leave altogether, though it were but for a while, the observation of her own laws; if those principal and mother elements of the world, whereof all things in this lower world are made, should lose the qualities which they now have; if the frame of that heavenly arch erected over our heads should loosen and dissolve itself; if celestial spheres should forget their wonted motions, and by irregular volubility turn themselves any way as it might happen; if the prince of the lights of heaven, which now as a giant doth run his unwearied course, should, as it were through a languishing faintness, begin to stand and to rest himself; if the moon should wander from her beaten way, the times and seasons of the year blend themselves by disordered and confused mixture, the winds breathe out their last gasp, the clouds yield no rain, the earth he defeated of heavenly influence, the fruits of the earth pine away as children at the withered breasts of their mother no longer able to yield them relief, - what would become of man himself whom these things do all serve? See we not plainly that obedience of creatures unto the law of nature is the stay of the whole world * ?"

In what sense genius follows laws already prescribed, or in what sense, in its discursive spontaneities, it becomes a law to itself, how it harmonizes with the general harmony of the world, is not a subject for discussion now. Let it be only noticed, and I hope it will be conceded, in this place, that every existence of nature, both of form and of quality, is under law; and that no exercise of art, not excepting the most sublime, may claim exemption. It is the censure of Cecilius's treatise, passed on it by Longinus, that he endeavours only to teach the sublime by examples, and omits to show by what method it is to be excited; and accordingly he lays it down as a rule, which he prescribes for his own practice, that though nature may give a happy direction, art must furnish good counsel *. And few books are nicer examples of their own rules: he reaches the sublime, while he is teaching it; and practises art without displaying it †.

. This is one of the felicities, for they have many, of Sir Joshua Reynolds's Lectures on Painting. He aims to form his pupil into a reasonable man; to lead him from the region of fancies and conceits into those of sound sense, quiet study, and solid practice. Leaving a free course to genius, he puts the curb on inexperience and extravagance: and by the surest, though the most laborious way, by sound rules delivered with elegance and taste, he conducts him to the perfection of his art ‡.

Mengs, justly entitled Philosophus et Pictor, has written Practical Lessons upon Painting: and he sets off with observing, that " since painting is a liberal art, it must necessarily have a method; and if it has method, it must consequently have sure and certain rules." And the first

* Ως η μεν φυσις την της ευτυχιας ταξιν επέχει, η τέχνη δε την της ευβελιας. Longinus Περι Υψους, ch. 2.

† Pendant il fait cela si à propos et avec tant d'art, qu'on ne sauroit l'accuser en pas un endroit de sortir du style didactique. Borleau, Préface au Traité du Sublime. + Lectures first and second.

rule he lays down for his pupil, is to draw by geometrical figures, "that he may accustom his sight to exactness, the fundamental basis of design." Yet not Plato himself whom he follows, went further into the regions of ideal beauty than Mengs*.

Principles similar to those followed by Sir Joshua Reynolds in his Lectures on Painting, are followed by Mr. Harris in his Philological Essays. He carries them into other works of taste, but with the same accuracy; and he illustrates them by those ancient authorities with which he was so well acquainted: but his rules here are not grammar rules; for in his Philological Essays he is much happier, in reference to the present subject, than in his Philosophical Grammar.

In fine, Bossu, who is however not always to be fol lowed, has in two lines well expressed the purport of this chapter: "Arts, as well as sciences, are founded upon reason, and in both we are to be guided by the light of nature †."

* See the Works of Anthony Raphael Mengs, First Painter to His Catholic Majesty, Charles III. vol. ii.

† His Treatise on the Epic Poem.

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CHAPTER III.

ON THE NUMBER OF EXCELLENT POETS.

THE observation "that the number of poets, at least

excellent poets, is so few," to one of an inquisitive, active turn of thought, might certainly prepare the way for much curious, much interesting discussion. Many questions might present themselves; such as, what is the nature of the human soul? - how are the faculties of man generated? what is the relative balance of those faculties with respect to each other? - what constitutes poetic genius?-what influence is to be ascribed either to climate, or to government, to manners, or religion? and finally, and principally, those hackneyd, though not less serious and critical questions, might be proposed, whether a poet is born, and indebted to nature alone,or may be fashioned, and to what extent, -by the discipline of precepts, and the exercitations of art ?

Such-like questions are by no means foreign to the present subject, nor are they omitted here as having already been amply discussed by some other writers,-for what question connected with the present inquiry has not?-but as opening into a field too extensive and multifarious; as involving topics too philosophical and too metaphysical; and as leaving less room for investiga

tions which do not so ordinarily occur as common places in treatises of this kind. Questions, then, such as those mentioned above, will be, if not wholly passed by, yet, some at least, only briefly and cursorily noticed.

Bishop Lowth ascribes the origin of poetry to divine inspiration; and in reference to the sacred poetry of the Hebrews, says that it reached, from the beginning, the perfection of elegance, and a maturity of strength *; as though forgetting that the Hebrews had been so long in Ægypt, and that Moses was so conversant in all their learning. Why did he not say at once that Moses was the first man? Poets and poetry were as common topics in Ægypt, as priests and philosophy †; and indeed their hieroglyphical character was itself a sort of poetical language.

states it as said

Julius Scaliger says that Pierus, a Macedonian, was the He only first poet, and that his daughters, Pierides, were the Muses. The Ægyptians ascribe the origin of poetry to Osiris, and the rules of prosody, in the Sanscrit, are ascribed to a holy serpent §. When men inquire into origins, they are casting their eyes on a boundless ocean, where they cannot see far, and are wont to be either too trifling or too profound. Tacitus gives us a curious account of the supersti

* De Sac. Poes. Hebræorum, præl. 2.

† Vide Horapol. Hieroglyphica.

Poet. lib. i. cap. 2.

§ Called Pingalandga. See a learned Treatise on the Sanscrit and Prácrit Poetry by Hen. Thomas Colebrooke, Esq. Asiatic Researches, vol. x.