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plagiarism. And yet it may not be every inftance of fimilarity, that will fatisfy here. For the question recurs, "whether of the "feveral forms, of which his materials are fufceptible, there be nothing in the nature "of things, which determines the artist to "prefer a particular one to all others." For it is poffible, that general principles may as well account for a conformity in the manner, as we have seen them do for an identity of matter, in works of imitation. And to this question nothing can be replied, till we have taken an accurate furvey of this fecond divifion of our fubject. Luckily, the allufion to architecture, juft touched upon, points to the very method, in which it may be moft diftinctly pursued. For here too, the MANNER of imitation, if confidered in its full extent, takes in, 1. The general plan or difpofition of a poem. The choice and application of particular fubjects and 3. The expreffion.

2.

1. All poetry, as lord Bacon admirably obferves," nihil aliud eft, quam HISTORIAE CC IMITATIO AD PLACITUM." By which is not meant, that the poet is at liberty to

conduct

conduct his imitation abfolutely in any manner he pleases, but with fuch deviations from the rule of history, as the end of poetry prescribes. This end is, univerfally, PLEASURE; as that of fimple hiftory, is, INFORMATION. And from a respect to this end, together with fome proper allowance for the diverfity of the subjectmatter, and the mode of imitation (I mean whether it be in the way of recital, or of action) are the effential differences of poetry from mere hiftory, and the form or dif pofition of its feveral fpecies, derived. What thefe differences are, and what the general plan in the compofition of each Species, will appear from confidering the defects of fimple history in reference to the main end, which poetry designs.

Some of these are observed by the great perfon, before-mentioned, which I fhall want no excufe for giving in his own words.

"1. Cum res geftae et eventus, qui " verae hiftoriae fubjiciuntur, non fint ejus "amplitudinis, in quâ anima humana fibi "fatisfaciat, praefto eft poëfis, quae facta "magis heroica confingat. 2. Cum hiftoria

66 vera

vera fucceffus rerum minime pro meritis "virtutum & fcelerum, narret; corrigit "eam poëfis, & exitus & fortunas, fecundum "merita, & ex lege Nemefeos, exhibet. ແ 3. Cum hiftoria vera, obviâ rerum fatie"tate & fimilitudine, animae humanae fafti"dio fit; reficit eam poëfis, inexpectata, & "varia & viciffitudinum plena canens."C Quare & merito etiam divinitatis cujufpiam particeps videri poffit; quia animum erigit & in fublime rapit; rerum fimulachra ad "animi defideria accommodando, non animum "rebus (quod ratio facit, & hiftoria) fub"mittendo [r]."

*

Thefe advantages chiefly refpect the narrative poetry, and above all, the Epos. There are others, ftill more general, and more directly to the purpose of this inquiry. For 4. The biftorian is bound to record a Series of independent events and actions; and fo, at once, falls into two defects, which make him incapable of affording perfect pleasure to the mind. For 1. The flow of paffion, produced in us by contemplating any fignal event, is greatly checked and dif

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[r] DE AUGM. SCIENT, lib. ii. c. 13.

turbed

:

turbed amidst a variety and fucceffion of actions. And 2. being obliged to pass with celerity over each tranfaction (for otherwise history would be too tedious for the purpose of information) he has not time to draw out fingle circumstances in full light, and impress them with all their force on the imagination. Poetry remedies these two defects. By confining the attention to one object only, it gives the fancy and affection's fair play and by bringing forth to view and even magnifying all the circumstances of that one, it gives to every subject its proper dignity and importance. 5. Laftly, to fatisfy the human mind, there must not only be an unity and integrity, but a strict connexion and continuity of the fable or action represented. Otherwife the mind languifhes, and the tranfition of the paffions, which gives the chief pleafure, is broken and interrupted. The hiftorian fails, alfo, in this. By proceeding in the gradual and orderly fucceffion of time, the feveral incidents, which compofe the ftory, are not laid close enough together to content the natural avidity of our expectations. Whilft poetry, neglecting this regularity of fuccef

fion,

fion, and fetting out in the midst of the story, gratifies our inftinctive impatience, and carries the affections along, with the utmost rapidity, towards the event..

These advantages are common both to narrative and dramatic poetry. But the drama, as profeffing to copy real life, contents itself with these. The reft belong entirely to the province of narration.

Now the general forms of poetical me thod, as diftinct from that of history, are the pure refult of our conclufions concerning the expediency and fitnefs of these means, as conducive to the proper end of poetry. Which, without more words, will inform us, how it came to pass, that the true plan or difpofition of poetical works, was fo early hit upon in practice, and established by exact theories; and may therefore fatisfy us of the neceffary refemblance and uniformity of all productions of this kind, whether their authors had, or had not, been guided by the pole-star of example.

So much for the general forms of the two greater kinds of poetry. If a proper allowance be made for a diverfity of fubjectmatter

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