325 Fabula, nullius veneris, fine pondere et arte, 320 COMMENTARY. to 323] that, where it has remarkably prevailed, the fuccefs of a play hath sometimes been fecured by it, without one fingle excellence or recommendation befides. II. He fhews [from 1. 323 to 333] another cause of their incorrectnefs and want of fuccefs, in any degree, anfwering to that of the Greek writers, to have been the low and illiberal education of the Roman youth; who, while the Grecks were taught to open all their mind to glory, were cramped in their genius by the ruft of gain, and, by the early infufion of fuch fordid principles, became unable to project a great design, or with any care and mastery to complete it. III. A third impediment to their fuccefs in poetry [from 1. 333 to 346] was their inattention to the en Aut fimul et jocunda et idonea dicere vitae. COMMENTARY. inftructing so as to Under either head tire scope and purpose of it, while they contented themselves with the attainment of one only of the two great ends, which are proposed by it. For the double defign of poetry being to inftruct and please, the full aim and glory of the art cannot be attained without uniting them both: that is, pleafe, and pleafing so as to inftruct. of inftruction and entertainment the poet, with great addrefs, infinuates the main art of each kind of writing, which confists, 1. in inftructive or didactic poetry [from 1. 335 to 338] in the conciseness of the precept: and, 2. in works of fancy and entertainment [1. 338 to 341] in probability of fiction. But both thefe [1. 341 to 347] must concur in a just piece. But here the bad poet objects the difficulty of the terms, impofed upon him, and that, if the critic looked Sunt delicta tamen, quibus ignoviffe velimus : Nam neque chorda fonum reddit, quem volt manus et mens; Pofcentique gravem perfaepe remittit acutum : 349 COMMENTARY. looked for all these requifites, and exacted them with rigour, it would be impoffible to fatisfy him:-at least it was more likely to difcourage, than quicken, as he propofed, the diligence of writers. To this the reply is [from 1. 347 to 360] that he was not fo fevere, as to exact a faultless and perfect piece: that fome inaccuracies and faults of lefs moment would escape the moft cautious and guarded writer; and that, as he fhould contemn a piece, that was generally bad, notwithstanding a few beauties, he could, on the con, trary, admire a work, that was generally good, notwithstanding a few fanlts. Nay, he goes on [from] 1. 360 to 366] to obferve in favour of writers, against their too rigorous cenfures, that what were often called Ut pictura, poëfis: erit quae, fi propius ftes, Tolle memor: certis medium et tolerabile rebus COMMENTARY. 370 called faults, were really not so: that some parts of a poem ought to be lefs Shining, or lefs finished, than others; according to the light, they were placed in, or the diftance, from which they were viewed; and that, ferving only to connect and lead to others of greater confequence, it was fufficient if they pleafed once, or did not displease, provided that those others would please on every review. All this is faid agreeably to nature, which does not allow every part of a fubject to be equally fufceptible of ornament; and to the end of poetry, which cannot fo well be attained, without an inequality. The allufions to painting, which the poet uses, give this truth the happiest illustration. Having thus made all the reafonable allowances, which a writer could expect, he goes on to inforce the general instruction of this part, viz. a diligence in oriting, by fhewing [from 1. 366 to 379] that a me diocrity, Sed tamen in pretio eft: mediocribus effe poëtis Qui nescit versus, tamen audet fingere. Quid nî? COMMENTARY. diocrity, however tolerable, or even commendable, it might be in other arts, would never be allowed in this: for which he affigns this very obvious and just reason; that, as the main end of poetry is to please, if it did not reach that point (which it could not do by ftopping ever fo little on this fide excellence) it was, like indifferent mufic, indifferent perfumes, or any other indifferent thing, which we can do without, and whofe end fhould be to please, offenfive and difagreeable, and for want of being very good, abfolutely and infufferably bad. This reflexion leads him with great advantage [from 1. 379 to 391] to the general conclufion in view, viz. that as none but excellent poetry will be allowed, it should be a warning to writers, how they engage in it without abilities; or publish without fevere and frequent correction. But to ftimulate the poet, who, notwithstanding the allowances |