Ancient Terms were doubtless a great disadvantage, especially to _Spencer_, when his Works appear'd first in the World; but he had a Soul large enough to write rather for Posterity, than present Applause. He took so excessive a delight in the Old Language of his admired _Chaucer_, that he could not help, in some measure, imitating it. Our greatest Writers having all given into an Ancient Dialect, would almost encline us of the present Age, to think of making their Language a standing Language; for Queen _Elizabeth_'s Age is to us what _Augustus_'s was to the _Latins_; we must never hope to have so many noble Genius's adorn any one Age for the future; I might have said, any twenty Ages. Therefore if any _English_ Dialect survives to the World's End, 'twill certainly be theirs; and 'twill be prudence in any After-writer to draw his Language as near to theirs as possible; that if theirs are understood a thousand Years hence, his may too. But to leave the Consideration of Old-Words in Epick Poetry and Tragedy, let us proceed to Pastoral. There are several Advantages flow from the Use of Old-Words, but I have time to mention but two or three. There is a Spirit and a Liveliness of Expression to be preserv'd in Pastoral as well as other Poetry; now I affirm that 'tis impossible to perform this without Old-Words; unless a Writer make Shepherds talk Sublimely, and with Passion, as in Tragedies. Again, if a Writer has a Genius for Pastoral he will have some Thoughts occur so inimitably Simple, that they would appear ridiculous in the Common Language; and 'tis necessary that the Language should answer to the Thought. These are the finest Thoughts of all for pastoral. There are also several Thoughts which, tho' extreamly agreeable to the simple Innocence of young Country Girls, will appear too luscious, unless the Simplicity and Rusticity of the Speaker appear's, by the Old Language spoken. But we smile at a Thought in such simple Language, which perhaps we shall nauseate in a polite Dialect.