Thephilosopher,therefore,andthehistorianaretheywhichwouldwinthegoal,theonebyprecept,theotherbyexample;butboth,nothavingboth,dobothhalt.Forthephilosopher,settingdownwiththornyargumentsthebarerule,issohardofutterance,andsomistytobeconceived,thatonethathathnootherguidebuthimshallwadeinhimuntilhebeold,beforeheshallfindsufficientcausetobehonest.Forhisknowledgestandethsoupontheabstractandgeneral,thathappyisthatmanwhomayunderstandhim,andmorehappythatcanapplywhathedothunderstand.Ontheothersidethehistorian,wantingtheprecept,issotied,nottowhatshouldbe,buttowhatis;totheparticulartruthofthings,andnottothegeneralreasonofthings;thathisexampledrawethnonecessaryconsequence,andthereforealessfruitfuldoctrine.
Now{32}doththepeerlesspoetperformboth;forwhatsoeverthephilosophersaithshouldbedone,hegivethaperfectpictureofit,bysomeonebywhomhepre-supposethitwasdone,soashecoupleththegeneralnotionwiththeparticularexample.Aperfectpicture,Isay;forheyieldethtothepowersofthemindanimageofthatwhereofthephilosopherbestowethbutawordishdescription,whichdothneitherstrike,pierce,norpossessthesightofthesoul,somuchasthatotherdoth.Foras,inoutwardthings,toamanthathadneverseenanelephant,orarhinoceros,whoshouldtellhimmostexquisitelyalltheirshape,colour,bigness,andparticularmarks?orofagorgeouspalace,anarchitect,who,declaringthefullbeauties,mightwellmakethehearerabletorepeat,asitwere,byrote,allhehadheard,yetshouldneversatisfyhisinwardconceit,withbeingwitnesstoitselfofatruelivingknowledge;
butthesameman,assoonashemightseethosebeastswellpainted,orthathousewellinmodel,shouldstraightwaygrow,withoutneedofanydescription,toajudicialcomprehendingofthem;so,nodoubt,thephilosopher,withhislearneddefinitions,beitofvirtueorvices,mattersofpublicpolicyorprivategovernment,replenisheththememorywithmanyinfalliblegroundsofwisdom,which,notwithstanding,liedarkbeforetheimaginativeandjudgingpower,iftheybenotilluminatedorfiguredforthbythespeakingpictureofpoesy.
Tullytakethmuchpains,andmanytimesnotwithoutpoeticalhelp,tomakeusknowtheforceloveofourcountryhathinus.LetusbuthearoldAnchises,speakinginthemidstofTroy\'sflames,orseeUlysses,inthefulnessofallCalypso\'sdelights,bewailhisabsencefrombarrenandbeggarlyIthaca.Anger,theStoicssaid,wasashortmadness;letbutSophoclesbringyouAjaxonastage,killingorwhippingsheepandoxen,thinkingthemthearmyofGreeks,withtheirchieftainsAgamemnonandMenelaus;andtellme,ifyouhavenotamorefamiliarinsightintoanger,thanfindingintheschoolmenhisgenusanddifference?SeewhetherwisdomandtemperanceinUlyssesandDiomedes,valourinAchilles,friendshipinNisusandEuryalus,eventoanignorantman,carrynotanapparentshining;and,contrarily,theremorseofconscienceinOEdipus;thesoon-repentingprideinAgamemnon;theself-devouringcrueltyinhisfatherAtreus;theviolenceofambitioninthetwoThebanbrothers;thesoursweetnessofrevengeinMedea;and,tofalllower,theTerentianGnatho,andourChaucer\'sPandar,soexpressed,thatwenowusetheirnamestosignifytheirtrades;andfinally,allvirtues,vices,andpassionssointheirownnaturalstateslaidtotheview,thatweseemnottohearofthem,butclearlytoseethroughthem?
Buteveninthemostexcellentdeterminationofgoodness,whatphilosopher\'scounselcansoreadilydirectaprinceasthefeignedCyrusinXenophon?Oravirtuousmaninallfortunes,asAEneasinVirgil?Orawholecommonwealth,asthewayofSirThomasMore\'sUtopia?Isaytheway,becausewhereSirThomasMoreerred,itwasthefaultoftheman,andnotofthepoet;forthatwayofpatterningacommonwealthwasmostabsolute,thoughhe,perchance,hathnotsoabsolutelyperformedit.Forthequestionis,whetherthefeignedimageofpoetry,ortheregularinstructionofphilosophy,haththemoreforceinteaching.Wherein,ifthephilosophershavemorerightlyshowedthemselvesphilosophers,thanthepoetshaveattainedtothehightopoftheirprofession,asintruth,\"MediocribusessepoetisNonDi,nonhomines,nonconcesserecolumnae,\"{33}