oughts, which have serv'd, and will always serve as the Rule.
He alone has Reviv'd _Tragedy_ more than once.

In effect after it was brought to its Perfection, under the Reign of
_Alexander_, the Son of _Amyntas_, under the Reigns of _Perdiccas_, and
_Archelaus_, and degenerated in those which follow'd, but under that of
_Philip_, and _Alexander_, the Poets being Encourag'd by those Glorious
Princes, and guided by _Aristotle's_ Genius, made it flourish as before.

After the Death of _Alexander_, it began to Languish, and never
recover'd its entire Strength till the Reign of _Augustus_, in which the
Rules of this Philosopher were Reviv'd.

Since the _Death of Augustus_, it has grown Feeble, for more than
sixteen Hundred Years, till in this last Age 'twas recover'd out of its
long Decay, by Mr. _Corneille_, and Mr. _Racine_, who upheld themselves
by _Aristotle's_ Rules. So true is it, that Time is the Faithful
Guardian, not only of Great Men, as _Pindar_ saith, but also of the
Liberal Arts, which it revives as occasion offers, and always, under the
greatest Princes. For what a good Soil and Air, are to Seeds and Fruits,
such is the Glory, Grandeur, Magnificence, and Liberality of Princes,
to Arts, and Sciences, which do not so much flourish under them, as by
them; and we may very properly apply to this Subject the fallowing Verse
of _Agathon_.

Art favours Fortune, Fortune favours Art.

If _Tragedy_ shall some time hence suffer any sort of Eclipse, 'twill
be by the Laziness, and Haste of those Poets, who Write without being
rightly Instructed. _Plato_ in his _Phedrus_ Introduces a young Poet
seeking _Sophocles_ and _Euripides_, and Accosting them thus. _I can
make Verses tolerably well; and I know how in my Descriptions to extend
a mean Subject, and Contract a great one: I know how to excite Terror,
and Compassion, and to make pitiful things appear Dreadful and Menacing.
I will therefore go, and write_ Tragedies. Sophocles _and_ Euripides
answer'd him, _Don't go so fast_, Tragedy _is not what you take it to
be; 'tis a Body, composed of many different, and well-suited Parts, of
which you will make a Monster, unless you know how to adjust them; you
may know what is to be learn'd, before the Study of the Art of Tragedy;
but you don't yet know that Art._

If there are Poets now, which don't know so much as the Young Man, of
whom _Plato_ speaks, these Rules can be of no Advantage to them; but
those who are like him