A Full Enquiry Into The Nature Of The Pastoral (1717) Part 10

When our Dialect is thus render'd weak and low, we must then add to it, (in order to render it as pleasant as a Dialect that is not low and mean) Simplicity, Softness and Rusticity. This is perform'd princ.i.p.ally by these three things. By Old-Terms; by Turns of Words, and Phrazes; and by Compound Words. Of all which I shall crave leave to treat distinctly.

And first of Ancient Terms.

SECT. 2.

_Of Old-Words_.

When first I look'd into _Chaucer_. I thought him the most dry insipid Writer I ever saw. And there is indeed nothing very valuable in either his Images or Thoughts; but after a Person is accustom'd to his manner of Writing and his Stile, there is something of Simplicity in his Old Language, inimitably sweet and pleasing. If 'tis thus in _Chaucer_, in Pastoral such a Language is vastly more delightful. For we expect something very much out of the Way, when we come among Shepherds; and how can the Language of Shepherds be made to differ from that of other Persons, if they use not Old-Words?

'Tis very remarkable that all our greatest Poets whose Works will live to Eternity, have introduced into their Language Old-Words; as _Shakespear_, _Spencer_, _Milton_. _Dryden_ also, whose Genius was much inferiour to those Writers; has used some few. And _Ben. Johnson_ (tho'

he lived at the same time with _Shakespear, Spencer, &c_.) whose Genius was yet meaner than _Dryden_, has not one Old-Word.

Ancient Terms were doubtless a great disadvantage, especially to _Spencer_, when his Works appear'd first in the World; but he had a Soul large enough to write rather for Posterity, than present Applause.

He took so excessive a delight in the Old Language of his admired _Chaucer_, that he could not help, in some measure, imitating it.

Our greatest Writers having all given into an Ancient Dialect, would almost encline us of the present Age, to think of making their Language a standing Language; for Queen _Elizabeth_'s Age is to us what _Augustus_'s was to the _Latins_; we must never hope to have so many n.o.ble Genius's adorn any one Age for the future; I might have said, any twenty Ages. Therefore if any _English_ Dialect survives to the World's End, 'twill certainly be theirs; and 'twill be prudence in any After-writer to draw his Language as near to theirs as possible; that if theirs are understood a thousand Years hence, his may too.

But to leave the Consideration of Old-Words in Epick Poetry and Tragedy, let us proceed to Pastoral. There are several Advantages flow from the Use of Old-Words, but I have time to mention but two or three.

There is a Spirit and a Liveliness of Expression to be preserv'd in Pastoral as well as other Poetry; now I affirm that 'tis impossible to perform this without Old-Words; unless a Writer make Shepherds talk Sublimely, and with Pa.s.sion, as in Tragedies.

Again, if a Writer has a Genius for Pastoral he will have some Thoughts occur so inimitably Simple, that they would appear ridiculous in the Common Language; and 'tis necessary that the Language should answer to the Thought. These are the finest Thoughts of all for pastoral.

There are also several Thoughts which, tho' extreamly agreeable to the simple Innocence of young Country Girls, will appear too luscious, unless the Simplicity and Rusticity of the Speaker appear's, by the Old Language spoken. But we smile at a Thought in such simple Language, which perhaps we shall nauseate in a polite Dialect.

But one of the greatest Advantages of Old-Words, is, that they afford the Writer so fine an Opportunity of rendring his Language most inimitably soft and smooth. This cannot be done by any other Means; and how proper soft and simple Language is to Pastoral (at least where the Characters are Young, Tender, and Innocent) I need not say. As for VIRGIL and those Pastoral Writers who seem not to aim at Simplicity in either their Characters or Sentiments, the using of Old-Words is entirely different with regard to them. To see a Sentiment, which would as well become any other Person as a Shepherd, dress'd in the Simplicity of an Ancient Dialect, would appear nothing but Affectation. We are used to see such Sentiments in another Dress. Nay, were their Thoughts Simple, 'twould not be agreeable for them to use Old-Words, unless the whole Turn of their Language was answerable to it; to have a common, ordinary Language, with Old-Words scatter'd through it, is a mixt confused Language, and what is very expressively named by our Word Hodge-podge. 'Tis not enough therefore, for the forming a pastoral Language to use Old-Words; a Writer must set down, and by true Pains and Industry const.i.tute a Language entirely of a piece and consistant; in performing which the choicest Old-Words will be of some little a.s.sistance.

If I might advise you, Cubbin, I would have you always write Pastorals in either such a Language as this, entirely uniform and of a piece, or else to write in a strong polite Language. Never write any single thing in a low and mean Language. Polite Language is only faulty with respect to it's being in Pastoral; but low Language is in it's own Nature faulty. The first is only unnatural; the latter is stupid and dull.

Therefore unless you resolve to go quite thro', never weaken or enervate your Pastoral Language at all. Unless you resolve to add Simplicity and Softness, to supply the place of Strength, never rob it of it's Strength. It had better have strength and Sprightliness and Politeness than Nothing.

The best Way is that which Sir _Philip Sidney_ has taken, to suppose your Swains to live in the _Golden-Age_, and to be above the ordinary Degree of Shepherds, for Kings Sons and Daughters, were then of that Employ. And upon this Supposition to make 'em talk in a polite, delightful and refined Dialect. By this Means you will disable the Criticks at once.

But perhaps some may expect that I should vindicate the Use of Old-Words, on my own Account. But for that Reason I am the more careless in touching the Subject; because I would leave the World to a free and unbias'd Judgment of what I have done. Nor is this an Age, indeed, to begin to vindicate Old-Words in. The Method has been approv'd of in all Ages even in Epick Poetry and Tragedy, and should we go now to defend it in Pastoral? A Friend indeed of _SPENCER_'s wrote a Vindication of his Old-Words, but had _SPENCER_ been living be would doubtless have been ashamed of it's appearing in the World. 'Tis the Opinion of the best Judges that the Old-Words used by Mr. _Row_, even In the Tragedy of _JANE Sh.o.r.e_ are a great Beauty to that Piece. And those who have objected against _SALl.u.s.t_ for affecting Old-Words, have made nothing out. Tho' History is to deliver plainly Matters of Fact, and not to flourish, and beautify it's self with foreign Ornaments, as Poetry is.

There are not so many disapprove of _SALl.u.s.t_'s Old-Words, as commend him for adding a Majesty and Solemness to his Writings thereby.

I might add (were there occasion for vindicating Old-Words) that we have render'd our _English_ Language unexpressive and bare of Words, by throwing out several useful Old-Words; as _Freundina_ a _She-Friend_; _Theowin_ a _She-Servant_, &c. But as no one has shewn Old-Words to be faulty, for so many hundred Years, 'twould be folly to trouble the Reader with a Vindication of 'em, at this Day. The only Question is, whether an Author has chose the Softest and Finest; or has shown by his Choice the weakness of his Judgment.

SECT. 3.

_Of Compound Words_.

Another thing which occasions Softness in the Pastoral Language, if rightly managed, is the use of Compound Words. But there is nothing requires a greater Genius than to form Beautiful Compound Words in Epick Poetry, or more Exactness and Labour in Pastoral. In Epick Poetry 'tis absurd to make a Compound Word, unless it helps forward the Sence; and in Pastory, it must add to the Softness of the Dialect, and in some measure a.s.sist the Thought, yet it need not do it so much as in Epick Poetry; where a Writer of Genius will form such Compound Words as will each contain as much as a whole Line. As may be seen in _Homer_, and the _Greek_ Poets, especially. Among the _English_, _Milton_'s are often very fine.

_Brandish'd aloft the horrid Edge came down, Wide-wasting_.

The Compound Words, in Pastory, must be so easy and natural, as scarce to be observ'd from the other Language. They must run easy and smooth, and glide off the Tongue, and that will occasion their not being observ'd in the reading.

A Pastoral Writer will often be able, if he gives an Image in one Line, by a Compound Word in that Line to give another Image, or another Thought as full and as fine an one as that which the whole Line contains. But as this and the like Observations cannot be well understood without Instances quoted, I shall leave 'em to the Observation of those who intend to engage in Pastoral Writing; for that and nothing else, will put 'em upon a thorough Search into the Springs and Rules by which all former Pastoral Writers have excell'd.

SECT. 4.

_Of Turns of Words and Phrazes_.

Another help to Softness, and the very greatest Beauty of all in the Pastoral Language, is, a handsome use of Phrazes. This must depend entirely on the Genius of the Writers, for there is no one Rule can be given for the attaining thereto. A Person who writes now may imitate _Ovid_ and _Spencer_ in this particular (if he can submit his Fancy to Imitation) and that is all the a.s.sistance he can have. As for rural Phrazes, there are not above half a dozen in all the Counties or Dialects that I am acquainted with.

All that we can do on this Head, is to leave the Reader to Observation.

For I confess that I do not so much as know how I came by those few I myself have, farther than that by use and practising in an Uncommon Dialect, I happen'd on 'em at Unawares.

However I may quote those which are the very finest of any in _Spencer_.

Who is the only Writer in our Language that ever attempted tender Phrazes or Turns of Words. Yet there are two such Pa.s.sages in _Creech_'s _Theocritus_, which I will also quote.

_All as the Sheep, such was the Shepherd's Look; For pale and wan he was (alas the while!)_ &c.

And again.

_Ye G.o.ds of Love, who pity Lover's Pain.

(If any G.o.ds the Pain of Lovers pity)_ &c.

And again.

_A simple Shepherd Born in_ Arcady, _Of gentlest Blood that ever Shepherd bore_, &c.

Such beautiful Turns of Words as these are extremely scarce in _Spencer_; but he has not one but what is inimitably fine and natural.

Let us now see the two Phrazes which _Creech_ has happen'd upon.

Whose Language I have observ'd to be infinitely the best of any of our Pastoral writers, next to Spencer. This is one of them. A Shepherdess says to a persuading Swain.

_You will deceive, you Men are all Deceit; And we so willing to believe the Cheat_.

The other is this, to Diana; when she consents.

_I liv'd your Vot'ry, but no more can live_.

CHAP. III.

_The Tender in Pastory distinguish'd from that in Epick poetry or Tragedy_.

'Tis strange to me that our Pastoral Writers should make no Distinction between their SOFT when they write Pastories, and when they write Epick Poetry. This in _Philips_ is the Epick Softness, or what we call the Beautiful sometimes in Epick Poetry in Opposition to the Sublime.

_Breath soft ye Winds, ye Waters gently flow; s.h.i.+eld her ye Trees, ye Flow'rs around her grow_, &c.

And this which also is the Sixth Pastory.