Page:Annus Mirabilis - Dryden (1688).djvu/9

 they deserve. I have called my Poem Historical, not Epick, though both the Actions and Actors are as much Heroick, as any Poem can contain. But since the Action is not properly one, nor that accomplish'd in the last successes, I have judg'd it too bold a Title for a few Stanza's, which are little more in number than a single Iliad, or the longest of the Æneids. For this reason, (I mean, not of length, but broken action, ti'd too severely to the Laws of History,) I am apt to agree with those who rank Lucan, rather among Historians in Verse, than Epique Poets: In whose room, if I am not deceived, Silius Italicus, though a worse Writer, may more justly be admitted. I have chosen to write my Poem in Quatrains, or Stanza's of four in alternate rhyme, because I have ever judg'd them more noble, and of greater dignity, both for the Sound and Number, than any other Verse in use amongst us; in which I am sure I have your approbation. The learned Languages have, certainly, a great advantage of us, in not being tied to the slavery of any Rhyme; and were less constrain'd in the quantity of every syllable, which they might vary with Spondæes or Dactiles, besides so many other helps of Grammatical Figures, for the lengthening or abbreviation of them, than the Modern are in the close of that one Syllable, which often confines, and more often corrupts the sense of all the rest. But in this necessity of our Rhymes, I have always found the couplet Verse most easie, (though not so proper for this occasion,) for there the work is sooner at an end, every two lines concluding the labour of the Poet; but in Quatrains he is to carry it farther on; and not only so, but to bear along in his head the trou-