bb. As a philosopher, Plato might be thought a natural enemy of poets, 41 5–26. cc. The morals he taught by no means superior to those inculcated by the poets, 41 26-42 3. dd. But Plato meant to condemn only the abuse of poetry, not the thing itself, 42 3–10. ee. Plato would have had a purer religion taught, but this objection has been removed by the advent of Christianity, 42 10—43 1. ff. Plato goes further than Sidney himself, in making poetry depend on a divine inspiration, 43 1-15. gg. The multitude of great men, Socrates and Aristotle included, who have countenanced poetry, 43 16-44 2. VII. Second Summary, of objections refuted, 44 3–13. VIII. The state of English poetry, 44 14—55 20. A. Poetry, anciently and latterly held in estimation in other countries, and formerly even in England, is now despised, 44 14-45 20. B. Hence only base men undertake it, 45 20-46 2. C. Poetry not to be learned and practised as a trade, 46 3—47 5. 1. Chaucer, Sackville, Surrey, and Spenser praised with mod- 2. Defects of the English drama, 47 28-52 10. a. Disregards unity of place, 48 11-25. c. Disregards unity of action, 49 19-50 2. d. Mingles tragedy and comedy, 50 3–22. e. Broad farce usurps the place of comedy, 50 23-52 4. 3. The lyric, which might well sing the Divine beauty and goodness (52 12-19), is frigid and affected in celebrating human love, 52 11-32. E. English poetry with respect to diction, 52 33-56 35. 1. Affectations in diction, 52 33-53 6. 2. Excursus upon euphuism in prose, 53 7-55 10. a. The excessive employment of phrases and figures borrowed from the ancients, 53 10-54 4. b. Superabundance of similes, especially of such as are drawn from the animal and vegetable kingdoms, 54 5-15. c. The means should not be suffered to obscure the end, 54 16-35. d. Apology for the digression, 55 1-10. 3. The English language favorable to poetry, 55 10-56 35. a. Equal to all demands upon it, 55 10-12. b. Its composite nature an advantage, 55 13-15. c. The grammarless tongue, 55 15–22. d. Its compound words, 55 22–27. 4. English versification the best for modern poetry, 55 2856 35. a. Ancient and modern versification, 55 28-56 7. b. English best adapted to modern metre, 567-22. c. And to riming, 56 23–35. IX. Third Summary. General review, 57 1-27. Humorous peroration, 57 28-58 16. THE DEFENSE OF POESY. 5 WHEN the right virtuous Edward Wotton and I were at the Emperor's court together, we gave ourselves to learn horsemanship of John Pietro Pugliano, one that with great commendation had the place of an esquire in his stable; and he, according to the fertileness of the Italian wit, did not only afford us the demonstration of his practice, but sought to enrich our minds with the contemplations therein which he thought most precious. But with none I remember mine ears were at any time more loaden, than when either angered with slow payment, 10 or moved with our learner-like admiration - he exercised his speech in the praise of his faculty. He said soldiers. were the noblest estate of mankind, and horsemen the noblest of soldiers. He said they were the masters of war and ornaments of peace, speedy goers and strong 15 abiders, triumphers both in camps and courts. Nay, to so unbelieved a point he proceeded, as that no earthly thing bred such wonder to a prince as to be a good horseman; skill of government was but a pedanteria in comparison. Then would he add certain praises, by tell- 20 ing what a peerless beast the horse was, the only serviceable courtier without flattery, the beast of most beauty, faithfulness, courage, and such more, that if I had not been a piece of a logician before I came to him, I think he would have persuaded me to have wished myself a 25 horse. But thus much at least with his no few words he drave into me, that self-love is better than any gilding to make that seem gorgeous wherein ourselves be parties. 2 POETS THE EARLIEST TEACHERS. Wherein if Pugliano's strong affection and weak arguments will not satisfy you, I will give you a nearer example of myself, who, I know not by what mischance, in these my not old years and idlest times, having slipped s into the title of a poet, am provoked to say something unto you in the defense of that my unelected vocation, which if I handle with more good will than good reasons, bear with me, since the scholar is to be pardoned that followeth the steps of his master. And yet I must say that, as I have just cause to make a pitiful defense of poor poetry, which from almost the highest estimation of learning is fallen to be the laughing-stock of children, so have I need to bring some more available proofs, since the former is by no man barred of his deserved credit, 15 the silly latter hath had even the names of philosophers used to the defacing of it, with great danger of civil war among the Muses. 10 And first, truly, to all them that, professing learning, inveigh against poetry, may justly be objected that they 20 go very near to ungratefulness, to seek to deface that which, in the noblest nations and languages that are known, hath been the first light-giver to ignorance, and first nurse, whose milk by little and little enabled them to feed afterwards of tougher knowledges. And will they 25 now play the hedgehog, that, being received into the den, drave out his host? Or rather the vipers, that with their birth kill their parents? Let learned Greece in any of her manifold sciences be able to show me one book before Musæus, Homer, and Hesiod, all three nothing 30 else but poets. Nay, let an history be brought that can say any writers were there before them, if they were not men of the same skill, as Orpheus, Linus, and some other are named, who, having been the first of that country that made pens deliverers of their knowledge to their 35 posterity, may justly challenge to be called their fathers |