PART II.




CHAP. I.

_Of the Pastoral CHARACTERS or MANNERS, in general_.


I should but tire the Reader, if I endeavour'd to prove that Pastoral
does require the Manners, or Characters to be preserved. If our Method
of ordering Pastoral be admitted, the Necessity thereof will be easily
perceived. But If any one prefer's the ordinary Method, I must tell him,
that 'tis not proper to draw Characters in a Piece of an hundred Lines.

It is to be observ'd, that tho' a Fable and Moral are essential to every
Poem; yet a Poem may subsist without the Manners. In Epick Poetry the
Machinery, the sublime Descriptions, &c. are such strong and Poetical
Ornaments, that a very fine Piece of the Heroick kind, might be form'd
without the Ornament of Characters. But Pastoral is in it self, (if I
may so speak) less Poetical; and therefore more want's the additional
Ornaments of Art. 'Tis naturally low and mean, and therefore should be
as much rais'd as possible. Whereas Epick-Poetry is of a Nature so
warm and heated, that it's own proper Strength and Violence is able to
support it. If this could want a Proof, I might say in short, That
we can bear with Epick-Poetry, even without any kind of Verse, and
_Cambray_ has succeeded in such; but every one will judge that should