Q. HORATII FLACCI ARS POETICA EPISTOLA AD PISONES. UMANO capiti cervicem pictor equinam Jungere fi velit, et varias inducere plumas Undique collatis membris, ut turpiter atrum Definat in piscem mulier formosa superne; Spectatum admiffi rifum teneatis amici? Credite, Pifones, ifti tabulae fore librum Perfimilem, cujus, velut aegri somnia, vanae Fingentur fpecies; ut nec pes, nec caput uni H vt COMMENTARY. 5 THE fubject of this piece being, as I fuppofe, one, viz. the ftate of the Roman Drama, and common fenfe requiring, even in the freest forms of compofition, fome kind of method, the intelligent reader will not be furprized to find the poet profecuting his fubject in a regular, well-ordered plan; which, for the more exact description of it, I distinguish into three parts: I. The first of them [from 1 to 89] is preparatory to the main fubject of the epiftle, containing fome general rules and reflexions on poetry, but principally with an eye to the following parts: by which VOL. I. B Reddatur formae. Pictoribus atque poetis Quidlibet audendi femper fuit aequa poteftas: 10 Scimus, et hanc veniam petimufque damufque viciffim : Sed non ut placidis coëant inmitia; non ut COMMENTARY. which means it ferves as an ufeful introduction to the poet's defign, and opens with that air of eafe and negligence, effential to the epiftolary form. II. The main body of the epiftle [from y 89 to 295] is laid out in regulating the Roman stage; but chiefly in giving rules for tragedy; not only as that was the fublimer fpecies of the Drama, but, as it fhould feem, lefs cultivated and understood. III. The last part [from † 295 to the end] exhorts to correctness in writing; yet still with an eye, principally, to the dramatic fpecies: and is taken up partly in removing the causes, that prevented it, and partly in directing to the use of such means, as might ferve to promote it. Such is the general plan of the epiftle. In order to enter fully into it, it will be neceffary to trace the poet, attentively, through the elegant connexions of his own method. GENERAL REFLEXIONS ON POETRY. THE epiftle begins [to 9] with that general and fundamental precept of preferving an unity in the fubject and the difpofition of the piece. This is further explained by defining the ufe, and fixing the character of poetic licence [from y 9 to 13] which unskil 4 ful Serpentes avibus geminentur, tigribus agni. arcus. Sed nunc non erat his locus: et fortaffe cupreffum 19 Scis fimulare: quid hoc, fi fractis enatat exfpes Navibus, aere dato qui pingitur? amphora coepit Inftitui, currente rota, cur urceus exit? Denique fit quidvis; fimplex dumtaxat et unum. Maxima pars vatum, pater et juvenes patre digni, COMMENTARY. ful writers often plead in defence of their tranfgreffions against the law of UNITY. To 23 is confidered and expofed that particular violation of uniformity, into which young poets especially, under the impulfe of a warm imagination, are apt to run, arifing from frequent and ill-timed defcriptions. Thefe, however beautiful in themselves, and with whatever maftery they may be executed, yet, if foreign to the fubject, and incongruous to the place, where they stand, are extremely impertinent: a caution, the more neceffary, as the fault itself wears the appearance of a virtue, and fo writers [from 23 to 25] come to tranfgrefs the rule of right from their very ambition to observe it. There are two cafes, in which this ambition remarkably misleads us. The Decipimur fpecie recti. Brevis effe laboro, 25 Obfcurus fio: fectantem lenia nervi Deficiunt animique: profeffus grandia turget: Serpit humi tutus nimium timidufque procellae : Qui variare cupit rem prodigialiter unam, Delphinum filvis adpingit, fluctibus aprum. 30 In vitium ducit culpae fuga, fi caret arte. Aemilium circa ludum faber, unus et unguis Exprimet, et mollis imitabitur aere capillos; COMMENTARY. firft is, when it tempts us to push an acknowledged beauty too far. Great beauties are always in the confines of great faults; and therefore, by affecting fuperior excellence, we are eafily carried into abfurdity. Thus [from 25 to 30] brevity is often obfcurity; fublimity, bombaft; caution, coolness; and, to come round to the point, a fondness for varying and diverfifying a fubject, by means of epifodes and descriptions, fuch as are mentioned above [15] will often betray a writer into that capital error of violating the unity of his piece. For, though variety be a real excellence under the conduct of true judgment, yet, when affected beyond the bounds of probability, and brought in folely to strike and surprize, it becomes unfeasonable and abfurd. The feveral episodes or defcriptions, intended to give that variety, may be inferted in improper places; and then the abfurdity is as great, as that of the painter, who, according to the illuftration of 19, 20, should introduce a cyprefs into a fea-piece, or, according to the illuftration of the present verse, who paints a dolphin in a wood, or a boar in the fea. 2. Another 34 Infelix operis, fumma: quia ponere totum Nefciet. hunc ego me, fi quid componere curem, Non magis effe velim; quam nafo vivere pravo, Spectandum nigris oculis nigroque capillo. Sumite materiam veftris, qui fcribitis, aequam Viribus; et verfate diu, quid ferre recufent, Quid valeant humeri. cui lecta potenter erit res, Nec facundia deferet hunc, nec lucidus ordo. 41 Ordinis haec virtus erit et venus, aut ego fallor; COMMENTARY. 2. Another inftance, in which we are misled by an ambition of attaining to what is right, is, when, through an exceffive fear of committing faults, we difqualify ourselves for the juft execution of a whole, or of fuch particulars, as are fufceptible of real beauty. For not the affectation of fuperior excellencies only, but even In vitium ducit culpae fuga, fi caret arte. This is aptly illuftrated by the cafe of a sculptor. An over-fcrupulous diligence to finish fingle and trivial parts in a ftatue, which, when moft exact, are only not faulty, leaves him utterly incapable of doing justice to the more important members, and, above all, of defigning 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 defign, which he is by no means able to execute, naturally applies himfelf to labour and finish thofe parts, which he finds are within his power. It is of confequence therefore [from 38 to 40] for every writer to be well acquainted with the nature B 3 and |