ess_, and _wander_ in the _dark_;
How should a hoodwink'd _Archer_ hit the Mark?
The little _Glimpse_ that DRYDEN gives, is more
Than all our _careless Writers_ knew before;
A few _Chance Lines_ may smooth and roundly fly,
But still no Thanks to us, we know not why.
He finds _Examples_, we the _Rule_ must make,
Tho who without a Guide may not mistake? 530
[4] "_Tho deep yet clear, tho gentle yet not dull,
Strong without Rage, without o'er flowing full._"
If we that _famous Riddle_ can unty,
Their brightest _Beauties_ in the _Pauses_ lie,
To Admiration _vary'd_; next to these
The _Numbers_ justly order'd charm and please:
Each _Word_, each happy _Sound_ is big with _Sense_,
They all _deface_ who take one _Letter_ thence.
[Sidenote: _Quantity_.]
But little more of _Quantity_ we know
Than what our _Accent_ does, and _Custom_ show: 540
The _Latin Fountains_ often we forsake,
As they the _Greek_; nay _diff'rent Ages_ take
A _diff'rent Path; Perfume_ and _Envy_ now
We say, which _Ages past_ would scarce allow:
If no _Position_ make our _Accent_ strong
Most _Syllables_ are either _short_ or _long_.
[Sidenote: _Rhime_.]
_Primitive Verse_ was grac'd with pleasing _Rhimes_,
The _Blank_ a lazy Fault of _After-times_;
Nor need we other proof of this to plead
With those the sacred [5] _Hebrew Hymns_ can _read_: 550
If this to _lucky Chance_ alone be _due_,
Why _Rhime_ they not in _Greek_ and _Latin_ too?
[6] PINDAR at first his ancient _Copy_ trac'd,
And sometimes equal _Sounds_ his _Numbers_ grac'd;
Till with the more than _human Labour_ tir'd,
He _drop'd_ his _Rhime_, and own'd him _uninspir'd_.
ORPHEUS and HOMER too, who first did dream
Of _num'rous Gods_, and left the _One Supreme,
Religion_ both and _Poetry_ did wrong,
_Apostatiz'd_ from _Rhime_, and lost the _Soul of Song_. 560
Yet still some weak and glimm'ring _Sparks_ remain'd,
And still our _Great Forefathers_ this retain'd;
Nor _Inundations_ of _Barbarian Rome_,
Our ancient _Rhime_ could wholly overcome.
[Sidenote: _Vide p._ 13.]
Ne'er _cramp_ thy _Reason_ for some paltry _Chime_,
Nor sacrifice _Good Sense_ to _Numbers_ and to _Rhime_:
Both may be _