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with Uzziah and Jeroboam, was one of the herdmen of Tekoa *. We have feen already, that the ancient Arcadians, how rude and ignorant foever they were with regard to other arts, yet were not: fo with regard to Mufick and Poetry: and in fome ages and nations, the maft polite people have been Herdmen. It will be readily acknowledged, that Nature ought to be followed, in this as well as in all the other forts of Poetry: but furely, we ought to imitate that part of Nature, which is most agreeable and pleasing. The country affords us many objects, which delight us, by their beauty: and a man would juftly be thought to have an odd tafte, who fhould turn his eye from thefe, to gaze on fome which are lefs agreeable. The lowing of the herds, the bleating of the flocks, the wildness of an extenfive common, the folemn fhade of a thick wood, and the fimplicity of the buildings, furnifh us with pleasing images: and whilst we are contemplating these beauties, we feldom have much inclination to admire the difagreeable, though natural, fight and smell of a dunghill, or a hogftye, We We may therefore conclude, that though Nature is to be followed; yet we are not to reprefent every thing that is natural, without diftinction; but to felect fuch images only

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*Amosi.
Amos i. 1. vii, 14.

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as are pleafing, throwing a veil at the fame time over those which would give offence. Thus every Imitation of the action of a Herdman, or of one. represented under that character, will indeed be a true Paftoral: but at the fame time, if there is not a little judgment used, in the choice of the Herd-. men we intend to imitate, our Paftorals will be fit for the reading only of fuch rude clowns, as we have placed before us for an example.

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We should, I believe, form a much better no→ tion of Bucolical or Paftoral Poetry, by attending carefully to the defign of those great Ancients, Theocritus and Virgil, than by ftudying all the imaginary rules of the modern Criticks. Theocri tus certainly intended to defcribe the manners of the Herdmen of Sicily. His Idyllia are generally. either Dialogues between two perfons of that character; or Poems in praise of the celebrated actions of Gods and Heroes, fuch as feem to have been originally fung by the ancient Arcadian shepherds. The firft Idyllium is a dialogue between the fhepherd Thyrfis and a Goatherd. Thyrfis is a Sicilian , and at the request of his friend, fings the death of Daphnis, who was a Sicilian Herdman. The second describes the jealoufy of Simaetha, who had been debauched, and then deferted

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Θύρσις δ ̓ ὦ ξ Αίτνας.

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by one Delphis. She makes ufe of feveral incantations, in order to regain his love. In the third, a Goatherd declares his paffion for Amaryllis. The fourth is a dialogue between Battus a goatherd, and Corydon a neatherd. In the fifth, Comatas a goatherd, and Lacon a fhepherd, after some very coarfe railleries, challenge each other to fing for a wager: one stakes a goat, and the other a lamb; and the goatherd obtains the prize. In the fixth, two neatherds, Damoetas and Daphnis drive their herds together into one place, and fing alternately the paffion of Polyphemus for Galatea. The feventh is the narration of a journey, which Theocritus took, to see the folemnities of Ceres. He meets with Lycidas a goatherd on the road; and the whole difcourfe between them is pastoral. In the eighth is related a contention about finging, between the fhepherd Menalcas and the neatherd Daphnis: a goatherd is chofen judge, who decrees the prize to Daphnis. A like contention is related in the ninth, between two herdsmen, Daphnis and Menalcas. These nine are generally allowed by the Criticks to be Paftorals: but the tenth is ufually excluded, being a dialogue between two Reapers. And yet perhaps, if we confider, that a herdman may very naturally defcribe a converfation between two of his country neighbours, who

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entertain each other with a rural fong; we may foften a little the feverity of our Critical temper, and allow even this to be called a Paftoral. The eleventh, which defcribes the paffion of Polyphemus for Galatea, is, I think, allowed to be a Paftoral: but thofe which follow, are commonly, rejected; though fometimes perhaps with little, reafon. Thus I know not why the twelfth may/ not be admitted, of which the fubject is Love, and, wherein the fimilitudes are taken from fruits, fheep, heifers, and finging birds, Are not the following verfes of that Idyllium truly Paftoral ?,

Ηλυθες, ὦ φίλε κοῦρε, τρίτη σὺν νυκτὶ καὶ και,

Ηλυθες· Οι δὲ ποθεῦντες, ἐν ἵματι γεράσκουσιν
Όσσον ἔαρ χειμῶνος, ὅσον μῆλου βραβύλοιο

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"You come, dear youth, now three long days are << gone,

"You come: but Lovers do grow old in one. "As much as fpring excels the froft and fnow, "As much as plumbs are fweeter than a floe, "As much as ewes are thicker fleec'd than lambs, « As much as maids excel thrice marry'd dames, As much as colts are nimbler than a fteer, "As much as thrufhes please the lift'ning ear, "More than the meaner fongfters of the air; "So much thy prefence cheers."

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The thirteenth indeed, which is a relation of the lofs of Hylas, the friend of Hercules, has nothing paftoral in it: but as the actions of gods and heroes used to be fung by the ancient Herdmen, we may venture to affirm, that the Author intended this alfo for a Paftoral. In the fourteenth, Aefchines is a herdman, who being in love with Cynifca, and being defpifed by her, is determined to turn foldier. His friend Thyonichus advises him to enter into the fervice of Ptolemy, on whom he be Aows great praifes. There is nothing inconfiftent with the character of a Herdman, to fuppofe him croffed in love, and in despair to go for a foldier. This is so adapted even to the manners of a modern ruftick; that our Criticks may venture to let this pass without cenfure. Nor does there feem any good reason to reject the fifteenth; tho' there is not a word in it about cattle; and though the fcene, is not laid in the paftures of Sicily; but in the great city of Alexandria. The perfo this Idyllium are not Herdmen; but their wives. Thefe Goflips of Syracufe are got to Alexandria, to see the pomp of the feast of Adonis; where they are pushed about in the crowd, and prattle juft as fome of our good country dames would at a Lord Mayor's fhow. This therefore This therefore may be allowed to be a Paftoral; unlefs we are to be fo ftrict;

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