Imágenes de página
PDF
ePub

ver'd. The best of the modern Poets in all languages, are those that have the nearest copied the Ancients. Indeed in all the common fubjects of Poetry, the thoughts are so obvious (at least if they are natural) that whoever writes laft, must write things like what have been faid before: But they may as well applaud the Ancients for the arts of eating and drinking, and accuse the Moderns of having stol'n those inventions from them; it being evident in all fuch cases, that whoever liv'd firft, must first find them out. 'Tis true, indeed, when

unus & alter Afsuitur pannus,

when there are one or two bright thoughts ftol'n, and all the reft is quite different from it, a poem makes a very foolish figure: But when 'tis all melted down together, and the Gold of the Ancients fo mixt with that of the Moderns, that none can distinguish the one from the other, I can never find fault with it. I cannot however but own to you, that there are others of a different opinion, and that I have fhewn your verfes to fome who have made that objection to them. I have fo much company round me while I write this, and fuch a noise in my ears, that 'tis impoffible I should write any thing, but nonfenfe, fo must break off abruptly. I am, Sir,

Your most affectionate

and moft bumble Servant.

LETTER

A

LETTER V.

From Mr. Walih.

Sept, 9. 1706. T my return from the North I receiv'd the favour of your letter, which had lain there till then. Having been absent about fix weeks, I read over your Paftorals again, with a great deal of pleasure, and to judge the better read Virgil's Eclogues, and Spenfer's Calendar, at the fame time; and I affure you I continue the fame opinion I had always of them. By the little hints you take upon all occafions to improve them, 'tis probable you will make them yet better againit winter; tho' there is a mean to be kept even in that too, and a man may correct his verfes till he takes away the true spirit of them; efpecially if he submits to the correction of fome who pafs for great Critics, by mechanical rules, and never enter into the true defign and Genius of an author. I have seen fome of the fe that would hardly allow any one good Øde in Horace, who cry Virgil wants fancy, and that Homer is very incorrect. While they talk at this rate, one would think them above the common rate of mortals: but generally they are great admiters of Ovid and Lucan; and when they write themfelves, we find out all the mystery. They scan their verfes upon their fingers; run after Conceits and glaring thoughts; their poems are all made up of Couplets, of which the first may be laft, or the last firft, without any fort of prejudice to their works; in which there is no defign, or method, or any thing natural or juft. For you are certainly in the right, E 2

that

that in all writings what foever (not poetry only) nature is to be follow'd; and we fhou'd be jealous of our felves for being fond of Similies, Conceits, and what they call faying fine Things. When we were in the North, my Lord Wharton fhew'd me a letter he had receiv'd from a certain great General in Spain; I told him I wou'd by all means have that General recall'd, and set to writing here at home, for it was impoffible that a man with fo much Wit as he fhew'd, cou'd be fit to command an Army, or do any other business. As for what you fay of Expreffion: 'tis indeed the fame thing to Wit, as Drefs is to Beauty : I have seen many women over-dreft, and feveral look better in a careless night gown, with their hair about their ears, than Mademoiselle Spanheim dreft for a ball. I do not design to be in London till towards the parliament: then I fhall certainly be there; and hope by Paftorals as you that time you will have finisht your would have them appear in the world, and particularly the third of Autumn which I have not yet seen. Your laft Eclogue being upon the fame subject as that of mine on Mrs. Tempeft's Death, I shou'd take it very kindly in you to give it a little turn, as if it were to the Memory of the fame Lady, if they were not written for fome particular Woman whom you wou'd make immortal. You may take occafion to fhew the difference between Poets Miftreffes, and other men's. I only hint this, which you may either do, or let alone just as you think fit. I shall be very much pleas'd to see you again in Town, and to hear from you in the mean time. I am with very much esteem,

Your, &c.

LETTER

A

LETTER VI.

Oct. 22, 1706. FTER the thoughts I have already fent you on the fubject of English Verfification, you defire my opinion as to fome farther particulars. There are indeed certain Niceties, which tho' not much obferved even by correct verfifiers, I cannot but think deferve to be better regarded.

1. It is not enough that nothing offends the ear, but a good Poet will adapt the very Sounds, as well as Words, to the things he treats of. So that there is (if one may exprefs it fo) a Style of Sound. As in defcribing a gliding ftream, the numbers thou'd run eafy and flowing; in defcribing a rough torrent or deluge, fonorous and fwelling, and fo of the rest. This is evident every where in Homer and Virgil, and no where eife that I know of to any obfervable degree. The following examples will make this plain, which I have taken from Vida.

Molle viam tacito lapfu per levia radit.
Incedit tardo molimine fubfidendo.
Luftantes ventos, tempeftatefque fonoras.
Immenfo cum præcipitans ruit Oceano Nox.
Telum imbelle fine itu, Conjecit.

Tolle moras, cape faxa manu, cape robora Paftor,
Ferte citi flammas, data tela, repellite peftem.

This, I think, is what very few observe in practice, and is undoubtedly of wonderful force in imprinting the image on the reader: We have one excellent example of it in our language, Mr. Dryden's Ode on St. Cæcilia's day, entitled, Alexander's Feaft. E 3

2. Every

2. Every nice ear, muft (I believe) have obferv'd, that in any smooth English verfe of ten fyllables, there is naturally a Paufe at the fourth, fifth, or fixth fyilable. It is upon these the ear refts, and upon the judicious change and management of which depends the variety of verfification. For example,

At the fifth. Where e'er thy navy

vafs wings,

At the fourth.

She brings.

Homage to thee

spreads her can

and peace to all

At the 6th. Like tracts of leverets || in morning Snow.

Now I fancy, that to preferve an exact Harmony and Variety, the Pauses of the 4th or 6th fhou'd not be continu'd above three lines together, without the interpofition of another; else it will be apt to weary the ear with one continu'd tone, at least it does mine: That at the 5th runs quicker, and carries not quite fo dead a weight, fo tires not fo much tho' it be conti nued longer.

3. Another nicety is in relation to Expletives, whether words or fyllables, which are made use of purely to fupply a vacancy: De before verbs plural is abfolutely fuch; and it is not improbable but future refiners may explode did and does in the fame manner, which are almost always ufed for the fake of rhime. The fame caufe has occafioned the promifcuous ufc of you and thou to the fame perfon, which can never found fo graceful as either one or the other.

4. I would alfo object to the irruption of Alexandrine verfes, of twelve fyllables, which I think should never be allow'd but when fome remarkable beauty

[ocr errors]
« AnteriorContinuar »