ere are frequent Deviations from Art in the Works of the greatest
Masters, which have produced a much nobler Effect than a more accurate
and exact way of Proceeding could have done. This often arises from what
the _Italians_ call the _Gusto Grande_ in these Arts, which is what we
call the Sublime in Writing.

In the next Place, our Criticks do not seem sensible that there is more
Beauty in the Works of a great Genius who is ignorant of the Rules of
Art, than in those of a little Genius who knows and observes them. It is
of these Men of Genius that _Terence_ speaks, in Opposition to the
little artificial Cavillers of his Time;

'Quorum aemulari exoptat negligentiam
Potius, quam istorum obscuram diligentiam.'

A Critick may have the same Consolation in the ill Success of his Play,
as Dr. _South_ tells us a Physician has at the Death of a Patient, That
he was killed _secundum artem_. Our inimitable _Shakespear_ is a
Stumbling-Block to the whole Tribe of these rigid Criticks. Who would
not rather read one of his Plays, where there is not a single Rule of
the Stage observed, than any Production of a modern Critick, where there
is not one of them violated? _Shakespear_ was indeed born with all the
Seeds of Poetry, and may be compared to the Stone in _Pyrrhus's_ Ring,
which, as _Pliny_ tells us, had the Figure of _Apollo_ and the Nine
Muses in the Veins of it, produced by the spontaneous Hand of Nature,
without any Help from Art.

[Footnote 1: John Dennis's invention, of which he said with exultation,
'That's my thunder.']

* * * * *

No. 593. Monday, September 13, 1714. Byrom.

'Quale per incertam Lunam sub luce maligna
Est iter in Sylvis:--'

Virg.

My dreaming Correspondent, Mr. _Shadow_, has sent me a second Letter,
with several curious Observations on Dreams in general, and the Method
to render Sleep improving: An Extract of his Letter will not, I presume,
be disagreeable to my Readers.

'Since we have so little Time to spare, that none of it may be lost, I
see no Reason why we should neglect to examine those imaginary Scenes
we are presented with in Sleep, only because they have less Reality in
them than our waking Meditations. A Traveller would bring his Judgment
in Question who should despise the Directions of his Map for want of
real Roads in it, because here stands a _Dott_ instead of a Town, or a