: And lastly, a neat, and as it were a
happy Wit; not that curious sort, I mean, which _Petronius_ allows
_Horace_, lest too much _Art_ should take off the Beauty of the
_Simplicity_. And therefore I would not have any one undertake this
task, that is not very polite by _Nature_, and very much at leisure.
For what is more hard than to be always in the _Country_, and yet
never to be _Clownish_? to sing of _mean_, and _trivial_ matters, {52}
yet not _trivially_, and _meanly_? to pipe on a _slender_ Reed, and
yet keep the sound from being _harsh_, and _squeaking_? to make every
thing _sweet_, yet never _satiate_? And this I thought necessary to
premise, in order to the better laying down of such Rules as I design.
For the naked _simplicity_ both of the Matter and Expression of a
_Pastoral_, upon bare Contemplation, might seem easily to be hit, but
upon trial 'twill be found a very hard task: Nor was the difficulty to
be dissembled, lest _Ignorance_ should betray some into a rash
attempt. Now I must come to the very Rules; for as nothing excellent
can be brought to perfection without _Nature_, (for Art unassisted by
that, is vain, and ineffectual,) so there is no _Nature_ so excellent,
and happy, which by its own strength, and without _Art_ and _Use_ can
make any thing excellent, and great.

But tis hard to give _Rules_ for that, for which there have been none
already given; for where there are no footsteps nor path to direct, I
cannot tell how any one can be certain of his way. Yet in this
difficulty I will follow _Aristotle's_ Example, who being to lay down
Rules concerning _Epicks_, propos'd _Homer_ as a Pattern, from whom he
deduc'd the whole Art: So I will gather from _Theocritus_ and
_Virgil_, those Fathers of _Pastoral_, what I shall deliver on this
account. For all the Rules that are to be given of any Art, are to be
given of it as excellent, and perfect, and {53} therefore ought to be
taken from them in whom it is so.

The first Rule shall be about the _Matter_, which is either the
_Action_ of a _Shepherd_, or contriv'd and fitted to the _Genius_ of a
Shepherd; for tho _Pastoral_ is simple, and bashful, yet it will
entertain lofty subjects, if it can be permitted to turn and fashion
them to its own proper Circumstances, and Humor: which tho
_Theocritus_ hath never done, but kept close to _pastoral_ simplicity,
yet _Virgil_ hath happily attempted; of whom almost the same
_Character_ might be given, which _Quintil