RIGHT HONOURABLE

Charles,

Earl of Dorset and Middlefex, Baron Buckhurst, and L. Chamberlain of their Majesties Houshold,Kt. of the Moft Noble Order of the Garter, Lord Lieutenant of Suffex,and one of their Majefties most Honourable Privy Council.

My Lord,

C

Ontemplation and Action have their different Seasons. It was after the defeat of Antony,and A 3

the

The Epifle Dedicatory. the business of the World pretty well over, when Virgil and Horace came to be fo diftinguifh'd at Court.

Alexander, who had given fo good proof of his Judgment by the Honours paid to the Memory of Homer,and of Pindar, found in his time no better Poet than Chilus. Charilus to the great Axander, was for Laureate and Hiftoriographer.

When once again the business of the World is over, Now my Lord, that the Mufes Commonweal is become your Province, what may we not expect? This I fay, not with intent to apply that of Quintilian on Auguftus Cæfar, Parum Diis vifum eft effe eum Maximum Poetarum: that were a Common Topick: But because, when fome years ago, I tryed the Publick with Obfervations concerning the Stage; It was principally your Countenance that buoy'd me

up,

The Epistle Dedicatory. up, and fupported a Righteous Cause against the Prejudice and Corruption then reigning.

I would not raise up again the Spirit of the late Prince of Conti; His Traite contre la Comedie, has by others been termed lå defense de la vertu. My zeal goes no higher than the Doctrine of Horace, and Ariftotle; and the Primitive Fathers of Dramatick Petry: If that Purity may be Allow'd under a Christian Difpenfation.

The World, furely, other Matters apart, owes much to Cardinal Richelieu, for his Encouragement to the Belles Lettres. From thence we may reckon, that we begin to understand the Epick Poem by the means of Bossu; and Tragedy by Monfieur Dicier. The World is not agreed which is the Nobler Poem: Plato and Bossu prefer the A 4 for

The Epiftle, &c.

former; Ariftotle and Dacier declare for Tragedy. Three, indeed, of the Epick (the two by Homer and Virgi's Eneids) are reckon'd in the degree of Perfection: But amongst the Tragedies, only the Oedipus of Sophocles. That, by Corneille, and by others of a Modern Cut, quantum Mutatus! but I already trespass too long upon your time, who am,

My Lord,

Your ever Bounden Faithful

Humble Servant.