[i] Q HORATII FLACCI ARS POETIC A, EPISTOLA AD PISONES. H UMANO capiti cervicem pictor equinam Jungere fi velit, et varias inducere plumas Undique collatis membris, ut turpiter atrum Definat in piscem mulier forinofa fuperné ; Spectatum admiffi rifum teneatis amici ? -Credite, Pifones, ifti tabulae fore librum Perfimilem, cujus, velut aegri fomnia, vanae Fingentur fpecies; ut nec pes, nec caput uni 5 THE fubject of this piece being, as I fuppofe, one, viz. the State of the Roman Drama, and cominon fenfe requiring, even in the freeft forms of compofition, fome kind of method, the intelligent reader will not be furprized to find the poet profecuting his subject in a regular, well-ordered plan; which, for the more exact description of it, I diftinguish into three parts: I. The first of them [from 1. 1 to 89] is preparatory to the main fubject of the epiftle, containing fome general rules and reflexions on poetry, but principally with an eye to the following parts: by - VOL. I. B Which Reddatur formae. Pictoribus atque poetis Quidlibet audendi femper fuit aeque poteftas: 10 Scimus, et hane veniam petimufque damusque viciffim: Sed non ut placidis coëant inmitia; non ut COMMENTARY. which means it ferves as an ufeful introduction to the poet's defign, and opens with that air of eafe and ne-gligence, effential to the epiftolary form.. II. The main body of the epiftle [from 1. 89 to 295] is laid out in regulating the Roman stage; but chiefly in giving rules for tragedy; not only as that was the fublimer fpecies of the Drama, but, as it fhould feem, lefs cultivated and understood. III. The lait part [from 1.-295, to the end], exhorts to correctness in writing; yet ftill with an eye, principally, to the dramatic fpecies: and is taken up partly in removing the causes, that prevented it; and partly in directing to the use of fuch means, as might ferve to promote it. Such is the general plan of the epiftle. In order to enter fully into it, it will be neceffary to trace the poet, attentively, through the elegant con nexions of his own method. PART I GENERAL REFLEXIONS ON POETRY. THE epiftle begins [to 1. 9] with that general and fundamental precept of preferving an unity in the fubject and the difpofition of the piece. This is further explained by defining the ufe, and fixing the character, of poetic licence [from 1. 9 to 13] which unskil ful 15 Serpentes avibus geminentur, tigribus agni. arcus. Sed nunc non erat his locus: et fortaffe cupreffum Scis fimulare: quid hoc, fi fractis enatat exfpes 20 Navibus, aere dato qui pingitur? amphora coepit Inftitui, currente rota, cur urceus exit ? Denique fit quidvis; fimplex dumtaxat et unum. Maxima pars vatum, pater et juvenes patre digni, COMMENTARY. ful writers often plead in defence of their tranfgreffions against the law of UNITY. To 1. 23 is confidered and expofed that particular violation of uniformity, into which young poets efpecially, under the impulfe of a warm imagination, are apt to run, arifing from frequent and ill-timed defcriptions. Thefe, however beautiful in themselves, and with whatever mastery they may be executed, yet, if foreign to the fubject, and incongruous to the place, where they stand, are extremely impertinent: a caution, the more neceffary, as the fault itself wears the appearance of a virtue, and fo writers [from 1. 23 to 25] come to tranfgrefs the rule of right from their very ambition to obferve it. There are two cafes, in which this ambition remarkably misleads us. The В 2 firft Decipimur fpecie recti. Brevis effe laboro, 25 Obfcurus fio: fectantem lenia nervi Deficiunt animique: profeffus grandia turget : Serpit humi tutus nimium timidufque procellae : Qui variare cupit rem prodigialiter unam, Delphinum filvis adpingit, fluctibus aprum. 30 In vitium ducit culpae fuga, fi caret arte. Aemilium circa ludum faber, unus et unguis Exprimet, et mollis imitabitur aere capillos; COMMENTARY. first is, when it tempts us to push an acknowledged beauty too far. Great beauties are always in the confines of great faults; and therefore, by affecting fuperior excellence, we are cafily carried into ab. furdity. Thus [from 1. 25 to 30] brevity is often obfcurity; fublimity, bombaft; caution, coolness; and, to come round to the point, a fondnefs for varying and diverfifying a fubject, by means of episodes and deferiptions, fuch as are mentioned above [1. 15] will often betray a writer into that capital error of violats ing the unity of his piece. For, though variety be a real excellence under the conduct of true judgment, yet, when affected beyond the bounds of probability, and brought in folely to ftrike and furprize, it becomes unfeafonable and abfurd. The feveral episodes or defcriptions, intended to give that variety, may be inferted in improper places; and then the abfurdity is as great, as that of the painter, who according to the illustration of 1. 19, 20, fhould introduce a cypress into a fea-piece, or, according to the illustration of the prefent verfe, who paints a dolphin in a wood; or a boar in the fea. 2. Another Infelix operis, fumma: quia ponere totum Nefciet. hunc ego me, fi quid componere curem, Non magis effe velim; quam nafo vivere pravo, Spectandum nigris oculis nigroque capillo. Sumite materiam veftris, qui fcribitis, acquam Viribus; et verfate diu, quid ferre recufent, 39 Quid valeant humeri. cui le&ta potenter erit res, Nec facundia deferet hunc, nec lucidus ordo. Ordinis haec virtus erit et venus, aut ego fallor; COMMENTARY. 2. Another inftance, in which we are mifled by an ambition of attaining to what is right, is, when, through an exceffive fear of committing faults, we difquality ourfelves for the juft execution of a whole, or of fuch particulars, as are fufceptible of real beauty. For not the affectation of fuperior excellencies only, but even In vitium ducit culpae fuga, fi caret arte. This is aptly illuftrated by the cafe of a fculptor. An over-fcrupulous diligence to finish fingle and trivial parts in a ftatue, which, when moft exact, are only not faulty, leaves him utterly incapable of doing justice to the more important members, and, above all, of defigning and completing a whole with any, degree of perfection. But this latter is commonly the defect of a minute genius; who, having taken in hand a defign, which he is by no means able to execute, naturally applies himself to labour and finish. thofe parts, which he finds are within his power. It is of confequence therefore [from 1. 38 to 40] for every writer to be well acquainted with the nature |