Page:The Defence of Poesie - Sidney (1595).djvu/38

 ued to practise, it is no hard matter to consider. The Philosopher sheweth you the way, hee enformeth you of the particularities, as well of the tediousnes of the way, as of the pleasaunt lodging you shall haue when your iourney is ended, as of the many by turnings that may diuert you from your way. But this is to no man but to him that will reade him, and reade him with attentiue studious painfulnesse, which constant desire, whosoeuer hath in him, hath alreadie past halfe the hardnesse of the way: and therefore is beholding to the Philosopher, but for the other halfe. Nay truly learned men haue learnedly thought, that where once reason hath so much ouer-mastered passion, as that the minde hath a free desire to doo well, the inward light each minde hath in it selfe, is as good as a Philosophers booke, since in Nature we know it is well, to doo well, and what is well, and what is euill, although not in the wordes of Art which Philosophers bestow vppon vs: for out of naturall conceit the Philosophers drew it; but to be moued to doo that which wee know, or to be mooued with desire to know. Hoc opus, hic labor est. Now therein of all Sciences I speake still of humane (and according to the humane conceit) is our Poet the Monarch. For hee doth not onely shew the way, but giueth so sweete a prospect into the way, as will entice anie man to enter into it: Nay he doth as if your iourney should lye through a faire vineyard, at the verie first, giue you a cluster of grapes, that full of that taste, you may long to passe further. Hee beginneth not with obscure definiti-