And certainly,
to hit all these excellencies is difficult enough, since Wit, whose
nature it is to pour it self forth, must rather be restrain'd than
indulg'd; and that force of the Mind, which of it self is so ready to
run on, must be checkt, and bridled: Which cannot be easily perform'd
by any, but those who have a very good Judgment, and practically
skill'd in Arts, and Sciences: And lastly, a neat, and as it were a
happy Wit; not that curious sort, I mean, which _Petronius_ allows
_Horace_, lest too much _Art_ should take off the Beauty of the
_Simplicity_. And therefore I would not have any one undertake this
task, that is not very polite by _Nature_, and very much at leisure.
For what is more hard than to be always in the _Country_, and yet
never to be _Clownish_? to sing of _mean_, and _trivial_ matters, {52}
yet not _trivially_, and _meanly_? to pipe on a _slender_ Reed, and
yet keep the sound from being _harsh_, and _squeaking_? to make every
thing _sweet_, yet never _satiate_? And this I thought necessary to
premise, in order to the better laying down of such Rules as I design.
For the naked _simplicity_ both of the Matter and Expression of a
_Pastoral_, upon bare Contemplation, might seem easily to be hit, but
upon trial 'twill be found a very hard task: Nor was the difficulty to
be dissembled, lest _Ignorance_ should betray some into a rash
attempt. Now I must come to the very Rules; for as nothing excellent
can be brought to perfection without _Nature_, (for Art unassisted by
that, is vain, and ineffectual,) so there is no _Nature_ so excellent,
and happy, which by its own strength, and without _Art_ and _Use_ can
make any thing excellent, and great.
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