ench_ or any other Criticks yet have made in Pastoral;
and where they have left it I shall take the Subject, and try how far
beyond I am able to carry it. For after that, every single Thought
will be the free Sentiment of my own Mind. And I desire all to judge
as freely as I write; and (if, after a strict Examination of the Rules,
they see any Reason) to condemn as peremtorily; for we cannot get out of
an Error too soon.

_RUAEUS_ say's, The Pastoral Sentiments must have a Connection Plain and
Easy. Affirming that tho' Incoherence, may add a neglegence and simple
loosness to Pastoral, yet 'tis not such a Negligence or Simplicity as
Pastoral delight's in.

_DRYDEN_ observe's, that the Dialect proper for Pastoral, must have a
Relish of the Fascion of speaking in the Country.

_FONTENELL_ that most excellent _Frenchman_ takes Notice, that no
Passion is so proper for Pastoral as that of Love. He mean's as to what
we are to describe in our Swains; not mentioning those Passions that
Poem is to raise in the Reader.

_RAPIN_ observe's, The Fable should be One. The Swains not abusive, or
full of Raillery. The Sence should not be extended or long. This Author
has other Observations new, but you may guess of what a Nature, when he
confesses He walk'd but as _Theocritus_ and _Virgil_ lead him. Therefore
he cannot have carried the Poem to any Perfection beyond the Condition
they left it in; and so much any Reader may see from the Authors
themselves, without reading a large Volume to find it out.

Mr. _DRYDEN_, in another place, has an Observation which carrys the
Knowledge of Pastoral still farther. Pastorals, says he, must contain an
agreeable Variety after the manner of a Landscape.

But in the _GUARDIANS_, Vol. I. The Reader may see the Nature of
Pastoral more explain'd and enter'd into, in a few Dissertations, than
by all these Authors have deliver'd on the Subject. As these are Books
in every Bodies Hands, I shall not trouble my self to extract the
Summary of 'em. But he will find the Criticism on Phillips and the other
Observations are extreamly Ingenious.

CHAP. I

_Of the Parts of Pastoral; and of the several Sorts of that Poem_.

PASTORAL, in it's Imitation of the Lives of Shepherds, makes use of
FABLE, CHARACTERS, SENTIMENTS and LANGUAGE; and by these four Parts
conjoyntly obtain's it's End; that is, excites our Pity, or our Joy,
or both. For in FABLE I include the MORAL; in SENTIMENTS both IMAGE and
THO