[6] Voss. de Art. Poet. &c. p. 21.
[7] Περι ποιητικης, cap. 2.
[8] cap. 1.
[9] De Art. Poet. V. 33.
[10] Ποιεω, in the _Doric_ and _Æolic_ Dialects is writ ποεω,
whence Ποητες, _Poeta_. See _Chishul's Inscript. Sigea_,
§ ult. A _Maker_ in our own Language under Queen _Elizabeth_, was the
common Appellation for a Poet, agreeably to the _Greeks_, with whom,
likewise, the Verb ποιεω simply signified to _make Verses_.
See _Taylor's Lysias_, Ed. 4to, p. 27.
[11] In Aristot. Poet. c. 1.
[12] De Art. Poet. p. 7, 8.
[13] P. 13.
[14] See Voss. de Art. Poet. p. 11.
[15] De Art. Poet. v. 333.
[16] De Art. Poet. p. 78, 79.
[17] P. 80, 81.
[18] Art. Poet. v ℣ 408.
[19] Ov. Trist. 1. El. 1.
LECTURE IV, V, VI, VII.
_Of the Style of Poetry._
My present Design being to give some Account of the Thought and Diction
peculiar to Poets, I must first premise, that there are many Things
relating to this Subject, which Words can scarce come up to, and are
much better conceived than expressed. Every one will be satisfied of
this, that considers of how delicate a Nature Poetry is; how variously
it diversifies both Words and Things, by such Bounds as have a very
close Connection, upon which, however, the Beauty of the Thought and
Diction often turns[20]. These, tho' clearly enough distinguished in
the Mind; yet, such is the Weakness of Words, can never be explained in
Writing. A true Judgment, duly exercised in reading the best Poets, and
in making proper Reflections upon them, is the only Means of arriving
at this Part of Knowledge. The outer Lines of it, which afford proper
Matter for a Dissertation, I shall endeavour to represent to you, as
well as I can.
But I would here, likewise, farther observe, that Writing and Thinking
are (at least ought to be) so nearly allied, that it is impossible for
any one, in treating of _Style_, not to mention some Things that relate
to _Thought_ likewise. This, therefore, will be my Case. At present,
however, I shall confine my self _chiefly_ to the former, reserving the
latter for another intire Dissertation.
By Style I understand a Method of Writing peculiar to every Writer, Art,
or Science; or that which distinguishes Writings and Writers from one
another. The Beauty of it consists in such a proper Choice of Words, and
in so apt a Connexion of them, as may express the Conceptions of the
Mind clearly, and at the same Time cloathed with a becoming Dignity.
The Style of Poetry is extremely various; because every Species of this
divine Art has a Diction proper to itself; we shall just touch upon
the several Kinds in this Dissertation, as we shall treat more fully,
perhaps, of each, when we come to examine them separately. Our chief
Business, at present, is, to speak of the Style of Poetry in _general_,
and shew wherein the Difference consists between that and Prose.
Now this is so great, that the Poets use many Phrases, even with
the greatest Elegance, which a Prose Writer could not, without the
Imputation of false _Latin_, or the Guilt of Solecism. Instances of such
Expressions, reducible to no certain Rule, are very frequent. To mention
only a few: Adjectives and Participles that describe the Situation or
Part of the Body, very elegantly require the following Noun to be put
in the accusative Case, in Imitation of the _Greek_ Construction; v.g.
_Stratus membra sub arbuto_; _Ære caput refulgens_; _saucius ora_;
_Lacerum crudeliter ora_, and the like[21].
Adjectives of the Neuter Gender, and singular Number, and sometimes of
the plural, are used adverbially. So, _Triste micans_; _Dulce ridentem
Lalagen amabo, dulce loquentem_; _Cometa ferale rubens_; _torva tuentem,
&c._
Many Adjectives govern a Genitive, in a Manner altogether poetical.
_Irritus incepti_; _non modicus voti_; _melior dextræ_; _Pubes læta
laborum_; _egregius linguæ_; _Pravus togæ, inglorius ausi_; _anhelus
laboris_; _integer vitæ scelerisque purus_; _lassus maris & viarum,
militiæque_; _seri studiorum_; _fortunatus laborum_; _fessi rerum_;
_trepidi rerum_; and numberless others of the same Sort. Often,
likewise, and with no less Elegance, they govern an Infinitive: _Orpheus
blandus ducere quercus_; _superare pugnis nobilis_; _celer sequi; vultus
nimium lubricus aspici_; _durus componere versus_; _Adria facilis
moveri_; _fortis tractare serpentes_; _doctus Phœbi dicere laudes_;
_cantare periti_; and the like.
Adjectives, and their Substantives, denoting Number and Multitude, are
used in the singular Number: As, _Populus frequens_; _multa rosa_;
_innumera avis_; _quam multo repetet Græcia milite_; _licet illi plurima
manet lacrima_.
To mention but one Observation more: Some Adjectives, which in common
Prose agree with their Substantives, are turned into the Neuter Gender
and plural Number, and the Substantives into the Genitive Case: As,
_Ultima mundi_; _ardua montis_; _cuncta terrarum_; _prospera rerum_;
_dura rerum_; _aspera ponti_; _acuta belli_; _strata viarum_; _opaca
locorum_; and many more to the like Purpose.
It would be endless, to produce all the Examples that come under these
Rules; they abound in every Page almost of the best Poets, especially
the _Lyric:_ For the _Lyrics_ chiefly delight in the true poetic Style,
as may be collected from the Examples I have here produced, most of them
from the Odes of _Horace_. But there are, besides, various poetical
Expressions, which tho' not reducible to any particular Class, yet occur
up and down in Reading, and are worthy of treasuring up in the Memory.
Such are frequent in _Virgil_:
----_dederatque comam diffundere ventis_[22].
And giv'n the Winds,
To wanton in her Tresses.
_Ut cum carceribus sese effudêre quadrigæ,
Addunt se in spatia, & frustra retinacula tendens
Fertur equis auriga, neque audit currus habenas_[23].
As when the Racers from the Barriers start,
Oft whirling round the Goal, the Charioteer
Vainly attempts to check the flying Steeds.
Himself is born away, the dusty Car
Swift smoaks along, nor bounding hears the Reins.
And many in _Juvenal_:
_Sic laudamus equum, facilis cui plurima palma
Fervet, & exultat rauco victoria Circo:
Nobilis hic, quocunque venit de gramine, cujus
Clara fuga ante alios, & primus in æquore pulvis_[24].
We commend a Horse
(Without Regard of Pasture, or of Breed)
For his undaunted Mettle, and his Speed;
Who wins most Plates, with greatest Ease, and first
Prints with his Hoofs his Conquest on the Dust.
_G. Stephens._
But especially in the Prince of the Lyric Poets:
----_amat
Janua limen._