with the Vulgar: and how prevalent a Part that is of this City you know: So that I can't think the Author of the fubfcrib'd Homer out in his Politicks in the Method he took.

But granting all this (faid Laudon) nay, granting that the Tranflation it felf is good; yet can't I difWe find none arcover how that can make a Poet. rived at that Title among the Greeks and Romans, by any profefs'd Translation: Terence indeed, and Plau tus took their Comedies from Menander, and fome other Greek Poets; but their they made them Originals, and have given us in them the Spirit, Freedom and Mastery of Originals ; nor can we at this Distance difcover, that they did much more than make a meer Imitation of them. Seneca had been guilty of fewer Errors than he is, if he had kept closer to Euripides and Sophocles, in those Plays, where he has chofen the fame Subject with those great Poets.

A Poet is a much more excellent Thing, than any Franflator can be; for he that deferves that Name, muft difcover a Supream Judgment and Genius, and fuch great Qualities, as have given Life to Homer, Sophocles, Euripides, Virgil, &c. for fo many. Hundred.

Years.

While Laudon was thus earneft on the Excellence of Poetry, we found that Morifina and Eufebia were hotly engag'd in a Difpute; and on Enquiry into the Matter, Eufebia faid, Morifina is reviving her old Enmity to Poetry, and with fome Warmth expreffes her Wonder, that Men of your Senfe fhould employ your Thoughts and your Time on fuch jingling and impious Trifles,

[16]

THE..

Complete ART

OF

POETRY.

DIALOGUE I.

Of the Nature, Ufe, Excellence, Rife, and Progrefs of POETRY

I

Muft confefs, (faid Eufebia) I am not a little furprized to find Men, and Chriftians fo much taken up with Confiderations of what is at beft' but an unjust Task put on Boys at School, and the Labours of idolatrous Heathens,and voluptuous Atheists; efpecially, when Reason and Religion afford Objects fo much more worthy of

their r

their Thoughts and Application. What can be more fublime, and more worthy the Employment of a rational Mind, than the Confideration of the wonderful Works of the Deity? The vaft Expanfe replenish with thofe amazing Appearances that fill the Soul with a large and juft Idea of the Producer of all these Wonders: The ineffable Attributes of an Omnipotent Being, which, as he made us all, fuftains by his Power and Goodnefs, the whole Syftem of things, the various Faculties of that Image of this Being, the human Mind? Or, to come, lower down, what can afford a greater Pleafure, than to look into this little World Man himself, and view the Order, Ufe, and Difpofition of his Parts, all either depending on one another, or adapted to the Prefervation, or Eafe of the Whole?

But if again we raise our Thoughts from the mira culous Operations of the Divine Maker's Power, both in the great World, and the little one, to his Goodnefs, in his Love to Mankind, in fending down his only Son to redeem us by his own Pains, Death, and Ignominy, from that Forfeiture our own Follies and Vices had made; and by leaving behind him fuch Rules, that the very Unbelievers themselves allow fufficient to make the whole Kind happy, if followed as proposed.

But can any thing oppofe thefe Rules, this merci ful Design of our Comfort and Felicity, more than the Art (if you will have it called fo) of Poetry; for this debauches Mankind, deftroying his Vertue and Piety, while it strengthens his Paffions, and indulges their Government, foothing all his vicious Inclinations, corrupting his Morals, and lulling afleep all Remorfe in the falfe but bewitching Charms of the Vanities of Love and Luft; of Rage, Violence, Revenge, which taking Poffeffion of a Soul now us'd to the Pleafure of fuch ftrong Emotions, finds

aH

all the calm Impulfes of Religion, unaffecting and infipid.

For what are all the Subjects the Poets have chofen. to write on, but Luft, (which they mifcal Love?) Revenge, (which they dignify with the fpecious Title of Honour,) Murders, Rapes, Inceft, and the like? And these with their whole Skill they adorn with all the Allurements of Numbers and Language that Wit and Wickedness can fupply. You have your felf averr'd, that Poetry is the Product of Affluence and Eafe; but a Chriftian Life is a Life perfectly oppofite to Eafe; 'tis a Life of Morrification and SelfDenial; a perpetual Warfare against the World, the Flef, and the Devil; an Enemy to that lazy Tranquillity and Indolence that muft give a Relish to Poetry, as well as a Rife to it.

Nor are thefe my Sentiments only; we find the Primitive Fathers of the Church as zealous against it, as Words can exprefs. If you will not regard me a filly Woman, will you take Notice of Tertullian, St. Cyril, St. Cyprian, St. Clement of Alexandria, St. Chryfoftom, and St. Auftin, the laft of whom begs God Pardon for having in his Youth read, even virgi himfelf, with Sentiments of Pleafure. Nay, the ye ry Jefuits, (for fome Religion well followed is better than none) even in these latter Ages, and in the darkeft State of Popery in Spain, difcover a handfom Zeal againft that Part of it called Dramatick, as Pedro de Gu man, Campanella, and fome others.

But, that you may not think, that I have nothing but Names to urge, mere Authorities without Reason, let what is brought by Lactantius fatisfy you to the contrary. The Comick Fable (fays he) brings nothing to your Confideration, but the Debauching of Virgins, or the Intrigues of Women of a fcandalous Character: And the more excellent the Poet is, the deeper the Impr. ffions are made on the Hearers. The Fineness and Elegance of the Expreffion, fix thefe Things in the Minds of the Audience.

And

And Tragedy brings nothing else before you, but Parricides, Incefts, and other Wickedness, in all their Pomp and Magnificence.

But if this touch you not, as the Reproaches of those whom Religion had made its Enemies, hear Plato himself a Heathen Philofopher: He tells us, that Fraud, Rapine, and all Manner of Violence, are commanded or countenanced by the Poets, and that by Precedents and Examples drawn from the Gods themfelves. Thus is Mercury made the God of Stealing; and how undutifully does Jupiter himself deal with his Father? What Piques, Feuds, and domeftick Quarrels among the Gods in Heaven? God is never to be reprefented (fays this admirable Philofopher) whether in Songs or in Tragedy, otherwife than Juft, Good, and Gracious, and on no Account to be faid to be the Author of Evil. Thus Homer, your idolized Homer, is guilty, when he tells you of two Veffels in Jupiter's Cellar of Gifts, to be bestowed on human Kind; one full of Good, the other full of Evil, and that he generally delights to mix them.

Of the fame Kind is the Broil and Controversy among the Gods, put to the Arbitration of Jupiter and Themis.

Nor muft God be reprefented as difguifing himself, and putting on feveral Shapes, to carry on fome Cheat and Impofture; or indeed, be capable of any Change, Paflion, or Perturbation. Nor is the lying Dream fent by Jupiter to Agamemnon, to be excufed: So fenfible was even a Heathen Philofopher of the Abuses and falfe Notions of the Deity, which were fpread by the Poets.

But this Conduct of the Poets touch'd not only the Philofophers; fome of their own Tribe and Fraternity, out of Envy, Revenge, or fome other Motive, have laid open the Crimes and Guilt of others. Thus I find that Ariftophanes, as I have feen him quoted, accufes Euripides for bringing on the Stage

Ple