IV.
HOmer, who had a Genius accom∣plish'd for Poetry, had the vastest, sublimest, profoundest, and most univer∣sal
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.
About this Item
- Title
- 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.
- Author
- Rapin, René, 1621-1687.
- Publication
- London :: Printed by T.N. for H. Herringman ...,
- 1674.
- Rights/Permissions
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To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
- Subject terms
- Aristotle. -- Poetics.
- Poetry -- Early works to 1800.
- Poetry -- History and criticism.
- Aesthetics -- Early works to 1800.
- Cite this Item
-
"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." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A58068.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 2, 2024.
Pages
Page 5
wit that ever was; 'twas by his Po∣ems that all the Worthies of Antiquity were form'd: from hence the Lawma∣kers took the first platform of the Laws they gave to Mankind; the founders of Monarchies and Commonwealths from hence took the Model of their Polities. Hence the Philosophers found the first principals of Morality which they have taught the People. Hence Phys••ians have studied Diseases, and their Cures. Astronomers have learn'd the know∣ledge of Heaven, and Geometricians of the Earth. Kings and Princes have learn'd the art to govern, and Captains to form a Battel to encamp an Army, to besiege Towns, to fight and to gain Vi∣ctories. From this great original Socra∣tes, Plato, Aristotle, came to be Philoso∣phers. Sophocles and Euripides took the haughty air of the Theatre and Idea's of Tragedy. Zeuxes, Apelles, Polygnotus, became such excellent Painters; and Alexander the Great so valiant. In fine, Homer has been (if I may so say) the first Founder of all Arts and Sciences, and the pattern of the wise men in all Ages. And as he has been in some manner the Author of Paganism, the Religion whereof he establish'd by his Poems,
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one may say that never Prophet had so many followers as he: yet notwith∣standing this so universal Genius, this wit capable of all things, apply'd him∣self onely to Poetry, which he made his business.