same Sense may we take Petronius and Boileau; nay, if we don't take 'em
thus, I can't tell whether there were ever such a thing as a true Heroic
Poem in the World; not so much as the Fairy-Queen, Gondibert, or Orlando
Furioso; all which have Fable enough in 'em of any reason; but their
principal Actions might be still true, as we are sure was that of the best
Heroic that ever was written; (I need not say I mean Virgil) since few or
no Authors ever deny'd that there was such a Man as Æneas, or even that he
came into Italy, built Cities there, and erected a Kingdom, which Tully
mentions, as a generally receiv'd Tradition in those Parts, and which it
seems he thought not frivolous, but true and solid; otherwise he'd scarce
have given it a place in his Argument for his Client. Of this Opinion too
seems Horace himself, in his Art of Poetry, namely, That there's no
necessity of the principal Action's being feign'd; for his Direction is,
"Aut famam sequere, aut sibi convenientia finge; Either follow Tradition
or Fame, or else feign what's agreeable thereunto." He makes not feigning
essential to Heroic Action, but gives leave to follow Fame, who is not so
great a Lyar, but that she is sometimes in the right. Nay, what if we
should after all have Bossu himself on our side, which I'm mistaken if he
be not; for these are his Expressions, Lib. 1. Cap. 7. Le Fiction, &c.
"The Fiction may be so disguis'd under the Verity of the History, that
those who are ignorant of the Art of the Poet, may believe it not a
Fiction; and to make the Disguisement well, he ought to search into
History for the Names of some Persons, to whom such an Action has probably
or truly happen'd, &c." Hence 'tis evident, that according to Bossu's own
Notion, the main Action may be true; which appears even from Aristotle
himself, as quoted by him, 97. [Greek: Kan ara] &c. "An Author is not less
a Poet, because the Incidents he recites have truly happen'd; if so be
that which happen'd had the appearance of Truth, and all that Art demands,
and be really such as it ought to have been feign'd." And this Bossu
himself illustrates admirably well by an ingenious Simile; "A Statuary,"