Therefore it must do as _Tully_ says his friend _Atticus_ did, who
entertaining his acquaintance with Leeks and Onions, pleas'd them all
very well, because he had them serv'd up in wicker Chargers, and clean
Baskets; So let an _Eclogue_ serve up its fruits and flowers with
some, tho no costly imbellishment, such as may answer to the wicker
Chargers, and Baskets; which may be provided at a cheap rate, and are
agreeable to the Country: yet, (and this rule if you aim at exact
simplicity, can never be too nicely observ'd,) you must most carefully
avoid all paint and gawdiness of Expression, and, (which of all sorts
of Elegancies is the most difficult to be avoided) {44} you must take
the greatest care that no scrupulous trimness, or artificial finessess
appear: For, as _Quintilian_ teaches, _in some cases diligence and
care most most troublesomly perverse_; and when things are most sweet
they are next to loathsome and many times degenerate: Therefore as in
Weomen a careless dress becomes some extreamly. Thus _Pastoral_, that
it might not be uncomely, ought sometimes to be negligent, or the
finess of its ornaments ought not to appear and lye open to every
bodies view: so that it ought to affect a studied carelessness, and
design'd negligence: And that this may be, all gawdiness of Dress,
such as Paint and Curls, all artificial shining is to be despis'd, but
in the mean time care must be taken that the Expression be bright and
simply clean, not filthy and disgustful, but such as is varnisht with
Wit and Fancy: Now to perfect this, _Nature_ is chiefly to be lookt
upon, (for nothing that is disagreeable to Nature can please) yet that
will hardly prevail naked, by it self, and without the polishing of
Art.

Then there are three things in which, as in its parts, the whole
_Character_ of a _Pastoral_ is contain'd: _Simplicity_ of Thought and