the affumed character of the Epic poet is calm inspiration, the effects whereof upon the mind must be supposed to be very different from those produced by enthusiasm or prophetic rapture; regularity and compofure being as effential to the former, as wildness and vehemence are to the latter and, fecondly, That a very figurative ftyle continued through a long work becomes tirefome; and therefore, that all poems of great length ought to be methodical in the plan, and fimple in the execution. Abrupt tranfition, boldnefs of figure, and thoughts elevated almoft to extravagance, may please in a fhort poem; as the dainties of a banquet, and the fplendour of a triumph, may amufe for a day: but much feafting deftroys health, and perpetual glare and tumult ftupify the fenfes; and the high lyric ftyle continued through many pages would fatigue the attention, confound the judgment, and bewilder the fancy.

CHA P. II.

Of the Sound of Poetical Language.

T is folly to prefer found to sense. Yet the

IT

ear, like every other perceptive faculty, is capable of gratification; and therefore to the found of words fome regard is to be had, even in profe. For ill-founding language can never be agreeable, either to the hearer or to the speaker;

and

and of different modifications of well-founding language fome will be found to be more agreeable than others. It is the bufinefs of the poet to make his ftyle as agreeable, and confequently as pleafing to the ear, as the nature of the subject will allow. And to the harmony of language it behoves him, more than any other writer, to attend; as it is more efpecially his concern to render his work pleasurable. In fact we find, that no poet was ever popular who did not poffefs the art of harmonious compofition.

What I have to fay on the fubject of Poetical Harmony may be referred to one or other of thefe heads Sweetness, Measure, and Imitation.

I. In order to give fweetness to language, either in verse or profe, all words of harsh found, difficult pronunciation, or unwieldy magnitude, are to be avoided as much as poffible, unless when they have in the found fomething peculiarly ex¬ preffive; and words are to be fo placed in refpect of one another, as that discordant combinations may not refult from their union. But in poetry this is more neceffary than in profe; poetical language being understood to be an imitation of natural language improved to that perfection which is confiftent with probability. To poetry, therefore, a greater latitude must be allowed than to profe, in expreffing, by tropes and figures of pleafing found, thofe ideas where

of

of the proper names are in any refpect offenfive, either to the ear or to the fancy

II. How far verfification or regular measure may be effential to this art, has been difputed by critical writers; fome holding it to be indifpenfably neceffary, and fome not neceffary at all. Without recapitulating what has been said by others, I fhall only deliver my own opinion, which, if I mistake not, will be found to agree with the principles already established.

First, then, I am of opinion, that to poetry verfe is not effential. In a profe work, we may have the fable, the arrangement, and a great deal of the pathos, and language, of poetry; and fuch a work is certainly a poem, though perhaps not a perfect one. For how abfurd would it be to fay, that by changing the pofition only of a word or two in each line, one might divest Homer's Iliad of the poetical character! At this rate, the arts of poetry and verfification would be the fame; and the rules in Defpauter's Grammar, and the moral diftichs afcribed to Cato, would be as real poetry as any part of Virgil. In fact, fome very ancient poems, when tranflated into a modern tongue, are far less poetical in verse than in profe; the alterations neceffary to adapt them to our numbers being detrimental to their fublime fimplicity; of which any person of taste will be fenfible, who compares our common profe ver

*See part 2. chap. 1. fect. 3. § İ. 1, 2.

fion of Job, the Pfalms, and Song of Solomon, with the best metrical paraphrafe of those books that has yet appeared *. Nay, in many cafes, Comedy will be more poetical, because more pleafing and natural, in profe, than in verfe. By verfifying Tom Jones and The Merry Wives of Windfor, we should spoil the two fineft Comic poems, the one Epic, the other Dramatical, now in the world.

But, fecondly, Though verfe be not effential to poetry, it is neceffary to the perfection of all poetry that admits of it. Verse is to poetry,

what colours are to painting t. A painter might difplay great genius, and draw masterly figures with chalk or ink; but if he intend a perfect pic

66

Madame Dacier, zealous to vindicate her Homer, seems to carry the encomium on profe-tranflation rather too far, when the exclaims, Quy, je ne crains point de le dire, et je pourrois le prouver, les poëtes traduits en vers ceffent d'etre 66 pcëtes." -But fhe is right in what fhe fays a little after: "En fait de traduction, il y a fouvent dans la profe une pré"cifion, une beauté, et une force, dont la poësie ne peut ap "procher. Les livres des Prophetes, et les Pfaumes, dans la vulgate meme, font pleins de paffages, que le plus grand "poëte du monde ne fçauroit rendre en vers, fans leur faire "perdre de leur majeflé, et de leur énergie."

66

Préface à l'Iliade de Mad. Dacier, p. 39.

+ Horace feems to hint at the fame comparifon, when, after fpecifying the feveral forts of verfe fuitable to Epic, Elegiae, Lyric, and Dramatic Poetry, he adds,

Defcriptas fervare vices, operumque colores,

Cur ego, fi nequeo ignoroque, Poeta falutor?

Ar. Poet. verf. 86.

ture

ture, he must employ in his work as many colours as are feen in the object he imitates. Or, to adopt a beautiful comparison of Demofthenes, quoted by Ariftotle +," Verfification is to poetry "what bloom is to the human countenance." A good face is agreeable when the bloom is gone; and good poetry may please without verfification; harmonious numbers may set off an indifferent poem, and a fine bloom indifferent features but, without verfe, poetry is incomplete; and beauty is not perfect, unless to sweetnefs and regularity of feature there be fuperadded,

The bloom of young defire, and purple light of love. If numbers are neceffary to the perfection of the higher poetry, they are no lefs fo to that of the lower kinds, to Paftoral, Song, and Satire, which have little befides the language and verfification to distinguish them from profe; and which fome ancient authors are unwilling to admit to the rank of poems;-though I think it too nice a fcruple, both because fuch writings are commonly termed Poetical, and also because there is, even in them, fomething that may not improperly be confidered as an imitation of nature.

That the rhythm and measures of verfe are naturally agreeable; and therefore, that by these poetry may be made more pleasing than it would

+ Ariftot. Rhetor. lib. 3. cap. 4.