AN ESSAY ON CRITICISM. WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1709. Si quid novisti rectius istis, Candidus imperti; si non, his utere mecum.' Horat. CONTENTS. PART I. INTRODUCTION.-That 'tis as great a fault to judge ill, as to write ill, and a more dangerous one to the public, ver. 1.-That a true Taste is as rare to be found, as a true Genius, ver. 9 to 18.-That most men are born with some Taste, but spoiled by false Education, ver. 19 to 25.-The multitude of Critics, and causes of them, ver. 26 to 45.—That we are to study our own Taste, and know the Limits of it, ver. 46 to 67.-Nature the best guide of Judgment, ver. 68 to 87.-Improved by Art and Rules, which are but methodised Nature, ver. 88.-Rules derived from the practice of the Ancient Poets, ver. 92 to 117.-That therefore the Ancients are necessary to be studied by a Critic, particularly Homer and Virgil, ver. 118 to 140.-Of Licences, and the use of them by the Ancients, ver. 141 to 180.-Reverence due to the Ancients and praise of them, ver. 181, &c. PART II. Ver. 201, &c. Causes hindering a true Judgment.-1. Pride, ver. 204.-2. Imperfect Learning, ver. 215.-3. Judging by parts, and not by the whole, ver. 233 to 288.Critics in Wit, Language, Versification, only, ver. 288, 305, 337, &c.—4. Being too hard to please, or too apt to admire, ver. 384.-5. Partiality: too much love to a Sect, to the Ancients or Moderns, ver. 394. -6. Prejudice or Prevention, ver. 408.-7. Singularity, ver. 424.-8. Inconstancy, ver. 430.-9. Party Spirit, ver. 452, &c.-10. Envy, ver. 466.-Against Envy, and in praise of Good-nature, ver. 508, &c.When Severity is chiefly to be used by Critics, ver. 526, &c. PART III. Ver. 560, &c. Rules for the Conduct of Manners in a Critic.1. Candour, ver. 563.-Modesty, ver. 566.-Goodbreeding, ver. 572.-Sincerity and Freedom of Ad vice, ver. 578.-2. When one's Counsel is to be restrained, ver. 584.-Character of an incorrigible Poet, ver. 600.—And of an impertinent Critic, ver. 610, &c. -Character of a good Critic, ver. 631.-The History of Criticism, and Characters of the best Critics: Aristotle, ver. 645.-Horace, ver. 653.-Dionysius, ver. 665.-Petronius, ver. 667.—Quintilian, ver. 669. -Longinus, ver. 675.-Of the Decay of Criticism and its Revival: Erasmus, ver. 693.—Vida, ver. 705.Boileau, ver. 714.-Lord Roscommon, &c., ver. 725. - Conclusion. AN ESSAY ON CRITICISM.1 IS hard to say, if greater want of skill Appear in writing or in judging ill; But, of the two, less dangerous is the offence 5 To tire our patience, than mislead our sense. none 10 Go just alike, yet each believes his own. 1 Published in 1711. See the Memoir, p. xiii. 2 66 Qui scribit artificiose, ab aliis commode scripta facile intelligere poterit." Cic. ad Herenn. lib. iv. "De pictore, sculptore, fictore, nisi artifex, judicare non potest."-Pliny.-P. |