kes me think that
'tis not so much the Thoughts being stolen from _THEOCRITUS_ or _VIRGIL_
that makes me dislike 'em, as the poor and mean Figure they make in
Poetry. Could Poets take as fine Pastoral Images from the Antients, as
this of _Philips_, I believe no one but would be pleased by 'em, come
from whence they would. But the Thoughts which our Writers take from
the Antients are such, that would they trust their own Genius's, I am
satisfied they would, at least, not have worse, nor more false ones.

I was a little surprized when I first read Mr. _Philips_'s _5th_
Pastoral, (which has the most of a story or Fable of any) how he came
to take the very story which _STRADA_ tell's to show what a Genius
_CLAUDIAN_ had. _OVID_'s _Metamorphoses_ is full of such Fairy and
Romantick Tales, and he might well enough have given a Description of a
Bird's contending with a Man for the Prize in Singing, but methinks 'tis
not wholly probable enough for a Fable in Pastoral.

Now the Cause of my mentioning this in Mr. _PHILIPS_, is to persuade, if
possible, those who shall hereafter engage in Pastoral-Writing to trust
to their own Genius's. By that means we may hope Pastoral will, one
Day, arrive at it's utmost Perfection, which if Writers pretend to go no
farther than the first who undertook it (I mean _THEOCRITUS_) it never
can do. For 'tis no one Genius that can bring any Kind of Poetry to it's
greatest Compleatness. And all know by what slow Steps Epick Poetry,
Tragedy, and Comedy arrived at the Perfection they now bear.

SECT. _Last_.

But now the time of Day drew on, when Cubbin must drive his Heifers to
Water. Sophy therefore withdrew, but promised to be there in the Evening
agen.

When the Heat of the Day was over, and the Evening Air began to breath
in a delightful manner, Sophy accordingly appear'd, and setting him on
the Rushes, that esprouted up by the River side, open'd his Book, and
proceeded in the following Manner.

_The End of the Third part_.

PART IV.

CHAP. 1.

_Of the Pastoral Language in general_.

I must here premise, that I intend not here a full and compleat
Discourse on the Pastoral Language; for that would take up a Volume. But
I would recommend it to some other Hand; for I know nothing that would
be more acceptable to the Letter'd World than an Enquiry into the Nature
of the _English_ Language.

But there is no Dialect or Part of our Language so little understood,
as that wh