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Monsieur Bossu's Treatise
OF THE
EPICK POEM.
BOOK III.
Concerning the Form of the Epick
Poem, or concerning the Narration.
CHAP. I.
Of the Parts of the Narration.
There are two ways of Relating an Action that is past: The one is Simple and Historical, when a Man makes the Rehearsal of it to his Audience without forcing their Imagination, only leaving them under a Sense that they are reading a Book, or hearing something or other related. The other is more Artificial, where the Author makes no Appearance, nor says any thing of himself. But, by a kind of innocent Magick, he raises from the Dead, and brings upon the Stage, those very Persons who have done the Action he would represent. He makes them speak and act over again the same Words and Actions theyspoke
