his Second Book; in which there are more pleasurable Pastoral Images in
every eight Lines, than in all his Pastorals. We have Knights basking in
the Sun by a pleasant Stream, rambling among the Shepherdesses, entering
delightful Groves surrounded with Trees, or the like, almost in every
Stanza; but thro' all his Pastorals, we have not half a dozen beautiful
Images. 'Tis therefore the Pastoral Language that support's 'em, which
he took excessive pains about.




CHAP. III.

_Of Pastoral Descriptions. And what Authors have the finest_.


Of Images are form'd Descriptions, as by a Combination of Thoughts a
Speech is composed. And a Description is good or bad, chiefly as the
Images or Circumstances are judiciously, or otherwise, chosen; and
artfully put together.

As to the putting them together, I shall only observe, that in
Descriptions of the Heat of Love, not in Pastoral, but in such Pieces
as Sapho's, or the like, the Circumstances should be couch'd extreamly
close; in Epick Poetry the Circumstances should be somewhat less closely
heap'd together; and that Pastoral requires 'em the most diffuse of any;
being of a Nature extreamly calm and sedate.

Hence we may learn what Length Pastoral will admit of in it's
Descriptions. And certain it is, that as we are easily wearied by a cold