a defence of poesie and poems-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


gh　a　price；　that　Philip　of　Macedon　reckoned　a　horse…race　won　at　Olympus　among　three　fearful　felicities。　　But　as　the　inimitable　Pindar　often　did；　so　is　that　kind　most　capable；　and　most　fit；　to　awake　the　thoughts　from　the　sleep　of　idleness；　to　embrace　honourable　enterprises。

There　rests　the　heroical；　｛56｝　whose　very　name；　I　think；　should　daunt　all　backbiters。　　For　by　what　conceit　can　a　tongue　be　directed　to　speak　evil　of　that　which　draweth　with　him　no　less　champions　than　Achilles；　Cyrus；　AEneas；　Turus；　Tydeus；　Rinaldo？　who　doth　not　only　teach　and　move　to　truth；　but　teacheth　and　moveth　to　the　most　high　and　excellent　truth：　　who　maketh　magnanimity　and　justice　shine　through　all　misty　fearfulness　and　foggy　desires？　who；　if　the　saying　of　Plato　and　Tully　be　true；　that　who　could　see　virtue；　would　be　wonderfully　ravished　with　the　love　of　her　beauty；　this　man　setteth　her　out　to　make　her　more　lovely；　in　her　holiday　apparel；　to　the　eye　of　any　that　will　deign　not　to　disdain　until　they　understand。　　But　if　any　thing　be　already　said　in　the　defence　of　sweet　poetry；　all　concurreth　to　the　maintaining　the　heroical；　which　is　not　only　a　kind；　but　the　best　and　most　accomplished　kind；　of　poetry。　　For；　as　the　image　of　each　action　stirreth　and　instructeth　the　mind；　so　the　lofty　image　of　such　worthies　most　inflameth　the　mind　with　desire　to　be　worthy；　and　informs　with　counsel　how　to　be　worthy。　　Only　let　AEneas　be　worn　in　the　tablet　of　your　memory；　how　he　governeth　himself　in　the　ruin　of　his　country；　in　the　preserving　his　old　father；　and　carrying　away　his　religious　ceremonies；　in　obeying　God's　commandments；　to　leave　Dido；　though　not　only　passionate　kindness；　but　even　the　human　consideration　of　virtuous　gratefulness；　would　have　craved　other　of　him；　how　in　storms；　how　in　sports；　how　in　war；　how　in　peace；　how　a　fugitive；　how　victorious；　how　besieged；　how　besieging；　how　to　strangers；　how　to　allies；　how　to　enemies；　how　to　his　own；　lastly；　how　in　his　inward　self；　and　how　in　his　outward　government；　and　I　think；　in　a　mind　most　prejudiced　with　a　prejudicating　humour；　he　will　be　found　in　excellency　fruitful。　　Yea；　as　Horace　saith；　〃Melius　Chrysippo　et　Crantore：〃　｛57｝　but；　truly；　I　imagine　it　falleth　out　with　these　poet…whippers　as　with　some　good　women　who　often　are　sick；　but　in　faith　they　cannot　tell　where。　　So　the　name　of　poetry　is　odious　to　them；　but　neither　his　cause　nor　effects；　neither　the　sum　that　contains　him；　nor　the　particularities　descending　from　him；　give　any　fast　handle　to　their　carping　dispraise。

Since；　then；　｛58｝　poetry　is　of　all　human　learnings　the　most　ancient；　and　of　most　fatherly　antiquity；　as　from　whence　other　learnings　have　taken　their　beginnings；　since　it　is　so　universal　that　no　learned　nation　doth　despise　it；　nor　barbarous　nation　is　without　it；　since　both　Roman　and　Greek　gave　such　divine　names　unto　it；　the　one　of　prophesying；　the　other　of　making；　and　that　indeed　that　name　of　making　is　fit　for　him；　considering；　that　where　all　other　arts　retain　themselves　within　their　subject；　and　receive；　as　it　were；　their　being　from　it；　the　poet　only；　only　bringeth　his　own　stuff；　and　doth　not　learn　a　conceit　out　of　a　matter；　but　maketh　matter　for　a　conceit；　since　neither　his　description　nor　end　containeth　any　evil；　the　thing　described　cannot　be　evil；　since　his　effects　be　so　good　as　to　teach　goodness；　and　delight　the　learners　of　it；　since　therein　（namely；　in　moral　doctrine；　the　chief　of　all　knowledges）　he　doth　not　only　far　pass　the　historian；　but；　for　instructing；　is　well　nigh　comparable　to　the　philosopher；　for　moving；　leaveth　him　behind　him；　since　the　Holy　Scripture　（wherein　there　is　no　uncleanness）　hath　whole　parts　in　it　poetical；　and　that　even　our　Saviour　Christ　vouchsafed　to　use　the　flowers　of　it；　since　all　his　kinds　are　not　only　in　their　united　forms；　but　in　their　severed　dissections　fully　commendable；　I　think；　and　think　I　think　rightly；　the　laurel　crown　appointed　for　triumphant　captains；　doth　worthily；　of　all　other　learnings；　honour　the　poet's　triumph。

But　｛59｝　because　we　have　ears　as　well　as　tongues；　and　that　the　lightest　reasons　that　may　be；　will　seem　to　weigh　greatly；　if　nothing　be　put　in　the　counterbalance；　let　us　hear；　and；　as　well　as　we　can；　ponder　what　objections　be　made　against　this　art；　which　may　be　worthy　either　of　yielding　or　answering。

First；　truly；　I　note；　not　only　in　these　＇Greek　text＇；　poet…haters；　but　in　all　that　kind　of　people　who　seek　a　praise　by　dispraising　others；　that　they　do　prodigally　spend　a　great　many　wandering　words　in　quips　and　scoffs；　carping　and　taunting　at　each　thing；　which；　by　stirring　the　spleen；　may　stay　the　brain　from　a　thorough　beholding；　the　worthiness　of　the　subject。　　Those　kind　of　objections；　as　they　are　full　of　a　very　idle　uneasiness　（since　there　is　nothing　of　so　sacred　a　majesty；　but　that　an　itching　tongue　may　rub　itself　upon　it）；　so　deserve　they　no　other　answer；　but；　instead　of　laughing　at　the　jest；　to　laugh　at　the　jester。　　We　know　a　playing　wit　can　praise　the　discretion　of　an　ass；　the　comfortableness　of　being　in　debt；　and　the　jolly　commodities　of　being　sick　of　the　plague；　so；　of　the　contrary　side；　if　we　will　turn　Ovid's　verse；


〃Ut　lateat　virtus　proximitate　mali。〃


〃That　good　lies　hid　in　nearness　of　the　evil；〃　Agrippa　will　be　as　merry　in　the　showing　the　Vanity　of　Science；　as　Erasmus　was　in　the　commending　of　Folly；　｛60｝　neither　shall　any　man　or　matter　escape　some　touch　of　these　smiling　railers。　　But　for　Erasmus　and　Agrippa；　they　had　another　foundation　than　the　superficial　part　would　promise。　Marry；　these　other　pleasant　fault…finders；　who　will　correct　the　verb　before　they　understand　the　noun；　and　confute　others'　knowledge　before　they　confirm　their　own；　I　would　have　them　only　remember；　that　scoffing　cometh　not　of　wisdom；　so　as　the　best　title　in　true　English　they　get　with　their　merriments；　is　to　be　called　good　fools；　for　so　have　our　grave　forefathers　ever　termed　that　humorous　kind　of　jesters。

But　that　which　giveth　greatest　scope　to　their　scorning　humour；　is　rhyming　and　versing。　｛61｝　　It　is　already　said；　and；　as　I　think；　truly　said；　it　is　not　rhyming　and　versing　that　maketh　poesy；　one　may　be　a　poet　without　versing；　and　a　versifier　without　poetry。　　But　yet；　presuppose　it　were　inseparable；　as　indeed；　it　seemeth　Scaliger　judgeth　truly；　it　were　an　inseparable　commendation；　for　if　〃oratio〃　next　to　〃ratio；〃　speech　next　to　reason；　be　the　greatest　gift　bestowed　upon　mortality；　that　cannot　be　praiseless　which　doth　most　polish　that　blessing　of　speech；　which　considereth　each　word；　not　only　as　a　man　may　say　by　his　forcible　quality；　but　by　his　best　measured　quantity；　carrying　even　in　themselves　a　harmony；　without；　perchance；　number；　measure；　order；　proportion　be　in　our　time　grown　odious。

But　lay　aside　the　just　praise　it　hath；　by　being　the　only　fit　speech　for　musicmusic；　I　say；　the　most　divine　striker　of　the　senses；　thus　much　is　undoubtedly　true；　that　if　reading　be　foolish　without　remembering；　memory　being　the　only　treasure　of　knowledge；　those　words　which　are　fittest　for　memory；　are　likewise　most　convenient　for　knowledge。　　Now；　that　verse　far　exceedeth　prose　in　the　knitting　up　of　the　memory；　the　reason　is　manifest：　　the　words；　besides　their　delight；　which　hath　a　great　affinity　to　memory；　being　so　set　as　one　cannot　be　lost；　but　the　whole　work　fails：　　which　accusing　itself；　calleth　the　remembrance　back　to　itself；　and　so　most　strongly　confirmeth　it。　　Besides；　one　word　so；　as　it　were；　begetting　another；　as；　be　it　in　rhyme　or　measured　verse；　by　the　former　a　man　shall　have　a　near　guess　to　the　follower。　　Lastly；　even　they　that　have　taught　the　art　of　memory；　have　showed　nothing　so　apt　for　it　as　a　certain　room　divided　into　many　places；　well　and　thoroughly　known；　now　that　hath　the　verse　in　effect　perfectly；　every　word　having　his　natural　seat；　which　seat　must　needs　make　the　word　remembered。　　But　what　needs　more　in　a　thing　so　known　to　all　men？　　Who　is　it　that　ever　was　a　scholar　that　doth　not　carry　away　some　verses　of　Virgil；　Horace；　or　Cato；　which　in　his　youth　he　learned；　and　even　to　his　old　age　serve　him　for　hourly　lessons？　as；


〃Percontatorem　fugito：　　nam　garrulus　idem　est。　Dum　sibi　quisque　placet　credula　turba　sumus。〃　｛62｝


But　the　fitness　it　hath　for　memory　is　notably　proved　by　all　delivery　of　arts；　wherein；　for　the　most　part；　from　grammar　to　logic；　mathematics；　physic；　and　the　rest；　the　rules　chiefly　necessary　to　be　borne　away　are　compiled　in　verses。　　So　that　verse　being　in　itself　sweet　and　orderly；　and　being　best　for　memory；　the　only　handle　of　knowledge；　it　must　be　in　jest　that　any　man　can　speak　against　it。

Now　｛63｝　then　go　we　to　the　most　important　imputations　laid　to　the　poor　poets；　for　aught　I　can　yet　learn；　they　are　these。

First；　that　there　being　many　other　more　fruitful　knowledges；　a　man　might　better　spend　his　time　in　them　than　in　this。

Secondly；　that　it　is　the　mother　of　lies。

Thirdly；　that　it　is　the　nurse　of　abuse；　infecting　us　with　many　pestilent　desires；　with　a　syren　sweetness；　drawing　the　mind　to　the　serpent's　tail　of　sinful　fancies；　and　herein；　especially；　comedies　give　the　largest　field　to　ear；　as　Chaucer　saith；　how；　both　in　other　nations　and　ours；　before　poets　did　soften　us；　we　were　full　of　courage；　given　to　martial　exercises；　the　pillars　of　manlike　liberty；　and　not　lulled　asleep　in　shady　idleness　with　poets'　pastimes。

And　lastly　and　chiefly；　they　cry　out　with　open　mouth；　as　if　they　had　overshot　Robin　Hood；　that　Plato　banished　them　out　of　his　commonwealth。　　Truly　this　is　much；　if　there　be　much　truth　in　it。

First；　｛64｝　to　the　first；　that　a　man　might　better　spend　his　time；　is　a　reason　indeed；　but　it　doth；　as　they　say；　but　〃petere　principium。〃　｛65｝　　For　if　it　be；　as　I　affirm；　that　no　learning　is　so　good　as　that　which　teacheth　and　moveth　to　virtue；　and　that　none　can　both　teach　and　move　thereto　so　much　as　poesy；　then　is　the　conclusion　manifest；　that　ink　and　paper　cannot　be　to　a　more　profitable　purpose　employed。　And　certainly；　though　a　man　should　grant　their　first　assumption；　it　should　follow；　methinks；　very　unwillingly；　that　good　is　not　good　because　better　is　better。　　But　I　still　and　utterly　deny　that　there　is　sprung　out　of　earth　a　more　fruitful　knowledge。

To　｛66｝　the　second；　therefore；　that　they　should　be　the　principal　liars；　I　answer　paradoxically；　but　truly；　I　think　truly；　that　of　all　writers　under　the　sun；　the　poet　is　the　least　liar；　and　though　he　would；　as　a　poet；　can　scarcely　be　a　liar。　　The　astronomer；　with　his　cousin　the　geometrician；　can　hardly　escape　when　they　take　upon　them　to　measure　the　height　of　the　stars。　　How　often；　think　you；　do　the　physicians　lie；　when　they　aver　things　good　for　sicknesses；　which　afterwards　send　Charon　a　great　number　of　souls　drowned　in　a　potion　before　they　come　to　his　ferry。　　And　no　less　of　the　rest　which　take　upon　them　to　affirm。　　Now　for　the　poet；　he　nothing　affirmeth；　and　therefore　never　lieth；　for；　as　I　take　it；　to　lie　is　to　affirm　that　to　be　true　which　is　false：　　so　as　the　other　artists；　and　especially　the　historian；　affirmeth　many　things；　can；　in　the　cloudy　knowledge　of　mankind；　hardly　escape　from　many　lies：　　but　the　poet；　as　I　said　before；　never　affirmeth；　the　poet　never　maketh　any　circles　about　your　imagination；　to　conjure　you　to　believe　for　true　what　he　writeth：　　he　citeth　not　authorities　of　other　histories；　but　even　for　his　entry　calleth　the　sweet　Muses　t