Theatrum poetarum, or, A compleat collection of the poets especially the most eminent, of all ages, the antients distinguish't from the moderns in their several alphabets : with some observations and reflections upon many of them, particularly those of our own nation : together with a prefatory discourse of the poets and poetry in generall / by Edward Phillips.

Perfection of knowledge the one, how im∣mers't in swinish sloth and ignorance the other; I am apt to wonder how it could possibly be imagin'd that the same rationa∣lity of Soul should inform alike, as we are oblig'd to beleive by the authority of Sacred Scriptures, and the Doctrine of the Souls Immortality, the whole masse & frame of Human Nature, and not rather that there should be a gradation of Notion from the lowest brute up to the Angelic Region: But that calling to mind the common maxim of Philosophy, that the perfection of Soul is the same in the Infant, as in the ripe of age, only acting more or less vigorously, accor∣ding to the capacity of the Organs; I thence collect that there is also a different capacity of the Organs, whence ariseth a different Spirit and Constitution, or some interven∣ing cause, by which it either acts or lies dor∣mant even in Persons of the same age: the first is that Melior Natura, which the Poet speaks of, with which whoever is amply indued, take that Man from his Infancy, throw him into the Deserts of Arabia, there let him converse some years with Tygers and Leopards, and at last bring him where civil society & conversation abides, and ye

shall see how on a sudden, the scales and dross of his barbarity purging off by de∣grees, he will start up a Prince or Legi∣slator, or some such Illustrious Person; the other is that noble thing call'd Education, this is that Harp of Orphe••s, that Lute of Amphion, so elegantly figur'd by the Poets to have wrought such Miracles among irrational and insensible Creatures, which raiseth beauty even out of deformity, or∣der and regularity, out of Chaos and con∣fusion; and which if throughly and rightly prosecuted, would be able to civilize the most savage natures, & root out barbarism and ignorance from off the face of the Earth▪ those who have either of these qualifications singly, may justly be tearm'd Men; those who have both united in a happy con∣junction more than Men; those who ha•••• neither of them in any competent measure, certainly, in the conduct of their lives, less then Men, and of this last sort is compos'd that greatest part by far of our habitable World, (for what the Nature and distin∣ction is of the Inhabitants of other orb••is•• to us utterly unkown though not any where circumscrib'd, but diffused alike through the 4 quarters) commonly call'd

to Euripides for Tragedy, yet nevertheless sleep inglorious in the croud of the forgotten vulgar: and for as many of those Names of Writers, whether more or less Eminent, as have been preserv'd from utter oblivion, together with an account for the most part of what they writ, all Learned Men espe∣cially such as are curious of antiquity are oblig'd to those generous▪ Registers who have been studious to keep alive the memories of Famous Men, of whom it is at least some satisfaction to understand that there were once such Men or Writings in being: However since their works having by what ever casualty perisht, their Names, though thus recorded, yet as being dispeirc't in se∣veral Authors, and some of those not of the most conspicuous note, are scarce known to the generality, even of the Learned them∣selves, and since of later Ages the memories of many whose works have been once made public; and in general esteem, have never∣theless through tract of time, and the suc∣cession of new Generations, fallen to decay and dwindled almost to nothing; I judged it a Work in some sort not unconducing to a public benefit, and to many not ungrate∣full, to muster up together in a body, though

under their several Classes, as many of those that have imploy'd their fancies or inventions in all the several Arts and Sciences, as I could either collect out of the several Authors that have mention'd them in part, or by any other ways could come to the knowledge of, but finding this too various and manifold a task to be ma∣nag'd at once, I pitcht upon one Faculty first, which, not more by chance than incli∣nation, falls out to be that of the Poets, a Science certainly of all others the m••st••no∣ble and exalted, and not unworthily tear∣med Divine, since the heighth of Poetical rapture hath ever been accounted little less then Divine Inspiration: Pardon me therefore most Honour'd Friends, if having undertaken a Province more weighty and difficult then the account of any other Art and Science, and which beyond all others exerciseth the utmost nicety and sagacity of judgement, I ambitiously make address to the Patronage of Persons of so fair a repu∣tation, as well in Poetry as other parts of Learning, and who are your selves partys not obscurely or without just merit concern∣ed, whom against what ever may happen either of deserv'd or undeserv'd Censure,

vouchsafe but the two first letters of their Names, and these, it is to be supposed, desire to be known onely to some Friends, that un∣derstand the Interpretation of those letters, or some curning Men in the Art of Divina∣tion; now as to the last part of the objection, I have so much the more confidence to stand upon my own justification, by how much I rely upon this Maxim, that it is less inju∣stice to admit of 20 that deserve no notice or mention, then to omit one that really de∣serves; and here methinks there seems to arise a large feild of examination and di∣stinction, between those that are in truth of no valew or desert, and those that are generally reputed so; it is to be observed that some have been once of great esteem, and have afterwards grown out of date, others have never arriv'd to any esteem, and possi∣bly in both cases the merits of the cause may have been various on either side; yet I am apt to beleive that as it, is a more frequent thing to over then undervalew, so a uni∣versal contempt is a shrew'd, not infallible, sign of a universal indesert; the reason is plain, for though no doubt the number of the judicious and knowing is as great if not greater then ever, yet most confessedly

not so great as that of the ignorant or only superficially knowing, there are many that think, few only that judge; therefore things of the most transcendent excellence are for the most part only valw'd by Per∣sons of transcendent judgment, whereas the indifferent and plausible are received with general and vulgar applause. So that those Works which being advanta∣geously publisht, nevertheless obtain no Fame, may be justly suspected of little or no worth, since, had they been excellent, they might falling into the hands of the few that judge, have been vuoy'd up by their au∣thority, had they been plausible, they would h••••e been cry'd up by the many that think. And shall such very Ignore and contemptible pretenders, ••e allow'd a place among tht most renowned of Poetic Writers, among so many Loureated heads, with the tri∣umphant wreath of Parnassus? I beg your ••avourable attentions, yours in the first place, most oft equal Judges, yours in the next, most Curteous Readers, let me plead a little for the well meaners only, as something Sympathising with those for whom I ••lead; Vertue will plead for it self, and ••eeds no Advocate; first let it consider'd

time•• some that had their Poetical excellen∣cies if well examin'd, and chiefly among the rest Chaucer, who through all the ne∣glect of former•• ag'd Poets still keeps a name, being by some few admir'd for his real worth, to others not unpleasing for his fa∣cetious way, which joyn'd with his old English intertains them with a kind of Drollery; however from Qu. Elizabeth's Reign the Language hath been not so unpo∣lisht as to render the Poetry of that time ungratefull, to such as at this day will take the paines to examin it well: besides if 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Poetry should Pleas but what is calculated to every refinement of a Language, of how ill•• consequence this would be for the future, let him consider and make it his own case, who being now in fair repute & promising to himself a lasting Fame, shall two or three Ages hence, when the Language comes to be double refin'd, understand (if Souls have any intelligence after their departure hence, what is done on Earth) that his Works are become obsolete and thrown aside. If then their Antiquated style be no sufficient reason why the Poets of former A••es should be rejected, much less the pre∣••••••e of their antiquated mode or fashion 〈◊〉〈◊〉

of Poetry, which whether it be altered for the better or not, I cannot but ••ook upon it as a very pleasant humour, that we should be so complyant with the French custom as to follow set fashions; not only in Garments, but also in Music, (where∣in the Lydian mood is now most in request) and Poetry: for Cloths I leave them to the discretion of the Modish, whether of our own or the French Nation; Breeches and Doublet will not fall under a Meta∣physical consideration, but in Arts and Sciences, as well as in Moral Notions, I shall not scruple to maintain that what was verum & bonum once 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to be so always; now whether the Tr••nck-Hose Fancy of Queen Elizabeth's days or the Pantaloon Genius of ours be best; I shall not be hasty to determin, not pre∣suming to call in question the judgment of the present Age, only thus much I must needs see, that Custom & Opinion ofttimes take so deep a root, that Judgment hath not free power to act. To the Antient Greecs and Latins, the Modern Poet•• of all Nations and for several Ages, have acknowledged themselves beholding, for those both Precepts and examples which

have been thought conducing to the per∣fection of Poetry; for the manner of its Garb, and dress, which is Vers, we in particular to the Italians, the first of the Moderns that have been eminently Fa∣mous in this Faculty, the Measure of the Greec and Latin Verse being no way suitable to the Modern Languages; & truly so far as I have observed the Italian Stanza in Heroic Poem, and the Sonnet, Canzon, and Madrigal in the Lyric, as they have been formerly more frequently made use of by the English than by any▪ so except their own proper Language they become none better then ours, and there∣fore having been used with so good suc∣cess, I see no reason why they should be utterly rejected; there is certainly a de∣cency in one sort of Verse more then an∣other which custom cannot really alter, only by familiarity make it seem better; how much more stately and Majestic in Epic•• Poems •• especially of Heroic Argu∣ment••, Spencers's Stanza (which I take to be but an Improvement upon Tasso's Ottava Rima, or the Ottava Rima it self, used by many of our once esteemed Poets) is above the way either of Couplet

or Alternation of four Verses only, I am perswaded, were it revived, would soon be acknowledg'd, and in like manner the Italian Sonnet and Canzon; above Pin∣daric Ode, which, whatev••r the name pretends, comes not so near in resem∣blance to the Odes of Pindarus, as the Canzon, which though it answers not so exactly as to consist of Stroph, Antistroph and Epod, yet the Verses, which in the first Stroph of the Canzon were tied to no fixt number, order or measure, nevertheless in the following Srophs return in the same num∣ber, order & measure, as were observ'd in the ••ir; whereas that which we call the Pindaric, hath a nearer affinity with the Mono••ro∣phic, or Apolelymenon, used in the Cho••••••s of Aeschylus his Tragedies: one thing more is to be observ'd between the Italian Verse and ours, namely that the Dissylia∣ble, which in that Language is the only way of Riming, is also in ours, very applicable to Rime, and hath been very much used formerly; I was going to say with as much grace, sometimes, if not more, then the Monosyllable; but that I am loath to appear too singularly addicted to that which is now so utterly exploded, espe∣cially

since there are other things of much greater consequence then the Verse; though it cannot be deny'd, but that a Poeti∣cal fancy is much seen in the choise of Verse proper to the chosen subject, yet however, let the fashion of the Vers be what it will, according to the different humour of the Writer, if the Style be elegant and suitable, the Verse what∣ever it is, may be the better dispenc't with, and the truth is the use of Measure alone without any Rime at all, would give far more ample Scope and liberty, both to Style and fancy then can possibly be observed in Rime, as evidently appears from an English Heroic Poem, which came forth not many years ago, and from the Style of Virgil, Horace, Ovid, and others of the Latins, which is so pure and proper, that it could not possiby have been better in Prose: another thing yet more considerable is conduct and design in whatever kind of Poetry, whether the Epic, the Dramatic, the Lyric, the Elegiac, the Epanetic, the Bucolic, or the Epigram; under one of which all the whole▪ circuit of Poetic design, is one way or other included; so that whoever

should desire to introduce some 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Poem of different fashion, from any known to the Antients, would do no more then he that should study to bring a new Order into Architecture, altogether differe•••• both from the Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Tuscan and Composite. Epigram, is as it were the fag end of Poetry, and indeed consists rather of conceit and ••cu∣men of Wit, then of Poetical inventions yet it is more commendable to be a Mar∣tial in Epigram then Juvenal's Co∣drus in Heroic Poetry. The Epaene∣tic, comprehends the Hymn, the Epitha∣lamium, the Genethliacon, or what else tends to the praise or congratulation of Divine, or on Earth Eminent Persones the Bucolic, on Eclogue, pretends only the familiar discourse of Sheapheards a∣bout their Loves or such like concernments, yet under that umbrage treats oft times of higher matters thought convenient to be spoken of rather mysteriously and obscu∣rely, then in plain tearms: the Elegi•••• seems, intended at first for complaint of crosses in Love, or other calamitous acci∣dents, but became applicable afterwards to all manner of subjects and various oc∣casions:

the Lyric consists of Songs or Airs of Love, or other the most soft and delightfull subject, in verse most apt for Musical Composition, such as the Italian Sonnet; but most especially Canzon and Madrigal before mentioned, and the English Ode heretofore much after the same manner: the Dramatic comprehends Satyr, and her two Daughters Tragedy and Comedy: the Epic is of the largest extent, and includes all that is narrative either of things or Persons, the higst de∣gree whereof is the Heroic, as Tragedy of the Dramatic, both which consist in the greatness of the Argument; and this is that which makes up the perfection of a Poet; in other Arguments a Man may appear a good Poet, in the right manage∣ment of this alone a great Poet; for if Invention be the grand part of a Poet or Maker, and Verse the least, then certainly the more sublime the Argument, the nobler the Invention, and by conse∣quence the greater the Poet; and there∣fore it is not a meer Historical relation, spic't over with a little slight fiction, now and then a personated vertue or vice ri∣sing but of the ground, and uttering a

speech, which makes a Heroic Poem but it must be rather a brief obscure or remote Tradition, but of some remarkable piece of story, in which the Poet hath an ample feild to inlarge by feigning of pro∣bable circumstances, in which and in proper Allegorie, Invention, the well ma∣nagement•• whereof is indeed no other then decorum, principally consisteth, and wherein there is a kind of truth, even in the midst of Fiction; for what ever is pertinently said by way of Alle∣gorie is Morally though not Historically true, and Circumstances the more they have of verisimility, the more they keep up the reputation of the Poet, whose bui∣siness it is to deliver feign'd things as like to truth as may be, that is to say not too much exceeding apprehension, or the beleif of what is possible or likely, or positively contradictory to the truth of History. So that it would ••e absurd in a Poet to set his Hero upon Romantic actions (let his courage be what it will) exceeding Human strength and power, as to fight singly against whole Armies, and come off unhurt, at least if a mortal Man, and not a Deity or armed with Power

Divine; in like manner to transgress so far the compute of time as to bring toge∣ther those that liv'd several Ages asunder; as if Alexander the Great should be brought to fight a single Duel with Ju∣lius Caesar, would either argue a shame∣full ignorance in Chronologie, or an irre∣gular and boundless licence in Poetical fi∣ction, which I reckon is allow'd the Poet chiefly upon this consideration; because being supposed as he ought, to understand the ways of Heroic vertue & Magnanim∣ty from better principles then those of com∣mon and implicite opinion, he hath the ad∣vantage of representing, and setting forth greater Idea's, and more noble Examples then probably can be drawn from known History, and indeed there is no ingenious or excellent quality either native or ac∣quired wherewith he should not be fully acquainted, no part of Learning in which he ought not to be exactly instructed, since as a curious piece of History painting, which is the highest perfection in the Art of Pi∣cture, is the result of several other Arts as Perspective, Proportion, the knowledge of History, Morality, the passions of t••e mind, &c. so Heroic Poesie ought to be the re∣sult

of all that can be contrived of profit, de∣light or ornament either from experience in human affairs or from the knowledge of all Arts and Sciences, it being but re∣quisite that the same Work which sets forth the highest Acts of Kings and He∣roes should be made fit to allure the incli∣nations of such like Persons to a studious delight in reading of those things, which they are desired to imitate.

They likewise very much erre from probability of circumstance who go about to describe ••ntient things after a modern Model, which is an untruth, even in Poetry it self, and so against all Deco∣rum, that it shows no otherwise th••n as if a Man should read the Antient History of the Persians or Egyptians to inform himself of the customs and▪ man∣ners of the modern Italians and Spaniards; besides that our Author should avoid, as much as might be, the making such de∣scriptions as should any way betray his ignorance in antient customs or any o∣ther knowledge, in which he ought indu∣striously to shew himself accomplish't.

There is a also a Decorum to be ob∣serv'd in the style of the H. Poem that

is that it be not inflate or gingling with an empty noise of Words, nor creepingly low and insipid, but of a Majesty sui∣table to the Grandeur of the subject, not nice or ashamed of vulgarly unknown, or unusual words, if either tearms of Art, well chosen, or pr••per to the occasion for fear of frighting the Ladies from reading, as if it were not more reasonable that La∣dies who will read Heroic Poem should be qualified accordingly, then that the Poet should check his fancy for such ei∣ther Men or Ladys whose capacities will not ascend above Argalus and Parthe∣nia. Next to the Heroic Poem, if not as some think equal, is Tragedy, in con∣duct very different, in heighth of Argu∣ment alike as treating only of the Actions and concernments of the most Illustrious Persons, whereas Comedy sets before us the humours, converse and designs of the more ordinary sort of People: the chief parts thereof are the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by which latter is meant that moving and Pathetical manner of expression, which in some respect is to exceed the highest that can be delivered in Heroic Poesie, as being occasioned upon representing to

the very life, the unbridled passions of Love, Rage and Ambition, the violent ends or down falls of great Princes, the subversion of Kingdoms and Estates, or what ever else can imagined of funest or Tragical, all which will require a style not ramping, but passionately sedate & mo∣ving; as for the Ethos, waving farther large Discourses, as intending a Preface only, not Poetical System, I shall only leave it to consideration whether the use of the Chorus, and the observation of the an∣cient Law of Tragedy, particularly as to limitation of time, would not rather by reviving the pristine glory of the Tra∣gic all, advance then diminish the present, adding moreover this cau∣tion that the same Indecorums are to be avoided in Tragedy as have al∣ready been intimated in Heroic Poem, besides one incident to Tragedy alone, as namely that Linsie-woolsie▪ in∣termixture of Comic mirth with Tra∣gic seriousness, which being so frequently in use, no wonder if the name of Play be apply'd without distinction as well to Tragedy as Comedy; and for the Verse if it must needs be Rime, I am

clearly of opinion that way of Versifying; which bears the name of Pindaric, and which hath no necessity of being divided into Strophs or Stanzas would be much more suitable for Tragedy then the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Rhapsodie of Riming Couplets, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 whoever shall mark it well, will finds it appear too stiff, and of too much constraint for the liberty of conversation▪ and the interlocution of several Persons: and now before conclude, I cannot but call to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 something that may be yet alledged againt some very noted Writers either Phil••s••••ph••rs, Historians, Mathematicians 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the like, here mentioned, who for what they are said to have written in Poetry, being perhaps but small or inconsiderable, will scarce be thought worth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 plaid a∣mong the Poets; It is true indeed, they do not shine here as in their proper Sphear of Fame, nevertheless since it is not un∣grateful to many to know all that hath been written by famous Men▪ as well in the Arts they least, as those they most profess, and since the Register of one Science only may well take the greater Scope within that circuit, I judged it not impertinent to mention as well those

Famous Men in other Faculties, who have also writ Poetically, as the most Famous of Poetical Writers, considering especially how largely the Name of Poet is generally taken; for if it were once brought to a strict Scrutinie, who are the right, genuie and true born Poets, I fear me our number would fall short, and there are many that have a Fame deser∣vedly for what they have writ, even in Poetry it self, who if they came to the rest, I question how well they would endure to hold open their Eagle eys a∣gainst the Sun: Wit, Ingenuity, and Learning in Verse, even Elegancy it self, though that comes neerest, are one thing, true Native Poetry is another; in which there is a certain Air and Spi∣rit; which perhaps the most Learned and judicious in other Arts do not perfectly apprehend, much less is it attainable by any Study or Industry; nay though all the Laws of Heroic Poem, all the Laws of Tragedy were exactly observed, yet still this tour entrejeant, this Poetic E∣nergie, if I may so call it, would be required to give life to all the rest, which shines through the roughest most

unpolish't and antiquated Language, and may happly be wanting, in the most po∣lite and reformed: let us observe Spencer, with all his Rustie, obsolete words, with all his rough-hewn clowterly Verses; yet take him throughout, and we shall find in him a gracefull and Poetic Majesty: in like manner Shakespear, in spight of all his unfiled expressions, his rambling and indigested Fancys, the laughter of the Critical, yet must be confess't a Poet above many that go beyond him in Li∣terature some degrees. All this while it would be very unreasonable that those who have but attempted well, much m••re those who have been learned, judicious or Ingenuous in Verse should be forgot∣ten and left out of the circuit of Poets, in the larger acceptation.

Thus, most Worthy Arbiters, I have layd before you the reason and occasion of this design, have Apologized for what I judg'd most obnoxious to Censure or Objection; have lastly, deliver'd my own sentiment in some things relating to Poe∣try, wherein, if I have differ'd ought from the received opinion, I can safely aver, that I have not done it out of affecta∣tion

of singularity, but from a different apprehension, which a strict inquiry into the truth of things (for there is also a Right and a Wrong, a Best and a Worst, as well in Poetical as other Assertions▪) hath suggested to my reason, perswading my self, that no right judgement can be given, or distinction made in the Writings of This or That Author, in whatevor Art or Science; but, without taking ought upon trust, by an unbiass'd, and, from the knowledge of ancient Authors; judicious examination of each; being also sufficiently assur'd of the concurrence with me in this matter, of all impartial Readers; of yours especially, m•• most honoured Friends, whom I wish that fate which I am concern'd in for all deserving Writers, a lasting Fame, equal to the merit 〈◊〉〈◊〉 what you have so ad∣vantagiously publisht to the World.