Yet even during this divine anger of Plato, he concludes, not against Poesy, but the Poems then most in request; for these be the words of his Law: If any Man, having ability to imitate what he pleases, imitate in his Poems both good and evil, let him be reverenc'd as a sacred, admirable, and pleasant 5 Person; but be it likewise known, he must have no place in our Common-wealth. And yet before his banishment he allows him the honor of a Diadem, and sweet Odours to anoint his Head; And afterwards says: Let us make use of more profitable, though more severe and less pleasant Poets, 10 who can imitate that which is for the honor and benefit of the Common-wealth. But those who make use of this just indignation of Plato to the unjust scandal of Poesy have the common craft of False Witnesses, inlarging every circumstance when it may hurt, and concealing all things 15 that may defend him they oppose. For they will not remember how much the Scholler of Plato, who like an absolute Monarch over Arts hath almost silenc'd his Master throughout the Schools of Europe, labours to make Poesy universally current by giving Laws to the Science: 20 Nor will they take notice in what dignitie it continu'd whilst the Greeks kept their dominion or Language; and how much the Romans cherish'd even the publique repetition of Verses: Nor will they vouchsafe to observe, though Juvenall take care to record it, how gladly all Rome during 25 that exercise ran to the voice of Statius. Thus having taken measure, though hastily, of the extent of those great Professions that in Government contribute to the necessities, ease, and lawfull pleasures of Men, and finding Poesy as usefull now as the Ancients 30 found it towards perfection and happinesse, I will, Sir, unless with these Two Books you returne me a discouragement, cheerfully proceed; and though a little time would make way for the Third, and make it fit for the Presse, I am resolv'd rather to hazard the inconvenience 35 which expectation breeds (for divers with no ill satisfaction have had a taste of Gondibert) then endure that violent envie which assaults all Writers whilst they live, though their Papers be but fill'd with very negligent and ordinary 5 thoughts; and therefore I delay the publication of any part of the Poem till I can send it you from America, whither I now speedily prepare, having the folly to hope that when I am in another World (though not in the common sense of dying) I shall finde my Readers, even the 10 Poets of the present Age, as temperate and benigne as we are all to the Dead, whose remote excellence cannot hinder our reputation. And now, Sir, to end with the Allegory which I have so long continu'd, I shall, after all my busy vanitie in shewing and describing my new Building, with 15 great quietness (being almost as weary as your self) bring you to the Backdore, that you may make no review but in my absence; and steale hastely from you, as one who is asham'd of all the trouble you have receiv'd from, 20 SIR, Your most humble and most affectionate Servant, From the Louure in Paris, January 2, 1650. IF F to commend your Poem I should onely say, in general Termes, that in the choice of your Argument, the disposition of the parts, the maintenance of the Characters of your Persons, the dignity and vigor of your expression, you have performed all the parts of various experience, 5 ready memory, clear judgement, swift and well govern'd fancy, though it were enough for the truth, it were too little for the weight and credit of my testimony. For I lie open to two Exceptions, one of an incompetent, the other of a corrupted Witness. Incompetent, because I am not 10 a Poet; and corrupted with the Honor done me by your Preface. The former obliges me to say something, by the way, of the Nature and differences of Poesy. As Philosophers have divided the Universe, their subject, into three Regions, Celestiall, Aeriall, and Terrestriall, so 15 the Poets (whose worke it is, by imitating humane life in delightful and measur'd lines, to avert men from vice and incline them to vertuous and honorable actions) have lodg'd themselves in the three Regions of mankinde, Court, City, and Country, correspondent in some proportion to those three Regions of the World. For there is in 5 Princes and men of conspicuous power, anciently called Heroes, a lustre and influence upon the rest of men resembling that of the Heavens; and an insincereness, inconstancy, and troublesome humor of those that dwell in populous Cities, like the mobility, blustring, and impurity 10 of the Aire; and a plainness, and though dull, yet a nutritive faculty in rurall people, that endures a comparison with the Earth they labour. From hence have proceeded three sorts of Poesy, Heroique, Scommatique, and Pastorall. Every one of these 15 is distinguished again in the manner of Representation, which sometimes is Narrative, wherein the Poet himself relateth, and sometimes Dramatique, as when the persons are every one adorned and brought upon the Theater to speak and act their own parts. There is therefore 20 neither more nor less then six sorts of Poesy. For the Heroique Poem narrative, such as is yours, is called an Epique Poem. The Heroique Poem Dramatique is Tragedy. The Scommatique Narrative is Satyre, Dramatique is Comedy. The Pastorall narrative is called simply 25 Pastorall, anciently Bucolique; the same Dramatique, Pastorall Comedy. The Figure therefore of an Epique Poem and of a Tragedy ought to be the same, for they differ no more but in that they are pronounced by one or many Persons. Which I insert to justifie the figure of 30 yours, consisting of five books divided into Songs, or Cantoes, as five Acts divided into Scenes has ever been the approved figure of a Tragedy. They that take for Poesy whatsoever is writ in Verse will think this Division imperfect, and call in Sonets, 35 Epigrams, Eclogues, and the like peeces, which are but Essayes and parts of an entire Poem, and reckon Empedocles and Lucretius (natural Philosophers) for Poets, and the moral precepts of Phocylides, Theognis, and the Quatraines of Pybrach and the History of Lucan, and others of that kind amongst Poems, bestowing on such Writers for honor 5 the name of Poets rather then of Historians or Philosophers. But the subject of a Poem is the manners of men, not natural causes; manners presented, not dictated; and manners feigned, as the name of Poesy imports, not found in men. They that give entrance to Fictions writ in 10 Prose err not so much, but they err: For Prose requireth delightfulness, not onely of fiction, but of stile, in which, if Prose contend with Verse, it is with disadvantage and, as it were, on foot against the strength and wings of Pegasus. For Verse amongst the Greeks was appropriated anciently 15 to the service of their Gods, and was the Holy stile, the stile of the Oracles, the stile of the Laws, and the stile of men that publiquely recommended to their Gods the vowes and thanks of the people, which was done in their holy songs called Hymnes, and the Composers of them were called 20 Prophets and Priests before the name of Poet was known. When afterwards the majestie of that stile was observed, the Poets chose it as best becoming their high invention. And for the Antiquity of Verse, it is greater then the antiquity of Letters. For it is certain Cadmus was the 25 first that from Phenicia, a country that neighboureth Judea, brought the use of Letters into Greece. But the service of the Gods and the Laws, which by measured Sounds were easily committed to the memory, had been long time in use before the arrivall of Cadmus there. 30 There is, besides the grace of stile, another cause why the ancient Poets chose to write in measured language, which is this. Their Poems were made at first with intention to have them sung, as well Epique as Dramatique,-which custom hath been long time laid aside, but 35 |