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In part the Polypus’s head contains 
Much good, pernicious part. 
This paffage, quoted by Piutarch*, re- 
fers to the fictions and fables of poets, 
not to their defcriptions of natural ob- 
jects. . 
ft is evident, then, that the courfe to 
be purfued by a poet, who withes to ex- 
cel in defcription, differs from that pro- 
pofed by Ariftorle to the poet in ge- 
neral: ‘ It is the office of the poet,”’ 
he fays, ** to relate, not fuch things as 
have taken place, but fuch as might have 
taken place, fuch as are poffible,’”’ from’ 
probability, or neceffity +. Defcriptive 
poetry, on the contrary, demands preci- 
fion, and is defective without minute- 
nefs; different from tragedy and epic 
poetry. In like manner, it differs from 
portrait-painting; for a portrait-painter, 
as the fame great critic obferves, if he 
accurately defcribes the peculiar lines of 
the countenance, fo as to bring out a 
likenefs, is permitted to make improve- 
ments on the original. 
The proper anfwer to the queftion 
feems to bé this: Defcriptive poetry is 
then moft excellent, when calculated to 
excite in the mind the cleareft, and moft 
lively picture of the cbjeét imirated ; 
and, in proportion as the ideas forming 
that piéture are vivid and circumftantial, 
ard the more minutely they anfwer to 
the reality of the prototype, or fcene, 
the more complete is the imitation, and 
the more impreflive the refemblance. 
The moft fimple definition of topo- 
graphy is, defcription of place; and, 
were I to be determined by literal inter- 
pretation, topography } fhould immedi- 
ately reckon more favourable to the 
views of the poet, than even of the an- 
tiquary, or the hiftorian: but, not to 
avail myfelf of etymological meaning, it 
fhould be noticed, that, in the fame man- 
ner as a painter is an artift, not a me. 
chanic, fo a topographer is not a mere 
noter down of places, a reporter of cu- 
riofities, or the panegyrift of elegant feats 
{though fome topographers are lictle 
more) but one who defcribes the nature 
ef places, their relative fituation, their 
characteriftic excellences; he enters the 
favourite retreats of eafe and elegance, 
and roves through the walks of art and 
induftry : he marks the peculiarity of 

7, De Aud. Poet: lib. 1. 
+ De Ast. Post, cap. 9, 
Lopocraphy, how far ufefu: to Poetry, - 865 
each county, proceeding from its woods, 
its forefts, its chaces; he traces rivers 
and {prings ; defcribes vallies, corn-fields, 
and meadows ; climbs, as it were, rocks, 
and hills, and mountains; caftles, churches, 
ruins of fortreffes, and falling abbtes, pafs 
undex his view ; the violent and terrific 
defcent of the precipice, the foaming caf- 
cade, the headlong and tumultuous cata 
ract, muft not be unebferved: in ‘hore, 
whatever engages the attention of the 
landfcape-painter, may enter inte the de- 
feription of the local hiftorian; and fuch 
topographical writers as are unacguainted 
with landicape-painting, even in their 
own art, will be generally defective. 
} attempt not to refolve the art into 
elementary principles; I am contemplat- 
ing it in attual exercife. And what is 
topegraphy ? Clearly a fpecies of paint- 
ing; and as painting has been called fi- 
lent poetry, and poetry fpeaking paint- 
ing *, to,ography may not improperly 
be called fpeaking painting. 
What advantage, then, does the poet 
derive from the topographer? By local 
defcriptions, he may be brought acquaint- 
ed with fcenes to which he was before a 
ftranger. ‘I’nis is a plain, but, I appre- 
hend, the proper, anfwer. 
I know it may immediately be urged, 
that the poet defcribes nothing fo fuc- 
cefsfully as fcenes which he has himfelf 
furveyed ; admitted. We ailow that it 
was the peculiar felicity of Homer, that 
he copied his imagery from nature, as his 
original ; that he defcribed real life ; that 
he was converfant with heroes, and fhep- 
herds, and peafants, fuch as he paints ; 
in fhort, that he was in familiar inter-. 
courfe with {uch charaéters as he repre- 
fents: but does it follow, that a poet 
may not enrich his mind from the ftores 
of other obfervers ? The views taken by 
any individual, in comparifon with the 
whole range of nature, are inconfide- 
rable and confined ; and if poets are not 
permitted to increafe their ftock, by-re- 
ceiving a little on credit, many muft be 
poor indeed. 
It would be endlefs to produce ex- 
amples from the Englifh poets, of happy 
imitations, as well of place as of charace 
ter and manner, when yet the writers 
poffeffed no ocular proof of the feenery 
or fubjeét. defcribed. Milton might pars 
ticularly be mentioned. Sir William 
Jones publithed accurate Afiatic Poems, 
before he vifited India ; Collins, charms 
ing Oriental Eclogues, though he was. 

® See Du Frefnoy’s Art of Painting. 
AEVEr 






