, which engage busy and active part
of Mankind; as Ambition, and the like. _Theocritus_ therefore, and
_Virgil_, and the generality of his Followers, have rather made their
Shepherds sing alternately for a Leathern Pouch, or a Goat, than for
the Desire of Praise. And nothing, I believe, but his being unwilling
to make his Swains sing for exactly the same Reward, that all since
_Theocritus_, have done, could have made our excellent Phillips alter
the Pouch and the Kid, for Praise, in his sixth Pastoral.

_Let others meanly stake upon their Skill.
Or Kid, or Lamb, or Goat, or what they will;
for praise we sing, nor Wager ought beside;
And, whose the Praise, let_ Geron's, _Lips decide_.

There are few of even the most violent passions but may be introduc'd
into Pastoral, if artfully manag'd and qualify'd by the Poet: As Hatred,
if it be not carried to it's height; which is an Excess in Pastoral.
And I observe, _Cubbin_, you make your Shepherd _Colly_, inconstant; and
have an Aversion to his former Sweet-heart _Soflin_, on account of her
Frankness, and too great Forwardness. But yet I think it is not faulty,
because you make his Affections vary, against his Inclination, and he is
angry with himself for his dislike to _Soflin_; but no Reason can stop
unruly Love.

So Revenge, if admitted, must be very ingeniously manag'd, or 'twill be
intolerable. There is a cunning Thought in _Tasso_, that may perhaps let
the Reader something into the Manner in which I would have it order'd.
A Female Warriour, opposed to her Lover in Aims, for his Inconstancy
shoot's a Dart at him, yet wishes it may not strike him.

But what comes nigher to the explaining the manner of introducing
Revenge into Pastoral, is what we find in the sixth Idyll of
_Theocritus_. _Polyphemus's_ Mistress had been unkind; and how do's
he propose to take Revenge: Why, he will not take notice of her as she
walk's before his Cave to be seen, and pelt's his flock. After which
follow's the most simple, and I had almost said, finest Thought in any
Pastoral-Writer. The whole Beauty of which no one will conceive, but who
has a Soul as tender as _Theocritus_ had, and could touch the _Soft_ as
well. Poliphemus threaten's several Punishments, after which, follows
this. 'Tis as fine in _Creech's_ Version as the Original.

_Besides, my Dog, he is at my Command,
Shall bark at her, and gently bite her Hand_.

What I have said of this, might be said of the other Pa