  I have now gone through the several Particulars I propos'd to treat of in the Course of these Lectures: What I have too lightly touch'd upon, or entirely omitted, I leave to my Successors to discuss more fully, who will supply my Defects, and correct my Errors. Nothing now remains, but to return to you, Gentlemen, my heartiest Thanks, and to testify my sincerest Wishes for your Prosperity. I should quit this Office with more Regret, did I not consider, that, at any Time, to have receiv'd Marks of your Favour, will for ever remain to me those of Honour. Nothing is in my Power to return for them, but my most ardent Prayers for the Welfare of this University, that as it daily receives fresh Ornaments in Buildings, so it may make new Acquisitions (if there is Room for any) in Learning and Virtue, and in its Reputation for both; and that you may be as secure from the Attempts, as you are above the Reproaches of your Enemies. And, surely, unless we are much deceiv'd in our Hopes, and our Wishes biass us with too fond Credulity, we may esteem as fresh Omens of our Happiness, those numerous Towers that rise sacred to the Muses, even in the most difficult Times; insomuch, that if we retire from the University but a few Months, we are almost Strangers to it upon our Return, and verify the old Saying, tho' from a very different Reason, Oxonium quÆrimus in Oxonio, we seek for Oxford within her own Walls. It is amazing, then, that Men, who boast of the greatest Zeal for their Country, should hate and despise that which is the distinguishing Ornament of it. It would be blind Partiality in us, if, in other Respects, we pretended to excel the whole Earth. Brave, as F I N I S. Addenda & Corrigenda. Page 15. l. 3. Vossius's Definition is short as it makes the Essence of Poetry consist solely in Imitation. Add this Note, The Author of Observations on Poetry occasioned by the late Poem on Leonidas, p. 71. finds the same Fault with Aristotle; who "by this, says he, excludes all descriptive Poetry; and accordingly he (Aristotle) directs the epic poet to introduce his characters, and write in dialogue, as much as possible, for this reason, that when the poet speaks himself, he is not an imitator. Plato has more justly distinguish'd, that some kinds of Poetry consist wholly in imitation, as tragedy and comedy; some in narration only, where the poet speaks in his own person, as odes; whereas some, as the epic, contain a mixture of both." For my Part, I cannot think it any great Violence put upon Words to allow that Description or Narration is Imitation. It is certain Aristotle uses the Word Imitation in this Sense, c. 3. ?a? ?a? ?? t??? a? t??? ?a? a?ta ?e a? a? ?s??, ?t? e? apa??e???, ? ?t???? te ?????e?s??, A Poet may imitate the same Things either by Narration, or by assuming the Character of some other Person: And c. 22, 23. he distinguishes pe?? t?? ??te ???te?? ??s???, and pe?? t?? d?a?east????, between Dramatic Imitation, and Narrative: and c. 2. & 4. he mentions the Dithyrambics and Nomi, Hymns in Honour of Bacchus and Apollo, and other Odes, as Instances of Poetic Imitation. Now, I need not observe, that if in these Hymns and Odes, Actions, as Dacier contends, were imitated by Description or Narration, other Things may likewise. Nay Plato himself has omitted descriptive Poetry, as well as Aristotle if it is not included under narrative. But still, if it is, the ingenious Author will not allow it to be Imitation, upon the Authority of Plato. Next let us see if Dr. Pemberton's own Account of Poetry will not lead us to think Description to be Imitation. He observes, p. 75. That it is the peculiar Office of the Poet, in Opposition to the Prose-writer, to exhibit continually sensible Images of things. Now Images are surely Likenesses or Imitations; and whether these are the genuine Images of the Poet's Subject, or adventitious ones fetch'd in to illustrate it, still 'tis all Imagery: Imitation is his distinguishing Character. Again, p. 98. he observes, The language of comedy receives its poetic Air not by departing from the ordinary forms of speech, but by keeping more close to them. So that where we almost lose Sight of Poetry, the Traces of it are preserved by Imitation. Upon the whole 1. we see Plato and Aristotle use Imitation in a larger Sense than Dr. Pemberton was aware of; and 2. the Doctor naturally falls into the Sentiments of both, while he opposes one of them. Vossius, it seems, and Dacier go farther, and suppose that Aristotle makes Poetry consist in the Imitation of Actions only. But the Words, c. 2. as Dr. Trapp observes, very well bear another Sense, ?pe?d? ?e?ta? ?? ???e??? p?????ta?, &c. Since Imitators, or Poets imitate Actions, i.e. as well as other things; or possibly thus, joining p???td??da? to ???e???, since those that imitate Actions are Imitators,—such Actions, he goes on, must be either good or bad. As to Dacier, I cannot well make him consistent with himself: Aristotle, says he, c. 2. rem. 1. lays it down as an undoubted Principle, that All those that imitate, imitate Actions; and indeed it is so, for there is nothing else but Actions which can be imitated. And yet upon Aristotle's saying that Music is Imitation, he observes, that whatever employs means to shew and represent any Subject as naturally as may be, whether it Does Really Exist or no, is called Imitation. Does he by Actions above mean Effects? A painted Meadow and a purling Stream. P. 154. l. 10, 11, r. thus Tartuffe in English freely I resign; The Excrement is his, the Food was mine. P. 303. l. 2. add this Note, I make no Doubt, but for ?pa??e??a? the former being never used for Narration, the latter more than once by Aristotle, as c. 2. apa??e??a?, and c. 6. ?te e? apa??e????ta P. 333. Note † change [thus] Bossu distinguishes very clearly, and to the same Purpose with Dr. Trapp, between the Narration the Poet himself makes, and that which he represents the Hero to make. In the former View, the Action of the Odyssee takes up Eight Years and six Months, and the Æneid almost seven Years. But in the latter, Bossu reduces the Odyssey to fifty eight Days; and the Æneis either to a Year and somewhat more, or else to a single Campaign, beginning where Dr. Trapp does. See Bossu Book II. ch. xviii. and Book III. c. xii. Just Published. SelectÆ e profanis Scriptoribus HistoriÆ, quibus admista sunt varia honeste vivendi PrÆcepta, ex iisdem Scriptoribus deprompta. Editio altera. Mons. Rollin, in his Method of Studying the Belles Lettres, Vol. I, p. 84, concludes a very advantageous Character of this Work in the following Words: "I know of no Book, which may be more useful, and at the same time more agreeable to Youth. It contains excellent Principles of Morality, collected with great Order and Judgment, with very affecting Passages of History upon every Article." Transcriber Notes: 1. All footnotes are treated the same. The above reference to symbols and letters no longer applies. 2. All footnotes are simply in numerical order. 3. The relatively arbitrary use of capitals letters by the author throughout the text, is preserved, as is the original spelling. 4. In TOC, corrected second LECTURE XIII to LECTURE XVI 5. The changes indicated by the following ERRATA have been made to the text. FOOTNOTES: Her Words were like soft Flakes of falling Snow, Which Melted as they fell. If her Words died away, as Snow melts, neutrally, 'tis no great Recommendation of them. But the Idea that should be conveyed to the Reader is, that they melted the Hearer, as they fell; and then the Comparison is spoil'd, and may more truly be applied to the Conception of the Poet, which melts away by the Force of Reason, as Snow does by the Approach of the Sun. Mean while, the restless Horses neigh'd aloud, Breathing out Fire, and pawing where they stood. 1. When a Person, Fact, or Thing, is simply describ'd. 2. When somewhat is inferr'd from what was laid down, whether from its being greater, less, equal, or contrary. Fortune, we yield to thy capricious Will: A Drop of Ward's can cure, a Drop of Water kill!
To you, good Gods, I make my last Appeal, To clear my Virtues, or my Crimes reveal: If in the Maze of Fate I blindly run, And backward trod those Paths I ought to shun, Impute my Errors to your own Decree; My Hands are guilty, but my Heart is free. Mr. Pope's Sentiments of these two Poets are somewhat different; the Reader shall have the Pleasure of comparing them; "This Fire (says he) is discern'd in Virgil, but discern'd as thro' a Glass, reflected, and more shining than warm, but every where equal and constant: In Lucan, and Statius, it bursts out in sudden, short, and interrupted Flames: In Milton it glows like a Furnace, kept to an uncommon Fierceness by the Force of Art: In Shakespear, it strikes before we are aware, like an accidental Fire from Heaven: But in Homer, and in him only, it burns every where clearly, and every where irresistibly." Pope's Translation of Homer's Iliad. Dr. Trapp criticizes on this Passage. |
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