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40 A CRITIC MUST HAVE A CLEAR & LOGICAL HEAD: & OUGHT proved in the Works of a good Critick; whereas one who has not these previous Lights, is very often an utter Stranger to what he reads, and apt to put a wrong Interpretation upon it.

Nor is it fufficient, that a Man who fets up for a Judge in Criticism, fhould have perufed the Authors above-mentioned, unless he has alfo a clear and Logical Head. Without this Talent he is perpetually puzzled and perplexed amidst his own Blunders, mistakes the Sense of those he would confute, or if he chances to think right, does not know how to convey his Thoughts to another with Clearness and Perfpicuity. Ariftotle, who was the best Critick, was also one of the best Logicians that ever appeared in the World.

Mr. Lock's Effay on Human Understanding would be thought a very odd Book for a Man to make himself Mafter of, who would get a Reputation by Critical Writings; though at the fame time it is very certain, that an Author who has not learn'd the Art of diftinguishing between Words and Things, and of ranging his Thoughts, and fetting them in proper Lights, whatever Notions he may have, will lose himself in Confufion and Obscurity. I might further observe, that there is not a Greek or Latin Critick, who has not shewn, even in the stile of his Criticisms, that he was a Master of all the Elegance and Delicacy of his Native Tongue.

The truth of it is, there is nothing more absurd, than for a Man to fet up for a Critick, without a good Insight into all the Parts of Learning; whereas many of those who have endeavoured to signalize themselves by Works of this Nature among our English Writers, are not only defective in the above-mentioned Particulars, but plainly discover by the Phrases which they make use of, and by their confused way of thinking, that they are not acquainted with the most common and ordinary Systems of Arts and Sciences. A few general Rules extracted out of the French Authors, with a certain Cant of Words, has fometimes fet up an Illiterate heavy Writer for a moft judicious and formidable Critick.

TO DWELL RATHER ON EXCELLENCIES THAN IMPERFECTIONS. 41

One great Mark, by which you may discover a Critick who has neither Taste nor Learning, is this, that he feldom ventures to praise any Passage in an Author which has not been before received and applauded by the Publick, and that his Criticism turns wholly upon little Faults and Errors. This part of a Critick is so very easie to fucceed in, that we find every ordinary Reader, upon the publishing of a new Poem, has Wit and Ill-nature enough to turn several Paffages of it into Ridicule, and very often in the right Place. This Mr. Dryden has very agreeably remarked in those two celebrated Lines,

Errors, like Straws, upon the Surface flow;

He who would fearch for Pearls must dive below.

A true Critick ought to dwell rather upon Excellencies than Imperfections, to discover the concealed Beauties of a Writer, and communicate to the World fuch things as are worth their Observation. The most exquisite Words and finest Strokes of an Author are those which very often appear the most doubtful and exceptionable, to a Man who wants a Relish for polite Learning; and they are these, which a fower [foure] undistinguishing Critick generally attacks with the greatest Violence. Tully obferves, that it is very eafie to brand or fix a Mark upon what he calls Verbum ardens, or, as it may be rendered into English, a glowing bold Expreffion, and to turn it into Ridicule by a cold ill-natured Criticism. A little Wit is equally capable of expofing a Beauty, and of aggravating a Fault; and though fuch a Treatment of an Author naturally produces Indignation in the Mind of an understanding Reader, it has however its effect among the generality of those whofe Hands it falls into, the Rabble of Mankind being very apt to think that every thing which is laughed at with any mixture of Wit, is ridiculous in it self.

Such a Mirth as this, is always unfeasonable in a Critick, as it rather prejudices the Reader than con

42

SIMPLE RIDICULE UNFAIR IN WORKS OF CRITICISM.

vinces him, and is capable of making a Beauty, as well as a Blemish, the Subject of Derifion. A Man, who cannot write with Wit on a proper Subject, is dull and stupid, but one who fhews it in an improper place, is as impertinent and abfurd. Befides, a Man who has the Gift of Ridicule is very* apt to find Fault with any thing that gives him an Opportunity of exerting his beloved Talent, and very often cenfures a Passage, not because there is any Fault in it, but because he can be merry upon it. Such kinds of Pleasantry are very unfair and disingenuous in Works of Criticism, in which the greatest Masters, both Ancient and Modern, have always appeared with a serious and inftructive Air.

As I intend in my next Paper to shew the Defects in Milton's Paradife Loft, I thought fit to premise these few Particulars, to the End that the Reader may know I enter upon it, as on a very ungrateful Work, and that I fhall just point at the Imperfections, without endeavouring to enflame them with Ridicule. I must also obferve with Longinus, that the Productions of a great Genius, with many Lapfes and Inadvertencies, are infinitely preferable to the Works of an inferior kind of Author, which are scrupulously exact and conformable to all the Rules of correct Writing.

I fhall conclude my Paper with a Story out of Boccalini, which fufficiently fhews us the Opinion that Judicious Author entertained of the fort of Criticks I have been here mentioning. A famous Critick, fays he, having gathered together all the Faults of an Eminent Poet, made a Present of them to Apollo, who received them very graciously, and refolved to make the Author a fuitable Return for the 'Trouble he had been at in collecting them. In order to this, he fet before him a Sack of Wheat, as it had been just threshed out of the Sheaf. He then bid him pick out the Chaff from among the Corn, and lay it aside by it felf. The Critick applied himself to the Task with great Industry and Pleasure, and after having made the due Separation, was presented by Apollo with the Chaff for his Pains.

The SPECTATOR.

-velut fi

Hor.

Egregio infperfos reprendas corpore nævos.
As perfect beauties often have a Mole. Creech.}

Saturday, February 9, 1712.

FTER what I have faid in my last Saturday's Paper, I fhall enter on the Subject of this without farther Preface, and remark the feveral Defects which appear in the

Fable, the Characters, the Sentiments, and the Language of Milton's Paradife Loft; not doubting but the Reader will pardon me, if I alledge at the fame time whatever may be said for the Extenuation of fuch Defects. The firft Imperfection which I shall observe in the Fable is, that the Event of it is unhappy.

The Fable of every Poem is according to Ariftotle's Division either Simple or Implex. It is called Simple when there is no change of Fortune in it, Implex when the Fortune of the chief Actor changes from Bad to Good, or from Good to Bad. The Implex Fable is thought the most perfect; I fuppofe, because it is most proper to stir up the Paffions of the Reader, and to furprize him with a greater variety of Accidents.

The Implex Fable is therefore of two kinus: In the first the chief Actor makes his way through a long Series of Dangers and Difficulties, 'till he arrives at Honour and Prosperity, as we see in the Stories [Story] of Ulyffes and*Eneas.* In the fecond, the chief Actor in the Poem falls from fome eminent pitch of Honour and Profperity, into Mifery and Difgrace. Thus we fee Adam and Eve finking from a State of Innocence and Happiness, into the most abject Condition of Sin and Sorrow.

'The most taking Tragedies among the Ancients were built on this laft fort of Implex Fable, particularly the Tragedy of OEdipus, which proceeds upon a Story, if we may believe Ariftotle, the moft proper for Tragedy that could be invented by the Wit of Man. I have taken some pains in a former Paper to fhew, that this kind of Implex Fable, wherein the Event is unhappy, is more apt to affect an Audience than that of the firft kind; notwithstanding many excellent Pieces among the Ancients, as well as most of those which have been written of late Years in our own Country, are raised upon contrary Plans. I must however own, that I think this kind of Fable, which is the most perfect in Tragedy, is not fo proper for an Heroic Poem.

Milton feems to have been sensible of this Imperfection in his Fable, and has therefore endeavoured to cure it by feveral Expedients; particularly by the Mortification which the great Adverfary of Mankind meets with upon his return to the Affembly of Infernal Spirits, as it is described in that [a] beautiful Paffage of the tenth Book; and likewise by the Vision, wherein Adam at the clofe of the Poem fees his Off-spring triumphing over his great Enemy, and himself reftored to a happier Paradife than that from which he fell.+

There is another Objection against Milton's Fable, which is indeed almost the fame with the former, tho' placed in a different Light, namely, That the Hero in the Paradife Loft is unsuccessful, and by no means a Match for his Enemies. This gave occasion to Mr. Dryden's Reflection, that the Devil was in reality Milton's Hero. I think I have obviated this Objection in my first Paper. The Paradife Loft is an Epic, [or a] Narrative Poem, he that looks for an Hero in it, searches for that which Milton never intended; but if he will needs fix the Name of an Hero upon any Person in it, 'tis certainly the Meffiah who

+ See p. 147.

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