The PREFACE.
proceeded from one and the same Cause, namely, his neglect of following the Rules of Poetry. The same may be said of Sir William D' Avenant, and Mr. Cowley: For all the Defects Rymer charges them with, are wholly owing to the same Cause. 'Tis likewise upon this very account that the Pieces of our Dramatick Poets, which are reckon'd to be the best performances of the present Age, can scarce any of them stand the Test of a Judicious Eye: And a Man of sense that knows the Art of Poetry, and has read the Performances of former Ages, cannot but pity the conceited Ignorance and perverse Pride of our Modern Poets, who scorn to be confin'd to the Rules of Art. They have been told of this often and often, but they think their own Wit is the best Judge in the Case; and as long as 'tis so there is no hopes of any Amendment, or of any great Productions in Poetry. I know they bring several Objections against Writing according to the Rules, but they are so trifling that I think it not worth while to examine them here: Besides, all their Objections, at least the weightiest of them, have been stated, examin'd, and refuted in the Preface before the last Translation of Terence's Comedies; so that I am sufficiently excus'd from that needless Task.
I shall shut up all that has been said on Epick Poetry, with giving you the Thoughts of a very eminent Person of Quality of this present Age and Nation; who seems to have comprehended all that has been said on this Subject in these few Verses.
Parnassus Hill, on whose bright Airy Top
The Epick Poets so divinely show,
And with just Pride behold the rest below.
Heroick Poems have a just pretence
To be the utmost reach of Humane Sence,
A
