature unfolded, the great Events, the unexpected Revolutions, the Incentives to Virtue; in the several Speeches the most finish'd Eloquence; in the Thoughts and Expressions the sublimest Majesty; in short, the most consummate Art, by which all these Things are brought into one uniform Piece?

After the mention of Virgil and those other great Names, Silence only should ensue; but that our Oration naturally addresses itself to him, to whose Indulgence this Liberty of speaking in the Praise of Virgil, and those other great Names, is owing; our most worthy Vice-chancellor[5], I mean, who has brought to Light this Poetic Legacy, which had been buried, as it were, for many Years in Oblivion, and has at length placed it upon a Foundation that will make it perpetual. Such Attainments, Sir, have you made in your Study of the publick Welfare! 'tis thus you make us sensible that none are so faithful and diligent Dispensers of others Bounty, as the Bountiful! I shall not enter into a Detail of the other Virtues, that make up your Character: My Business was to mention that only which relates to our present Function: Permit us, however, to wish you Length of Days in this World, that such Thanks may in Time be due to you, as may exceed the Power of Poetry itself to pay.

LECTURE II, and III.
Of the Nature and Origin of Poetry in general.

Table of Contents

Before we enter upon the different Branches of the Art we propose to treat of, it may not be improper to clear our Way, by giving, as the Schoolmen speak, a general Idea of it, and laying before you a comprehensive View of whatever is common to all its Parts. None, that I know of, has given a just Definition of it; not Aristotle himself, tho' a perfect Master in Definitions: And yet there's nothing in the Subject repugnant to one. To be short, then, Poetry seems in general, An Art of imitating or illustrating in metrical Numbers every Being in Nature, and every Object of the Imagination, for the Delight and Improvement of Mankind.

Vossius's Definition[6] (I speak it with humble Deference to so great a Man) to me is by no means satisfactory, who makes Poetry consist in being An Art of representing Actions in Metre. This Definition falls too short, and is not comprehensive enough of the Nature of the Thing defined. For I would ask, is it not the Business of Poetry to represent every Thing that is capable of being represented? And are Actions the only Things capable of being represented? This, indeed, is expresly asserted by Dacier, the French Interpreter of Aristotle: But to any one that considers the Passage, it will abundantly appear, that this Opinion cannot be drawn from Aristotle by a just Interpretation of him. That great Philosopher, and Prince of Critics, says, that Imitators imitate Actions. Now, can any one, without violating all the Rules of Reasoning this Philosopher has taught, conclude from hence that Actions alone are capable of being imitated? He indeed says, or rather the French Version is made to say, that All that imitate, imitate Actions; but in his own Original he says no such Thing; the Word All is added by the Interpreter: His Words are[7], μιμουνἱαι ὁι μιμουμενοι πραἱἱονἱαϛ, i. e. Imitators imitate Actions.

But if the Version were true, the Conclusion drawn from it would, however, be false. For All Imitators may imitate Actions, and yet possibly not Actions only. But there's no need of many Words to prove Aristotle's Authority unjustly alledged for this Proposition; since he tells us himself, a little before the Passage above cited[8], μιμουνἱαι και ηθη και παθη και πραξειϛ, i. e. they imitate Manners, Passions, and Actions. He thought therefore that not only Actions, but Manners and Affections, were capable of being imitated. It is certain, if by Imitation is meant that which impresses upon the Mind a true and genuine Representation of any Thing, it will be no less repugnant to common Sense than to Aristotle's, to affirm that nothing but Actions can be imitated. For, besides them, we see Passions, Things, Places, and Men are imitated, not only by Poets, but by Painters too. This Horace, the best Interpreter of Aristotle, sufficiently intimates, when he uses the Word imitari in the same Sense with describere, pingere, or sculpere:

Molles imitabitur ære capillos[9] In Brass shall imitate the waving Hair.

Besides, Vossius's Definition is short in another Respect; as it makes the Object of Imitation too narrow, so it makes the Essence of Poetry consist solely in Imitation; whereas there are some Kinds of it that have little to do with Imitation, but much in Illustration; as we shall shew in the Sequel.

That Poetry is an Art, is sufficiently plain, and we have no Occasion to use many Words to prove it. It observes certain Laws and Rules, is brought to the Test of right Reason, and, lastly, it aims at some particular End. I cannot but wonder, therefore, why those that fix'd the Number of the Liberal Arts, as they are commonly reckon'd up, should have allowed no Place for Poetry and Oratory among them. They were thought, perhaps, reducible partly to Rhetorick, and partly to Grammar. But this, I think, they are not, with any Propriety. For, not to observe that Poetry and Oratory are in their Merit too good, and in their Extent too great to be included in other Sciences, the Business of Rhetorick is wholly to polish the Style of both of them; and, by the Way, as it is now-a-days managed, tends more, perhaps, to the Detriment and Corruption, than the Credit and Honour of either; but is fully and professedly concerned in neither. As to Grammar, they can no more be reduced to that, than all other Sciences whatever; for to all Sciences Words, whether written or spoken, are subservient. Well, then, Vossius and all agree that Poetry is an Art, tho' that great Man has not sufficiently shewn the peculiar Business of it.

The Definition we have given above, seems to be full, and every Way compleat, inasmuch as it comprehends the whole Nature of Poetry, is applicable only to Poetry, and all the Species of it; for all of them are always concern'd, either in Imitation, or Illustration, or both at once. Between these two there is some Difference; for he that beautifully imitates any Thing, always illustrates it; but not on the contrary; the Rule does not hold vice versa. Those Things that relate to Science, and Discipline, such as the Ideas of the Mind, Virtues, Vices, Manners, and the like, are illustrated by being explained; but no one will say, that by being explained they are imitatedmoral SayingsPythagorasPhocyllidesVossius

Lectures on Poetry

Table of Contents

ERRATA.

LECTURE I.

LECTURE II, and III. Of the Nature and Origin of Poetry in general.

LECTURE II, and III.
Of the Nature and Origin of Poetry in general.