Aut nimium teneris juvenentur verfibus umquam, Aut inmunda crepent ignominiofaque dicta. Offenduntur enim, quibus eft equus, et pater, et res; Nec, fi quid fricti ciceris probat et nucis emtor, Aut ignoratae premit artis crimine turpi, COMMENTARY. regular tragedy [from 1. 251 to 275] the laws and ufe of the iambic foot; reproving, at the fame time, the indolence or ill-taste of the Roman writers in this re- : spect, and fending them for inftruction to the Grecian models. Having introduced his critique on the ftage-mufic, and fatyric drama, with fome account of the rife and progrefs of each, the poet very properly concludes this C3 whole 270 Idcircone vager, fcribamque licenter? ut omnis COMMENTARY. whole part [from 1. 275 to 295] with a fhort, incidental history of the principal improvements of the Greek tragedy and comedy; which was artfully contrived to infinuate the defective state of the Roman drama, and to admonish his countrymen, how far they had gone, and what yet remained to complete it. And hence with the advantage of the eafieft tranfition he flides into the last part of the epistle; the design of which, as hath been obferved, was to reprove an incorrectness and want of care in the Roman writers. For, having juft obferved their defect, he goes on, in the remaining part of the epiftle, to fum up the feveral caufes, which feem to have produced it. And 285 Succeffit vetus his Comoedia, non fine multa COMMENTARY. 295 this gives him the opportunity, under every head, of prefcribing the proper remedy for each, and of inferting fuch further rules and precepts for good writing, as could not fo properly come in before. The whole is managed with fingular address, as will appear from looking over particulars. PART III. A CARE AND DILIGENCE IN WRITING RECOMMENDED. I. [from 1. 295 to 1. 323] THE poet ridicules the falfe notion, into which the Romans had fallen, 1 Non barbam fecreta petit loca, balnea vitat. COMMENTARY, that poetry and poffeffion were nearly the fame thing: that nothing more was required in a poet, than fome extravagant starts and fallies of thought; that coolnefs and reflexion were inconfiftent with his character, and that poetry was not to be fcanned by the rules of fober fenfe. This they carried fo far, as to affect the outward port and air of madnefs, and, upon the trength of that appearance, to fet up for wits and poets. In oppofition to this mistake, which was one great hindrance to critical correctnefs, he afferts wif dom and good fenfe to be the fource and principle of good writing: for the attainment of which he prefcribes, 1. [from 1. 310 to 312] A careful study of the Socratic, that is, moral wifdom: and, 2. [from 1. 312 to 318] A thorough acquaintance with human nature, hat great exemplar of manners, as he finely calls it, or, Verbaque provifam rem non invita fequentur. Quod fit confcripti, quod judicis officium; quae COMMENTARY. in other words, a wide, extensive view of real, practical life. The joint direction of these two, as means of acquiring moral knowledge, was perfectly neceflary. For the former, when alone, is apt to grow abstracted and unaffecting the latter, uninftructing and fuperficial. The philofopher talks without experience, and the man of the world without principles. United, they fupply each other's defects; while the man of the world borrows fo much of the philofopher, as to be able to adjust the several sentiments with precifion and exactnefs; and the philofopher fo much of the man of the world, as to copy the manners of life (which we can only do by experience) with truth and spirit. Both together furnish a thorough and complete comprehension of human life; which, manifefting itself in the just and affecting, forms that exquifite degree of perfection in the character of the dramatic poet; the want of which no warmth of genius can atone for, or excufe. Nay fuch is the force of this nice adjustment of manners [from 1. 319 to |