Page:The Defence of Poesie - Sidney (1595).djvu/22

 mans wit, with the efficacie of nature: but rather giue right honor to the heauenly maker of that maker, who hauing made man to his owne likenes, set him beyond and ouer all the workes of that second nature, which in nothing he sheweth so much as in Poetry; when with the force of a diuine breath, he bringeth things foorth surpassing her doings: with no small arguments to the incredulous of that first accursed fall of Adam, since our erected wit maketh vs know what perfectiō is, and yet our infected wil keepeth vs frō reaching vnto it. But these argumēts will by few be vnderstood, and by fewer graunted: thus much I hope wil be giuen me, that the Greeks with some probability of reason, gaue him the name aboue all names of learning. Now let vs goe to a more ordinarie opening of him, that the truth may be the more palpable: and so I hope though we get not so vnmatched a praise as the Etimologie of his names will graunt, yet his verie description which no man will denie, shall not iustly be barred from a principall commendation. Poesie therefore, is an Art of Imitation: for so Aristotle termeth it in the word, that is to say, a representing, counterfeiting, or figuring forth to speake Metaphorically. A speaking Picture, with this end to teach and delight. Of this haue bene three generall kindes, the chiefe both in antiquitie and excellencie, were they that did imitate the vncōceiueable excellencies of God. Such were Dauid in his Psalmes, Salomon in his song of songs, in his Ecclesiastes and Prouerbes. Moses and Debora, in their Hymnes, and the wryter of Iobe: Which beside other, the learned Emanuell,