PASTORALS, · WITH A Difcourfe on PASTORAL. Written in the Year MDCCIV. Rura mihi et rigui placeant in vallibus amnes, VIRG. A DISCOURSE ON PASTORAL POETRY'. HERE are not, I believe, a greater num T2ber ber of any fort of verfes than of those which are called Paftorals; nor a smaller, than of those which are truly fo. It therefore feems neceffary to give fome account of this kind of Poem, and it is my design to comprize in this short paper the fubftance of those numerous differtations the Critics have made on the fubject, without omitting any of their rules in my own favour. You will also find fome points reconciled, about which they seem to differ, and a few remarks, which, I think, have escaped their obfervation. The original of Poetry is afcribed to that Age which fucceeded the creation of the world: and as the keeping of flocks feems to have been the first employment of mankind, the most ancient fort of poetry was probably pafloral. It is natural to imagine, that the leifure of thofe antient shepherds admitting and inviting fome a Written at fixteen years of age. P. P. diverfion, none was fo proper to that folitary and fedentary life as finging; and that in their fongs they took occafion to celebrate their own felicity. From hence a Poem was invented, and afterwards improved to a perfect image of that happy time; which by giving us an esteem for the virtues of a former age, might recommend them to the prefent. And fince the life of shepherds was attended with more tranquillity than any other rural employment, the Poets chose to introduce their Perfons, from whom it received the name of Paftoral. A Paftoral is an imitation of the action of a fhepherd, or one confidered under that Character. The form of this imitation is dramatic, or narrative, or mixed of both; the fable fimple, the manners not too polite nor too ruftic: the thoughts are plain, yet admit a little quicknefs and paffion, but that short and flowing : the expreffion humble, yet as pure as the language will afford; neat, but not florid; eafy, and yet lively. In short, the fable, manners, thoughts, and expreffions are full of the greatest fimplicity in nature, The complete character of this poem confifts in fimplicity, brevity, and delicacy; the two firft of which render an eclogue natural, and the laft delightful, C Heinfius in Theocr. P. Rapin de Carm. Past. p. 2. P, If we would copy Nature, it may be useful to take this Idea along with us, that Pastoral is an image of what they call the golden age. So that we are not to describe our shepherds as fhepherds at this day really are, but as they may be conceived then to have been; when the best of.men followed the employment. To carry this resemblance yet further, it would not be amiss to give these fhepherds fome skill in aftronomy, as far as it may be useful to that fort of life. And an air of piety to the Gods should shine through the poem, which fo visibly appears in all the works of antiquity: and it ought to preserve some relish of the old way of writing; the connection fhould be loofe, the narrations and descriptions short, and the periods concife. Yet it is not fufficient, that the sentences only be brief, the whole Eclogue should be so too. For we cannot suppose Poetry in those days to have been the business of men, but their recreation at vacant hours. But with a respect to the prefent age, nothing more conduces to make thefe composures natural, than when some Knowledge in rural affairs is discovered'. This may be made to appear rather done by chance than on defign, and fometimes is best shewn by inference; left by too much study to seem natural, we deftroy that eafy fimplicity Rapin, Reflex. fur l'Art Poet. d' Arist. p. 2. Refl. xxvii. P. Pref. to Virg. Paft. in Dryd. Virg. P C |