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to the English Heroick of five Feet, and to the French Alexandrine of Six. But the Ear muft prefide, and direct the Judgment to the choice of Numbers: Without the nicety of this, the Harmony of Pindarique Verse can never be compleat; the Cadency of one Line must be a Rule to that of the next; and the Sound of the former muft flide gently into that which follows; without leaping from one Extream into another. It must be done like the Shadowings of a Picture, which fall by degrees into a darker Colour. Ifhall be glad, if I have fo explain'd my felf as to be understood; but if I have not, quod nequeo dicere & fentio tautùm, must be my Excufe. There remains much more to be faid on this Subject; but, to avoid Envy, I will be filent. What I have faid is the general Opinion of the best Judges, and in a manner has been forc'd from me, by feeing a noble fort of Poetry fo happily reftor'd by one Man, and fo grofly copied, by almost all the reft; A mufical Ear,,

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and a great Genius, if another Mr. Cowley cou'd arife, in another Age may bring it to Perfection. In the mean time,

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Fungar vice cotis acutum Reddere quæ ferrum valet, expers ipfa fecandi.

I hope it will not be expected from me, that I fhou'd fay any thing of my Fellow-undertakers in this Mifcellany. Some of them are too nearly related to me, to be commended without Sufpicion of Partiality: Others I am sure need it not; and the reft I have not perus'd. To conclude, I am fenfible that I have written this too haftily and too loofly I fear I have been tedious, and which is worfe, it comes out from the first Draught, and uncorrected. This I grant is no Excufe; for it may be reafonably urg'd, why did he not write with more leisure, or, if he had it not, (which was certainly my cafe) why did he attempt to write on fo nice a Subject? The Objection is unanswerable, but, in

part of Recompence, let me affure the Reader, that in hafty Productions, he is fure to meet with an Author's prefent Senfe, which cooler Thoughts wou'd poffibly have difguis'd. There is undoubtedly more of Spirit, though not of Judgment, in these uncorrect Effays, and confequently though my Hazard be the greater, yet the Reader's Pleasure is not the less.

JOHN DRYDEN.

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