they have more or fewer of those Parts; and as they do or do not excite
the Pastoral passions. Not that all those Kinds are perfect Pastorals,
or even Poems, but only such as Authors have given us Examples of, from
_THEOCRITUS_ and _VIRGIL_.

But I omit this Division for another more material. A Difference more
fundamental, arises in the PASTORALS written by different AUTHORS,
according to the Age which the Poet chuses to describe, or the different
Descriptions which he gives us of the COUNTRY. For he may draw it as
'tis suppos'd to have been in the Golden Age; or be may describe his
own COUNTRY, but touching only what is agreable in it; or lastly,
may depaint the Life of Swains exactly as it is, their Fatigues and
Pleasures being equally blended together. And this, last Kind most
Writers have given into; for _Theocritus's_ rude unmanner'd Muse (as
many Criticks have stiled it, not much amiss) naturally led him
into this Method; and then, tis easy to conceive why the latter
Pastoral-Writers chose the same.

But as the second Method is plainly more delightful than the last, as
it collect's the most beautiful Images and sweetest Thoughts the Country
afford's; so I shall show that 'tis preferable on many other Accounts;
and even finer for Pastoral than the Golden Age. But this when I speak
of the Characters.

I would only settle now in short the most compleat Kind of Pastoral; And
such, I think, is that which most beautifully draw's the present Life of
Shepherds, and raises Pity or Joy, by the four Parts of Pastoral,
Fable, Characters, Sentiments, and Language. And since 'tis these which
constitute a perfect Pastoral, I shall crave leave to speak separately
of 'em all. And first of the Fable.