It was the like attention to nature, which led Milton to difpofe of his fallen angels after the manner, defcribed in the fecond book of Paradife loft.

To multiply inftances, when every poet in every page is at hand to furnish them, were egregious trifling. In all cafes of this fort, the known character, in conjunction with the circumstances of the person defcribed, determines the particular action or employment, for the most part, so abfolutely, that it requires fome industry to mistake it. In faying which, I do not forget, what many have, perhaps, been ready to object to me long fince," that what is natural is not "therefore of neceffity obvious: All the "amazing flights of Homer's or Shakespear's

fancy are found agreeable to nature, when " contemplated by the capable reader; but "who will fay, that, therefore, they must "have prefented themselves to the genera"lity of writers? The office of judgment is "one thing, and of invention, another."

Properly fpeaking, what we call invention in poetry is, in refpect of the matter of it, fimply, obfervation. And it is in the arrangement, use, and application of his maE 3 terials,

terials, not in the investigation of them, that the exercife of the poet's genius principally confifts. In the cafe of immediate and direct T

imagery, which is the fubject at prefent, nothing more is requifite, than to paint truly, what nature prefents to the eye, or common sense fuggefts to the mind of the writer. A vivacity of thought will, indeed, be neceffary to run over the feveral circumftances of any appearance, and a juft dif cernment will be wanting, out of a number, to felect fuch peculiar circumftances, as are most adapted to strike the imagination. It is not therefore pretended, that the fame images must occur to all. Sluggish, unactive understandings, which feldom look abroad into living nature, or, when they do, have not curiofity or vigour enough to direct their attention to the nicer particularities of her beauties, will unavoidably overlook the commoneft appearances; Or, wanting that juft perception of what is beautiful, which we call taste, will as often mistake in the choice of thofe circumftances, which they may have happened to contemplate." But quick, perceptive, intelligent minds (and of fuch only I can be thought to speak)

will hardly fail of feeing nature in the fame light, and of noting the fame diftinct fea tures and proportions. The fuperiority of Homer and Shakespear to other poets doth not lie in their discovery of new fentiments or images, but in the forceable manner, in which their fublime genius taught them to convey and imprefs old ones,

And to inforce what is here faid of the familiarity of this clafs of the poet's materials, one may, further, appeal to the cafe of the other mimetic arts, which have no affiftance from narration. Certain gestures, looks, or attitudes, are fo immediarely declarative of the internal actuating caufes, that, on the flighteft view of the picture or statue, we collect the real state of the perfons reprefented. This figure, we fay, ftrongly expreffes the paffion of grief; that, of anger; that, of joy; and fo of all the other affections. Or, again, when the particular paffion is characterized, the general temper and difpofition, which we call the manners, is clearly difcernible. There is a liberal and graceful air, which discovers a fine temperature of the affections, in one; a clofe and fullen afpect, declaring a narrow con E 4

tracted

tracted felfishness in another. In short, there is fcarcely any mark or feature of the human mind, any peculiarity of difpofition or character, which the artist does not fet off and make appear at once, to the view, by fome certain turn or conformation of the outward figure. Now this effect of his art would be impoffible, were it not, that regular and conftant obfervation hath found fuch external figns confociated with the correfpondent internal workings. A heaven overhung with clouds, the toffing of waves, and intermingled flashes of lightning are not furer indications of a form, than the gloomy face, diftorted limb, and indignant eye are of the outrage of conflicting paffion. The fim pleft fpectator is capable of obferving this. And the artist deceives himfelf, or would reflect a falfe honour on his art, who fufpects there is any mystery in making such 'difcoveries.

It is true, fome great painters have thought it convenient to explain the defign of their works by infcriptions. We find this expedient to have been practised of old by Polygnotus, as may be gathered from the defcription given us, of two of his pic

tures

tures by Paufanias; and the fame thing is obfervable of fome of the beft modern mafters. But their intention was only to fignify the names of the principal persons, and to declare the general scope of their pictures. And fo far this ufage may not be amifs in large compofitions, and especially on new or uncommon fubjects. But should an artift borrow the affiftance of words to tell us the meaning of airs and attitudes,' and to interpret to us the expreffion of each figure, fuch a piece of intelligence must needs be thought very impertinent; fince they must be very unqualified to pass their judgment on works of this fort, who had not, from their own obfervation, collected the visible figns, ufually attendant on any character or paffion; and whom therefore the representation of thefe figns, would not lead to a certain knowledge of the character or paffion intended.

Nay there is one advantage which painting hath, in this refpect, over narration, and even poetry itself. For though poetry reprefent the fame objects, the fame fenfible marks of the internal movements, as painting, yet it doth it with lefs particularity

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