their Dubartas and Ronsard; we may have liberty to speak of our own, and
to do 'em Justice: To begin with Spencer, who I think comes the nearest
Ariosto of any other; he's almost as Irregular, but much more Natural and
Lovely: But he's not only Irregular but Imperfect too, I mean, as to what
he intended; and therefore we can't well imagine what it wou'd have been,
had he liv'd to complete it. If Fable be the Essence of Epic, his Fairy
Queen had certainly enough of that to give it that Name. He seems, by the
account he gives of it to Sir Walter Rawleigh, to have design'd one
Principal Hero King Arthur, and one main important Action bringing him to
his Throne; but neither of these appear sufficiently distinct, or well
defin'd, being both lost in the vast Seas of Matter which compose those
Books which are finish'd. This however must be granted, the Design was
Noble, and required such a comprehensive Genius as his, but to draw the
first Sketch of it: And as the Design, so the Thoughts are also very
great, the Expressions flowing natural and easie, with such a prodigious
Poetical Copia as never any other must expect to enjoy. Gondibert methinks
wants Life; the Style is rather stiff than Heroic, and has more of Statius
than Virgil; one may see every where a great deal of Art, and Pains, and
Regularity, even to a fault; nor is a Genius wanting, but it's so
unnatural, that an ingenious Person may find much more pleasure in reading
a worse Poet. Besides, his Stanza's often cramp the Sence, and injure many
a noble Thought and Passion. But Mr. Cowley's Davideis is the Medium
between both; it has Gondibert's Majesty without his stiffness, and
something of Spencer's Sweetness and Variety, without his Irregularity:
Indeed all his Works are so admirable, that another Cowley might well be
employ'd in giving them their just Elogy. His Hero is according to the
ancient Model, truly Poetical, a mixture of some Faults and greater
Virtues. He had the advantage of both Love and Honour for his Episodes,
nay, and Friendship too, and that the noblest in History. He had all the
sacred History before him, and liberty to chuse where he pleased, either