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Where the philosophers (as they think) scorn to delight; so much they be content little to move; saving wrangling whether 〃virtus〃 be the chief or the only good; whether the contemplative or the active life do excel; which Plato and Boetius well knew; and therefore made mistress Philosophy very often borrow the masking raiment of poesy。 For even those hard…hearted evil men; who think virtue a school… name; and know no other good but 〃indulgere genio;〃 and therefore despise the austere admonitions of the philosopher; and feel not the inward reason they stand upon; yet will be content to be delighted; which is all the good…fellow poet seems to promise; and so steal to see the form of goodness; which seen; they cannot but love; ere themselves be aware; as if they took a medicine of cherries。
Infinite {43} proofs of the strange effects of this poetical invention might be alleged; only two shall serve; which are so often remembered; as; I think; all men know them。 The one of Menenius Agrippa; who; when the whole people of Rome had resolutely divided themselves from the senate; with apparent show of utter ruin; though he were; for that time; an excellent orator; came not among them upon trust; either of figurative speeches; or cunning insinuations; and much less with far…fetched maxims of philosophy; which; especially if they were Platonic; they must have learned geometry before they could have conceived; but; forsooth; he behaveth himself like a homely and familiar poet。 He telleth them a tale; that there was a time when all the parts of the body made a mutinous conspiracy against the belly; which they thought devoured the fruits of each other's labour; they concluded they would let so unprofitable a spender starve。 In the end; to be short (for the tale is notorious; and as notorious that it was a tale); with punishing the belly they plagued themselves。 This; applied by him; wrought such effect in the people as I never read that only words brought forth; but then so sudden; and so good an alteration; for upon reasonable conditions a perfect reconcilement ensued。
The other is of Nathan the prophet; who; when the holy David had so far forsaken God; as to confirm adultery with murder; when he was to do the tenderest office of a friend; in laying his own shame before his eyes; being sent by God to call again so chosen a servant; how doth he it? but by telling of a man whose beloved lamb was ungratefully taken from his bosom。 The application most divinely true; but the discourse itself feigned; which made David (I speak of the second and instrumental cause) as in a glass see his own filthiness; as that heavenly psalm of mercy well testifieth。
By these; therefore; examples and reasons; I think it may be manifest that the poet; with that same hand of delight; doth draw the mind more effectually than any other art doth。 And so a conclusion not unfitly ensues; that as virtue is the most excellent resting…place for all worldly learning to make his end of; so poetry; being the most familiar to teach it; and most princely to move towards it; in the most excellent work is the most excellent workman。
But I am content not only to decipher him by his works (although works in commendation and dispraise must ever hold a high authority); but more narrowly will examine his parts; so that (as in a man) though all together may carry a presence full of majesty and beauty perchance in some one defectious {44} piece we may find blemish。
Now; {45} in his parts; kinds; or species; as you list to term them; it is to be noted that some poesies have coupled together two or three kinds; as the tragical and comical; whereupon is risen the tragi…comical; some; in the manner; have mingled prose and verse; as Sannazaro and Boetius; some have mingled matters heroical and pastoral; but that cometh all to one in this question; for; if severed they be good; the conjunction cannot be hurtful。 Therefore; perchance; forgetting some; and leaving some as needless to be remembered; it shall not be amiss; in a word; to cite the special kinds; to see what faults may be found in the right use of them。
Is it; then; the pastoral poem which is misliked? {46} For; perchance; where the hedge is lowest; they will soonest leap over。 Is the poor pipe disdained; which sometimes; out of Melibaeus's mouth; can show the misery of people under hard lords and ravening soldiers? And again; by Tityrus; what blessedness is derived to them that lie lowest from the goodness of them that sit highest? Sometimes under the pretty tales of wolves and sheep; can include the whole considerations of wrong doing and patience; sometimes show; that contentions for trifles can get but a trifling victory; where; perchance; a man may see that even Alexander and Darius; when they strove who should be cock of this world's dunghill; the benefit they got was; that the after…livers may say;
〃Haec memini; et victum frustra contendere Thyrsim。 Ex illo Corydon; Corydon est tempore nobis。〃 {47}
Or is it the lamenting elegiac; {48} which; in a kind heart; would move rather pity than blame; who bewaileth; with the great philosopher Heraclitus; the weakness of mankind; and the wretchedness of the world; who; surely; is to be praised; either for compassionately accompanying just causes of lamentations; or for rightly pointing out how weak be the passions of wofulness?
Is it the bitter; but wholesome iambic; {49} who rubs the galled mind; making shame the trumpet of villany; with bold and open crying out against naughtiness?
Or the satiric? who;
〃Omne vafer vitium ridenti tangit amico;〃 {50}
who sportingly never leaveth; until he make a man laugh at folly; and; at length; ashamed to laugh at himself; which he cannot avoid without avoiding the folly; who; while 〃circum praecordia ludit;〃 giveth us to feel how many headaches a passionate life bringeth us to; who when all is done;
〃Est Ulubris; animus si nos non deficit aequus。〃 {51}
No; perchance; it is the comic; {52} whom naughty play…makers and stage…keepers have justly made odious。 To the arguments of abuse I will after answer; only thus much now is to be said; that the comedy is an imitation of the common errors of our life; which he representeth in the most ridiculous and scornful sort that may be; so as it is impossible that any beholder can be content to be such a one。 Now; as in geometry; the oblique must be known as well as the right; and in arithmetic; the odd as well as the even; so in the actions of our life; who seeth not the filthiness of evil; wanteth a great foil to perceive the beauty of virtue。 This doth the comedy handle so; in our private and domestical matters; as; with hearing it; we get; as it were; an experience of what is to be looked for; of a niggardly Demea; of a crafty Davus; of a flattering Gnatho; of a vain…glorious Thraso; and not only to know what effects are to be expected; but to know who be such; by the signifying badge given them by the comedian。 And little reason hath any man to say; that men learn the evil by seeing it so set out; since; as I said before; there is no man living; but by the force truth hath in nature; no sooner seeth these men play their parts; but wisheth