Page:The Defence of Poesie - Sidney (1595).djvu/47

 ing of Plato and Tully bee true, that who could see vertue, woulde bee woonderfullie rauished with the loue of her bewtie. This man setteth her out to make her more louely in her holliday apparrell, to the eye of anie that will daine, not to disdaine vntill they vnderstand. But if any thing be alreadie said in the defence of sweete Poetrie, all concurreth to the mainteining the Heroicall, which is not onelie a kinde, but the best and most accomplished kindes of Poetrie. For as the Image of each Action stirreth and instructeth the minde, so the lostie Image of such woorthies, moste enflameth the minde with desire to bee woorthie: and enformes with counsaile how to bee woorthie. Onely let Aeneas bee worne in the Tablet of your memorie, how hee gouerneth himselfe in the ruine of his Countrey, in the preseruing his olde Father, and carrying away his religious Ceremonies, in obeying Gods Commaunment, to leaue Dido, though not onelie all passionate kindnesse, but euen the humane consideration of vertuous gratefulnesse, would haue craued other of him: how in stormes, how in sports, how in warre, how in peace, how a fugitiue, how victorious, how besieged, how besieging, how to straungers, how to Allies, how to enemies, how to his owne. Lastly, how in his inwarde selfe, and howe in his outward gouernment, and I thinke in a minde moste preiudiced with a preiudicating humour, Hee will bee founde in excellencie fruitefull. Yea as Horace