THE EPICK POEM, AND OF THE ILIAD AND ODYSSEY:

EXTRACTED FROM BOSSU.

SECT. I.

OF THE NATURE OF EPICK POETRY.

HE fables of poets were originally employed in representing the Divine Nature, according to the notion then conceived of it. This fublime fubject occafioned the first poets to be called Divines, and Poetry the Language of the Gods. They divided the Divine Attributes into fo many perfons; because the infirmity of a human mind cannot fufficiently conceive, or explain, so much power and action in a fimplicity fo great and indivisible as that of God. And, perhaps, they were also jealous of the advantages they reaped from fuch excellent and exalted learning, and of which they thought the vulgar part of mankind was not worthy.

They could not describe the operations of this Almighty Cause, without fpeaking at the same time of its effects: fo that to Divinity, they added Physiology; and treated of both, without quitting the umbrages of their allegorical expreffions.

VOL. III.

But

But man being the chief and the most noble of all that God produced, and nothing being fo proper, or more useful to poets than this subject; they added it to the former, and treated of the doctrine of morality after the fame manner as they did that of divinity and philofophy; and from morality thus treated, is formed that kind of poem and fable which we call Epick.

The poets did the fame in morality, that the divines had done in divinity. But that infinite variety of the actions and operations of the Divine Nature (to which our understanding bears fo fmall a proportion) did, as ́it were, force them upon dividing the single idea of the Only One God into several persons, under the different names of Jupiter, Juno, Neptune, and the reft.

And on the other hand, the nature of moral philofophy being fuch, as never to treat of things in particular, but in general; the epick poets were obliged to unite in one fingle idea, in one and the fame perfon, and in an action which appeared fingular, all that looked like it in different perfons and in various actions; which might be thus contained as fo many fpecies under their genus.

It

The prefence of the Deity, and the care fuch an auguft caufe is to be supposed to take about any action, obliges the poet to reprefent this action as great, important, and managed by kings and princes. obliges him likewise to think and speak in an elevated way above the vulgar, and in a style that may in fome fört keep up the character of the divine persons he introduces. To this end ferve the poetical and figurative expreffion, and the majesty of the heroick verse.

But