Of the end of Pastorals tis not so easy to give an account: For as to
the end of Poetry in General: The Enemies of Poets run out into a
large common place, and loudly tell us that Poetry is frivolous and
unprofitable. Excellent men! that love _profit_ perchance, but have no
regard for _Honesty_ and _Goodness_; who do not know that all
excellent _Arts_ sprang from _Poetry_ at first.

Which what is honest, base, or just, or good,
Better than _Crantor_, or _Chrysippus_ show'd.

For tis _Poetry_ that like a chast unspotted Virgin, shews men the
way, and the means to live happily, who afterward are deprav'd by the
immodest precepts of vitiated and impudent _Philosophy_. For every
body knows, that the _Epick_ sets before us the highest example of the
Bravest man; the _Tragedian_ regulates the Affections of the Mind; the
_Lyrick_ reforms Manners, or sings the Praises of Gods, and Heroes; so
that there's no part of _Poetry_ but hath it's proper end, and
profits.

But grant all this true, _Pastoral_ can make no such pretence: if you
sing a _Hero_, you excite mens minds to imitate his Actions, and
notable Exploits; but how can _Bucolicks_ apply these or the like
advantages to its self? _He that reads {47} Heroick Poems, learns what
is the vertue of a Hero, and wishes to be like him; but he that reads
Pastorals, neither learns how to feed sheep, nor wishes himself a
shepherd:_ And a great deal more to this purpose you may see in
_Modicius_, as _Pontanus_ cites him in his Notes on _Virgil's_
_Eclogues_.