Reflections on Aristotle's treatise of poesie containing the necessary, rational, and universal rules for epick, dramatick, and the other sorts of poetry : with reflections on the works of the ancient and modern poets, and their faults noted / by R. Rapin.

XX.

THe design of a Poem must consist of two Parts, of Truth, and of Ficti∣on; Truth is the foundation, Fiction makes the accomplishment. And Ari∣stotle calls the mixture of these two, the constitution of things: or the Fable, which is no other than the subject of a Poem, as the Design or Fable of the Andria in Terence, are the Loves of Pamphilus and Glycerium. The Fable of Hyppolitus in Euripides, is the passion of▪ Phaedra for her Son-in-law; this passion causes the misfortunes of Hyp∣politus,

and the disorders of Theseus's house. The Fable of Homer's Iliad is the anger of Achilles, who by his pre∣sence, or by his absence from the Greci∣an Army, determines the good or ill success of all his party; the anger of this Prince, which proceeds of the dis∣content he received from Agamemnon, is the truth of the History, which is adorn'd with all the Episodes and varie∣ty of Adventures that enrich this Po∣em: and the Poet fills not his Poem with that variety of extraordinary E∣vents, but to give delight; which he could never perform, if he had nothing to say but truth; and he would never be regarded, if all were fabulous: therefore History and Fiction must ne∣cessarily enter the composition of the Subject.