The English Parnassus, or, A helpe to English poesie containing a collection of all rhyming monosyllables, the choicest epithets, and phrases : with some general forms upon all occasions, subjects, and theams, alphabeticaly digested : together with a short institution to English poesie, by way of a preface / by Joshua Poole.

THE PREFACE, Being a short Institution OF ENGLISH POESIE.

IT is the ordinary misfortune of posthumous works, like Orphans, to be exposed to the mer∣cy of others; insomuch, that when they come to appear in the world, they have not those ac∣commodations, which such as are advanced by their own parents and friends, commonly have. Were the learned Author of this laborious work alive to see this production of his abilities, and extraordinary industry come abroad, there nee∣ded not any to give account of it but himself. For who could have said more for the advantage and ornament of Poesy, than a person who had so for∣tunately spent both his time and endeavours to cultivate it in the highest manner that could be? But since he is not, the Reader must accordingly abate of his expectation, and, instead of large In∣stitution of Poesie, such as might well attend the present Work into the world, accept of such as

slight account thereof, as may be proportionable to their capacities, for whose improvement, in∣struction, and convenience, these endeavours of his were intended. They indeed were calcula∣ted for their meridian who stood subject to the ferula; which yet hinders not, but they may indif∣ferently contribute to the assistance of all those, who find in themselves any natural inclination or happinesse of thought more than ordinary, to ex∣presse themselves in verse.

We are then to note, that as the world became more and more civilized, Harmony, I mean that of speech and mutual expression one to another, grew more and more into reputation. Hence is it that those languages are considered as the most refined that are most susceptible of Harmony, and those most favouring of incivility and barbarisme, wherein a man cannot expresse himselfe without harshnesse and discord. This harmony, in prose, consists in an exact placing of the accent, and an accurate disposition of the words; such as delight∣ing the ear, doth in a manner captivate the passi∣ons and the understanding. Of this, strange in∣stances might be made in the ancient Orators, who may be said to lead the people whither they pleased. In Poesie, it consists besides the afore∣said conditions of Prose in measure, proportion and Rhime. All we have to say relates only to the

latter, and in that, confining our selves particular∣ly to English Poesie.

There are some, who in point of Poetry attri∣bute so much to Nature that they think all rules and directions absolutely unnecessary, and conse∣quently that it is not reducible to any Art; and this they categorically affirme of some Nations, allowing to others greater advantages and incli∣nations to perfection and excellency therein, as particularly to the Greeks and Latines. But those certainly consider not that we are equally the children of Nature; that wit, and happinesse of conceit are an universal patrimony, and that there are in every language certain heights proportiona∣ble to their Idiome, as may very much advance Poetry. Besides the injustice they do the modern Languages, often comparing their Poetry to that of the Greek and Latines, and finding it some∣what disconsonant they presently condemne it as savage and barbarous, when haply, consider'd with relation to the Languages, it is much the more excellent. To which may be added the advanta∣ges, in point of Poetry, accrewing by Rhime, and consequently that the Languages that are enrich∣ed by it, are the most suscep••ible of Poesie. But for these and the like controversies arising concer∣ning Poetry, we refer those that are desirous of fur∣ther satisfaction to the defence of Poesie, wri••ten by Sir Philip Sidney, printed at the end of the Arca∣dia;

Mr. Sa. Daniel's Apologie for Rhime, written in answer to a Pamphlet in his time, entituled Ob∣servations in the Art of English Poesie; and a certain Treatise entituled, The Art of English Poesie, di∣vided into three Books, the first of Poets and Poesie; the second of Proportion, and the third of Ornament, printed in the year 1589. treating of Poesie in generall, and exemplifying in the Eng∣lish.

As to English Poesie, we shall lay it down as granted, that it may be fortunate in any kind, and upon any subject, if it meet with a true son of Par∣nassus, and a genius that knowes how to manage it. And yet we find by experience that the most considerable, and for ought can be found, the most fortunate therein were a sort of Chimists, men of much leisure, and sedentary lives, who writ altogether in Stanza's. In so much that for some centuries of years, the greatest part of Eng∣lish Poetry, was spent on those barren and indeed abstruse subjects of Chymistry, and the Philosophers stone, as I have it from a Gentlemans observation, who is excellently well versed in Treatises of that nature, and hath a strange, and almost incre∣dible collection thereof. But the English Lan∣guage ariving daily to greater perfection and pu∣rity, Poesie must needs accordingly extend to all subjects and occasions, incident to humane life; and since it admits of the same division into spe∣cies,

as the Greek and Latine, we must, being obli∣ged to them for their Termes, submit to their Method.

The chiefest of all the species of Poesie, is the Heroick, or Epick, as being a representation of Heroes, or great and fortunate men, and accor∣dingly requiring a certain state and Majesty suita∣ble to the persons it represents. Some, in Mr. Johnson's time, vainly attempted to write a Hero∣ick poem, in imitation of the Greeks and Latines, by the measures of Spondey and Dactyl, without any regard to rime. Of that number was he, who sent him a coppy of verses beginning thus,

Bēnjāmīn īmmōrtal Jōhnsōn mōst hīghlīe rēnōwnēd.

In this kind were written by the Ancients, all kind of Historical Poesie, performed by most of the Europian Languages, till of late, by way of Stan∣za's.

A second species of Posie is the Lyrick, which is of such extent, that it may be made use of on a∣ny occasion. To this head are referred Madrigals, Sonnets, Hymnes, Ballets, Odes, whereof some are amorous, some rural, some military, some jovial, made for drollery and drinking; in a word, what suits best with the Poets humour. To these may be added, Epithalamiums, written upon occasion of Nuptials, Epinicions, of Victories, Genethliacks

of Nativities, Congratulatories, &c. The most e∣minent of all writers of this kind, were among the Latines Horace and Catullus.

A third species is that of Elegies, Threnodies, and such like long-breathed Poems on luctiferous subjects. To this is reducible, what ever may be said on sad and dolefull occasions. Of this Ovid in his book de Tristibus, is, as it were, the Grand Exemplar.

A fourth kind is that which is called Dramatick Poesie, divisible into diverse species, and compre∣hending, Tragedies, Comedies, Interludes, Masks, Entertainments, Dialogues, Satyres, Frolicks, Georgicks, Pastoralls, Piscatories, Nauticals (which three last, passe commonly under the name of Ec∣logues) Memoralls and the like. In these the Poet is not strictly obliged to rhime, but only to mea∣sure, being such as are principally intended for the stage, the main grace hereof consists in repre∣sentation and action. Of all these, the most an∣cient is the Satyre, a kind of writing, reproving common and popular abuses, so called, for the bitternesse and invectives thereof, which was such that to regul••te and reforme their li∣centiousresse and exorbitance Tragedies and Comedies were introduc'd.

A fift is the Epigram, a facetious kind of writing, full of spirit, humour, and fancy. It is of a vast extent, as comprehending Epi∣taphs,

Characters, Emblems, Devices, Motto's, Hieroglyphicks, Definitions, Aphorisms, Distri∣butions, Paradoxes, Rebus's, Problems, It is full of mirth and salt, sententious, directive, as to Mo∣rality, proverbiall, Mythologicall, Enigmaticall, in a word hath all humane actions and accidents to work upon, closing up all with a certain smartnesse of conceit. The numerous brood of it, are, ingenious fallacies in, and extra dictionem, Encomiasticks, Vi∣tuperatories, Scoffs, Sarcasms, Jeers, Jests, Quibbles, Clinches, Quippes, Bulls, Anagrams, Chronograms, Acrosticks, Criticismes, in a word whatever is of Succinct and concise Poetry, on what subject soe∣ver, handsomly couched, and worded.

To these may lastly be added certain Poeticall Treatises concerning Learning, Science, or some particular sect of Philosophy, such as that of Lucretius, Epistolary writings, such as those of Ovid, wherein he hath been imitated by Mr. Drayton, and Historicall as Lucan, imitated by the same Drayton and Daniel, and translated and sup∣plied by Mr. Thomas May, both in Latine and English.

Having thus made a hasty dissection of Poesie into its severall species, it is now time we de∣scend to some few particular instructions, which duly observed, may contribute something to the ornament and embellishment thereof. There is, as we hinted before, a certain harmony in Prose,

much more necessary is it in Verse, whereof the grace and advantage consists altogether in the Symphony and cadence.

The first Observation then, shall be to endea∣vour such a disposition of the words, as that, without much labour to the tongue, they make a cerrain melody in the ear, which no sooner hears it, but she judges whether the words be placed so, as to be pronounced without violence by the ac∣cent; whence this verse; though it hath the just number of feet, runs harshly to the ear, by rea∣son of the misplacing of the accent.

None think reward rendred worthy his worth.

The case is the same when by an inconsiderable alteration, as haply that of one word, makes what was before harsh become smooth and pleasant.

For instance this,

Though death doth consume, yet verue preserves, with a little transposition will run well enough thus,

Though death doth ruine, vertue yet preserves.

This discovers of what consequence the ex∣act observation of the accent is, which, like right time in Musick, produces harmony, the want of it harshnesse, and discord. In like manner Rhime depends altogether on the accent; whence it comes that many words terminating alike, yet

never rhime well, such as wéaknesse and confésse, náture and endúre, fortune and importune, &c. This is soon discovered by the ear.

The second, to avoid as much as may be long Parentheses, which are a certain torture to the Rea∣der, forcing him to alter his tone till he come to the close of the Parenthesis, and causing in the hearer a distraction and suspence till the sense be u∣nited. Examples of this are so frequent, we need not quote any. Some late writers have endeavou∣red to avoid them even in Prose, and the attempt ought to be cherished and seconded, nor indeed is it very difficult.

To this head may be added a certain licentious∣nesse, which some English Poets have in imitati∣on of the Greek and Latine, presumed on to dis∣member, and disjoyn things that should naturally march together; placing some words at such a di∣stance one from another, as will not stand with the English Idiome. Nay sometimes they fall down into flat prose; a kind of Licentia poetica by no means allowable in English, such is that of these verses.

But now that she is wearied with the toil Of balling, and that all her spirits boil With scortching flames of the blind Archers fire, Which kindleth no lesse vehement desire, In her inamorato's, hence she goes, Having farewel'd the company, at whose

Earnest entreaty she was pleas'd to come Into afair and well adjusted room, &c.

A third caution i••, to avoid, as much as may be, frequent Apostrophe's, because of harshnesse and disturbance consequent thereto, such we have in this verse.

The husband is the head, as soon's h' unlocks

Where the words as and he, are apostrophated, which cannot be well admitted. It is ordinary with the same Author to apostrophate us, his, by, to, be, very, &c. very harshly, and not without vio∣lence to the ear.

A fourth is to avoid feminine rimes, such as cha∣rity and parity, double and trouble, Dunstable, and Constable, &c. which in a verse of ten syllables or Heroick, speaks a certain flatnesse derogatory from the Majesty thereof, and if any where they may be allowed, it is in Ditties and Sonnets, and there hardly, Poesie being now arrived to such purity and perfection.

With this we forbid the use of polysyllables, such as are proper to prose, and come not into verse without a certain violence, such as representation, skilfulness, remediles, reciprocally, convertible, spright∣fully; as also the frequent use of words, that have the accent on the fourth sillable from the termi∣nation;

as territory, disputable, protonotary, & the like.

A fifth, may be an exact observation of the rime, as that wherein all the symphony and mu∣sick of a verse consists. In this Sir Thomas Ur∣quhart, a man of an extraordinary fancy, may be said to be negligent, or indeed it is the fault of his Countrey, which being obliged to France for many things, derive thence a liberty not admitta∣ble in English Poesie. Such is that of terminating with the same letters, as conceive, and receive, sun, and son, resent and consent, &c. frequent in French Poetry, or such as not allowed, Poesie, would be lost among them.

As also that of making two words that have but any affinity in sound, to serve for rhime, as effects, and takes, expression and copulation, lean and den, late and set; frequent in Scotch Poets, as it were in imitation of the French, among whom it is tole∣rable.

Lastly, for the Epithets, which well placed and significant, are no small ornament in a Poeme. These we would have to adde something to the signifi∣cation of the Substantive, that it may not be thought they onely fill up the line. Thus to say, briny sea, is no more than to say, the sea, the woody grove is no more than a grove, nor were it amisse to avoid a sort of harsh compound words, much affected by some, such as Thunder-thumping Jove, tempest-raising winds, which reading and experi∣ence

will soon discover to be the issues of hollow brains, filled with nought but wind.

Thus having run through this short Anatomy of Poesie, all now remains to do is, in few words, to give some little account of the Author, and the design and scope of the present work, for the Au∣thor he had sometime the charge and management of a private School at Hadley near Barnet in the County of Middlesex, kept in the house of a wor∣thy Gentleman, one Mr. Francis Atkinson, who out of a design truly generous, and publick, ende∣vouring to prevent the inconveniences of irregu∣lated youth, set up a School or Academy, for the education of a select number of Gentlemens sons of good quality. There, it seems, as he confesseth in his Epistle to the said Mr. Atkinson, he writ this elaborate piece. But this is not his first appea∣rance in the world; for in the year 1655. came forth a book of his called the ENGLISH ACCI∣DENCE, very usefull for such as it was intended for, as teaching a way to make him that can but in∣differently read English, to turn any sentence into pure and elegant Latine, Printed for R. Lownds at the white Lion in Pauls Churchyard.

For the Work, he hath divided it into three parts. The first treats of all rhimes imaginable in English (as the base and foundation of Poesie) according to their severall terminations. The second furnishes the diligent Lover of the Muses, with excellent

choice and variety of apposite Epithets, somewhat in imitation of Textors in the Latine. The third is an ample treasury of phrases, and elegant expres∣sions, gathered out of the best esteemed English Authors that have writ in the severall kinds of Poesie, not unlike that of Thesaurus Poeticus, in Latine. And all this is performed by such an excel∣lent method, and a certain alphabetical disposition, for the greater ease and convenience of those that shall be desirous to advance themselves thereby, that it may be confidently said, the design is ab∣solutely new, there having not any thing of this kind appeared upon the English stage before.

So that there seems nothing requisite to com∣pleat the great structure of this ENGLISH PARNASSUS, or Poeticall Institution, but a Rhetoricall Treatise, such as m••y acquaint and fur∣nish the industrious student with these advantages and imbellishments, that advance as well Prose, as Poetry to the highest pitch. And such a Treatise there is already in the Printers hands, to be sud∣denly put into the Presse, intituled, ENGLISH RHETORICH, and that drawn by the same hand, and polished by the same indefatigable in∣dustry, as this PARNASSUS, And of that RHETORICH, there is the like presumption, that proceeding from the same Author, th•••• is, be∣ing such as pruned off whatever is burd•••• ••ome,

and unnecessary, and comprehending all that is beneficiall and conducing to the improvement o•• such as shall desire it, it will meet with a reward suitable to an undertaking of such concernment to all learning, a generall encouragement acceptati∣on, and applause.

I. D.