PASTORALS, WITH A Difcourfe on PASTORAL. Written in the Year M DCC IV. Rura mihi et rigui placeant in vallibus amnes, VIRG. A DISCOURSE Ο Ν PASTORAL POETRY a. T HERE are not, I believe, a greater number of any fort of verses than of those which are called Paftorals; nor a fmaller, than of those which are truly fo. It therefore feems neceffary to give fome account of this kind of Poem, and it is my defign to comprize in this fhort paper the fubftance of those numerous differtations the Critics have made on the fubject, without omitting any of their rules in my own favour. You will alfo find fome points reconciled, about which they seem to differ, and a few remarks, which, I think, have efcaped their obfervation. The original of Poetry is afcribed to that Age which fucceeded the creation of the world: and as the keeping of flocks feems to have been the firft employment of mankind, the most ancient fort of Written at fixteen years of age. poetry was probably paftoral. It is natural to Imagine, that the leifure of those ancient shepherds admitting and inviting fome diverfion, none was so proper to that folitary and fedentary life as finging; and that in their fongs they took occafion to celebrate their own felicity. From hence a Poem was invented, and afterwards improved to a perfect image of that happy time; which by giving us an elteem for the virtues of a former age, might recommend them to the prefent. And fince the life of fhepherds was attended with more tranquillity than any other rural employment, the Poets chofe to introduce their Perfons, from whom it received the name of Pastoral. A Paftoral is an imitation of the action of a fhepherd, or one confidered under that character. The form of this imitation is dramatic, or narrative, or mixed of both; the fable fimple, the manners not too polite nor too ruftic: the thoughts are plain, yet admit a little quicknefs and paffion, but that short and flowing: the expreffion humble, yet as pure as the language will afford; neat, but not florid; eafy, and yet lively. In short, the fable, manners, thoughts, and expreffions are full of the greatest fimplicity in nature. b Fontenelle's Difc. on Paftorals, |
