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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Mon.) _But when I've told you, will you keep your Fury
Within it's bound? Will you not do some rash
And horrid Mischief? for indeed_, Shamont,
_You would not think how hardly I've been used
From a near Friend_.

Cham.) _I will be calm; but has_ Castalio _wrong'd thee?_

Mon.) _Oh! could you think it!_ (Cham.) _What?_

Mon.) _I fear he'll kill me_. (Cham.) _Hah!_

Mon.) _Indeed I do; he's strangely cruel too me.
Which if it lasts, I'm sure must break my Heart_.

Act. 4.

In the other passage the Tender lyes more in the Thought.

Mon.) _Alas my Brother!
What have I done? And why do you abuse me?
My Heart quakes in me; in your settled Face
And clouded Brow methink's I see my Fate;
You will not kill me!_

Cham.) _Prithee, why dost talk so?_

Mon.) _Look kindly on me then, I cannot bear
Severity; it daunts and does amaze me.
My Heart's so tender, should you charge me rough.
I should but Weep, and Answer you with Sobing.
But use me gently, like a loving Brother,
And search thro' all the Secrets of my Soul_.

CHAP. VI.

_Of three Kind of Thoughts which seem to be false, yet are admitted and
valued by Pastoral Writers_.

Tho' I proposed not to consider those Thoughts which are false, either
in their own Nature, or with Respect to Pastoral; yet there are some
such, that yet are thought good, by the generality of Writers, which I
shall therefore Just mention; since Pastoral-Writers are especially fond
of 'em, and seem to look upon 'em as Beautys. Of these false Thoughts
there are, I think, three sorts. The EMBLEMATICAL, the ALLEGORICAL, and
the REFINED.

Of the first Sort, or the EMBLEMATICAL, _SPENCER_ was so fond, that he
makes it run all thro' his first and last Pastoral; which two come
the nearest of any he has to true Pastorals; and contain Thoughts more
pleasant than those in his other (especially his Allegorical) Pieces.
But these pleasant Thoughts are mostly Emblematical, as this, which I
think, is in SPENCER.

_My Leaf is dry'd, my Summer Season's done,
And Winter, blasting Blossoms, hieth on_.

Meaning that his happy time of Life was past, and Old Age drew on. I
need not prove these Thoughts to be improper for Pastoral.

The Second Sort, or the ALLEGORICAL, is also what _SPENCER_ delighted
equally in. His every Pastoral almost has under the plain Meaning a
hidden one. Let all judge of Allegorical Pastorals as they please, but
in my Opinion, they are not consistent with the Simplicity of that Poem.

The Third Sort I mention'd was the _REFINED_. And of this our Modern
Swains are as fond, as _SPENCER_ was of the two first. But all the
Difficulty is to show that their Thoughts are refin'd; for all allow a
Refin'd Thought to be faulty. But those I am going to mention are not
at present look't upon as such. As that Apostrophe, where the Shepherd
calls upon the Works of Nature to assist him in his Grief. This Thought
being us'd by all Pastoral-Writers show's how Beautiful they thought it:
And the generality of them, 'tis plain, took delight in the Affectation
of it, because they have put it as affected as they could.

If 'tis possible for any, the finest Turn, that can be given it, to
prevent the Affectation, I think the Ingenious Mr. _ROW_ has done it, in
his excellent Tragedy, call'd _JANE SHORE_.

_Give me your Drops, Ye soft-descending Rains,
Give me your Streams, Ye never-ceasing Springs, &c_.

But the very best Turn, methinks, that can possibly be given to this
Thought, Mr. _PHILIPS_, in his Pastorals, has hit upon.

_Teach me to grieve, with bleating Moan, my Sheep,
Teach me, thou ever-flowing Stream, to weep;
Teach me, ye faint, ye hollow Winds, to sigh,
And let my Sorrows teach me how to dye_.

The Thought likewise of the Heavens and the Works of Nature wailing
along with the Swain, is what Pastoral-Writers all aim at. I need not
quote different Authors, for the different Turns that are given to this
Thought; I remember Mr. _CONGREVE_ has it in four several Places. The
best express'd, I think, is this.

_The Rocks can Melt, and Air in Mists can mourn,
And Floods can weep, and winds to Sighs can turn, &c_.

It seem's to be turn'd the best next in these Lines.

_And now the Winds, which had so long been still,
Began the swelling Air, with Sighs to fill, &c_.

The Affectation of the Thought show's it self rather more, I think, in
the following Lines.

_And see, the Heav'ns to weep in Dew prepare.
And heavy Mists obscure the burd'ned Air
On ev'ry Tree the Blossoms turn to Tears,
And every Bough a weeping Moisture bears_.

But give me leave to quote the Thought once more and I have done.

_The Marble Weep's, and with a silent Pace,
It's trickling Tears distil upon her Face.
Falsely ye weep, ye Rocks, and falsely Mourn!
For never will ye let the Nymph return!_

If any should have a Curiosity to see these Thoughts at large, for
we have not quoted the whole of 'em, he may find 'em in _Congreve_'s
Pastoral, call'd _The Mourning Muse of_ ALEXIS.

I shall trouble you with but one Thought more of those which we reduce
under the Denomination of Refin'd, and that is the ANTITHESIS. I do not
just now remember a Line of this Nature in any Author but Mr. _PHILIPS_;
otherwise, I avoid hinting at particular Faults in a Writer who is
generally regular and correct, in his Sentiments.

_In vain thou seek'st the Cov'rings of the Grove,
In the cool Shades to sing the Heats of Love_.

SECT. 2.

_Of_ SIMPLE THOUGHTS. _And the finest quoted out of_ SHAKESPEAR _and_
PHILIPS.

'Twould be well if Pastoral-Writers would leave aiming at such Thoughts
as these, and endeavour to introduce the Simple Ones in their stead.
But what is most surprizing, is, that their false Thoughts are as seldom
their own, as their true ones, and they steal all indifferently from
_THEOCRITUS_ and _VIRGIL_. Which shows how necessary it is to be a
thorough Critick, if you would be a good Poet.

Pastoral-Writers are sufficiently for Simplicity; nay so much, that
they form their Storys or Fables so little and triffling as to afford
no Pleasure; is it not strange then that they should be so averse to
Simplicity in their Thoughts; where Simplicity would be the greatest
Beauty in their Poetry? Pastoral-Writers have all sorts of false
Thoughts but those which we may call the Too Simple. I do not indeed
know any Author who has such a Thought unless it be our wide-thoughted
_SHAKESPEAR_. And indeed 'tis scarce possible to rise to Simplicity
enough, in Pastoral, much less to have a Thought too Simple.
_SHAKESPEAR_'s is this.

Des.) _Mine Eyes do itch, doth that boad Weeping?_

Emil.) _'Tis neither here nor there_.

Des.) _I have heard it said so: O these Men, these Men!
Dost thou in Conscience think, tell me_ Emilia,
_That there be Women do abuse their Husbands,
In such gross kind_? &c.

Othello. Act. 4. Sc. last.

But if this passage is too Simple, 'tis for Tragedy so, not for
Pastoral; and because _DESDEMONA_ was a Senators Daughter, and Educated
in so polite a place as _VENICE_; but in Pastoral, I think, we may
Introduce a Character so Young, Simple and Innocent, that there is no
Thought so Simple but will square with it; at least, we have no Instance
of any such one as yet. The Simplicity of this Scene would be inimitable
for Pastoral; and I think, it shows as great if not a greater Genius,
in the Writing it, than any one in _SHAKESPEAR_. But a Scene so truly
Simple and Innocent cannot well be represented. Besides, what is best
writ is most open to the Ridicule of little Genius's; And more, I doubt,
look upon this Scene in _OTHELLO_ as Comedy, than have a taste of that
sweet Simplicity, that is in it, if we consider the Sentiments only in
themselves.

Yet must we not carry the Reflection too far, of Pastoral-Writers having
no such thing as the Simple in any of their Thoughts, for there
are passages in Mr. _PHILIPS Pieces_ truly Simple. And 'tis worthy
Observation how beautiful a figure they make, tho' we don't consider
'em as being in a Pastoral. Such is the celebrated one, contain'd in the
last of these Lines.

_I smooth'd her Coats, and stole a silent Kiss:
Condemn me Shepherds if I did amiss_.

_Phllips Past_. 6.

But we have greatly more Simple Thoughts in other Pieces than in
Pastorals. The finest of all which, is this famous one in _OTHELLO_.

_Why I should fear I know not,
Since Guiltiness I know not: But yet I feel I fear_.

Yet need we not much wonder at the scarcity of these Simple Thoughts;
since there is nothing requires so great a Genius as finely to touch
the SIMPLE; and the greatest Genius's never attempt Pastoral; it being
a Form so mean, little and trifling, without the Ornaments of Poetry,
FABLE, MANNERS, MORAL, &c. and of a confused Imperfect Nature.

CHAP. VII.

_Of COMPARISONS in Pastoral. And how much our modern Pastoral-Writers
have fail'd therein_.

SIMILIES in Pastoral must be managed with an exceeding deal of Care, or
they will be faulty. As a Poet may range Nature for Comparisons; this
gives a Pastoral-Writer a very easy Opportunity of introducing rural
Thoughts. _VIRGIL_ therefore, and those Swains who have written
Pastorals more by Art and Imitation than Genius, generally heap three
or four SIMILIES together for the same thing; and which is of no Moment;
nor wanted any Comparison.

As I have hinted that _Theocritus_ had a Genius capable of writing a
perfect Set of Pastorals, his Similies are infinitely the best of any
Swain's. The chief Rule, I think, to be observ'd is (if Rules can be
given for such Things as these) that SIMILIES be contain'd in three or
four Words. As this of _PHILIPS_'s.

_Whilon did I, all as this_ Pop'lar _fair,
Up-raise my heedless Head devoid of Care_, &c.

Or at most they ahould not exceed a Line. As this is a very Beautiful
one In the same Author. And also in his 1st Pastoral.

_A Girland, deck't with all the Pride of_ May,
_Sweet as her Breath, and as her Beauty gay_, &c.

I shall not give my Opinion of the following Similies; yet I might say
that I think 'em not altogether so fine as the foregoing two. Altho'
they contain delightful Images

_As Milk-white Swans on Silver Streams do show,
And Silver Streams to grace the Meadows flow;
As Corn the Vales and Trees the Hills adorn,
So thou to thine an Ornament was't born_.

_Past_. 3.

The next relates to the Sweetness of _Colinet_'s Voice.

_Not half so sweet are Midnight Winds, that move
In drowsy Murmurs o're the waving Grove;
Nor dropping Waters, that in Grotts distil,
And with a tinkling Sound their Caverns fill_.

_Past_. 4.

Methinks thus dressing a Thought so pompous in SIMILIES, raises so our
Expectation, that we are fit to smile when the last Line comes.

There are also another kind of Similies, which being heapt in the same
manner, seem to be design'd by _VIRGIL_, and those who have taken their
Thoughts from him, rather to fill up Space with somthing Pastoral, than
to be the natural Talk of Shepherds. For Swains are not suppos'd to
retard their Storys by many or long SIMILIES; their Talk comes from the
Heart, Unornamental; but Similies, in Pastoral, are for Ornament. But I
must show what kind of Thoughts I mean, which I also account SIMILIES,
but they have a peculiar Turn given to 'em. I remember but two in Mr.
_PHILIPS_ Pastorals.

_First then shall lightsome Birds forget to fly,
The briny Ocean turn to pastures dry,
And every rapid River cease to flow,
'Ere I unmindful of_ Menalcas _grow_.

The other is this.

_While Mallow Kids; and Endive Lambs pursue;
While Bees love Thyme; and Locusts sip the Dew;_
_While Birds delight in Woods their Notes to strain,
Thy Name and sweet Memorial shall remain_.

But now I have given Examples of those Similies which seem faulty; and
quoted at the beginning of the Section, some that are good; I will bring
an Instance of a SIMILIE, which is more delightful to the Fancy than all
these put together; and which show's that _Theocritus_ thought 'twas a
small thing to put down Pastoral Thoughts or Images, if he did not cull
the most pleasurable in Nature. _CREECH_ has translated it very well.
_DAPHNIS_ had conquer'd _MENALCAS_ in Singing.

_The Boy rejoyc'd, he leap'd with youthful Heat,
As sucking Colts leap when they swig the Teat;
The other griev'd, he hung his bashful Head,
As marry'd Virgins when first laid in Bed_.

CHAP. VIII.

_Of imitation; or Stealing Sentiments from the_ ANTIENTS.

If a direct Imitation of the Thoughts of the _Greeks_ and _Romans_,
shows no great Richness of Genius, in any kind of Poetry, in Pastoral
'tis much more to be avoided. If a Hero does sometimes talk out _HOMER_
and _VIRGIL_, 'tis not so shocking, because tis not dissonant to Reason
to suppose such a Person acquainted with Letters and Authors; nor is an
Heroick Poems Essence Simplicity; But if a Modern gives me the Talk of a
Shepherd, and I have seen it almost all before in _THEOCRITUS_, _VIRGIL_
and _SPENCER_, it cannot delight me. For that Poetry pleases the most,
that deceives the most naturally. But how can I, while I am reading a
pastoral, impose upon my self that I am among Swains and in the Country,
if I remember all they say is in _Greek_ and _Roman_ Authors. And few
read _Modern-Writers_ but have read the _Antients_ first. A Shepherd
should speak from his Heart, as if he had no design of Pleasing, but
is prompted to utter all he says: But if in all he says we see an
Imitation, or a Thought stole from other Authors, it destroys all
Simplicity, shows Design and Labour.

Besides, Epick Poetry warms and elevates the Mind, hurries it on with
fury and Violence, which prevents our noting any slight Inacuracy, so as
to be offended by it; but in so cool a Poem as Pastoral, whose design
is to sooth and soften the Mind, we have leasure to consider every
Unnaturalness and every Improbability.

SECT. 2.

_Of_ Soloman'_s Allegorical pastorals; Entitled_ The CANTICLES.

Yet I know not how, tho' 'tis so unnatural to find Thoughts in the
Mouths of Shepherds, which we have observ'd in _THEOCRITUS_ and
_VIRGIL_, yet I am never better pleased than with those Thoughts which
are taken out of the Scripture. Methinks the Thoughts in the CANTICLES
are so exceeding fine for Pastoral that 'tis pity to give 'em any other
Turn than what they have there; and if I did take any of those Pastoral
Sentiments, I would translate the whole Passage as we there find it.

_MILTON_ in his soft Passages has often imitated the Thoughts in the
CANTICLES; and Mr. _PHILIPS_ has taken from thence the hint of the
finest Image but one he has in his Pastorals.

_Breath soft ye Winds, ye Waters gently flow,
Shield her ye Trees, ye Flow'rs around her grow,
Ye Swains, I beg ye pass in silence by,
My Love in yonder Vale asleep doth lye_.

My not disliking Thoughts taken from the CANTICLES, makes me think that
'tis not so much the Thoughts being stolen from _THEOCRITUS_ or _VIRGIL_
that makes me dislike 'em, as the poor and mean Figure they make in
Poetry. Could Poets take as fine Pastoral Images from the Antients, as
this of _Philips_, I believe no one but would be pleased by 'em, come
from whence they would. But the Thoughts which our Writers take from
the Antients are such, that would they trust their own Genius's, I am
satisfied they would, at least, not have worse, nor more false ones.

I was a little surprized when I first read Mr. _Philips_'s _5th_
Pastoral, (which has the most of a story or Fable of any) how he came
to take the very story which _STRADA_ tell's to show what a Genius
_CLAUDIAN_ had. _OVID_'s _Metamorphoses_ is full of such Fairy and
Romantick Tales, and he might well enough have given a Description of a
Bird's contending with a Man for the Prize in Singing, but methinks 'tis
not wholly probable enough for a Fable in Pastoral.

Now the Cause of my mentioning this in Mr. _PHILIPS_, is to persuade, if
possible, those who shall hereafter engage in Pastoral-Writing to trust
to their own Genius's. By that means we may hope Pastoral will, one
Day, arrive at it's utmost Perfection, which if Writers pretend to go no
farther than the first who undertook it (I mean _THEOCRITUS_) it never
can do. For 'tis no one Genius that can bring any Kind of Poetry to it's
greatest Compleatness. And all know by what slow Steps Epick Poetry,
Tragedy, and Comedy arrived at the Perfection they now bear.

SECT. _Last_.

But now the time of Day drew on, when Cubbin must drive his Heifers to
Water. Sophy therefore withdrew, but promised to be there in the Evening
agen.

When the Heat of the Day was over, and the Evening Air began to breath
in a delightful manner, Sophy accordingly appear'd, and setting him on
the Rushes, that esprouted up by the River side, open'd his Book, and
proceeded in the following Manner.

_The End of the Third part_.

PART IV.

CHAP. 1.

_Of the Pastoral Language in general_.

I must here premise, that I intend not here a full and compleat
Discourse on the Pastoral Language; for that would take up a Volume. But
I would recommend it to some other Hand; for I know nothing that would
be more acceptable to the Letter'd World than an Enquiry into the Nature
of the _English_ Language.

But there is no Dialect or Part of our Language so little understood,
as that which relates to Pastoral; nor none (not even the Sublime) so
difficult to write. Of all who have attempted Pastoral in our Tongue, no
one (but _SPENCER_) has gone so far as even the weakening and enervating
their Dialect; yet after that is perform'd, a Pastoral-Writer has gone
but half way; for after the Strength is taken away, a Tenderness and
Simplicity of Expression must supply its Place, or else 'tis only bald
and low, instead of Soft and Sweet.

_Spencer_'s Language is what supports his Pastorals; for I can maintain,
that he has not above one Sentiment in fifteen but is either false, or
taken from the Antients, throughout his Pastorals. The greatest
Defect in his Language is it's want of Softness. He has introduced a
sufficient, or perhaps too great a Number, of Old-Words. But they are
promiscuously used. He took not the Pains to form his Dialect before
he wrote his Pastorals, by which means he has used more rough and harsh
Old-Words, than Smooth and Agreeable Ones. They are used where our
common Words were infinitely more Soft and Musical. As _What gar's thee
Greet?_ For, _What makes thee Grieve?_ How Harsh and Grating is the
Sound of _SPENCER_'s two Words, But Instances were endless. He is the
more blamable, because there are full enough Old-Words to render a
Dialect Rustick and Uncommon of the most sweet and delightful Sound
imaginable. As _ween_ or _weet_, for _think_; _yclepen_, for _call'd_,
and the like. These being so tender and soft, render the Language of
Pastoral infinitely more tender also, than any common Words, now in use,
can do.

CHAP. II.

_How to attain to the_ Soft _in Writing_.

That a Shepherd should talk in a different Dialect from other People, is
allow'd by all. That the Pastoral Language should be soft and agreeable
is equally past dispute. The only remaining Question then is, what it is
that composes such a Dialect, and how to attain it.

In order to compose a Pastoral Dialect entirely perfect; the first
thing, I think, a Writer has to do, is, as we said before, to enervate
it and deprive it of all strength.

As for the manner of enervating a Language, it must be perform'd by the
Genius of the Poet, and not shown by a Critick. However when the Thing
is done, 'tis not difficult to see what chiefly effected it. There are,
I think, _Cubbin_, two Things that principally enervate your Language.

_First_, 'Tis perform'd by throwing out all Words that are _Sonorous_
and raise a _Verse_. Mr. _PHILIPS_ comes the nearest to a Pastoral
Language of any English Swain but _Spencer_. And he has truly enervated
his Language in four several Lines. One of which is the last of these
two.

_Ye Swains, I beg ye pass in silence by;
My Love in yonder Vale asleep doth lye_.

The Word Doth, is what enervates the last Line. But 'twould be still
better enervated if Mr. _Philips_ had used only such Words as have very
few Consonants in them. For by Consonants, joyn'd with the Vowel O, a
Writer may render his Language, in Epick Poetry, just as Sonorous as he
will; and by the want of Consonants and by delighting in the other soft
Vowels he may render it weak. I cannot see that Mr. _PHILIPS_ has any
Line where the Language is wholly enervated. But see how _Spencer_ has
done this. Especially in the second of these Lines.

_The gentle Shepherd sate beside a Spring.
All in the Shadow of a Bushy Breer. &c_.

In this last Line, there is but one Word end's with a Consonant, where
the following Word begin's with one. But a Writer, who is perfectly
Master of his Language, will be able to have every Line like this; and
no Word more strong than Evening, Rivulet, and the like, will he be
forc'd to use.

_Secondly_, The Language is by nothing more weaken'd, than by the use of
Monisyllables. This no one ever had the least Notion of but _Spencer_.
Which I wonder has not been observed, 'tis so very palpable in him. What
makes the finess of these Lines else?

_All as the Sheep such was the Shepherd's look,
For pale and wan he was (alas the while!)
May seem he lov'd, or also some Care he took,
Well could he tune his Pipe and form his Stile_.

Past. 1.

Here is but two Words for four Lines, except Monosyllables.

The best Lines in _PHILIPS_, for the Language, are these, where
Monosyllables reign.

..._Fine gain at length, I trow,
To hoard up to my self such deal of Woe!_

And the last of these; for the first is rough thro' too many Consonants.

_A lewd Desire strange Lands and Swains to know:
Ah Gad! that ever I should covet Woe!_ Past. 2.

There are other Methods, I see, Cubbin, you have taken to enervate your
Language; too minute and too numerous to recite, but they are easily, I
think, observ'd, if a Person peruses the Pastoral Writers with Care.

When our Dialect is thus render'd weak and low, we must then add to
it, (in order to render it as pleasant as a Dialect that is not low and
mean) Simplicity, Softness and Rusticity. This is perform'd principally
by these three things. By Old-Terms; by Turns of Words, and Phrazes; and
by Compound Words. Of all which I shall crave leave to treat distinctly.
And first of Ancient Terms.

SECT. 2.

_Of Old-Words_.

When first I look'd into _Chaucer_. I thought him the most dry insipid
Writer I ever saw. And there is indeed nothing very valuable in either
his Images or Thoughts; but after a Person is accustom'd to his manner
of Writing and his Stile, there is something of Simplicity in his Old
Language, inimitably sweet and pleasing. If 'tis thus in _Chaucer_,
in Pastoral such a Language is vastly more delightful. For we expect
something very much out of the Way, when we come among Shepherds; and
how can the Language of Shepherds be made to differ from that of other
Persons, if they use not Old-Words?

'Tis very remarkable that all our greatest Poets whose Works will
live to Eternity, have introduced into their Language Old-Words; as
_Shakespear_, _Spencer_, _Milton_. _Dryden_ also, whose Genius was much
inferiour to those Writers; has used some few. And _Ben. Johnson_ (tho'
he lived at the same time with _Shakespear, Spencer, &c_.) whose Genius
was yet meaner than _Dryden_, has not one Old-Word.

Ancient Terms were doubtless a great disadvantage, especially to
_Spencer_, when his Works appear'd first in the World; but he had a Soul
large enough to write rather for Posterity, than present Applause.
He took so excessive a delight in the Old Language of his admired
_Chaucer_, that he could not help, in some measure, imitating it.

Our greatest Writers having all given into an Ancient Dialect, would
almost encline us of the present Age, to think of making their
Language a standing Language; for Queen _Elizabeth_'s Age is to us what
_Augustus_'s was to the _Latins_; we must never hope to have so many
noble Genius's adorn any one Age for the future; I might have said, any
twenty Ages. Therefore if any _English_ Dialect survives to the
World's End, 'twill certainly be theirs; and 'twill be prudence in any
After-writer to draw his Language as near to theirs as possible; that if
theirs are understood a thousand Years hence, his may too.

But to leave the Consideration of Old-Words in Epick Poetry and Tragedy,
let us proceed to Pastoral. There are several Advantages flow from the
Use of Old-Words, but I have time to mention but two or three.

There is a Spirit and a Liveliness of Expression to be preserv'd in
Pastoral as well as other Poetry; now I affirm that 'tis impossible
to perform this without Old-Words; unless a Writer make Shepherds talk
Sublimely, and with Passion, as in Tragedies.

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