68 Of the Advancement of Learning, L i b . 11^ 



fed Order > and a more beautiful variety delights the ibul of Man, thati 

 any way can be found in NaturCjfince the Fall. Wherefore fteing the 

 Ad:s and Events, which are the fubjeft of true f/7/?<?r/, are not of that 

 amplitude, as to content the mind of Man 5 P^e^e is ready at hand to 

 feign AEismove Heroic d, Becau(e/r«e Hijlory reports the fuccefles of 

 bulinefs , not proportionable to the merit of Virtues and Vices ; Foejit 

 correds it, and prefents Events and Fortunes according to defert, and 

 according to the Law of Providence : becaufe true Hijiory , through 

 the frequent fatiety andfimilitudeof Things , works a diftaft and mi- 

 fprifion in the mind of Man , Poejie cheereth and refreOies the foul 5 

 chanting things rare, and various, and full of viciffitudes. So as Poefie 

 ferveth and conferreth to Deleftation, Magnanimity and Morality , and 

 therefore it may feem defervedly to have fome Participation of Divine- 

 nefs^ becaufe it doth rai(e the mind , and exalt the ipirit with high 

 raptures, by proportioning the (hews of things tothe defiresof the 

 mind 5 and not fubmitting the mind to things, as Reafon and Hiiiory 

 do. And by thefe allurements, and congruities, whereby it cheriflieth 

 the (bul of man j joyned al(b with conibrt of Mufick, whereby it may 

 more fweetly infinuate it felf,it hath won fuch accefi, that it hath been 

 in eftimation even in rude times, and Barbarous Nations, when other 

 Learning ftood excluded. 



IL Dramatical^ or Reprefentative Poefte , rvhich brings the World up' 

 on thejiage, is of excellent ufe, if it were not abufed. For the Inftru- 

 ctions, and Corruptions of the Stage^ may be great 3 but the corrupti- 

 ons in this kind abound , the Difcipline is altogether neglefted inemr 

 times. For although in Modern Common-wealths , Stage-places be 

 butefteemed a fport or paftime, unleft it draw from the Satyr, and be 

 mordent •■, yet the care of the Ancients was, that it Ihould inftruft the 

 minds of men unto virtue. Nay, wife men and great Philofophers 

 have accounted it, as the Archet, or mufical Bow of the Mind. And 

 oertainly it is moft true , and as it were, a (ecret of nature , that the 

 minds of men are more patent to affections , and imprejjions^ CongregatCy 

 ihanfolitary. 



ill. But Poejie Al/nfive^ or Parabolical^ excels the reji^ and feemethto be 

 a facred and venerable thing '-, efpecially feeing Religion it felf hath aU 

 lowed it in a rvork^ of that nature, and by it, trafickj divine commodities 

 with men. But even this alfb hath been contaminate by the levity and 

 indulgence of mens wits'about////('^tfr/cx. And it is of ambiguous ufe, 

 and applied to contrary ends. For it ferves for Obfcnration 5 and it 

 ferveth alfb for lUujiration : in this it feems, there was fought a way 

 how to teach 5 in that an Art how to conceal. And this way of teach- 

 ing, which conduceth to Il/iijiration, was much in ufein the Ancient 

 times : for when the inventions and conclufions of humane reafon, 

 (which are now common and vulgar) were in thofe ages ftrange and 

 unufual 5 the underftandingsof men were not fo capable of that fub- 

 tilty, unlets fuch difcourfes , by refemblances and examples , were 

 brought down to fenfe. Wherefore in thofe firfi ages all were full of 

 Fables, and oiParables, and oi jEnigmaes,-Jind o^ Similitudes oi aW forts. 

 VicncQxhc Symboles oi Pythagoras •■, the J^nigmaer of Sphynx^ and the 

 Liv HiR P'^^l<^i of ySfop j and the like. So the Apophthegmes of the Ancient 

 l.i».». ' fages, were likewife exprefied by fimilitudes. So Mcnenius Agrippa , 



araongft 



