ith lees of wine, sang and acted. After him
Aeschylus, the inventor of the vizard mask and decent robe, laid the
stage over with boards of a tolerable size, and taught to speak in lofty
tone, and strut in the buskin. To these succeeded the old comedy, not
without considerable praise: but its personal freedom degenerated into
excess and violence, worthy to be regulated by law; a law was made
accordingly, and the chorus, the right of abusing being taken away,
disgracefully became silent.

Our poets have left no species [of the art] unattempted; nor have those
of them merited the least honor, who dared to forsake the footsteps of
the Greeks, and celebrate domestic facts; whether they have instructed
us in tragedy, of comedy. Nor would Italy be raised higher by valor and
feats of arms, than by its language, did not the fatigue and tediousness
of using the file disgust every one of our poets. Do you, the decendants
of Pompilius, reject that poem, which many days and many a blot have not
ten times subdued to the most perfect accuracy. Because Democritus
believes that genius is more successful than wretched art, and excludes
from Helicon all poets who are in their senses, a great number do not
care to part with their nails or beard, frequent places of solitude,
shun the baths. For he will acquire, [he thinks,] the esteem and title
of a poet, if he neither submits his head, which is not to be cured by
even three Anticyras, to Licinius the barber. What an unlucky fellow am
I, who am purged for the bile in spring-time! Else nobody would compose
better poems; but the purchase is not worth the expense. Therefore I
will serve instead of a whetstone, which though not able of itself to
cut, can make steel sharp: so I, who can write no poetry myself, will
teach the duty and business [of an author]; whence he may be stocked
with rich materials; what nourishes and forms the poet; what gives
grace, what not; what is the tendency of excellence, what that of error.

To have good sense, is the first principle and fountain of writing well.
The Socratic papers will direct you in the choice of your subjects; and
words will spontaneously accompany the subject, when it is well
conceived. He who has learned what he owes to his country, and what to
his friends; with what affection a parent, a brother, and a stranger,
are to be loved; what is the duty of a senator, what of a judge; what
the duties of a general sent out to war; he, [I say,] certainly