thence before Caiaphas and Pilate; which too much precipitates the main
Action: Besides, it seems harsh and improbable to bring in S. John, and
Joseph, our Saviour's reputed Father, as he does in the Third and Fourth
Book, giving Pilate an account of his Life; not to insist on the general
Opinion, that Joseph was not then alive. But notwithstanding these few
failures, it can't be deny'd, that his Description of our Saviour's
Passion in the Fourth Book, is incomparably fine; the disturbance among
the Angels on that occasion; his Character of Michael, and the Virgins
Lamentation under the Cross, and at the Sepulchre, are inimitable. And
thus much for Vida, on whom I've been more large because I've often made
use of his Thoughts in this following Work; his Poem being the most
complete on that Subject I've ever seen or expect to see. And here han't
the English more reason to complain of Rapin, that he takes no notice of
their Heroic Poems, than Lupez Viga of Tasso, for not mentioning the
Spaniards at the Siege of Jerusalem: but since he has been so partial, as
not to take any notice of our Writers, who sure as much deserve it as
their Dubartas and Ronsard; we may have liberty to speak of our own, and
to do 'em Justice: To begin with Spencer, who I think comes the nearest
Ariosto of any other; he's almost as Irregular, but much more Natural and
Lovely: But he's not only Irregular but Imperfect too, I mean, as to what
he intended; and therefore we can't well imagine what it wou'd have been,
had he liv'd to complete it. If Fable be the Essence of Epic, his Fairy
Queen had certainly enough of that to give it that Name. He seems, by the
account he gives of it to Sir Walter Rawleigh, to have design'd one
Principal Hero King Arthur, and one main important Action bringing him to
his Throne; but neither of these appear sufficiently distinct, or well
defin'd, being both lost in the vast Seas of Matter which compose those
Books which are finish'd. This however must be granted, the Design was
Noble, and required such a comprehensive Genius as his, but to draw the
first Sketch of it: And as the Design, so the Thoughts are also very
great, the Expressions flowing natural and easie, with such a prodigious
Poetical Copia as never any other must expect to enjoy. Gondibert methinks
wants Life; the Style is rather stiff than Heroic, and has more of Statius
than Virgil; one may see every where a great deal of Art, and Pains, and
Regularity, eve