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not only to have the skill but to perform the practice of a soldier.

So that the ending end of all earthly learning being virtuous action, those skills that most serve to bring forth that, have a most just title to be princes over all the rest; wherein, if we can show it rightly, the poet is worthy to have before any other competitors; among whom principally to challenge it, step forth the moral philosophers, whom, methinks, I see coming towards me with a sullen gravity, as though they could not abide vice by daylight, rudely clothed for to witness outwardly their contempt of outward things, with books in their hands against glory, whereto they set their names; sophistically speaking against subtlety, and angry with any man in whom they see the foul fault of anger.

These men, casting largesses as they go of definitions, divisions, and distinctions, with a scornful interrogative, do soberly ask, whether it be possible to find any path to lead on man to virtue so ready as that which teacheth what virtue is; and teacheth it not only by delivering forth his being, his causes and effects, but also by making known his living vice which must be destroyed, and his cumbersome servant passion which must be mastered, by showing the generalities that contain it, and by the specialities that are derived from it; lastly, by plainly setting down how it extends out of the limits of a man's own little world, to the government of families and maintaining of public societies.

The historian scarce gives leisure to the moralist to say so much, but that he, loaden with old mouse-eaten records, authorising himself for the most part upon other histories, whose greatest authorities are built upon the notable foundation of hearsay, having much ado to accord differing writers, and to pick truth out of partiality; better acquainted with a thousand years ago than with this present age, and yet better knowing how this world goes, than how his wit runs; curious for antiquities and inquisitive of novelties, a wonder to young folks, and a tyrant in table-talk, denieth in a great chafe that any man for

teaching of virtue and virtuous actions is comparable to him.

The philosopher, saith he, teacheth a disputative virtue, but I do an active one; his virtue is excellent in the dangerless academy of Plato, but mine showeth her honourable face in the battles of Marathon, Pharsalia, Poictiers, and Agincourt. He teacheth virtue by certain distant considerations, but I bid you follow the footing of them that have gone before you; old-aged experience goeth beyond the fine-witted philosopher, but I give the experience of many ages; lastly, if he makes the songbook, I put the learner's hand to the lute; and if he be the guide, I am the light.

Then would he allege you innumerable examples confirming story by stories, how much the wisest senators and princes have been directed by the credit of history, as Brutus, Alphonso of Arragon, and who not, if need be. At length the long line of their disputation makes a point in this, that the one giveth the precept and the other the example.

Now whom shall we find, since the question standeth for the highest form in the school of learning, to be mediator? Truly, as it seemeth to me, the poet; and if not a moderator, even the man that ought to carry the title from them both, and much more from all serving sciences.

SUPERIORITY OF THE POET.

THEREFORE compare we the poet with the historian and with the moral philosopher; and if he go beyond them both, no other human skill can match him; for as for the divine, with all reverence, he is ever to be excepted, not only as having his scope far beyond these, as eternity exceedeth a moment, but even for passing each of these in themselves; and for the lawyer, though Jus be the daughter of Justice, the chief of virtues, yet because he seeks to make men good rather by the fear of punishment than by the love of virtue, or to say lighter, doth not

endeavour to make men good, but that their evil hurt not others, having no care so he be a good citizen how bad a man he be; therefore as our wickedness maketh him necessary, and necessity maketh him honourable, so is he not, in the deepest truth, to stand in rank with these, who all endeavour to take naughtiness away, and to plant goodness even in the secretest cabinet of our souls; and these four are all that any way deal in the consideration of men's manners, which being the supreme knowledge, they that best breed it deserve the best commendation.

The philosopher, therefore, and the historian, are they which should win the goal, the one by precept the other by example; but both, not having both, do both halt. For the philosopher, sitting down with his thorny arguments, the bare rule is so hard of utterance, and so misty to be conceived, that one who hath no other guide but him, shall wade in him till he be old, before he shall find sufficient cause to be honest. For his knowledge standeth so much upon the abstract and the general, that happy is that man who may understand him, and more happy that can apply what he doth understand.

On the other side, the historian, wanting the precept, is so tied not to what should be, but to what is; to the particular of things, and not to the general reason of things, that his example draweth not necessary consequence, and therefore a less fruitful doctrine.

How doth the peerless poet perform both; for whatsoever the philosopher saith should be done, he giveth a perfect picture of it by some one by whom he pre-supposeth it to be done, so as he coupleth the general notion with the particular example. A perfect picture, I say, for he yieldeth to the powers of the mind an image of that whereof the philosopher bestoweth but a wordish description, which doth neither strike, pierce, or possess the sight of the soul so much as that other doth.

For, as in outward things, to a man that had never seen an elephant or a rhinoceros, he who should tell him most exquisitely all their shape, colour, bigness, and par

ticular marks; or of a gorgeous palace, an architect who, declaring the full beauties, might well make the hearer able to repeat, as it were, by rote all he had heard, yet should never satisfy his inward conceit with being witness to itself of a true living knowledge; but the same man, as soon as he might see those beasts well painted, or that house well in model, should straightway grow, without need of any description, to a judicial comprehending of them; so no doubt the philosopher, with his learned definitions, be it of virtues or vices, matters of public polity or private government, replenisheth the memory with many infallible grounds of wisdom, which, notwithstanding lie dark before the imaginative and judging power, if they be not illuminated or figured forth by the speaking picture of poetry.

For conclusion, I say the philosopher teacheth, but he teacheth obscurely, so that the learned only can understand him; that is to say, he teacheth them that are already taught. But the poet is the food for the tender stomach; the poet is the right popular philosopher. Whereof Esop's fables give good proof, whose pretty allegories stealing under the formal tale of beasts, make many that are more beastly than beasts begin to hear the sound of virtue from these dumb speakers.

But, now, it may be alleged, that if this managing of matters be so fit for the imagination, then must needs the historian surpass, who brings you images of true matters, such as indeed were done, and not such as fantastically or falsely may be suggested to have been done.

Now, to that which is commonly attributed to the praise of history, in respect of the notable learning which is got by marking the success, as though therein a man should see virtue exalted and vice punished, truly that commendation is peculiar to poetry and far off from history; for indeed poetry ever sets forth virtue so in her best colours, making fortune her well-waiting maid, that one must needs be enamoured of her. Well may you see Ulysses in a storm and in other hard plights; but they

are but exercises of patience and magnanimity, to make them shine the more in the near-following prosperity; and of the contrary part, if evil men come to the stage, they ever go out (as the tragedy writer answered to one who misliked the show of such persons) so manacled, as they little animate folks to follow them; but the history being captived to the truth of a foolish world, is many times a terror from well-doing, and an encouragement to unbridled wickedness.

I conclude, therefore, that poetry excelleth history, not only in furnishing the mind with knowledge, but in setting it forward to that which deserves to be called and accounted good; which setting forward, and moving to well-doing, indeed setteth the laurel crown upon the poet as victorious, not only of the historian, but over the philosopher, howsoever in teaching it may be questionable.

SCENE IN ARCADIA.

THE third day after, in the time that the morning did strew roses and violets against the coming of the sun, the nightingales, striving one with the other, which could in most dainty variety recount their wrong-caused sorrow, made the travellers put off their sleep: and rising from a tree, which that night had been their pavilion, they went on their journey, which by and by welcomed Musidorus' eyes, wearied with the wasted soil of Laconia, with delightful prospects.

There were hills which garnished their proud heights with stately trees; humble valleys, whose base estate seemed comforted with the presence of silver rivers; meadows enamelled with all sorts of eye-pleasing flowers: thickets which being lined with most pleasing shade, were witnessed so to by the cheerful disposition of many well-tuned birds; each pasture stored with sheep feeding with sober security, while the pretty lambs with bleating oratory craved the dam's comfort; here a shepherd boy piping as though he should never be old; there a young shepherdess knitting and withal singing; and it seemed

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