And mark but even Caesar's own words of the forenamed Sylla,(who in that only did honestly,to put down his dishonest tyranny),"literas nescivit:"as if want of learning caused him to do well.He meant it not by poetry,which,not content with earthly plagues,deviseth new punishment in hell for tyrants:nor yet by philosophy,which teacheth "occidentes esse:"but,no doubt,by skill in history;for that,indeed,can afford you Cypselus,Periander,Phalaris,Dionysius,and I know not how many more of the same kennel,that speed well enough in their abominable injustice of usurpation.
I conclude,therefore,that he 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 crowns upon the poets as victorious;not only of the historian,but over the philosopher,howsoever,in teaching,it may be questionable.
For suppose it be granted,that which I suppose,with great reason,may be denied,that the philosopher,in respect of his methodical proceeding,teach more perfectly than the poet,yet do I think,that no man is so much [Greek text],as to compare the philosopher in moving with the poet.And that moving is of a higher degree than teaching,it may by this appear,that it is well nigh both the cause and effect of teaching;for who will be taught,if he be not moved with desire to be taught?And what so much good doth that teaching bring forth (I speak still of moral doctrine)as that it moveth one to do that which it doth teach.For,as Aristotle saith,it is not [Greek text]but [Greek text]{39}must be the fruit:and how [Greek text]can be,without being moved to practise,it is no hard matter to consider.The philosopher showeth you the way,he informeth you of the particularities,as well of the tediousness of the way and of the pleasant lodging you shall have when your journey is ended,as of the many by-turnings that may divert you from your way;but this is to no man,but to him that will read him,and read him with attentive,studious painfulness;which constant desire whosoever hath in him,hath already passed half the hardness of the way,and therefore is beholden to the philosopher but for the other half.Nay,truly,learned men have learnedly thought,that where once reason hath so much over-mastered passion,as that the mind hath a free desire to do well,the inward light each mind hath in itself is as good as a philosopher's book:since in nature we know it is well to do well,and what is well and what is evil,although not in the words of art which philosophers bestow upon us;for out of natural conceit the philosophers drew it;but to be moved to do that which we know,or to be moved with desire to know,"hoc opus,hic labor est."Now,{40}therein,of all sciences (I speak still of human and according to the human conceit),is our poet the monarch.For he doth not only show the way,but giveth so sweet a prospect into the way,as will entice any man to enter into it;nay,he doth,as if your journey should lie through a fair vineyard,at the very first give you a cluster of grapes,that full of that taste you may long to pass farther.He beginneth not with obscure definitions,which must blur the margin with interpretations,and load the memory with doubtfulness,but he cometh to you with words set in delightful proportion,either accompanied with,or prepared for,the well-enchanting skill of music;and with a tale,forsooth,he cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play,and old men from the chimney-corner;{41}and,pretending no more,doth intend the winning of the mind from wickedness to virtue;even as the child is often brought to take most wholesome things,by hiding them in such other as have a pleasant taste;which,if one should begin to tell them the nature of the aloes or rhubarbarum they should receive,would sooner take their physic at their ears than at their mouth;so it is in men (most of them are childish in the best things,till they be cradled in their graves);glad they will be to hear the tales of Hercules,Achilles,Cyrus,AEneas;and hearing them,must needs hear the right deion of wisdom,valour,and justice;which,if they had been barely (that is to say,philosophically)set out,they would swear they be brought to school again.That imitation whereof poetry is,hath the most conveniency to nature of all other;insomuch that,as Aristotle saith,those things which in themselves are horrible,as cruel battles,unnatural monsters,are made,in poetical imitation,delightful.Truly,I have known men,that even with reading Amadis de Gaule,which,God knoweth,wanteth much of a perfect poesy,have found their hearts moved to the exercise of courtesy,liberality,and especially courage.Who readeth AEneas carrying old Anchises on his back,that wisheth not it were his fortune to perform so excellent an act?Whom doth not those words of Turnus move (the tale of Turnus having planted his image in the imagination)"--fugientem haec terra videbit?
Usque adeone mori miserum est?"{42}
Where the philosophers (as they think)scorn to delight,so much they be content little to move,saving wrangling whether "virtus"be the chief or the only good;whether the contemplative or the active life do excel;which Plato and Boetius well knew;and therefore made mistress Philosophy very often borrow the masking raiment of poesy.
For even those hard-hearted evil men,who think virtue a school-name,and know no other good but "indulgere genio,"and therefore despise the austere admonitions of the philosopher,and feel not the inward reason they stand upon;yet will be content to be delighted,which is all the good-fellow poet seems to promise;and so steal to see the form of goodness,which seen,they cannot but love,ere themselves be aware,as if they took a medicine of cherries.
