are alwayes sutable to the Characters I have given of them; and in all the Play I have gone according to that definition of humor which I have given you in my Epilogue, in these words:

A Humor is the Biasse of the Mind,

By which, with violence, 'tis one way inclin'd;
It makes our actions lean on one side still,
And, in all Changes, that way bends the Will.
Vale.

5

THOMAS RYMER

I. PREFACE TO THE TRANSLATION OF RAPIN'S REFLECTIONS ON ARISTOTLE'S TREATISE OF POESIE

1674

THE

THE

PREFACE

OF THE

TRANSLATOR.

HE Artist would not take pains to polish a Diamond, if none besides himself were quick-sighted enough to discern the flaw: And Poets would grow negligent, if the Criticks had not a strict eye over their miscarriages. Yet 5 it often happens that this eye is so distorted by envy or ill nature that it sees nothing aright. Some Criticks are like Wasps, that rather annoy the Bees than terrifie the Drones.

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For this sort of Learning our Neighbour Nations have got far the start of us; in the last Century Italy swarm'd with Criticks, where, amongst many of less note, Castelvetro opposed all comers, and the famous Academy La Crusca was alwayes impeaching some or other of the best Authors. Spain in those dayes bred great Wits, but, I think, was 15 never so crowded that they needed to fall out and quarrel amongst themselves. But from Italy France took the Cudgels; and though some light strokes passed in the dayes of Marot, Baif, &c., yet they fell not to it in earnest, nor was any noble Contest amongst them till the Royal 20 Academy was founded, and Cardinal Richlieu encouraged

and rallied all the scattered Wits under his Banner. Then Malherb reform'd their ancient licentious Poetry; and Corneille's Cid rais'd many Factions amongst them. At this time with us many great Wits flourished, but Ben Johnson, I think, had all the Critical learning to himself; 5 and till of late years England was as free from Criticks as it is from Wolves, that a harmless well-meaning Book might pass without any danger. But now this priviledge, whatever extraordinary Talent it requires, is usurped by the most ignorant; and they who are least acquainted with the 10 game are aptest to bark at every thing that comes in their way. Our fortune is, Aristotle, on whom our Author makes these Reflections, came to this great work better accomplished. He who Criticis'd on the ancient and his contemporary Philosophers, on Pythagoras, Democritus, Empe- 15 docles, Heraclitus, Epicharmus, Parmenides, Xenophanes, Melissus, Anaxagoras, Protagoras, Eudoxus, Solon, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Plato, Speusippus; who examin'd and censur'd the Laws and Polities of Minos, Lycurgus, Solon, Hippodamus, Phaleas, and all the other Common- 20 wealths; 'tis he, I say, that undertakes this Province, to pass a judgment on the Poets and their Works; and him Antiquity first honoured with the name of Critick.

It is indeed suspected that he dealt not alwayes fairly with the Philosophers, misreciting sometimes, and mis- 25 interpreting their opinions. But I find him not tax'd of that injustice to the Poets, in whose favour he is so ingenious, that to the disadvantage of his own profession he declares, That Tragedy more conduces to the instruction of Mankind than even Philosophy it self. And however cryed 30 down in the Schools, and vilified by some modern Philosophers; since Men have had a taste for good sense, and could discern the beauties of correct writing, he is prefer'd in the politest Courts of Europe, and by the Poets held in great veneration. Not that these can servilely yield to his 35

Authority, who, of all men living, affect liberty. The truth is, what Aristotle writes on this Subject are not the dictates of his own magisterial will or dry deductions of his Metaphysicks: But the Poets were his Masters, and what 5 was their practice he reduced to principles. Nor would the modern Poets blindly resign to this practice of the Ancients, were not the Reasons convincing and clear as any demonstration in Mathematicks. 'Tis only needful that we understand them for our consent to the truth of them. 10 The Arabians, 'tis confess'd, who glory in their Poets and Poetry more than all the world besides, and who, I suppose, first brought the art of Riming into Europe, observe but little these Laws of Aristotle: yet Averois rather chooses On Arist. to blame the practice of his Countreymen as vicious than to 15 allow any imputation on the doctrine of this Philosopher as imperfect. Fancy with them is predominant, is wild, vast, and unbridled, o're which their judgment has little command or authority: hence their conceptions are monstrous, and have nothing of exactness, nothing of resemblance or pro20 portion.

The Author of these Reflections is as well known amongst the Criticks as Aristotle to the Philosophers: never man gave his judgment so generally, and never was judgment more free and impartial. He might be thought an enemy 25 to the Spaniards, were he not as sharp on the Italians; and he might be suspected to envy the Italians, were he not as severe on his own Countreymen. These Nations make it a Problem whether a Dutchman or German may be a Wit or no; and our Author finds none worthy of his 30 censure amongst them, except Heinsius and Grotius. Amongst us he gives Buchanan a particular Character: but for such as writ in the English Tongue, he has not, I presume, understood the language so well to pass a judgment on them; onely in general he confesses that we 35 have a Genius for Tragedy above all other people; one

de Poet.

reason he gives we cannot allow of, vis. The disposition of
our Nation, which, he saith, is delighted with cruel things.
'Tis ordinary to judge of Peoples manners and inclinations
by their publick diversions; and Travellers, who see some
of our Tragedies, may conclude us certainly the cruellest 5
minded people in Christendom.

In another place this Author sayes of us, That we are
men in an Island, divided from the rest of the world, and that
we love blood in our sports. And perhaps it may be true
that on our Stage are more Murders than on all the Thea- 10
tres in Europe. And they who have not time to learn our
Language or be acquainted with our Conversation may
there in three hours time behold so much bloodshed as
may affright them from the inhospitable shore, as from the
Cyclops Den. Let our Tragedy-makers consider this, and 15
examine whether it be the disposition of the People or
their own Caprice that brings this Censure on the best
natur'd Nation under the Sun.

His other Reason is our Language, which, he sayes, is proper for great expressions. The Spanish is big and 20 fastuous, proper only for Rodomontades, and compar'd with other Languages is like the Kettle-drum to Musick.

The Italian is fittest for Burlesque, and better becomes the mouth of Petrolin and Arloquin in their Farces than any Heroick character. The perpetual termination in 25 vowels is childish, and themselves confess, rather sweet

than grave.

The French wants sinews for great and heroick Subjects, Mesnardire and even in Love-matters, by their own confession, is a Lingua di very Infant; the Italians call it the Kitchin-language, it 39 Masseritie. being so copious and flowing on those occasions.

& al.

The German still continues rude and unpolisht, not yet filed and civiliz'd by the commerce and intermixture with strangers to that smoothness and humanity which the English may boast of.

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