Part 4 (1/2)
To preserve this Simplicity, we must avoid attributing to our Swains, any of those Pa.s.sions or Desires, which engage busy and active part of Mankind; as Ambition, and the like. _Theocritus_ therefore, and _Virgil_, and the generality of his Followers, have rather made their Shepherds sing alternately for a Leathern Pouch, or a Goat, than for the Desire of Praise. And nothing, I believe, but his being unwilling to make his Swains sing for exactly the same Reward, that all since _Theocritus_, have done, could have made our excellent Phillips alter the Pouch and the Kid, for Praise, in his sixth Pastoral.
_Let others meanly stake upon their Skill.
Or Kid, or Lamb, or Goat, or what they will; for praise we sing, nor Wager ought beside; And, whose the Praise, let_ Geron's, _Lips decide_.
There are few of even the most violent pa.s.sions but may be introduc'd into Pastoral, if artfully manag'd and qualify'd by the Poet: As Hatred, if it be not carried to it's height; which is an Excess in Pastoral.
And I observe, _Cubbin_, you make your Shepherd _Colly_, inconstant; and have an Aversion to his former Sweet-heart _Soflin_, on account of her Frankness, and too great Forwardness. But yet I think it is not faulty, because you make his Affections vary, against his Inclination, and he is angry with himself for his dislike to _Soflin_; but no Reason can stop unruly Love.
So Revenge, if admitted, must be very ingeniously manag'd, or 'twill be intolerable. There is a cunning Thought in _Ta.s.so_, that may perhaps let the Reader something into the Manner in which I would have it order'd.
A Female Warriour, opposed to her Lover in Aims, for his Inconstancy shoot's a Dart at him, yet wishes it may not strike him.
But what comes nigher to the explaining the manner of introducing Revenge into Pastoral, is what we find in the sixth Idyll of _Theocritus_. _Polyphemus's_ Mistress had been unkind; and how do's he propose to take Revenge: Why, he will not take notice of her as she walk's before his Cave to be seen, and pelt's his flock. After which follow's the most simple, and I had almost said, finest Thought in any Pastoral-Writer. The whole Beauty of which no one will conceive, but who has a Soul as tender as _Theocritus_ had, and could touch the _Soft_ as well. Poliphemus threaten's several Punishments, after which, follows this. 'Tis as fine in _Creech's_ Version as the Original.
_Besides, my Dog, he is at my Command, Shall bark at her, and gently bite her Hand_.
What I have said of this, might be said of the other Pa.s.sions; but I shall insist no longer on this Head. As for the Pa.s.sions most proper for Pastoral, they are discuss'd elsewhere.
SECT. 3.
_What degree of Knowledge we may attribute to our Swains_.
The difference between the Knowledge of our Shepherds, and that of politer Persons, must not proceed in the least from any difference in their Natural Endowments, but entirely from the manner of their Educations. The Poet therefore, has nothing to do in this Case, but to consider what is most probable for Nature to effect, una.s.sisted by Art.
As for a Shepherd's knowing what the ancient Poets have deliver'd, concerning the different Ages, and other things, I shall not determine whether 'tis natural or not: because not only _Theocritus_, whose Shepherds are as well vers'd in History as other Men, and _Virgil_, whose Shepherds are often Philosophers, have gone in this way, but our Countryman Mr. Phillips also, whose excellency is his Correctness.
(Lang.) _Thrice happy Shepherds now! for_ Dorset _loves The Country Muse, and our delightful Groves.
While_ Anna _reigns. O ever may she reign!_ And bring on Earth a Golden-Age again.
_Pastor_. 6.
I shall leave the Reader also to determine concerning the following piece of Knowledge.
(Hob.) _Full fain, O blest_ Eliza! _would I praise Thy Maiden Rule, and Albion's Golden Days_.
Then gentle _Sidney_ liv'd, the Shepherds Friend: _Eternal Blessings on his Shade descend!_
The same is to be said of other the like Pa.s.sages, but the most ordinary Capacity may judge what Knowledge is, or is not, consistent with the Banner of a Shepherd's Education.
CHAP. IV.
_How to form the Pastoral Characters, and the great Difficulty of doing it_.
A Poet, who would write up to the Perfection of Pastoral, will find nothing more difficult (unless the Dialect) than the inventing a sufficient Number of Pastoral Characters; such as are both faultless and beautiful. That difficulty proceeds from hence.
In Epick and Tragick Poetry we have the whole scope of all Men's Tempers and Pa.s.sions to draw; which are widely various and different: As, the Savage and Wild; the Ambitious; the Simple and Tender-hearted; the Subtle, &c. Thus in the Epick and Tragick Poems, you draw the general Qualities of all Men's Minds. But in Pastoral, you are pinn'd down to one of these common qualities (which is Simplicity and Tenderness.) And laying that as a Foundation, from thence draw your particular Characters. In every Character still supposing that at the bottom of it, and to accompany it. But Rules of this Nature, are like Mathematical a.s.sertions, not easily explain'd, but by Examples. Tho' I think, _Cubbin_, I need not insist long on this to you; for your Characters are not much faulty in this particular. If I remember aright; some of your Characters are these: