Defence of Poesie (5-7)

This did so notably shew it self, thatt the Philosophers of Greece durst not a long time apear to ye world, but vnder ye mask of poets. So Thales, Empedocles, and Parmenides, sang their naturall Philosophie in verses. So did Pithagoras and Phocillides, their morall Councels. So did Tirteus in warre matters, and Solon in matters of pollicie, or rather they being Poets, did exercise their delightfull vaine in those points of highest knowledge, which before them laie hidden to the world. For, that wise Solon was directly a Poet, it is manifest, hauing writ- ten in verse the notable Fable of the Atlantick Iland, which was continued by Plato. And truely euen Plato who so euer well considereth, shall finde that in the body of his worke though the inside & strength were Philosophie, the skin as it were and beautie, depended most of Poetrie. For all stands vpon Dialogues, wherein hee faines many honest Burgesses of Athens speak of such matters, that if they had bene set on the Racke, they would neuer haue confessed them: besides his Poeticall describing the circumstances of their meetings, as the well ordering of a banquet, the delicacie of a walke, with enterlacing meere Tales, as Gyges Ring and others, which, who knowes not to bee flowers of Poetrie, did neuer walke into Appollos Garden.

And euen Historiographers, although their lippes sound of things done, and veritie be written in their forehead, haue bene glad to borrow both fashion and perchance weight of the Poets. So Herodotus entituled his Historie, by the name of the nine Muses, and both he and all the rest that followed him, either stale, or vsurped of Poetrie, their passionate describing of passions, the many particularities of battels which no man could affirme, or if that be denied me, long Orations put in the mouthes of great Kings and Captains, which it is certaine they neuer pronounced. So that truly neither Philosopher, nor Historiographer, could at the first haue entered into the gates of populer iudgements, if they had not taken a great pasport of Poetrie, which in all nations at this day where learning flourisheth not, is plaine to be seene: in all which, they haue some feeling of Poetry.

In Turkey, besides their lawgiuing Diuines, they haue no other writers but Poets. In our neighbour Countrey Ireland, where truly learning goes verie bare, yet are their Poets held in a deuout reuerence. Euen among the most barbarous and simple Indians, where no writing is, yet haue they their Poets who make & sing songs which they call Arentos, both of their Auncestors deeds, and praises of their Gods. A sufficient probability, that if euer learning come among them, it must be by hauing their hard dull wittes softened and sharpened with the sweete delights of Poetrie, for vntill they finde a pleasure in the exercise of the minde, great promises of much knowledge, wil little persuade them that know not the frutes of knowledge. In Wales, the true remnant of the auncient Brittons, as there are good authorities to shew, the long time they had Poets which they called Bardes: so thorow all the conquests of Romans, Saxons, Danes, and Normans, some of whom, did seeke to ruine all memory of learning from among them, yet do their Poets euen to this day last: so as it is not more notable in the soone beginning, then in long continuing.