t
a thing it is for any Person to know what his own Genius is fittest for;
and how great a Chance it is whether ever a Writer comes to know it.
Tho' _Otway_ had so fine a Genius for the TENDER, it never appear'd till
a little before he dyed. Thro' all his Plays we cannot trace even
the least Glimpse of it, till his two last, _The Orphan_ and _Venice
Preserv'd_. But we run the Digression too far.

SECT. 2.

_What Kind of Pastorals would please most Universally; and delight the
greatest Number of Readers_.

For my own Part, as I said, I could be delighted with any Kind of
Pastoral, if the Writer would but be at the Pains of selecting the
most beautiful Images, and tenderest Thoughts. This is the first and
principal Matter. Yet this might be perform'd by a moderate Capacity,
without a Genius born for Tragedy.

Would a Person but form a delightful Story, invent new and uncommon and
pleasing Characters, and furnish his Mind with a small Number of fine
Images from the Country, before he sate down to write his Pieces, He
would not fail of Success. But if Writers will only put down a parcel
of common triffling Thoughts from _Theocritus_ and _Virgil_, nor will so
much as aim at any thing themselves, can you blame me Cubbin, if I throw
'em aside. Let 'em have a thousand Faults, I can be pleas'd by 'em,
if they have but Beauties with 'em; nor will you ever hear me blame
_Shakespear_ for his Irregularity. And Pastoral is delightful to me in
it's own Nature, that were these Authors to employ but my Mind in any
manner, I should have Patience to peruse 'em.

But if these Authors were unwilling to be at the Pains of forming a
pleasant Story themselves, they might go upon little Tales already
known, such as, _The Two Children in the Wood_, and a thousand others
inimitably pretty and delightful.

And had we a Set of such Pastorals as these, I am satisfied they would
take extreamly. More Cubbin, perhaps than yours ever will; because
perfect Pastories are directed only to Persons of Reading and Judgment.
But you cannot I suppose satisfie your own Mind, unless you write up to
what you judge the Standard of Perfection in every sort of Writing.

_FINIS_.

_Notes on the Text_.

It was impractical to issue Purney's _Enquiry_ in facsimile because
of the blurred condition of the photostats. This reprint follows the
original text faithfully, with the following exceptions: the long
"s" and the double "v" are modernized; small