Defence of Poesie (31-35)

For as Aristotle saith, it is not γνώσις, but πράξις must be the frute: and how πράξις can be without being moued to practise, it is no hard matter to consider. The Philosopher sheweth you the way, hee enformeth you of the particularities, as well of the tediousnes of the way, as of the pleasaunt lodging you shall haue when your iourney is ended, as of the many by turnings that may diuert you from your way. But this is to no man but to him that will reade him, and reade him with attentiue studious painfulnesse, which constant desire, whosoeuer hath in him, hath alreadie past halfe the hardnesse of the way: and therefore is beholding to the Philosopher, but for the other halfe. Nat truly learned men haue learnedly thought, that where once reason hath so much ouer-mastered passion, as that the minde hath a free desire to doo well, the inward light each minde hath in it selfe, is as good as a Philosophers booke, since in Nature we know it is well, to doo well, and what is well, and what is euill, although not in the wordes of Art which Philosophers bestow vppon vs: for out of naturall conceit the Philosophers drew it ; but to be moued to doo that which wee know, or to be mooued with desire to know. Hoc opus, hic labor est.

Now therein of all Sciences I speake still of humane (and according to the humane conceit) is our Poet the Monarch. For hee doth not onely shew the way, but giueth so sweete a prospect into the way, as will entice anie man to enter into it: Nay he doth as if your iourney should lye through a faire vineyard, at the verie first, giue you a cluster of grapes, that full of that taste, you may long to passe further. Hee beginneth not with obscure definitions, which must blurre the margent with interpretations, and loade the memorie with doubtfulnesse: but hee commeth to you with words set in delightfull proportion, either accompanied with, or prepared for the well enchanting skill of Musicke, and with a tale forsooth he commeth vnto you, with a tale, which holdeth children from play, and olde men from the Chimney corner ; and pretending no more, doth intend the winning of the minde from wickednes to vertue; euen as the child is often brought to take most wholesome things by hiding them in such other as haue a pleasaunt taste: which if one should begin to tell them the nature of the Alloes or Rhabarbarum they should receiue, wold sooner take their phisick at their eares then at their mouth, so is it in men (most of which, are childish in the best things, til they be cradled in their graues) glad they will be to heare the tales of Hercules, Achilles, Cyrus, Aeneas, and hearing them, must needes heare the right description of wisdom, value, and iustice; which if they had bene barely (that is to say Philosophically) set out, they would sweare they be brought to schoole againe ; that imitation whereof Poetrie is, hath the most conueniencie to nature of al other: insomuch that as Aristotle saith, those things which in themselues are horrible, as cruel battailes, vnnatural monsters, are made in poeticall imitation, delightfull.

Truly I haue knowne men, that euen with reading Amadis de gaule, which God knoweth, wanteth much of a perfect Poesie, haue found their hearts moued to the exercise of courtesie, liberalitie, and especially courage. Who readeth Aeneas carrying old Anchises on his backe, that wisheth not it were his fortune to performe so excellent an Act? Whom doth not those words of Turnus mooue, (the Tale of Turnus hauing planted his image in the imagination) fugientem haec terra videbit? Vsque adeone mori miserum est? Wher the Philosophers as they think scorne to delight, so must they be content little to mooue ; sauing wrangling whether Virtus be the chiefe or the onely good ; whether the contemplatiue or the actiue life do excell; which Plato & Poetius well knew: and therefore made mistresse Philosophie verie often borrow the masking raiment of Poesie. For euen those hard hearted euill men who thinke vertue a schoole name, and know no other good but indulgere genio, and therefore despise the austere admonitions of the Philosopher, and feele not the inward reason they stand vpon, yet will be content to be delighted, which is all the good, fellow Poet seemes to promise; and so steale to see the form of goodnes, (which seene, they cannot but loue) ere themselues be aware, as if they tooke a medicine of Cheries.

Infinit proofes of the straunge effects of this Poeticall inuention, might be alleaged: onely two shall serue, which are so often remembred, as I thinke all men know them. The one of Menemus Agrippa, who when the whole people of Rome had resolutely diuided themselues from the Senate, with apparant shew of vtter ruine, though he were for that time an excellent Orator, came not among them vpon trust either of figuratiue speeches, or cunning insinuations, and much lesse with farre fet Maximes of Philosophie, which especially if they were Platonicke, they must haue learned Geometrie before they could well haue conceiued: but forsooth, he behaueth himselfe like a homely and familiar Poet. He telleth them a tale, that there was a time, when all the parts of the bodie made a mutinous conspiracie against the belly, which they thought deuoured the frutes of each others labour: they concluded they would let so vnprofitable a spender starue. In the end, to be short, for the tale is notorious, and as notorious that it was a tale, with punishing the belly they plagued themselues ; this applied by him, wrought such effect in the people, as I neuer red, that onely words brought foorth: but then so suddaine and so good an alteration, for vpon reasonable conditions, a perfect reconcilement ensued. The other is of Nathan the Prophet, who when the holie Dauid, had so farre forsaken God, as to confirme Adulterie with murther, when he was to do the tendrest office of a friend, in laying his owne shame before his eyes; sent by God to call againe so chosen a seruant, how doth he it? but by telling of a man whose beloued lambe was vngratefully taken from his bosome. The Application most diuinely true, but the discourse it selfe fained; which made Dauid (I speake of the second and instrumentall cause) as in a glasse see his owne filthinesse, as that heauenly Psalme of mercie well testifieth. By these therefore examples and reasons, I thinke it may be manifest, that the Poet with that same hand of delight, doth draw the mind more effectually then any other Art doth.

And so a conclusion not vnfitly ensue, that as vertue is the most excell't resting place for al worldly learning to make his end of, so Poetry being the most familiar to teach it, and most Princely to moue towards it, in the most excellent worke, is the most excellent workeman. But I am content not onely to decipher him by his workes (although workes in commendation and dispraise, must euer hold a high authoritie) but more narrowly will examine his parts, so that ( as in a man ) though altogither may carrie a presence full of maiestie and bewtie, perchance in some one defectuous peece we may finde blemish.