in Scenes, by which we are much lesse inform'd then by actions on the Stage.

Thus, Sir, I have perhaps taken paines to make you think me malicious, in observing how far the Curious have look'd 5 into the errors of others,-Errors which the natural humor of imitation hath made so like in all, even from Homer to Spencer, as the accusations against the first appear but little more then repetition in every process against the rest; & comparing the resemblance of error in persons of one 10 generation to that which is in those of another age, we may find it exceeds not any where notoriously the ordinary proportion. Such limits to the progress of every thing, even of worthiness as well as defect, doth Imitation give; for whilst we imitate others, we can no more excel them, then 15 he that sailes by others Mapps can make a new discovery; and to Imitation, Nature (which is the onely visible power and operation of God) perhaps doth needfully encline us to keep us from excesses. For though every man be capable of worthiness and unworthiness, as they are defined by 20 Opinion, yet no man is built strong enough to bear the extremities of either without unloading himself upon others shoulders, even to the weariness of many. If courage be worthiness, yet where it is overgrown into extremes it becomes as wilde and hurtful as ambition, and so what was 25 reverenced for protection grows to be abhorr'd for oppression. If Learning (which is not Knowledge, but a continu'd Sayling by fantastick and uncertain winds towards it) be worthiness, yet it hath bounds in all Philosophers; and Nature, that measur'd those bounds, seems not so partial 30 as to allow it in any one a much larger extent then in another, as if in our fleshy building she consider'd the furniture and the room alike and together; for as the compass of Diadems commonly fits the whole succession of those Kings that wear them, so throughout the whole World 35 a very few inches may distinguish the circumference of

Nor need we repine that

the heads of their Subjects. Nature hath not some Favorites to whom she doth dispence this Treasure, Knowledge, with a prodigious Liberality: For as there is no one that can be said vastly to exceed all mankinde, so divers that have in learning transcended all in some one Province have corrupted many with that great quantity of false gold, and the authority of their stronger Science hath often serv'd to distract or pervert their weaker disciples.

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And as the qualities which are term'd good are bounded, so are the bad, and likewise limited as well as gotten by 10 imitation; for amongst those that are extraordinary either by birth or brain (for with the usual pride of Poets I pass by common crowds as negligently as Princes move from throngs that are not their own Subjects), we cannot finde any one so egregious (admitting cruelty and avarice for the 15 chiefest evils, and errors in government or doctrin to be the greatest errors) but that divers of former or succeeding times may enter the scales with them and make the Ballance even; though the passion of Historians would impose the contrary on our beleef, who in dispraise of evil 20 Princes are often as unjust and excessive as the common People for there was never any Monarch so cruel but he had living Subjects, nor so avaritious but that his Subjects were richer then himself, nor ever any disease in Government so extremely infectious as to make universal Anarchy, 25 or any error in Doctrin so strong by the Maintainer but that Truth (though it wrastled with her often & in many places) hath at some season and on some ground made her advantages and success apparent. Therefore we may conclude that Nature, for the safety of mankinde, hath as 30 well, by dulling and stopping our progress with the constant humor of imitation, given limits to courage and to learning, to wickedness and to error, as it hath ordain'd the shelves before the shore to restrain the rage and excesses of the Sea.

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But I feel, Sir, that I am falling into the dangerous Fit of a hot Writer; for in stead of performing the promise which begins this Preface, and doth oblige me, after I had given you the judgement of some upon others, to present 5 my self to your censure, I am wandring after new thoughts; but I shall ask your pardon, and return to my undertaking.

My Argument I resolv'd should consist of Christian persons; for since Religion doth generally beget and govern manners, I thought the example of their actions. 10 would prevail most upon our own by being deriv'd from the same doctrin and authority, as the particular Sects educated by Philosophers were diligent and pliant to the dictates and fashions of such as deriv'd themselves from the same Master, but lazy and froward to those who 15 convers'd in other Schools: Yet all these Sects pretended to the same beauty, Vertue, though each did court her more fondly when she was dress'd at their own homes by the hands of their acquaintance: And so Subjects bred under the Laws of a Prince,-though Laws differ not 20 much in Morality or priviledge throughout the civil World, being every where made for direction of Life more then for sentences of Death,-will rather dye neer that Prince, defending those they have been taught, then live by taking new from another.

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These were partly the reasons why I chose a Story of such persons as profess'd Christian Religion; but I ought to have been most enclin'd to it, because the Principles of our Religion conduce more to explicable vertue, to plain demonstrative justice, and even to Honor (if Vertue, the 30 Mother of Honour, be voluntary and active in the dark, as she need not Laws to compel her, nor look for witnesses to proclaim her), then any other Religion that e're assembled men to Divine Worship. For that of the Jews doth still consist in a sullen separation of themselves from the 35 rest of humane flesh, which is a fantastical pride of their

own cleaness, and an uncivil disdain of the imagined contagiousness of others; and at this day, their cantonizing in Tribes, and shyness of allyance with neighbours, deserves not the terme of mutual love, but rather seems a bestial melancholy of herding in their own Walks. That 5 of the Ethnicks, like this of Mahomet, consisted in the vain pride of Empire, and never enjoyn'd a Jewish separation, but drew all Nations together, yet not as their companions of the same species, but as slaves to a Yoke: Their sanctity was Honor, and their Honor onely an impudent 10 courage or dexterity in destroying. But Christian Religion hath the innocence of Village neighbourhood, and did anciently in its politicks rather promote the interest of Mankinde then of States, and rather of all States then of one; for particular endeavours onely in behalf of our own 15 homes are signes of a narrow moral education, not of the vast kindness of Christian Religion, which likewise ordain'd as well an universal communion of bosomes as a community of Wealth. Such is Christian Religion in the precepts, and was once so in the practise. But I resolv❜d 20 my Poem should represent those of a former age, perceiving 'tis with the servants of Christ as with other servants under temporal power, who with all cleanness, and even with officious diligence, perform their duty in their Masters sight, but still as he grows longer absent become more 25 slothful, unclean, and false. And this who ever compares the present with the Primitive times may too palpably discern.

When I consider'd the actions which I meant to describe (those inferring the persons), I was again perswaded rather 30 to chuse those of a former age then the present, and in a Century so far remov'd, as might preserve me from their improper examinations, who know not the requisites of a Poem, nor how much pleasure they lose (and even the pleasures of Heroick Poesy are not unprofitable) who take 35

away the liberty of a Poet, and fetter his feet in the shackles of an Historian: For why should a Poet doubt in Story to mend the intrigues of Fortune by more delightful conveiances of probable fictions, because austere Historians have 5 enter'd into bond to truth,-an obligation which were in Poets as foolish and unnecessary as is the bondage of false Martyrs, who lye in chains for a mistaken opinion; but by this I would imply that Truth narrative and past is the Idol of Historians, who worship a dead thing, and truth 10 operative, and by effects continually alive, is the Mistris of Poets, who hath not her existence in matter but in reason.

I was likewise more willing to derive my Theme from elder times, as thinking it no little mark of skilfulness to comply with the common Infirmity; for men, even of the 15 best education, discover their eyes to be weak when they look upon the glory of Vertue, which is great actions, and rather endure it at distance then neer, being more apt to beleeve and love the renown of Predecessors then of Contemporaries, whose deeds, excelling theirs in their own 20 sight, seem to upbraid them, and are not reverenc'd as examples of Vertue, but envy'd as the favours of Fortune. But to make great Actions credible is the principall Art of Poets, who, though they avouch the utility of Fictions, should not, by altering and subliming Story, make use of 25 their priviledg to the detriment of the Reader, whose incredulity, when things are not represented in proportion, doth much allay the rellish of his pity, hope, joy, and other Passions; For we may descend to compare the deceptions in Poesie to those of them that professe dexterity of Hand 30 which resembles Conjuring, and to such we come not with the intention of Lawyers to examine the evidence of Facts, but are content, if we like the carriage of their feign'd motion, to pay for being well deceiv'd.

As in the choice of time, so of place I have comply'd 35 with the weakness of the generality of men, who think the