Spectandum nigris oculis nigroque capillo. COMMENTARY. 41 ourselves for the just execution of a whole, or of such particulars, as are susceptible of real beauty. For not the affectation of superior excellencies only, but even In vitium ducit culpae fuga, si caret arte. This is aptly illustrated by the case of a sculpter. An over-scrupulous diligence to finish single and trivial parts in a statue, which, when most exact, are only not faulty, leaves him utterly incapable of doing justice to the more important members, and, above all, of designing and completing a whole with any degree of perfection. But this latter is commonly the defect of a minute genius; who, having taken in hand a design, which he is by no means able to execute, naturally applies himself to labour and finish those parts, which he finds are within his power. It is of consequence therefore [from v. 38 to 40] for every writer to be well acquainted with the nature and extent of his own talents: and to be careful to chuse a subject, which is, in all its parts, proportioned to his strength and ability. Besides, from such an attentive survey of his subject, and of his capacity to treat it, he will also derive these further advantages [v. 41].1. That he cannot be wanting in a proper fund Học amet, hoc spernat, promissi carminis auctor. 45 COMMENTARY. 50 of matter, wherewith to inlarge under every head : nor, 2. can he fail, by such a well-weighed choice, to dispose of his subject in the best and most convenient method. Especially, as to the latter, which is the principal benefit, he will perceive [to v. 45] where it will be useful to preserve, and where to change, the natural order of his subject, as may best serve to answer the ends of poetry. Thus far some general reflexions concerning poetical distribution; principally, as it may be affected by false notions, 1. Of poetic licence [v. 10] and, 2. Of poetic perfection [v. 25]. But the same causes will equally affect the language, as method, of poetry. To these then are properly subjoined some directions about the use of words. Now this particular depending so entirely on what is out of the reach of rule, as the fashion of the age, the taste of the writer, and his knowledge of the language, in which he writes, the poet only gives difections about new words: or, since every language is necessarily imperfect, about the coining of such words, as the writer's necessity or convenience may demand. And here, after having prescribed [1. 46] a great caution Caecilio Plautoque dabit Romanus, ademtum 55 Si possum, invideor? quum lingua Catonis et Enni COMMENTARY. 60 and sparingness in the thing itself, he observes, 1. [to 1. 49] That where it ought to be done, the better and less offensive way will be, not to coin a word entirely new (for this is ever a task of some envy) but, by means of an ingenious and happy position of a well-known word, in respect of some others, to give it a new air, and cast, Or, if it be necessary to coin new words, as it will be in subjects of an abstruse nature, and especially such, as were never before treated in the language, that then, 2. [to 1, 54] this liberty is very allowable; but that the reception of them will be more easy, if we derive them gently, and without too much violence, from their pro per source, that is, from a language, as the Greek, already known, and approved. And, to obviate the prejudices of over-scrupulous critics on this head, he goes on [from l. 54 to 1. 73] in a vein of popular illus tration, to alledge, in favour of this liberty, the exam-ples of antient writers, and the vague, unsteddy nature of language itself, Terra Neptunus classis Aquilonibus arcet, Regis opus; sterilisve palus prius aptaque remis 65 69 Res gestae regumque ducumque, et tristia bella, COMMENTARY. From these reflexions on poetry, at large, he proceeds now to particulars: the most obvious of which being the different forms and measures of poetic composition, he considers, in this view [from v. 75 to 86] the four great species of poetry, to which all others may be reduced, the Epic, Elegiac, Dramatic, and Lyric. But the distinction of the measures to be observed in the several species of poetry is so obvious, that there can scarcely be any mistake about them. The difficulty is 85 Musa dedit fidibus Divos, puerosque Deorum, Et tragicus plerumque dolet sermone pedestri. COMMENTARY. 90 95 to know [from v. 86 to 89] how far, each may partake of the spirit of other, without destroying that natural and necessary difference, which ought to subsist betwixt them all. To explane this, which is a point of great nicety, he considers [from v. 89 to 99] the case of dramatic poetry; the two species of which are as distinct from each other, as any two can be, and yet there are times, when the features of the one will be allowed to resemble those of the other. For, 1. Comedy, in the passionate parts, will admit of a tragic elevation: and, 2. Tragedy, in its soft distressful scenes, condescends to the ease of familiar conversation. But the poet had a further view in chusing this instance. For he gets by this means into the main of his subject, which was dra |