Page:Gondibert, an heroick poem - William Davenant (1651).djvu/26

 Now (Sir) I again ask you pardon, for I have again digressed; my immediate business being to tell you, That the distempers of Love and Ambition are the onely Characters I design'd to expose as objects of terrour: and my purpose was also to assure you, that I never meant to prostitute Wickedness in the Images of low and contemptible people, as if I expected the meanest of the multitude for my Readers (since onely the Rabble is seen at common executions) nor intended to raise iniquity, to that height of horrour, till it might seem the fury of something worse than a beast. In order to the first I believe the Spartans (who to deter their children from drunkenness, accustom'd their Slaves to vomit before them) did by such fulsom examples, rather teach them to disdain the Slaves, than to loath Wine, for Men seldom take notice of the vice in abject persons, especially where necessity constrains it. And in observation of the second, I have thought, that those horrid spectacles (when the latter race of Gladiators made up the excesses of Romane feasts) did more induce the Guests to detest the cruelty of mankind, than increase their courage by beholding such an impudent scorn of Life.

I have now given you the accompt of such provisions as I made for this new Building; and you may next please (having examin'd the substance) to take a view of the form; and observe if I have methodically and with discretion, dispos'd of the materials, which with some curiosity I have collected. I cannot discern by any help from reading, or learned men, (who have been to me the best and briefest Indexes of Books) that any Nation hath in representment of great actions (either by Heroicks or Dramaticks) digested Story into so pleasant and instructive a method as the English by their Drama: and by that regular species (though narratively and not in Dialogue) I have drawn the body of an Heroick Poem: In which I did not onely observe the Symmetrie (proportioning five Books to five Acts, and Canto's to Scenes, (the Scenes having their number ever govern'd by occasion) but all the shadowings,