Tis perhaps this very Neglect, which conceals from our Eyes the greatest Beauties of Homer, and which instead of his Skill, only shews us a very mean and gross Outside, which hinders us from judging favourably of his Spirit and Conduct. However he had reason to make use of this way, and to accommodate himself to the [1]Mode of his Age. He knew well enough, that those, who did not penetrate him would admire him as much as others; because every one was perswaded that what appear'd to the Eye of the World, was in effect nothing else but the Shell, which contained the Profitable and Pleasant parts of his Work.
Virgil was a great deal harder put to it, because the Romans of his time did not so frequently use Fables and Allegories. Cicero did not treat of Philosophy as Plato and Socrates did, upon whom they Father Æsop's Fables. And S. [2]Jerom takes notice that Parables were in greatest vogue in the East. So that when Virgil was minded to shroud his Instructions and Doctrine under Allegories, he could not be contented with such a plain outside as Homer's was, which gravels those who cannot penetrate it, and who are ignorant that he speaks figuratively. But he has so composed his Outside, and his Fictions, that those very persons who can go no farther, may, without seeking for any thing else, be very well satisfied with what they find there.
This Method is wholly conformable to our Way, and very much to our Palates. But I fansie, the satisfaction we so easily find in these External Fictions alone, does us some Prejudice. The more we fix there, the less search do we make into the Bottom and Truth of things. This makes us perhaps Equivocate upon the Word Fable, which we apply so differently to the Epopéa, and to the Fictions of Æsop.
This Prepossession of Mind does Homer a great deal of Diskindness; for we are often willing to find such Vertues and good Manners there, which are not there, and which we suppose ought regularly to have been there: Because we are so little acquainted with his way of teaching Morality.
From hence it comes to pass that we meet with so great Obscurities in the Precepts of Aristotle and Horace, who commend Homer so much for that, which we are so little acquainted with, especially if we examine it according to the Ideas of Perfection, which we generally form to our Selves. By this means we shall be subject to great Confusions and many Contradictions. Before ever then we pass a judgment upon these things and upon Homer, who is the
Author
