Ut jam nunc dicat, jam nunc debentia dici COMMENTARY, 50 and extent of his own talents: and to be careful to chuse a subject, which is, in all its parts, proportioned to his ftrength and ability. Befides, from fuch an attentive furvey of his fubject, and of his capacity to treat it, he will also derive these further advantages [1.41]. 1. That he cannot be wanting in a proper fund of matter, wherewith to inlarge under every head; nor, 2. can he fail, by fuch a well-weighed choice, to difpofe of his fubject in the best and most convenient method. Efpecially, as to the latter, which is the principal benefit, he will perceive [to 1. 45] where it will be useful to preferve, and where to change, the natural order of his fubject, as may best ferve to answer the ends of poetry. Thus far fome general reflexions concerning poetical diftribution; principally, as it may be affected by falfe notions, 1. Of poetic licence [1. 10] and, 2. Of poetic perfection [1. 25]. But the fame caufes will equally affect the language, as method, of poetry. thefe then are properly fubjoined fome directions about the use of words. Now this particular depending fo entirely on what is out of the reach of rule, as 7 To the Continget: dabiturque licentia fumta pudenter. Et nova factaque nuper habebunt verba fidem; fi Gracco fonte cadent, parce detorta. quid autem; Caecilio Plautoque dabit Romanus, ademtum Virgilio Varioque? ego cur adquirere pauca, 55 Si poffum, invideor? quum lingua Catonis et Ennî COMMENTARY. the fashion of the age, the taste of the writer, and his knowledge of the language in which he writes, the poet only gives directions about new words: or, fince every language is neceffarily imperfect, about the coining of fuch words, as the writer's neceffity or convenience may demand. And here, after having prefcribed [1. 46] a great caution and sparingness in the thing itself, he obferves, 1. [to 1. 49] That where it ought to be done, the better and lefs offenfive way will be, not to coin a word entirely new (for this is ever a task of some envy) but, by means of an ingenious and happy pofition of a well-known word, in respect of fome others, to give it a new air, and caft. Or, if it be neceflary to coin new words, as it will be in fubjects of an abftrufe nature, and especially fuch as were never before treated in the language, that then, 2. [to 1. 54] this liberty is very allowable; but that the reception of them will be more eafy, if we derive them gently, and without too much violence, from their proper fource, that is, from a language, as the Greek, already known, and approved. Andy to obviate the prejudices of over-fcrupulous critics on this head, he goes on [from 1. 54 to 1. 73] in a vein. of popular illustration, to alledge, in favour of this li 60 Sermonem patrium ditaverit, et nova rerum quendi, 72 Res geftae regumque ducumque, et triftia bella, Quo fcribi poffent numero, monftravit Homerus. Verfibus inpariter junctis querimonia primum, 75' COMMENTARY. berty, the examples of ancient writers, and the vague,' ünfteddy nature of language itself. From thefe reflexions on poetry, at large, he proseeds now to particulars: the most obvious of which being the different forms and measures of poetic compofition, he confiders, in this view [from 1. 75 to 86] the four great fpecies of poetry, to which all others may be reduced, the Epic, Elegiac, Dramatic, and Poft etiam inclufa eft voti fententia compos. mum, 85 Et juvenum curas, et libera vina referre. COMMENTARY. '90 Lyric. But the diftinction of the measures to be obferved in the feveral fpecies of poetry is fo obvious, that there can fcarcely be any mistake about them. The difficulty is to know [from 1. 86 to 89] how far, cach may partake of the fpirit of other, without de ftroying that natural and necessary difference, which qught to fubfift betwixt them all. To explain this, which is a point of great nicety, he confiders [from. I. 89 to 99] the cafe of dramatic poetry; the two fpecies 3 Iratufque Chremes tumido dilitigat ore. Et tragicus plerumque dolet fermone pedestri. 95 Telephus aut Peleus, cum pauper et exul uterque, Projicit ampullas et fefquipedalia verba, Si curat cor fpectantis tetigiffe querela. Non fatis eft pulchra effe poëmata; dulcia funto, Et quocunque volent, animum auditoris agunto, Ut ridentibus adrident, ita flentibus adflent COMMENTARY. fpecies of which are as distinct from each other, as any two can be; and yet there are times, when the features of the one will be allowed to resemble thofe of the other. For, 1. Comedy, in the paffionate parts, will admit of a tragic elevation: and, 2. Tragedy, in its foft diftrefsful fcenes, condefcends to the ease of familiar conversation. But the poet had a further view in chufing this instance. For he gets by this means into the main of his fubject, which was dramatic poetry, and by the most delicate tranfition imaginable, proceeds [from 1. 89 to 323] to deliver a feries of rules, interfpersed with historical accounts, and enlivened by digreffions, for the regulation and im, provement of the ROMAN STAGE. DIRECTIONS FOR THE REGULATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE ROMAN STAGE. HAVING fixed the diftinct limits and provinces of the two fpecies of the drama, the poet enters di rectly on his subject, and confiders, I, [from 1, 99 to |