And mark that point where sense and dulness meet. Nature to all things fixed the limits fit, And wisely curbed proud man's pretending wit. As on the land while here the ocean gains, before, 60 These leave the sense, their learning to display, And those explain the meaning quite away. You, then, whose judgment the right course would steer, Know well each ancient's proper character; His fable, subject, scope in every page; 120 Religion, country, genius of his age: Without all these at once before your eyes, Cavil you may, but never criticise. Be Homer's works your study and delight, Read them by day, and meditate by night; Thence form your judgment, thence your maxims bring, 126 And trace the Muses upward to their spring. Still with itself compared, his text peruse; And let your comment be the Mantuan Muse. When first young Maro in his boundless mind 130 Some figures monstrous and mis-shaped appear, Considered singly, or beheld too near, Which, but proportioned to their light or place, Due distance reconciles to form and grace. A prudent chief not always must display 175 His powers in equal ranks, and fair array, But with the occasion and the place comply, Conceal his force, nay, seem sometimes to fly. Those oft are stratagems which errors seem, Nor is it Homer nods, but we that dream. Still green with bays each ancient altar stands, 181 Who durst depart from Aristotle's rules. Our author, happy in a judge so nice, Produced his play, and begged the knight's advice; Made him observe the subject, and the plot, 275 The manners, passions, unities, what not? All which, exact to rule, were brought about, Were but a combat in the lists left out. 'What! leave the combat out?' exclaims the knight; Yes, or we must renounce the Stagirite. 280 'Not so, by Heaven' (he answers in a rage), 'Knights, squires, and steeds, must enter on the stage.' So vast a throng the stage can ne'er contain. 'Then build a new, or act it in a plain.' Thus critics, of less judgment than caprice, 285 Curious not knowing, not exact but nice, The hoarse, rough verse should like the When Ajax strives some rock's vast weight 370 1 The line too labors, and the words move Not so, when swift Camilla plain, scours the Flies o'er the unbending corn, and skims Hear how Timotheus' varied lays surprise, Jove 376 Now burns with glory, and then melts with Now his fierce eyes with sparkling fury glow, Now sighs steal out, and tears begin to Persians and Greeks like turns of nature 380 And the world's victor stood subdued by The power of music all our hearts allow, Who still are pleased too little or too much. sense; Those heads, as stomachs, are not sure the Which nauseate all, and nothing can di- Yet let not each gay turn thy rapture move; prove: 391 As things seem large which we through mists descry, Dulness is ever apt to magnify. Some foreign writers, some our own despise; 394 The ancients only, or the moderns prize. Thus wit, like faith, by each man is applied To one small sect, and all are damned be- Meanly they seek the blessing to confine, 400 But ripens spirits in cold northern climes; |