REFLECTIONS

ON

Ariftotle's Treatise

O F

POESIE:

CONTAINING

The Neceffary, Rational, and Univerfal RULES for Epick, Dramatick, and the other Sorts of POETRY:

WITH

Reflections on the Works of the Ancient and Modern POETS, and their Faults noted.

Made English by Mr. Rymer: By whom are added fome Reflections on English POETS.

LONDON:

Printed in the Year MDCCXVI.

THE

PREFACE

OF THE

TRANSLATOR.

T

.

HE Artist would not take Pains to polish a Diamond, if none besides

Pre quick-fighted enough

to difcern the Flaw And Poets

would grow negligent, if the Criticks had not a ftrict Eye over their Mifcarriages. Yet it often happens, that this Eye is fo distorted by Envy or Ill-nature, that it fees nothing aright. Some Criticks are like Wafps, that rather annoy the Bees, than terrifie the Drones.

ཨ ་

For this Sort of Learning, our neighbour Nations have got far the Start of us; in the laft Century, Italy fwarm'd with Criticks, where amongft many of lefs Note, Caffelverro oppofed all Comers; and the famous Academy La Crufca was always impeaching fome or other of the beft Authors. Spain, in those Days, bred great Wits, but, I think was never fo crowded, that they needed to fall out and quarrel amongst themfelves. But from Italy, France took the Cudgels; and tho' fome light Strokes paffed in the Days of Marot, Baif, &c. Yet they fell not to it in earneft, nor was 130

any

any noble Contest amongst them, till the Royal Academy was founded,and Cardinal Richer lieu encouraged and rallied all the scattered Wits under his Banner. Then Malherb reform'd their ancient licentious Poetry; and Corneille's Gid rais'd many Factions amongst them. At this time with us many great Wits flourished; but Ben. Johnson, I think, had all the critical Learning to himself; and till of late Years, England was as free from Criticks, as it is from Wolves, that a harmless wellmeaning Book might pafs without any Danger. But now this Priviledge, whatever extraordinary Talent it requires, is ufurp'd by the most Ignorant: And they who are least acquainted with the Game, are apteft to bark at every thing that comes in their Way. Our Fortune is,Ariftotle, on whom our Author makes thefe Reflections, came to this great Work better accomplish'd. He who criticis'd on the ancient and his contemporary Philofophers on Pythagoras, Democritus, Empedocles, Heraclitus, ·Epicharmus, Parmenides, Xenophanes, Meliffus, Anaxagoras, Protagoras, Eudoxus, Solon, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Plato, Speufippus; who examin'd and cenfur'd the Laws and Polities of Minos, Lycurgus, Solon, Hyppodamus, Phaleas, and all the other Common-wealths; tis he, I fay, that undertakes this Province, to pafs a Judgment on the Poets, and their Works; and him Antiquity firft honoured with the Name of Critick.

: It is indeed fufpected that he dealt not always fairly with the Philofophers, mif-reciting fometimes, and misinterpreting their Opinions, But I find him not tax'd of that Inju ftice to the Poets, in whofe Favour he is fo ingenious, that to the Disadvantage of his

own Profeffion, he declares, That Tragedy more conduces to the Inftruction of Mankind, than even Philofophy it felf. And however cry'd down in the Schools, and vilified by fome modern Philofophers; fince Men have had a Taste for good Senfe, and could difcern the Beauties of correct Writing, he is prefer'd in the politeft Courts of Europe, and by the Poets held in great Veneration. Not that these can fervilely yield to his Authority, who, of all Men living, affect Liberty. The Truth is, what Ariftotle writes on this Subject, is not the Dictates of his own magisterial Will, or dry Deductions of his Metaphyficks: But the Poets were his Masters, and what was their Practice, he reduced to Principles. Nor would the modern Poets blindly refign to this Practice of the Ancients, were not the Reafons convincing and clear as any Demonftration in Mathematicks.. 'Tis only needful that we understand them, for our Confent to the Truth of them. The Arabians, 'tis confefs'd, who glory in their Poets and Poetry, more than all the World befides; and who, I fuppofe, firft brought the Art of Rhiming into Europe, obferve but little

thefe Laws of Aristotle: Yet Averroes rather On Arift. chooses to blame the Practice of his Country-de Poes. men as vicious, than to allow any Imputation on the Doctrine of this Philofopher as imperfect. Fancy with them is predominant, is wild, vaft and unbridled, over which their Judgment has little Command or Authority: Hence their Conceptions are monstrous, and have nothing of Exactness, nothing of Refemblance or Proportion.

The Author of thefe Reflections is as well known amongst the Criticks, as Ariftotle to the Philofopher's Never Man gave his Judgment fo 714 generally,