me up to _Spencer_'s smoothness and simplicity
in his Numbers. As I quoted only the Phrazes of my Country-men In the
Chapter on that Head; I will here put down the finest in Theocritus,
tho' I cannot say indeed that he has any but in his first Pastoral.

[Greek: Archete boukolikas Moisai philai harchet haoithas. Thursis hod
hox Ahitnas, kai Thursidos adea phona. Pa pok had esth, oka Daphnis
etaketo, pa poka Numphai;]

The finest of these Lines (and the softest but one that I remember thro'
all his Pieces) is the middle one; it is most incorrigibly translated
by _Creech_: tho' I blame him not for it, because of the difficulty of
inventing fine Phrazes, much more of translating those of other Men,
into Rhime; for which Reason _Creech_ has not attempted to give us any
of _Theocritus_'s Turns of Words.

CHAP. IV.

_That there may be several sorts of Pastorals_.

To conclude this Essay, as there are Tempers and Genius's of all sorts,
so perhaps it may not be amiss to allow Writings of all sorts too. I
think every Person's Aim should be to be subserving as much as possible,
to the Delight and Amusement of his Fellow-Creatures. And if any can
take pleasure in what is really not pleasant, 'tis pity, methinks, to
rob 'em of it. Yet if there is in nature a Method which pursued will be
still more delightful, the Critick is to be observed who points out the
Way thereto.

If any of my Countrymen therefore can take delight from reading the
Pastorals of _Theocritus_ and _Virgil_, or any of those who have
imitated those two Ancients, I shall be ready to allow that there may
be several sorts of Pastorals. 'Tis certain that _Milton_ and _Homer_,
(thro' the Scene of the Former lying about the Sphere of Men) are as
different as _East_ from _West_, yet both excellent. Tragedy has
as different sorts as Epick-Poetry; Nor are _Julius Caesar_ and the
_Orphan_ of the same Nature. The same difference in Tragedy, is between
all those, whose Chief CHARACTER is a Hero, and those that draw a
Female, as _Jane Shore_, the Lady _Jane Gray_, _and the like_, are to me
entirely different from _Shakespear's_, not respecting the Excellency of
'em. _Shakespear_ having a Genius made for the Sublime, and perhaps Mr.
_Row_ rather for the Soft and Tender; as appears in two Passages at the
End of _JANE SHORE_. Which in my Judgment are not much excell'd by even
_Otway_ himself.

Since I have mention'd that Author, I can't help remarking how difficul