But here _Benius_ in his comments upon _Aristotle_ hath started a
considerable query: which is this; Whether _Aristotle_, when he
reckons up the different _Species_ of Poetry _Cap_ 1. doth include
_Pastoral,_ or no? And about this I find learn'd men cannot at all
agree: which certainly _Benius_ should have determin'd, or not rais'd:
some refer it to that sort which _was sung to Pipes_, for that
_Pastorals_ were so _Apuleius_ intimates, when at the marriage Feast
of _Phyche_ He brings in _Paniscus_ singing _Bucolicks_ to his Pipe;
But since they did not seriously enough consider, what _Aristotle_
{18} meant by that which he calls *auletiken* they trifle, talk idly,
and are not to be heeded in this matter; For suppose some _Musitian_
should sing _Virgils AEnaeis_ to the Harp, (and _Ant. Lullus_ says it
hath been done,) should we therefore reckon that divine and
incomparable Master of _Heroick_ Poetry amongst the _Lyricks_?
Others with _Caesius Bassus_ and _Isacius Tzetzes_ hold that that
distribution of _Poetry_, which _Aristotle_ and _Tully_ hath left us,
is deficient and imperfect; and that only the chief Species are
reckoned, but the more inconsiderable not mention'd: I shall not here
interest my self in that quarrel of the _Criticks_, whether we have
all _Aristotles_ books of Poetry or no; this is a considerable
difficulty I confess, for _Laertius_ who accurately weighs this
matter, says that he wrote two books of _Poetry_, the one lost, and
the other we have, tho _Mutinensis_ is of an other mind: but to end
this dispute, I must agree with _Vossius_, who says the Philosopher
comprehended these Species not expressly mentioned, under a higher and
more noble head: and that therefore _Pastoral_ was contain'd in
_Epick_.
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