were we even left to ourselves, that fuch fhould be our proper choice and determination. For, by the prodigious and almost magical operations of fancy on original objects, they even fhew fairer, and are made to look more attractive, in these artificial reprefentations, than in their own rude and native aspects. Thus, by the united powers of difcipline and inclination, we are almoft neceffitated to fee Nature in the fame light, and to know her only in the dress in which her happier fuitors and favourites first gave her to observation.

The effect of this early bias of the mind, which infenfibly grows into the inveteracy of habit, needs not be infifted on. When the poet, thus tutored in the works of imitation, comes to address himself to invention, these familiar images, which he hath fo often and fo fondly admired, immediately step in and intercept his obfervation of their great original. Or, if he has power to hold them off, and turn his eye directly on the primary object, he ftill inclines to view it only on that fide and in those lights in which he has been accustomed to study it.

Nor

Nor let it be faid, that this is the infirmity only of weak minds. It belongs to our very natures, and the utmoft

vigour of geCustom, in this as in every thing elfe, moulds, at pleasure, the foft and ductile matter of a minute fpirit, and by degrees can even bend the elaftic. metal of the greatest.

nius is no fecurity against it.

And, if the force of habit can thus determine a writer knowingly to imitation; it cannot be thought ftrange, that it should. frequently carry him into resemblance, when himfelf perhaps is not aware of it. Great readers, who have their memories fraught with the ftores of ancient and modern poetry, unavoidably employ the fentiments, and fometimes the very words, of other writers, without any diftinct remembrance of them, or fo much as the fufpicion of having feen them. At the least, their general caft of thinking or turn of expreffion will be much affected by them. For the most original writer as certainly takes a tincture from the authors in which he has been moft converfant; as water, from the beds of earths or minerals it hath happened to run over. Efpecially

4

Especially fuch authors, as are ftudied and even got by heart by us in our early youth, leave a lasting impreffion, which is hardly ever effaced out of the mind. Hence a certain constrained and unoriginal air, in fome degree or other, in every genius thoroughly difciplined by a course of learned education. Which, by the way, leads to a question, not very abfurd in itself, however it may pass with most readers for paradoxical, viz. "Whether the ufual forms of learning "be not rather injurious to the true poet, "than really affifting to him?" It should feem to be fo for a natural reafon. For the faculty of invention, as all our other powers, is much improved and ftrengthened by exercife. And great reading prevents this, by demanding the perpetual exercise of the memory. Thus the mind becomes not only indifpofed, but, for want of use, really unqualified, to turn itself to other views than fuch as habitual recollection easily prefents to it. And this, I am perfuaded, hath been the cafe with many a fine genius, and espeially with one of our own country [«];

1

who, as appears from fome original efforts in the fublime allegorical way, had no want of natural talents for the greater poetry; which yet were fo reftrained and difabled by his conftant and fuperftitious study of the old claffics, that he was, in fact, but a very ordinary poet.

2. But were early babit of lefs power to incline the mind to imitation than it really is, yet the high hand of authority would compel it. For the first originals in the feveral fpecies of poetry, like the Autocthones of old, were deemed to have come into the world by a kind of miracle. They were perfect prodigies, at least reputed fo by the admiring multitude, from their first appearance. So that their authority, in a fhort time, became facred ; and fucceeding writers were obliged, at the hazard of their fame, and as they dreaded the charge of a prefumptuous and prophane libertinifm in poetry, to take them for their guides and models. Which is faid even without the licence of a figure; at leaft of one of them; whom Cicero calls the fountain and origin of all DIVINE infii

tutions

tutions [w]; and another, of elder and more reverend estimation, pronounces to be & Ses καὶ θεῶν προφήτης [*].

And what is here obferved of the influence of thefe mafter spirits, whom the admiration of antiquity hath placed at the head of the poetic world, will, with fome allowance, hold alfo of that of later, though less original, writers, whose uncom mon merits have given them a distinguished rank in it.

3. Next (as it ufually comes to pass in other instances), what was, at first, imposed by the rigour of authority, foon grew refpectable in itself, and was chosen for its own fake as a virtue which deserved no fmall commendation, For, when fober and enlightened criticifm began to infpect, at leisure, these miracles of early invention, it presently acknowledged them for the best, as well as the most antient, poetic, models; and accordingly recommended, or more properly enjoined them by rule, to the imitation of all ages. The effect of this criti

[w] Somn. Scip. ii. c. 10.

[*] PLATO, Alcibiad

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