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Mean language, therefore, or ludicrous fentiment, are unnatural in an Epic poem, for this reason, among others, that they do not naturally occur while one is compofing it. And hence Milton's humorous defcription of the limbo of Vanity *, however just as an allegory, however poignant as a fatire, ought not to have obtained a place in Paradise Loft. Such a thing might fuit the volatile genius of Ariofto and his followers; but is quite unworthy of the fober and well-principled difciple of Homer and Virgil.

In Dramatic Poetry, the perfons act and fpeak in their own character, and the author never appears at all. An elevated ftyle may, however, be natural in tragedy, on account of the high rank of the perfons, and of the important affairs in which they are engaged. Even Comedy, who takes her characters from the middle and lower ranks of mankind, may occafionally lift up her voice, as Horace fays †, when the means to give utterance to any important emotion, or happens to introduce a perfonage of more than ordinary dignity.-But what if perfons of low condition fhould make their appearance in Tragedy? And as the great must have attendants, how can this be guarded againft? And if fuch perfons appear,

* Paradife Loft, book 3. verf. 444.

+ Hor. Ar. Poet. verf. 92.

will not their language be unnatural, if raifed to a level with that of their fuperiors? Or, would it not give a motley cast to the poem, if it were to fall below that level?

No doubt, an uniform colour of language, though not effential to Tragi-comedy, or to the Historic drama, is indifpenfable in a regular tragedy. But perfons of mean rank, if the tragic poet find it necessary to bring them in, may eafily be fuppofed to have had advantages of education to qualify them for bearing a part in the dialogue, or for any other office in which he may think proper to employ them. —— Besides, language admits of many degrees of eleva tion; and a particular turn of fancy, or temperature of the paffions, will fometimes give wonderful fublimity to the ftyle even of a peasant or of a favage. So that the style of tragedy, notwithstanding its elevation, may be as various as the characters and paffions of men, and may yet in each variety be natural. Moreover, the fubject, and confequently the emotions, of tragedy, are always important; and important emotions prevailing in the mind of a peafant will exalt and invigorate his language. When the old fhepherd in Douglas exclaims, "Bleft be the "day that made me a poor man; My poverty has faved my mafter's houfe;" the thought and the words, though fufficiently tragical, have no greater elevation, than VOL. II. Ff

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we should expect from any perfon of his character and circumftances. Simplicity of ftyle, for which none are difqualified by the meanness of their condition, often enforces a fublime or pathetic fentiment with the happieft effect.-Let it be obferved further, that poetical language is an imitation of real language improved to a state of perfection; and therefore, that the style of tragedy, though raised above that of common life, will never offend, fo long as its elevations are at all confiftent with probability. In fact, when the paffions are well expreffed, and the characters well drawn, a tragic poet needs not fear, that he fhall be found fault with for the elegance of his language: tho' no doubt a great mafter will always know how to proportion the degree of elegance to the character of the speaker.

The dignity of a Tragic hero may be fo great as to require an elevation of language equal to the pitch of Epic poetry itfelf. This might be exemplified from many of the fpeeches of Lear, Othello, Hamlet, and Cato, and of Samfon in the Agonistes. But, in general, the Epic ftyle is to be diftinguilhed from the Tragic, by a more uniform elevation, and more elaborate harmony: becaufe a poet, affuming the character of calm infpiration, and rather relating the feelings of others, than expreffing his own, would fpeak with more compofure, fteadiness, and

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art, than could reasonably be expected from those who deliver their thoughts according to the immediate impulfe of paffion.

The language of Comedy is that of common life improved in point of correctnefs; but not much elevated; - both because the fpeakers are of the middle and lower ranks of mankind, and also because the affairs they are engaged in give little fcope to thofe emotions that exalt the mind, and rouse the imagination. As to the ftyle of farce, which is frequently blended with comedy;

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it is purpofely degraded below that of common life; or rather, it is the ridiculous language of common life made more ridiculous. I have already remarked, that Farce is to Poetry, what Caricatura is to Painting: as in the laft we look for no beauty of attitude or feature, fo neither in the first do we expect elegance of diction. Abfurdity of ́ thought produces abfurdity of words and behaviour: the true farcical character is more extravagantly and more uniformly abfurd, than the droll of real life; and his language, in order to be natural, must be exaggerated accordingly. Yet as nothing is efteemed in the fine arts, but what difplays the ingenuity of the artist, I fhould imagine, that, even in a farce, one would not receive much pleasure from mere incongruity of words or actions; because that may be fo eafily invented. Studied abfurdity cannot be

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entertaining, unless it be in fome degree uncommon *.

We may therefore repeat, and lay it down as a maxim, That " language is natural, "when it is fuited to the speaker's condition, character, and circumftances." And as,

for the most part, the images and fentiments. of ferious poetry are copied from the images and fentiments, not of real, but of improved, nature; fo the language of serious poetry muft (as hinted already) be a transcript, not of the real language of nature, which is often diffonant and rude, but of natural language improved as far as may be confiftent with probability, and with the fuppofed character of the fpeaker. If this be not the cafe, if the language of poetry be such only as we hear in converfation, or read in history, it will, instead of delight, bring difappointment: because it will fall fhort of what we expect from an art which is recommended rather by its pleasurable qualities, than by its intrinfic utility; and to which, in order to render it pleasing, we grant higher privileges, than to any other kind of literary compofition, or any other mode of human language.

The next inquiry must therefore be, "How "is the language of nature to be improved?" or rather, "What are thofe improvements

* Effay on Laughter, chap. 3.

See above, part 1. chap. 3. 4. 5.

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