Page:The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets, Volume 1.djvu/37

 sical poets; of whom, in a criticism on the works of Cowley, it is not improper to give some account.

The metaphysical poets were men of learning, and to shew their learning was their whole endeavour; but, unluckily resolving to shew it in rhyme, instead of writing poetry they only wrote verses, and very often such verses as stood the trial of the finger better than of the ear; for the modulation was so imperfect, that they were only found to be verses by counting the syllables.

If the father of criticism has rightly denominated poetry, an imitative art, these writers will, without great wrong, lose their right to the name of poets; for they cannot be said to have imitated any thing; they neither copied nature for life; neither painted the forms of matter; nor represented the operations of intellect.

Those however, who deny them to be poets, allow them to be wits. Dryden, confesses of himself and his contemporaries, that they fall below Donne in wit; but maintains, that they surpass him in poetry. Rh