Monsieur Bossu's Treatise of the Epick Poem/Chapter 1
Monsieur Bossu's Treatise
OF THE
EPICK POEM.
BOOK I.
Of the Nature of the Epick Poem;
and of the Fable.
CHAP. I.
The Design of the whole Work.
Arts, as well as Sciences, are founded upon Reason, and in both we are to be guided by the Light of Nature. But in Sciences, neither the Inventers, nor the Improvers of them, are to make use of any other Guides but this Light of Nature: Whereas on the other hand, all Arts depend upon a great many other things, such as the Choice and Genius of those, who first invented them, or of those who have labour'd at them with an Universal Applause.
Poetry is of this Nature: And thò Reason might have first founded it, yet it cannot be deny'd but that the Invention of Poets, and the Choice they have been pleas'd to make, have added thereto both its Matter and Form. 'Tis then in the excellent Pieces of Antiquity we are to look for the Fundamentals of this Art: And, they are only to be rely'd on, to whom all others yield the Glory of having either practis'd with the most Success, or collected and prescrib'd Rules with the greatest Judgment.
The Greeks and Latins have furnish'd us with Examples of both kinds. Aristotle and Horace left behind them such Rules, as make them by all Men of Learning, to be look'd upon as perfect Masters of the Art of Poetry: And the Poems of Homer and Virgil are, by the Grant of all Ages, the most perfect Models of this way of Writing, the World ever saw. So that if ever a Just and Supreme Authority had the Power to prescribe Laws and Rules to any Art, one cannot question but these four Persons had all Authority on their side, with respect to the Epick Poem. And this is the only kind we shall treat of at present.
'Tis true, the Men of our Times may have as much Spirit as the Ancients had; and in those things which depend upon Choice and Invention, they may likewise have as just and as lucky Fancies: But then it would be a Piece of Injustice to pretend that our new Rules destroy those of our first Masters; and that they must needs condemn all their Works, who could not foresee our Humours, nor adapt themselves to the Genius of such Persons as were to be born in after-Ages, under different Governments, and under a different Religion from theirs; and with Manners, Customs, and Languages, that have no kind of relation to them.
Having no Design then by this Treatise to make Poets after the Model of our Age (with which I am not sufficiently acquainted) but only to furnish my self with some sort of Foundation in the Design I have of explaining the Æneid of Virgil; I need not concern my self with every new Invention of these last Times. I am not of Opinion, that what our late Authors think is universal Reason, and such a common Notion as Nature must needs have put into the Head of Virgil. But leaving Posterity to determine whether these Novelties be well or ill devis'd, I shall only acquiesce in what I think may be prov'd from Homer, Aristotle, and Horace. I will interpret the one by the Other, and Virgil by all Three, as having the same Genius and Idea of the Epick Poesie.