in all it's Branches, or else never vitiated his natural Genius by any
Learning) was capable of giving the World a perfect Sett of Pastorals.
The former two would have run most upon beautiful Images, and the latter
two upon Agreeable Thoughts.

I need not instance in the tedious Descriptions of _Theocritus_, _Ovid_
and _Spencer_. But certainly, if long Descriptions are faulty in Epick
Poetry, as they prevent the Curiosity of the Reader, and leave him
nothing to invent, or to imploy his own Mind upon, they are in
Pastoral much more disagreeable. Tho' if any thing would excuse a
long Description, there is in _Ovid_ and _Spencer_, that inimitable
Delightfulness, which would make 'em pass. Virgil has no Descriptions in
his Pastorals so long as Spencer, and Heavens deliver us if he had; for
as 'tis, I can better read the longest of _Spencer_'s, than the shortest
of his, in his Pastorals.

SECT. 2.

_The proper Length for Descriptions adjusted, from several
Considerations_.

What I have laid down seem's in its self plain and evident; but because
_Rapin_, and some other Criticks, famous for the Niceness of their
Judgments, have made it a considerable Question, and at last own'd
themselves unable to decide it, I shall further consider the Matter.

'Tis best, I think, only just to exhibit the Picture of an Object to the
Reader's Mind; for if 'tis rightly set and well given, he will himself
supply the minute Particulars better to please himself than any Poet can
do; as no different Fancies are equally delighted with one and the same
thing, the Poet in an extended Description must needs hit upon many
Circumstances not pleasant to every Fancy; even tho' he touches all the
best Particulars. But if the Poet only set's the Image in the finest
Light, by enumerating two or three Circumstances, the Reader's Mind
in that very instant it sees the Image or Picture, fill's up all the
Omissions with such Particulars, as are most suitable to it's own single
Fancy. Which farther conceives something beyond, and something out of
the way, if all is not told. Whereas descending to Particulars cool's
the Mind, which in those Cases ever finds less than it expected.

To instance in Painting, for that's the same. When I first cast my Eye
on a beauteous Landscape, and take in a View of the whole and all it's
parts at once, I am in Rapture, not knowing distinctly what it is that
pleases me; but when I come to examine all the several Parts, they