Lays of sweet Love, without Rebuke or Blow,
Sate, as his manner was, upon a Day_, &c.

These Lines of _Spencer_ and those of _Philips_, both contain agreeable
Images and Thoughts, yet are they as different as _Milton_ and
_D'Urfey_.

I shall only make one Observation on this difference. Namely, that in
the soft and beautiful Lines of _Philips_, each Word, only signifies a
soft and beautiful Idea; As _Breath, Waters, Flow, Gently, Soft_, &c.
but in _Spencer_ the sound also is soft. Had such an Author dress'd this
inimitable Thought of _Philips_, the Line would have glided as smooth
and easy off the Tongue, as the Waters he mentions, do along the
Meadows.


SECT. II.

_That no Language is so fit for Pastoral as the English_.

I have before observed, that this softness is effected, among other
things by little Words; yet I cannot help observing here, that our
Language is infinitely the finest of any in the World for Pastoral, and
it's abounding so much in little Words is one Reason of it. The Pomps
and Stateliness of the Latin Lines could not have been made proper for
Pastoral, unless entirely alter'd, and 'tis not likely that a Genius
daring enough to do that would engage in Pastoral.

The _Romans_ had not a Particle, as we have, before their
_Substantives_; As _A_ and _The Tree_. Seldom used a Word before the