_The Rocks can Melt, and Air in Mists can mourn, And Floods can weep, and winds to Sighs can turn, &c_. It seem's to be turn'd the best next in these Lines. _And now the Winds, which had so long been still, Began the swelling Air, with Sighs to fill, &c_. The Affectation of the Thought show's it self rather more, I think, in the following Lines. _And see, the Heav'ns to weep in Dew prepare. And heavy Mists obscure the burd'ned Air On ev'ry Tree the Blossoms turn to Tears, And every Bough a weeping Moisture bears_. But give me leave to quote the Thought once more and I have done. _The Marble Weep's, and with a silent Pace, It's trickling Tears distil upon her Face. Falsely ye weep, ye Rocks, and falsely Mourn! For never will ye let the Nymph return!_ If any should have a Curiosity to see these Thoughts at large, for we have not quoted the whole of 'em, he may find 'em in _Congreve_'s Pastoral, call'd _The Mourning Muse of_ ALEXIS. I shall trouble you with but one Thought more of those which we reduce under the Denomination of Refin'd, and that is the ANTITHESIS. I do not just now remember a Line of this Nature in any Author but Mr. _PHILIPS_; otherwise, I avoid hinting at particular Faults in a Writer who is generally regular and correct, in his Sentiments. _In vain thou seek'st the Cov'rings of the Grove, In the cool Shades to sing the Heats of Love_. SECT. 2. _Of_ SIMPLE THOUGHTS. _And the finest quoted out of_ SHAKESPEAR _and_ PHILIPS. 'Twould be well if Pastoral-Writers would leave aiming at such Thoughts as these, and endeavour to introduce the Simple Ones in their stead. But what is most surprizing, is, that their false Thoughts are as seldom their own, as their true ones, and they steal all indifferently from _THEOCRITUS_ and _VIRGIL_. Which shows how necessary it is to be a thorough Critick, if you would be a good Poet. Pastoral-Writers are sufficiently for Simplicity; nay so much, that they form their Storys or Fables so little and triffling as to afford no Pleasure; is it not strange then that they should be so averse to Simplicity in their Thoughts; where Simplicity would be the greatest Beauty in their Poetry? Pastoral-Writers have all sorts of false Thoughts but those which we may call the Too Simple. I do not indeed know any Author who has such a Thought unless it be our wide-thoughted _SHAKESPEAR_. And indeed 'tis scarce possible to rise to Simplicity enough, in Pastoral, much less to have a Thought too Simple. _SHAKESPEAR_'s is this. Des.) _Mine Eyes do itch, doth that boad Weeping?_ Emil.) _'Tis neither here nor there_. Des.) _I have heard it said so: O these Men, these Men! Dost thou in Conscience think, tell me_ Emilia, _That there be Women do abuse their Husbands, In such gross kind_? &c. Othello. Act. 4. Sc. last.