Not only _Aristotle_ but _Horace_ too hath defin'd that _Poetry_ in
general is Imitation; I mention only these two, for tho _Plato_ in his
Second Book _de Rep._ and in his _Timaeus_ delivers the same thing, I
shall not make use of his Authority at all: Now as _Comedy_ according
to _Aristotle_ is the _Image and Representation of a gentiel and City
Life_, so is _Pastoral Poetry_ of a County and _Sheapards_ Life; for
since _Poetry_ in general is Imitation; its several _Species_ must
likewise Imitate, take _Aristotles_ own words _Cap._ 1. *pasai
tynchanousin ousa mimeseis*; And these _Species_ are {17} differenc't
either by the subject matter, when the things to be imitated are quite
different, or when the manner in which you imitate, or the mode of
imitation is so: *en trisi de tautais diaphorais he mimesis estin, en
hois kai ha, kai hos*: Thus tho of _Epick_ Poetry and _Tragedy_ the
Subject is the same, and some great illustrious Action is to be
_imitated_ by both, yet since one by representation, and the other by
plain narration imitates, each makes a different _Species_ of
imitation. And _Comedy_ and _Tragedy_, tho they agree in this, that
both represent, yet because the Matter is different, and _Tragedy_
must represent some brave action, and _Comedy_ a humor; these Two
sorts of imitation are _Specifically different_. And upon the same
account, since _Pastoral_ chooses the mannes of Sheapards for its
imitation, it takes from its matter a peculiar difference, by which it
is distinguish'd fro all others.
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