CONTENTS OF THE ESSAY on CRITICISM. PART. I. Introduction. That 'tis as great a fault to judge ill, as to write ill, and a more dangerous one to the public, V I. That a true Taste is as rare to be found, as a true Genius, v9 to 18. That most men are born with fome Tafie, but spoil'd by falfe Education, v. 19 to 25. The Multitude of Critics, and causes of them, v 26 to 45. That we are to study our own Tafte, and know the Limits of it, v 46 to 67. Nature the best guide of judgment, v 67 to 87. Improved by Art and Rules, which are bur methodis'd Nature, v 88. Rules deriv'd from the Practice of the Ancient Poets, v id to IIO. That therefore the Ancients are necessary to be study'd by a Critic, particularly Homer and Virgil, v 120 to 138. Of Licenses, and the use of them by the Ancients, V 140 to 180. Reverence due to the Ancients, and praise of them, v 181, etc. PART. II. Ver. 203, etc. Caufes hindering a true judgment. 1. Pride, v 208. perfect Learning, v 215. 3. Judging by parts, and not by Critics in Wit, Language, Verfifica tion, only, v 288. 305. 339. etc. 4. Being too hard to please, r too apt to admire, v 384. 5. Partiality 4 Sect, - too much love to to the Ancients or Moderns, v 424. 8. Inconftancy, v 430. 9. Party Spirit, v 451, etc. 10. Envy, v 466. Against Envy and in praise of Good-nature, v 508, etc. Severity is chiefly to be used by Critics, v 526, etc. When PART III. Ver. $60, etc. Ruler for the Conduft and Manners in a Critic, I. Candour, v. 563. Modefty, v 566. Good-breeding, v 572. Sincerity and Freedom of advice, v 578. 2. When one's Counsel is to be restraimed, v 584. Character of an incorrigible Poet, v600. And of an impertinent Critic, v 610, esc. Character of a good Critic, v 629. The History of Criticism, and Characters of the befe Cri. rics, Ariftotle, v 645. Horace, v 653. Dionyfius, 665. Petronius, v 667. Quintilian, v 670. Longinus, v 675. of the Decay of Criticism, and its Revival. Erafmus, v 693. Vida, v 705. Boileau, v 714. Lord Rofcommon, etc. v 725. Conclusion. AN ESSAY ON CRITICIS M. 'TIS IS hard to fay, if greater want of skill But of the two, lefs dang'rous is th' offence An Effay.) The Poem is in one book, but divided into three principal parts or members. The firft (to v. 201.) gives rules for the Study of the Art of Criticism: the fecond (from thence to v. 560.) exposes the Causes of wrong Judgment; and the third (from thence to the end) marks out the Morals of the Critic. In order to a right conception of this poem, it will be neceffary to obferve, that tho' it be intitled fimply An Essay on Criticism, yet feveral of the precepts relate equally to the good writing as well as to the true judging of a poem. This is fo far from violating the Unity of the subject, that it preferves and compleats it: or from difordering the irregularity of the Form, that it adds beauty to it, as will appear by the following confiderations: 1) It was impoffible to give a full and exact idea of the Art of Poetisal Criticism, without confidering at the fame time the Art of Pec try; fo far as Poetry is an Art. Thefe therefore being clofely connected in nature, the Author has with much judgment reciprocally interwoven the precepts of each thro' his whole poem. 2) As the rules of the antient Critics were taken from Poets, who copied nature, this is another reason why every fhould be a Critic? Therefore, as the fubject is poetical Criticism, it is frequently addreffed to the critical Poet. And 3dly the Art of Criticism is as neceffarily, and much more ufefully exercifed in writing than in judging. But readers have been mifled by the modesty of the Title which only promifes an Art of Criticism, in a treatise, and that no incompleat one, of the Art both of Criticism and Poetry. This |