The same is to be said of other the like Passages, but the most ordinary
Capacity may judge what Knowledge is, or is not, consistent with the
Banner of a Shepherd's Education.




CHAP. IV.

_How to form the Pastoral Characters, and the great Difficulty of doing
it_.


A Poet, who would write up to the Perfection of Pastoral, will find
nothing more difficult (unless the Dialect) than the inventing a
sufficient Number of Pastoral Characters; such as are both faultless and
beautiful. That difficulty proceeds from hence.

In Epick and Tragick Poetry we have the whole scope of all Men's Tempers
and Passions to draw; which are widely various and different: As, the
Savage and Wild; the Ambitious; the Simple and Tender-hearted; the
Subtle, &c. Thus in the Epick and Tragick Poems, you draw the general
Qualities of all Men's Minds. But in Pastoral, you are pinn'd down to
one of these common qualities (which is Simplicity and Tenderness.)
And laying that as a Foundation, from thence draw your particular
Characters. In every Character still supposing that at the bottom of
it, and to accompany it. But Rules of this Nature, are like Mathematical
Assertions, not easily explain'd, but by Examples. Tho' I think,
_Cubbin_, I need not insist long on this to you; for your Characters are