THE

Complete ART

O F

POETRY.

In Six PARTS.

I, Of the Nature, Ufe, Excellence, Rife and Progress
of Poetry, &c.

II. Of the Ufe and Neceffity of Rules in Poetry.
III. Of the Manner, Rules, and Art of Compofing
Epigrams, Paftorals, Odes, &c.

IV. Of Tragedy and Comedy; how to draw the Plot,
and form the Characters of both.

V. The Rules of the Epic or Narrative Poem. Of the
Poetic Diction or Language, and of English Numbers.
VI. A Collection of the molt beautiful Delcriptions, Si-
miles, Allufions, &c. from Spenser, and our beft
English Poets, as well Ancient as Modern, with
above Ten Thousand Verfes, not to be found in
any Performance of this Kind. Shakespeariana; or
the most beautiful Topicks, Defcriptions, and Similes
that occur throughout all Shakespear's Plays. "

By CHARLES GILDON, Gent.

Why is He honour'd with a Poet's Name,
Who neither knows, nor wou'd obferve a Rule?
Rofcom.

VOLUME. I.

LONDON:

Printed for Charles Rivington, at the Bible and Crown in
St. Paul's Church-yard. MDCCXVIII. Price 6 s.

TO THE

Most Excellent Majesty

O F

GEORGE,

King of Great-Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Elector of Brunswick, Lunenburg, &c.

May it please your Majefty,
HESE

Poetical In

暖 ftitutions being now

to vifit the Public, I

could not but think their

best Security would be to appear under the auspicious Pro

a 2

tection

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