C 95 3 



Lastly, as on account of my felf it 

 may be needful ; I think proper to intimate 

 to the lovers of a greater mixture of the 

 duIcCy with the utile on fubjefts of this kind 5 

 the greater hardfhip lying upon a georgic 

 Profaic Writer on mechanical operations, 

 than on a georgic Poet on the like. The 

 former is often obliged to fall into the dul- 

 nefs of repetitions, where he thinks needful, 

 before the reader has time to take his mean- 

 ing ; and at all times is not to omit the 

 leaft circumftance, as he is not confined to 

 the meafure of verfe : And muft thereby run 

 the hazard of falling into futility, without 

 the enlivening harmony of numbers, to pal- 

 liate the flat particularities, and drinefs of 

 his matter — But the Poety where precepts 

 begin to prove dry, or dull, will fkip over 

 them, after having firfl culled the flowers 

 of things. Thus Virgil^ on fuch tender oc- 

 cafions, flops fliort and cries, 



-/^/ prafa hiberunt. 



And again — 

 Et jam fempus equum fumantia fohere colla^ 



In like manner Rapiji artfully excufes him- 



felf 



