t's being in Pastoral; but low Language is in it's own Nature
faulty. The first is only unnatural; the latter is stupid and dull.
Therefore unless you resolve to go quite thro', never weaken or enervate
your Pastoral Language at all. Unless you resolve to add Simplicity
and Softness, to supply the place of Strength, never rob it of it's
Strength. It had better have strength and Sprightliness and Politeness
than Nothing.

The best Way is that which Sir _Philip Sidney_ has taken, to suppose
your Swains to live in the _Golden-Age_, and to be above the ordinary
Degree of Shepherds, for Kings Sons and Daughters, were then of
that Employ. And upon this Supposition to make 'em talk in a polite,
delightful and refined Dialect. By this Means you will disable the
Criticks at once.

But perhaps some may expect that I should vindicate the Use of
Old-Words, on my own Account. But for that Reason I am the more careless
in touching the Subject; because I would leave the World to a free and
unbias'd Judgment of what I have done. Nor is this an Age, indeed, to
begin to vindicate Old-Words in. The Method has been approv'd of in all
Ages even in Epick Poetry and Tragedy, and should we go now to defend it
in Pastoral? A Friend indeed of _SPENCER_'s wrote a Vindication of his
Old-Words, but had _SPENCER_ been living be would doubtless have been
ashamed of it's appearing in the World. 'Tis the Opinion of the best
Judges that the Old-Words used by Mr. _Row_, even In the Tragedy of
_JANE SHORE_ are a great Beauty to that Piece. And those who have
objected against _SALLUST_ for affecting Old-Words, have made nothing
out. Tho' History is to deliver plainly Matters of Fact, and not to
flourish, and beautify it's self with foreign Ornaments, as Poetry is.
There are not so many disapprove of _SALLUST_'s Old-Words, as commend
him for adding a Majesty and Solemness to his Writings thereby.

I might add (were there occasion for vindicating Old-Words) that we
have render'd our _English_ Language unexpressive and bare of Words, by
throwing out several useful Old-Words; as _Freundina_ a _She-Friend_;
_Theowin_ a _She-Servant_, &c. But as no one has shewn Old-Words to
be faulty, for so many hundred Years, 'twould be folly to trouble the
Reader with a Vindication of 'em, at this Day. The only Question is,
whether an Author has chose the Softest and Finest; or has shown by his
Choice the weakness of his Judgment.

SECT. 3.

_Of Compound Words_.

A