The PREFACE.
most Primitive times of Poetry, to write any thing which might reflect upon the Government they liv'd under, or upon the Gods they Worship'd. But now with us the Poet meets with no Encouragement, and only One Lawreat is maintain'd at the publick Charge. Upon this account it is that Men of Large Souls, who cannot condescend to humour the Vulgar in their Licentiousness, turn the bent of their Studies another way, and fly Parnassus as they would the most dangerous Contagion. Others of a more pliable Temper take up with the Stage, and that they may receive some Profit themselves, study not to profit, so much as they do to please their Audience, and that in their lewd way too. But is it not a burning shame that such a Noble Genius as Dryden and others, that seem to be made for greater designs, should be forc'd to a fatal Dilemma, either to truckle to a Playhouse for the uncertain Profit of a third Day, or to starve for want of other reasonable Encouragement? But 'tis hop'd on all hands, that under the Reign of one that may truly be term'd another Augustus, and under the Patronage of one that may as justly be stil'd a Second Mecœnas, Poetry will regain its ancient Privileges, and Epick Poets receive that publick and due Encouragement they really deserve.
The third and last Reason I shall mention for the declining State of Epick Poetry among the Moderns is, their notorious neglect of following the Rules which Aristotle and Horace have prescrib'd: This, and not want of Genius, has been the true Cause why several of our English Epick Poets have succeeded so ill in their Designs. Rymer urges this very strongly against Spencer himself, whom at the same time he acknowledges to have had a large Soul, a sharp Judgment, and a Genius for Heroick Poesie, perhaps above any that ever writ since Virgil. For no question but his following an unfaithful Guide, his Rambling after Marvellous Adventures, his making no conscience of Probability, and almost all his other faultspro-
