Page:Gondibert, an heroick poem - William Davenant (1651).djvu/33

 me, that the engenderings of unripe age become abortive, and deform'd; and that after obtaining more years, those must needs prophesie with ill success, who make use of their Visions in Wine; That when the ancient Poets were valu'd as Prophets, they were long and painfull in watching the correspondence of Causes, ere they presum'd to foretel effects: and that 'tis a high pesumption to entertain a Nation (who are Poets standing Guest, and require Monarchical respect) with hastie provisions; as if a Poet might imitate a familiar dispatch of Faulkoners, mount his Pegasus, unhood his Muse, and with a few flights boast he hath provided a feast for a Prince. Such posting upon Pegasus I have long since forborn; and during my Journey in this Work, have mov'd with a slow pace; that I might make my survays as one that travelled not bring home the names, but the proportion, and nature of things: and in this I am made wise by two great examples; for the friends of Virgil acknoledge he was many years in doing honour to Æneas (still contracting at night into a closer force, the abundance of his morning strengths) and Statius rather seems to boast, than blush, when he confesses he was twice in renowning the War between Argos and Thebes.

Next to the usefulness of Time (which here implies ripe age (I believ'd pains most requisite to this undertaking: for though painfulness in Poets (according to the usual negligence of our Nation in Examining, and their diligence to censure) seems always to discover a want of natural force, and is traduc'd, as if Poesie concern'd the World no more than Dancing; whose onely grace is the quickness and facilitie of motion; and whole perfection is not of such publick consequence, that any man can merit much by attaining it with long labour; yet let them consider, and they will find (nor can I stay long ere I convince them in the important use of Poesie) the natural force of a Poet more apparent, by but confessing that great forces Errata