A Full Enquiry into the Nature of the Pastoral (1717) by Thomas Purney

T >> Thomas Purney >> A Full Enquiry into the Nature of the Pastoral (1717)

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Now, we may read, I fear, some Number of the _Pastorals_ of the ordinary
Length, before we shall meet with this Pleasure. The Truth is, we are
commonly past a hundred Lines, the length of these Pieces, before the
Mind and Attention is entirely fix'd, and has lost all its former and
external Thoughts. All the Pleasure therefore which proceeds from the
Story is lost in these short Pieces.

'Tis true Indeed, I think it possible for a Novel, or perhaps a Poem,
to contain a Story in a hundred Lines which shall be able to engage the
Mind so as to delight it from the _fable_ it self, stript of all its
Ornaments. But how few in a hundred Ages have had Genius's capable of
this. And if 'tis difficult in a Novel or Poem, which may couch the
Circumstances close together, how much more Difficult must it be in
_Pastoral_. In the former Pieces nothing is to be observed but the Story
itself, in the latter a thousand Beauties are to be adjoyn'd and as many
Rules observ'd.

SECT 2.

_The proper Length of Pastoral further collected from the Consideration
of the_ Characters.

Another Pleasure which the brevity of these Pieces robs us of, is this.
The Characters cannot finely and distinctly be depainted in so short a
Compass. And 'tis observable, we are concern'd for the Personages in
no Poetry so much as those of Pastoral. Simplicity and Innocence have
Charms for every Mind, and we pity most, where most our Pity's wanted.

So that the two noblest Beauties, and which constitute the main
Difference between Poetry and Versification, between a perfect Poem and
a Madrigal, Epigram or Elegy, are entirely lost in those Pieces, and
the only Pleasure they can raise, must proceed alone from Sentiment and
Diction.

SECT 3.

_The Length of Pastoral, yet further shown from the Passions it raises_.

In every rational and consistent Piece, the Writer has some Aim in View;
as, to work every thing up to one End and a Moral Result; or to excite
some Passion, or the like. Otherwise it is but an Assay of Wit, a Flirt
of the Imagination, and no more. Too trifling to detain the rational
Mind. Now, that these short Pieces are not capable of having a Moral,
or raising any Passion, I need trouble my self for no other Proof than
there never having been such one produced.

But give me leave to instance in the usual Method of forming a Pastoral.
One Shepherd meets another; tells him some body is dead; upon which,
they begin the mournful Dialogue, or Elegy. But in such an Elegy, there
is but one thing can raise a fine Pleasure; which can be the only solid
Reason for the Writers performing such a Work; and that is the raising
Pity, without which no End is obtain'd by such a Dialogue. And 'tis only
a School-Boy tryal of Wit; like a single Description. Unless the Poet
think's it enough that the Scene is laid in the Country, and the very
Talk of Shepherds is enough to support a Piece. And the truth is, of
a Nature so exceeding pleasant is Pastoral, that a Piece which has but
Fields and Hedges repeated pretty often in it, is at least tolerable;
whereas in any other Poetry, we see every day far better Poems cast out
of the World as soon as they enter into it. But another reason of their
Success proceeds from the little Knowledge most People have of
Pastoral; all Poets having gone in exactly the same Track, without one
endeavouring to raise the Poem to any greater Perfection than they
found it in; whereas Epick Poetry, Tragedy, and Comedy, arriv'd by slow
degrees to the Perfection they now bear; and this Writer still went
beyond the last of an equal Genius.

But I was going to give an Instance how incapable these Pieces are of
raising the Passions. A mournful Dialogue, or Elegy is formed upon the
Death of some Person. But if this Elegy raises not our Pity, 'tis a
Trifle, and only a childish Copy of Verses. But in order to raise that
most delightful Passion, should not the Reader be first prepossess'd in
favour of the Party dead? Can I pity a Person because deceas'd, without
knowing any thing of his while alive?

'Tis the same in that other well-known way of drawing up a Pastoral.
I mean, where two Shepherds sing alternately. _Theocritus_ haply light
upon this, and every Pastoral Writer since his time, (that I have
seen) has been so unfortunate as to happen exactly upon the same. And
I believe it has as often been indifferent to the Readers which of the
Shepherds overcame. Our Joy in this Case is equal to our Grief in the
other.

SECT. 4.

_From the length by Nature prescribed to all Pieces, Epick, Tragick, &c.
is shown, That Pastoral will, at least, admit of the Length of three or
four hundred Lines_.

Thus far of the Necessity of extending a Pastoral to the Length of
three or four hundred Lines, if we would not deprive our selves of the
Opportunities of being as delightful as Poetry will permit. But if any
Commentator, who think's himself oblig'd to defend _Theocritus_ and
_Virgil_ in every particular, should not only not allow this Length to
be preferable, but even condemn it as faulty, it would oblige us to come
more close to the Point, and to take the Question from the bottom. What
is the Length by Nature fix'd for all Pieces? And why mayn't an Epick
be as short as a Tragick Poem? Methink's a Poet should not be content
to take these things on Trust, and tye himself down to Brevity or Length
only because _Theocritus_ wrote short and _Homer_ long Pieces.

I have not Leisure to enter fully into this Question, but would
recommend it to some Person who has, as a Subject that would prove as
Entertaining to the Reader as the Writer. However, I shall speak just
what I have at present in my Mind upon it.

Without considering Tragedy as drawn into Representation, it is plain it
would not endure the Length of Epick Poetry, without being wearious in
the Reading, for these Reasons among others: It's Nature is more heated
and violent than the Epick Poem, and consists of only Dialogue; whereas
the former has the Variety of Dialogue and Narration both. Besides, the
under-actions which work up to the main Action in Heroick Poetry, are
each as great and as different from each other, as the main Actions of
different Tragedies.

Nor would Pastoral bear the Length of even Tragedy. For it admits not
both those two kinds of Writing, the Sublime and the Beautiful, which
are the most different of any in Nature, having only the last. But these
two give so sweet a variety to the same Piece, when they are artfully
blended together, that a good Tragedy or Epick Poem can never tire. Soon
as we begin to be sated and cloy'd with Passion and Sublime Images, the
Poet changes the Scene; all is, on a sudden soft and beautiful, and we
seem in another World.

Yet is Pastoral by no means ty'd down by nature to the Length used by
_Theocritus_ and all his Followers. 'Tis only Example has introduc'd
that Method. For, 'tis a Poem capable of raising two Passions, and those
tho' all consistent with one another, yet what raise Pleasures, the most
widely different of any, in the Mind. When we have tir'd the Reader with
a mournful and pitious Scene, we may relieve and divert his Mind with
agreeable and joyous Images. And these the Poet may diversify and vary
as often as he pleases. And so different are the Passions of Pity and
Joy, that he may all thro' the Poem please in an equal Degree, yet all
thro' the Poem in a different Manner.

Besides, this Poem changes the general Scene, which is more than even
Tragedy does. A Poet who has form'd a perfect Notion of the Beautiful,
and furnished his Mind with a sufficient number of delightful Images,
before he set's down to write a Pastoral, will lead the Reader thro' so
sweet a Variety of amusing scenes, and show so many beautiful Pictures
to his Imagination, that he will never think the tenth Part of a
Tragedy's Length too much for a Pastoral.

'Tis true indeed that they who make a Pastoral no more considerable
than a Song or Ballad (as _Theocritus_, _Virgil_, &c.) without Passions,
Characters, a delightful Fable, or any Moral, do well to make it of no
greater Extent than a Song or Ballad. Where there is nought to delight
but the Sentiments, (for they aim at neither the soft nor the sublime
Language) a Reader cannot attend to more than a hundred Lines; but where
the Mind is engag'd and concern'd for the Issue of the Story, and eager
to know the Event, 'tis insensibly drawn on, and haveing some Aim in
View, is much less weary'd, tho' led on to a greater Extent.

CHAP. III.

_That the Pastoral Action must not be very little and minute; also that
several Under-actions must run thro' the Poem_.

A Third Quality, laid down as necessary to constitute a Fable wholly
perfect, was this, That as there must be but one Action, that Action
may not be any trifling, silly Circumstance of a Shepherd's Life. As
one Swain's telling the other how poor and bare he is grown. Or one
complaining to the other, that his Flock has had some Mischance, or the
like; which is as much as can be gather'd out of the Pastorals form'd
after the ordinary Way. For if you take the Actions of any of 'em,
divested of the Ornaments of Poetry, and the constant Repetition of the
pleasing Words, Grove, Breeze, Mead, &c. you will find nothing, even
nothing at all in any of 'em.

So that, tho' these Pastorals mostly may have Actions, nay, and Unity
of Action; yet are they Actions no more proper for a Poem, than a
Proposition of Euclid, turn'd into Verse, would be. There is nothing,
(not even the telling how the Sow and Pigs swallow'd their Wash, and
fought the while,) but might be call'd one Action, with a Beginning,
Middle and End. So that 'tis nothing to have unity of Fable, if the
Fable be not proper.

Shepherds are indeed suppos'd to be happy, and devoid of Stir, and
Noise, and Bustle; but does it follow, that there are no Actions or
Incidents in a Shepherd's Life? If there are delightful Actions, 'tis
plain we don't run counter to a Shepherd's Life in drawing 'em into
Poetry; and Poetry imitates the Actions of Men. Which show's that these
ordinary Pastorals are no more Poetry, than Lucretius is, or than any
other Philosopher, if turn'd into Verse, would be. Sure I think, as we
allow an Epick Writer to take his Hero in that Part or Character of his
Life, where he will make the best Figure in Poetry, so we should allow a
Pastoral-Writer the same Opportunity of pleasing.

'Tis necessary also that several lesser Actions work up to the main One;
that the whole Piece may be fill'd with Circumstances. 'Tis the very
Soul of Poetry to imitate Actions; to lead the Mind thro' a Variety of
Scenes; and to present a Number of Pictures before it.

'Tis plain a Shepherd's Life has as many Incidents, as other Person's;
only one Kind are in low Life, the other not. The Simplicity of Pastoral
is nothing touch'd by this, if these Incidents are Pastoral: For the
difference between Epick or Tragick Poetry, and Pastoral, must not
proceed from the One haveing many, the other no Under-Actions, but
rather from the different Actions, which a Hero and a Swain are engag'd
in. A Shepherd's leading his Lass to a Shade, and there sticking her
Bosom with Flowers, is the same in Pastoral, as an Hero's hurling a
Javelin, is in Epick Poetry. And a variety of Circumstances and Actions
is equally necessary in both Pieces. Or perhaps in Pastoral most; since
the Coolness and Sedateness of Pastoral is very apt to sate and tire
the Reader, if he dwell's long on one Action; and we can bear a longer
Description of a Battle than of two Shepherd's sitting together; because
the first fill's and actuate's the Mind the most; and where it is so
much employ'd, it cannot so easily flag and grow dull.

SECT. 2.

_Whether the Pastoral Fable should be simple or complex; and how it must
differ from the Epick Fable_.

The Implex Fables are to me, in all Poetry, the finest. And even
Pastoral may receive an additional Beauty from a Change of Fortune in
the chief Character, if manag'd with Discretion. 'Tis not easy to give
direct Proofs for things of this Nature. But what little I have to offer
for Pastoral's requiring an Implex Fable, is as follows.

Pastoral, like all Poetry, should aim at Pleasure and Profit. Pleasure
is best produc'd, if the Poem raises Pity, or Joy, or both; and Profit
by its having a Moral. Now the Implex Fable attain's it's End the
easiest. For we pity Misfortunes no where so much as in one we saw but
lately happy: Nor do we joy to see a Man flourish; but to see him rise
from Ills to a flourishing Condition, rejoyces the Mind. And as for
the other End of Poetry, which is Profit, every one may see that Implex
Fables are greatly best for producing a Moral.

But great Care must be taken in this Way. Whereas the Catastrophe in
Epick Poetry, is work'd up by violent Means, as Machines, and the like;
In Pastoral it must be produced so easy and natural, as to seem to
proceed from it self.

Nor must the Change of Fortune be produced by any sudden Contrast, as
in most Tragedies it is; since Surprize (unless very weak) is a Fault in
Pastoral, tho' a Beauty in other Poetry.

'Tis also evident that the Ills which a Shepherd falls into, from some
slight, and almost inevitable Slip (from which the Moral is form'd) must
be infinitely less than those which embarrass a Hero; because Ills must
be proportion'd to the Fault; and 'tis plain, the Faults of a Swain are
suppos'd to be very minute.

A hundred Observations, like this last, might be made, too
inconsiderable to enumerate; but the Poet, when he form's his Fable,
cannot avoid observing 'em. Otherwise, 'tis best he keep to the Simple
Fable; which, tho' a better may, by Industry, be form'd, is far enough
from being faulty.

SECT. 3.

_What Circumstances or Actions of a Shepherd's Life are properest for
the Poet to go upon_.

We cannot be pleas'd with the Description of any State, or Life, which
at that time we would not willingly exchange our present State for.
Nor is it possible to be pleas'd with any thing that is very low and
beggarly. Therefore, methinks, I would raise my Shepherd's Life to a
Life of Pleasure; contrary to the usual Method. For when a Citizen or
Person in Business divert's himself in the Country, 'tis not from seeing
the Swains employ'd or at Labour; he visits the Country for the easy
and agreeable Retiredness of it; and I believe the Pleasure of seeing
a Shepherd folding his Sheep, proceeds from the Prospect of Evening, of
the Woods and Fields, and from the Innocence we conceive in the Sheep,
and the like; not from the Action of the Shepherd folding them. So of
Reapers, we conceive 'em filling the following Year with Plenty; We
have, while we see 'em, the Thought of Fulness, and the time when every
thing is brought to Perfection; and these, and the like Thoughts, rather
raise the Delight of seeing those particular Labours, than the Actions
themselves. For we see, that if we behold Sheep, or the like, in a City,
tho' Countrymen are ordering them, we have no such Delight; because
there the Silence of Evening, the Prospect of Fields, &c. are not added.

I would therefore omit the Labour of Shepherds, if I could invent a Life
more agreeable; but the latter must be form'd from a Man's Imagination,
the former from Observation; and _Virgil_ could draw that almost as well
as _Theocritus_. I wonder the Writers of Pastoral should be so fond
of showing their Shepherds Beating Their Ronts, or Scolding With each
other, or the like; when they might describe 'em sleeping upon Violets;
plaiting rosy Chaplets by a lovely Rivulet; getting _Strawberries_ for a
Lass, &c.

'Tis observable, that no Tragedy can be well constituted without a
mixture of Love; and even _Shakespear_, (who seem's to have had so
little of the Soft or Tender in his Genius) was obliged to have some
recourse to that Passion, in forming his most regular Tragedy; I mean
Othello. Not that an Hero should be soften'd, much less drawn in his
most degenerate Hours, when he is in Love. For, methinks, the French
seem a little too fond of introduceing Love, when they draw their
greatest Hero's as amorous Love-Sops, and omit all that is truly Great
in their Characters.

Now if Love, with Reason manag'd, appear so well in Tragedy, it must
sure be extreamly proper for Pastoral. In the first we are to be rais'd
and heated; in the latter sooth'd and soften'd: The one has to do with
Personages, all gentle and tender; the Subject of the other is Fury and
Bravery. I would therefore have, methinks, a Sprinkling of Love thro'
all my Pastorals; and 'twill give the Writer an Opportunity of showing
the Tenderness, and the Simplicity of his Characters in the finest
Manner: Yet must it be so diversify'd and broken, by other Incidents
interfering, as not to cloy and nauseate the Reader, with the Repetition
of nothing but Love and Love.

The vulgar Notion is, that Wrestling, and such like Incidents are
properest for Pastoral; but if a Writer introduces such, he'll find 'em
so few, that 'twill be necessary to touch upon Love besides.

But methinks, I would not show my _CHARACTERS_ in so low and clownish
a degree of Life; For if I draw 'em so rough, and Porter-like, in one
place, I cannot give 'em Tenderness and Simplicity in another; without
breaking in upon the Manners.

So that if I was compell'd to put this Circumstance of Wrestling into
a Pastoral, I would have recourse, even there, to Love, to render it
Pleasurable to the Mind; as thus: A tender-hearted Lass should be plac'd
Spectator of her Wrestling Lover: By this means the Poet might make it
shine in Poetry; if he described her Behaviour, her soft Concern and
joyous Smiles, occasioned by every little Failure, and every Prospect of
Success.

But this is a Subject of so great Extent, that I have not time to
go thro' with it. Take therefore this general Rule for all. Those
Circumstances or Actions in the Fable, which show barely the
Delightfulness of the Country, are good. Those which give us a Sight
of also the Sprightliness and Vigour of it, are better; and those which
comprehend further, the Simplicity and the Tenderness of the young
Lasses, are best. And from hence a Writer or Reader will be able to make
a Judgment of any Circumstance that may occur.

SECT. 4.

_That this Variety of Actions does by no means impair the Simplicity of
Pastoral_.

There is nothing in Pastoral, of which Persons have a wronger Notion
than of the word Simplicity. Because the Poem should be simple, they
strip it of all Beauty and Delightfulness; that is, they lay the
Simplicity where it should not so much be (in the Fable) and deprive
it of all Simplicity, where 'twould be beautiful (in the Sentiments and
Diction.)

If all the Incidents or Actions, that are truly simple and delightful,
thro' the whole Number of _Theocritus_'s Idylls, were collected into
one Pastoral, so as to follow naturally each other, and work up to one
general End, I think that Pastoral would be more truly simple than any
we have at present. 'Tis true, a Poet may thrust into Pastoral as great
a multitude of Actions, and as surprizingly brought about, as we find
in Tragedy, but there is no necessity, because he must use a Number
sufficient to please, that therefore he must fall into that fault. Yet
for mine own part, I had rather see too much, than too little Action, as
I cannot help preferring a faulty Writer before a dull One.

But a Poet of Genius will diversify and adorn his Fable, as much as he
lawfully may; and as for the Simple, he will draw such soft and tender
Characters, as will furnish his Poem with enough of that, and of the
most delightful Kind. The generality of Pastoral Writers seem to
think they must make their Pieces simple, by divesting them of all the
Ornaments of Poetry; and the less and more inconsiderable Sketches they
are, the more Simple they are. A strange Conception sure of Simplicity.
While their Sentiments are false almost in every Line; either in their
own Nature; or with respect to Pastoral; or to the Person speaking; or
some other foreign Cause. But I shall always wave the being particular
in such Cases as these. To point at Faults directly, I think the
Business of a Carper, not a Critick.

CHAP. IV.

_Of the Moral; and what kind of Moral Pastoral require's_.

The fourth Quality that a Fable ask's, to render it compleat, is a
Moral Result. I need not trouble you with a Proof of a Moral's being
necessary; 'tis plain that every Poem should be made as perfect as 'tis
capable of being, and no one will ever affirm a Moral to be unnatural in
Pastoral. But if any one should demand a Proof, 'tis thus: Poetry aim's
at two Ends, Pleasure and Profit; but Pastoral will not admit of direct
Instructions; therefore it must contain a Moral, or lose one End, which
is Profit. We might as easy show that the other End of Poetry, _viz_.
Pleasure, is also impair'd, if the Moral be neglected; but the thing is
plain.

To hasten therefore to enquire what kind of Moral is proper for
Pastoral, we must look back into the Reasons prescribed by Nature for
the Morals in all Sorts of Poetry.

Epick Poetry and Tragedy are conversant about Hero's, Kings, and
Princes, therefore the Morals there, should be directed to Persons
engaged in Affairs of State, and at the Helm, and be of such a Nature
as these; _A Crown will not render a Person Happy, if he does not pursue
his Duty towards God and Man; the best Method of Securing a Government,
is to occasion Unity in it_, and the like.

Again, Comedy's Subject is to expose the Ill Habits in low Life. It's
moral therefore should contain Instructions to the middle Sort of
People: As, _What Ills attend on Covetousness_. Or, _On a Parent's being
too Severe_, or the like.

* * * * *

But so easy and gentle a kind of Poetry is Pastoral, that 'tis not very
pleasant to the busy Part of the World. Men in the midst of Ambition,
delight to be rais'd and heated by their Images and Sentiments. Pastoral
therefore addresses it self to the Young, the Tender, and particularly
those of the _SOFT-SEX_. The Characters also in Pastoral are of the
same Nature; _An Innocent Swain_; or _Tender-Hearted Lass_. From such
Characters therefore we must draw our Morals, and to such Persons must
we direct them; and they should particularly aim at regulating the Lives
of Virgins and all young Persons.

* * * * *

What Nature I would have a Moral of, cannot so well be explain'd as by
Examples; but I do not remember at present any such Pastoral. You are
not widely deficient, Cubbin, I think, in this particular. Your first
show's us, that the best Preservative a young Lass can have against Love
and our deluding Sex, is, to be wholly unacquainted therewith. Little
Paplet is eager of Listning to Soflin's Account of Men and Love; but
that first set's her _Heart_ on the Flutter; then she is taken with
Soflin's _SWEET-HEART_; tho' all the while she is ignorant of the Cause
of her Uneasiness.

The Moral to your second Pastoral, which contain's Instructions to
_COQUETTS_, warning them not to take pleasure in giving Pain, is, I
think, not worst than this.

But the Moral to your Third (call'd the Bashful Swain), methinks, is not
so good. It is also directed to the _COQUETTS_; and instruct's 'em not
to give a Lover any Hopes, whom they do not intend to make happy. If the
young Lass there, had jilted Cuddlett, she had mist of her good Fortune;
and her Unwillingness to encrease the Number of her Admirers, is the
Cause of her Happiness. But, I know not how, this like's me not so well
as the other Three; or, perhaps it is not produced so naturally by the
Fable, and that may prevent it's pleasing.

SECT. 2.

_How to form the most regular kind of Moral_.

If a Writer's only Aim was the preserving Poetical Justice in his Moral,
he would have nothing to do but to show a Person defective in some
slight Particular, and from thence Unhappy; but as a Poet always reaches
at Perfection, these following Rules are to be observ'd.

The Inadvertency or Fault which the Character commit's, must be such a
Fault as is the natural or probable Consequence of his Temper. And his
Misfortune such an one as is the natural or probable Consequence of his
Fault. As in Othello: (For how can I instance in Pastoral.) I rather
suppose the Moor's Fault, to be a too rash and ungrounded Jealousy; than
that Fault, common to almost all our Tragedies, of marrying without the
Parent's Consent. A rash _Jealousy_ then, is the natural consequence of
an open and impetuous Temper; and the Murder of his Wife is a probable
Consequence of such a Jealousy, in such a Temper. So that the Hero's
Temper naturally produces his Fault, and his Fault his Misfortunes.

If you allow that the fault should be the natural or probable
Consequence of the Temper; let me ask you then, if those Tragedies or
Pastorals can be so perfect, where the original natural Temper of the
Hero or Heroine is not drawn into the Piece. I mean, where all that
we see of the Mind of the Chief Character, is his Mind or Temper, as
alter'd entirely, by some foreign or accidental Means. As, Who will tell
me what Hamlet's natural Temper was? Throughout that admirable Tragedy,
we see not his bare Temper once; but before he appear's, he's in wild
Distraction, which proceed's from former Accidents. This Method Mr.
_Row_ too has taken, especially in that ingenious Tragedy, call'd _JANE
SHORE_. We do not see any thing of her Temper but Grief and Sorrow; but
Grief cannot be natural to any Person's Mind, but must be accidental.
However, I think, this Method may be, at least, very good; whether 'tis
the best, I leave others to determine.

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