out any
guard against those of the ear. Yea, the nearer the commerce is betwixt
the delights of that sense and those of the mind and reason, by so much
the more, when he lies open on that side, is he apt to be debauched and
corrupted thereby. Seeing therefore we cannot (and perhaps would not if
we could) debar young men of the size of my Soclarus and thy Cleander
altogether from the reading of poets, yet let us keep the stricter guard
upon them, as those who need a guide to direct them in their reading
more than on their journeys. Upon which consideration, I find myself
disposed to send thee at present in writing that discourse concerning
Poetry which I had lately an occasion to deliver by word of mouth; that,
when thou hast read it over thyself, thou mayst also make such use of
it, if thou judgest it may be serviceable to that purpose, as those
which are engaged to drink hard do of amulets (or preservatives against
drunkenness),--that is, that thou mayst communicate it to Cleander, to
prepossess him therewith; seeing he is naturally endowed with a brisk,
piercing, and daring wit, and therefore more prone to be inveigled by
that sort of study.

They say of the fish called polypus that

His head in one respect is very good,
But in another very naughty food;

because, though it be very luscious to eat, yet it is thought to disturb
the fancy with frightful and confused dreams. And the like observation
may be made concerning poetry, that it affords sweet and withal
wholesome nourishment to the minds of young men, but yet it contains
likewise no less matter of disturbance and emotion to them that want a
right conduct in the study thereof. For of it also, as well as of Egypt,
may it be said that (to those who will use it)

Its over-fertile and luxuriant field
Medicines and poisons intermixt doth yield;

for therein

Love with soft passions and rich language drest
Oft steals the heart out of th' ingenuous breast.
("Odyssey," iv. 230; "Iliad," xiv. 216.)

And indeed such only are endangered thereby, for the charms of that
art ordinarily affect not those that are downright sots and naturally
incapable of learning. Wherefore, when Simonides was asked why of all
men he could not deceive the Thessalians, his answer was, Because
they are not so well bred as to be capable of being cajoled by me. And
Gorgias used to call tragical poems cheats, wherein he that did cheat
was juster than he th