and only Poetically Good, if I may use the Phrase of our
modern Criticks. The _AEneid_ is filled with Innocent, unhappy Persons.
_Nisus_ and _Eurialus, Lausus_ and _Pallas_ come all to unfortunate
Ends. The Poet takes Notice in particular, that in the Sacking of
_Troy, Ripheus_ fell, who was the most just Man among the _Trojans_.

'--Cadit et Ripheus justissimus unus,
Qui fuit in Teucris et servantissimus AEqui:
Dijs aliter visum est--'

'And that _Pantheus_ could neither be preserved by his transcendent
Piety, nor by the holy Fillets of _Apollo_, whose Priest he was.

'--nec Te tua plurima Pantheu
Labentem pietas, nec Apollinis infula texit.'

(AEn. 1. 2.)

'I might here mention the Practice of ancient Tragick Poets, both
_Greek_ and _Latin_; but as this Particular is touched upon in the
Paper above-mentioned, I shall pass it over in Silence. I could
produce Passages out of _Aristotle_ in favour of my Opinion, and if in
one Place he says that an absolutely Virtuous Man should not be
represented as unhappy, this does not justifie any one who shall think
fit to bring in an absolutely virtuous Man upon the Stage. Those who
are acquainted with that Author's Way of Writing, know very well, that
to take the whole extent of his Subject into his Divisions of it, he
often makes use of such Cases as are imaginary, and not reducible to
Practice: He himself declares that such Tragedies as ended unhappily
bore away the Prize in Theatrical Contentions, from those which ended
happily; and for the Fortieth Speculation, which I am now considering,
as it has given Reasons why these are more apt to please an Audience,
so it only proves that these are generally preferable to the other,
tho' at the same time it affirms that many excellent Tragedies have
and may be written in both kinds.

['I shall conclude with observing, that though the _Spectator_
above-mentioned is so far against the Rule of Poetical Justice, as to
affirm, that good Men may meet with an unhappy Catastrophe in Tragedy,
it does not say that ill Men may go off unpunished. The Reason for
this Distinction is very plain, namely, because the best of Men are
vicious enough to justify Providence for any Misfortunes and
Afflictions which may befal them, but there are many Men so criminal
that they can have no Claim or Pretence to Happiness. The best of Men
may deserve Punishment, but t