A Full Enquiry Into The Nature Of The Pastoral (1717) Part 9

CHAP. VIII.

_Of imitation; or Stealing Sentiments from the_ ANTIENTS.

If a direct Imitation of the Thoughts of the _Greeks_ and _Romans_, shows no great Richness of Genius, in any kind of Poetry, in Pastoral 'tis much more to be avoided. If a Hero does sometimes talk out _HOMER_ and _VIRGIL_, 'tis not so shocking, because tis not dissonant to Reason to suppose such a Person acquainted with Letters and Authors; nor is an Heroick Poems Essence Simplicity; But if a Modern gives me the Talk of a Shepherd, and I have seen it almost all before in _THEOCRITUS_, _VIRGIL_ and _SPENCER_, it cannot delight me. For that Poetry pleases the most, that deceives the most naturally. But how can I, while I am reading a pastoral, impose upon my self that I am among Swains and in the Country, if I remember all they say is in _Greek_ and _Roman_ Authors. And few read _Modern-Writers_ but have read the _Antients_ first. A Shepherd should speak from his Heart, as if he had no design of Pleasing, but is prompted to utter all he says: But if in all he says we see an Imitation, or a Thought stole from other Authors, it destroys all Simplicity, shows Design and Labour.

Besides, Epick Poetry warms and elevates the Mind, hurries it on with fury and Violence, which prevents our noting any slight Inacuracy, so as to be offended by it; but in so cool a Poem as Pastoral, whose design is to sooth and soften the Mind, we have leasure to consider every Unnaturalness and every Improbability.

SECT. 2.

_Of_ Soloman'_s Allegorical pastorals; Ent.i.tled_ The CANTICLES.

Yet I know not how, tho' 'tis so unnatural to find Thoughts in the Mouths of Shepherds, which we have observ'd in _THEOCRITUS_ and _VIRGIL_, yet I am never better pleased than with those Thoughts which are taken out of the Scripture. Methinks the Thoughts in the CANTICLES are so exceeding fine for Pastoral that 'tis pity to give 'em any other Turn than what they have there; and if I did take any of those Pastoral Sentiments, I would translate the whole Pa.s.sage as we there find it.

_MILTON_ in his soft Pa.s.sages has often imitated the Thoughts in the CANTICLES; and Mr. _PHILIPS_ has taken from thence the hint of the finest Image but one he has in his Pastorals.

_Breath soft ye Winds, ye Waters gently flow, s.h.i.+eld her ye Trees, ye Flow'rs around her grow, Ye Swains, I beg ye pa.s.s in silence by, My Love in yonder Vale asleep doth lye_.

My not disliking Thoughts taken from the CANTICLES, makes me think that 'tis not so much the Thoughts being stolen from _THEOCRITUS_ or _VIRGIL_ that makes me dislike 'em, as the poor and mean Figure they make in Poetry. Could Poets take as fine Pastoral Images from the Antients, as this of _Philips_, I believe no one but would be pleased by 'em, come from whence they would. But the Thoughts which our Writers take from the Antients are such, that would they trust their own Genius's, I am satisfied they would, at least, not have worse, nor more false ones.

I was a little surprized when I first read Mr. _Philips_'s _5th_ Pastoral, (which has the most of a story or Fable of any) how he came to take the very story which _STRADA_ tell's to show what a Genius _CLAUDIAN_ had. _OVID_'s _Metamorphoses_ is full of such Fairy and Romantick Tales, and he might well enough have given a Description of a Bird's contending with a Man for the Prize in Singing, but methinks 'tis not wholly probable enough for a Fable in Pastoral.

Now the Cause of my mentioning this in Mr. _PHILIPS_, is to persuade, if possible, those who shall hereafter engage in Pastoral-Writing to trust to their own Genius's. By that means we may hope Pastoral will, one Day, arrive at it's utmost Perfection, which if Writers pretend to go no farther than the first who undertook it (I mean _THEOCRITUS_) it never can do. For 'tis no one Genius that can bring any Kind of Poetry to it's greatest Compleatness. And all know by what slow Steps Epick Poetry, Tragedy, and Comedy arrived at the Perfection they now bear.

SECT. _Last_.

But now the time of Day drew on, when Cubbin must drive his Heifers to Water. Sophy therefore withdrew, but promised to be there in the Evening agen.

When the Heat of the Day was over, and the Evening Air began to breath in a delightful manner, Sophy accordingly appear'd, and setting him on the Rushes, that esprouted up by the River side, open'd his Book, and proceeded in the following Manner.

_The End of the Third part_.

PART IV.

CHAP. 1.

_Of the Pastoral Language in general_.

I must here premise, that I intend not here a full and compleat Discourse on the Pastoral Language; for that would take up a Volume. But I would recommend it to some other Hand; for I know nothing that would be more acceptable to the Letter'd World than an Enquiry into the Nature of the _English_ Language.

But there is no Dialect or Part of our Language so little understood, as that which relates to Pastoral; nor none (not even the Sublime) so difficult to write. Of all who have attempted Pastoral in our Tongue, no one (but _SPENCER_) has gone so far as even the weakening and enervating their Dialect; yet after that is perform'd, a Pastoral-Writer has gone but half way; for after the Strength is taken away, a Tenderness and Simplicity of Expression must supply its Place, or else 'tis only bald and low, instead of Soft and Sweet.

_Spencer_'s Language is what supports his Pastorals; for I can maintain, that he has not above one Sentiment in fifteen but is either false, or taken from the Antients, throughout his Pastorals. The greatest Defect in his Language is it's want of Softness. He has introduced a sufficient, or perhaps too great a Number, of Old-Words. But they are promiscuously used. He took not the Pains to form his Dialect before he wrote his Pastorals, by which means he has used more rough and harsh Old-Words, than Smooth and Agreeable Ones. They are used where our common Words were infinitely more Soft and Musical. As _What gar's thee Greet?_ For, _What makes thee Grieve?_ How Harsh and Grating is the Sound of _SPENCER_'s two Words, But Instances were endless. He is the more blamable, because there are full enough Old-Words to render a Dialect Rustick and Uncommon of the most sweet and delightful Sound imaginable. As _ween_ or _weet_, for _think_; _yclepen_, for _call'd_, and the like. These being so tender and soft, render the Language of Pastoral infinitely more tender also, than any common Words, now in use, can do.

CHAP. II.

_How to attain to the_ Soft _in Writing_.

That a Shepherd should talk in a different Dialect from other People, is allow'd by all. That the Pastoral Language should be soft and agreeable is equally past dispute. The only remaining Question then is, what it is that composes such a Dialect, and how to attain it.

In order to compose a Pastoral Dialect entirely perfect; the first thing, I think, a Writer has to do, is, as we said before, to enervate it and deprive it of all strength.

As for the manner of enervating a Language, it must be perform'd by the Genius of the Poet, and not shown by a Critick. However when the Thing is done, 'tis not difficult to see what chiefly effected it. There are, I think, _Cubbin_, two Things that princ.i.p.ally enervate your Language.

_First_, 'Tis perform'd by throwing out all Words that are _Sonorous_ and raise a _Verse_. Mr. _PHILIPS_ comes the nearest to a Pastoral Language of any English Swain but _Spencer_. And he has truly enervated his Language in four several Lines. One of which is the last of these two.

_Ye Swains, I beg ye pa.s.s in silence by; My Love in yonder Vale asleep doth lye_.

The Word Doth, is what enervates the last Line. But 'twould be still better enervated if Mr. _Philips_ had used only such Words as have very few Consonants in them. For by Consonants, joyn'd with the Vowel O, a Writer may render his Language, in Epick Poetry, just as Sonorous as he will; and by the want of Consonants and by delighting in the other soft Vowels he may render it weak. I cannot see that Mr. _PHILIPS_ has any Line where the Language is wholly enervated. But see how _Spencer_ has done this. Especially in the second of these Lines.

_The gentle Shepherd sate beside a Spring.

All in the Shadow of a Bushy Breer. &c_.

In this last Line, there is but one Word end's with a Consonant, where the following Word begin's with one. But a Writer, who is perfectly Master of his Language, will be able to have every Line like this; and no Word more strong than Evening, Rivulet, and the like, will he be forc'd to use.

_Secondly_, The Language is by nothing more weaken'd, than by the use of Monisyllables. This no one ever had the least Notion of but _Spencer_.

Which I wonder has not been observed, 'tis so very palpable in him. What makes the finess of these Lines else?

_All as the Sheep such was the Shepherd's look, For pale and wan he was (alas the while!) May seem he lov'd, or also some Care he took, Well could he tune his Pipe and form his Stile_.

Past. 1.

Here is but two Words for four Lines, except Monosyllables.

The best Lines in _PHILIPS_, for the Language, are these, where Monosyllables reign.

..._Fine gain at length, I trow, To h.o.a.rd up to my self such deal of Woe!_

And the last of these; for the first is rough thro' too many Consonants.

_A lewd Desire strange Lands and Swains to know: Ah Gad! that ever I should covet Woe!_ Past. 2.

There are other Methods, I see, Cubbin, you have taken to enervate your Language; too minute and too numerous to recite, but they are easily, I think, observ'd, if a Person peruses the Pastoral Writers with Care.