Again, 'tis natural to the Mind of Man to delight in the Happiness of
it's Fellow-Creatures; and no Pleasure can be imbibed from the Prospect
of another's Misery; unless it is so calculated as to excite Pity. The
Pleasure, that comes the nearest such of any, is a Comick one, which
delight's to see the human Form distorted and debased, and turn'd into
that of a Beast.

And as for Pity, the most delightful Passion of all, it can't be excited
by this Means. For those Swains are inured to Labour, and acquainted
with Fatigue; but we pity those who fall from Greatness to a State of
Hardships.




CHAP. III.

_What Personages are most proper for Pastoral. And what Passions we may
allot our Shepherds; and what degree of Knowledge_.


Since Simplicity and Tenderness are universally allow'd to constitute
the very Soul and Essence of Pastoral, there la nothing scarce in the
Proceedings of Pastoral-Writers more surprizing to me, than that no one
has allotted any Part of Characters in their Pieces to the _SOFT-SEX_:
But have, to a Writer, introduc'd only Men, and even the roughest of
that Sex.

I can no otherways account for that their Conduct, but that _Theocritus_