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

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But as to the Fault, whether 'tis in the Action, or out of it, is of no
moment to the Perfectness of a Pastoral. Tho' I must needs say, I am for
what Aristotle call's the Peripatie, or change of Fortune in Pastoral;
but I think the Action that produces the Change may be either in the
Poem, or have happen'd some time before, but so that it's Influence does
not reach the Persons till they have been a while engaged in the Actions
of the Tragedy or Pastoral.

SECT. _Last_.

Here Sophy closed his Book; for the Heat of the Day came on, and an
House or an Arbour began to be more agreeable than the open Fields.
Sophy told the Swain he would meet him there agen in the Evening, and
read him some more of the Minutes he had put down for his Direction, and
withdrew; and the Shepherd drove his Lambs to the Covert of the Shades.

Accordingly, as the day began to decline, the Critick again appear'd;
and opening his Book, pursued the Argument he had made some Progress in.

_The End of the first Part_.

PART II.

CHAP. I.

_Of the Pastoral CHARACTERS or MANNERS, in general_.

I should but tire the Reader, if I endeavour'd to prove that Pastoral
does require the Manners, or Characters to be preserved. If our Method
of ordering Pastoral be admitted, the Necessity thereof will be easily
perceived. But If any one prefer's the ordinary Method, I must tell him,
that 'tis not proper to draw Characters in a Piece of an hundred Lines.

It is to be observ'd, that tho' a Fable and Moral are essential to every
Poem; yet a Poem may subsist without the Manners. In Epick Poetry the
Machinery, the sublime Descriptions, &c. are such strong and Poetical
Ornaments, that a very fine Piece of the Heroick kind, might be form'd
without the Ornament of Characters. But Pastoral is in it self, (if I
may so speak) less Poetical; and therefore more want's the additional
Ornaments of Art. 'Tis naturally low and mean, and therefore should be
as much rais'd as possible. Whereas Epick-Poetry is of a Nature so
warm and heated, that it's own proper Strength and Violence is able to
support it. If this could want a Proof, I might say in short, That
we can bear with Epick-Poetry, even without any kind of Verse, and
_Cambray_ has succeeded in such; but every one will judge that should
a Pastoral appear in Prose, nay even without the Feminine Ornament of
Jangle, 'twould not be born with; which show's that Epick Poetry can
support it self with fewer foreign Assistances than Pastoral.

Another Observation I shall make, relating to the Manners or Characters
in general, is this; and 'tis equally applicable to Epick Poetry,
Tragedy, and Pastoral: There are three different ways of drawing
Characters; which in Tragedy form the Poem, as 'twere, of three
different Kinds or Natures.

The first, and finest is, where the Natural Temper of the Hero's Mind is
drawn in the former Part of the Poem, but after the Peripatie alter's.
As Timon of Athens is drawn at first all free and well-natur'd to
a Fault; but after his change of Fortune, is described as a quite
different Man; morose, and in hatred with himself and all the World. And
so in other Tragedies.

The second Sort is, where the Temper of Mind is the same in the former
and latter Part of the Play; but all along forced from it's Natural
Bent. Every where inclin'd and leaning to a different Temper; yet is
no where wholly carry'd off, or alter'd, as in _Venice-Preserv'd_;
_Jaffeir's_ Temper is generous, faithful, and tender, but thro' Want and
Enticement being drawn into a Conspiracy, this Temper is half effac'd
in him: But the Strugglings which the Poet has so fine an Opportunity
of describing, between his present Actions and his natural Temper, are
carry'd thro' the whole Piece; and he condemn's himself the same for
ungenerously betraying his Friend at the End, as for entring into the
Conspiracy against his Country, at the beginning of the Play.

The last kind of Character is, where the Natural Temper of the Mind is
neither drawn in the latter Part of the Poem; nor retain'd thro' the
whole, but clouded and broken; but instead thereof some casual and
accidental Humour, which from some Misfortune, or the like, has quite
changed the Natural Temper before the Person appear's on the Stage, or
in the Poem. As in the Distress'd-Mother, the Character that give's name
to the Tragedy, is all along in Tears and Grief for _Hector_; and what
her Temper was before his Death, does not appear, that is, what her
Natural Temper was.

I need not detain you to apply what I have here observ'd to Pastoral in
particular; 'tis enough to affirm, that the Method which appears most
beautiful in Tragedy, will be equally finest in Pastoral Poetry.

CHAP. II.

_What Condition of Life our Shepherds should be supposed in. And whether
the_ Golden-Age, _or the present state of the Country should be drawn_.

There are three different Methods, (as we hinted in the first Chap. of
the first Book) of describing the Country. For it may be drawn, as 'tis
suppos'd to have been in the Golden-Age; or, as 'tis now, but only the
pleasant and delightful Images extracted, and touch'd upon; or,
lastly, we may draw the Country in it's true and genuine Colours, the
Deformities as well as the Beauties having admittance into our Poem.

This last sort run's upon the Labours and fatigues of the Rusticks; and
gives us direct Clowns and Country-Folk. We alway see 'em sweating with
a Sicle in their Hands; beating their Cows from the Corn; or else at
Scolding. Yet doubtless a kind of Pastorals of this Nature might be made
extreamly delightful, if the Writer would dare to write himself, and not
be lead so much by _Theocritus_ and _Virgil_.

But a Method preferable to this, I think, is a Description of the
Golden-Age; and there is very little difference between this, and that
which we hold the best. It draw's the Swains, all Innocent and tender.
Show's us Shepherds, who are so, not for their Poverty, but their
Pleasure; or the Custom of those unrefin'd Ages, when the Sons and
Daughters of Kings were of that Employ, as we read in the Scripture of
the Ladies of greatest Quality, drawing Water for their Flocks, and the
like. I am therefore nothing averse to this kind of Pastoral. It draw's
such a Life as we could easily wish our selves in; and such, and only
such, can bear a pleasurable Description.

But all the Opportunities that the supposition of the Golden-Age gives
the Reader of the Beautiful in his Descriptions, and being Entertaining
in his Characters; In short, all the delightful Scenes, Arborets and
Shades, as well as all the gentleness and simplicity of that Age, may be
drawn into the other, namely the middle state, which we prefer; if the
Characters be proper.

Besides, I should not be fond of describing the Golden-Age, because we
are not so much interested and concern'd in what was only some thousand
Years ago, and ne're will be again. If the Poet possesses us with
agreeable Sentiments of our own Country (by describing it, but omitting
all that is not delightful in it) we are doubly pleas'd with the
Consideration that it may be in our own Power to enjoy the sweet
Amusement: and we are apt to fancy while we are reading, that were
we among those Swains, we could solace our selves in their easy
Retirements, and on their tender Banks in the same manner that they do.

And since Poetry, the more naturally it deceives, the more fully it
pleases; I should be very desirous, methinks, of giving my Pieces as
great an Appearance of Probability, as possible. And in our way, the
Poet may, to add yet more to the Probability, mention several Places in
the Country, which actually are to be found there; and will have several
Opportunities of giving his Stories an Air of Truth.

SECT. 2.

_The Method of_ Theocritus, _and all his followers, shown to be
inferiour, from the Nature of the Human Mind_.

But further, to shew that we should not describe the Country in
it's Fatigues, it's Roughness, or it's Meanest, take these Few
Considerations. For, as no Writer whom I have read (but that excellent
Frenchman _FONTENEL_,) has raised his Shepherds and Shepherdesses above
the vulgar and common sort of Neat-herds and Ploughers, I am oblig'd to
dwell a little the longer on this Head.

It may be observ'd, I think, that there are but two States of Life
which are particularly pleasant to the Mind of Man; the busy, great,
or pompous; and the retir'd, soft, or easy. More are delighted with the
former than with the latter kind, which affoard's a calm Pleasure, that
does not strike so sensibly, but proceeds much from the Imagination.
Perhaps this may be the reason why Epick and Tragick Poetry are more
universally pleasing than Pastoral; for they describe the Actions of
such Persons, as most Men are dazled and enamour'd with; and would
willingly quit their own Stations in Life for.

But tho' this State of Life may perhaps be more generally engaging than
the soft and retir'd; 'tis certain the soft is the next eligible, and
consequently will shine the most next in Poetry. As no one would much
desire to be one of Theocritus's Shepherds, so 'tis plain, no one can
be much delighted with being concern'd, as 'twere, with such; of having
their Actions take up our Minds, and their Manner of Life set before us.

As a love of Grandeur, Show and Pageantry is implanted naturally in
our Minds, so we cannot be pleas'd with any thing that is mean, low and
beggarly; and as we dislike what is mean and beggarly, How can we love
to have our Minds conversant about, direct Ploughmen, _&c_? We love the
Country for it's soft Retirements, it's Silence, and it's Shades, and
can we love a Description of it that sets none of these before us? If I
read a Pastoral, I would have it give me such a Prospect of the Country,
and stop me upon those Objects, where I should myself stay, were
I there; but would not that be (at least generally) upon the most
beautiful Images. If the Toils of the Country-Folk took my Observance,
'twould only be for Variety, because those Images which a Poet can
so plentifully raise out of his own Brain, can hardly be met with in
Reality. But methinks were I determin'd to describe the Labours and
Hardships of the Country, and not to collect the Beauties; I would e'en
observe the Manner of the Fellows and Wenches in the Country, and put
down every thing that I observ'd them act; as Mr. Gay has very well
done; and than we shall have at least this Pleasure, of seeing how
exactly the Copy and the Original agree; which is the same that we
receive from such a Picture as show's us the face of a Man we know.

Again, 'tis natural to the Mind of Man to delight in the Happiness of
it's Fellow-Creatures; and no Pleasure can be imbibed from the Prospect
of another's Misery; unless it is so calculated as to excite Pity. The
Pleasure, that comes the nearest such of any, is a Comick one, which
delight's to see the human Form distorted and debased, and turn'd into
that of a Beast.

And as for Pity, the most delightful Passion of all, it can't be excited
by this Means. For those Swains are inured to Labour, and acquainted
with Fatigue; but we pity those who fall from Greatness to a State of
Hardships.

CHAP. III.

_What Personages are most proper for Pastoral. And what Passions we may
allot our Shepherds; and what degree of Knowledge_.

Since Simplicity and Tenderness are universally allow'd to constitute
the very Soul and Essence of Pastoral, there la nothing scarce in the
Proceedings of Pastoral-Writers more surprizing to me, than that no one
has allotted any Part of Characters in their Pieces to the _SOFT-SEX_:
But have, to a Writer, introduc'd only Men, and even the roughest of
that Sex.

I can no otherways account for that their Conduct, but that _Theocritus_
happen'd not to make any true Female Characters, nor to introduce any
such of the Fair-Sex, as would shine in Pastoral, and they pretend to
nothing farther than the Copying after him.

This is the more strange, since even Epick-Poetry and Tragedy, whose
Nature is Violence and Warmth, cannot well subsist without the tender
Characters. 'Tis they that sprinkle so sweet a Variety thro' those
Pieces, and relax the Minds of the Readers, with the Beautiful and Soft,
after it is sated with the Sublime.

Now if even the warmest Kinds of Poetry delight in Female Personages,
How much more Pastoral, which is all Tenderness and Simplicity? Whose
design is to sooth and spread a Calm over the Mind, as the higher Poems
are to elevate and strike It.

But 'tis not enough that we introduce some Characters drawn from the
_SOFT-SEX_: our Male Characters must be also of the same Nature, far
from rough or unmanner'd. Every Character must also be of such a Kind
as will be entertaining to the Mind. For there are some more, some less
delightful, among those Female _Characters_, which at first sight seem
equally proper to Pastoral. Of this kind is a Prudish _Character_, or
excessively reserv'd. For, besides that frankness and Openness of Heart,
is what we imagine natural to Shepherds, a Poet can never raise Delight
from such a Character. Her fault is too hateful to excite Pity in her
Punishment; and too small to raise Joy in beholding bar Unfortunate.
Besides that such a Joy were not proper for Pastoral. Of the same Nature
is a Finical, or Squeamish Character, and many others, at first sight
agreeable to Pastoral.

SECT. 2

_What Passions we may allot our Shepherds_.

Although I am for raising the Characters in Pastoral somewhat above
the degree of Boors and Clowns; yet no one is more for retaining the
Pastoral Simplicity. Our Characters of young and tender Innocents,
give, I think, a better Opportunity of introducing the true Pastoral
Simplicity, than those very mean and low Personages, which rather lead
us to an unmanner'd Clownishness, than an agreeable Simplicity.

To preserve this Simplicity, we must avoid attributing to our Swains,
any of those Passions or Desires, which engage busy and active part
of Mankind; as Ambition, and the like. _Theocritus_ therefore, and
_Virgil_, and the generality of his Followers, have rather made their
Shepherds sing alternately for a Leathern Pouch, or a Goat, than for
the Desire of Praise. And nothing, I believe, but his being unwilling
to make his Swains sing for exactly the same Reward, that all since
_Theocritus_, have done, could have made our excellent Phillips alter
the Pouch and the Kid, for Praise, in his sixth Pastoral.

_Let others meanly stake upon their Skill.
Or Kid, or Lamb, or Goat, or what they will;
for praise we sing, nor Wager ought beside;
And, whose the Praise, let_ Geron's, _Lips decide_.

There are few of even the most violent passions but may be introduc'd
into Pastoral, if artfully manag'd and qualify'd by the Poet: As Hatred,
if it be not carried to it's height; which is an Excess in Pastoral.
And I observe, _Cubbin_, you make your Shepherd _Colly_, inconstant; and
have an Aversion to his former Sweet-heart _Soflin_, on account of her
Frankness, and too great Forwardness. But yet I think it is not faulty,
because you make his Affections vary, against his Inclination, and he is
angry with himself for his dislike to _Soflin_; but no Reason can stop
unruly Love.

So Revenge, if admitted, must be very ingeniously manag'd, or 'twill be
intolerable. There is a cunning Thought in _Tasso_, that may perhaps let
the Reader something into the Manner in which I would have it order'd.
A Female Warriour, opposed to her Lover in Aims, for his Inconstancy
shoot's a Dart at him, yet wishes it may not strike him.

But what comes nigher to the explaining the manner of introducing
Revenge into Pastoral, is what we find in the sixth Idyll of
_Theocritus_. _Polyphemus's_ Mistress had been unkind; and how do's
he propose to take Revenge: Why, he will not take notice of her as she
walk's before his Cave to be seen, and pelt's his flock. After which
follow's the most simple, and I had almost said, finest Thought in any
Pastoral-Writer. The whole Beauty of which no one will conceive, but who
has a Soul as tender as _Theocritus_ had, and could touch the _Soft_ as
well. Poliphemus threaten's several Punishments, after which, follows
this. 'Tis as fine in _Creech's_ Version as the Original.

_Besides, my Dog, he is at my Command,
Shall bark at her, and gently bite her Hand_.

What I have said of this, might be said of the other Passions; but I
shall insist no longer on this Head. As for the Passions most proper for
Pastoral, they are discuss'd elsewhere.

SECT. 3.

_What degree of Knowledge we may attribute to our Swains_.

The difference between the Knowledge of our Shepherds, and that of
politer Persons, must not proceed in the least from any difference
in their Natural Endowments, but entirely from the manner of their
Educations. The Poet therefore, has nothing to do in this Case, but to
consider what is most probable for Nature to effect, unassisted by Art.

As for a Shepherd's knowing what the ancient Poets have deliver'd,
concerning the different Ages, and other things, I shall not determine
whether 'tis natural or not: because not only _Theocritus_, whose
Shepherds are as well vers'd in History as other Men, and _Virgil_,
whose Shepherds are often Philosophers, have gone in this way, but our
Countryman Mr. Phillips also, whose excellency is his Correctness.

(Lang.) _Thrice happy Shepherds now! for_ Dorset _loves
The Country Muse, and our delightful Groves.
While_ Anna _reigns. O ever may she reign!_
And bring on Earth a Golden-Age again.
_Pastor_. 6.
I shall leave the Reader also to determine concerning the following
piece of Knowledge.

(Hob.) _Full fain, O blest_ Eliza! _would I praise
Thy Maiden Rule, and Albion's Golden Days_.
Then gentle _Sidney_ liv'd, the Shepherds Friend:
_Eternal Blessings on his Shade descend!_

The same is to be said of other the like Passages, but the most ordinary
Capacity may judge what Knowledge is, or is not, consistent with the
Banner of a Shepherd's Education.

CHAP. IV.

_How to form the Pastoral Characters, and the great Difficulty of doing
it_.

A Poet, who would write up to the Perfection of Pastoral, will find
nothing more difficult (unless the Dialect) than the inventing a
sufficient Number of Pastoral Characters; such as are both faultless and
beautiful. That difficulty proceeds from hence.

In Epick and Tragick Poetry we have the whole scope of all Men's Tempers
and Passions to draw; which are widely various and different: As, the
Savage and Wild; the Ambitious; the Simple and Tender-hearted; the
Subtle, &c. Thus in the Epick and Tragick Poems, you draw the general
Qualities of all Men's Minds. But in Pastoral, you are pinn'd down to
one of these common qualities (which is Simplicity and Tenderness.)
And laying that as a Foundation, from thence draw your particular
Characters. In every Character still supposing that at the bottom of
it, and to accompany it. But Rules of this Nature, are like Mathematical
Assertions, not easily explain'd, but by Examples. Tho' I think,
_Cubbin_, I need not insist long on this to you; for your Characters are
not much faulty in this particular. If I remember aright; some of your
Characters are these:

Paplet has Simplicity and Tenderness: But her distinguishing Character
is, that she is a May, so young, as to be entirely ignorant of Love; but
extreamly Curious to be let into the Nature of Men and Lovers.

Collikin has Simplicity and Tenderness: But withal a Tincture of
Inconstancy in his Nature.

Soflin, with her Simplicity and Tenderness, is excessive Easy, and
Complying, to a Fault; open and too free-hearted.

Florey has Simplicity; and Tenderness for his Lass; but he is almost out
of Humour with himself for being so soft. He is suppos'd to be brought
up in the lonely Cave with Paplet; and his natural Tamper is wild and
excessive brisk; hating the House, and delighting in Hunting. But you
show, I see, only a Glimpse of his Natural Temper, which breaks out
at times; but he is drawn as tender, being all the Time in Love with
Poppit.

The rest of your Characters have the same Foundation; nor break in, I
think, upon Simplicity and Tenderness.

'Tis true indeed, as to the Difficulty of forming Pastoral Characters,
beyond those of Epick Poetry; That even there, one general Character
should diffuse it self thro' all the rest, and that is Bravery.
(For _Homer_ might, I think, as well have brought in a Baboon, or a
Hedge-hog, for Heroick Characters, as a _Vulcan_ and a _Thirsites_.) But
Bravery will coincide with greatly more Tempers than Pastoral Simplicity
and Tenderness; nor does it lay the Poet under a Restraint comparably so
great.

'Tis farther observable, as to the Difficulty of forming the Pastoral
Characters, that if we wou'd write up to the Perfection of Pastoral,
'tis necessary that whatever habit or temper of Mind distinguishes any
CHARACTER in the first Pastoral, wherever that CHARACTER afterwards
appears, thro' the whole set of Pastorals, it must appear with the
same Temper as before; that is, 'tis not enough to have the Characters
uniform and just thro' one and the same Pastoral, but what is the
Character of any Swain or Lass in the first and second Pastoral,
that must be their Character in all the rest, if they are nam'd or
introduc'd, tho' never so slightly. For by this means, not only
every single Pastoral will make a regular Piece, but the whole set of
Pastorals also constitute together one uniform and ample Poem; if the
Reader delights to fill his Mind with a large and ample Scheme.

The set of Pastorals would be still more perfect, if the Characters
were also all continued on from the first to the last Pastoral, and none
drop'd, as 'twere, in silence; but in the Pastorals which draw towards
the End, the Characters should be all disposed of in Pastoral, and after
an entertaining Manner; so that the two or three last Pastorals will be
like the fifth Act in a Tragedy, where the Catastrophe is drawn up. The
reasonableness of this appear's from hence. I suppose the Poet to form
his Story so, and so to draw his Characters, that the Reader's Mind may
be engag'd and concern'd for the Personages. Now the Mind is uneasy if
'tis not let into the issue of the Affairs of the Person it has been
long Intent upon, and given to know whether he is finally Unfortunate,
or Happy.

SECT. _Last_.

Thus far proceeded Sophy, when Night drew on. He shut his Book; and
Cubbin told him, he had not pass'd many days with so much Delight as
that. If you have found my Discourse, said Sophy, entertaining, do not
fail of being here again early to morrow Morning, and I will continue
it to you. The Shepherd express'd his Satisfaction, and they hasted home
together.

The following Morn was fair and inviting; they both appear'd when the
Lark began his Mattin Song; and Sophy thus proceeded.

_The End of the Second Part_.

P A R T III.

CHAP. I.

_Of the Sentiments in general_.

I must crave leave to extend the Signification of the Word Sentiment, to
the including tooth IMAGE and THOUGHT. For I think the Criticks should
by all means have, before now, made that Division, and the omission has
occasion'd the greatest Obscurity and Confusion in the Writings of those
who have discours'd on any particular Kind of Sentiment. But that the
Reader may take the more Care to keep this Distinction in his Head, we
will give one Instance of the Confusion it occasion'd in the Mind of
_Longinus_, who treated the Sublime, and certainly ought to have had a
clear Notion of the Subject he wrote so largely, and so floridly upon.

Now in his sixth _Section_, he make's it a Question, and discourses
largely, whether Passion can go along with a Sublime SENTIMENT. But any
one who has divided Sentiment into Image and Thought would laugh at this
Question; it being so plain that passion is consistent with a Sublime
Thought, and is not with a Sublime Image.

Would not any person who desired to acquire a true and thorough Notion
of a sublime Sentiment, so as to know one, wherever met, be puzzled
at _Longinus_'s telling him, _Homer_'s Sentiment is sublime, where
he make's the _Giant_'s heap Ossa on Olympus, and on Ossa Wood-top'd
Pelion; and a little after telling him that _Alexander_'s to _Parmeno_
is a sublime Sentiment. _Parmeno_ say's, _Were I Alexander, I would
embrace these Proposals of Peace_. _Alexander_ reply'd, _And I, by the
Gods, were I Parmeno_. These Sentiments of _Homer_ and _Alexander_ (tho'
equally sublime) are as different as a Bright and a Tender Sentiment. If
then I have settled one in my Mind, as sublime, How shall I conceive the
other as such?

But there is no other way of avoiding this Confusion, and of being
equally certain of all sublime Sentiments, but by knowing that the
first of these is a sublime Image, and the last a sublime Thought or
Sentiment. And you will find, if you consider the Nature of _Homer_'s
Image, all sublime Images are like it; and the same of _Alexander_'s
sublime Thought. Altho' the sublime Sentiments in general are so
different.

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