me Masters with _Sophocles_, and _Euripides_,
who carried it to its utmost Perfection: Besides he was witness of the
Opinion the most nice and knowing People of the World had of this Poem.
'Tis therefore impossible that _Aristotle_ should be ignorant of the
Origine, Progress, Design and Effects of this Art; and consequently even
before I examine these Rules, I am well assur'd upon his account who
gives them, that they have all the Certainty, and Authority, that Rules
can possibly have.

But when I come to examine the Manner in which _Aristotle_ delivers
them, I find them so evident and conformable to Nature, that I cannot
but be sensible they are true; for what does _Aristotle_? He gives not
his Rules as _Legisltors_ do their Laws, without any other reason than
their Wills only; he advances nothing but what is accompanied with
Reason, drawn from the common Sentiment of Mankind, insomuch that the
Men themselves become the Rule and Measure of what he prescribes. Thus
without considering that the Rules are of almost equal Date with the Art
they Teach, or any prejudice, in favour of _Aristotle's_ Name, (for 'tis
the Work which ought to make the Name valued, and not the Name the Work)
I am forced to submit to all his Decisions, the Truth of which I am
convinc'd of in my self, and whose Certainty I discover by Reason and
Experience, which never yet deceiv'd any body.

To this I shall add, the Effects which these Rules have produc'd in all
Ages, on different sort of People, and I see, that as they made the
Beauty of _Homer's Sophocles_, and _Euripides_ Poems in _Greece_,
from which they were drawn; so four or five Hundred Years after, they
adorn'd the Poems of _Virgil_ and other famous Latin Poets, and that now
after Two Thousand Years they make the best _Tragedies_ we have, in
which all that pleases, only does so, as 'tis conformable to these
Rules, (and that too without our being aware of it,) and what is
displeasing, is such, because it is contrary to them, for good Sense,
and right Reason, is of all Countries and Places, the same Subjects
which caus'd so many Tears to be shed in the _Roman_ Theatre, produce
the same Effects in ours, and those Things which gave distaste then, do
the same now, from whence I am convinced, that never any Laws had either
so much Force, Authority, or Might. Humane Laws expire or Change very
often after the Deaths of their Authors, because Circumstances Change,
and the Interests of Men, whom the