avoidable Ignorance renders all his Attempts fruitless: Sometimes, he supplies by Conjecture what is wanting in Knowledge: And always, he is sensible, that the more unbroken the Chain is, which he presents to his Readers, the more perfect is his Production. He fees, that the Knowledge of Causes is not only the most satisfactory; this Relation or Connexion being the strongest of all others; but also the most instructive; since it is by this Knowledge alone, we are enabled to controul Events, and govern Futurity.
Here therefore we may attain some Notion of that Unity of Action, about which all Critics, after Aristotle, have talk'd so much: Perhaps, to little Purpose, while they directed not their Taste or Sentiment by the Accuracy of Philosophy. It appears, that in all Productions, as well as in the Epic and Tragic, there is a certain Unity requir'd, and that, on no Occasion, our Thoughts can be allow'd to run at Adventures, if we would produce a Work, that will give any lasting Entertainment to Mankind. It appears also, that even a Biographer, who should write the Life of Achilles, would connect the Events, by shewing their mutual Dependance and Relation, as much as a Poet, who should make the Anger of that Hero, the Subject of his Narration[1]. Nor only in any limited Portionof
- ↑ Contrary to Aristotle Μῦθος δ´ ἐστίν εις, οὐχ, ὥσπερ τινὲς ὄιονται, ἐὰν περι, θ´ ἕνος ἦ. Πολλὰ γαρ, καὶ απείρα τῳ γενει συμβαίνει, εξ ὧν ἐνίων οὐδέν ἐστιν ἔν. Ὄυτω δὲ καὶ πραξεὶς ἕνός πολλαί ἐσιν, ἐξ ὧν μία οὑδεμία γίνεται πρᾶξις, &c.Κέφ. η.
