TO THE READER.
OF all the Books that Mankind hath convers'd with, since it was first refin'd by Letters, none hath contributed so much to the civilization thereof, or gaind that esteeme and Authority with it, as those of POETRY; by which terme I meane, FICTION, in the largest extent. Under this, are comprehended the highest & noblest productions of man's wit, ROMANCES; a kinde of writing so full of charme and insinuation, that even Religious worship, in the dis-illuminated times of Paganism, was oblig'd to it for most of its Ceremonies, & the strange influence it had over the multitude. For, what were the Ora•les, what all ancient Mythologies, what Numa's pre∣tended correspondence with his Nymph Aegeria, but so many poli∣tick Ro•ances, cunningly advanc'd, to create in the minds of the people a feare and veneration of some power above humane Lawes, whereby they were deterr'd from those things which were out of their reach and cognizance? Hence was it that some stum∣bled on that Paradoxe,
But, if Endeavours of this nature were so succesfull and ad∣vantageous to piety & a civill life, in their infancy, while they were yet shrowded in Fables and Oracular cheats and ambiguities, and lay levell to the capacities of the multitude, what may not those contribute, that are calculated to the meridian of the most criticall and most ingenious? What was before censur'd as extravagancePage [unnumbered] of imagination, is now reconcil'd to probability, and restrain'd by judgement. What falsly ravish'd the eager apprehension in∣to amazement at impertinent and Quixoticall Attempts doe• now but gently enflame the minde into an aemulation of the perfections, & a sympathy for the weakeness & sufferings it finds represented. Thus an excesse of Austerity in some hath reduc'd many to a grea∣ter compliance with and submission to Nature; and the eleva∣tion of the voice in Singing Masters above the note, does but di∣rect the Learner to reach the tone.
This, READER, is the designe of the worke thou now hast in thy hands. Here thou find'st a cleare representation of the No∣blest and most generous images of life, and such an accompt of the passions and actions of Men, as few bookes of this nature afford so plentifull; with such variety of excellent discourses, and an ex∣traordinary sententiousnesse, as deservedly celebrate this above any Author of the kinde. Here thou hast a jealous and distrustfull ASTREA; a despairing, yet faithfull CELADON; asickle and unconstant HYLAS; and such intricate scenes of Courtship, Love, Jealousie, and the other passions, as cannot but raise in •ee a con∣sideration of humane Affairs, sutable to the severall emergencies. But to close up the elogies may be given this worke, with the grea∣test that any of this kind ever receiv'd, I shall onely adde •he judge∣ment of it, of the late famous Cardinall of RICHELIEU, That he was not to be admitted into the Academy of Wit, who had not been before well read in ASTREA.
J. D.
