and Michael are well diftinguifhed; the one for affability, and peculiar good-will to the human race; the other for majefty, but fuch as commands veneration, rather than fear-We are forry to add, that Milton's attempt to foar ftill higher, only shows, that he had already foared as high, as, without being "blafted with excess of light," it is poffible for the human imagination to rife. I have been led further into this fubject of poetical characters than I intended to have gone, or than was neceffary in the prefent investigation. For I prefume, it was long ago evident ;—that the end of Poetry is to pleafe, and therefore that the moft perfect poetry must be the most pleasing ;— that what is unnatural cannot give pleasure, and therefore that poetry must be according to nature; that it must be either according to real nature, or according to nature fomewhat different from the reality; that if, according to real nature, it would give no greater pleasure than hiftory, which is a transcript of real nature;-that greater pleasure is, however, to be expected from it, because we grant it fuperior indulgence, in regard to fiction, and the choice of words;-and, confequently, that poetry muft be, not according to real nature, but according to nature improved to that degree, which is confiftent with probability, and fuitable to the poet's purpose *.-And hence it is that we call - Poetry Cum mundus fenfibilis fit anima rationali dignitate inferior, videtur Poefis hæc humanæ naturæ largiri quæ hiftoria denegat; atque animo umbris rerum utcunque fatisfacere, cum folida Poetry, AN IMITATION OF NATURE. For that which is properly termed Imitation has always in it fomething which is not in the original. If the prototype and tranfcript be exactly alike; if there be nothing in the one which is not in the other; we may call the latter a reprefentation, a copy, a draught, or a picture, of the former; but we never call it an imitation. haberi non poffint. Si quis enim rem acutius introfpiciat, firmum ex Poefi fumitur argumentum, magnitudinem rerum magis illuftrem, ordinem magis perfectum, et varietatem magis pulchram, animæ humanæ complacere, quam in natura ipfa, post lapfum, reperiri ullo modo poffit. Quapropter, cum res gestæ, et eventus, qui veræ hiftoriæ fubjiciuntur, non fint ejus amplitudinis, in qua anima humana fibi fatisfaciat, præfto est Poefis, quæ facta magis heroica confingat. Cum hiftoria vera fucceffus rerum, minime pro meritis virtutum et fcelerum narret; corrigit eam Poefis, et exitus, et fortunas, fecundum merita, et ex lege Nemefeos, exhibet. Cum hiftoria vera, obvia rerum fatietate et fimilitudine, animæ humanæ faftidio fit; reficit eam Poefis, inexpectata, et varia, et viciffitudinum plena canens. Adeo ut Poefis ifta non folum ad delectationem, fed etiam ad animi magnitudinem, et ad mores conferat. Quare et merito etiam divinitatis particeps videri poffit; quia animum erigit, et in fublime rapit; rerum fimulacra ad animi defideria accommodando, non animum rebus (quod ratio facit et hiftoria) fubmittendo. Bacon. De Aug. Scient. pag. 168. Lug. Bat. 1645. 66 CHAP. V. Further Illuftrations. Of Poetical Arrangement. T was formerly remarked, that the events of Poetry must be "more compact, more clearly connected with caufes and confequences, and "unfolded in an order more flattering to the ima"gination, and more interefting to the paffions," than the events of hiftory commonly are. may feem to demand fome illuftration. This 1. Some parts of hiftory intereft us much; but others fo little, that, if it were not for their use in the connection of events, we should be inclined to overlook them altogether. But all the parts of a poem must be interefting:-Great, to raise admiration or terror; unexpected, to give furprise; pathetic, to draw forth our tender affections; important, from their tendency to the elucidation of the fable, or to the display of human character; amufing, from the agreeable pictures of nature they prefent us with; or of peculiar efficacy in promoting our moral improvement. And therefore, in forming an Epic or Dramatic Fable, from hif tory or tradition, the poet mult omit every event that cannot be improved by one or other of these purposes. II. Some events are recorded in history, merely because they are true; though their confequences be of no moment, and their caufes unknown. But of of all poetical events, the caufes ought to be manifeft, for the fake of probability; and the effects confiderable, to give them importance: III. A history may be as long as you please; for, while it is instructive and true, it is still a good history. But a poem must not be too long:-first, because to write good poetry is exceedingly difficult, fo that a very long poem would be too extenfive a work for human life, and too laborious for human ability;-fecondly, becaufe, if you would be fuitably affected with the poet's art, you must have a diftinct remembrance of the whole fable, which could not be, if the fable were very long *; and, thirdly, because poetry is addreffed to the imagination and paffions, which cannot long be kept in violent exercife, without working the mind into a disagreeable ftate, and even impairing the health of the body.-That, by these three peculiarities of the poetical art, its powers of pleasing are heightened, and confequently its end promoted, is too obvious to require proof. IV. The strength of a paffion depends in part on the vivacity of the impreffion made by its object. Diftrefs which we fee, we are more affected with than what we only hear of; and, of feveral defcriptions of an affecting object, we are moft moved by that which is moft lively. Every thing in poetry, being intended to operate on the paffions, must be displayed in lively colours, and fet as it were before the eyes: And therefore the poet muit * Ariftot. Poet. § 7. attend attend to many minute, though picturefque circumftances, that may, or perhaps muft, be overlooked by the hiftorian. Achilles putting on his armour, is defcribed by Homer with a degree of minuteness, which, if it were the poet's business fimply to relate facts, might appear tedious or impertinent; but which in reality anfwers a good purpofe, that of giving us a diftinct image of this dreadful warrior: it being the end of poetical defcription, not only to relate facts, but to paint them *; not merely to inform the judgment, and enrich Algarotti, after Homer's poetry is always picturefque. Lucian, calls him the prince of painters. He fets before us the whole visible appearance of the object he defcribes, fo that the painter would have nothing to do but to work after his model. He has more epithets exprelive of colour than any other poet I am acquainted with: black earth, wine-coloured ocean, and even white milk, &c. This to the imagination of those readers who study the various colourings of nature is not a little amufing, however offenfive it may be to the delicacy of certain critics;—whofe rules for the use of epithets if we were to adopt, we fhould take the palm of poetry from Homer, Virgil, and Milton, and beftow it on thofe fimple rhymers, who, becaufe they have no other merit, must be admired for barrennefs of fancy, and poverty of language.-An improper use of epithets is indeed a grievous fault. And epithets become im proper-1. when they add nothing to the fenfe; or to the picture ;-and fill more, when, 2. they feem rather to take fomething away from it;-3. when by their colloquial meanness they debafe the fubject. These three faults are all exemplified in the following lines: The chariot of the King of kings, Tate and Brady. 4. Epithets |