A Defence of Poesie and Poems [41]
have admitted mediocrity in poets."
{34} The moral common-places. Common Place, "Locus communis," was a term used in old rhetoric to represent testimonies or pithy sentences of good authors which might be used for strengthening or adorning a discourse; but said Keckermann, whose Rhetoric was a text-book in the days of James I. and Charles I., "Because it is impossible thus to read through all authors, there are books that give students of eloquence what they need in the succinct form of books of Common Places, like that collected by Stobaeus out of Cicero, Seneca, Terence, Aristotle; but especially the book entitled 'Polyanthea,' provides short and effective sentences apt to any matter." Frequent resort to the Polyanthea caused many a good quotation to be hackneyed; the term of rhetoric, "a common-place," came then to mean a good saying made familiar by incessant quoting, and then in common speech, any trite saying good or bad, but commonly without wit in it.
{35} Thus far Aristotle. The whole passage in the "Poetics" runs: "It is not by writing in verse or prose that the Historian and Poet are distinguished. The work of Herodotus might be versified; but it would still be a species of History, no less with metre than without. They are distinguished by this, that the one relates what has been, the other what might be. On this account Poetry is more philosophical, and a more excellent thing than History, for Poetry is chiefly conversant about general truth; History about particular. In what manner, for example, any person of a certain character would speak or act, probably or necessarily, this is general; and this is the object of Poetry, even while it makes use of particular names. But what Alcibiades did, or what happened to him, this is particular truth."
{36} Justinus, who lived in the second century, made an epitome of the history of the Assyrian, Persian, Grecian, Macedonian, and Roman Empires, from Trogus Pompeius, who lived in the time of Augustus.
{37} Dares Phrygius was supposed to have been a priest of Vulcan, who was in Troy during the siege, and the Phrygian Iliad ascribed to him as early as the time of AElian, A.D. 230, was supposed, therefore, to be older than Homer's.
{38} Quintus Curtius, a Roman historian of uncertain date, who wrote the history of Alexander the Great in ten books, of which two are lost and others defective.
{39} Not knowledge but practice.
{40} The Poet Monarch of all Human Sciences.
{41} In "Love's Labour's Lost" a resemblance has been fancied between this passage and Rosalind's description of Biron, and the jest:-
"Which his fair tongue--conceit's expositor - Delivers in such apt and gracious words, That aged ears play truant at his tables, And younger hearings are quite ravished, So sweet and voluble is his discourse."
{42} Virgil's "AEneid," Book xii.:-
"And shall this ground fainthearted dastard Turnus flying view? Is it so vile a thing to die?" (Phaer's Translation [1573].)
{43} Instances of the power of the Poet's work.
{44} Defectuous. This word, from the French "defectueux," is used twice in the "Apologie for Poetrie."
{45} Part II. The PARTS of Poetry.
{46} Can Pastoral be condemned?
{47} The close of Virgil's seventh Eclogue--Thyrsis was vanquished, and Corydon crowned with lasting glory.
{48} Or Elegiac?
{49} Or Iambic? or Satiric?
{50} From the first Satire of Persius, line 116, in a description of Homer's satire:
"Omne vafer vitium ridenti Flaccus amico Tangit, et admissus circum praecordia ludit," &c.
Shrewd Flaccus touches each vice in his laughing friend. Dryden thus translated the whole passage:-
"Unlike in method, with concealed design Did crafty Horace his low numbers join; And, with a sly insinuating grace Laughed at his friend, and looked him in the face: Would raise a blush where secret vice he found; And tickle, while he gently probed the wound; With seeming innocence the crowd beguiled, But made the desperate passes while he smiled."
{51} From the end of the eleventh of
{34} The moral common-places. Common Place, "Locus communis," was a term used in old rhetoric to represent testimonies or pithy sentences of good authors which might be used for strengthening or adorning a discourse; but said Keckermann, whose Rhetoric was a text-book in the days of James I. and Charles I., "Because it is impossible thus to read through all authors, there are books that give students of eloquence what they need in the succinct form of books of Common Places, like that collected by Stobaeus out of Cicero, Seneca, Terence, Aristotle; but especially the book entitled 'Polyanthea,' provides short and effective sentences apt to any matter." Frequent resort to the Polyanthea caused many a good quotation to be hackneyed; the term of rhetoric, "a common-place," came then to mean a good saying made familiar by incessant quoting, and then in common speech, any trite saying good or bad, but commonly without wit in it.
{35} Thus far Aristotle. The whole passage in the "Poetics" runs: "It is not by writing in verse or prose that the Historian and Poet are distinguished. The work of Herodotus might be versified; but it would still be a species of History, no less with metre than without. They are distinguished by this, that the one relates what has been, the other what might be. On this account Poetry is more philosophical, and a more excellent thing than History, for Poetry is chiefly conversant about general truth; History about particular. In what manner, for example, any person of a certain character would speak or act, probably or necessarily, this is general; and this is the object of Poetry, even while it makes use of particular names. But what Alcibiades did, or what happened to him, this is particular truth."
{36} Justinus, who lived in the second century, made an epitome of the history of the Assyrian, Persian, Grecian, Macedonian, and Roman Empires, from Trogus Pompeius, who lived in the time of Augustus.
{37} Dares Phrygius was supposed to have been a priest of Vulcan, who was in Troy during the siege, and the Phrygian Iliad ascribed to him as early as the time of AElian, A.D. 230, was supposed, therefore, to be older than Homer's.
{38} Quintus Curtius, a Roman historian of uncertain date, who wrote the history of Alexander the Great in ten books, of which two are lost and others defective.
{39} Not knowledge but practice.
{40} The Poet Monarch of all Human Sciences.
{41} In "Love's Labour's Lost" a resemblance has been fancied between this passage and Rosalind's description of Biron, and the jest:-
"Which his fair tongue--conceit's expositor - Delivers in such apt and gracious words, That aged ears play truant at his tables, And younger hearings are quite ravished, So sweet and voluble is his discourse."
{42} Virgil's "AEneid," Book xii.:-
"And shall this ground fainthearted dastard Turnus flying view? Is it so vile a thing to die?" (Phaer's Translation [1573].)
{43} Instances of the power of the Poet's work.
{44} Defectuous. This word, from the French "defectueux," is used twice in the "Apologie for Poetrie."
{45} Part II. The PARTS of Poetry.
{46} Can Pastoral be condemned?
{47} The close of Virgil's seventh Eclogue--Thyrsis was vanquished, and Corydon crowned with lasting glory.
{48} Or Elegiac?
{49} Or Iambic? or Satiric?
{50} From the first Satire of Persius, line 116, in a description of Homer's satire:
"Omne vafer vitium ridenti Flaccus amico Tangit, et admissus circum praecordia ludit," &c.
Shrewd Flaccus touches each vice in his laughing friend. Dryden thus translated the whole passage:-
"Unlike in method, with concealed design Did crafty Horace his low numbers join; And, with a sly insinuating grace Laughed at his friend, and looked him in the face: Would raise a blush where secret vice he found; And tickle, while he gently probed the wound; With seeming innocence the crowd beguiled, But made the desperate passes while he smiled."
{51} From the end of the eleventh of