A Full Enquiry into the Nature of the Pastoral (1717) by Thomas Purney
page 47 of 105 (44%)
page 47 of 105 (44%)
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not much faulty in this particular. If I remember aright; some of your
Characters are these: Paplet has Simplicity and Tenderness: But her distinguishing Character is, that she is a May, so young, as to be entirely ignorant of Love; but extreamly Curious to be let into the Nature of Men and Lovers. Collikin has Simplicity and Tenderness: But withal a Tincture of Inconstancy in his Nature. Soflin, with her Simplicity and Tenderness, is excessive Easy, and Complying, to a Fault; open and too free-hearted. Florey has Simplicity; and Tenderness for his Lass; but he is almost out of Humour with himself for being so soft. He is suppos'd to be brought up in the lonely Cave with Paplet; and his natural Tamper is wild and excessive brisk; hating the House, and delighting in Hunting. But you show, I see, only a Glimpse of his Natural Temper, which breaks out at times; but he is drawn as tender, being all the Time in Love with Poppit. The rest of your Characters have the same Foundation; nor break in, I think, upon Simplicity and Tenderness. 'Tis true indeed, as to the Difficulty of forming Pastoral Characters, beyond those of Epick Poetry; That even there, one general Character should diffuse it self thro' all the rest, and that is Bravery. (For _Homer_ might, I think, as well have brought in a Baboon, or a Hedge-hog, for Heroick Characters, as a _Vulcan_ and a _Thirsites_.) But Bravery will coincide with greatly more Tempers than Pastoral Simplicity |
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