Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A54773
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A reflection on our modern poesy an essay.
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Phillips, John, 1631-1706.; Phillips, John.
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1695
(1695)
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Wing P2096; ESTC R31796
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5,058
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14
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A REFLECTION ON OUR Modern POESY AN ESSAY Fuit haec Sapientia quondam Publica privatis secernere sacra profanis Concubitu prohibere vago dare jura maritis Oppida moliri leges incidere ligno Sic honor nomen divinis Vatibus atque Carminibus venit Hor. de Arte Poet. LONDON Printed for W. Rogers in London and F. Hicks in Cambridge 1695. To my Honoured Friend and School-fellow Mr. A. OWEN SIR THE way of Dedicating now most in fashion seems to me to stand in as great need of a Reformation as does our Poetry For as we take nothing to be True and Genuine Poetry but what is Light Frothy and has a wanton Air throughout it so the generality seem to stand persuaded That an Epistle Dedicatory loses its End quite if not stuff'd up with gross and open Flattery sufficient to call a Blush into any modest Reader 's Cheek But here it is a hard matter to judge Whether the Impudence of the Author or the Vanity of the Patron who believes all true that 's said of him does contribute most to carry on this notorious piece of Folly Now Sir tho our Early Friendship and Intimate Acquaintance was the Reason that prevail'd most upon me in presenting this small Essay to You yet to speak truth there was another Motive too which made me the more desirous of it and that was merely upon the account of running counter to the generality of Dedicating Poets to try if a particular Example might have any small Influence in correcting the Poetical License they take upon such like occasions For here I was satisfied that I might come off without the least flattering Glance with one who tho young has Experience enough to understand that Personal Respect is not to be estimated by the fine Complements and Flourishes of a Fanciful Pen. And for my part I think if our Poets go on at their old Rate but a little longer we shall be apt to interpret Epistles of this sort as we do Dreams by the Contrary The great Scandal that Poetry has of late been subject to together with the respect I always had for it gave occasion for the following Reflection For as I was considering how much this Art was esteemed amongst our Forefathers and how Venerable nay almost Sacred the Name of a Poet was then Surely thought I the Former Honour and the Present Disgrace the Muses lye under could never depend on the different Capricio's of two divers Ages but there must be some more reasonable Ground for this matter which if once discovered will give a very fair opportunity of restoring Verse to its Primitive Dignity Some there are who suspect That the want of Genius in our Age has given Poetry this deadly Wound But they will soon find their Mistake if laying aside the blind Veneration we have for Antiquity they compare the Ancients and Moderns in any sort of Poetry excepting the Epic. So that we must seek out for some other Cause more probable than the former And what others may spy I know not but I think the great Difference lies here That Poetry is now no longer the Fountain of Wisdom the School of Virtue it is no longer a fit Trainer up of Youth a Bridler of the Passions and exorbitant Desires But on the contrary he is reckoned the Ablest Poet that is most dextrous at conjuring up these Evil Spirits to disturb the Calm and Quiet of the Soul And this if I mistake not is that which hath deform'd so great a Beauty and cast an Odium on that most Excellent Art which was once the Pride of Conquerors and Envy of Philosophers What I have transiently remark'd in the following Verses will I doubt not be dislik'd by many of our Rhiming Sparks for take but the Liberty of Writing Immodestly from 'em aud you have quite dismounted them off their Pegasus they are quite Tongue-ty'd 't is with them as Horace says it was in the Reign of the old Comedy Chorusque Turpiter obticuit sublato jure nocendi What I have said against Love upon the Stage I would not have apprehended so as if I would have that Passion quite exploded for I think it one of the fittest Passions for Poetry and capable of very great Ornaments but then I would have it very nicely and delicately handled and what might give the least Offence to the severest Modesty always cast in Shades for it is then only that this Passion is not to be allow'd when it goes beyond its bounds and that is when the Poet 's Strokes are too bold and his Colours too glaring I was told which I my self afterwards found to be true that a great Part of my Design was already perform'd in the Preface to Prince Arthur However that did not trouble me in the least for I was very glad to see so Eminent an Author of the same Opinion with me since I had laid a Rude Draught of my Reflection the last Summer which I then shew'd several of my Acquaintance However the World may think this a Sham and I am very willing to be thought indebted to so creditable a Person for what I have said I shall make no Apology for the Tediousness of my Epistle since you are too often guilty of the Contrary Vice in writing to your Real Friend and very Humble Servant A REFLECTION ON OUR Modern Poesy IF Poets be as they pretend inspir'd With Heat Divine and Sacred Fury fir'd How comes it then that each Poetick Piece Gives now-a-days Encouragement to Vice Each Line or else we think it will not do With wanton Love and Flames unchaste must glow That scribling Fop that would a Poet be First bids adieu to all his Modesty Invokes not Phoebus but the God of Wine Crowns his hot Temples with th' inspiring Vine The Glass Dull Sot must make his Thoughts sublime For in a Sober Mood what Bard can Rhime But sure Great Homer got not thus a Name Nor Lofty Maro his Eternal Fame Their Muses chaste as Vestal Virgins were Stately not Proud Reserv'd but not Severe The Flame that thro' their Works so bright does shine Was surely kindled by a Breath Divine No Cupid's Puff nor Frenzy caus'd by Wine But that our Follies we at large may see Let 's closer view our Modern Poesy What place so much debauch'd as is our Stage Which next the Pulpit should correct the Age What anciently Devotion did begin We have converted to the use of Sin And on our Theatres we daily see Vice triumph o'er dejected Honesty But happy Athens whose more splendid Stage Was moraliz'd by Sophocles wise Rage Who e're he did pretend to Poetry Search'd the grave Precepts of Philosophy Hence 't was he taught but what he learnt before And practis'd those sound Rules his Writings bore He doubly charm'd his Modest Audience By good Example and wise Eloquence Philosophers far short in teaching came Their Naked Virtues maimed were and lame The Pearl they represented to the View Unpolish'd as