Page:Monsieur Bossu's Treatise of the epick poem - Le Bossu (1695).djvu/48

4 form us also of the Nature of it. Poesie, says he, teaches Morality not by Recital only as an Historian, who barely tells us what Alcibiades for Instance ('tis Aristotle's own Instance) did or suffer'd: But by proposing whatever a Person, let the Poet call him by what name he pleases, ought either necessarily, or in all probability, to have said or done upon that or the like occasion? 'Tis in this Nature that the Poet lays down the bad Consequences of an ill-grounded Design or a wicked Action; or else the Reward of good Actions, and the Satisfaction one receives from a Design form'd by Vertue, and manag'd by Prudence. Thus in the Epopea, according to Aristotle, let the Names be what they will, yet the Persons and the Actions are Feign'd, Allegorical, and Ʋniversal; not Historical and Singular.

Horace is likewise of the same mind, as we shall see hereafter. Only by the way we cannot but observe, that he not only says that Poets teach Men Morality full as well as Philosophers, but in that he even gives Homer the Pre-eminence.

The reason Poets are more excellent herein than the plain downright Philosopher, is this, that every sort of Poem is in general an Imitation. Now Imitation is extremely natural, and pleases every body: By which means this way of proposing things is more charming, and more proper to take with an Audience. Besides Imitation is an Instruction by Examples; and Examples are very proper to perswade, since they prove such or such a thing is feasible. In short, Imitation is so far the Essence of Poetry, that it is Poetry it self, as Aristotle the first Founder of this Art tells us: And Horace recommends it very particularly to the Poet he would create.

But thô Poets play the Moral Philosophers, yet still they are no less Divines. The Morality they deal withal, does indispensibly oblige them to have a Vein of Divinity run thrô all their Works: Because the Knowledge, the Fear, and the Love of God; in a Word, Piety and Religion, are the chief and solidest Foundations of other Vertues, and of all Morality.