colony, or the restoration of an exiled prince to his people and dominions. An event of this magnitude must be represented as being conducted by some principal personages, and as having happened in some place and at some period. And these are the particulars which appear to exact that this event should be strictly historical. It is equally impossible to make all these circumstances wholly fictitious; to connect them with illustrious characters which are remarkable on account of being known, or to assign them the substantial existence of time and locality, without having on the mind a full impression of the subjects being so far contradictory to truth. And this impression must mix itself with almost every sensation produced by the story, and if not overpower, at least allay that interest, which the composition ought to procure, without imperfection or diminution; for the emotions which are excited by this species of poetry are of a nature too subdued and solemn to counteract the dissatisfaction which arises from the sense of their being improper and unartful. We have not indeed any reason to apprehend the influence of this consideration in those passages of the work which are pathetick or terrible; for these, whether they are real or fictitious, are fully adequate to support themselves by their own interest. But such descriptions, if more than occasionally introduced, must interrupt that soft and equable tenour in which the action of the poem is advanced; from which the poet cannot so rise, as to preserve a continued elevation, and to which he must at times even sink, if for no other purpose than to give superiour effect, by contrast, to such parts of his work as are sublime and impassioned. The conclusion which has been just determined is not only analogous to that established with respect to the historick epopee, but has been determined on the same principles. The poet who undertakes either kind of composition is constrained to preserve or to adopt truth in his narration, as in departing from the track which it points out, the deviation must excite such sensations in his readers, as will prevent their interest from arising, at least to that degree which poetry must aspire after, while there is a possibility of its attainment. And this consideration of the reciprocity existing between the historick and poetical epopee, as well as the nature of the perfection required in every composition of the art, at once leads to the decision of the second question respecting Poetical Licence which has been proposed for examination. II. On being excluded from employing pure fiction, cannot an epick poem be constructed on authentick history? For what has been already declared on the impractibility of departing from authentick facts in the historical poem, must evince that they cannot undergo any alteration, much less be falsified to that degree which would be necessary for the perfection of epical poetry; and that a subject consisting of them must be wholly excluded from its composition. Nor can it be deemed unnecessary or superfluous to have reduced the points under discussion to this explicit statement, however it may appear to have been anticipated, in our inquiries into the licences admissible in the historick poem. Since the poetical productions of the French, our rivals, not less in literary than in military glory, furnish an eminent exception to the conclusion which it is intended to establish; the "Henriade," which is the chief epick poem that this nation can boast, being founded on a subject are pathetick or terrible; for these, whether they are real or fictitious, are fully adequate to support themselves by their own interest. But such descriptions, if more than occasionally introduced, must interrupt that soft and equable tenour in which the action of the poem is advanced; from which the poet cannot so rise, as to preserve a continued elevation, and to which he must at times even sink, if for no other purpose than to give superiour effect, by contrast, to such parts of his work as are sublime and impassioned. The conclusion which has been just determined is not only analogous to that established with respect to the historick epopee, but has been determined on the same principles. The poet who undertakes either kind of composition is constrained to preserve or to adopt truth in his narration, as in departing from the track which it points out, the deviation must excite such sensations in his readers, as will prevent their interest from arising, at least to that degree which poetry must aspire after, while there is a possibility of its attainment. And this consideration of the reciprocity existing between the historick and poetical epopee, as well as the nature of the perfection required in every length of standing, my only appeal from this decision lies to the feelings of my reader, who in that notice, which he may bestow on these speculations, may be disposed to add his suffrage to the conclusions which I endeavour to establish. That this conclusion does not fail from wanting the support of high authority, would be admitted by M. de Voltaire himself, since the Abbé Du Bos, of whose critical powers he bears ample testimony, most explicitly declares that a subject from recent history is not fit for epick poetry. But it is still more worthy of remark, that M. de Voltaire himself, bestowing most unqualified approbation on Lucan, and strengthening his approbation with very convincing reasons, has not only supported the superiour judgment manifested in the “Pharsalia," but has most incautiously decided against that mode of practice which he afterwards adopted in the "Henriade." Nor is it difficult to account for this inconsistency between the authour's practice and his principles in strict conformity to the latter, the poem was originally conceived, and offered to the world. It was not until after this period Reflex. Critiq. §. 23. |